Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to May 1915 - Part 1

O.H. Gray. 2552

Army Medical Corps
3rd Aust Field Amb.

Abbassieh  Zeitoun

Heliopolis Gallipoli Penina

Malta
or Send to:
F. S.Gray
76 High St
Aust. Hobart Tasmania
1915
Jan 31. at Bruny spent a pleasant day
visiting Turninpoke Bay &c.
Feb 1 Ret^d to Town- heard had to report
at camp at once- Said goodbye.
Tom came out - I got my kit.
Feb 2 Marched to Express - 126 reached
Launceston 2.15; Marched round to
Loongana – Left Launceston 4 pretty
trip down Tamar & fair trip across
Feb 3 arrived Melbourne - came up
Harbour & Yarra - 9 AM wharf
marched to train- Arrived BMeadows
12.30. 8 AMC went to Red + section
adjoining camp - warm -
Feb 4  4 Fellows went into Melbourne
we others did fatigue - Bread & plum
jam - Irish Stew for dinner - Warm
Feb 5 Very hot - 5 went into City &
3 of us went in in afternoon 3.30 to 10.30
Visited C of E. tent for St. Pauls Cathedral

Saw F Mtg. H. - had tea - visited
YMCA had bath. walked about the
City - Coles BK Arcade - Eastern Market
Bourke St great traffic- motor buses
hansom cabs - returned camp by
12 PM
Feb 6 reported for duty we have to take
turns, duty at Hospital - I go on
6 30 PM tomorrow. I went on duty
to relieve Linney for 3 hrs in aftr.
Feb 7 Sunday. I walked into Melbourne
10m. by Coburg Brunswick &
Sydney Rd. fine streets – Visted Y.M.

& C of E tent. also Homoes Hosp to See
Matron she was out.- Fine park
across Princes Bridge. retd to
Camp 4 train went on duty
at 6. in Hospital - 3 patients
Feb 8 on duty fill 6 AM. had
break & slept all morning.
Went about camp in aft. Took
appendicitis patient into Melb Hosp in
evening carried in stretcher for mile
Went to see Matron at Houses Hosp
had supper just caught train
Feb 9. Couldn't get leave, so
roamed about camp. Cooler.
rained hard in afternoon. Slept a bit
Feb 10 & On duty 6 30 AM. 7 patients
 & several outpatients - busy
all day - making beds - feeding
patients, giving Medicine taking

temp & pulse, etc. - Had to take
patient into hospital but missed
train so left him till morning.
Feb 11 On duty 6.30 AM to 6 PM.
4 patients on own - helped in other hosp.
one patient was composer of poem on
Empress of Ireland,, Another, was Capt
of Merchantman- held Kings Com
signed "Muito" - good yarns.
Feb 12th Friday Off duty - went into
Gen Hos p. with boots
walked out to Brunswick to the
zoo & spent a few hours there -
lions tigers elephants, hippos -
saw animals fed at 4- came
back in tram horse & car to
Flinders St. visited YMCA & C of E. tent
returned 5.30 train - missed
connection at Essenvale - On
duty at 12 PM.
Feb 13. On from 12 pm to 7 AM
2 hospitals 16 patients - After break
had a doze - & went into Depot
later - Wrote home - no mail yet
Feb 14 Sunday. On duty 6.30 had
a busy day - very warm 104°
shade - hot wind- lots of visitors
in camp - one brought us some eggs.
Feb 15  Heard not leaving till
28th- big lot vaccinated.
Rec^d 8 letters & helmet - good news
from home - went round camp
very hot - hot wind. On duty 6.30
P.M pneumonia patient - very
restless - 

Feb 16 Lunney Sweeney & Fitz took patient
into hospital - Ford & I had
to take night duty again. Tried
to get some Sleep in day - flies
troublesome - cooler - Aeroplane
flying over camp - biplane - very
pretty - first I saw - Runic lot
vaccinated - Rec^d mitts - 11 patients
in 1 Hospital. -

