Book Description
Includes World War One In The Desert Illustration Pack- 92 photos/illustrations and 19 maps spanning the Desert campaigns 1914-1918 “This book, published in 1919, was compiled from the edited diary entries kept by Down while serving in Palestine with the 14th Black Watch (74th Dismounted Yeomanry Division). “In November 1917 Down took a draft of soldiers from France to Palestine and himself joined the 14th Black Watch Battalion, part of the forces advancing through Palestine against the Turks. “Jerusalem had been captured but the fighting continued through difficult and mountainous countryside and in often very poor weather conditions. The battalion was predominantly involved in road making (pp. 61; 79) and support duties until the spring of 1918 when they went into the front line where Down was wounded in April. His entries continue in the bright witty style of the letters - though perhaps with a little less sparkle - and he describes entertainingly the soldiers view of the Holy Land. He is much impressed by the beauty of the countryside but has little complimentary to say of the people (p. 52) or of the Turkish soldiers they encounter (p. 83) “He concludes this volume with a description of Cairo and Alexandria where he was sent for treatment and convalescence and finally with his return to the BEF in France in June 1918.”-IWM
