No Better Death

by John Crawford

  Malone Family Collection London

  I am very fit and well. We started again this morning an officers’ physical drill class. It is not popular among the young officers because they have to get up earlier but it will do them and me a lot of good.

  With love to you all.

  Your loving father,

  Wm.G. Malone

  Ida, torn from the husband-and-wife photograph by McAllister. Malone would ‘introduce’ visitors to this portrait of his wife. On the back of the photograph Malone recorded his movements after he left New Zealand. The last entry is ‘Happy Valley 6.8.15’.

  Malone Family Collection London

  The inside of Malone’s tent in Egypt. The photograph of Ida that he always took with him is prominently displayed. Amongst the books visible are two by the leading British military writer Colonel G.F.R. Henderson: The Science of War: A collection of essays and lectures 1891–1903 and Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War.

  Malone Family Collection London

  Zeitoun

  Egypt

  28 December 1914

  My dear Denis,10

  For you yourself this letter. I send you some picture postcards to keep and to ask me questions about when I come home. I am sure that you are working hard at school and doing your best to be always tidy and clean and good. Give mummy a good love for me.

  Your loving father

  A lot of big guns are going by my tent, three Batteries, four guns in each. They look great.

  x_____x

  A letter Malone received from his youngest son, Barney, who was nearly seven years old.

  Malone Family Collection London

  Zeitoun

  Egypt

  28 December 1914

  My dear Barney,11

  A bee is flying about me as I write to you in my tent in the desert here. I have some nice flowers on my table and the bees are visiting them. I expect they are hungry as in the desert there are no flowers, grass, trees or shrubs, sand and stones as far as you can see N + E on the W + S. I can see date palms and houses and gardens and farms, green and flourishing.

  Goodbye. Give your mummy a good love for me.

  Your loving father

  I send you some R.P.12 cards.

  [MSX 2543]

  December 29th 1914

  Fine day. Physical drill. Did some work about camp pacing site of Regiment Canteen (wet) we will have a ... garden in front and a shielded place or square where men can sit in front of canteen as they do in Cairo and other towns.... I have also allotted room for 2 big huts for the men to the S [Salvation] Army. Their 2nd in Command a Col Hunsworth just arrived from London, had lunch with us today, a good stamp of man and used to personal interviews with Royalty and big guns generally. He says that the King is very fond of the Australians and our New Zealand troops and thinks the world of them. May we do him honour. I took the opportunity of pointing out to Col Hunsworth who is a great friend, he says, of General Maxwell13 as the Commander in Chief in Egypt – the unsuitability of our present working hours. Rise at 5:30 1/2 an hour before daylight get out of camp by 8am and yet get back with work finished for the day at 2pm so that from 2pm to 10pm Tattoo14 the men having nothing to do and general leave being the order of every day. Many of them naturally go off to Cairo and get into sore temptation. If I had my way I would get up at day light say 6am, have physical drill 1/2 an hour, breakfast clean up properly and go out of camp say at 9am returning at 4 or 4:30pm. The men would be tired and by the time they had tea they would be content to go to bed. Then to my horror the GOC (ours) has approved certain measures for preventing certain frightful consequences of vice and so as to enable them to indulge in the vice with no fear of disease. At present we appeal to the men’s better nature and to his morality at the same time letting him know the awful punishment of certain vice in this country. To do what is proposed is to destroy all moral restraint and lead to worse things. I was astonished when I heard what the GOC had approved. Col Hunsworth who used to be in this country, on my conferring with him said I was absolutely right, and that he would see General Maxwell and try and put things right. Right and not expediency is the only sound rule in life. I too would not give general leave, only leave to 25% of the men, day by day and to the good characters. People who prefer I think the easy way, keep saying “In this country you can’t work after 2pm,” and men must have a break before doing any thing. Rot. I admit that between noon and say 2 o’clock it is wise to ease up, but the late afternoon is the best time of the day. Unfortunately we are here all together and if I do work at different hours and more work than the other Regiments my men naturally are discontented. They have been used to working the hours. I have stated I would have gone on with them as a matter of course were it not for the soft notion of the authorities.

