Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, August 1915 to March 1916 - Part 3










conspicuous in many parts -
& an ancient windmill is
on the sky line in the distance
another nearer - built of
stone, with 6 sails -
To the South & East the Blue
waters of the Mediterranean, in
a narrow strip form a
background - Not far away
across a valley, rise the
dome & pinnacles of the Church
of St Paul, the ancient
looking walls rising high
above the fields surrounding.
The bells are often tolling -
It was here that Napoleon
came, & carried away the
Golden gates - Also compelled
6 Maltese girls to marry
6 of his Frenchmen - Maltese
women have ever since
worn the black "hood of Shame"
sen everywhere - A white
road winds up the steep hill
leading past St Pauls - &
in the other direction away
into Valetta - The houses
are built of white stone,
flat roofs - square & no
architecture The scenery is
very pleasant to look at - A
cloudless sky, & warm sun
overhead
1916.
Jan 1st New Year Lord Methuen
came round & wished a happy
New Year - - Diptheria has broken
out & 2 patients & Sister Fulden
from this block have gone
into Isolation Block - A
number of Orderlies have caught
it - Sister C gave me a lot of
Diet to make up for Jan &
amts of Stgores to make up for
last month.
Jan 4 Hear that no patients are
to leave for a time. owing to
Diptheria outbrfeak out. - The Dr
gave me "Infectious Disease"
sheets to write out for patients
in dwards downstairs.
Jan 5. Very warm - The Dr
gave me some more sheets
to make out for upstairs -
Walked round grounds - New
potatoes in now. Maltese get 3
crops a year - Strawberry plants
in one of fields below. -
A monastery is just across the
Valley, we saw some monks
taking exercise on the walls
roof the other night - Musta
Dome, the 3rd largest in the
World is not far away - noted
for its beauty - paintings
mozaics etc.
Jan 6 Drew our kits from home
left them in the store -
cold wintry day -
Jan 10 - One of the patients in
next ward suspected diphtheria
Hear we are going to leave
the Hospital on Friday -
The troops have all left Cape
Helles & the Penina - Except
the F. Amb. will be in Egypt
now.
Jan 14 Cold & wintry - very
strong wind & showers of rain
Jan 16 Orders to go, drew our
kits at 10 & changed our
hospital clothing. Had early
dinner & paraded at the orderly
room at 1 _ Waited for
the motor transports, they were
late - Nearly 4 PM. Went back
to get some tea, but had just
sat down when the whistle sounded
Started off, all down hill -
passed a stout old monk, I
was on 3rd car - another a
short way behind - Abrupt
corners, & short bursts of speed.
Through narrow streets & round
under an archway, to the Docks
The car in front had a blow-out
about 100 yds from our destination
the Hospital Ship Valdivia.
Went on board, & assigned
to wards - In D - - The ancient
looking walls tower up above
the harbor which is not
very wide - the wharves present
a very busy appearance -
Had a walk round the ship
Ship is French built - 4 decks
& the captain's bridge above - most of
2nd & the 3rd deck which has a
fine wide promenade reserved for
officers - boats on 4th deck -
Jan 17 Up at 6 - Soon the
anchor was raised & with
a tug in front & another at our
side we proceeded down the
harbor - Battleships, French &
British & 2 other Hospital Ships
in the harbor - The tug at our
side pulled the stern round
& we came round a bend &
down past dozens of row boats
& several liners - high walls
topped by masses of Stone
buildings, out into the open
We soon left Malta behind
& headed towards the East
with the Sun on our starboard
bow - & soon nothing to be
seen but the blue Mediterannean
on all sides - During the
morning something went wrong
with the steering gear - we
were right out of our course
& came almost to a dead
stop, while the propellors were
churning the water into a
seething cauldron - We got
right after a little time &
proceeded on our course -
Had some cabbage for dinner
the first green veg. for months.
Lights out at 8 - Met one of
the chaps from our FAmb. & Merv.
Blyth from Sth Bruny - I
saw him last in Claremont.
18 The Sun rose behind an
inky cloud on the horizon -
rather dull - a Steamer on the
sky line just disappearing.
