Papers of Athol Cluny McPherson - Part 1

The author of this diary has
written from two separate
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Blank pages within this diary
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My Dearest Jean
Just a line or two to let you
know that I am well & hope all are
the same at home. I hope you
had a good time at the Local Tenniss
matches this year & hope that you
& Marion were successful in winning
Please tell Will when next you write
that I'll write to him most likely
by the next mail he has written to
me twice lately. Let me know what
lot of troops Frank Webb comes out with
& if ever we are near there I will hunt
him up, you might also let me know
what lot Ivan Tulloh is in as I
would like to see him. Well Jean
there is no news so will close. With kind
Regards to Miss Jenkins & all Horsham Friends
& heaps of love to all at home
I remain always
yr loving Brother
Athol C. McPherson

PASSED BY N° 2207

CENSOR
 

My Dear Parents
Just a few lines to let you
know that I am well & hope you
are all the same. I hope to hear
from you in a day or two, I'm only
writing this on spec. as I heard there
was a mail going tomorrow. If
it doesnt leave before Sunday, Ill write
again then. The last letter I wrote
was in pencil, the reason for that
was that I had lent my pen to
a fellow & he wasnt about when
I wrote. Did you see Major
Antills photograph in "the Australian"
I didn't see it myself but one of the
Sergeants told me it was in. I,d
like to drop across him, he must
be a good officer, as he has had
a lot of experience. Must Close
now as it is about ""fall in time
Heaps of love to all
Athol. C. McPherson
PASSED BY

N° 2207

CENSOR

Envelope - see original document

On Active Service No Stamps Available
Mrs M. B McPherson
"Clyne Milton"
Horsham
Victoria
Australia

PASSED BY

No 2207

CENSOR

Back of envelope- see original document

Wed 21^th Sept Melb. I had a great send off by the people on the

Pier. Thur Saw a boat pass at night, turned out to be

a New Zealand transport bound for England due at Albany

the same time as our own. Friday. Had Physical Drill exercises

including bayonet exercise drill saw a couple of whales spouting in the

distance, also saw a very large shark, it went right under the

boat. The Cruiser Melb. passed us coming as an Escort. Sat

Physical drill all day & on guard at night, sea very calm.

Sunday. Still on guard, sea fairly calm but a bit of a swell

on, had a "long" night. Monday Wrote home to H M &

Dick. arrived at Albany about eight o'clock 15 transports there raining

much of the morning. Tuesday. Rained all night & part of morning

pulled in towards the wharf & started coaling off a coal boat

[[?]] to [["?"]] W. about 40 boats in the harbour including 4 Warships,

one of the Officers off a Warship came on board, in the afternoon we pulled out into the bay in the morning & innoculated

in the afternoon very crook at night from the effects

of the innoculation. T Had a lecture on rules of war &

a little squad drill. Saw troops marching near New Zealand. We

heard that a St Major fell overboard off one of the transports

on our way from Melbourne & was drowned. our orders

are letters to be posted[[?]] . F The New Zealand boats

came in, in the morning, (ten in all) all painted grey, the

colour of the warship. The Church of E. Chaplin came went

ashore & agreed to get anything that the troops required

he got a fair order, including an order for a pair of shoes

he seems to be a real sport, a chap out of H Coy was

sent ashore was with a poisoned hand that was  very

servious. S Transports still coaling. Private Pearson out

of our Coy (from our table) was taken ashore suffering

from Pneumonia & Plurisy (discharged) posted letters (open)

to Mother, we expect to leave about five tomorrow

morning. Sun. Sailed from Albany in the morning

thirty eight transports, got into three lines outside

the [[?]] in the Centre, leading, saw a costal boat

going int Albany on her way east supposed to be the

Katoomba, on guard at night, rate of travelling very

slow "a Bulldog" Scout out on each side front & back

including Japanese 214 miles (lights out on deck [[?]]

Monday  Passed [[?]] Service at 2 in morning saw the revolving light

a big swell on at night several sea sick 221 miles. Tuesday. A

big swell on innoculated again in the morning, no drill in the

afternoon, U.A W.A. troops joined us two transports (the

[[M?]] is one) 214 miles. W. 4^th Nov. Rifle drill. both

 

morning & afternoon saw five horses thrown overboard
from "the Southern" sea fairly calm (the Southern is the
boat that keeps us back she can only do about eleven
miles at full steam) some of the troops got paid, heard
that there was a "Rumor" round Melbourne that the
"Orvito" had been sunk, Senator Pierce sent a wireless
for particulars of same 219 miles. T 5^th Sea very calm
had rifle drill in morning learning Semaphore in afternoon
"The Minutour" (Flagship of fleet) passed us at dinner time
coming from the tail end of the fleet, having gone
back there owing to Suspicions smoke but all was
well, the Osterley Passed us about dark going to
London. (We have heard twice that he got into a great
row for coming so close as he would show all the
fleet to the Passengers, he was about 45 miles out
of his course as we move came off the line nearly
all the way to Colombo.) 242 miles Paid 4/- F Rifle
drill in the morning sea very calm, caw came out with life 

