At Sea
3/6/1916
Dear Everybody,
Sure enough the last letter I wrote you was destined to be the last from Egypt, although it was about a week later before the move came off. However it has come about & there is nobody on the N.Z. forces more pleased than I. We left Tel-el-Kebir on Sunday night 29th May, arriving Alex 4.30 AM. Monday morning. Our transport was alongside & turned out to be the transport Nile of the Pacific Mail Steam Ship Co. She is not a very big boat only 5300 tons, but is very nice comfortable clean etc, & pretty fast. She is also 23 years of age, naturally one would think she would be out of date, but far from it. I was talking to the Chief Engineer last
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night, & he said she was “the last thing” in ships when she was built, & that the engine room was an education today. As a sailing boat it is equal to any if not better than any of the previous I have been on. The last two day there has been a considerable swell on but she takes it very nicely. Have not seen Europe this voyage yet, & am hoping to get through without having to under go that ordeal. However we still have the straits of Gib. & the Bay of Biscay to pass. We are taking rather a round about-course this trip, dodging submarines, & floating mines, both of which we are told are very numerous in these waters. It is only 3 days ago that 3 ships were sunk on this very route. However we sail away here & take things very much as a matter of course. Much less concerned than those we leave on shore. Naturally of course the usual precautions are taken, a strong look out, &
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a submarine guard of 1 officer & 50 men are on day & night in the bow of the boat. All are armed with rifles & ball ammunition. It is a bit hopeless at night but still one never knows what they might pick up. From Alex we sailed in a North Westerly direction until we struck the Eastern end of Crete. Then we turned & sailed due West along the Northern shore of Crete, this being the route from England to Salonica & therefor regularly patrolled by mine sweepers & Torpedo boat destroyers. That we have been passing through a very dangerous zone we are well aware. Since striking Crete we have been well escorted, & have passed dozens of mine sweepers & Torpedo boats. Passing through the Straits of Cerigo at the Western end of Crete which we did on Wed. night, was considered a very dangerous spot. Just before reaching there a Torpedo boat picked us up & sent a message
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to the effect that she was going to escort us to Malta. Well we passed Malta at midnight last night, & it is now mid-day, & she is still with us. At time of writing we are just passing through the narrow straits between Sicily & Tunis, this also considered to be a dangerous spot on account of the narrowness of the channel. What a fine little craft the Torpedo is too. She has been darting backwards & forwards in front of us now for about two days, doing about twice the distance we are, & getting a good tossing too. Just before lunch we got a wireless message giving us the news of the Naval battle that has taken place off Jutland. We certainly received a stunning set back there, according to our report 17 ships of all craft have been sunk or are missing, quite a number of Torpedo boats. Evidently our navy or part of it were getting a little cheeky, & were taking a
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bigger bite than they could swallow. It certainly has been a win for our friends the enemy, although it is the first one on sea. We expect to reach England about Thursday the 8th June. What Port we are going to we have not yet the foggiest idea, nor in what part of England is our camp to be. No matter where it be it will be many many times ahead of Tel-el-Kebir. I had great luck in seeing Kate again at Alex. We arrived at 4.30 A.M. & after getting the men all quartered, having a shave & some breakfast etc, I asked leave to find out if the Marama was still in Port. Before going off I thought I might search the harbour with the glasses, & sure enough there she was the hospitalship lying nearest us. I straight way applied to the Adjutant for half an hours leave. He replied “there is absolutely no leave for anyone, but I know
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nothing & I see nothing.” That was good enough for me. I collected another young fellow Lieut Corkill & the two of us set sail for Marama. Arrived on board all right & Kate, although she did not know we were in Alex had been half expecting me & purposely stayed on board. We collected her & a Sister McLaughlan, & again set sail for the Nile. However the Military landing officer would not allow them on board. We spent the morning on the wharf with them having a cup of tea at one of the Red Cross stalls that had set up shop on the water front for the benefit of the troops, & not a bad cup of tea either. We pulled into the stream at 3 in the afternoon, & at 7 P.M. a number of the Sisters from the Marama came alongside again, in a native boat. Corkill & I again applied for leave got it this time, for the ship was not sailing until next morning.
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We spent quite a pleasant evening on board, returning to our own ship at 10.30. The Marama is to bring the N.Z. General Hospital to England, but when they are leaving Egypt they are not very sure, I think it may be in 10 days time. I have just come down from a concert we were having on deck, not a bad one either, leave some of our old Cow Spankers in the shade. Right in the middle of a very interesting piece, the Torpedo boat that has been escorting us turned round & went back towards Malta, & as she passed us, what a rousing cheer she got, & how lustily it was returned. Everyone seems to have had the highest admiration possible for our guiding star; they certainly
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look the very essence of safety, & everyone seemed to take it for granted that as long as she was in front of us we were quite all right. Now that we are passed Tunis I guess we are pretty safe until we get the other side of Gib. Will leave this open for a few days, intend posting it as soon as we reach port. It is now Wed 7th & we are somewhere in the vicinity of the Bay of Biscay. Not having a bad run either. A bit of a swell yesterday but nothing to speak of. Arrived at Gib. about 2 AM Tues morn, only stopped for about half an hour. Devonport is to be our Port of disembarkation, where to after that we do not know. Received a wireless message at Gib. of the naval engagement in North Sea. There certainly was something doing. Nothing more to write about. Au Rêvoir for the present.
Affect. Brother. E.S. McI.
