After reaching Abbasia the all-important consideration was training. This was pressed on vigorously. At the commencement the routine provided for reveille at 4.30 a.m. and parades to be held from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4.30 to 7 p.m. Indoor (i.e., in huts) instruction was carried out between 10.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. These hours were fixed in order to meet climatic conditions, but they rendered satisfactory arrangements for meals difficult. Three hours' work on an empty stomach in the early morning did not induce enthusiasm or vigour in practising attack formations and movements. Nor was the long interval between 1 o'clock dinner and 7 o'clock tea conducive to contentment with other work of an exhausting nature. A little was done to meet the situation by providing an early morning cup of coffee and biscuit, but the poor quality of the rations and the limited regimental funds prevented an entirely effective solution. Nevertheless the discomforts were submitted to cheerfully and the presence of the other battalions of the Brigade gradually gave rise to a spirit of emulation, resulting in keenness and genuine progress.
The training was continued on from the stage reached at Blackboy Camp and practical application was given to the principles inculcated in some of the lectures of the voyage over. Bayonet fighting was assiduously practised and knowledge obtained of recent changes born of the experience of the war. Early in August a musketry course was fired by the whole unit. Attention was then given to the more advanced forms of exercise in attack and defence, combined with the construction and use of earthworks. Here began that intimate knowledge of the shovel and pick which, during the war, was acquired by every infantryman. All fighting soldiers loathed these implements, but, at the same time, recognised their utility and appreciated the protection they made it possible to provide. Occasionally the Brigadier assembled the four battalions and, after a little close-order work, would lead them on a five to ten mile night march. Apart from the purpose already referred to, these night marches had great value as steadying influences. Battalions vied with each other in displaying good form. To see them marching to attention with no sound audible but the tramp of thousands of feet, or, again, to hear units, when "at ease," singing some stirring song with 800 full-throated voices as one, was indeed inspiring to the bystander.
Now and then night work took the form of occupying and entrenching a position, or of moving over unknown desert guided only by compass. There were times when the dust nearly choked one, or when the lights and shadows made it impossible to ascertain whether one was likely to fall down a slope or stumble on to the side of a hill. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the 28th never once lost its way or failed to reach its objective to time. On one occasion a move was made for some miles along the Suez Road and a bivouac, protected by outposts, established in the Wadi-esh-Shem. The remainder of the Brigade represented a hostile force based on Cairo. During the night an attempt was made to penetrate the 28th outpost line. The attempt was unsuccessful. Early the following morning, the West Australians advanced westwards in attack formation and succeeded in driving one of the opposing units off a line of hills commanding the road to Cairo. This was the most elaborate setpiece during the training period and, whilst the execution was defective in several respects, the general form shown placed the "Gropers" an easy first in the Brigade in point of efficiency. Nor had the specialists been neglected. In addition to the original Machine Gun Section, a first reserve section was trained and a commencement made with the second. These gunners acquired a highly technical knowledge and were subsequently utilised for the examination and repair of the armament of the other sections of the Brigade. The formation of trained reserves for the Signallers was also undertaken and due attention paid to other requirements.
All training was supervised by the Brigadier and his Staff, but the latter had not that experience likely to be of assistance either to its chief or to commanding officers. General Spens lent one or two officers and non-commissioned officers who had served in the first campaign in France and whose experience should have been of value to the new troops. The N.C.Os., genuine "Contemptibles," were really useful and of a fine stamp—able to impress the young Australian and communicate many useful lessons. On the other hand, the officers were not, apparently, selected with any regard to their capacity as instructors but merely for the sake of giving them something to do. They lectured frequently in a didactic manner—playing fast and loose with the training manuals, and advocating experiments for which they could give no sound reason. When pressed on these matters it seemed to them sufficient to say that they "thought they were good ideas." This engendered much vexation amongst the Australian officers, more especially as the Brigadier very often did not see his way clear to withstand the innovations. The immediate result was to humbug officers and men and negative many of the sound lessons already taught.
BRIG.-GENERAL JAMES BURSTON, V.D.
Who commanded the 7th Brigade in 1915.
Photo. lent by Mrs. Burston.[ToList]
LIEUT.-COLONEL C. R. DAVIES, O.B.E, SECOND-IN-COMMAND, 1915-16.[ToList]