Ismailia – Egypt.

22^nd Feb 1917

Left Ismailia at 19.00hrs arrived at the docks in Alexandria 01.00hrs 23^rd Feb very tired, embarked on HMS (troopship) Transylvania 03.00 hrs. The East Lancs went on board with nothing but a bit of bread and jam to eat all day. They left the quayside at 5 o’clock and went out to sea with two naval escort vessels.

24^th Feb 1917 

Well out in the Mediterranean Sea, very bad storm, raining heavily, thunder and lightening, the ship tossing about like a little cork, nearly everyone feeling ill, some were very sick.

25^th Feb 1917

Reveille at 05.45, breakfast at 06.00hrs. Land in sight, anchored in St Pauls Bay Malta 07.00hrs among an assortment of naval vessels.

26^th Feb 1917

Still anchored in St Pauls Bay Malta, sea still rough. Concert on board to day in the officers’ mess. They sailed in the evening at 22.00 hrs, escorted by 2 naval destroyers, No’s 69 and 74.

27^th Feb 1917

Reveille at 06.30, sailing in the Mediterranean, Sicily on the port side, into the straits of Messina with Italy on the starboard side. Passed the town of Reggio di Calabria (Italy) and then Messina (Sicily) The morning was very dull, but very nice sailing with some very beautiful scenery, they passed Mount Stromboli and on into the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the afternoon it rained heavy, very rough sea, thankfully they are travelling in comfortable cabin with bunk beds.

28^th Feb 1917

Reveille at 06.00 No land in sight, nothing to see on deck, very dull morning, sea still very rough, waves coming over the side of the ship. Tom played push penny on the cabin floor today with Bill and Cpl Blore.

1^st March 1917.

Sea rough in the morning, improved later. Boxing match on board today, Platoons 5 and 7 Lancashire Fusiliers. Past St Alba in the afternoon. Played chess this evening and had a singsong. Bed at 22.30 hrs.

2^nd March 1917

Reveille at 05.30 hrs wash and shave etc, breakfast at 06.15hrs. It was a dull cold morning the sea was calm and France was in sight. They were soon sailing into Marseilles, the French Mediterranean port, by 09.00hrs the ship was alongside the quay. At 09.20hrs we started to disembark and unload our equipment this took until 18.00hrs. We left the ship and marched to the station, which was not far away about a ten-minute march, we did not see much of Marseilles but during that march I think we saw people of every nationality. Some soldiers on the dock told us there was plenty of entertainment, but it was an immoral place. By the time they had loaded the men and equipment on the train it was 22.10hrs when we left Marseilles.

3rd March 1917

Very cold during the night and travelling eight men plus kit to a carriage, we could not sleep very well. First halt 05.55hrs to 06.35hrs; we were issued rations and tea. The next stop was at Valence for 1hour 30minutes. Then on again crammed like sardines in a tin. The next halt and final stop for the day was at Les Lume 20.15 hrs to 20.45hrs then the train rattled on into the night.

4^th March 1917 Sunday.

Early this morning the train stopped for one hour for the troops to collect their daily rations and a mug of tea. The food containers consisted of bully beef, biscuits, butter and beans. The next stop made by the train was at Lyons. The number of women on the platform dressed all in black clothes was very noticeable; the troops on the train took it for granted that they were French widows. There were also lots of French soldiers about coming from and going to the trenches, they waved and cheered to our lads as the train moved on its way again. It continued the journey with few stops the rest of the day. The troops could not make out the station as they passed through rather quick. They stopped once in the evening and then rattled on again into the night. This time they fell asleep for the first time in three days on the train journey.

5^th March 1917

Woke up at 06.15hrs this morning, feeling very cold. The train had stopped it was an unbelievable sight that greeted them as they looked out through the carriage windows, especially as they had just come from a long stay in Egypt! The ground was covered in a very thick blanket of snow! They disembarked from the train at 06.30hrs at a place called Pont Remy; from there they marched to Abbeville, a country village. There some barns were commandeered to house them, they were filthy and wet and before we moved in they had to move the pigs out of the barn so that the lad could live in it. The ground round about was ankle deep in mud and slush. We had to make the barns habitable to live in so everyone set too and cleaned ours out. We found some straw, which we put on the floor to sleep on, they made some tea and by this time all were ready to settle down for the night. Billy was suffering with a very bad cold.

6^th March 1917

Reveille 07.00hrs. Breakfast 08.00hrs Tea and biscuits. One thing, they had a good nights sleep. Billy’s cold was much better. There is not much to do this morning; our first parade was not until 14.30hrs, which was a kit inspection. This place they are stationed at is called Abbeville it is on the river Somme, in an area called The Somme. Dinner today was one tin of Maconachie’s (mixed vegetables and beef,) between four men. Mail arrived this afternoon, we all received a lot of mail, which had eventually caught up with us, Billy received 5 letters and 4 football papers. Lights out in the evening was 20.00hrs

7^th March 1917

Reveille 06.30hrs. Very cold this morning, it did not help getting washed in ice-cold water. Roll call 07.00hrs Breakfast, 08.00hrs. 09.00hrs, sick parade. Billy reported sick with earache, all the chaps had a good laugh when he came back with a wad of cotton wool in his ear and bandages all round his face to keep it in, he said himself ‘I bet I look a rum bloomer’ the medical officer told him he has a boil inside his ear, later in the day he forgot his earache and was all smiles, he received two parcels, one from home and one from his girl friend Lily. His words were ‘A good feed tonight’