Diary of Gerard Henderson Cowan, November 1916 - January 1917 - Part 1

Front cover of Diary - see originial document.
 

711
Morse Code

A .-  ack             W . - - w
B -. . . Beer        X -. .-
C - . - . C           Y - . -  -
D - . . don          Z - - . .

E . e    Signs or symbols

F .  . - . f (Calling up . .  . . . . . (more items
G - - . g (G means go on
H . . . h  (M Q means wait
I . . i (Break signal - . . . -
J . - - - j ( Full stop three AAA
K - . - k (Block signal Z or signal for Capitals [*?*]
L . - . . l (FI means figures intended
M - - Emma (FF figures finished
N - . n    . -   . . .
O - - - o  - . . .  -  - . - .  . . -

P . - - . pip .  . - -
Q - - . - q - - .  - . - -  . . . .   - - . . 
R . - . r . .  . - - -
S . . . [[s?]] - . -  .- . .
T - tock   - -  - .   - - -
U , , - u  . - - .  - - , -
V . . . - vic . - .

to the north and after rounding
the second point of this cape
turn due north. The scenery
here is grand h mountains
Table Mountain amonor
rise up from the water to 
2000 or 3000 feet. They have
little or no vegetation on them
and are very steep and rugged
by this time we were able to
pick out Table Mountain
from back view of course
and not so terribly imposing 
from that direction, but
I think it quite comes up to 
my expectations when
viewed from Table Bay
It was dark when ^we it approached
the Bay and it looked very
pretty all the lights of the town

 

stretching along the shore for
miles and the great shadowy
mountains Coming in the background. 
We ^have anchored in the 
Bay close alongside the three
funnelled cruiser which proceeded
us into the bay. I fancy
she will be our escort.
All men were orderd blu 
below at lights out, this caused
a lot of growling from the 
deck sleepers, however all 
who slept on deck we^are allowed
to come up again.
Wednesday 29/11/16
Beat Beautiful morning
this morning. We got a
grand view of the town
to Table Mountain from
where we were anchored.
While having my shower
we heaved up anchors [[?]]
steamed into the docks on
arrival there an energetic
little tug pushed us into our
berth and coaling was 
immediately begun.  We had
our usual half hours physical
training before breakfast and
afternoon all dressed in kaki in
the hopes of getting ashore. We
fell in for parade but the our
Captain semaphored from the
bridge "no Parade".  At 11 a.m.
however we fell in and were
told we were going ashore.
We assembled on the W warf
and the Major gave us a
short address, to this effect, that,
he as  the Lieutenant Colonel
was away he was taking
the responsibility of

dissmissing us ashore and
putting us on our honor to
be back at 3 p.m.
We marched through the
docks and through the town
to the Public Gardens and
here we were dissmissed.
I may as well say a word about
the docks here. They appear 
to be solidly built and well
protected from rough weather.
They are filled with all kinds
of shipping and Steamers of
all sorts and sizes, sailing
ships and old hulks which
must have been fine sailing
ships in their time. Further
on we passed a fine
linor Liner in a dry dock
undergoing repairs to her
propellor. And a little
further a Whaling steamer,
landed high & dry on a slip, being
painted. This town is very
much larger than Durban
and has some fine large
buildings in it, but most of
the streets we were in where 
were very narrow. After
being dissmissed Il in the Park
an Englishman and his son,
who were returning from
India, ^and had been talking to
some of the men, asked me
if I was coming their ^way, as I was
I went with them. They pointed
out the museum and the 
different places of interest
and offered me refreshments
which however I refused as
I did not feel like at
the time. When he offered

to buy me a pot of honey
to take on board I accepted.
On leaving him I went back
and went through the museum
whih which is well worth looking

at. I then went through the
gardens and saw there the
statue of Cecil Rhodes,
with his hand raised and
pointing to the North. The
inscription underneath is
"your hintterland is there".

I had some dinner at a small

cafe and then roamed round

the town trying to see as 

much of it as possible.

There are some very fine

shops and any amount 

of things, I would like to

have bought to have taken

on board with me, but

unluckily we have not 

had a pay day for some time

and 3/- does not go far when

you have to buy dinner out of 

it. There are some very fine

tram rides round the mountains

but being short of cash I was unable

to go. Fruit is plentiful here and 

the strawberries are the finest

I have ever seen. They charged 

sixpence for a small basket full,

but they were delicious.

We boarded the dock train in

time to arrive back ^at to the

ship at 3 p.m. and were carried 

free. I think 3 or 4 failed to

arrive at the desired time but

turned ^up half an hour or so

later, most of them received 

half an hours pack drill

to as a reminder of what the event

We drew out of the docks

just after tea and anchored

between the two other

troopships. Just before leaving

the docks the cruiser came 

into a berth right alongside

us to coal ^coal. Our decks stand 

several feet above hers [[?]]

She is the Kent and took

part in the Falkland Isle

battle she still has holes in 

her funnells made by shell

fragments. The sailors have a 

pipe band and they played the 

soldiers of the King as we steamed

by. She is beautifully clean &

well kept. All sorts of rumours about

tomorrow, some seem to think

we are hav going back into

the docks and are being

granted a whole days leave.

