Five Months at Anzac | Page 4

soon began, and everyone seemed full of the idea of making
himself "fit." Our peace camps and continuous training at home look
very puny and small in comparison with the work which now occupied
our time. At manoeuvres the number of troops might be anything up to
thirty thousand. To march in the rear of such a column meant that each
of the Ambulances soon swallowed its peck of dirt. But with it all we
were healthy and vigorous. As an Ambulance we practiced all sorts of
movements. Under supposition that we might have to retreat suddenly,
the whole camp would be struck, packed on the waggon and taken
down the Suez road, where it was pitched again, ready to receive

patients; then tents would be struck and a return made to camp. Or we
would make a start after nightfall and practise the movements without
lights; the transport handling the horses in the dark. Or the different
sections would march out independently, and concentrate on a point
agreed upon. It was great practice, but in the end not necessary; for we
went, not to France, as we expected, but to Gallipoli, where we had no
horses. However, it taught the men to believe in themselves. That
period of training was great. Everyone benefited, and by the beginning
of April we felt fit for anything.
We were exceedingly well looked after in the way of a standing camp.
Sand of course was everywhere, but when watered it became quite hard,
and the quadrangle made a fine drill ground. Each unit had a mess
house in which the men had their meals; there was an abundant supply
of water obtained from the Nile, so that shower baths were plentiful.
Canteens were established, and the men were able to supplement their
rations. The Y.M.C.A. erected buildings for the men's entertainment,
which served an excellent purpose in keeping the troops in camp.
Cinematographs showed pictures, and all round the camp dealers
established shops, so that there was very little inducement for men to
leave at night. A good deal of our time was occupied in weeding out
undesirables from the Brigade. Thank goodness, I had not to send a
man from the Ambulance back for this reason.
Apart from the instructive side of our stay in Egypt, the sojourn was
most educational. We were camped just on the edge of the Land of
Goshen; the place where Joseph obtained his wife was only about a
mile away from my tent, and the well where the Virgin Mother rested
with our Saviour was in close proximity. The same water wheels are
here as are mentioned in the Bible, and one can see the camels and
asses brought to water, and the women going to and fro with pitchers
on their heads. Then in the museum in Cairo one could see the mummy
of the Pharaoh of Joseph's time. All this made the Bible quite the most
interesting book to read.
The troops having undergone pretty strenuous training, we were
inspected by Sir Ian Hamilton, who was to command us in the

forthcoming campaign. Then, early in April, the commanding officers
of units were assembled at Headquarters and the different ships allotted.
Finally, on the evening of the 11th April, our camp was struck, and; we
bade good-bye to Heliopolis. The waggons were packed and the
Ambulance moved off, marching to the Railway Station in Cairo.
Nine-thirty was the time fixed for our entraining, and we were there on
the minute--and it was as well that such was the case, for General
Williams stood at the gate to watch proceedings.
The waggons with four horses (drivers mounted, of course) were taken
at a trot up an incline, through a narrow gateway on to the platform.
The horses were then taken out and to the rear, and the waggons placed
on the trucks by Egyptian porters.
We had 16 vehicles, 69 horses, 10 officers and 245 men. The whole
were entrained in 35 minutes. The General was very pleased with the
performance, and asked me to convey his approbation to the men.
Certainly they did well.

TO GALLIPOLI
At midnight we left Cairo and arrived at daybreak at Alexandria, the
train running right on to the wharf, alongside which was the transport
to convey us to Gallipoli--the Dardanelles we called it then. Loading
started almost immediately, and I found that I--who in ordinary life am
a peaceful citizen and a surgeon by profession--had to direct operations
by which our waggons were to be removed from the railway trucks on
to the wharf and thence to the ship's hold. Men with some knowledge
of the mysteries of steam winches had to be specially selected and
instructed in these duties, and I--well, beyond at times watching a ship
being