  December 30th 1914

  Fine day. Heard that Col Hunsworth had seen General Maxwell, and that things are to be changed, in the way desired by me.15 Companies busy with Coy training. I went into Cairo today, to get my photo films order and some cupboard boxes for the men’s food, etc, one for each tent. I designed them....

  ...Tomorrow, we the NZ Division will be inspected by General Birdwood16 who is to command the Australian and New Zealand troops as an Army Corps. We were all introduced to him the other evening.

  December 31st 1914

  Inspection – up at 5am. Parade at 7:30am in the desert quite close to camp....

  ...At 10am the Genl [Birdwood] and our Genl Godley and staff came riding along, taking the General salute from each Brigade – as he approached, when they got to my Regiment Genl Godley, spoke out “Colonel Malone – the Wellington Infantry Regiment”. I was on Don right in front of the Regiment looking straight to my front – as much like a graven image as I could.

  Then the whole division moved to the right – wheeled in successive Regiments to the left turned to the right and then marched past General Birdwood, Hon Thomas Mackenzie, New Zealand’s High Commissioner, General Godley and other notabilities, standing by the New Zealand flag, which by the way our General borrowed from me. I have the only New Zealand flag in Egypt.17 The show was a remarkable one. It went off well. The wonder of it a complete force of horse, artillery and foot and all details, brought from the Antipodes, in Egypt’s desert close to the place where Napoleon’s army defeated an immensely superior army of Turks. Where since 5000 years B.C. other eventful historical events have taken place. The might and cohesion of the British Empire was made evident 15 miles away close to the pyramids of Ghizeh – there were 25,000 Australian soldiers, horse, artillery foot too!

  It was an inspiring sight and I felt proud to be an actor in the action....

  It was a brilliant day, not too hot but dust was raised by the tramp of so many feet. Our New Zealand flag floated out proudly, may the division always do it honour, in camp on the march, and in battle, etc. I believe the Genl (Birdwood) was very pleased and said he’d never seen a finer body of men which I believe to be true enough. The show was over by 11:30am and we went back to camp to dinner.

  January 2nd 1915

  Saturday. In camp after lunch Hart and I went to Cairo ... Hart went shopping for the Mess and I waited about. We were to meet the Hon Thomas Mackenzie at 6:15pm by special appointment. We had afternoon tea at the Continental, in a beautiful big sitting and reading room. At 6:15, we saw the Hon Mackenzie. He was very genial and told me that I was looking well and “not an oz [ounce] of spare flesh on you”. I felt complimented. He gave us the news that we go to Marseilles and then to the Front about March-Feby always provided that we are not busy here with the Turks, who it is said may be here by the 10th Inst 80000 of them. We do so hope that they will come and that we have the benefit of fighting them – as part of our training. It would be the best training and do us a world of good. Colonel Johnston, our Artillery Brigadier,.... dined with General Birdwood a couple of nights ago. He told me today that Birdwood expects the Turks. Mackenzie says also, we are to get the new Rifle,18 that our hats
, the slouch ones, have to go.19 They would advertise too much to the Germans, the arrival of new troops and then we should get an awful baptism of fire.... General Godley was announced so Hart and I took our departure. The Hon Thomas[?] is coming to see us on his return from Luxor where he was going last night. I asked Hart to dinner at Shepheards Hotel – where by the way our High Commissioner is staying in grandeur.... The dinner was good 5/-each which pleased me for I thought it would be 10/-which is what the Continental charged me a while ago. After dinner, we met Major Hall Brown, the O/C of the Ceylon Coy, attached to my Regiment and 3 or 4 more of the officer[s] and he asked us to stay and go to the Theatre “Kursaal” – variety show. I wasn’t keen as I 1/2 expected the arrival of a New Zealand mail. However we stayed. The performance began at 9:30pm (Dinner at 8pm) and finished at 12:30am!! It was to my fancy not good but it was very interesting watching the people. Hart and Hall Brown tried very hard to get me to have a whisky and soda but they failed. On getting back to Camp, I found 2 letters from Mater ... and one from each Norah and Maurice. I could have kicked myself for stopping in town – I sat down and read my dear letters. Something strange however about their passage, for I got a letter dated NZ 19th Nov, on the 30th Ulto. It was good of Mater to write so often. I hope she will keep it up. While waiting at Shepheards last evening I wrote a letter to Mater. I met also General Birdwood who gave first of all a most genial bow. I didn’t recognise him. Later however he spoke to me, I felt honoured. He is only 46 and is spoken of very highly as a clever soldier.

