Diary for Wilfred Emmott Addison, 1915 - Part 1

At Sea (Indian Ocean)

4th July 1915.

Dear Mother,

I will write every Sunday in this

book as a sort of diary. We are now somewhere in

the middle of the Indian Ocean. We have had such bad

weather the boat has lost two days in its journey

already through head winds. To-day is the first

nice day we've had since leaving, the sun shining

warmly. The boat is rolling a lot, owing to as a 

tremendous swell spray getting it on the port side but there

are no seas or spray breaking over like w have had

for the last eight days. Well I can't say I care for the

[[?]] much, I am evidently not a sailor born. I haven't

had a really good day yet, I have felt very sick

all the time & will be glad when we get to our destination 

whereon that is. We think its Cairo, judging by the

course. We have only sighted one ship since leaving

Australia & that was the same day, a P.O. boat, I think,

as I think we are off the usual track. The temperature

is gradually rising. The Chief Engineer told me ^that for

continuous bad weather it is the worst trip he has had

for ten years. He also told some very interesting facts

about the War which he knows personally. You will

be surprised at certain affairs ^which have happened ^which we know

nothing of. We ^(the officers) gave a concert to the officers of the ship

two nights ago. They got me to sing. I had a go at

"Where the Caravan has Rested:: Capt Walden & I distributed

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some of the Comforts Fund on Friday; writing material,

shaving soap & cards, which they require these things

badly. A lot of the Officers have been sick.

Roberts is pretty sick. Robinson & Dunlop & Capt

Therbon have been very off, some of them even in the Hospital

the platoon is alright, considering. Only one

man went into Hospital, with a bad

cold. A few were ^seasick wi & a few have bad

colds. (I hope you can read this). I have

seen the most beautiful rainbows, they seem

to come right along the water to your feet. It is

very interesting to watch a squall strike the boat.

You can see it coming along the water. I was

ill in bed this morning. Thinking of you all

while church service was going on. I could hear

them singing all the old hymns. I was wondering 

what I will be doing to-day, if I was at

home & what you are all doing. After putting

d off our Mails at Pt. Phillip Heads on

Sunday 27^th June we didn't sight land again

until 1^st July, when we got our last farewell

look at Australia. We are a good way out but

I heard it was Albany, W.A. After turning 

the corner of Cape Leuwin, we got it strong. As

I write this letter now at about 3 o'clock, the 

sea seems to be getting heavier. This is a 

fine boat & it takes as xx big sea to move her

3

but the last three days, every now & again

she would give a tremendous lurch, coupled

with the sound of crockery breaking or a

crash from some part of the ship. Our

band & the 19^th take it /  in turns to play at

our Mess. We always welcome our own Band

as it s easily the best. They even rise to

"Dreaming", that beautiful Salon waltz

As I sit here, there are gramophones going

one of the bands playing., singing etc -

This morning, I heard a chap In the Laymens

Mess, I think, playing the piano beautifully

everything you could imagine, from the 

Boheme, Butterfly to Gipsy Lane & rag

time. I had the clippers over my head to-day.

I look like a convict. The food here

is excellent. I will send you the Menus.

We have to bath in sea - washing hot or cold.

We are looked after splendidly. Only somehow

that deadly sick feeling puts me off everything.

Young Atkinson & Ross sit at 

my table at Mess. My platoon is in ^down a

hatch forward, so every wave which comes

over they get the full benefit. Its lonely

work, going to them, especially in bad weather

They are all happy & there is a magnificent spirit

among the men. They'll face anything, I am sure

4

The Chief Engineer tells me ^that there was an action

fought in the North Sea & there is no blockade

of Germany at all. We want them out but they

won't come. I heard also that there are dummy

warships in our Navy to represent the big boats,

you can't beat the Navy (I hope this passes)

Major M^cPherson is the Censor. Honest not

a word. They don't read one letter, I don't thin

(the officers I mean) We have had on Active 

Service text books issued to us. There have been

some remarkable changes in the present war

I hope you got my little momentoes alright

(also the 10/- a day) & the £5 I sent you

at Port Phillip. I am afraid you will have

to pay the postage on my letter but they won't 

charge you any excess. Thank Mrs Rogers

for her little present. The funniest thing

here is having to put our watches back

so many minutes each day, generally

about 26. Had to get vaccinated again

on Friday, worse luck. Tobacco is very cheap

on board, altho' I haven't been able to

smoke drink is also much cheaper &

better outside Australia. Of course the bar

has been shut here. You should have seen

the rush for glasses when the Austl'n

Coast came into view on the 1^st for the last

5

time, perhaps. I stayed gazing till it

got too dark to see any more, & it was

out of sight the next morning. I have

bought a few nice little things, letter case 
(pocket) match box, cigarette case on board here

as momentoes.

Sunday 11^th July 1915

Still at sea in the Indian Ocean. Nile seems

as to where we are going. I shall never forget

that first week at sea. I felt very sick

in it but have now quite recovered. It is very

hot to-day, a moist sweltering heat.

Nearly all the officers now sleep on the boat

deck (that is the highest deck, kept exclusively

for us & the Sergeants at one ^the other end.

The cabins are fearfully stuffy. We are all

down to next to nothing on. A lot of the

waggon officers come to mess in White uniforms, 

look very nice too. The 19^th particularly.

Roberts is about again. After [[munition?]]

I felt pretty sick, but it only lasted

a day or so. I witnessed a burial at sea on the

6^th It was very sad & solemn. Three volleys

& the buglers sound The Last Post. They

stopped the engines for ten minutes. Struck

some flying fish for my first time

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on the 7^th. They fly like swallows

just skimming the water & touching

it now & again, sometimes for about 150

yds. You will see a whole shoal of them come

out of the water at once. Very interesting.

