Diary of Gerard Henderson Cowan, November 1916 - Part 2

for coffee. Felt to sick for
breakfast so kept still and
chewed biscuits. Felt
better later. Had instruction
on musketry and signalling
as well as P.T. today also
the alarm and boat drill.
Managed to eat a good
dinner and tea.
Saw Ron this afternoon  
to speak to for a few
minutes. Found some
books among my
parcels marked from
M.F.D. and guessed
they where from Mary
& but all parcels got
so mixed I couldn't be
shure, He said however 
 

Mary had sent some on
board. Am going to sleep
on deck tonight weather
permitting.
Wednesday 22/11/16
To day is Thursday 23/11/16
but as I was on guard last
night so was unable to
write this up. Yesterday was
very warm, but felt much
better after sleeping on deck.
Usual round of work
ending up with skipping
compettions of a minuet
each. Fell in for guard
at 6.15 p.m went to
ships head quarters & 
after being inspected
I took the first six sentries 

and placed them where
the Sergant told. However
he had not been on
guard on the boat before
and was not too sure
where they were to go.
After having placed them
I met the ships Sergeant
Major and he told me
the posts so had to
set about & make a few
alterations. Afterwards
everything went smoothly
except there was not over
much room and one
releif on coming in
mixed up the beds of the
next and things sounded
lif lively for a while. 
 

Should not have been on
been on early parade ^ this morning
but being a kit inspection
had to turn out, however
we were given the afternoon
off instead. Watched some
Sports among several
of the units for a while
but did not prove interesting
enough. Got hold of chief
engineer to see if there
was any chance of getting
below into the engine room
says I can go down when
we leave Durban. Supposed
to arrived in Durban to
night or tomorrow morning.
Went to a sort of service
held by Y.M.C.A. & Salvo 

was not bad. Sea still
choppy calm.
Sunday 26/11/16
We arrived in Durban
on Friday morning about
7.30 and I slept on deck
Thursday night but had
to go below about 4.30 am
on at account of rain. I
rolled my hammock and
on going on deck again
could just see what appeared
to be a bank of clouds
on the horizon. It
gradually grew more
clear and then we
made out the Bluff
on the left hand side
ad you enter the harbour 

 

This Bluff is a steep
hill rising to about 200 feet
and coming to a few yds
of the sea it is very thickly
covered with ^ dark green bush it forms
the Southern side of the harbour
The Northern side where the
town is is low and level
until about two miles
back from the harbour
entrance when it rises
again to what is known
as the Berea of Durban.
Well on approaching
land was much struck
by the colors, the clean
looking buildings and
the native boats drawn
up on the beach and 

on entering the harbour
it looked more like a
painted picture than
real scenery the colors
where beautiful. A girl
in white, flag wagged
a message to us as we
entered the harbour.
We drew up on the South
side away from the town
to coal. We anxiouslly
awaited to hear if there
would be any leave. We
were taken for a route
march just round the
Bluff and passed through
where the native prisoners
were working at the breakwater
guarded by Zulu xxxxx 

 

police in their blue uniform
and with red marking
and caps, like the old
volunteer caps, and armed
with a knob kerri and
assegi. They are splendid
looking men and are
quite as fine as Ryder
Haggards description would
lead you to believe. We
where supposed to have
leave from 2 p.m but
by the time we had
all been taken across
on a dredge and had
marched to the town
hall it must have been
nearly 3.30 or 4p.m. as
soon as we were dismissed 

I set off for 140 ^1st Avenue
and after a few enquires
arr took a tram and
arrived there without
any trouble. Rosie came
walking across the
street just as I arrived
there. She has not changed
at all. M^rs Beddows, Kathleen
& a M^rs Wills who used to
be Ruth Darling a cousin
of Rons, were there.
Hab We had afternoon tea
and then Rosie and I
took a tram and went
up through the Berea
It is absolutely glorious
it is a circular run
of about 5 miles and 

 

when you get up into the
H hills where all the
residences are the
foliage is magficent,
everthing grows as eaisly
here as if they and it is
just simply one mass
of colour from end to
end and everything looks
so beautifuly clean. (I believe
the Kaffiars  xxxxx sweep
the whole town from end
to end every morning)
All the houses are so artistically
designed. After we had been
round we returned to
M^rs Beddows for tea and
then Rosie & I went down
to the Beach to see the 

baths they have there.
They are slendid by baths
all fitted up with electric
light for bathing at night
Besides this they have a
huge swimming tank
I suppose for those who
prefer calm water.
and then there is
a place dug out and
filled with sea water
for youngsters. They are
far and away ahead
of anything I have seen
in Australia. Well to go
back to my tale. We returned
again to M^rs Beddows 
and had supper I had
to leave then as we 

