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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

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Brilliant reply Steve many thanks.

Sun 16th January 1916.

Reveille 05:30. Stand to at 05:45. Breakfast 7am. 10 men out of troop went across Luvian desert. I went exercise on blanket missed a good ride to the camel corps (native) on piquet.

Please confirm Luvian as it's not too clear in the diary.

Kevin.

Another one who's just found this thread - absolutely superb. Thank you for posting it.

Regarding the quote above - I think it should be Nubian desert.

Also post number 112 on page 6 regarding an interior shot of a mosque and your remark 'shame it's not in colour' - I have a modern day photo of almost the same shot taken in 2003 if you'd like to see it?

It was lovely seeing the old postcards of Cairo, especially the camp set up in Mena which at that time was a hungting lodge and is now an upmarket sprawling hotel (Churchill, Eisenhower et al stayed there for a summit in WWII) - the hotel is supposed to have one of the most romantic balcony views in the world (looking straight on to the pyramids as it does) I have stayed there but only at the lowly end!! LOL

Once again an excellent thread thanks for posting it - I'm sure many more members will catch onto it over time.

Kim

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Kim,

You could be right (Nubian desert) but for the area the Staffords operated in was the Western Desert of Egypt and close to the present Lybian border.

My maps give this area as part of the Lybian desert even if thay were not in fact in the Lybian desert.

But I am open to other ideas as the Nubian desert was south of Egypt in the Sudan.

Cheers

S.B

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Guest KevinEndon

Welcome to the life of Milward Kim, feel free to post a pic of the mosque. Will check diary today to see if its Lybian or Nubian. Here is todays entry.

Sat 19th February 1916.

Reveille 6am. Stables etc. Exercise 6:30. Squadron dismounted parade 10am. Skin inspection 12 o’clock, footie match.

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Have tried to upload my photo but the file size is too big.

Have reduced it twice but it's still not fitting.

Can anyone tell me the maximum file size please?

Kim

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Hi Kim,

Maximum file size is 100mb. You can always host your photo away from site on photobucket, filehigh etc. Then you don't need to worry about the maximum file size.

Good thread Kevin. Keep it going -still trying to work out the exercise on blankets bit.

Ali

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Guest KevinEndon

Tue 22nd February 1916.

Reveille 4:30 Breakfast 5. Move off at 6 arrive Kasr el Gabali 11:30 piqueted down and slept in the lines during night very hot day. Our section rearguard.

Not sure if Kasr el Gabali is the correct spelling.

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Mate,

From the Staffords history in front by Chris;

"22 February 1916

Moved to Kasr el Gebazi. (Carried out patrols in direction of El Hamuli, Qasr Qarun.) A few days later the regiment moved to Karat, Fayum".

Be aware of the following;

"8 March 1916

Lt-Col Clowes died in hospital, being replaced by Lt-Col Bromley Davenport".

S.B

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Guest KevinEndon

Cheers Steve, as we can see, the difficulty in trying to transcribe a pencil written diary can be very difficult. Those who saw the diaries in Wolerhampton will testify how difficult it has been.

Wed 23rd February 1916.

Left Gabazi camp 11:30 arrived Ezbet El Ghargeti 2:30 nice camp near old Roman ruins on stable guard (day)

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Guest KevinEndon

Thurs 24th February 1916.

Exercise 9am. Stayed in on fatigues tent erection. Rifle and bandolier inspection had 2 letters from home also papers. guard over in lying piquet.

A new idea starts tomorow where you will see all the weeks entries in the diary scanned and on here.

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Mate,

Thanks for that as I may be a bit older by the time the diary reaches 1917 going day by day.

But I am waiting for a particular time area and i am enjoying the ride.

From the Statford history;

"13 March 1916

Lt-Col Bromley Davenport left to take command of Brigade. Lt-Col Sir Percival Haywood, Bart., takes command of regiment. (Regiment remains in position for quite some time, with usual routine of patrols, etc. On 17 April a system of leave was introduced such that 5% of the regiment would be allowed 4 days off, at any time. Several men transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps at this time. A replacement draft from 3/1st arrived on 12 June. On 8 September, the regiment was inspected by Major General Sir Charles Dobell, along with Brigadier-General Bromley Davenport)."

Of cause my main area is the Camel Corps so I can hardy wait for the next three to seven weeks condenced into three to seven days, what joy.

S.B

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Guest KevinEndon

Everything comes to he who waits lol. Stay with it Steve.

Fri 25th February 1916.

Exercise on blankets 9-10 am. Cleaned saddles on forage fatigues at 2pm and went to Gabali station with transport very hot, had paper from Stapleford.

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Guest KevinEndon

Just re-read Steves post and I am not sure if we have our wires crossed. My intentions are to carry on adding an entry day by day as it is now but at the end of each week I will add a scan of the diary covering that weeks entries.

As you are aware Sunday (today) is Friday in the diary so on Tuesdays I will be placing the scan on the forum. Hope that make sense.

Kevin.

Sorry for the confusion Steve.

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Guest KevinEndon

Tried the scanning of the diary and although using a decent scanner on a high resolution the quality is not good enough to put on the forum. Sorry folks.

Kevin.

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Kev,

No worries mate, or as you and a old girlfriend said "everything does come to he who waits".

S.B

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Guest KevinEndon

Sat 26th February 1916.

Reveille 6. Went across dessert to camel corps B squad (11 miles) Kasr K Arun arrive 12 o’clock rest 2 hours get back 5:30. Went over one Pharaohs castles very interesting saw salt lake.

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Guest KevinEndon

Tue 29th February 1916.

Parade 9am. 10 men and serge went on patrol across desert, sword and bayonet inspection cancelled.

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Guest KevinEndon

Wed 1st March 1916.

Exercise 9am Rifle inspection etc. Very hot.

Thurs 2nd March 1916.

Went to Kars Karoun 9am. arrived back 4:40 very hot. B squad at Kasr Karoun.

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Guest KevinEndon

Fri 3rd March 1916.

Exercise at 9am. Stables etc 11:30. Rifle and bayonet inspection 4:15 pm very hot. Mr Loveridge transferred to B Squad as captain. On night piquet.

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Guest KevinEndon

Sat 4th March 1916.

Exercise 6:30, rifle and bayonet dismounted parade without tunics 9:30 pay 11 am stables 11:30 new officers arrive warned for Cossack post.

What is a Cossack or cossach post.

Kevin

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Mate,

Cossack post is usally a group of men numbering around four or more that form an outer layer of defence.

We use to called them a piquect.

Kevin

Thanks for the photo of Ernest, but what did you mean by the other message. And did you mean to aknowage it on this site or not.

Anyway I replied via the other means.

Thanks again for what ever you can send me.

S.B

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Guest KevinEndon

Cheers for the info on cossack Steve. Cheers for the reply, I Bwill keep in touch via email.

Sun 5th March 1916.

Got up at 5 am and proceeded in Cossack post 1 ½ miles in desert. Was camel guard, had a good day, very hot. arrived back 6.30 pm.

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