Thomas Whyte Collection - Wallet 2 - Part 9 of 12

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in civilian clothes) whom we found 
to be articifers from the workshops.
On the quarter deck the commander
paced his constitutional accompanied
by an officer while the orderley messenger
waited in attendance. The range
finding crows nest was an immense
affair, roofed, capable of holding 20
men. In an engagement not the
only faces  life visible would be the faces
of the range finders.
We slowly drifted past changing remarks
with the crew & then made for a supply
ship with two submarines alongside.
We had no thought of being able to
board the submarines as even in
peace times it needs an admirals
order to board one. We were invited
aboard the supply ship in search of
a drink of water & meeting some of
the submarine's crew were told the
commander might let us aboard if
we asked. Up went Sgt Tomlinson
& with Australian cheek got what we
wanted. We couldn't scramble down
the connecting plank quickly enough.
The crew of 13 sort of opened their
bosoms to us. The conning tower was

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an elliptical shaped affair only
coming to a very narrow point each
end. From bow to stern stretched a wire
rope supported in the centre by a standard 
that kept it above all gear so
that a wire rope would offer no
obstruction when the submarine was
submerged. The periscope was capable
of being lowered below this wire for
of course the periscope is the only visible
object when she is submerged.
A ladder led down the conning tower
& into the hull as also did one on
the deck. Down below was the most
interesting little cubby hole. The little
room was only about 5 feet in height
& about 60 feet in length. The switches
wheels & machinery bewilded one.
Right forward were the two torpedo
tubes surrounded by all the gear
that works them. Two long cigars took
up a lot of space on the floor. On them
were placed bags which overcame the
necessity of seating accomodation.
[I] The floor forward was the roof
of the petrol tank. A neat little
electric cooking arrangement took our
fancy. In no time they boiled some
 

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water & made us tea. I had a
regulation navy basin of it. It was
easily the most delicious tea I have
had since you made that cup with
the boiling milk. They cut us sandwich
& it seemed as if they couldn't do
enough for us. What a fine body
of men they looked, clean cut, thin faced looking
all with intellectual faces & nothing to
say for about themselves. Heroes every
one. We couldn't stand it any longer
so off we fired question after question
This is the disjointed story we were
able to drag out of one. 'We were told
off to reconnoitre in the Dardanelles
& got up as far as Chanak without
mishap when the skipper spotted the
Turkish battleship. We dived to get a bit
closer, guessed the range at 1000 yds &
fired. Then they spotted us & we had
just time to see her disappear ten minutes
after firing & get away as quickly as
we could. We were 9 hours under
that trip. It made us feel a bit
dizzy when we got to the fresh air again
but you don't notice it until then."
They seemed quite unconcerned about
the exploit 'Why' said one 'The last trip

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up the straights was the toughest'.
We were told off to draw the fire
of the forts & we did it only too well.
A shell lobbed within 20 yds of us
with our conning tower above water.
Another followed closer before we
had time to dive, but we were well
under when we heard the third. It
was touch & go that time". Another of
our crew was able to drag out the
following. "The skipper told us we were
to get up as far as we could & there
were 4 rows of mines to dodge & said
'what about it' 'Where you are game
to go we are" we answered, & off we went'.
Of course we had a peep at the
periscope It gave quite a clear deflection
of boats lying ahead. On it are marked
lines which enable the commander to
tell where the torpedoes are sighting
When submerged the only target offered
is this tiny tube two inches in diameter
Think of the accuracy of that gunner on the Birmingham
who picked of the German periscope at
half a mile, first shot too.
The crew loaded us with magazines
a cigarette each to smoke above
& several tins of oxtail soup which

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were pressed on us in spite of our
protests that it was robbing them.
What was more important still was
an invitation to visit them again.
This morning we took the ships
doctor ashore at the little jetty & having
an hour to wait took a stroll into
the village again. We penetrated a
bit further & found it much more
populous. The little narrow lanes
wound about in a most perplexing
way. We came across the village
pump with several clean typed women
filling their stone jars. Very picturesque
it looked.
Soldiers from the 8 French transports
now in port have started a little camp
quite near the town. About half a
mile round the other way the advance
company of the Naval Brigade ASC
have also started a camp. French
soldiers of in every conceivable type
of uniform were about.
On At the shore nearest the ninth camp
a little jetty has been started by the
Engineers. Whatever will it be like
when the full force of 100000 Australian
English & French arrive?