  [MSX 2549]

  Zeitoun Camp

  3 January 1915

  My dearest,

  Just a few words to thank you for your letters of 4th and 10th November last respectively. I wonder where they have been. Your letter of 19th November arrived on 30th Ulto. It was delightful to come in and find your two letters and one each from Norah and Maurice. I sat up until I had read and reread them. I got quite cold. Still I didn’t mind.

  I will briefly run through your letters and answer anything that seems to want answering. I wrote you on the 30th Ulto and again last night so this is the third letter you should get by this mail. That ought to tell you how much I love you. I hardly knew how much until I became separated from you for so long. I send you also some 23 pages of my diary up to date, also some photos. I hope everything will reach you safely. Many thanks for the calendar. It was so lovely to open it and find you looking at me but the photo is not so good as the one I have in a frame. I wanted a calendar too. You are a darling to think of sending so nice a one. I took my Imitation of Christ20 to church with me this morning and was delighted too to find two little photos of you when you were in England in it. I am afraid I was distr [distracted?] for a time....

  Yes you should have no doubt as to my great love for you. You need never have had.... Your anxiety about the German mines and the Emden are now ended.

  Yes I like my new life but the separation from you and the children is hard to bear. Thanks for the Zac [sic, Zak] photos. You must not write short letters as you say. They cannot be too long for me. I read and reread them. The joy and pleasure is great.

  I am so glad that Norah is what she ought to be and that she is of use and is a comfort to you. She is a rare good sort I believe. Give her my love and tell her I will write by next mail, if not before.

  I hope you found the Farlands in good order and are enjoying your stay but don’t put in the winter there. How I wish you could fly to me here and spend the time while I am in Egypt near me. It would be heavenly but I am afraid very distracting. When the war is over, we will come here.

  With all my love,

  x_____x

  Your loving husband

  [MSX 2543]

  January 4th 1915

  We start Battalion training today. The Brigadier is in a hurry to rush us along at schemes and the top of the work. I am determined to begin at the bottom. He has been used to troops, who before they go to their regiments after enlisting have had 6 solid months recruits training a very different thing to ours where the men have only been 4 months together and 2 of them at sea on a transport with no room to work. We went away to our training area and after 2 hours marching in different formations. I put the men on to “musketry” under Section Comders as a change and rest. Just then our Corps Commander General Birdwood came up with Genl Godley and our Brigadier. Genl Birdwood sent for me and asked me what we had been doing and were doing. He quite agreed with our work and specially approved the hours musketry. Later Genl Godley had a yarn with me and he also approved the musketry.21 I asked them both straight out because I thought that my non [sic] Commander Colonel Johnston didn’t like it – after 1/2 an hour musketry, I formed the Bn up in mass and we went on with Bn movements. Genls Birdwood and Godley looking on. They left after a bit and then Colonel Johnston came up, and wanted to know why I had done what he called squad drill. He was some what put out. I stood to my guns and told him that the parade was mine – that I was responsible for the efficiency of my Bn, that I know better than he did what weak places there were, and that I was actually putting in more work, by 2 hours a day than any other Bn in his Brigade, and that if I gave him 6 hours of work according to his programme, I could do what I pleased in my other 2 hours. That it was all very well training nice tactical schemes and manoeuvres but that if the fire control was bad, not to mention the actual shooting, it was no good. That I wanted my Regiment to do something more than manoeuvre. He said he wouldn’t allow the musketry or as he called it squad drill. I told him that he did not appreciate the situation that he had been used to a Regular Regiment where the men were thoroughly trained before the Regimental Commander got them. Where the NCOs had had many years of experience after being specially selected and where the officers also had had, as professionals, years of training. That he overlooked the fact that my Regiment was a newly taught one, with inexperienced NCOs and officers, etc, etc. He said “any way I was to do as he said and not as I wanted” and that, that was the end of it. I promptly asked him for permission to see the General, that is refer the matter to him. He refused, and rode away. I made up my mind to at once put in a letter through him to the General which he would have to send on. Later however he came along and said he misunderstood me and that I could do, as I wanted! so long as I did some definite Battalion work! I thanked him, and then told him that as a matter of fact, both General Birdwood and General Godley had absolutely agreed with my action and proposed action. I hope he won’t bear me any ill will.

