Correspondence from George Leslie Makin to his family, 1914-1915 - Part 1

Troopship A.3

Orvieto

12/9/1914

Dear Mother & Father

 I am writing you a few lines, but I am

not sure that you will ever get them, unless I can get this

letter posted in Colombo.

We are not allowed to give away any news concerning the

whereabouts of the boats, or any news concerning the movement

of the convoy. 

We left Albany on Sunday Nov 1st. It was a magnificent sight.

Over 40 boats all told moved away & abreast. In addition

to our own ships we have 10 New Zealanders.

The weather has been alright on the whole. It was very

rough after leaving West. Aust, but only for a few days.

I dont think that I will ever be seasick.

We, are now almost at the Equator & the heat is almost

unbearable. We cannot sleep below. We just lay down

anywhere on deck & try to sleep, not always with success.

We have had 1 medical inspection. Have been twice inoculated

against enteric & vaccinated.

We dont so much work now that we are in the

tropics.

It looks most unusual too, to see them      in for

parade. A pair of pants cut short at    ees is about

(2)

all the clothes we wear.

We had some exiten excitement on board some days ago.

As we were passing Cocos Island, our boat received a

wireless message in a strange code.

After a while we received another message. "S.O.S Strange

Ship entering harbor; Cocos Islands."

We immediately advised the cruiser Melbourne, who in

turn dispatched the Sydney at full speed to Cocos Island.

The Sydney sent a message. "Am engaging enemy." Shortly

afterwards we received another. "Enemy beached & done for"

When we received full particulars; we found that the 

enemy was no other than the notorious cruiser Emden.

The Sydney knocked out 3 of her funnels and all her

masts (4) without herself being damaged. The Sydney

had 2 men killed & 13 wounded. The Emden's casualties

were 120.

The Germans had landed a boats crew for the purpose of

destroying cable & wireless stations. The latest news is that

they escaped in a schooner, but is unconfirmed. I don't

know that they achieved that object.

The Sydney is taking the prisoners to Colombo.

We got half a holiday, when we got the news of the encounter.

It appears that the Emden crossed our bow during

the night, without seeing us. Of course we steam with

all lights covered. The lights on deck go out at 7 'oclock

below at 9.30.

(3)

I am in the best of health. & all things considered having a

pretty fair time. The main thing is the tucker & that is

good.

We have all sorts of sport on board. Cricket, boxing, wrestling

games, quoits etc being indulged in xxx in all ^our spare times.

We are expected to reach Colombo on Sunday night.

We are only steaming at about half-speed, having of course

to keep with the slowest boat.

Well Dear Mother & Father, I think that is all the

news now, so will close. Hoping everybody is well &

happy

I am 

Your loving Son

Les.

P.S. If you get this letter. Tell Harry that I will write him

a long letter from England. I wrote to both He & you from

Albany, which I hope you received

Les.

[*They say that 

the fleet is under

sealed orders, but it is

taken for granted that we

are going direct to Eng.

Tell Papa that I

was very pleased

to see him at the

pier on Wednesday, It was

the only thing on

my mind

Les*]

Troopship A3

25/10/1914

Dear Mother

As we are drawing

near Albany. I am writing you

a few lines to tell you that

I am well & happy.

We have had a pleasant trip

up to now. We have had no

rough weather & there has only

been a few seasick.

We are pretty comfortable. Could

do with a little more room

perhaps, but the food is great.

Porridge every morning & always a

three course dinner. The trip

has been uneventful so far. The

(2)

only excitement has been a few

whales sporting about.

Expecting rough weather in the

Bight we all expected to be 

sick, but judging by the numbers

present at meal times, I dont

think there are above a dozen

sick altogether. 

I suppose you know that we

are all divided off into messes.

Our mess contains 17 Men.

We dont do much work, on

account of having so little

deck space to each company.

Our routine is as follows.

Up at 6.A.M. Stow hammocks &

wash. Physical drill from 6.30 to

7.15. Breakfast at 7.30.

(3) 

Fall in at 9.30. Physical drill

Bayonet fighting Boxing etc

to 11.45. Dinner at 12.

More drill etc from 2 till 4

Then we are free to please

ourselves. 

It would be a pleasure trip

if one wasn't continually

being shown that one is

always under military

disipline.

We are all in good nick. &

with all the physical drill

expect to arrive in England

better still.

I am already feeling the

benefit of the training. Before

embarkation I weighed 11 stone 4 

and am still gaining weight.

It is wonderful the benefit

one gets from a life in the

open air.

