Diary for Roy Rowe, 1915-1916 - Part 9

R.M.S. Franconia
May  1915
Lemnos Island 
28 FRIDAY 
I have been ashore here again
today with our men shifting
equipment. W.O. is in hot water
again, with Bluey Wilson this time.
Several of our fellows were drunk
again. The R.M.S. "Mauritania"
30,000 tons arrived here this
morning from England with
over 4000 troops on board. There
are nearly 100 merchant ships
& about 14 Battleship & cruisers
french & british in the harbour
now
R.M.S. Franconia H.M.T.
1915 May
Lemnos Island
29 SATURDAY  
We have had a fairly easy
day today. Three big transports &
the Cruiser Cornwall arrived here
this evening from the Old Country 

RM.S. Franconia
May 1915
Lemnos Island
30 SUNDAY 
Allan went ashore today
with 14 men? from A Section 
to stay until we come ashore
also. We expect to go any minute
now. This afternoon Dr Joy 15 S.H.
R.A.M.C. conducted a very nice
service on B deck We had the
use of the saloon piano. I have
written to Mother & Ethel today.
R.M. S. Franconia 
1915 May
31 MONDAY  
The W.O. took another party ashore
today. The are 28 of us still to
go. Sgt Lally & 20 men are staying
on this boat for a little while but
I think they will have another
trip to Alexandria out of it.
The boat is about full of wounded
now & a lot are serious cases. 

R.M.S. Franconia
JUNE 1915
1 TUESDAY  
We have been expecting to go
ashore all day but no boat
came for us.  Capt Clarke, Paddy
Walker & Cyril Bennett arrived tonight
with all our equipment on the
“Minnetonka “  Although the
sun is fairly hot during the day
now, the weather generally is very
good. 
R.M. S. Franconia
1915 JUNE
2 WEDNESDAY  
We have been waiting all day
to be taken ashore.  This
evening I took a boat party ashore
to take a corpse over & after tea we
took the Colonel & Major  Barber & the
Purser across to the “Asagon”  for the
mail & to the “Tummetouka” to see
Capt Clarke. The first thing we heard
was Paddy Walker singing “Just on
little Love etc.” We were very disappointed
with the mail bags, they were full
of newspapers. I discovered today
that Fred Penhall knows a lot of our
goldfields friends & also that this
people all come from “Castlemaine” 

R. M. S. Franconia
June 1915
3 THURSDAY
This morning S Sgt. Rankin &
Stead & a small party came ashore
with us in the boat, we also
took 3 corpses. Fred Penhall &
Paddy Barts are going back to
Alexandria on this boat to
attend to some sick officers.
R.M.S. Franconia
1915 JUNE
4 FRIDAY    
Majors’ Barber  & Zwar & a party
came ashore in a boat.  When 
we returned to the Franconia we
began collecting Red Cross store &
Hospital equipment which was on
a big barge that turned over as
soon as the wind caught it
broadside. We drifted a long way
down the harbour owing to the strong
-wind & choppy sea & were all (6 boats)
towed back to the steamer “Ballaratt”
with the things we had collected.
Then we had to take the things
ashore. We arrived back for
dinners about 12.30 P.M. About
3 oclock a tug came to take us
all ashore.. 

Mudros.  Lemnos Island
JUNE 1915
5 SATURDAY  
I am O.Sgt today. We have
erected a lot of tents today in
preparation for the working of our
hospital. Water is very scarce on
this Island. Tonight 6 of us went
across to see the “Mauritania”. She
has over 4000 scottish troops on her.
I sang “Believe me  etc” for them. When
we went for our small boat he had
gone & left us. I tried to get another
from the ship but could not so we
has to sleep in chairs on deck.
R.M.S Mauritania) Mudros

1915 JUNE
6 SUNDAY
O.Sgt. today
We got up at 4 this morning to
try & get a boat to take us ashore.
We got a sailing boat at 5 oclock &
arrived back on the Island about
6 a.m. The W.O knows nothing about it.
There were services held at No.1
Stationary Hospital but I did not go.
About 6 of our chaps went. 

Mudros
JUNE 1915
7 MONDAY    
Uneventful 
 Mudros
1915 JUNE 
8 TUESDAY    
 Uneventful  

Mudros
JUNE 1915
9 WEDNESDAY 
I have been doing some
cabinet making for a couple
of days for Major Zwar for
the operating theatre. It has 
been very windy for
the last few day. I have
not seen wind last
so long before.
Mudros
1915 JUNE

10 THURSDAY 
This evening L.M. S. Ascott.
of the 3 F. Ambulance E
Lancashire Territorials & a number
of his men landed on this
Island & are now camped
in our marques. We have
about 15 New  Zealanders
from the “Minnewaska” also. 

Mudros
JUNE 1915
11 FRIDAY 
Uneventful
Mudros
1915 JUNE
12 SATURDAY
I am O. Sgt. today. The
Sergts’  had a meeting
tonight to decide whether
they would run a canteen .
Allan & I strongly opposed
it but we add little
support. 

Mudros
JUNE 1915
13 SUNDAY
I am O.Sgt  today
arrangements  to wire made
for a church parade
this evening but it was
cancelled when word
came to say that 200
patients would arrive at
8 p.m. Gar & I shifted
into the Pack Store. The
patients did not arrive
today.
Mudros
1915 JUNE
14 MONDAY  
About 30 slightly wounded
men arrived this morning
& another batch this
afternoon. We have been
kept fairly busy taking
in kits. Capt Clarke is
our head here & I am not
sorry to be out of the W.Os
clutches again. 

Mudros
JUNE 1915
15 TUESDAY  
More patients were brought
ashore this morning. We
took in about 70 more
kits. It has been very
windy since we came
ashore. We have taken
in 140 kits now. There
are over 200 patients in
the hospital.
Mudros
1915 JUNE
16 WEDNESDAY                         
A lot more patients arrived
today. This brought the
number of kits in store
up to 212 & the number
of of men in hospital up
to xxx 390.