belts on in the afternoon to test how many they had really, a
Wireless to say the square heads were [[?]] neutral flags
to lay mines, weather getting low drawing close to the
Equator crossed the route of mail steamers 253 miles
S 7^th Drilling with rifle in morning holidy for sports
in afternoon, wireless message reports that a British
Cruiser attacked four Germans off Valpariso with
the result that the Britisher was suck 233 mls
Sy 8^th Church Service in the morning, a tro soldier
on board the Euripides died & was buried at sea
Steaming to the outside of the line & waiting until
after the Burial, saw a lot of flying fish the weather
getting very hot, a mock fire alarm last night &
all of us had to Parade on board 242 miles
Monday 9^th Our Escort started moving, the Sydney
moving at full steam about six thirty with
her guns out, decks cleared for action & the
flag flying we guessed something was up & about 
10 ∧^am the Melbourne P Japanese Cruiser started
to tear away in the same direction
 

The Dr. Examined our arms for vaccination, very little
drill on account of rain crossed the Equator 254 miles
S. 14th Had rifle drill & vaccinated in the morning
no parade in the afternoon warm day 243 miles
Sun 15^th Arrived at Colombo about dinner time, saw a
turtle on the track also a lot of porpoises, the
harbour alive with shipping including warships
The Russian Cruiser "Arhold" that got such a shake
in the Japanese war was there, the is one of our [[own?]]
now, she has four funnels when approaching Colombo
the sea was alive with riggers in there "Kato Mot
Motrau" I dont know if that is the way to spell
it) none of them were allowed on board Colombo is
a very pretty place, with all the beach green with
Palms, there is a Hotel there some of these fellows say
is the one of the largest in the world, the water
in the Harbour is very dirty, said to be caused
by the water coming down from the mountains
The H Coy were picked as a Guard of Honour to the
Governor coming on board, the Ashold came out passed
us in the afternoon, some of the transports gave
her a rousing cheer, but we had to stand at attention
as they saluted us, 243 miles Monday 16^th Working
Parade in the morning, the boat Orvito took in
water niggers bringing, the boats alongside with
it, they were very much like the Indians
that visit Australia, but I fancy they are
stronger, as they seem to be a mass of
muscle on the arms & of course they stand
very straight we had them diving for silver
coins, if you throw one in they always get it
 

It appears that the Sydney got a message from the
Cocos Islands, S.O.S (Strange Warship Sighted) the
Jap, that went in the same direction had 12in
guns on to it is just as well the Sydney met her
as the Emden would have gone men & all, the
prisoners say "the Emden" never fired more than six
hundred shots they reckon in was nearer five, &
they say the fire of the Sydney was perfect. Our
Commander altered his course & came north of the
Cocos Is lands out of sight, but we could see
the Melbourne & Japanese boat all of the time
& they are said to have been in sight of the fight
the Emden was sent ashore to save sinking, they
also had a Collier which tried to escape but was
chased & sunk 2 British were killed & 15 injured, the
German loss is said to be 180 killed & wounded (according 

to the prisoners distance 243 miles some of the Germans
escaped in a schooner while they were chasing the
collier 10m The Germans are said so have cut one of
the cables on Cocos Island, all lights were out on board the
troopships last night a yrm the only light being visible
was the one on the stern smoking being prohibited
the Jap & the Melbourne came back last night 243 miles
11^th We waited for all of the other transports to come past
us & then came on to the front again, the New Zealand
troops were firing shots out to sea, they being the
last troops of the transports, using condensed
water all day 240 miles. 2361 from Albany 12^th Weather
very hot "the Empress of Russia (a Converted cruiser) passed
us going East, expected to th be going to Cocos Island
to fix up the Cables 263 miles. S The New Zealand
went ahead of us making for colombo, very wet
day it came down in torrents for about two hours
 

we got 46 mew & Officers (Prisoners of the Sydney)
on board today, so we have guard twice a week
now, the men say they have had enough of war,
the Cpn of the Emden is on board & as he wont
give his word of honour that he wont try to
escape, he has an armed guard over him) there
is also a Nephew of Germen Bills with them, the Cpt
says he will escape before he gits to England,
he says they are making a mistake going by the
Canal & are sure to come to  grief. Tuesday some
niggers came alongside the boat last night
about 11 to load some bedding for the [[?]]
they carried on a conversation from one end
of the boat to the other, they come up near the
Stern of the boat where the Prisoners were
& the Sentry fired a shot to frighten them
as he thought they were trying to release
the Prisoners, we sailed from Colombo about
eleven in the morning. W the Euripides & some
of the other transports stayed back a Colombo
coaling etc & left at 6pm last night, the Cruiser
Hampshire is with us. 250 miles. T two men
on guard one on the prisoners & the other on
the ships were caught asleep, the one on the
prisoners got off, the Lieut that reported him
got a bit of a lecture as the sentry was only
leaning on the rail & as he never looked
up as the S approached, he went back & got