Mixed papers relating to the service of James William Albert Simpson - Part 2

18
from the Cook houses to the
tables and there they divide it.
The orderlies also clean up the
deck. Each soldier has a
hammock and two blankets.
which are rolled up during the
day and stowed away. Some
of the men carry their
blankets and hammocks up
from below and sleep on deck.
The troop decks are cleared
of men during the whole
day except meal times.
Below the troop decks are
the holds where all the
provisions are stored and
they must be immense to
carry food for 2000 men
for five weeks. There is
very little at sea to break
19

the monotony each day so
these notes, will be few and
far between for a while
as we expect to be 15 days
going to Colombo.
Tuesday 5.1.15
Indian Ocean.
Today, we are in rather historic
ground, as it was in these
waters that the Sydney chased
the Emden and made short
work of her. The Cocos-Keeling
islands where the wreck of the
Emden lies is close but of 
course we can see no land -
just one bright, blue, calm
expanse of ocean.  Every few
minutes a shoal of silvery
flying fish dart out of

20

the water beside the ship and
glide away like so many
toy aeroplanes. The sight
is new and wonderful to
many of us. We are now
2000 miles from Colombo
our run yesterday was
267 miles, so if we keep it
up we ought to reach Colombo
in about a week. Two weeks
tonight since we left Port
Melbourne pier, and it seems
weeks and weeks since dear
little Diddy had his arms
around by neck. I suppose
Sir will just be arriving
in Geelong after his trip
to the Lightning. Did ought
to have a good time
now. Our ship crossed

21

the Tropic of Capricorn on
Sunday last, and yesterday we
caught up to the sun. When
we look for the sun now
it is towards the South
and it will be always
such until D.V. I reach
dear old Australia again.
The weather is much warmer
now as we are right in
the Tropics. The electric 
fan in my cabin is
continually going, and those 
in the dining saloon and
smoke room likewise. I still
wire into every meal - the
ship is hardly moving and
I suppose this accounts for it.
Some of the Officers are rather
wishing for rough weather for
experience.

22

Saturday  9.1.15
Friday 8.1.15
Indian Ocean.
We are only three degrees from the
Equator and it is blowing a
living gale, yet the sea is
calm. While I write this the
wind is howling through the
shutters. All the ship is
closed up at night and it
becomes very close. I have
not felt the weather oppressive
although a number of the
officers have. Ones clothes
always seem to feel sticky
and damp. It rained
heavily during the night -
one of those showers where
it comes down in a
deluge. We are counting
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the days to Colombo now as
it is a long while since we
saw any land. I don't think
we shall be able to do a
two mile march when we
reach land. The whole fleet
stopped in mid-ocean yesterday
and it was a fine sight - we
could hear the men calling
out from the other boats. I did
not write on our “Wedding Day”
but I did not forget it. I hope 
we shall see many more of them
together. This is being written
in my cabin it is so much
quieter.  As usual I have a top
berth with Captain Russell below.
Our band is making great
improvement and I shall
send you some Menus with the
programme on them.

24

Monday 11.1.15.
We crossed the equater early this morning
and are now in the Northern Hemisphere
450 miles from Colombo. Instead of
looking for the Southern Cross ass
our directing star we look for the
North Polar Star. We are now 5 hours
behind Melbourne time so you will
just be having tea while we are
about to have dinner. Yesterday
being Sunday we had Church
service in the morning. It is always
impressive on board ship. The minister
stands out over the water in one of
the boats while the battalion is
turned inwards. The band plays
all the hymns - it is one of
those periods on board ship
when a man has a moment
to think. I pictured Geelong —
Sydney Parade - and Chesterton
with little Diddy running
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around - It will be grand to
toss him up and romp with him
once again. There are hundreds
with the same feeling on board
this ship. There is a most glorious
uncertainty still on board this
ship as to where we are going, or
what we are to do. We are
learning all new kind of drill.
Two companies well be joined
into one, making four companies
in a battalion instead of 8. The
companies are divided into four
platoons. I missed my first
meal yesterday - not because
it was rough and I was sick,
but I simply gave the mealtable 

a spell. After church in
the morning I got into my
pyjamas and stayed in the

26

bunk. The heat is rather oppressive 

still - it is a clammy sticky heat
ones clothes never feels clean.
Most of us have white suits now,
and I think the helmets will
soon follow.
15.1.15
Off Colombo

We have just left Colombo after
having stayed there 48 hours. Our
next  post is Aden 2000 odd
miles away. To go back to

12.1.15 - on that date we had a
tug of war contest on the ships
and after winning all its heats 
my company had to pull in the 

finals with “C” company of the
14th Battalion. All the Officers

and men congregated for 
the great event. G Coy won and

27
were presented with a case of

Sarsaparilla. The whole Company
retired to the troop decks and

had a little speechmaking,etc.

The men engaged were

splendid specimens of manhood.
The Officers of both Battalions 
had a contest and the final
is to be pulled tomorrow.
Well Gra you are going to get
Colombo "ad lib" now. We 

saw the lighthouse of Dongarra
Point south of Ceylon on Tuesday
night at 8-30. After being 
14 days on the water it was
a grand sight to think

land was so near. At 
6 a.m on Wednesday morning we
anchored behind the breakwater

at Colombo. What a sight!

