Photostat copies of letters from Charles Albert Barnes to his mother, 1914 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG0000154
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

H

 

Ascanius (Aden)

25th Nov 14

Dear Mother,

I posted last night as a mail closed to go

ashore today on arrival.

Well we saw Land in the distance we woke

up & anchored outside for a while came inside

later in the morning & dropped anchor again

close to the town at 12.40 pm. This place is

apparently very strongly fortified anchor and reminds one

very much of Gibraltar except that the whole

surrounding country is barren desert, the hills

are bare rock no I'm wrong on our hill 3 or

4 miles away on the opposite side of the harbour

theres a tree. We can easily see the town

Camels drawing water carts seem to be a

profitable business judging the number one sees.

There are a few motors about too. The buildings

are very fine for such a place but what strikes

anyone is the apparent strength There are posts

stuck] in the hills all round & they can only

been seen by looking carefully apparently

they are not built but more or less dug in the

solid rock. There are heaps & heaps of Indians

 

 

2

Arabs & coolies who of course do the dirty work.

As to Soldiers Theres a British Regiment

(Lancashire Fusiliers) & 2 Indian native

Battalions.

The harbour is very full In addition to

our fleet of 39 there are about the same number

of Imperial transports & 3 warships

A number of gunboats came alongside selling

goods of all sorts & are doing a roaring trade

This afternoon 4 officers from the Hampshire

Cruiser came aboard to hold the naval

enquiry into the collision So far as one can

learn the evidence brought forward shows that

each ship was more or less to blame but we wont

hear the Courts decision for a while

Immediately on our arrival the Sydney cleared

out at full speed I wonder what she is after

now.

No one is allowed ashore, bad luck again

I would like to go & have a look round. The

heat is fairly steaming. Coaling is in full

swing the coal is brought alongside & carried

aboard in sacks by coolies who keep up our

incessant chatter & incidentally do a bit of

trade in postcards while not working

 

 

3
The run xx xxx today was

Thursday 26th

We left Aden at daylight & were soon out

in the open steaming in the same formation

as before. We Kept fairly close to the Arabian

coast for a long time & of all the dreary

country I think its the worst, bare desert

& sheer hills on the coast & some distance back

high ranges of mountains which one can

see are just as devoid of vegetation as this

paper.

We passed a number of ships & several

small islands in our travels & at about

½ past four came by Perim which looks a

very desolate spot. There is a good harbour

& a few very fine houses which I spose are

the officials quarters, the native part looks

somewhat savoury, Theres an old wreck

just at the entrance to the harbour & as we

passed a Russian merchant ship put in

Have never before seen the Russian

Mercantile flag on a ship. Perim is

pretty well fortified & theres an extra

Battalion of Indian troops there at present

Run to lunch time

  

 

4

Its still beastly hot & tonight all lights

are out in saloon & cabins as there are 3

Turkish torpedo boats in the Red Sea.

Friday 27th

Passed a few more islands en route today

and met several more outward bound ships

principally transports. We are working

hard & have little or no time for reading

Strickland & Jackson were very disappointed

at not getting ashore at Colombo or Aden

Jackson I think is thinking of [[Er]]

The run

Saturday 28th

Well we have had a shock today

Orders came that we are to land in Egypt

& go to Cairo for training instead of England

On some aspects its not so bad as its Winter

& not too hot, in addition it may mean and

opportunity of seeing the Pyramids & Sphinx

& various other interesting items that I would

possibly have another chance of investigating

But I'm disappointed at not going to England

as I rather hoped to get off & see various

relations at Christmas time However it cant

be helped & [[Croly?]] has resigned himself to the

 

 

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inevitable. We expect to get to Suez on

Tuesday and may disembark either there or

at Ismalia or Port Said don't know yet.

We hear there are already some 40,000 troops

near Cairo training & are told that we will

be sent to the front from there. I wonder

when we will get a mail. From papers obtained

at Aden the war seems to be progressing in

the same old way. Apparently we will be 

in plenty of time.

Tonight we have a great change from the

heat of last week A fresh wind is blowing

in our teeth

Some of the officers from the Hampshire

came on board at Aden & assisted by some of

my buds who are boilermakers & rivitters are

mending the hole in the Ship by putting plates

over it. Its rather interesting to watch them at

work over the side & my fellows are enjoying

it thoroughly.

The Second mate (Reed) & I sort of fraternise

Hes a grand fellow & good at his work.

