"...I took off my clothes last night and slept in my shirt and a cardigan jacket. I picked it up off the battlefield (I have had it washed), but it was not a success. Too cold. Today is a lovely sunny one. The Battalion was allowed to go down to the beach after breakfast and to return by 10am. I went for a ride. Col. Richardson very kindly lent me his horse and Whitmore my bodyguard! got Colonel Ives [Ives's horse]. We went through the French line to Sedd El Bahr village and fort. A mass of ruins. Stone houses, narrow streets, full of horses, mules and French troops. The old fort is an [sic] Hospital. I went in and had a look around. It dates I believe from the crusades. Our big shells had smashed it in many parts too [sic] pieces..."
To read the rest of this journal entry, see No Better Death: The Great War Diaries and Letters of William G Malone (page 188-191) edited by John Crawford and published by Exisle Publishing. Available in the Palmerston North City Library and from Exisle Publishing.