Item 03: Joseph George Burgess war diary, 1 January 1916-4 February 1917 - Page 119
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[Page 119]
17 [16] May, 1916
main body was camped A Tp was rear guard to this spot. I got a drop of stinking water here & washed my parched mouth with it After about an hour C & B moved off & I got in with the first of them Some officers & men started to throw in the sponge here. We got to the palms where we started that morning & I went on thinking I would get a [taste?] for the mare but the water was so low that a man had to get in the well & fill the bucket with a qt pot - I got a drink when I got there & I staggered as I got up from drinking - then after a lot of bustle got my bucket full & I was rushed as soon as I got it, I handed it around to the famishing chaps until there was only a drop left then had a drink & half filled my bottle but I gave this to my section mates & Perce. Harold went out to it here & many others also. about 36 were brought in by the Ambulance. We started off for Katia about 4 miles, it seemed a hundred; J Woods horse knocked up & a lot of others; My mare was wobbly & panting but the plucky little beggar kept going. I got a bit feverish & was about all in when at last we sighted the well at Katia €“ here I drank about a gallon & a half & it's a wonder it did not turn me up €“ Les Godber boiled some quarts &