 

had to march back
to the ship at 10.30 p.m.
Next morning we awaited
with great expectation to
hear whether we would
get leave or whether
we were putting out
to sea. It was announced
that he we had afternoon
leave so after a short
route march round the
Bluff we returned to
the ship, had dinner and
where then taken across
in the a tug to the other
side, we marched to the
town hall and there
dismissed. The town hall
is a magificent building 

both internally & externally
It is beautifully built &
fitted up, and besides
containing the hall it
contains a library & a
museum. On being xxx
dismissed I went to the
Y.M.C.A. for some
afternoon tea & there met
Cho Cockshott, Friel, Devenish
Timperly & Clayton &
Clements. We all went
up through the Berea
to the Zoo. They have not
quite so many animals
in it as the Perth Zoo has
but it is a far prettier
Zoo, beautifuly laid out.
On our return from 

 

the tram ride I went to
M^rs Beddows for tea and
spent the evening there.
It had been thundering
all the afternoon and
now set out to rain in
earnest so after doing
some shopping and
hanging round & getting
wet waiting for fall
in I took a tram down
to the warfe and caught
the ferry back to the
ship. I have forgotten to
mention the Rickshaw
men they are a fine class
of fellow and look very
comical in their coloured
clothing and comical 

headresses of horns and
feathers etc. I had a
ride in a rickshaw
being determined not to
leave without one.
Durban is also the headquarters

of a whaling
industry I counted 12
little steamers with
the harpoon gun on the
bows and 4 whales where
brought in while we
were in port we passed
close to them on our
route march on the
second morning so where
able to have a good
look at them We left on
Sunday at this morning 

 

Monday 27/11/16
at about 8 a.m. passed
several steamers and have
kept the coast in sight all
day.
Monday 27/11/16
Turned out at 5.30 am and
had a shower usual
P.T. and then breakfast.
No land in sight this
morning but sighted it
again at about 9 am have
kept in sight and in passing
some cape or point with
a white light house p on
we were in very close
The land is very high
here the mountains
being over several thousands

of feet high. The sea has
been rougher today than
at any time during the
voyage. The weather is much
colder as we get further
south. We passed two steamers
to day, one going north
and the other coming
south with us. Being
faster we soon left her
astern. Sighted one whale
and several ^ porpoises, right along
side, the porpoises were

evidently chasing fish
and were going at a great
note rate  leaping right
out of the water. 
The point and light house
we passed was evidently 

 

port Elizabeth.
One or two exceptionately
high mountains on our
Starboad now, their peaks
rising right up into the
clouds.
Tuesday 28/11/16
Usual daily routine of
shower P.T. before
breakfast. Afterwards
however we took over the
82 rifles and had rifle
exercises and bayonet
drill instead of Physical
Training We pe No land
in sight on turning out
but we picked it up again
about 10.30 a.m., and
this turned out to be Cape 

Augulas, the southern most
point of Africa it is low
lying, with mountains rising
up well inland. There is of
course a light house here
On all prominent points
there is a white lighthouse
We passed a fine big liner here
going on an opposite course to us.
The land disa^ppeared into
the mist and after dinner
we picked it up again. A
fine bold headland rising
right out of the water to a
height of 1500 or 2000. I was
a fine sight. The land then
ran right back out of
sight and then appeared
again straight ahead. We 

 

guessed then that this was
the famous Cape of Good hope
of or Cape of Storms. While
watching this Cape approaching
The British navy appeared
on the scene in shape of
the three funnelled cruiser
Kent. She had been lying
in the shelter of the cape
and now steamed out
and kept just ahead of
us. The Cape is shaped like this
or something like it each black
dot represents a lighthouse and
the two  on we first cape
are built right on top of

a rocky mountain rising
right but of the water after
rounding this we turn more
 [HAND DRAWN PICTURE SEE THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT]

Clements   2/-           I have received

Hind            2/-            the amount

Sholvell      2/-            of 12/- in payment

Kielly            2/-            for work done as  

Cowan         2/-             mess orderly

Kelly

James         2/-              J H Rainn

Blay             2/-

Renner       2/-

Beggs         2/-

Brown         2/-

Morris          2/-
 

I have received the amount

of  12/- from L.cpl. G H Cowan

in payment for work done as
mess orderly [[?]] [[?]] [[?]]
 

DONATED RECORDS LIST

3660 (10) 

 

[[INVERTED]]

 

G. H. Cowan

 

Sgt R. B. Everingham

No 2188

15 Reinf

10th Light Horse

3 Brigade

Egypt

or

Air Training & Detail Camp

Egypt