Whose Name We Share

6 HMT Manitou The Brigade, including 103 Howitzer Battery, moved from Tel El Kebir on the night of 24 March 1916 entraining from No 2 Camp siding at 2230. It arrived at Alexandria at 0445 and embarked from Quay 75 on Board HMT MANITOU which sailed at 0600 26 March 1916. Strength 18 Officers, 469 Other Ranks, 13 horses, 5 absentees and 6 stowaways. The travel was extensively long and with nothing to listen to but lecture after lecture – mind numbingly boring. 3 NCO’s and 47 Men would be told off during the trip for “firing at submarines”. What’s a digger to do? The troops ‘enjoyed’ numerous lectures on the voyage, which included Battery tactics, lectures on billets and bivouacs and everything to do with France explained in precise detail. They would cover everything from the geography, government, and customs of the people.