Lives of the First World War

known 3rd February 1915

Life was good, as life always is when men are as fit as men were in those days; yet an undercurrent of restlessness moved the force. Sight-seeing, even in the most wonderful land on earth, was not what they had come for. Garrison duty was all very well, but the tide of national feeling was commencing to rise, and New Zealanders felt that they could do more to win the war than keep down a timorous and subject populace. Pleasures commenced to pall, and training became tiresome. The glamour was wearing off from this land of sand and sin. For the first time the fed-up feeling was becoming really strong. Birdwood's thirty thousand were spoiling for a fight. It was the 25th January, and the companies were seated around the mess tables after the day's work. As always, there were rumours to discuss—there always had been rumours, and probably there always would be. The officers came round to give orders. At first no one was taking any particular notice. It would be just the usual routine of training. But, then, what orders were these? The Battalion would entrain for the Canal! In two minutes the whole atmosphere had become electrical; not a murmur was heard, all was energy and bustle, packing up and getting ready. The camp was in a ferment. "Ball cartridge!" It was handled lovingly, almost reverently. "Field dressings!" So it was to be real war, with wounds and sudden death for some. The stores were served out and the bayonets sharpened. There is scarcely anything which will bring the morale of good fighting-men up to the last pitch as this sharpening of bayonets. The work was done, and now the whole camp was seething with excitement. Never before and never after was there such a spontaneous burst of enthusiasm. The band was playing and marching around. Men were cheering, singing, shouting, rushing round here and there, shaking hands with friends and enemies. The accumulated rubbish of the weeks in camp, the superfluous stuff that could not be carried, was blazing on the bonfires. The "niggers" came round, looking for a rich harvest of "backsheesh," and were immediately commandeered and tossed in blankets, one or two at a time. They fled howling, pursued by roars of wild laughter. So the fun went on till the small hours of the morning, and even then the men could not sleep, but talked and talked of the prospect of fighting. The Battalion fell in next morning with full packs up, ready to move to the entraining point. Colonel Plugge made a little speech. "Men, there is just one thing I want to say to you. I know it is not necessary; yet I want to say it. It is probable that we shall be scrapping within the next twenty-four hours from now. Play the game. Let Auckland and New Zealand be proud of you. This order is not for nothing. That's all." The trains carrying the New Zealand Infantry Brigade moved out from Helmieh, past Zag-a-Zig and Tel-el-Kebir, and so to Ismalia, where a bivouac was formed on the desert sand. The New Zealand Brigade was to be held in reserve to the Indian troops, and to continue training. The weather was getting hotter and hotter, and training was a very strenuous business. The Turks were known to be only about eight miles from the Canal bank, and in consequence there was great excitement when platoons from the various companies were detailed for "out-post" and "trench duties." Those detailed to man the post at El-Ferdan, Battery Post, Ismalia Ferry. Toussoum, and Serapæum marched off in high spirits, reached their trenches after hard slogging through soft sand, settled down and prayed fervently that the Turks would appear before the next relief occurred. Indian troops were about in great numbers, and were intensely keen on shooting someone or getting prisoners. They were not over particular whom they went after, evidently believing it was better to be safe than sorry; so they opened up one night on an Auckland party moving out to an outpost. Fortunately no harm was done. An Indian picquet also achieved the distinction of capturing Captain Wallingford, Lieutenant Weir and Dr. Craig, who had been out on a reconnoitring expedition on the chance of having a shot at any wandering Turks they might come across. A shell burst near a platoon of the 3rd Company under Lieut. Woolley. They broke and ran toward the explosion, to gather up the heated bits of metal, and arrived in camp very excited after their baptism of fire. El Ferdan had been shelled. Windows had been broken. There were shot holes in the buildings, bullets and shrapnel pellets lying around. They filed through the darkness until they were within challenging distance. The corporal gave the pre-arranged signal. Silence still! What had happened? The Turks must have crept in and butchered the garrison. Very well! They must be driven out. Bayonets were fixed. The section drew up silently, and then charged heroically in. The post was empty. The Turks' attack of February 3rd failed utterly, and the danger to the Canal rapidly faded away.

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