Item 01: Leslie William Sutherland diary, 24 September 1914 - 23 September 1915 - Page 66

[Page 66]

11 April 1915
Sunday

Revielle at 5 am
Boot & saddle early as we want to get in by lunch time, horses are quite refreshed after their swim & after a few stops we arrive in at 1.15 pm. Franklin comes over as they sail tonight they struck tents at four & the first batch left at 7 to the send off by the LH who are itching to leave with them. Some of the men are exchanging places with the inf but they were caught. I write six letters for this mail & hope to catch it this week the NL HQ staff proceeded by car by road to Alexandria. On Friday night 218 vessels left Alexandria for somewhere. Rumour has it that a mail is due tomorrow, hope its true. Bert L goes on leave to the [indecipherable] but I'm [indecipherable] Corporal so have to stay in for a change. Several men down with dysentery on account of the change of water. Bed 9.55 pm.

12 April 1915
Monday 25 wks from home

Revielle at 6.
After break I go into Cairo to collect the legirons, some stores from Ordance, visited the Cairo Motor garage with regard to the stores saw some friends, collected goods & returned to camp at 12.30 for lunch. After dinner I took the exercising parade we went over to the Virgins Well, so called because the Virgin rested & bathed her child there. The tree is still there & I got some leaves off it to send home. When the Virgin drank out of the well & before she drank the well was brackish but it immediately turned to pure water & after drinking some I reckon I've never tasted better. On the way back three horses cleared out & Mick got a [indecipherable] Maj Williams cuts up rough for communications failed the Reg sigs messed up the sig. Bed at 10.30.