Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 1

Troopship Ulysses
Albany
28.12.14.

To my Wife
G. E. Simpson, Grammar Sch
Albury.  N. Sth Wales.
Dear Gra 
As most of the news is
cersored I am writing a diary
of events since we left
Australia. We boarded the troopship
at about 6. oclock on Tuesday
evening December 22^nd 1914 and got
under weigh at 3.30 a.m Wednesday
morning. At 6.30 a.m we were
passing those familiar spots.
we know so well - Queenscliff
Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads,
Torquay etc. It brought back
to me many pleasant memories.

2
After passing Cape Otway we
lost sight of land for five
days. There was nothing to view
but billow after billow, and
in the Australian Bight the
swell of the Southern Ocean is

very great. I have not missed
a single meal since we came
on board and as a matter
of fact I indulge in all the
courses on the menu. One
day's routine will suffice to
show you what a good time
we are having. Coffee, biscuit
and orange brought into berth
6.30. Rise at 7 and have a
hot salt water bath, then
visit the men in their Mess Decks
to read orders. etc. At 8.30 we
have breakfast 10 oclock sees
3
us fallen in on the decks for
prayers. After this ordeal the
troops are dismissed for the
day. The morning is usually
spent reading and playing
deck games. At 1 o'clock we
have lunch. In the afternoon,
tea at four o'clock breaks
the monotony of games on
deck, sing-song and reading.
Dress for dinner sounds at
6-30 and at 7 o'clock we
partake of the meal of the day.
This usually takes an
hour. In the evening a Concert
is usually organized. This
lazy life ceases today and
work is to be the new
order. We arrived at Albany
at 3 a.m this morning, the 

4

29/12/14, being the second troopship
to arrive and since that
time our number has increased
to eleven. Albany harbour
is very pretty - the coast
is very like that of Point
Lonsdale - high and rocky and
covered with ti-tree. There
is no leave granted - an
hour on terra-firma  would
be very pleasant. We do not
know where wer are going
or when we are leaving.
Gra. I have fully made up
my mind that D.V. you and
I shall some day have a
trip around the world. I
hope it will be when I return
from this expedition. The
District Commandant of
5 

Western Australia has just come
on board to hold a conference.
As we are on the flagship all
the heads of the Military and
Navy are with us. Colonel
Monash is Brigadier and
Admiral Captain Brewis is Chief
Transport Officer. The
submarine accompanied us
from Victoria but otherwise
we travelled independently.
Snowie Lewis and Norman
McDonald are the only two
that I really know on
board although Maynard
Wilkinson is on the boat
lying close to us. This collection
of notes is for you but I
hope for dear little Diddy to
have it someday.

6
30-12-14
We are still anchored in Albany
Harbour and the number of
troopships numbers 17. There are
very heavy seas running but our
ship is as steady as a rock -
There has been great fun from today
as a number of men have
been discharged and it is a
work of art getting them overboard
into the launches and

tugs. The waves dash over
everybody while we on deck can
play tennis and quoits also
cricket. I have been Orderly Officer
of the ship and my duties would
perhaps interest you. At 8 o'clock
this morning I mounted the guard
of ninety men whose duties
7

are all over the ship. They prevent
men from going into forbidden spots
on the ship. The prisoners
numbering eleven were then
handed over to my care. Most
of the crime is swearing and
answering N.C.O's in an
insolent manner. Their
punishments range from 24 hrs
to 7 days in the cells. After
the above duty I inspected
the whole ship with the
Captain, the Commanding
Officer of Troops and my
subaltern. At 12 oclock I
visited the men at their
Messes -120 in all each
containing an average of
18 men. In another
paragraph I shall describe 

8

one of these Mess Decks. After
dinner we had sweepers on
the decks at work. At
4-30 rations were issued
when I had to be present
to see that all was fair
and square. Another inspection
of the men at mess followed
this and tonight I order
"Lights out" at 9-30. There
is a great deal of bustle
about the fleet - Tugs flying
here and there, and signals
being passed all around . I
have a sort of a feeling that
we are moving during the
night. To what place I
am quite in the dark. Today
I have found two more
people on board that I
9 

know. S.S. Major Smith's
brother is the reporter for the
Argus - Later on you will
probably see in the Argus
much the same as I have
written. Sid Keown is
an Orderly to the Victorian
Doctor - he looks very
old. In our tour of duty
on the ship we walk
miles in a day and
climb hundreds of stairs.
It is time for me to have
another trip around
so I shall conclude
this second spasm of
the diary. I do not
know when or how you
will receive these notes
but hope they will prove of
some little interest.

