El Ferdan

Date: 28 August 1914-13 January 1916 - 1916-1974

From: Claridge, Cyril James, 1890-1976: Memoir scrapbook diary and papers

Reference: MSY-8364

Description: Volume comprising memoir scrapbook diary with entries and narrative descriptions, illustrated by mounted maps, photographic prints, newspaper clippings, and ephemera material, including a visiting card. Title page states: "Diary of C. J. Claridge 12/977 - Auckland Infantry, August 1914 - January 1916: While serving in the Auckland Infantry Battalion. New Zealand Expeditionary Force". The diary describes activities and travel: - Departure from Morrinsville for Auckland, and "Getting into the army". - Military training at "Potter's Park [also known as Potter's Paddock, now Alexandra Park] and Eden Park. - Departure from Auckland on the transport ship 'Waimana' (HMNZT No. 12). - Voyage on the 'Waimana' down East Coast of New Zealand to Wellington. - Trans-Tasman voyage to Hobart and from there to Albany, Colombo, Red Sea, Suez, Aden, Port Said, and Alexandria. - Military camp at Zeitoun, service in Egypt including march through Cairo. - Training, security patrols, and other military duties at Ishmailia, El Ferdan, and Serapeum. - Departure from Alexandria bound for Gallipoli (Dardanelles), via Lemnos Island, in April 1915. - Landing, 25 April 1915, and military action at Achi Baba - this is elaborated on in a section titled "The Anzacs and Achi Baba". - Relocation to Cape Helles, and reference to Daisy Patch, where Claridge describes being injured on 8 May 1915. - Taken aboard the HMHS 'Braemar Castle' and returned to Alexandria. - Voyage from Alexandria to Malta, where time is spent in hospital, before being transported on HMHS 'Ascania' to England. - Visits to Plymouth, Birmingham, Weymouth, and London. - Descriptions of travel to New Zealand, departing from Plymouth on SS 'Ruahine' on 17 November 1915 and voyage via Teneriffe, Cape Town, Hobart, and arrival back in Auckland on 5 January 1916. Numerous items enclosed, laid- and tipped in, including newspaper clippings. Newspaper clippings include: - 'New Zealand Herald', 14 June [1974] with image captioned "Mr Liddle looks through a diary written by Mr C. J. Claridge, aged 85, of Rothesay Bay, of experiences at Gallipoli". - 'The Auckland Star', 12 October 1954, showing parade of troops. Annotated copies of maps mounted in volume: - 'Sketch map to illustrate Sir Ian Hamilton's despatch', from 'Life', 1 May 1916, page 360. - 'Environs of Cairo and the Pyramids', published by A & C Black Ltd, London, imprint: John Bartholomew & Co. Edinburgh. Printed visiting card of Laura Jane Boddington (1863-1938) - "Mrs Laura J Boddington, 340 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham" (laid in at page 89). Mounted photographic prints include group portrait of Gallipoli veterans at 50th anniversary meeting at Auckland War Memorial Museum on 16 October 1964. Ephemera mounted in diary includes: printed leaflet promoting free entry to "Grand Casino Bosphore - Soldier's Rest" at Bab El Hadid Square; "Cazino Ambassadeur" at Avenue Farouk, Cairo; and "Kursaal Music-Hall" at Emad el Din Street, Heliopolis. Also includes a 6-page letter from Claridge to his mother, dated Camp Zeitoun, 20 March 1915 (laid in at page 143), and a postcard to his mother dated 7 April 1915, featuring the 3rd Auckland Company marching, with annotations naming some subjects, including Claridge (mounted page 50). Some of the newspaper articles were written by Claridge or based on his communications (see for example mounted articles facing page 50), while others published excerpts from the diary (see page 67). Title supplied by Library. Quantity: 1 volume(s). Physical Description: Bound volume, cloth binding with "Claridge" label on front cover, holograph manuscript on ruled pages, photographic prints, newspaper clippings, and ephemera, mounted and loose items laid in, 32 x 19.5 cm. Transfers: Papers originally enclosed with volume now at MS-Papers-12360..