There is a general rush at night

to secure a place to sleep on 
deck.

We just roll up in our blankets

anywhere on deck & seldom

wake before 6.A.M. I myself

prefer the deck to the hammocks.

By all accounts we will reach

Albany tomorrow morning.

I dont think anybody will be

allowed ashore. In fact our

boat is the only one to go near

a pier. I think that is all the

news, dear Mother so I will close

with best love to all. from Les.

[*1 DRC 473*]

Troopship A3 Orvieto

At Sea

23/11/1914

Dear Mother & Father

As we are nearing Aden, & will possibly

have an opportunity of posting letters, I will give you the

news since the last letter which I hope you received alright.

I told you about the encounter between Emden &

Sydney.

At Colombo we took on board 45 German sailors & 4 officers

of the Emden, practically the sole survivors. They are mostly

stokers, as every man on deck was killed with the exception

of about half a dozen.

They look a decent lot & give no trouble. Amongst them

is a prince, a nephew of the Kaiser.

They are a nuisance in a way as we have guard duty

every four days. They are not allowed to stir without being

followed by men with loaded rifles & fixed bayonets.

It was rather a strange feeling, being one end of a

rifle & the Kaiser nephew on the other, as I was the other

night. We are issued with ball cartridge & told to use it

at the least sign of anything suspicious.

The prisoners take exercise between a file of armed men.

They are surprised at the wonderful treatment they are

getting.
As one man remarked, we are better off here than we have

been for many a day. They describe the food as the

best they have had for 3 months.

They are not a particularly handsome lot & one

can't help contrasting them with the smart blue-

jackets of our own fleet.

We arrived in Colombo on 15^th & left on 17^th.

From the harbor. The town looks lovely but I expect

it is dirty enough inside.

The Coolies or Ceylonese are a source of amusement

to any new arrivals.

They bring their canoes (3 boards tied together) & dive

for money.

It is really wonderful. If you throw a threepenny piece

from the top deck & it strikes the water within five

or six yards from them they will catch it before it

reaches the bottom.

The New Zealanders were ashore, as they have been at

every port, but none of our chaps, except those on special

errands got ashore.

Nearly everybody on board has lost interest in everything

for the time being owing to vaccination. We have just

come in sight of an island, just before entering the Red

Sea & hardly anybody has looked at it. Usually there

is such a rush as to give the ship a list to which ever

side the island may be.

Vic Lusic is right out of it. He got a severe dose & has

to lay up for a day or two.

I am in the best health & am having a splendid

trip. Although at times it gets rather monotonous.

Since I last wrote the sea has been as calm as

a mill pond.

I have no idea when we will reach England as

owing to one or two of our boats being slow, we have

to keep with them.

As a rule this boat does the trip in a month. It

will be nearer two months this trip.

There is a rumour that we will leave the rest at Port

Said. If that is the case we will arrive long before

them. Anyhow we are sure to be there for Christmas.

We get very little news of any sort, much less of the

war. I am always wondering how things are in

Melbourne. I can hardly realise being so far away.

I dont know when you will receive this letter, that is

if you get it at all. I have to say that every time &

it worries me to think that perhaps you have received

no word at all. I know you will be waiting to hear

from me.

Well dear Mother & Father I think that is all the news

for the present, I will write at every place there is a post

Wishing you & brother & sisters every happiness for coming

year

I remain

Your loving son

Les.

Troopship A.3 Orvieto

At Sea

23/11/1914

Dear Harry

We are nearing Aden & may have an opportunity

of posting letters, so I will give you an outline of 

the trip since we left Albany. We xx left on 1^st Nov

and struck very rough weather for a few days. Ever since

it has been calm. As we came up to Cocos Island, we

received help calls from the wireless station there. The

Sydney was at once despatched & a couple of hours later

(9/11/1914) we received a message from her. (Am Engaging Enemy)

Shortly afterwards we received another message (Enemy beached

& done for). The enemy turned out to be the German

cruiser Emden. The Sydney played hell with her.

Knocked out all her masts & funnels & killed every man

on deck barring about half a dozen men.  The Sydney

chaps said the deck was an awful sight. Pieces of

men & blood everywhere. One gun crew were blown

overboard & picked up hours later uninjured. The Sydney

casualties were 2 killed 13 wounded. We arrived in Colombo

15/11/1914 and next day took 45 German sailors & 4 officers of the

Emden on board.

They are closely guarded & are well looked after.

One of the officers is a prince, being a nephew of the

Kaiser. We have guard every four days so they are