Jackson is not too good today he has 

a touch of the sun I hope he is not going

to be ill. The run was

 

 

6

Sunday 29th

The Bishop gave a fine sermon today.

He spoke altho as if he would not be staying in

Egypt I hope he does. He mentioned Mr

Edington to me yesterday & thinks a great deal

of him & the work which the little 'un is doing

We had a photo of the W.A. officers taken today

and will try to get a copy or two to send along

I have a fever. Theres to be a confirmation

service tomorrow. Jose is  to be put through

He is in good form & pops his head in at all

times to see whether I want anything.

The men are very mixed in their feelings at the

idea of landing Most of them would much

prefer England. They are all being fed well &

there are now no serious cases of illness

Jackson is a champ. Today he was

vaccinated & had hardly gone away

when over he toppled in a dead faint. We

took him in to my cabin and put him in an

outside bunk where he is now getting

plenty of fresh breeze. Its the sun touch 

he got yesterday I think & he has been working

very hard. However he will be allright in

a day or two. The Run was

 

 

7

Monday 30th

Theres nothing of import to write oh except

the Confirmation service which was held at 7.30

this morning in Col. Weirs cabin. It seemed

rather strange

Jackson is getting on well.

Expect to  reach Suez early tomorrow.

Tues 1st

Came into Suez early this morning & as usual

no one allowed ashore We are all assembled

again & hope that the Ascamius will go in to

the Canal this evening.

Theres the usual crowd of gunboats round

us but they are being discouraged by water

& rubbish being thrown over on them.

The town is a very big place apparently there

appears to be a tremendous lot of work being done

in and about the harbour. We had a very interesting

sight this morning. The Hampshire came up

almost alongside to get take off some of her men

who have been on this ship in connection with

the repairs & while she was here several boat 

loads of German prisoners came off to her

from the other ships. The prisoners seemed to

be quite happy & all looked well pleased with

 

 

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themselves.

We came in to the Canal tonight at 8pm

& should reach Port Said tomorrow arriving 

at 11 am.

Wednesday 2nd

Had a very good trip through the Canal

Up at day break to see whats going on & found

that the xxx cut is being guarded for the its

whole length by Indian Soldiers principally

who are all welcomed us heartily as we steamed

along on The Asiatic side of the Canal the

whole country for miles has been flooded

as an extra precaution to hamper any

advance the Turks or Germans may make.

We are now anchored right opposite the

Casino Palace Hotel Port Said & as we came

through the Port this morning saw that

the office of the Australian Lloyd Steamship

Coy is now the Headquarters of The Army

of Occupation. General Maxwell commanding

We  There are heaps of British War vessels of

different sorts here, from a Battleship The 

Swiftsure down to the torpedo boats & destroyers

There are also 2 French boats & a French depot

ship for airoplanes. We are going on to 

 

 

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Alexandria to disembark a few of

the boats have already gone out but theres not

much enough wharfage accommodation now

for more than about 10 ships at once so we are

not leaving here till tomorrow

Port Said seems to have improved a great

deal the water front is very fine & there are

heaps of new buildings. In the breakwater

guarding the Canal entrance is a huge

Statue of de Lesseps surveying his work.

Early this morning in the Canal we met a

French Mail boat the Caledonian There were

a lot of passengers aboard her & they were very

excited as we came by.

Oh Last night we went aground in the

Canal & were stuck for about 3 hours. Result

of the the bouys damaged.

The harbour as are all the others we have been

to is thronged with ships of all flying all

sorts if flags. There's one xxx Roumanian

streamer among them.

The natives live the lives of gentlemen at

least they dont appear to be working much &

all look pleased with themselves.

Today we have started  to get things packed

 

 

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up for landing. I wish we were allowed

ashore to have a look around.

We are now taking in more fresh water

Some more of the fleet went on to Alexandria

this evening I wish we could get on

Thursday 3rd

This morning we moved out of the harbour

& are anchored about 3 miles off the mouth

Had a wireless from the Euripides saying

she has over 500 cases of ptomaine posioning

on board. How they got it is not yet known

but its thought to be from some hound dog

they had yesterday for tea or else through

some water. The cases are not generally serious

but naturally cause a good deal of worry.

Jackson is well & about again.

Friday 4

Nothing during the day until 5 pm when

we started for the last part of the Sea journey

for the time being. It s very cold tonight & a

strong wind blowing.

Saturday 5th

We had another spasm last night. The

steering gear carried away this time & we

went round and round the mulberry bush sort of

 

 

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