Date: 1914-1915

By: Constance, John Edward, 1894-1915

Reference: MSX-2845

Description: Diary covers the period 20 Aug 1914 to 15 Aug 1915 and provides a detailed day-by-day description of Private Constance's activities. Details joining the Army on 20 Aug 1914, training at Addington and travelling to Wellington for embarkation on 16 Oct 1915. Recorded his vote for the 1914 New Zealand general election. Sailed aboard the `Tahiti' with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion. Comments on shipboard life, sea sickness, rifle exercises, general drills, fatigue duties and tug-of-war competitions between soldiers. Stopovers in Hobart and Albany. General Godfrey and staff tour the transport on 20 Oct 1915 in Albany. Notes sinking of the German Navy light cruiser `SMS Emden' by the Australian light cruiser `HMAS Sydney' in 9 Nov 1915. During stopover on 16 Nov 1915 in Colombo the `Tahiti' takes on board seven prisoners who served aboard the `SMS Emden'. Arrives Aden 25 Nov 1915 then continues onto Suez Canal. Comments on soldiers' disappointment on learning the troops were not continuing onto England but being deployed in Egypt instead. Disembarked 3 Dec 1915 at Alexandria and entrained to Cairo and then Zeitoun Camp. Constance updates daily on military drills, parades, inspections, marches and skirmishing practice in the desert. On leave he visits Cairo and the Pyramids with other soldiers. Marched with the whole of the New Zealand Divisional Brigade through the streets of Cairo. Comments on being paid in shillings and writing letters home. 26 Jan 1915 leaves Zeitoun Camp for the camp at Ismailia. Company relieves troops at El Ferdan to repel a possible Turkish attack on Suez Canal. Comments on number of Turkish prisoners taken on his return to Ismailia, and then back to Zeitoun Camp. On 16 Mar 1915 the troops were inspected by Sir Arthur Henry McMahon, High Commissioner in Egypt. Ten days later Constance notes that his false teeth are broken after chewing tough beef. On Good Friday, 2 Apr 1915 Constance is in Cairo and witnesses the riot in the Ezbekieh Quarter between local Egyptians and Allied troops, comments on the drunks and arrested men. Entrains to Alexandria on 10 Apr 1915 and sails on the transport `Lutzow' with the Canterbury Battalion to the port of Mudros on the Mediterranean island of Lemnos. At anchor in the harbour with daily trips to the island for marching practice, training and leave. 24 Apr 1915 transport heads to the Gallipoli Peninsula lead by the British dreadnought battleship `HMS Queen Elizabeth'. 11.00am on 25 Apr 1915 leaves the `Lutzow' landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula and straight into action. Records fighting up on the firing line. Constance continues to record his daily life of bombardments by the Turkish Army, sniper fire, manning the trenches, and coming off the front line to be relieved and take sleep wherever he could find it. 3 May 1915 writes that the men were being "slaughtered wholesale" and provides a detailed account of the New Zealand soldiers trying to retire from their position in the face of enemy fire. Following weeks settles into a routine of front line activity, fatigue duty at the beach, burying the dead and rest. 19 May 1915 Constance and his section are transported onto the HMS Reindeer and sailed a couple of miles along the coast, they come ashore once more and commence the digging of trenches. Returned to original bivouac on 22 May 1915. Notes the sinking of the `HMS Triumph' on 25 May 1915. 4 Jun 1915 Canterbury Infantry raided from Quinn's Post, next day a sortie against the enemy at German Officers' Trench opposite Courtney's Post. 15 Jun 1915 Constance competes in a bomb throwing competition. Constance's Company travel to Mudros for rest on 15 Jul 1915. Comments on the men being sick "as they had eaten too many luxuries". Returns to Anzac Cove and duty on Walker's Ridge. Involved in the heavy fighting during the first week of Aug 1915. Last entry on 15 Aug 1915 as a party of Constance's Company advances beyond the trench lines to take a fort but are driven back and have to retire. Last page of diary has two quotes from history. Source of title - Provided by Library Relationship complexity - A portrait photograph of Constance has been digitised and is in the Photographic Archive (PAColl-10094) Private Constance left New Zealand with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion in Oct 1914. Trained in Egypt. Fought at Gallipoli, wounded late August 1915, died 2 Sep 1915 in a hospital in Alexandria. Serial Number: 6/1223A. Quantity: 1 volume(s) (68 leaves). Physical Description: Holograph (9 x 14 cm, fawn case) Provenance: Donor is nephew of Constance Processing information: Part of WW100 digitisation project. Digitisation details - 114 digitised images