Diary for Roy Rowe, 1915-1916 - Part 8

"H.M. T. Gloucester Castle"

MAY
5th Month 1915
8 SATURDAY
We all have 2nd class
accomadation on this ship &
are very comfortable. Gar & I
have a 2 berth cabin & the
food is good. The ship officers
are very nice men. During
the last 2 days several more
men have died as a result
of their wounds. Gar has
not been too well today.
 

S. S. Gloucester Castle
1915 H.M.T. MAY
9 SUNDAY 
We arrived at Alexandria
about 2 p.m. after a quick
run & began unloading
the wounded when the
ship was made fast to
the Quay. A Colonel (an
Imperial man) came on board
& after he was told the number
of our staff, he complimented
the major Zwar on the work done.
Although he nor the Major
knew that ^some men had been
drunk when they should
have been working (as usual).
The boat is tied up at the
same place as the Kyalla 
was when she reached here
about 4 months ago. We
were surprised to hear of the
sinking by the Germans of the
"Luisitania" Surely America will
do something now!
 

S.S. Gloucester Castle
8000 tons

MAY  H.M.T.  1915
10 MONDAY

The unloading of the wounded
was finished this afternoon
& leave was granted until
10 p.m. Gar. Allan & I had
tea at a Stylish french Cafe
& then went along to the pictures.

After the interval Its a long way
to Tipperary was played by
the orchestra, (a very fine
one).  When the show was
finished we went round to 
the scotch church recreation

hall for a little while &
had supper.  I sent a P.C.

to Mother today.

S.S. Gloucester Castle

8000 tons

1915  H.M.T.     MAY

11 TUESDAY
This morning men with
motors we sent from
Australian & Imperial H.Qs   
for the kits of patients &
we very soon got rid of
everything, a much easier
way than we expected.
You may depend we did
not mind it either.
Our own boys tell me that
they would not have my
job for £10 a week but I don't
think it hardly so bad as
that. There have been 32
deaths on board. This
afternoon 50% have been
granted leave until 6 p.m.
Allan & I have been off. We
went to see Mr Curtis at Roberts
Hughes & Co. He was so pleased
to see us. We we reached the ship
we were told we were going on to
another boats in the morning
 

" S. S. Gloucester Castle"
MAY  H.M.T. 1915
12 WEDNESDAY
We moved our medical
stores off the Gloucester Castle
early this morning & she left
shortly afterwards for England
with nothing on board. Then
we shifted our things around the
Quay to the "Franconia" which was
lying where the Hindoo was when
we went on her a month ago.
The Franconia has just arrived from
the Dardanelles with 1600 wounded
with 24 men to attend to them. She
is the biggest boat I have seen &
her accomadation for some 8000 people.
The Srgts, have 2^nd class accomadation
& the men 3^rd class. Allan, George
Murdock & I are in one cabin. The
food in 2^nd class is very good.
I went to see Major Zwar tonight & he
gave Gar & I leave for 2 hours to go & see
Mr & Mrs Curtis.  We enjoyed ourselves
very much. They want us to go to
their home on Sunday if here.

 H.M.T. Franconia
1915  MAY
13 THURSDAY
There has been nothing to do
yet today. The ship is being
coaled at present. We are
never sure what is going to
happen, we may have to move
to another ship yet. This is
only the 5^th one we have been
on in a month. I sent a P.C
each to mother & Ethel yesterday
  

S.S. Franconia 18000 tons

MAY  H.M.T. 1915

14 FRIDAY

Alexandria

More troops arrived here

from England this morning
& came on one boat. The
hospital ship "Nevasa" arrived 
from England also.  We
left Alexandria for the 

"Dardenelles" at 2 o'clock

3 oclock this afternoon. I

posted a letter each to Mother
& Ethel today.  It is rumoured
that this boat is taking

wounded to England in

a fortnight. It is not likely

that we will stay on board
if the report is true. Not

our luck.

It is five months today

since we left West. Australia

 S. S. Franconia
1915 H.M.T. MAY
15 SATURDAY
I am Orderly Sergt today. We
had an alarm this morning
& had to parade with Life-belts
 on at our boats. It is
reported that there is a
hostile Submarine about
here but I don't think the
report is true. We are travelling
with portholes covered at
night.
Tonight in the men's
mess room an english
officer, a Lt. gave a short
lecture on the Dardanelles.
This was followed by a service
in which he & 2 chaplains
took part.
 

S.S. Franconia
MAY  1915
H. M. T.
16 SUNDAY
Gar & I attended the communion
service on board this morning
at 6.30 a.m. There was to be
a church parade at 9 A.M.
but it was postponed because
we reached the "Dardanelles"
at 9.30 A.m. This afternoon
nearly all the english troops
went ashore. We do not know
where we are going or what we
will have to do yet. The
report of the sinking of the
Battleship "Goliath" by a turkish
destroyer, is not very cheering. It
is also reported that 2 Austrian
Submarines came oft of the
Adriatic & into the Mediteranian
Sea.
 