Feb 17 Wed. Sweeney & Fitz ret^d

in night 2.30 & wanted
 

to take over duty so had to let
them, arranged to take on at
11 AM - Ford & I got few hrs rest
Fitz  Sweeney had to finish day -
Tried to get paid - no change -
Feb 18 I. on duty 6.30 poor fellow
run over yesterday - ½ drunk - brought
in to Hospital - only lived few
hrs - busy day - 11 patients in
B. Hospital - Aspinall pd us & told
us we were going to embark on Tues.
Feb. 19 I got leave - into City -
visited Longana & Grand Hotel - missed
Clare Went to Auditorium &
about city - Down to Sth Meb. by train
walked along Esplanade - Many bathers
Back to Town by Motor Bus from St
Kilda baths. Visited S.A. rooms for
lunch- Homoes Hosp. & saw
Matron. C of E tent. - had supper
home by 12 PM.
Feb 20  Joseph on duty -has gone 
on leave - I changed
turns & went on for him -
busy day - 18 patients in -
I went on all night too -
Lunney away- Joseph got drunk -
got 2 hrs sleep.
Sun
Feb. 21. Got leave Came into
Melb. saw M. Pierce. Went
to Park for lunch- spent the
afternoon in Museum & Art
Gallery.  fine collections -
fine Felton Bequest. - tea at
C of Eng. tent visited Botanical
gardens - home 9.45 train
Feb 22 Mon - No Hospital duty
nothing much to do- wrote couple
of letters
Feb 23  Tues -Most of fellows
went into town- Saw some boxing
at night. got my extra time.
Feb 24 Wed. I went into town 3.30
went to Y.M. had bath- to
SA rooms for tea - got hairclips. Saw
Bert Hawkes - Spent an hr at Homoes

Hosp. saw M and sister B. home 12
Feb 25 Thurs. Got letter 6 * had
to parade day before in full kit-
black kit bag sent aboard Tues-
Paraded 9 & marched to Stn- waited till
11.30, 3 full train. to Sth Melbourne pier
marched to Runic pier- board 3.
Star of Vic tugged out - & Runic later
lay in harbour till 4 am. Had tea
late- got own mess plates etc & bunks -
Feb 26 Rose 6. break 7.15- vaccination
pretty sore- good meals- bad
headache. Came down PI.P. +out heads
close to coast all day- Star of Vic keeps 3
miles off. Drizzling all day- hear Star

Feb 27 of Vic is pretty sick- wandering
about ship. No land sight

17rday2 3 Wed - West Aust Coast in
close view very rocky - had it rough
crossing Bight Sunday & Monday- 
shipped some water- a good many sea
sick - I wasn't- am enjoying voyage -
splendid food- sleep in hammocks- physical
drill 6.30. 10& 2 PM. Meals 7.15
12 & 5 PM. Star of Vic has kept close
to us.- church parade on Sunday morning
Kangaroo on board.- ALBANY.

Came into Harbour 10 AM dropped anchor
inside outer pier.- Star of Vic came in
further- Star of Vic has diphtheria on board.
Volunteered for boat rowers. A M C all
went in in launch- 8 lifeboats 60 men
in string behind- Went through

Albany & along road to Beach- back
to town in circle & aboard again.

Very hot, Pretty town- scattered-
very hilly & great boulders about. good
railway pier- fine beach near. Lot of
motors about.
4 March. Parade- all who didn't go

before go ashore to Outer pier- pull in
boats- 2 patients to go I go with
10 others- go in Motor launch- go 
across to Star of Vic & take another
patient- then across to NZ Transport

No 14 which just
came in- "Willochra"- she is
returning from Egypt, had chat
with 2 + men from her- Going
back to NZ with 25 men sick & then
returning to Egypt- Took doctor
& Captain on board then ashore
to Inner pier. Carried men to
Hospital by 1.30 then off leave
till 4- Smith & I lunched at a hotel
then down to baths for a swim -
I went up town to see Abbott- Met
Sydney dentist from the Karoola just

in loading fruit- Had yarn & lemon
squash - Came on pier. Several fell out
from sunstruck - Colonel gave one in
my charge- Came aboard in motor
launch- Several half drunk- Had
a good day_

Many seem to joined for what they can
get.
5 Mar Fri Boats going back & forward
several deserters brought back  Willochra
left- 2 Boat races in afternoon Runic
beat Star of Vic- Pitt & other Tas. rowing-
I helped row lifeboat 8 rowing- to Star of
Vic. motor boat there- and back in
one of Stars boats-
6 Mar. Left 11 AM Star following
walked outside- fairly rough- let
deserters behind- fill & coast
line- several sick.

7 Mar Fairly calm - Swell - Parade church
at 10.- Warm- Left Aust Coast behind
next port Colombo.- Church in evening- rather
good address on prayer- Chaplain is strong
on temperance.

