Primary tabs
Transcription
then marched to Maadi, about 10 miles, in the drizzling rain. The local British residents were very good to all ranks, and although the training was strenuous, a happy Christmas was spent at Maadi. By now the horses had recovered from the voyage and mounted training was carried out daily.
On January 30 the Regiment moved to Heliopolis, about 6 miles out of Cairo. Chaplain Merrington Church of England padre, was attached.
On February 15 No.574 Tpr Kater E.S. was given his commission and joined "D" Squadron as a 2nd Lieutenant. On the same day Lieut F.V.Weir, O.O. 1st Reinforcements, with 2/Lieut J.J. Macmillan and 52 Other ranks marched in from the Abbassia and were taken on strength, having landed at Alexandria during the first week in February with horses and equipment they had formed part of the convoy from Australia which brought the 2nd Light Horse Brigade.
In conjunction with the New Zealand Brigade field days were held and field firing carried out on the Abbassia range, Cairo. The climate of Egypt and the training areas allotted were very suitable for cavalry work and few days were lost through adverse weather. All ranks were very keen and took the utmost interest in the work. During this period there were rumors about in regard to the Dardanelles, and senior officers hinted that the unit would get its fill of fighting [year?] long, but no one anticipated the long months in the trenches of Gallipoli.
Napoleon's forts on the Suez Heads and known as No.2 and No.3 Towers were topographical features often used in our operation orders. The Regiment visited Helouan, a winter resort patronized by the Kaiser, and received good instruction in route marching in the congested traffic along the Helouan-Maadi Road, thence opening out in extended work across the Mokattam Hills. During the time the unit was away on these 'stunts', a lot of thieving by Bedouin Arabs took place from the Aerodrome (Heliopolis) camp; boots especially were taken. This pilfering continued during the later years in Palestine.