S.S.. Franconia H.M.T.
1915 MAY
17 MONDAY
This morning we left Cape Helles
for C. Kapatepe (Australians landing
place) & waited for orders to go
on board the Seang Choon as
we were told we were going on
board her. We were surprised
however later in the day when
a steam launch came from the
Seang choon with Major Barber
on it. His party had beaten us
for the boat & we are not at
all sorry as Major Barber said
it was the dirtest boat he had
been on. We expect to go
on to another ship here & then
go back to Lemnos Island.
 

S.S. Franconia  H.M.T.
MAY Lemnos Island 1915
18 TUESDAY
We are still on board the
Franconia & at Lemnos Is, again.
We were surprised when we
woke this morning to find
ourselves in this harbour again.
The 15^th & 16^th Stationary Hospitals
R.A.M.C. portions of which are on
this ship, are landing here to
establish there hospitals. The No 1
Australian S.H. is also landed here.
We do not know what we will
have to do yet. Neither Major Barber's
nor our own party have our tents
etc with us so we would be
no use on shore. We think
it likely that we shall be
kept on ships travelling between
the "Dardanelles" & "Lemnos" & between
"Lemnos" &  "Alexandria" or "Malta".
 

S.S.. Franconia H.M.T.
1915 Lemnos Island MAY
19 WEDNESDAY
A Perfect day today.
A party of our men assisted
in the loading of wounded
this afternoon. Major Zwar has
gone to another boat to try
& get orders. It to getting
monotous here doing nothing.
We would be quite satisfied
if we could only get our
mail. The Seang choon
with remainder of our unit
on board followed us down here
from Gaba tepe. We have been
trying to get permission to go
across to her to see the boys
but have not succeeded yet.
 

S.S. Franconia H.M.T.
MAY Lemnos Island  1915
20 THURSDAY
We were told today that we
were to go on board the
Seang choon as soon as the
barge came for us but it did
not come at all & our later
order was that we were going
ashore tomorrow. To night I
had charge of a boat party
to take Major Zwar & Capt Haynes
over to see Major Barber etc. We
saw all the boys again for a
little while & they were all
looking well & happy.
We are having glorious
weather.

S.S. Franconia  H.M.T.
1915 Lemnos Island MAY
2I FRIDAY
I am O. Sergt today. There
is verylittle to do. We are
still standing by & are just
sick of it.  Nobody seems to
know what the hospital units
are to do or where they are to
go.
 

S.S. Franconia  HM.T.
MAY Lemnos Island 1915 
22 SATURDAY
A beautiful day again.
We were delighted when our
mail came along on a trawler
from Gapa Tepe this morning.
I received letters from Mother
Vera, Franck & Frances & a Photo
from Ethel. Capts Stacy & Deakin
were on the  trawler attending
the wounded who came on
board this ship. There were
also 2 wounded turks but
they were taken back as Capt
Stacy, who had charge of them,
could not get any satisfication
as to where they would be kept.
 

S. S. Franconia H.M.T.
1915 Lemnos Island MAY
23 Sunday 
This boat is getting well filled
now with patients (both english
& Australian & New Zealand) Some
of our boys have been having
a swim today. Some of the boys
from the trenches tell us that
the Turks (30,000) attacked our
position last Wednesday but
were driven back with heavy
losses. It is also reposted today
(1) that the turkish right flank has
surrended & their General is conferring 
with General Birdwood to
arrange peace terms (3) that Italy
has proclaimed War & has lost 2
Battle ships in the Adriadic Sea, (3)
that the King of Greece has fled & a
republic has been formed & the
proclamation of War expected very
soon.
 

S.S. Franconia H.M.T.
MAY Lemnos Island 1915
24 MONDAY
I have had a party today
assisting with the dressings
Most of the cases are only
slightly wounded. I posted
letters this afternoon to Mother
& Ethel.
 

S.S. Franconia 
1915 Lemnos Island  MAY
25 TUESDAY.
I am O.Sgt today An offical
report here states that Italy has
declared war. It is also reported
that a submarine today sunk
the "Triumph" H.M.S. in the "Dardanelles"
& also that 6 German Submarines
have been captured off Dover. We
received word today to say that
remainder of our unit were
coming on board this ship from
the Seang choon.
 

S.S. Franconia 
MAY Lemnos Island 1915
26 WEDNESDAY
Remainder of our unit joined
us last night & today I have
been ashore with others erecting
Marques & removing equipment.
The W.O has earned a worse
name today than he had
previously if that is possible.
Geo Stead, Rankin & several others
are in bed sick. The other party
were very well satisfied with
Rankin as Ships Sgt. Major. I
have had my teeth attended
to tonight by the ships dentist
(dispenser) he is going to finish
them tomorrow. Cost is only 2/6
each.
 

R.M.S. Franconia
1915 Lemnos Island  MAY
27 THURSDAY
I am O. Sgt. today. A large
party of our when went ashore
again to remove our stores
from the pontoons. I have
been to the dentist again today.
The W.O. Never thought of making
any arrangements for tea for the
party ashore until 6 p.m. tonight