About 9 AM received a wireless to
come to assistance of the Lancashire
The Valdivia altered her course,
extra stokers were put on, & we
were soon travelling full speed
ahead - Heard that a
destroyer was after the Submarine
Also that another hospital ship
had gone to the Scene &
picked up the crew - We put
back on our ^old course -
19 Expect to reach Alexandria
to-night on in the morning.
The dawn broke dull & cloudy
with a few drops of rain falling
passed 2 or 3 ships at a distance
during the day - The day
was very fine - At night a
full moon shed its radiance
over the blue waters -
20 Up early - the boat is lying
about waiting for daybreak. -
A number of ships on the horizon -
& a long low line of trees or houses
to the East - A lighthouse is
sending a message every few Secs.
Soon the sun rises, a great ball
of red behind a bank of cloud,
& we stop again & after waiting some
time a red fezzed pilot comes aboard
& again we proceed - A destroyer
passed us - & several ships are
waiting to get into port - Inside
the long breakwater is a
forest of masts, transports, liners
hospital ships & all kinds of
vessels lying at anchor -
An Italian vessel with a white
star on funnel - Greek vessels
with flag of wht bars & cross on
a blue ground - The Empress
of Britain just within entrance
a huge transport, crowded
with Khaki figures - The
Valdivia moved up the roadstead
& dropped anchor - The matron
expected us to go off & all beds
were re-made, but we lay
there until evening when a
tug took her in tow & we threaded
the lanes of shipping, finally
arriving at a wharf & made
fast -
21st Jan Thurs Watched the native
life on shore - motor ambulances
& lorries going to & fro - A long
line of red + cars coming down
to the wharf, a Hospital
train come in & stop near by.
Had breakfast & later got our
things, disembarked & on to the
train - fine corridor cars, nurses
& Indians as orderlies - We left
the wharf about 10 & passed through
dirty streets, past warehouses &c
Soon left the city behind & came
into the clean & fresh looking
irrigated area, the Nile delta
It is wonderfully fertile - every
thing green - the line kept close
to the shore for some miles, then
inland with fields as far as eye
could reach - irrigation canals
native women carrying water jars,
men working in the fields -
plowing etc. oxen, water buffalo
sheep - goats - camels - tiny
donkeys carrying huge loads -
white sails of boats on the
canals - palm trees - native
villages built of mud -
passed over 2 mouths of the Nile,
Fine iron bridges - stopped
several times, but came thro'
to Cairo in quick time 4½ hrs
Fine crops of maize - lucerne
& vegetables - After a short
stop came on to Heliopolis -
Cars took us to 2 convalescent
depots - No 2 full & some of us
came to the 1st A.G. Hosp.
at the Palace Hotel -
22nd Our clothes taken away
The Dr examined us, & we
have to remain here for a time
Heard that serveral Hosp. Ships
are returning to Aust. The
Aust & N.Z. troops are all in Egypt
Mostly near Tel-el-Kebir or
down at Suez. - The streets are
full of men, from the camp at
the aerodrome
24 Sunday We are able to walk
round the hospital - See one or
two aeroplanes flying round every
day -
25 A Heavy shower of rain - rather
unusual for here - they have
had over the average this month
26 A party of the patients given
leave to go to the Kursaal in
Cairo, went round to the tram
after tea - Fine system of electric
cars - travel very fast. - Spent
an enjoyobyable evening -
28 The Austrns have all left
Lemnos - One came into our
ward with enteric - D. Bandinet
is one of the Sisters here, had a
chat with her -
Feb 1 Went with others before a
board of doctors, have to
return to Australia for change
boat is leaving in a week or so
2 All who are to return sent
to the Auxilliary Hospital near
Luna Park - 2 large buildings.
& a number of marquees, occupied,
Have meals together in big shelter
rather rough -
3 Went into Cairo in afternoon
to get my Kit bag - We went out
to the Overseas Bar & then
to the Agricultural Hall - found
that it had been sent in to
the Palace - Had a good
view of the Pyramids on the
journey - Splendid train system
Crossed the Nile twice - The
line runs along the bank a
long distance passed several villages,
frightful squalor - animals &c. all
inhabiting same house, natives
making flat cakes from manure,
which when dried serves as
fuel -
4 Hear that the boat is deferred
till later than Monday -
Went in to the museum but it
was closed walked round the
streets until I was tired - Went
in the Esbekieh Gardens & back.
