5th Battalion arrives Mena Camp

The 5th Battalion reached Cairo on 5th December. On arrival at the railway station the Battalion formed up and passed canteen tables with each soldier served cocoa, a small bread roll and a segment of cheese by British tommies. They then marched eight miles west to the Mena Camp. There was not time to set up camp so they slept in the open. All around them was sand and above was a rocky plateau that stretched east towards the Pyramids.

In the next few days and weeks, the soldiers worked to create the camp. Through the middle was to be a crushed limestone track which was named 'Infantry Road'. Fatigue parties carried stone to form battalion boundaries.

The 2nd Brigade Headquarters was at the end of Infantry Road nearby were the 2nd and 1st Brigades which included the 5th Battalion. Other structures which rose out of the sand included the YMCA hut, the boxing 'stadium', canteens dry and wet, the cinema 'palace'. The Light Horse were also based at the Mena Camp.

Nearby was Mena House surrounded by Eucalyptus trees. This old building was now staffed as a hospital.

Egypt was hot. Our troops had expected to be sent from Australia to England. They thought they would be in a chilly English November for a short time before being sent to France to fight the Kaiser's men. The AIF were in heavyweight woolen tunics and thick corded breeches suitable for a Winter in Europe. In contrast, the British troops in Egypt were in light khaki drill and pith helmets. It was a long time before the Australians were provided suitable clothing. The AIF were permitted to purchase drill shorts and pith helmets privately. The majority of the 5th Battalion did eventually wear shorts while the wide-brimmed slouch hat became the more popular hat. Some regiments did make an 'issue' of slouch hats and shorts and tunics and their pay was deducted accordingly. During the change-over period out troops had a variety of gear.

Our troops remained in Egypt until April 1915. Most of their time as taken up with training in the nearby desert.

An excellent photograph of the 5th Battalion at the Mena Camp can be found at:
http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn6374635