Papers of Cyril John Percy Hill - Part 2
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Monday 21st At anchor in Simpson Haven. Hands employed on
several necessary jobs about upper deck. 6 PM.
Weighed & proceeded on patrol. No sign of enemy.
Sep 22nd Patrolling all day. Sighted nothing. Stinking hot
5 PM Returned to harbour & made port alongside
'Murex' (oil vessel) & commenced distilling for her.
40 German prisoners sent aboard"Murex" for
passage to Sydney Ugly looking devils. Murex
leaving tomorrow.
Sep 23rd 5.0 Destroyers got under way & proceeded to Mioko
Harbour (Duke of York's Island) Destroyers landed
amid parties in different parts of harbour.
Parramatta in luck. Discovered North German
Lloyd steamer "Mehling" stowed away up creek
not marked on chart. Boarded her & took
officers & crew prisoners & took charge of all arms
& ammunition. Self in command of prize crew
took her back to Simpson Haven. Mioko very
well hidden ship smothered in brush wood &
palms, impossible to see her from anchorage.
Boats crew only found her by a fluke.
Captain very decent chap, quite sorry for him.
Been in hiding a fortnight & hardly any food
left. Unable to get any information about
submarine. Anchored Mioko off pier & handed
her over to military. Returned on board
Parramatta. Night patrol as usual.
Thursday 24" Returned to harbour at 7 AM. Prisoners from
Mioko sent ashore & all stores etc handed over
to Military. Forty more I Germans gave themselves
up. Had been sent from William Haven to
assist in defence of Herbertshohe. Wrecked on
reef. Set fire to steamer & got ashore in boats &
53
Sep 24" & marched overland arriving too late to defend
Herbertshohe. That accounts for steamer we
found stuck on reef.
5.30 Destroyers weighed & steamed to Northwards
round New Britain in search of Comet.
Sep 25" Warrego & Yarra searched Pando Harbour &
Parramatta again searched Powel Harbour.
Unable to find native who volunteered information
about Comet. Searched native village & stole
pig Again spotted the alligator & fired at
him & again missed. Must bear charmed
life. Returned to Simpson Haven.
Sep 26" Got information that Planet was in hiding in
Rugen Harbour. Destroyers sent down to boot
her out (Planet, small German cruiser) Arrived
at Rugen Harbour sent captain of Parramatta inside
harbour in motor boat with white flag to call
upon her to surrender. Destroyers remaining outside
all ready with lyddite. Planet not there (another
dummy run) sick of dummy runs. Planet had
been inside harbour quite lately. No information
as to where she has gone. Returned to harbour.
Sep 27, 28. 29"
& 30" Nothing doing. Why the devil doesnt the Admiral
send us out to look for the enemy. Must think
enemy will dare to attack Simpson Haven. Silly
Ass. All three destroyers patrolling every night
All hands & the cook fed up.
Oct 1st Australia, Sydney & Encounter & Montcalm left
harbour to look for enemy leaving destroyers
behind to protect the Port. Pow old destroyers.
Hope enemy dodge them & turn up here. No such
luck. Destroyers patrolling all night as usual.
No sign of shipping of any sort.
57
Smoke reported on horizon. Parramatta sent out
to investigate. Must be enemies cruisers dodged
our ships. Stand by for some excitement -
Turned out to be our ships returning. Admiral
must have forgotten something. Probably come
back for his washing. Wonder what the next
move will be. Waiting for Jap ships to find
German Cruisers & smash them I suppose.
Probably all night as usual.
Oct 3rd Sat. Peaceful day at anchor Simpson Haven. Flay &
Montcalm & Sydney sailed for Suva: Fiji. "Yarra"
& trooper Berrima left for Sydney.
Encounter, Warrego, Parramatta & AE.2 left in
harbour.
Oct 4" Sun 3 PM. All ships sailed for Suva including Colliers.
Oil & Store ships. Nothing left in harbour at all.
Troops occupying town & strongly entrenched.
Terrible business to get merchantmen into station.
Oct 4"
to
Oct 15"
On passage from Simpson Haven to Fiji Convoying
SS. Upolo, Aorangi, Esturia & Koolonga.
Average speed 6 Knots. Strong SE trade wind
& long SE swell. Eleven days at sea. Most
uncomfortable time I ever spent. Nothing to eat
except tinned meat & biscuits. AE 2 towed
by Encounter. Warrego & Parramatta scouting
3 miles ahead at night & stationed on beam
of Encounter during the day.
Oct 15" Arrived Suva thank goodness. Raining like
blazes. Flay, Montcalm & Sydney lying peacefully at
anchor. Harbour full of colliers and store ships etc.
Fine blow out for supper. And an all night in.
Dont care if it snows ink now.
