Diary of Samuel Hedley Hemming Hawkins, 1914-1916 - Part 2

15 January 1915
FRIDAY
Physicial Exercise.
& Lectures.
 

1915 January 16
SATURDAY
Physicial Exercise &
Lectures.

17 January 1915
SUNDAY
2 AFTER EPIPHANY
Church Parade.
Heavy Rains.
Clara dead 5 years
 

1915 January 18 
MONDAY
Fatigue Work.
Sweeping Decks.

Sighted land about
10a.m. which proved
to be mainland Socotra
Guardafui Cape.
Very mountainous
in places reaching the
clouds. Very pretty &
pleasing to all on
board.

Land visible till
nightfall.

Had a very exciting
chase after what proved
to be a trading vessel.
It at first looked suspicious 
and we put on full
speed (18 knots) until we
caught her & ascertained that
all was well.

19 January 1915
TUESDAY
Land disappears during
night.

Lecture by Sarg. Colquhoun 
on Skermishing.
which was suddenly
interrupted by a fire
alarm.  All troops took
their place on deck, but
and hoses were turned on
but there was no fire.

When the fire alarm is sounded
all troops take their place on
deck & at once take boots
off.  All soldiers then put on their
life belts.  Anything which will
float should be cut loose
from deck.  Strict silence
must must be maintained

Are forced to leave at night.
Three auxiliary Cruisers in G.
Three [[?]] are in Gulf.
Other [[?]] arrive at night 
 

1915 January 20
WEDNESDAY
Letters to all at home posted
Aden.
Sight land at early morn
which later disappears.
Arrive Aden today.
Very pretty with its
irregular peaks rising
from sea:  The hills
make a natural fortification. 
There are numerous 
barricks & military
blgs. Wind pipes can be
seen leading to underground 
cannon etc
Small township near forts
looks very pretty
Like at Henley hundreds of
ships come alongside.
selling tobacco, fruit (oranges
appels watermellons).
They are very dark race.
<—

21 January 1915
THURSDAY
First death on our boat.
Man in West Australian
dies of pneumonia.
Military Funeral
Man's Company & Q’land
Band.
Physical Drill &
Semaphore
1916
Leave Suez
 

1915 January 22
FRIDAY
Moved from Inner
harbour to Outer.
Physicial Drill.

23 January 1915 
SATURDAY
Other 13 transports arrive
from Aden.
The whole 16 ships leave
Aden about 6-oclock
P.M.
Second dose of 10 grams
for Inoculation. This
completes the Innoculation.
Arms rather sore

Received first mail
today.  Lets from Father
written Dec 19 & 21^st 1914

Physicial Drill

Concert by D.a.p. 

1915 January 24
SUNDAY
3 AFTER EPIPHANY
On Guard at Hospital
Passed many steamers
in Red Sea.  Also many
rocky groups of Islands
at entrance to Red Sea. 

Received news of naval
engagement in North
Sea by wireless.
German Cruiser Bluche
sunk & two seriously
damaged

25 January 1915
MONDAY
Holiday after Guard 

1915 January 26
TUESDAY
Lectures. Prepare to
disembark.

27 January 1915
WEDNESDAY
Lectures. Enter P. of
Aden Suez. Ceramic on
account of her size
has to stay in rear of
troopships to prepare for going through
Canal.
Much Land is seen & -
a good number of Light
houses.

1915 January 28 
THURSDAY
Enter Suez. Natives here
are much better class
than those at Aden.
Ships are made bullet proof
because of much damage
being done by snipers
along Suez Canal.
Lectures
 

29 January 1915
FRIDAY
Left Suez at 10 a.m. at
head of our division.
Large numbers of troops
in Suez.  As we move
out the whole of town
becomes exposed which
together with much greenery
is very pretty.

Sight two or three gun boats.
& cruisers

Enter canal.  In the
distance on port side
could be seen one or
two beautiful oases

Canal is too strongly
entrenched & fortified
to be taken by any
body adv. over desert
 

1915 January 30
SATURDAY
Left first lake about
8 a.m. Pass Ismalia
& Kanhara. At Kanhara
there had been skirmishes
with the Turks.  Arrive
Port Said 5.P.M.  Town
looks very unhealthy on
acc of narrow streets but
has some good buildings.
Suez Canal guarded
for 76 miles from Suez
after which there is
no use for guard as
troops could not move
over boggy ground
Thousands of Gurkhas, Shieks, New 
Zealanders are all in Fine trenches
along the banks.

Fatigue Work

31 January 1915
SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY
Move out of Port Said 8 a.m.
& Anchor out of Port on account
of several members trying
to swim ashore.  One man
was brought aboard
senseless on account of
being drugged.

Church Parade.

Leave Port Said about 5 P.M.
and arrive a
 

1915 February 1 
MONDAY
Arrive Alexandria 7 A.M.
Town very pretty from Sea
Things here are very brisk &
numerous boats are in the
harbour.
Running out from either side
of harb are two great breakwa
waters leaving only a
narrow entrance. There
are many artificial docks.

Very cold at night

Write Home letts to All

2 February 1915
TUESDAY
Lay in Aden Alexandria for day on acc
of few trains leaving for
Cairo. Niggers do very good
trade with soldiers.
Natives here are of a very low
& dirty type -, being a
bastard type of Egyptian
but the real Egyptian
of whom very few are to
be seen is generally clean
& very intellectual.
 

1915 February 3
WEDNESDAY
Leave boat about 1 oclock
p.m for train. We travel
in third class carriages,
Country well irrigated
& all along railway are
beautiful farms. This
is why the farming class
are so grateful to Britain
Arrive Cairo (Heliopolis) 10 o'clock P.M.
& march to camp. We
slept anywhere at night
& to our great surprise the
night was colder than
Queensland winter night.
All very glad to see morning.

Mothers Birthday
Age:- LIV.