Diary of Samuel Hedley Hemming Hawkins, 1914-1916 - Part 1

Private Sam Hawkins

Nov^r 1914

from "Hedley"
 

Memoranda

Dec 25 Grand Concert at
night. Pass through G Aust
Bight, Weather very calm
Dec 26 Boxing Day
Little drill. Concert at night
Dec 27. Sunday Christmas
service.
We sight two of our troopships
Dec 28. On reaching deck see
that we are in a watery
harbour surrounded by little
hills with deep valleys between
numerous inlets into the land
all adding to the beauty of the
place. Albany
Semaphore Drill & dancing
concert at night.
Every night there were 10 troop
ships in docks guarded by
[[?]]

1914
Memoranda of things lent, &c.
Date.  Article.  To whom lent. Returned
15/- due Gordon & Gotch

Self Educator

————— 
Dec 29 No drill. No of
persons with sickness sent
ashore chiefly measels
4 more troopships arrive
Dec 30 Drill
Dec 31 We leave Albany
at 6.30 am. Boats run
in three lines. Our boat
leads the third line.
We leave Aust Waters & there
is a consequent reduction
in prices. Viz tobacco
from 1/- to 6^d.
Night very gay. Lights
out sounded at 12.30.
At 12 p.m. the old year was
bidden goodbye by the
fire bell. Goodbye to the old
year.

Personal Reminders.

NO OF BANK BOOK 64442          

" " WATCH Init SHHH
Watch no 10025: Scratch
"  "  BICYCLE  Watch 95993
"  "  STORES TICKET
"  "  SEASON   "
"  "  TELEPHONE
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS

SIZE IN BOOTS 8.5 GLOVES
COLLARS 14 HATS 6¾
WEIGHT 9st. 5 HEIGHT 5.9
 

INSURANCE
ACCIDENT
BURGLARY
FIRE

LIFE Aust Mut. Provident Society
SERVANTS
OWNER'S NAME AND ADDRESS
Sam Hawkins
Dickson St Eagle Junction
Nr. Brisbane Queensland Aust

1 January 1915
FRIDAY
Troops were all allowed to
stay up & welcome new
year. Cigarettes were
served out to us for first
time.
At 11 a.m. the 13,000 men on
Ships were all standing to
attention whilst one of their
comrades was committed
to the deep. This is the first
death & it caused a great
deal of sorrow.
Physical Drill.
———————————   

1916
Excellent N.Y. Dinner.
No parades
 

1915  January 2
SATURDAY
Drill.
Lights ordered to be masked
at night. - to end
of journey.
———————————    

1916
Still in hospital Conv 

3 January 1915
SUNDAY
2 AFTER CHRISTMAS
Church Service Morn.
Vaccination in afternoon 
by ships doctor.
——————————— 

1916
Take leave with G Rich, E
Lawson & [[?]] Sewell who visit
me. Go to Abbyssia &
meet N. Watson, M Laylor,
B. Law, C Swan, B Wilkins
& others. After a real good
time turn in with E. Lawson
 

1915   January 4
MONDAY
Start on New Drill Book (1914)
Great drawback to us in
changing Manual.
Physicial Drill.
Alice commences at Post Office
———————————   
1916
Go to Giza. Meet George Do all
round Cairo. Draw £20 on
London. Have good blow
out & turn in with
George 

5 January 1915
TUESDAY
Signalling & Physicial
Drill.
Good boxing at night

———————————   
1916
Return Hospital.

Put in hospital
Neurasthenia, Tachycardia,
G Weakness Dysentery,
Shellshock

1915  January 6
WEDNESDAY
Signalling & Physicial
Drill.
Boxing at night
Owing to bad outbreaks
of Cholic all troops were
ordered to wear
Cholera belts

———————————
1916
Hospital

7 January  1915
THURSDAY
Drill
About 2. Pm. fog comes
over & hides other Ships
from view. Fog followed
by heavy rain.
———————————
1916

Hosp

1915  January 8
FRIDAY
Guard "B" Company.
My position on "Isolation
Hospital"
————
Heavy Rains for weeks at
night

 —————
Guard on ship is very
tiresome as the sentry is
compelled to take up &
guard the one position
from which he must not
move until relieved.

———————————
1916
Hosp

9 January  1915
SATURDAY
Holiday to get over Guard.
Concert at night.

1916
Hosp
 

1915  January 10
SUNDAY
1 AFTER EPIPHANY
In Hospital with Influenza
Hospital proves a
very good place for
rest. Is very airy which
pr is a great contrast
to foul air on deck in
troop deck

1916
Hosp

11 January 1915
MONDAY
Hospital, feeling much
better. —
Heavy rains.
Today we passed the
line & entered the
tropics.

1916
Hosp
Get up & go to Cairo
Discharge.
 

1915 January 12
TUESDAY
Hospital; feeling welll.
The three 'White Star'
Troopships make for Aden.
Other 13 ships make for
Colombo on account
of shortage of coal:
—
Heavy rains at night.

1916

13 January  1915
WEDNESDAY
Discharged from
Hospital.
No drill because of sickness
caused by vaccination.
Glad to say my vacc.
did not take.
 

1915  January 14
THURSDAY
Lectures by Officer.
Inoculation in afternoon.
We sight land about
noon It was an island
belonging to the La Maldive
Group. It looked
very pretty and was
a real Gem in the ocean
The sight of the island
puts fresh hope into
the men.
A no of sailing craft
greeted us. They were
manned by natives &
had very peculiar xxxx
xxx sails.
Island called Minikoy