H.M.N.Z.T. No.9
16/10/14
Half past six AM, the Japanese Cruiser wended her way down the harbour, closely followed by the British, & in rear of these two came the S.S. Maunganui, the flag-ship of the force. Then in order comes the Hawkesbay, Star of India, Limerick, Tahitie & these five form the first division. The others in order forming the 2nd division are Arawa, Athenic, Orari, Rupheau & Waimana. The day was dull & foggy as the boats cleared the heads, but came out beautifully clear as the straits was reached. The formation of the boats as we came out was one long line with the battle-ships leading, but before we left the straits the troop-ships drew up into two lines with the battle-ships spreading out & forming a dimond formation round the force. I forgot to mention that the two N.Z. battle-ships are with us also, & it is these that enables the dimond formation to be made. The Japaneese takes the right, British in front Psyche on left & Philemol in rear. The hole force looks very well, & as I write the hour is 9.PM. nothing can be seen of the boats but the mast lights. As darkness came on we were abreast of
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Cape Farewell, & steering due west. The land was quite plain to naked eye, but will be lost to view by morning. As to place of call or direction we know nothing yet. Have been lucky enough to strike “Officer of the watch”, for first night out. So end first day. A little more, have just had a visit from one of the stewards, he is going round placing paper over all the windows, so as to darken the ship to outside view. On the strength of it, I had a look out, & there is not a ship to bee seen. Here ends first day.
17/10/14 Woke up to find a stiff wind blowing, a sea rising, & on the hole feeling very queer. The wind really rose through the night & the sea was getting rough as I turned in, which was 12 o’clock; because, as I said before, I was first Officer of the watch, & his duties so not end till then. Well, as I say I had a lump in the lower region of my throat as I turned in, & as I awoke I suddenly realised it had not shifted any, nor likely to shift any way, unless upwards, & so it did as soon as I got on my feet. It fairly took me by storm, & as the sea rose I fell from my proud estate as a sailor & soldier. Mind, when I say the
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the sea rose, I do not mean that it is really rough, for it isn’t, it is just a reasonable swell caused I suppose by the wind that is blowing still. Well here ends the 2 day of our voyage & good luck for tomorrow, hoping all the time that the fish will have to starve, rather than I should have to feed them. I can eat them thin as well as fat.
18/10/14 Here we are again, a little worse, which is to be expected when the sea will persist in keeping up its damanable swell. Have not been down for a meal since the night of the sixteenth, the steward being very good, brings us anything we like to order; when I say we I refer to Howie, for he is in the same plight as myself. Well as they day wears on the wind having gone down, the sea is starting to moderate a little also. Almost simultaneously I took a turn for the better, but am not too right yet, not up to going down for tea. Steward brought us up a couple of hard boiled eggs, toast, sponge roll, & fruit, which fitted our corner pocket very well. After that we turned over & went to sleep hoping for a better tomorrow.
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Just up from tea & am sitting down to write out the days doings. Nothing eventfull happened. We learnt that we are bound for Hobart to pick up the Australian troops somewhere in Tasmanian waters. We expect to arrive there on Wed, if not the early Thurs. morn. Only wish we could get off for a couple of days then I might have found my way to Buckland, but no such luck for us, for we have already heard that no leave whatever is to be granted. I have so far forgotten to say that I am right as pie again & beginning to enjoy the fun. We have, tonight received a big order from Glen. In the way of writing, we are supposed to write a series of short lecture on various subjects concerning military work, to be submitted to him for approval, to be give out to the men. I have in my possession now, the headings for the first screed, & by jove I can tell you there are corkers. Now if in future you only get three words per day you will quite understand what is wrong.
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20/10/14 Another day done & by all accounts we are nearing Tasmania, in fact the ships Officers say we will be alongside at mid-day. There is really nothing to relate, it is just live one day as you have lived the day before it. I believe there is one thing I forgot to mention, & that is that we have had a paper since we left Well. Just a few lines, typed out on ordinary paper, of the messages picked up by the wireless. It would be very interesting for us if they would let us in to the wireless house, but no such luck, they are very jealous of what they keep in there. Well I have been fortunate enough to fall in for “Officer of the watch,” again to night, but luckily I have struck one of the best watches, that is from 4 AM. until 8 A.M. it really means that I only have an hours extra duty, for revellie goes at 5 AM. We have it published in orders that we will be able to post our mail at Hobart, & that we are going ashore for a two hour route march. Wouldn’t it be all right if we were pulling in for a couple of days & they were to give us leave, I reckon I would dig up some of the relations in that time. There is a doctor on board
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comes from Hobart & he say he knows of the Gatehouse but does not know them. He also know the Hane’s & say they would not be hard to find. However it is useless to think of it as G.O.C. say there is to be positively no leave under any pretext whatever, so where he leads we must follow.
21/10/14 This will be my last chance of writing a few words for some time, so I will just say a few more in saying au rêvoir again. It is now six AM. & as I write Howie is just climbing out, & from where I sit I am looking into the hills of South Tas. When I got up this AM we had already sighted land, & now the out line of the hills is very distinct. I was speaking to the Chief Officer this morn & he says we are about 45 mile from port yet. I do not know Jeanie whether you & Jess came in or went out of here in the dark, but if you should have done it in the daylight you would have noticed the lighthous on the cliff’s due north as you go out from the harbour, well we are just passing out of sight of it now. The name of I can not find out, for nobody seems to know what it is.
[Written at top and side of page 1]
21/1014
It is reall very interesting sitting here watching the boats forming up again. The battle ships that were out on either side of us, are closing in now & it looks as if they are going to preceed us into the harbour. Well no matter how interesting I must be off now; so remember me everybody & I will say au rêvoir
Your Loving Brother
E.S.McI.
I want you to post this all round.
