The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I: Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai PeninsulaCollett, Herbert Brayley
History
The 28th: A Record of War Service in the Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I: Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai Peninsula
Collett, Herbert Brayley
Australia. Australian Army. Battalion, 28th; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Australia
On the 28th August orders were received that the Battalion would be
relieved on the following Monday and march out to camp. On the 30th
August the 5th Australian Training Battalion, commanded by Major J. S.
Lazarus, took over the garrison duties and the 28th, after being
photographed in mass formation, moved by way of the desert road, through
the Tombs of the Khalifs and Abbasia, to Aerodrome Camp, recently
vacated by the 5th Brigade. Only tents were available here, and the camp
was very dusty. As the tenancy was likely to be of a few days duration
only, these inconveniences were submitted to with a good grace.
Wheeled transport and riding horses could not, at that stage, be either
safely or profitably used on Gallipoli, so to the bitter disappointment
of Lieut. Graham and his section, the Divisional Commander ordered that
they be left behind--later on to be grouped with the rest of the
Divisional Train, exercised, and held in readiness against being
required.
On the 1st September a message from Brigade Headquarters directed that
the Battalion would proceed "overseas" on the 3rd September. All surplus
stores were at once got rid of, and spare baggage collected to be handed
over to the care of the Australian Base. The Regimental Orderly-room
Clerk, Staff Sergeant S. S. Thompson, was detailed and departed for duty
at the Australian Headquarters in Egypt, where he would be responsible
for the proper keeping of Battalion records.
The 2nd September witnessed the departure for Alexandria of a small
advance party, under Lieut. H. E. C. Ruddock, charged with the duty of
making all necessary arrangements for the reception of the troops when
arriving at the wharf. Tents were struck that afternoon and a bivouac
formed for the night.
After the evening meal on the following day the Battalion fell in, and a
check of the _personnel_ was made. Previously a number of sick, and the
few men in detention, had been struck off the strength and shown as
transferred to the Training Depot. It was now found that three or four
men were missing. As time did not permit of a search being made, a
report was sent to the A.P.M., and the additional names were also
removed from the roll.
Late that night the move commenced to Qubba station, where the train was
boarded. Each man was bearing a heavy burden. All ranks were fitted with
web equipment, carrying in their packs great coats and a few necessaries
and personal belongings, and bearing a blanket, waterproof sheet, three
days' rations of biscuits and preserved meat, together with an emergency
ration in a sealed tin, and (for those with rifles) 200 rounds of
ammunition. Officers carried revolvers, field glasses, prismatic
compass, and various other extras. They were also allowed to place their
valises on the train but, according to rumour, it was doubtful if they
would ever reach them on Gallipoli.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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