Letters from Fred Leslie Biddle to his Family, 1914-1915 - Part 2 of 19

(1) WORANE
AUSTRALIA
4th Bty
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st DIVISION,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
23.11.14

Dear Mother
To-morrow evening we will reach Aden & as the
censorship on mails to Australia is now relaxed I am able
to tell you where we are.
Ten of the ships, including the Shropshire, have been
formed into a fast division to reach Aden, take in coal &c
& be ready for the remainder when they arrive.
We have had a fresh excitement.
At 4.35 a.m. on Saturday morning we were awakened
by a bump followed by 2 or 3 more.  I jumped out knowing
at once there had been a collision & the collision signal
sounded.  I got on deck & found the Ascanius right
alongside us.
She had hit us in the stern sheered off & then hit
us again amidships on the starboard side     (over) 

2
We all went to our stations immediately & 7 minutes
after the signal sounded everybody was on parade
with lifebelts on.  This was particularly good time as
the men were sleeping out on the saloon & boat decks & had
to go right forward & down the holds to the troop decks
for their lifebelts.  It was quite dark & we were
steaming with lights out except head & stern lights.
We were all quite cheerful, as we knew that
the bumps were not severe, & in any case the Benalla
was behind us & there were plenty of ships about.
The sea was absolutely calm & with lifebelts on
there was absolutely no danger
The officers & crew of the ship were particularly
smart, & the boats were cleared & ready in no time.
The rolls were called & at first 2 men were reported 

(3)
3  WORANE
AUSTRALIA
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st DIVISION,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

missing.
We lowered a boat & at once threw over lifebuoys
with patent lights (Hollis will know them)
The ship was examined & we were glad to find
we were making no water at all.
At 5.45 we were dismissed & we had in the meantime 
found that the two missing men had gone to wrong
stations.
The Hampshire (cruiser) steamed up from the
main body & we must have looked a funny crowd.
Most of us were in pyjamas & lifebelts, some in
singlets & belts only, & others didn't have singlets.
There wasn't the least fuss & the men were
rather inclined to sing than otherwise.
When daylight came we found that the stern 

4
bulwarks & stern navigating bridge had been carried
away on the starboard side
The Ascanius must have then sheered off & the
suction dragged the two ships together again.
She struck us amidships with the bluff of the
bow bending over our bulwarks & one or two top plates
& cleared us again just forward of the bridge
Fortunately she has an inclined stern & the upper
portion struck first & so prevented her cutting us below
the water line; & being lower than us she missed
our boats.
One of hers was carried away & stove in
& we left it as something to cause excitement to some ship
or other that might come across it. 

5 
WORANE
AUSTRALIA
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st DIVISION,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

I hope no scare news appeared in Melbourne.
We sent out a wireless message when we were struck, &
within half an hour heard Colombo passing it on with our
report of men reported overboard
Unless the censor got to work I suppose the Herald
had an "extraordinary" out with a fearful tale of disaster
I forgot to mention that the Ascanius had a long
hole punched high up on the port bow just abaft the
anchor but otherwise she suffered no loss
There'll be trouble for the officer on watch on the
Ascanius.  He must have gone to sleep.
Altogether the whole affair provided a nice
pleasant little excitement, & something to talk about.
We arrived in Colombo on Sunday 15^th & left again
on Tuesday night but unfortunately were not allowed
ashore. 

6
We had to content ourselves with gazing through
glasses at the G.O.H. Galle Face Hotel &c.
We had a good look at Mount Lavinia coming up
the coast & some fun watching the niggers dive.
They made small fortunes as the men were
throwing shillings to them
Tell Hollis they still sing Tara-ra-ra-boom-de-ay
& Twinkle twinkle little star & do "fight under water".
But they're an awful lot of cadgers, & after
two days I'd seen quite enough nigger
We couldn't buy any fruit, as the ships that
went inside the breakwater before us, had cleared
out all available supplies except cocoanuts
However if I've any luck I'll spend a week or
two in Ceylon coming back.

(7)
(7) WORANE
AUSTRALIA
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st DIVISION,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

We are still having the most extraordinary
weather with a sea like a river, & the weather is
now much cooler.
We lost 3 horses on the ship as a result of stopping at Colombo
& will probably lose a few more at Aden
Altogether 13 have gone overboard (5 from 4^th Bty) &
all from gangrenous pneumonia.  Phew, they "hum sum"!
We are hoping the fast division keeps going all the
way, as we do 13 knots instead of 10 & should be
in England well before Xmas
I hear there is to be no leave at any of the
ports, so will be glad to get ashore, as you can
imagine.
Were all sick of horseships all ready, & If I
return on a "trooper", I'll give up all idea that I know 

(8)
how to scheme out of unpleasant things.
At Colombo we lay close to the "Empress of Asia"
one of the C.PR boats running between Vancouver &
Hong Kong.  She is a whopper (25000 tons) & towered over all.
She is an auxiliary cruiser & had 10 guns mounted
& is painted grey which seems to accentuate her size
The prisoners off the "Emden" must have been quite
comfortable on her.
The collier which was in attendance on the "Emden",
was a British ship with British crew & a cargo of
Australian coal.
They simply let them go at Colombo, instead
of hanging the skipper as he deserved. 

(9)
WORANE
AUSTRALIA
2nd FIELD ARTILLERY BRIGADE,
1st DIVISION,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

Well there's not much news left & as this letter
will reach you about Xmas I must wish you the
brightest of Xmas & the happiest of New Years, also
all the family
With I hope you are keeping all right & that
Isobel is much better than she was.
With fondest love to Father Hollis Isobel, the boys
& Dolly & your own dear self
I am
Your affcte, son
Fred

23-11-14