10
1-1-15.
New Year's Day 1915
The beginning of a New Year Gra,
and I often wonder what this
year will bring forth. Each year
as we grow older seems to be
fuller of uncertainly. If only
I could open the pages of this
year we might more fully
realise how grand it is not
to know the future. I am
going to paste up in my cabin
the photo of dear little Diddy
and yourself. A month in
mobilisation and I had so
much to do that lonliness
hardly came my way. Last
night (New Year's Eve) with
thousands of men around me
11 

yet I felt lonely – it was of
the kind one has never
felt before. We had our
last look at Australia for
a long time, (D.V. not for
ever) and I think this in
some great measure accounted
for the lonliness on the
ship last night.
My tour of duty on 30-12-14
ended eventfully for it fell
to my lot to announce that
the convoy was to sail. At
ten minutes to eight 31/12/14
word was received from
Melbourne. "Up steam,
proceed to sea at once".
This was signalled to 17
steamers and at 8 o'clock
with bands playing "Home

12

Sweet Home" and "Auld Lang Syne"
the Convoy sailed out of
Albany Harbour. It was an
impressive sight to see the
trail of steamers in single file
passing out of the Heads. When
at sea we manoeuvred and
got three abreast with our
ship in the centre of the front
line. but in front of us
is the Berrima with one
submarine. As yet we have
no battle ships to protect
us. I will have partaken
in one of the greatest feats
of history - the moving of
so many men such a
great distance in transport
On New Year's Eve I went
up on the deck of the

13
Ulysses and with a night
a bright as day, the sight
was magnificent and
wonderful. Away in our
wake could be seen the
twinkling lights of the
various steamers signalling
to us - we direct the
movement of the whole fleet.
I turned in at 9-30 but
was wakened at 12 midnight
for the whole ship cheered
and sang Auld Lang Syne
accompanied by the Band.
This morning 1/1/15 the whole
fleet was stopped all men
stood to attention for five
minutes while the body of
one of our comrades who
had died, was lowered 

14

into the Indian Ocean. The death
occurred on the "Borda". Two
boats had to be left behind at
Albany - one caught on
fire, the other one had
machinery defects - they
will follow us later. All
play is off now for we
have parades three times
a day. 8-30 to 9-30, then 
10 till 12, then 2 till four,
and every other night the
Officers have a lecture.
After all the wild weather
we had in Albany the
sea is quite calm again
just a gentle rolls which
I am getting used to. It is
a long time since I worked
on New Year's Day but
15

we were compelled to do it 

today. As I look out of the port
hole of my cabin I can see
the "Ceramic" which sails
in the front line with us.
On our other side is the
"Themistocles". We are only
about ½ a mile apart.
I sent a Post-Card a
telegram and a letter
off for you at Albany
and I hope you get it them
safely. It seems strange to
think that you are not
hearing from me nor
do you know where we
all are. When we land,
there may be opportunities
of sending you more news.

16

Sunday January 3^rd
Indian Ocean
Another Sunday on board ship -
we have just come off parade.
The sermon was rather good but
the best of all is a spell for
the afternoon. Calm weather
still prevails and the appetite
is 24 carat, Our position at
present is 600 miles from
Albany and about 2800 from
Colombo. We are now sailing
in perfect line and have
seen no war boats. All lights
are put out at 8 o'clock each
night and the ship is in
perfect darkness .The port
holes are all closed. As it
is bright moonlight, if we
17

go on deck, we can see the
other boats of the fleet quite
plainly, but they would be
hard to distinguish from
any distance. On New Year's
afternoon we had a
cricket match Victorian
officers & New South Wales.
Victoria won easily. I made
12 runs top score for N.S.W.
The men are all very contented
and happy. They are stowed
away in Troop Decks one below
the other. On a troop deck
there are usually 10 tables
and at each table are seated
20 men. Each table has
two Mess Orderlies who draw
food for the men. These
orderlies carry the food