DAVIDSON, George Leslie - Diary part 1

1915
Aug 25. Lodged application to join A.I.F. At this time I had just completed five years service with McIllwraith McEacharn & Co. Pty Ltd. Joined 22 Aug 1910.
Sept 25. Received notification to submit for medical examination at Drill Hall Perth. Attended send-off by the Fremantle Rowing Club to four members - Andy Cummings, Gordon Doonan, Ray Viner and Bill Whiteside who had recently enlisted - at the residence of Mrs Holm, North Fremantle.
Sept 28. Examined and passed as medically fit but owing to a sight disability was recommended by the P.M.O. for inclusion in the A.M.C.
Oct 6. Attended a Sunday School send-off in the East Fremantle Presbyterian Church and was presented with a wallet and Bible.
Oct 7. Had photo taken in civilian clothes at the Thelma Studios Perth.
oct 8. Was given a send-off by the employees of McIllwraith McEacharn and presented with an illuminated wrist watch.
Oct 9. Left McIllwraith McEacharn after five years and two months service. No easy task.
Oct 10. Participated in a communion service in the East Fremantle Presbyterian Church.
Oct 11. Left Fremantle by 8.20am for Drill Hall Perth. Joined others there and after receiving instructions left Perth by 10.15 for Midland Junction thence to Blackboy Hill by car arriving between 11am & noon. Tom Young & I went direct to the A.M.C. lines where we were fixed up in a tent with five others. We wre given two blankets & an oil sheet & told this would be our home for the time being. The weather was very wet and the ground muddy, so naturally my first impression was not very favourable, but as time went on and the weather improved I got used to it.
The daily routine was: 6.30am Reveille - Physical Exercise; 7.00 to 7.40am - Breakfast; 9am to noon - Morning Parade; Noon to 2pm - Dinner; 2 to 5pm - Afternoon Parade
Then tea and bed if preferred to a sing song or YMCA concert etc. The food was good but of little variety.
Oct 13. Was warned that I was to be included in a small party headed by Sgt Constable to transfer to Belmont Race Centre as Medical Unit to the troops training there.
Oct 14. My transfer to Belmont was deferred temporarily & I was posted as an assistant to Sgt Brennan in the dispensary. The sleeping accommodation was improved by the boarding of the bottoms of the tents, thus excluding the dampness and making the laying surface more even. A friend of mine Elvin Davies left for overseas today.
Oct 28. Was transferred to Belmont with 3 others, Jack Brady, Tom Young and Bill Williams. We relieved Gordon Doonan, a friend of mine, and two others Heenan & Brown. The AMC staff at Belmont now comprised Capt Wilson (Doctor), Corp Eddy, Ralph Mole, Jack Brady, Bill Williams, myself & Tom Young.
Nov 1. Ray Verier, Ernie Aberle and Ken Mckenzie (friends) left today for overseas in the Bennalla.
Nov 2. Bill Whiteside left for overseas today.
Nov 23. Sgt Brennan and Gordon Doonan left for overseas per Mongolia.
Dec 16. Required to shift from Belmont today owing to the approaching racing season. We were transferred to Claremont and were accommodated in the W.C.T.U. casualty room at the Claremont Show Grounds. Had photographs taken of the A.M.C. unit of 6, as named earlier. Went to Claremont Govt school at which Ralph Mole was an ess teacher for the Xmas breakup, and were well received.
Dec 20. Camp closed down for Xmas break at noon. Went home.
Dec 25. On duty 9am to noon. Went home for Xmas dinner & to Pt Walter for the afternoon with W.A.V.
Dec 26. Home on leave. To church with Win in the evening.
Dec 27. On leave. Spent the day at Zoo with Win.
Dec 28. In camp on duty at Claremont.
Dec 30th. Went to Albany on leave with Ralph Mole. Left 3.30pm by train.
Dec 31st. Arrived Albany 7.45am and put up at my brother's (Ossie) place. Strolled round the town in the morning and to King River in the afternoon.
1916
Jan 1st. After lunch went to Middleton Beach & stayed there for tea. Met Bill Williams - one of our squad - who had just arrived. Joined in a sing song at the Esplanade Hotel, Middleton Beach in the evening. Were told our fortunes by a Mrs McLeod who we were to meet again in the after life.
Jan 2nd. At Albany, a swim in the Albany Municipal Baths, a sleep in the afternoon and a party at the Esplanade Hotel, Middleton Beach in the evening.
Jan 3rd. Ralph Mole & I had a walk round Albany in the morning, a rest in the afternoon and boarded the train at 6.20pm for camp.
Jan 4th. Arrived at the camp - Claremont - at 11.20am and resumed normal duties immediately.
Jan 7th. Had a visit from Major Beveridge M.O. of Blackboy camp.
Jan 13th. Had photos taken in uniform at Deason Studio Perth.