86
We did our trip round the brigade
boats in 28 minutes early this evening
It is time I turned in probably to
dream about submarines & Super Dread-
noughts & you. Goodnight little girl.
Monday  Nothing startling to-day. This
morning we took the Brigadier ashore.
There was a brigade route march on
After coming back we rowed over to a
small gunboat whi the 'Hussar' which
is acting flagship, for the war news.
From there we went to the 9th landing
passing a merchantman which that struck
a mine in the Bay of Smyrna. Her cargo
of wheat was being unloaded into a boat
alongside. After landing our passengers
we had a swim. The water was too cold
to stay in long. The last couple of days
have been wonderfully fine the bay as
smooth as glass & the sun quite warm
in the day time. It has rained twice
since we have been here, just short
thunderstorms. I would like to know
what is going on in the Dardanelles to-day
The harbour is clear of men of war with
the exception of the 'Swiftsure' (the cruiser
with the big cranes for hoisting torpedo boats
that picked us up at Aden 3 months ago.)

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the two submarines & the flagship.
Even the hospital ship 'Soudan' cleared
out yesterday She is attached to the navy.
A Russian 5 funnelled cruiser the identical
one that we saw at Colombo went out
this afternoon. I don't think I mentioned
the Blenheim as being in the other day.
She is a pre Dreadnought fitted up as a
veritable machine shop. She is capable
of acting as supply ship to 32 Destroyers.
Taking out damaged plates & putting
in new ones is right in her line
I forgot to tell you yesterday that submarine
crews are all voluntary They get 2/6 a day
extra, not much of an insurance annuity
premium is it? The Australian submarine
AE2 was in the other day She ran aground
near the entrance & has had to go to
Malta to be overhauled.
Some of the transports are using great
Turkish barges for taking horses ashore
I w I wonder if they are captures?
The French Foreign Legion is here. No
doubt you have heard of them. Once
joined you are there for life. A ha'penny
a day is the pay & no questions asked where
you form I wonder if it is as romantic
as novelists paint it. I know there

88
are several Englishmen in it.
There is some talk of us running
back to Alexandria for water & stores.
I hope so. The water they put on yesterday
was brackish. You were thirstier after
than before drinking. Harry Nott in
his condemnation wrote that it was
a disgrace to H.M. Transports.
Major Oldham was expressing his opinion
rather freely yesterday about the Scotch
owners, Scotch ship & Scotch food. The
captain overheard & took up the defence
immediately. The discussion came on
to the butter. 'Wh That butter was the
finest procurable when it was put aboard'
said the captain. 'But how old is the ship'
said Mr Oldham.
That little village I have tried to describe
is Murkos "Mudros" The largest on the island
is "Castro" exactly where it lies I can't
say.
Tuesday  The programme this morning was
practising landing under cover of a warships
guns. B Coy was the landin covering coy &
had to be landed first to hold the position
while the others landed. They started at
3.30 a.m. We left with the Brigadier & Staff
after they were afloat & were the first

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to land. It was very dark, the shore
not visible until within 100 yds making
it very difficult to pick up any direction
There are no prominent landmarks round
the bay & the boats being anchored forward
only, swing round to each change of wind
It is most perplexing at night time. I
think it was more luck than anything
that we struck the right spot. After
landing our passengers we came back &
met several boatloads wandering about.
Just after we got aboard the rain started
Only half could have got ashore when
it was cancelled. They came back like
drowned rats. Naturally the whole thing
was a failure which the ships officers
expected. To-day has been quite an off day.
The crew went over to the flagship for
war news. All we got yesterday & to-day
concerned the French frontier only. It looks
as if things were beginning to move there.
The night before last the 'Ameythist' a
small cruiser was doing reconnoitering
work in the Dardanelles when she was
surprised by a battery of howitzers.
Twenty three were killed & 14 wounded.
One of the 'mouth' class of cruisers is
lying in harbour. One of her boilers

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burst while operating up there & killed
11 men. The battleship we thought was
the 'Inflexible' was the 'Agememnon'.
In her first engagement some of the ships
crew were over on the disengaged side
painting blotches. This has a peculiar
optical effect [[l ?]] making a difficult target.
The shells were falling all around & two
men were killed before being all ordered
'under armour'. The tale goes that the skipper
got hauled over the coals about it. One
of the men killed had a paint brush still
in his hand when picked up.
We got all this news on our trip this morning
I don't know why I am writing it all down
It will all be stale by the time it reaches
you. However I am to post it I cant imagine
I seem to derive a lot of pleasure from just
writing to you though I know it will be months
before you can get it.
For the last 4 nights I have been living or at
least sleeping in luxury. The 9th Orderley
Room was is one of the smoking rooms. As
they are ashore it is not being used.
Roy White first told me about it & Rhodes
Jones & I bunk on the saddleback cushioned
lounges. There is plenty of room & we are
not disturbed. I have been doing all the