Letters from Fred Leslie Biddle to his Family, 1914-1915 - Part 1 of 19

WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
13.11.14 
Dear Mother, 
I sit down to write you a col letter, or rather 
as much as I think will pass the censor 
It has been a wonderfully smooth voyage so far & 
I have many times found it rougher going down the bay to 
Sorrento. This is a good ship, & the accommodation & 
living excellent. In fact we are all getting "hog fat". 
The only objection is the smell of horse which pervades 
everything. I am quite sure it will take weeks to get 
the smell of the stable out of our clothes after we 
land. 
The horses, poor brutes, have a bad time on a 
ship, & six have been dropped over the side so far, all 
pneumonia cases. 
Caddy has his horses in a fearful place right behind

2 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

the engine room. It is a regular Turkish bath with no 
facilities for cleaning it out, & the men work naked, 
except for a loin cloth, all day. 
The horses drip with sweat constantly, & but for the 
fact that during the last few days a bunker has been 
cleared out to allow a current of air through I do not 
think a single one could have survived the Tropics. 
Our horses are nearly all on deck, & are pretty well 
except for colds. We have lost two from pneumonia so far. 
The weather until today has been very oppressive 
& I have been wet through with perspiration day & night. 
However today has been wet & the sky overcast, & having 
struck a good head wind it is much cooler. 
Its the following wind which makes it bad for 
men & horses.

3 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

No doubt the "Emden" affair will be stale news 
when you get this letter, but you probably will not 
have had a true account. 
We Know that the Emden was within 20 miles of 
the convoy on Sunday night, when we were near Cocos. 
The wireless operator there was sending messages & 
suddenly stopped & sent the S.O.S. signal. 
Our wireless man heard it of course 
At 7.30 a.m. the "Sydney" cleared out full steam 
ahead followed by the "Minotaur". 
At 9.30 she sighted the enemy & gave chase 
At 10.45 she opened fire & 25 minutes later the 
Emden was beached to prevent her sinking. 
One mast & 3 funnels were gone & she was hopelessly 
crippled, but her flag was still flying.

4 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

The Sydney then went after the Emden's collier, 
& sank her. 
She then returned to Cocos & the Germans hauled 
down their flag. 
The Sydney lost 2 killed & 13 wounded so must 
have been hit, but she has not rejoined us so cannot 
say the extent of damage she suffered. 
It could not have been serious however. 
The Jap warship was very anxious to chip in but 
was not allowed to leave us & neither was the "Melbourne". 
I meant to start off this letter with a description 
of the fleet leaving Albany. 
Just imagine a long procession of 40 ships 
steaming out in line & turning steadily to the right 
one after the other & disappearing over the horizon.

5 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

When we all cleared King Georges Sound we 
formed in column 3 abreast & have kept that 
formation all the way. 
The ships follow at 600 yds distance from the 
one in front. 
We are followed by the "Afric" & she lies tries to 
come aboard us about twice a day. 
She has several times been close enough to 
throw a stone aboard her. 
However there's no danger. The officers Know 
their ships, & the closing up is caused by checks 
at the head, & it is not easy to get "way" off a big 
ship. 
We ourselves have been pretty close to the "Argyllshire" 
once or twice

6 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

For some days it was a fascinating sight 
to watch the big procession of ships, but of course 
the novelty wears off. 
At night is was very pretty, but for days 
now we have only showed a shaded stern light 
at night for steering purposes, & there is simply 
nothing to be seen. 
The war ships are on all sides of us & we 
wake in the mornings to find the same procession 
& the ships still opposite that were there yesterday 
We never seem to be able to climb over the hill 
in front, called the horizon, & have a look at what's 
one the other side, but this letter is written in the 
expectation of seeing something shortly. 
You must understand that we are not allowed

7 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA 
4th Battery 
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st Division,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

to make any reference to ports of call, dates of 
departure nor anything which might be of use to 
the enemy. 
We are fully occupied with the horses, drill, 
& tactical schemes & lectures so that we have not 
a great deal of time on our hands to cause boredom. 
I hope you have received my previous letter & 
"wire". They were probably held up for some time in 
Albany. 
Well I have no more to write just now. 
Fondest love to Father, Isabel, Hollis, the boys, & not 
forgetting your own dear self. 
from Your Affcte Son 
Fred 
P.S. Please remember me to all 
relatives & friends. Fred

13-11-14