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Our fleet of transports, steamers of all

nations, barges of coal, water, and

merchandise and hundreds of bum

boats loaded with Cingalese

offering wares, diving for money,

and chattering like so many

monkeys. In the distance was

the town, hidden except

the larger buildings and

temples, byx great palm-

trees. The foliage is 

beautiful. All the first day I

was content to stroll from one

part of the ship to another throwing

occasional May-bits into the

water for the men to dive 

for, and watching the cunning

of the niggers in retailing their

wares. The physique of some 

of the men is magnificent -
29

of course they only wear a 

bootlace and a spur. While

sitting up on deck for the

first night in Ceylon I just

pictured what a good time

you and little Diddy would

have there with me - D.V. that 

will come later on. On

Thursday morning I was allowed go on

shore for two hours with Dr Shellshear - 

Well Gra as soon as I put my foot

on the wharf I thought I was 

dreaming - or that I was sitting

in a theatre and gazing on

an eastern scene in "Kismet".

Ye gods.! What a sight! Men

dressed in all colours of the

rainbow squatting all over the

place. Beggars calling for

"backseech" - niggers clambering

30

around you wanting you to buy ivory

fans, gems, ivory elephants, and

hundreds of other trinkets. I

brushed them aside and swore

at them and the latter was

the most effective. First we changed

our English money then set

out on a shopping expedition.

The streets are beautiful in Colombo

but the buildings are small

and dirty. There are one or two

exceptions as one English

firm has a large building

like Mate & Co but nearly

all native assistants and 

it generally takes three to 

serve one person. One brings

down piles of goods another

trys to tempt you to buy while 

the third hangs around

31

with the intention of trying to

rook you. I was let in once.

One of our officers bought a

lamp - a native took it

to wrap it up - when the 

parcel was opened on board 

there was no lamp in it.

I bought twelve postcards

and there was 4 change but

I never saw it. After making

our purchases we had a 

stroll round the native quarter,

and various places of interest. 

I had a native running in

front carrying all my 

parcels but I kept a very

close watch on him. Then we 

went to the magnificent G.O.H.

and had a real shandy

it was delicious - We saw

32

some white people here and

ladies included - it was a

treat to do so. The larger

mail steamer "Morea" which

brought your welcome letters

had dropped some tourists

at Colombo. Nobody seems to walk

in Colombo - rickshaws all over

the streets and the niggers do 

gallop in there. Amongst my

purchases were a silk scarf for

you, two ebony elephants for Did

and numerous silk shirts and

pyjamas for myself. It was

the most instructing two hours

I have spent for many a day.

At nightfall on Wednesday

we sailed out of the harbour

and anchored outside. The

city behind us looked like

33

fairyland - the two large

searchlights playing on our

ships made the scene more

enchanting. Today we are 

sailing North through the

Arabian Sea to unknown

destination.

Arabian Sea.

20.1.14.

We are now traveling off the coast

of Persia in the above sea. For a

couple of days after leaving Colombo

we kept close to the coast and 

at times we could see the

mountains of India away in the

distance. We expect to reach

Aden in about four days. I

have written a letter and am

going to try and post it there.

The weather is still very fine

34
and the weather monotonously calm.
The Officers had their final Tug of
War yesterday and the Victorians
won. I have been innoculated
again today and my arm is
rather sore. Within the next
few days there are to be great
changes with the new
organization and we are all
anxious to know how matters
are going to be settled. Well
Gra the notes are brief this
time because here is such
a sameness about everything.
Red Sea.
24.1.15.
Sunday here again. D.V. only
one more before we reach Egypt -
that is, if we are going there.
Yesterday morning we sighted
35

land at dawn and by
breakfast time we were in the
harbour of Aden. What a desolate
place! The rocks rise up from
the shore for hundreds of feet -
There is not a particle to grass
or herbage to be seen anywhere.
Rock after rock and hill after
hill. The cliffs bristle with
guns, signal stations, and
barracks of the troops. The
barracks look like vast
pavilions. Nobody went on
shore so no mails were
despatched. We only stayed at
Aden for about 8 hours. The
usual bum-boats came off
from the shore with goods for
sale. The Arabs are about as
wily as the Cingalese. They

36

were selling dates, Turkish delight
Cigarettes 1/- per 100, Post-cards etc.
I bought some post-cards of views
of places at Aden. We sailed out
of Aden at sunset. It was a
grand sight to see the
fleet on the move. Today
we have passed a number
of vessels - One French steamer
the P&O boat bound for
Australia, and an English

cruiser. The Red Sea

is studded with rocky islands.

We passed one this morning with

a lighthouse perched right on

top - The coast is high, rocky

and most barren - not a

tree is to be seen. On Thursday

last the whole fleet stopped.
in mid-ocean and two 

33

men suffering from appendicitis

were brought on board. They

were operated on during the

day and they are now

progressing most favourably.

Our next stop is Port

Said but we shall have

the interesting Suez Canel

to pass through before this.

Red Sea 27.1:15
We are still in the above sea

but tomorrow morning will
see us entering the Suez. For
two days we have been out
of the sight of land and one
would think he was steaming
through Port Phillip Bay. To-day
we have entered the Gulf of Suez
and land is in sight. It is
hight and rocky with great