William Keith Gillies diary, 22 March 1916-30 September 1917 - Page 14
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[Page 14]
May 1916.
Nothing exciting has happened but I have had a good look around & visited Cairo on Saturday 13th & saw the Pyramids & Sphinx.
The water at Tel-el-Kibir is not of the best although there is plenty of it & if drunk in excess will cause dysentry. At Tel-el-Kibir 35,000 troops (Aust & Eng. & N.Z.) were camped most of which were Australians who will leave with us tonight or tomorrow. At Serapium, on the canal 17,000 (Aust & Eng.) are camped in readiness for an attack. A few scrapes with the Turks have been had there lately & it is only about 25 miles from where we were. On the 19th inst. I was appointed on the staff temporily & will continue to draw extra full duty pay. About the 10th, about 14 of the officers from the School arrived here & take up duties here.