Diary

Diary continues from MSX-2544 with Malone commanding the New Zealand troops at the Suez Canal. Describes living and fighting conditions, the activities of his men, and conferences of Unit Command. Also comments on his own personal activities like visiting the dentist, reading mail and arranging a beer for his men. New Zealand troops withdrawn from the Canal on 26 Feb 1915 to Zeitoun Camp. Training his men in the hot winds of the Sahara Desert, and night Divisional exercises. Marched to Avenue de Koubbah on 25 Mar 1915. Four days leave from 29 Mar 1915, visits Luxor, Nile, Karnak, and the Tomb of Queen Nefertari. 3 Apr 1915 Malone comments that he has received word to embark for Turkey aboard the `Itonus'. Diary ends 9 Apr 1915 as troops ready to entrain to Alexandria. Malone takes photographs (for the families) of the graves of the three men of the Battalion who had died so far: Private John A Campbell, Private Albert G Cooper, and Private Bethel J Simpson.

Published as No better death: the great war diaries and letters of William G Malone : edited by John Crawford with Peter Cooke. (Auckland : Reed Books, 2005)

Quantity: 1 volume(s) (102 leaves).

Physical Description: Holograph, original & carbon copy pages (21.5 cm, manifold book)

Includes ink diagrams

Processing information: Digitisation details - Part of WW100 digitisation project. 94 digitised images. This diary includes the original top copy and also its carbon copy. On page MSX-2545_017 there is a pencil annotation. This annotation is slightly different on the carbon which is also annotated at MSX-2545_017a.

Alternative form available: Transcripts available at MSDL-0217, MS-Papers-8538-05 and MS-Papers-2198-2