On the 8^th the gun crew (4.7 [[?]]) on board fired some

shots at a target. They made a fearful noise

& laid the guns well. Where the shell landed

in the water it made a terrific splash, like

a fountain. I just missed a snapshot of it.

I managed to get on the roof of the bridge (not

a word) (confidential^X) The men are getting

very interested in their work. I have lent

them a lot of my books. They are all well

& keen. We have got a chap named Doyle

now is Lieut. in place of Anderson. He

was a private in my old "G" Coy at Liverpool,

but of course he enlisted to get a

commission & attended No 17 School of

Instruction at Manicholle with me,

& joined the 18^th as a Sergeant again to

get away. On the 9^th was Sub of the Day

& had was taken for down to the engine

room by the Chief Engineer. It was most 

interesting but very hot except their

cooling room, which was so cold that

the whole of the interior was one white mass

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of snow & ice Even the theirmometers

were covered in snow. Zero they mostly

read. Took some photos on board & had

then developed (well done too.) We have

had a couple of concerts on board &

very good too. The band has just struck up

the National Anthem Emblem" On the
10^th it got much calmer & is still so.

Have just found out from the men who are

censoring the letters by the thousand across

the table, that the mail won't close till about

Thursday, so will write another letter then.

Jimmy Moore is writing to you beside me

about Comforts. We must have struck some

phosphorescent wake last night. It was 

just like electric lights in the water where the

boat churned the water up. Attended church 

this morning. Capt. Waldron addressed us 

& he was very good. We had Onward Christ

Soldiers, "Lead K. Light" etc. Its hard

to imagine we are at sea the boat is so

big & is very steady. Am studying

hard. The food is excellent, quality, all

round splendid. In spite of the law forbidding

pets on board, I notice a possum & one

Regt day is not far away, I have heard, 
unofficially.

8

Thursday 18^th July 1915

Gulf of Aden,

I am writing this to-day to catch

a mail which may be put on at Aden

to-morrow. Well we sighted land again

to-day, Cape Guardafui on the African

Coast. We struck a southwest Monsoon

yesterday & we had it very rough all

last night & this morning, but as we

rounded the Cape it got calm & a warm

land breeze blew (you could smell the

land in it) but it is very blowy again

now as we get further into Gulf of Aden.

The African Coast was not visible very long

it means very monotonious Father Neptune

held court on Monday the 12^th (we crossed

the Line on Sunday 11^th at 10.20 pm, when he

came aboard. I missed his kind attention 

through getting sick & having to go to Hospital

for a day or so. However they are going to

hold a Mock Ct Martial to morrow night

to try me about it also a number of soldiers

for other things. It promises to be lively

Some African grasshoppers came aboard

at the sight of land F K Lindener has 

had a bad toe. Roberts is pretty well again

I was very pleased to see the land to-day

9

Red Sea Monday 19^th July 1915

On the 16^th we came up to Aden, or rather the Heads

enclosing Aden. It is the most barren spot I have

ever seen, just bare rock. We circled round, 

signalling all the time & then, having received orders

set sail straight for Suez. Aden, what we could
see of it, is enclosed in a bay & surrounded by high
rocky hills. It is the new Aden I'm desisting. One could

see the Old from outside. The new Aden seems to be a 

cluster of flat roofed houses some with red

tiles even, evidently where the Europeans live.

There was a cruiser north on the horizon patrolling

up & down. Aden looks frightfully hot & feels it

too. Poor Sergt Naban died to-day. I was at N^o

1y School with him. he is only a boy. Poor chap

We saw a few natives in boats at Aden. We passed

through the straits of Bch-el. Mondel passing ^Perim Island into the

Red Sea the same night. I struck a fairly

cool ^head breeze in the Red Sea. This breeze has come

[[hard?]] up to the present & has probably saved a 

lot of lives. The Red Sea has been quite cool in

comparison. But perspire! I never perspired so

much in all my life. It runs off in runs. We

do nothing but drink all day. Generally lime juice

which is put on the able like water. No mails were

put ashore at Aden, worse luck, so all my letters

will go in a bunch. We passed a lot of islands, just

bare rocks, with no vegetation, on the 17^th. In fact

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we haven't seen a tree since leaving Sydney

We keep passing boats all day. They nearly

all dip their flags & signal us war news &

wish us luck. We generally spend our spare time

glued to our glasses. No land in sight up to

present, since leaving Aden (9.30 a.m.) We

pass schools of dolphins who dive out like

porpoises only higher & in line. They held a

Mock Court Martial on Sunday 18^th on me for

not getting ducked by King Neptune, but my 

evidence was too strong really. I should have won but I was

found guilty of being of furious temperament & huge

physique did knock his satellites about & fined

drinks for all the court & ^to be put under the hose at

7 a.m. on the boat deck, the latter portion of this

dreadful sentence was rescinded because my "wife"

was in poor & distressed circumstances. It was 

all very funny & provided amusement. I challenged

all the Court, Lindeman with being a German spy

& major Sampson with having his hair (he's bald) cut

off by some Delilah & so on. There will probably be

a mail going off at Suez to-night & we might

land there. We ought to sight land sometime to-day

in the entrance to Gulf of Suez. There is a good deal

of sickness on board. Nearly every officer has a bark

& some have measles, influenza & all bad throats.

I have taken a number of photos, & hope to send you

prints soon I have made friends with the