Item 03: Joseph George Burgess war diary, 1 January 1916-4 February 1917 - Page 137
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[Page 137]
24 June 24, 1916
Etmaler last night
When I got back off gaurd the horses were all taken out of the stables & linked up at the back, the lines & tents all cleaned up & every one had their saddles packed so I got to work & packed mine, had a bath, bought a water bag off a [Eepto?] for 6 pt & lay down on the saddle blanket out of the road of the horses & went off to sleep. We were turned out at 1.0 am & moved off at two. It was a beautiful night & it was nice riding along with the cool breeze blowing in one's face. One always thinks of the Sphinx, Pyramids & veiled women being connected with these nights of Egypt Still silent, mysterious, beautiful & [indecipherable].
Then dawn came gradually & old sol rose up in front of us & very soon we had our coats off, he is a warm chap We arrived at about 8 oclock gave the horses a drink at the well & although the horses were famishing for a drink they turned up their noses at the brackish taste of it. We got our lines down among a few palm trees, some horses being lucky enough to score a shady spot. We are fixed up now again for a while tents & all. Stand to at 3.30 in the morning just the time I can do my best high pressure snoring stunt. Ill likely use some language when they wake me up in the morning. Our present camp is situated about ½ mile west of Romani.