No mail for us on arrival worse luck.
Oct 16"
Oct 17" Sat. Oiled ship & went alongside North Pier. All peaceful.
Ships Company landed at 6 AM for route march. First
time they had been ashore since leaving Sydney with
the exception of landing parties at Rabaul & Herbertshohe.
Australia, Montcalm & Encounter sailed for somewhere
Oct 18" Sun Got leave for the afternoon. Had lunch at the Pacific
Hotel & went for a long drive. Scenery grand but roads
terrible. Inspected native Fiji village. Went inside
two huts. Natives very hospitable. Had some native grog
which nearly made me sick. Returned on board at
6 PM. First afternoon off for nearly three months.
Oct 19" Got tired of waiting for enemy so went down to Lanthala
Harbour & rigged battle practice target on small
island & sent ships company ashore for exercise.
Oct 20" Warrego joined us at 6.30 AM. Spread target sail
and at 9.30 opened fire on target at 1200 yds opening
range. 10 rounds from each run. Shooting very good
indeed. Fairly riddled the target & knocked the
Island into bits. Island only about 90 yards long &
20 broad with a few mangroves bushes in the centre.
Mangroves suffered terribly. Ships companies of
Warrego & Parramatta landed on mangled island
& disported themselves in the surf during the afternoon
Oct 21st AM Went back to Suva. PM Tried to enter
Nai Ngals Harbour but Parramatta ran ashore Huge
excitement. Luckily tide was rising & we got off in
half an hour. Went back to Suva (crestfallen).
Oct 22nd Again tackled Nai Ngals this time successful. Warrego
& Parramatta moved behind small Island. Very
snug. Can see all Suva harbour without being seen
from outside. Caught a few fish. Went ashore during
evening with a gun I collared from "Mittory". Shot at
a crane but bally gun would'nt go off. Came
aboard torn & bleeding. Jungle awful thick.
Oct 23,24" Warrego & Parramatta & AE 2 lying in Nai Ngals
Harbour. Working during morning & granting leave in
afternoon for bathing & fishing. Scenery around simply
grand. Weather glorious.
Oct 25 (Suva) Sent out on patrol 15 Miles south of Suva. 1.30 PM
sighted vessel steering towards Suva & took her to be
one of our colliers. Vessel passed Suva so thought
she must be collier for German cruisers who did not
know our ships were in the harbour. Gave chase.
3 PM Signalled her to stop engines. No notice taken so
fired a projectile across her bows. Very soon stopped.
She turned out to be SS Atina bound round Fiji
& belonging to Melbourne. No luck. Returned to Suva
& oiled ship.
Oct 26.27.28 In Nai Ngals Harbour in company with Warrego
Yarra & AE 2. being peaceful. Made one or two
excursions up small river. Palms & tree ferns simply
spiffing. Bathed in river, no crocks. Water very clear
could see bottom easily at 15 ft. Boiled our billy on
the bank & made tea. Shot at flying fox but missed
him. Returned to ship before 6 PM. War seems very
long way off in Nai Ngals. Natives very friendly
Plenty of bananas pawpaws granadillas & coconuts.
Weather perfect. Flay, Montcalm & Encounter away.
No one knows where. Suppose they are looking for
"Sharnhorst" & "Neisnau"
Oct 29" Rigged stage on fxle of "Yarra" & gave strenuous concert
to elite of Suva. Guests arrived 8.30 in motor boats
from Suva. Destroyers lying alongside each other. Yarra
centre ship. Guests Yarra reserved for Guests &
Parramatta & Warrego for ships companies. Don't
admire the ladies of Suva, didn't see one good
looking one or one who could sing. All look washed
out. Climate I suppose. Concert went off very well.
Supper O.K. Guests left at Midnight except mine
who missed boat. Had to camp him out in the ward
room & sent him ashore by the beef boat in the morning
Officers slightly bottled after guests left. One fell
overboard in borrowed mess jacket midst roars of
mirth.
Oct 30" Parramatta & Yarra left Suva Harbour steering 15 Ml
South, then turned & steamed back looking for AE 2
who was going to attack us. About a mile off Harbour
AE 2 bobbed up about 500 yards from us having blown
us sky high. Destroyers & Submarine then proceeded to
Muhulan Isl & anchored. In afternoon landed
watch & bathed, fished & explored the Island. Water
lovely & no sharks.
Oct 31st Parramatta on patrol. Warrego & Yarra in
Muhulan Harbour enjoying themselves.
Nov 1st to Nov 8th At Suva doing nothing except patrol
Flagship, Montcalm & Encounter went to sea
occasionally for two or three days at a time but
couldnt find anything. Rumours of fight off
Valparaiso between our Atlantic fleet & Scharnhorst
Neisnau Leipsig Nurenburg & one other. No
particulars. Destroyers ^& AE 2 ordered to Sydney to dock
Nov 8" to 11" At sea on passage from Suva to Noumea (New
Caledonia).