8 Monday The ocean wide- Star of Vic
ahead- physical drill 630- semaphore
signalling 10. & lecture by Naval officer.
Lecture Anatomy in afternoon- Red & Sox
given around- Some of the fellows sold
theirs straight away - Some take no interest
in their work - Capt Southey very decent.
9 Mar Tues  2 Swimming Baths put up -
canvas- 4 ft 6 deep. 12 ft square. Saw
flying fish very pretty fly 50 yards -
weather getting warmer. played some chess
10 Mar Have to appear with bare feet 2
morning parades - Kit inspection
marching dress - meat at dinner to be
discontinued - tripe at breakfast bad -
meat at tea rotten- got tinned beef just
out of freezer- Sea calm- box. ons
every night lecture anatomy.
11 Thurs Fire drill- AMC have to appear
at Hospital when bugle sounds
alarm - Silence - Boat drill- Sea calm
At noon passed spot where Emdery
took HMS Sydney off to Keeling Is.
Gonorrhea to be treated at Hospital
not put off at any port,- AMC paid
Drivers 7/- day- 7 days wk- Captains
get £600. Corps 10/- & Sargeants 10/6 day
Chaplain gets 600 & ships doctor 600
& keep & nothing much to do.
C of E & Prestyt. got 4 captains each- then
Meth and RC wanted some- XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXX had yarn with siginaller
from Eng- on peace.

12. Swimming bath broke in the
night & flooded out several sleeping
on deck. heavy rain storm-
some of troops had to work in
coal bunkers- got black- all
troops being inoculated against
typhoid- very warm- 

13 Mar Very warm - semaphoring
Inoculated in afternoon.
sore- Fights in evening- ring in
forecastle- Bull Nicholls fainted-
14 Sun Cross line Tues next - wrote
letters home - Church evening
Saw most glorious Sunset ever seen
6 PM - Saw Sun Set & lovely colouring
after - great bands of pink - No twilight
Dark at 7 PM. - No parades - No
more afternoon parades - Saw lot of
flying fish - flew 90 or 100 yds -
16 Tues Mar 15 Crossed Line
Father Neptune & Court aboard -
Officers tried - Everyone - Ordered 
for Hospitals - half drowned
I was put in bath - I
slept on deck Lovely Sunset
 

17 Mar. Awfully warm
concert -
18 Mar. Went on deck 2 AM Saw
light house in Ceylon - At
6 AM. going along coast - volcanic -

Coves & plateaus - 4 Clexiers passed
Native canoes miles out from shore
Colombo - came inside break
water - 3 long break w - high tides
at ends - dropped anchor-
Star of Vic soon after - She is
coaling - 6 or 7 big water boats
came alongside us, also dozens
of native boats - About 80
Sampans out at sea fishing- 
Palm trees etc on shore - Much
native life - Lean Blk Indian
Crows flying everywhere - Blk
boys & men diving for coins -

dived off deck boat.
pretty sun rise behind Is -
natives changing coins - Several
came on deck - Officers
went ashore - melting weather
decks very hot. All Kinds
of canoes - & paddles, covers
over boats - Several big boats
in port - We stirred up mud
Drawings of boats - See original 
a bit - Heard news of war - Several
long boats sunk. Dresden sunk -
Several A M C got ashore - groves of 
palms & tropical shrubs. All strange
yet familiar. -
19 Mar Woke early - heavy thunder
storm last night - a good many chaps
got ashore in native boats etc &
spent night ashore - All want leave
Native boats still round - laundry
men come aboard for washing -
water police about - all natives -
native bring load of tea aboard -
also fruit bananas - pines - limes
etc. & Lots of chaps climbed or
jumped in & swam about in water
on buoy etc - Lot of troops on Star
go ashore - Our chaps dissatisfied - 
Deputation to Colonel who can't

give leave - after dinner majority
put on uniforms - approach officers
Showing scenes - Men go for boats
Officers assaulted & called names
 

threatened to throw overboard - One
boat lowered - crowded & pull off - Another
soon follows - water police powerless