I intend visiting the Grote Shur,

Cecil Rhodes house and going 

to the top of Table Mountain

and also a tram trip round

through the mountains and 

by Camps Bay. This trip is

supposed to equal anything of 

its kind in the world.

Thursday 30/11/16

Had usual daily routine up to

breakfast. At second morning

parade nearly all of us turned

up in kaki quite expecting to 

go ashore. And this is what was 

announced, no shore leave,

usual PT in morning, a

half holiday in the afternoon

for all the companies in 

the forward part of the 

ship to hold sports. I did not

enter any of the events

I did not even go to see the 

sports as I had bit of a 

headache and was too

disgusted with having to

stay in the harbour and

gaze at Cape Town without 

being able to explore it.

I read and slept most of the 

afternoon. Rumour going round

that one the troops on one 

troopship mutinied and
sailors from the Kent had
to go on board to quell
it. It has boild down to
stokers now not troops.
Friday 1/12/16
No time for shower this
morning as I was corporal
of the sweepers, that is a 
number of men detailed
off to sweep the decks while
[*12 day out cape ? 12 noon
Fremantle 6pm *]
the crew hose the decks &
afterwards had to help crew
replace all oars in the 
bats. These had been removed
while in Cape Town to prevent
anyone rowing ashore.
By the time we had finished
the Kent Had steamed out of
the docks and headed out
to sea, the one funnelled troopship,
whose name I do not 
know came next in line, then
the Marathon and we (the 
Argyllshire) bring up the rear
As we steamed out a tramp
came out with us. She was 
heavily loaded and dipped her
bows right down into the swells
while we scarcely moved to
them. We kept almost abreast

I have received 6/- as payment
for my work done as mess
orderly from Friday 24/11/16
to Friday 1/12/16
[[? K Holms signature]]
I have received 6/- as payment
for work done as mess orderly
from Friday 24/11/16 to Friday
1/12/16    [[Signature]]
till dinner then she altered
her course evidently bound
for America and soon
dissappeared over the horiza[[on]]
Also when just leaving the Bay
A a ^small grey steamer towing
a sailing ship was just
coming in ^could not see what wrong with her. A sailing ship
even with sails furled is
a far prettier sight than
a steamer. We soon dropped
Table mountain out of sight
and by dinner time had lost sight
of the coast altogether. We will
see no land for 9 or 10 days
unless we sight Saint Helena.
We have no kept our position
in line very well today but
I am inclined to think it
was because a ship of this size
has a difficulty of maintaining
the particular ^speed the convoy is
travelling at not because she
is slower than the others.
The one funnelled boat leading
is the slowest I think.
The Kent has now taken up
a position to the port & about
half way down the line of
transports. Had some more
French lessons this morning.
Four of us practiced signalling

this afternoon after parade
I am getting quite smart at
reading now. Now lights are
allowed to be shown from
now on. Up to 9 p.m. all 
ports are ^closed & covered and covers are closed
and at 9 all lights a put
out, ports may then be
opened weather permitting.
We also have a look out in 
the crows nest, day & night
now. Weather has been cool
almost cold since round
Cape of Good Hope but I expect
will soon warm up.
Saturday 2/12/16

Did not wake as early as usual
this morning, managed to fit
a shower in but was too late
for coffee. usual daily routine
up to dinner. The afternoon 
of course is a half holiday.
I washed clothes and ^lay and read
close by them until they were 
dry. I went to the little evening 
service held by the Y.M.C.A and
Salvo man. They are very nice
little services and generally
well attended by the men.
We pitched all the way across the
Indian Ocean, we are now
rolling all the way up the
Alantic, Big long swells
rolling in from the west &
we are broadside on now we ^have turned
^to the north instead  of head on.  Find it difficult to [[? our ?]]
The Marathon is reported to have
meningites on board, one man 
was buried yesterday I an officer
is reported to have died today.
No land in sight today, we must
be well out to sea. Pass no ships 

Also have not passed any
ships. Noticed two sharks and 
several birds I just like
penguins but much smaller,
coffins someone called them.
Our French and signalling
is progressing favaurably.
Sunday 3/12/16
Must be something wrong with
the ships time ore else there
is less twilight here than in
Cape Town. Half past five in
the Cape was quite light while
this morning when revalle went
at six it was so dark late 
that I had thought that I had 
I still had half an hour
to go. Church at 10.30 a.m.
Great excitement caused
a little while before Church
parade. A blurr of smoke
appears on the horizon and 
about two points to starboard
of our course and the Kent
dashes forward to meet it
We alter our course a few
points to port. The blurr soom
changes to the definite
outlines of a large ship. The
Kent is evidently satisfied as
she changes her course to
take up her position again. As
the steamer approaches we
notice something very familiar
about her. Then we see what it
is. She is the Wiltshire as sister
ship to the Argyllshire (our own
transport) and is exactly the
same in every way. We get a
fair idea of what a fine large
ship we are on.
Receved quite a shock to day