Jan 17th. Corp Garner from Blackboy came down & relieved Corp - now Sgt - Eddy.
Jan 22nd. Heard that Jack Brady, Bill Williams, Ralph Mole, Tom Young, Percy Payne & myself were included in the recruits selected to go overseases in the 14th Reinforcements to AMC units already overseas.
Jan 25th. Our AMC Unit at Claremont was relieved at noon & we returned to Blackboy arriving at 4.30pm. Reveille now 5am.
Jan 26. Took half a day off & went to Fremantle.
Jan 27. Started on pre-embarkation leave. Left Blackboy at 5.45pm & arrived home 7.30pm.
Jan 31st. Still on leave. Took Win to the Kalamunda show.
Feb 1st. Finished leave & arrived back in Blackboy about midnight.
Feb 3rd. Transferred again to Belmont to open up a dispensary.
Feb 7th. Having finished my job at Belmont was transferred back to Blackboy, arriving there about 4.30pm.
Feb 8th. Learned today that I was on draft to sail on Feb 12th as part of the 14th Reinforcements to the 4th Field Ambulance due to leave on Feb 12th.
Feb 9th. Received sea kit this morning and went on leave for the afternoon.
Feb 11th. Marking kits in preparation for embarkation for overseas per Miltiades A28. Afternoon off so went home.
Feb 12. Entraining orders altered from 9am to 2pm and subsequently to 7am Feb 13th so went home again for final farewells.
Sun Feb 13th. Reveille 5am as usual & after breakfast were marched down to Helena Vale station to entrain for Fremantle. Arrived at Fremantle wharf at 8.30am. All the way down people were lined up to wish us farewell. There were crowds at the wharf. I saw my people as I left the train and also after I boarded the troopship. The Miltiades A28 left the wharf at 10.30am amid a great din of cheering and shouting and after an hour or two set sail for Egypt via Colombo. The troops on board comprised 14th/10th, 9th/27th, 14th/11th, 14th/16th, 2nd/28th, 14th/2nd Stat. Hosp., 14th/4th Fld Amb. from WA and 3rd/32nd from South Australia, about 1270 all told. I was part of the 14th/4th Field Amb. quartered in the upper troop deck aft, fitted out to sleep 83 and mess 122. The food and accommodation was good as a sample of a day rations will show:
Breakfast: Porridge & stew, sausages or steak, Tea.
Dinner: Soup, Roast vegetables, and Pudding or Stewed apples & rice.
Tea: Biscuits, Cheese & Pickles, with cold meat left over from dinner, Bread, butter, Jam & tea.
The journey up the WA coast was commenced in beautifully fine weather, but later on in the day the weather freshened and soon became rough.
Feb 14th. The weather was very rough & I was not feeling too good, so lazed about the deck all day.
Feb 15. Weather dull and rough again & I was not feeling too good, so lazed round the deck all day. During the day one of the life boats broke loose & broke a man's leg in 2 places. A P.O. steamer passed us heading towards Fremantle.
Feb 16. Weather very rough & I felt very much off colour. Huge waves washed over the ship & there was water everywhere. Between 6 & 7am a hage wave dished against one of the huge out houses on the port after well deck and smashed it to splinters, causing many casualties. One Arthur Gillies of the 14th/11th (WA) was killed instantly & several others were seriously injured. A busy morning for the A.M.C. men but we were equal to the occassion. The remains of the late Arthur Gillies was committed to the deep at 4.15pm. The body was sewn in canvas & lowered from the Poop deck after which the buglers sounded the Last Post. During the proceedings the engines were stopped as a mark of respect and all was quiet on board.
Feb 17. Weather fine & getting hot. Pte Rowntree of the 3rd/32nd (SA) who was injured yesterday died this evening.
Feb 18.Fine weather & getting hotter. The body of Pte Rowntree was committed to the deep at 8am.
Feb 19. Weather fine & hot but showery. On hospital duty.
Feb 20. Weather still fine & showery.
Feb 21 (Mon) Weather still fine.
Feb 22 Tue. Weather still fine & voyage becoming monotonous. About 8pm a welcome break, a P & O mail steamer well lit up passed heading towards Australia. Boat drill.
Feb 23 Wed. Weather hot & fine, sea like glass. Got our first glimpse of Ceylon. Several ships sighted heading in different directions.
Feb 24 Thu. Anchored outside Colombo harbour early am, entered & tied up at a bouy in the harbour about 7am. Bunker coal & water supplies were replenished in lighters. Shore leave was granted to the troops in sections. L/Corp Bently Taylor, Pt. Arthur Baker & I went ashore in the morning & was on duty in the afternoon. Had a roam around the town, visited the Cinnamon Gardens, had lunch at the Globe Hotel, a six course meal if you wanted it for 2/-, then returned to the ship to relieve the morning shift. Went ashore again in the evening with Ralph Mole & did a bit of rickshaw riding around the town.