5. In the afternoon went into Cairo
& to the Museum - two trains -
½ PT to Cairo to 2 m. to Kaisr el Nil
Went round with a N.Z. - There
are a number of Sarcophagi &
Sphinxes etc outside - It is a
find building, looks fairly
new - 2 story - Inside the
main entrance one meets huge
carvings of the ancient Kings of
Egypt - Sarcophogi Sphinxes,
mummies with the paint. of
4000 yrs ago as fresh as if put
on to day - huge Sarcoph... of wood
- Cedar - & covered with carvings
the covers made of trunks of small
trees - Many of the statues had
lost heads, others were put together
had been broken. - There were
mummies of animals, models in
stone of the cat, ornaments in
gold, silver & stones found in the
tombs, seeds of various kinds &
mummied meats that had been
put in with the body for food, in
the future life - figures of various
people to serve the dead who was
supposed to call them to life
by pronouncing some magic word
Went round for a while with an
elderly gentleman who was taking
a party round & explaining
many of the exhibits - One interesting
thing was the figure of Osiris formed
in earth & wheat sown which
sprang up & was buried with the
dead King - only 3 of these
have been found - He told us
of the fascinating excavations
at the valley of the tombs of the
Kings at Luxor up the Nile
There are long galleries running
into the heart of the hills,
He & 2 others had the fortune to
discover a new one - The Kings
seemed to had their Chief interest
in life in preparing their tombs,
& these are now all that
remain -
6 Commenced to rain yest. afternoon
& continued during night
This has been the wettest season
for years - Helping in one of wards
in morning - After dinner I
set out for a walk to the Obelisk
& the Virgins Well at Matarieh
went in a different direction & came
to the railway some way from
Zeitoun - Crossed over & came
right into the Country - a
pleasant change from the
the dry sands of the desert.-
Walked along a road leading
from the built on portion - An
irrigation Canal was working, a
native was putting a crop of green
stuff under water - passed a grove
of Blue gum trees - date palms
etc - turned in direction of
Matarieh & soon fell in with one of
the 27 Bn. We passed through a
village & reached the garden in
which the tree is growing which
is supposed. to be the one that
under which Mary & Joseph rested
on the way into Egypt - It
certainly looks very old - half
is broken down & the other part
has some live boughs & was in
leaf though most of the trunk
was eaten into & dead - Drank
out of the well near by - water
cool & sweet - they are very
picturesque wells - The Arab gave
a parrot-like repetition of the
history of the well etc. Supposed
to have become fresh when
Mary tasted it while the wells
surrounding were brackish ?
The water from one near the
Obelisk tasted fresh - Went
into the Obelisk Church near
by, it stands in a garden
& is only about 10 yrs old -
A visitors book in the porch for
the names of "pilgrims" There
is a carved group of Joseph &
Mary & the Child Jesus at the
head of the Church & round the
walls are painted scenes of the
Massacre of the Infants, the
vision of the angel to Joseph, Flight
into Egypt - Rest under the tree.
& entry into Heliopolis etc.
After I went through the fields
to the Obelisk - Some large
fields of sugar cane near, I
tasted it for the first time -
can't say I liked it - On the way
back, a small boy was having
a free ride behind a "garry" (cab)
& I threw it to him he was off
after it & soon perched on his seat
again. I returned past the Church
& through Matarieh & Zeitoun
across the desert & home by 5.