  We got back to camp at 3pm, after a useful and interesting day in the opinion of all hands.

  Major Robert Young (left) and Lieutenant Leonard Jardine enjoy a drink during a hard day of training in the desert.

  Morison Album, Alexander Turnbull Library

  January 5th 1915

  Battalion in camp until 2pm. When we went out to stay out until 10pm so as to practice night outposts and night marching. As I had noticed, very poor protection work by the different units sent out by Coy Commanders. I sent out the Ceylon Coy an hour before the Battalion and told them to lay up, for the Battalion, on its march out to its training area so as to test the Advanced Guard [A.G.]. I told no one else of my plans, as I wanted to see what would happen. I saw all right. The Advanced Guard, scouts, failed to do their work and the A.G. walked right by the Ceylon Coy who were stowed away behind, a disused railway embankment, at a distance of about 950 yards. The Flank Guard [F.G.] didn’t protect itself even and walked right into the hands of part of the Ceylon Coy and were taken prisoner. The Main Body was caught in columns of route. I had ridden forward to the A.G. and on returning to the Main Body found things in a proper mess. I at once sent the artillery who were with us to open fire, and also a company to attack the Ceylon Coy, and put the other Coys under cover[?]. It was a great object lesson. If it had been the Turks instead of the Ceylon Coy we would have had a damnable mauling. I bet we will never be surprised again. If the A.G. and F.G. Commanders had sent only 1 man each to walk along the rail
way, the surprise could not have been effected. I was naturally or perhaps unnaturally delighted with the result of my plan. It was a most effective one and will save us in future. Everybody, men and all could see the A.G. and F.G. failures. Of course if the Turks were about no doubt they would have been more careful, and then as I had not told them that the Ceylon Coy were acting as a hostile force, they may have, in regards the scouts, not taken the ... position, but the work was very faulty all the same. It was perhaps a cold blooded thing to do – to trip up my own Regiment, but it has learnt a lesson that every man in it will remember.

  We finally mopped up the Ceylon Coy and then went on to our Bivouac, had tea and then put out all Coy’s except one in out post [sic]. The One Coy (Ruahine) I ostensibly sent back to Camp but secretly told the Commander to turn off when out of sight go right round then cross over to the front of our outpost line, and tackle it in the dark. I gave him 2 hours to get round. In due time, he came up to the sentry line and then charged right into the outposts, in the German fashion, in 4 close lines one behind the other. No surprise this time and he didn’t ‘get right thro’. We marched home across the desert, in the dark, steering by star, in five columns (Coy in each) at 100 yards intervals, with a line of scouts out in front. We hit the camp exactly and the interval between had been kept practically exact.

  Wellington Battalion men take a break during rigorous training in the Egyptian desert.

  Morison Album, Alexander Turnbull Library