Fri Feb 25th. Had a full day off & went ashore with Ralph Mole and Tom Young. Went to Mt Lavinia by motor car in the morning - 6 miles - and to Museum & Cinnamon Gardens in the afternoon and through the native quarters in the evening, returning on board about 9pm.
Sat Feb 26. No shore leave. Sailed about 1.30pm & headed for Suez.
Sun Feb 27th. Weather fine. Church services & mainly rest.
Mon Feb 28th. Weather fine.
Tues Feb 29th. Weather fine. Passed a steamer early pm.
Wed Mar 1st. Weather fine. Nothing special.
Thur Mar 2nd. Weather fine. On hospital duty all day.
Fri Mar 3rd. Weather fine. Nothing doing all day.
Sat Mar 4th. Weather still fine. Passed through the Straits of Babel Mandeb about 8pm & saw the lights of Aden about 8pm.
Sun Mar 5th. Now in the Red Sea. Sea choppy, causing the ship to roll appreciably although the weather was generally fine. Had a first glimpse of Africa and during the day passed a number of small islands including the 'Twelve Apostles' group. On hospital duty.
Mon Mar 6th. Fine weather & calm sea.

AMC men on board are:-
Lt Col Embling; Major Edwards
Convalescent Depot London: Corp. Strange; Pte Savage; Pte Wilson J
14th Reinf. No. 2 Stat. Hospital: Sgt Prince; Corp Bentley Taylor R.A. No. 1205; Pte Moles RA No. 8974; Pte Clark J No. 8972; Pte Hird P No. 8973; Pte Reid C No. 8975
14th Reinf 4th Field Amb: Pte Allen R No. 8806; Pte Baker A No. 8807; Pte Brady JM No. 8808; Pte Carngham L No. 8809; Pte Cockman CE No. 8810; Pte Davidson GL No. 8811; Pte Holmes J No. 8812; Pte Jones HV No. 8813; Pte Lee J No. 8814; Pte Leivesley R No. 8815; Pte Leunig C No. 8816; Pte Mawley S No. 8819; Pte Markey FC No. 8817; Pte Markey WJ No. 8818; Pte Stewart A No. 8820; Pte Williams JH No. 8821; Pte Young PT No. 8822
3rd Reinf Sanitary Section: Pte Finebert E No. 9101

Tues Mr 7th. Weather fine sea glassy calm. Passed several ships including a 2 funnel hospital ship.
Wed Mar 8th. Weather fine with a freshening breeze developing causing quite a swell. Passed quite a number of ships. Preparing to disembark at Suez tomorrow.
Thur Mar 9th. Arrived at Suez 9am. Weather conditions good. A dozen or so troopships and several warships were in the harbour, including a few familar to me namely Aurora, Themistocles and Willochra. A triplane, the first I and many others have seen, flew overhead. The 'Beltana' came through the Canal and anchored near us for an hour or so. She had on board about 3000 British soldiers who had seen service in France and were on their way to relieve garrison troops in India.
Fri Mar 10th. Preparing to disembark tomorrow. The troops were split up into 3 train loads - 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm. I was in No. 2.
Sat Mar 11th. Left Suez by train at 12.30pm for Zeitoun. For the first couple of hours the journey was through desert country and consequently uninteresting but we soon came into the very fertile lands irrigated from the Nile and the balance of the journey was extremely interesting. We passed through Ismalia and Tel-el-Kebir and the country was well dotted with military camps. Arrived at Zeitoun at 8.15pm and were allotted sleeping accomodation in a hut.
Sun Mar 12th. About 10am several of us walked to Heliopolis about a mile distant. This is a beautiful city built in the desert and is a residential suburb of Cairo. Had lunch there, saw No. 1 A.G.H. & then caught train for Cairo about 5 or 6 miles distant. Spent the afternoon looking around and in the evening listened to an Australian band concert in the Esbekieth Gardens. Cairo streets were packed with locals and soldiers predominantly, Australian, English, New Zealanders, Indians, Maoris, & Canadians. Went out to the Pyramids in the afternoon & had my photo taken on a camel.
Mon Mar 13th. Reveille 6am First parade 6.30am to 7.30am. Morning Parade 9.30 - noon. After parades went to Cairo by train from Helmeih about 10 min. walk from camp. Bought a vest pocket camera. Had tea at YMCA & spent the rest of the evening looking round. Saw Ern Aberle & R Davies from the 12th F. Amb. and was advised the Ray Viner was in Tel-el-Kebir in the 3rd F. Amb, and Gordon Doonan had gone to Ismalia.
Tue Mar 14th. For morning parade we marched to Matarich & saw Mary's Well & also the trees under which she rested also had a look in the Church of the Holy Family. Went to Cairo in the evening & had tea there - in the YMCA.
