E A Milward

[Guest tafski]

Kev

superb ,a very intresting read keep up the good work awaiting more

must keep ye away from yer beloved celtic

ps who by the way are are down 1-0 to hibs

bruce

[Desmond7]

Great collection of material about a little known outfit.

Why don't you 'do it up' for yourself as a book using something like MS Publisher? It would look great printed out on some suitable 'creamy/sepia tone' paper?

[Guest KevinEndon]

Found a pic on google of ss nessian. It doesnt look fit for mules never mind soldiers.

[wulsten]

slot me in for a personal viewing again Kev

[auchonvillerssomme]

I hadn't seen this thread before...fantastic capsule.

Mick

[Garron]

Nice collection, I will be watching this thread,

Alwyas nice to see things like this, make the war seem closer (if you get what I mean)

Keep it coming

Garron

[Guest KevinEndon]

Carried on from post 25. The words in bold need altering or confirming, I have put what it looks like on the paper.

Mena was a camp mainly composed of horses. There seemed to be thousands of them, beautiful Australian and New Zealand horses attended by Egyptians. Gallipoli was in its closing stages and it must be remembered that the ANZACS were engaged they had left their mounts, mostly, if not altogether in Egypt. A few hundred were always roaming around loose picking up food where possible and keeping us fairly busy driving them away from our forage dumps. We enjoyed our short stay under the shadow of Shizeh Pyramids. Some of the lads climbed to the top of the climbable one. I managed about a quarter of the way up but soon had enough of that and contented myself with climbing the sphinx and exploring the inside. The village to the east had not then been excavated. After a short stay at Ghizer (Mena) we prepared to mover, this is where I got a very good example of scrounging which made life easier during the next few years one day in the horse lines a few of us were driving off the usual crowd of horses when Capt Watson our Adjutant appeared that man was a soldier and I do mean a soldier and a horseman In no unmistakable language he told us what we were throwing good horses way, the lesson had good effect and we moved away with 20-30 buckshi horses all in perfect condition. Entraining at Cairo we duly arrived at Fayoum the largest oasis in Egypt, probably 50 miles south of Cairo. Detraining at Fayoum we pegged down until dawn. The nights by now were bitterly cold and sleeping on or near the desert can be very uncomfortable. At dawn we mounted and with drawn sword marched to the edge of the oasis where eventually a full brigade camp was formed. The Brigadier General of the brigade was I believe awarded the DSO on completion of the operation probably owing to the fact that we moved in without any trouble from the natives. It must be remembered that the Senussi (a disaffected tribe of local arabs) were at the time very active along the Western Frontier of Egypt. The water at the Brigade camp was Nile canal water, The Nile at its best is filthy to start with. That which we had, had sluggishly passed along miles of artificial canals which also took all drainage and such effluent as found its free way back to the canals. Beasts swam in it, natives bathed in it, animals and birds drowned in it and we drank it. We drank it, that is, after it had been forced through canvas and choride of lime added, to make an almost saturated solution. We had a mugful of this per day and if we could see the bottom of the mug when half full we were doing very well. We had plenty of eggs here and the mugful of water was usually or often first used to boil an egg in, then used for shaving (we wiped the lather away) what was left made tea. This is not a flight of fancy but true. During 3 years on the desert I drank good desert water, rain water, nearly salt water, foul smelly water but never such dirty discoloured mud as this.

This takes us up to the end of November 1915. I welcome any comments you wish to post either good, bad or indifferent.

[Kate Wills]

... the Welsh Fusiliers were out in Egypt. I dont know if they came across any fighting but certainly put on a brilliant show around the camps with their plays and musicals. More info will follow when the diaries come on line. ...

Kevin,

I look forward to a long and enjoyable thread, and to these troop shows in particular.

[Chris Henschke]

Chloride of lime was used as a disinfectant to sterilize the water, when burnt lime was unavailable;

"sufficient being added to make approximately a one per cent. solution."

Chris Henschke

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

This last part reads of his attachment to the Composite Yeomanry Regts forming in Egypt.

These units passed throw Mex camp at Alexandria into the Western desert.

I await more.

Cheers

S.B

[Guest KevinEndon]

The early years for E.A. (Arthur) Milward in the Staffs Yeomanry.

Sgt Mjr Jock Ewin(top)

No name for Corporal in middle

Bill Milward (brother) bottom pic.

1914

[Guest KevinEndon]

Pre Mobilisation 1914

[Guest KevinEndon]

Still at camp

[Guest KevinEndon]

[Guest KevinEndon]

Staffs Yeomanry at Tixall 1915

[Guest KevinEndon]

Tixhall hall

[Guest KevinEndon]

A bit of R and R

[wulsten]

TEL was on the TV today hope you watched the film of the events that didnt happen

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Ref the two photos of R&R.

The top photo appears taken in Egypt as the men are wearing shorts and one has what appears to be a Pith helmet on.

Its was comen for the men to play games while not in action, games are undertaken within the unit Bde Div and others.

My Camel Corps doc's record many such matches and mini Commonweath games as the Camel Bde had soldiers from more countries then most. English, Welsh, Scots, Indian, Kiwis and aussies.

Games such as your football (Soccar) and rugby as well as many horse or camel mounted events, happened regularly.

Cheers

S.B

[Guest KevinEndon]

The diary starts tomorrow so prepare to cast yourself back to January 1st 1916 as you set sail for the vovage of a life time.

[ian turner]

Carried on from post 25. The words in bold need altering or confirming, I have put what it looks like on the paper.

under the shadow of Shizeh Pyramids.

Kevin, my ''contribution'' to what looks a very promissing thread:

Ghizeh? The Pyramids are at Ghiza I think....

I am kitting myself out for the journey, seatbelt fastened and pith helmet at the ready!

No doubt this will be a likely contender for classic status!

Happy New Year

Ian

[Guest KevinEndon]

A simple entry starts the diary but trust me it will show the highs and lows of life in the Staffordshire Yeomanry as well as the Imperial Camel Corps.

Sat 1st January. 1916.

At Fayoum camp, nice weather, parade 08:45 theme on desert.

[Guest KevinEndon]

Day 2

Sun 2nd January. 1916.

Beautiful weather, parcel post but got none. Had new pants and tunic on piquet Mr. Loveridge gave 20 ptres to troop 4 men divided lot. I was one but did not know until after.

Memo.

Don’t like Fayoum all dust and no drinking water.

[corinne mills]

Taken from the first page of the diary. Some of the words are hard to decypher so feel free to put in the correct spellings for me. The letters in bold are the ones I am not too sure about.

[Dec. 4th interpreters arrived with own syces.

This is correct - a syce is a groom or mounted attendant

Shizeh Pyramids

should be Ghizah - what we know call Giza

Thank you for sharing this with us!

[Guest KevinEndon]

Many thanks Corrine this info all helps when it comes to getting everything in order. Here is the next day in the life of E.A Milward. More photos will follow as and when the diary reveals more information about r&r days etc.

Mon 3rd January. 1916.

Unexpected turnout for Brigade, but did not go (on piquet night before) Brigade out in rain all night. I was in camp under canvas. Had 1 pound butter, tin jam, eggs 10 , buckshi.