Nov 11" Arrived at Noumea & went alongside wharf. Whole
town turned out to meet us. Huge excitement. Ships
Companies employed accepting gifts of fruit etc from
French who evidently regarded us as heros. Leave
granted during afternoon in which ships companies
got blind drunk for nothing. Evening Chaos!!!
French seamen & soldiers drunk. Our own men worse.
French singing God save the King & our chaps trying to
sing the Marchalaise. Fight between Warregos &
AE 2 Parramattas fighting among themselves.
Nov 12" 4.30 AM Left Noumea for Sydney. Ships companies
very much the worse for wear. Can't blame them as
it was the first leave given since war was declared.
Very silly to grant leave in Noumea. Should have
waited till arrival in Sydney.
Nov 12 to Nov 16" Warrego, Parramatta & AE 2 on passage from Noumea
to Sydney. Speed 11 Knots. Nothing of importance happened
Nov 16" Arrived in Sydney & docked.
Nov 16 to Nov 27 At Sydney. Ships Companies having the time
of their lives. Self perfectly happy with my Beloved.
Nov 27" Left Sydney at 5 PM Blowing fresh from the NE
Nov 28" On passage from Sydney to Brisbane. Weather rotten
Ship rolling very heavily. Beastly uncomfortable.
Nov 29" Arrived - Brisbane 9 AM. Received dispatches for
Friedrich.Wilhemshaven. (Late German New Guinea).
1.30 PM Left Brisbane & proceeded towards New
Guinea.
Nov 30".Dec 1st On passage towards New Guinea.
Dec 2nd Arrived Samarai Isl in China Strait. SE New Guinea
Commander of Flotilla landed for information about
coast of New Guinea from trading schooners.
Dec 3rd Continued voyage up the coast
Dec 4" Arrived at Friedrich.Wilhemshafen. Troops Australian
garrison received up with open arms as we had
brought their mail. Troops having rotten time
half of them down with fever. Beastly climate.
Dec 5" & 6" Raiding German trading stations & plantations
up the coast & taking all who had'nt or would'nt
take the oath of neutrality prisoners. Warrego. Parramatta
& Yarra employed on same job.
Dec 6" (Sunday). Anchored in Hatchfielt Harbour. Left "Yarra"
patrolling mouth of Kaiserin Augusta river. Warrego
proceeded to Freidrich Wilhemshafen. Hatchfielt
harbour to be destroyer base during operations in
New Guinea.
Dec 7" Self went off to Oil Vessel outside harbour & piloted
her to anchorage. Parramatta filled with oil &
proceeded to relieve Yarra on patrol.
(Explanation). From information received in Sydney from
prisoner. Enemies cruiser "Cormoran" is lying in the
Kaiserin Augusta river. Also 600 Germans who
left America to assist in the defence of Raboul
but arrived too late are entrenched on the banks
assisted by several hundred armed natives.
Hence destroyer patrols mouth of river continually
to stop Cormoran from escaping. Waiting for
troops & transport before making attack. River
navigable for 200 miles from mouth.
Destroyer base quite close to mouth of river. If
cruiser tries to leave river we shall have a warm
time as she mounts 8 4" guns, several one pounders
& machine guns also two torpedo tubes. No doubt
she knows we are here by this time although we
have'nt been using our wireless. Native runners very
useful to Germans.
Dec 8" On patrol Kaiserin Augusta River.
Dec 9" "Warrego" & "Nusa" arrived off mouth of river. All
three proceeded up. Must have got information that
Cormoran is not in river. Got up about 40 miles
and anchored for the night. River about ¼ mile
broad & very deep right up to banks, aparantly
no mud banks anywhere. Thick jungle right down
to waters edge on either bank. Cocoanut palms,
tree firns & creepers very thick hundreds of white
cranes & cockatoos. Saw one or two niggers watching
us through the jungle. Can't make us out. Have to
be careful of poisoned arrows tonight I guess.
Thousands of mosquitoes after sunset & all kinds of
weird noises in Jungle
Dec 10" Weighed at Daylight & proceeded another 20 miles
& anchored. Banks clearer here & country not so
thick & swampy. Four canoes with two natives in
each tried to get past us up river. Fired towards
them with rifle. Natives at once ran canoes into
reeds & jumped overboard & disappeared into jungle
Sent boat to search canoes. Found bundles of
spears & a knife made from a human shin bone.
Also plenty of coconuts. Natives didnt return to
canoes before we left. Seem very scared of destroyers.
Captain of Parramatta & Commander of Warrego went
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