7 Heard we are going to morrow
so went across to the Palace
to see Sister Bandinet & Sister in
my ward - A thick fog this
morning -
8 Up at 5 & had early breakfast,
preparations to get away,
The "Nestor" is the boat return
by - There will be about 600
wounded & enteric Convalescents
Many are still unable to walk
A long string of red + cars
conveyed us into Cairo Station
A thick fog enveloped everything
After waiting some time a
train arrived & we boarded -
I saw D. Bandinet on the
platform, she was off to Helonan
for duty _ The Red Cross distributed
a little packet to each one on
board - Sent by the Queens. Red +
for Christmas cont. soap, cigarettes
etc. We were soon travelling
through green fields - villages
& irrigations, canals - It is
intensely interesting seeing
the natives working - plowing
with the primitive tool used
2000 yrs ago. - water buffalo or
oxen used, Camels padding
along laden with lucerne etc
sometimes a couple of arabs on
one's back - Native women carrying
jars of water or baskets on their
heads. Feathery date palms
rising high above everything
else, usually scattered here
& there in the midst of crops -
Large crops of broad beans,
fields of sugar cane, all intersected
by channels to
convey the water -
The villages of sundried mud
bricks, tumble-down dwellings
with flat roofs on which are
stacked piles of dried sugar cane
stems - allstreets narrow &
filthy - the whole looking like
a big mud heap, a blot on
the fertile landscape.
Passed several camps, a large
one at Tel-el-Kebir - A troop
of camels, some 2 or 4 hundred
resting by the track - The
train arrived at Suez about
4 & finally drew up alonside
the "Nestor" & I was soon on
board - Had tea & issued with
2 blankets & hammock - I slept
on floor - too uncomfortable
in hammock -
9 Feb. Left the Port soon after
8., & dropped the pilot soon
after, It seems hardly true that
we are homeward bound & I
will soon be seeing all at
home once more - We are
fairly comfortable, I am on
the lowest deck with portholes
48 in the compartment, about
30 x 24 ft. 4 mess tables of 12
each - We sleep in hammocks
slung from hooks above or
on the floor - turned quite
cool during the night.
[*SAILED FOR AUST. 9/2/16*]
11 Have the work of orderly
for the voyage, which will
occupy some of the time -
Still proceeding down the Red
Sea, passed several boats
yesterday - land in sight
for some time, the high
hills not far inland - We
are now out of sight of
land, - in Long. 3 9
Lat.20°. 2' Travelled 326 m
Noon yest to noon - Very hot
below deck with all portholes
open - will sleep on deck
to-night - A cool breeze
blowing on deck - We have
good deck accomodation, &
if any one grumbles, it is
because they have nothing
to do - There are no drills
The men spend their time
lounging about, reading
etc. - one man had only
been in Egypt a few weeks
There are any number who
never went to the Penina -
A good deal of gambling
goes on in cards, ♔ & ⚓︎ etc.
I saw one chap with £8
had won to-day -
Everyone presented with
a bag of clothing etc
from the Red Cross -
pyjamas etc.
12 Feb 16 Travelled 317 m. to
noon. A smooth sea & a cloudless
sky - A breeze sprang up,
& tempered the heat - walked
round the deck, we have the
fore & aft decks, a fine promenade
deck & the top deck, where
the boats are, also 2 Hospitals
& all the patients unable to get
up - plenty of deck chairs -
The decks are covered in with
awnings now. At noon passed
an island & later the "Twelve
Apostles" large & small islands
A lighthouse stands on Matthew
to point out the way to ships that
pass in the night" - A stiff breeze
sprang up at night, we had
wind sails in the port holes.
About 9 PM, passed thro' Hell's
Gates - high land on the
starboard bow. & a
lighthouse standing on
the port - A strong wind
blowing - the Ship is very
steady -
13 Sunday Church Service held
on the top deck in the morning
cool breeze, a glorious day.
travelled 286 m.
14 Passed Cape Guardafui
high land on the starboard
side for many miles
Yesterday there was a boat
drill - A committee is
getting up games for the
voyage - tennis - quoits
chess draughts cards etc
A Concert was held on the
upper deck in the evening
songs etc. The ships
doctor told some short
stories, he is a jolly looking
very red faced man -
16 322 miles yesterday - I
have been sleeping on deck
had some rain - flying
fish about. One of the patients
17 died to day - & was buried.
The ship stopped, & a vebal
salute of 3 volleys was fired over
him - A boat drill was
postponed till Sat. - expect to
reach Colombo on Sunday -
19 Passed a lighthouse in
evening - on one of the L. Is
20 The boat was lying outside
the breakwater & soon
after daybreak passed inside
& were soon fast to one of the
Buoys. A good deal of shipping
in harbor - Saw the sun
rise up behind the Coconut
palms which fringed the shore
Soon there were water boats
& coal lighters alongside &

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