Wed Mar 15th. We were marched to an ancient Obelisk 60ft high all one stone & in the evening stayed at home.
Thur Mar 16th. Transferred from a hut to No. 12 tent with 5 others of the 14/4th. RVA Moles, W Williams, K Lewesley, PT Young & A Stewart. Spent the evening in Cairo at the YMCA.
Fri Mar 17th. Had a look over an ostrich farm close to our camp and also another look at Mary's Well & the tree under which she rested. Also another look at the Church of the Holy Family, Materich. There were 6 beautiful pictures in this church, three on either side and extending for the length of the main portion of the building.
They are:-
No. 1. 'The massacre of the innocents', showing the centurions at Herods command slaying all infants under 12 months old. Several babies can be seen lying dead, others are being wrenched from their mothers arms, one mother is crying over her dead babe, and another is trying to escape with her babe in her arms.
No. 2 'The order to depart', represents an angel telling Joseph to flee. Mary is huddled up in a corner of the room with Jesus in her arms.
No. 3 'The flight into Egypt', shows Joseph leading an ass on which Mary is seated with our Savior in her arms.
No. 4 'The halt on the borders of the Nile', shows Mary and Jesus resting on the banks of the Nile. Joseph is not in this picture.
No. 5 'Resting under the tree', Mary with Jesus in her lap is sitting under the tree. Joseph is standing with his hand leaning against the tree & the ass is standing on the other side of the tree with head drooped and looking very tired.
No. 6 'The entry into Heliopolis', Joseph is again leading the ass on which both Mary & Jesus are riding as they enter. Heliopolis.

In the evening I walked into Heliopolis thence to Cairo by tram, thence home after tea. Saw Curly Chambers of Fremantle in Helmeit.
Sat Mar 18th. Warned at 7am to prepare for duty at No. 3 Aust. Gen. Hosp. in Abbassiah at 7.30am. Half an hour later we had no option as 50 men were required & only 33 were available. They included:- JH Williams, PT Young, R Leivsley, A Stewart, J Clarke, Bentley Taylor, RA Mole, J Brady, P Hird, C Reid, A Baker, Sgt Prince, E Finebert and myself all of the 14th (WA) Reinforcements. Left Zeitoun [unclear] 8.30am marched the 4 miles to [unclear] & arrived at about 10.30am. My tent mates were JH Williams, PT Young, R Lewisley,A Stewart, J Clarke, RVA Mole, & Corp B Taylor. 8 in all. The assignment was temporary & was because of the closing of No. 1 A.G.H. in Heliopolis.
Sun 19th Mar. Day's routine: 6am Reveille; 6.45am - 8am Drill; 8am Breakfast; 9.15am Fall in; 9.30am - 10.45 am Church Parade; Then some general fatigue work; Noon Lunch; 2pm Fall in & work until 5pm
Mon 20th Mar. Afternoon off which was spent in Cairo - Tea at YMCA.
Tues 21st Mar. On fatigue duty all day followed by a gane of Rugby and a swim in the baths 75ft x 20ft depth 5ft attached to the barracks.
Wed 22nd Mar. Worked all day & rested after tea.
Thurs 23rd Mar. Went to Zeitoun, our previous camp, looking for mail thence to Cairo via Heliopolis & had a look through the Museum, was with Tom Young. Met Bingham Price (HM Custms Frem.) in Heliopolis. He was attached to No. 1 A.G.H.A
Fri 24th Mar. Worked all day & rested in the evening.
Sat 25th Mar. Worked all day & went to Cairo after tea. Learned that Gordon Doonan (WA) was attached to 6th F. Amb.
Sun 26th Mar. Worked all day & attended a service in the Garrison Chapel in the evening.
Mon 27th Mar. Felt off colour today -stomach pains although had to work as usual. Met Geo Evans WA, who is stationed at Tel-el-Kebir. Lieut now promoted to Captain.
Tues 28th Mar. Feeling a little better but not fit for work so had the day off. Went to pictures in Cairo in the evening & met Herb Truran of F'tle.
Wed 29th Mar. Feeling fit again but no work. Went to Cairo with Tom Young & spent most of the time at the YMCA in Esbekia Gardens.
Thurs 30th Mar. Work all day & played chess in the C of E Soldiers Institute.
Fri 31st Mar. On guard duty all day, 2 hrs on & 4 hrs off.
Sat 1st Apr. Came off Guard Duty at 9am. Rested and after dinner went to the Pyramids with Tom Young. I climbed to the top of Cheops quite a feat. Went to Heliopolis in the evening.
Sun 2nd Apr. Off duty all day. To Cairo pm with Tom Young & had a look round the Citadel.
Mon 3rd Apr. Worked all day & rested in the evening.
Tues 4th Apr. Worked all day.