Item 03: Joseph George Burgess war diary, 1 January 1916-4 February 1917 - Page 217
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[Page 217]
29 Nov, 1916
Bayoud
A nice quiet afternoon at the wells yesterday where I took the opportunity of having a bath. I came back to the bivvie expecting to go on duty but though I gave a bit of cheek to the Sergeant so as to know my fate; no warning was forth coming so I put another 10 hours in the blankets to my credit. Ive been reading a book called "Set in Silver" just a bit of a love yarn with descriptions of old English scenery. I remarked on the contrast between the cosy "Inns" green hills & homeliness, & the airiness of my bivvy, the old grey sands & the utter desolation of this Sinai. Still even this place has a way (cant call it charm) of its own; especially at night; with its velvet & star bright sky, when the camels which may happen along bearing the rations & stuff seem weired things like ghosts out of the Arabian nights. There was a mail in, I was disgusted that I should only receive one letter, Johno received two parcels & thanks to him we had a decent midday meal. White bait & plum duff, otherwise it would been bread with a limited supply of marmalade