Police motor launch stops them - go
one & police on shore Stop them, 3^rd 
boat swing offt & one end down -
One man fell 40 ft into water - full
uniform nearly onto barge - native
unties tangle - ropes lowered - launch
returns with some - 1^st boat returns
3^rd boat gets ashore & escape - 4th boat
goes off - 2 boats from Atar, fixed 
bayonets go ashore, troops called
out & stop landing - 4^th boat goes
across harbour - Runic begins to 
move after much hooting - 4th boat
returned to ship also launch with 
2^nd boat & prisoners - Runic moves
out a mile from shore many more
prisoners brought out - Natives in
boat diving for money -
Sketch of boat - See original
Thunder & lightning - heavy shower -
2 searchlights flashing - Sunrise
up behind City very pretty - palms-
natives selling silks - shirts etc
Watching them haul up cigars
50 -2/- & 3/- coconuts etc - 2
chiropodists on board - cut corns &
take root out - suction - deer horn
with hole  in end. 1/- each. -
good many drink come back - One
chap got day of; saw temples etc
rickshaws drive etc. Got photos , Lights
at night very pretty / chinese steamer
came in passed canoes & full rigged
ship
Drawings of boats - See original 
Sharks in
Harbor. 
Dentist
came on board - sweet pudding for dinner
Saw native dive 3 times to bottom of 
Harbor - ½ & ¾ min - brought rifle up
got ₤1 for it - Natives get 5p per day
shirts 4 for rupee - dropped anchor
outside - natives alongside diving for 
money - launch came out with prisoners
Heavy thunder storm - lightning round
horizon - More troops brought back at night
also boat (life) - damaged had too
rope up 2 or 3 boats dam. Aspinall cheered
20  In morning out sight of land, stopped
Star came up - proceeded -
prisoners trued - Stubbings back to Aust?
Tyler 6 mo at Aden & back to Aust? parades
two & roll call, all A M C present - rumors
of all kinds - boys quiet - Land Seen in PM.
Came closer - rugged mts - very high -
volcanic looking Ghauts - Cape Comorin
white beach - going WSW at sunset-
red sunset - West- Lights appear -
Lighthouse flashing- vivid lights near
shore- & bright lights high up on Mtns
odd lights & rows - Star came around
to Port. -changed Course- Concert on.

board - went in freezing chamber.
frost h- l just above - rotten smells
Officers mess well - snipe etc. washing.
changed course. - I get meals for hospitals

21^st Sun Glomiens day, sun rose up a golden
ball out of the E, going WNW - busy till 9 30.
Church parade 10 - full dress - I spent the hr
above the hospital xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  - 9 measle cases - 

Service at night - on the Courage - sympathy
etc of Christ - comp. with Lord Roberts moral
courage in speaking against Germany for yrs -
Saw Western Ghant of India & when 
night came on lights on mtns. - passed
2 sailing vessels - also mail steamer
in night - out of usual course -
bath burst & flooded parade - lot of
measles -

22 chap put elbow out swimming
going due West.

23  Boxing matches & wrestling
Russia wins. Saw mtns on W. Coast
of India. & lights last night. -
24 Thurs. Inspection - very calm -
cooler - Keeping West - Saw lights 
last night - lectures in afts on physicalogy
lovely golden yellow brown sunset
last night - no clouds - getting on with
semaphore -
We wen tot Hospiital with a 
bad foot - put hot compress on - Keogh

a Tassy in with bad leg - Mat Howard
from Sandford - was at Waterloo
Lieut Aspinall was in Said that they
thought fining all who went ashore
at Colombo ₤1 - Damage to boats
₤90 - Mutiny liable to be shot.
pretty slow in Hospital -
28. Sunday Came out - foot all
right fellow greased all over
for being dirty - Arrived at 
Aden Star behind - A rugged
rock, clear cut against the sky

the sea a beautiful green, entered
the harbour, several boats in one 
or two troop ships - passed 2 troop ships
coming out. - Number of Arab boats crowd
around us - selling all sorts & taking
down as usual - forts & stone buildings
red roofed buildings wireless stn - path
& cuttings among the hills - showing amt 
of work the British have put into it.
Doctor & police came aboard with
written instructions no one allowed
ashore owing to small pox 29 cases 2 day
Arabs with red fez shoals of small fish
Saw desert at the head of the port
with a background of high mtns dimly
seen in the heat haze -

Drawing  of boat - See original 

Arab Dhows - heard 
of fall of Przeniryst -
Not a green thing visible
except a low shrub near the edge of
the desert. A cloudless sky & a vivid
green sea, & a fresh breeze wafting us out
of the port - The Star stopped near
the entrance, English Mail