Diary of Herbert Vincent Reynolds, 1914-1915 (second diary) - Part 1

December 1914
Tuesd 2^nd As a result of the rains
during the last few days, our last the camp

did not present a very pleasing sight so we made 
had become one mas of mud & 

preparations to leave on active service.
dust. The showers which fell

this morning did not tend to 
improve matters nevertheless they
did not affect the good spirits

which prevailed in camp at the 

knowledge of our departure.

Camp routine had become rather

monotonous during the past few

weeks, & so & it was with keen eagerness that we said good bye to
Broadmeadows camp at 10am, &
marched across the slippery fields of

mud to the ^Broadmeadows station where we

entrained, thoughts too of flights, &

many ^no doubt wondered where ^what this big

venture would end,  would have in store for them, but what ever

22^nd 
 events may be ahead will not prove to be
insurmountable through want  of 

trying, for a general feeling of

satisfaction prevails at knowing that
we are at last actually on our way

to take an active part in operations

as representatives of the Dominion of 

the Empire.
    On leaving The train which conveyed

us right on to the railway pier at 

Port Melbourne, alongside of which were

berthed the troopships "Ceramic" &

"Berrima" we embarked upon the

latter about noon & imediately after having a

good look over ^our quarter of the boat, decided 

that it could do us a fright for a

which for all appearances seems to be fairly comfortable &

xxxx  we should enjoy a pleasant voyage over to our uncertain

destination.

The cargo having been shipped earlier

December

22^nd it was not long before we were ready to

leave. At about 3.30pm the barriers

at the pier entrance were removed

& the crowd which had assembled

to witness our departure, came

surging along the pier, cheering &

wishing us a pleasant voyage & all

the luck imaginable.

The scene as we moved away

from the pier at 4pm will always ever

be remembered by ev all us on board

Paper ribbons were very much in
evidence & amid rousing cheers
these ^last frail links with our good old 
Victoria homeland gave way one by one, as

we slowly pulled away from the pier & then

we steamed off to an anchorage

down the bay. After the excitement of
leaving camp & the rousing

send off xxxx offered for

serious thought & no doubt had abated
Wed 23^rd

We found our sleeping quarters

rather limited, so my mate & I

23^rd

spent our first night on board in

one of the life boats, it proved to
be nice & fresh, we spent a very

comfortable night & was awakened at

about 4.30am by the vibration of the 

engines, as the ship got under way.

At 7am we passed Queenscliffe & a

little latter slowly steamed through Port

Philip Heads, the sea was beautifully

calm with hardly a ripple disturbing

the oily looking surface, a light
shower fell just outside the heads.  
The submarine AE2 was waiting
on us outside Port Philip Heads, we
stopped & after a space of ½ an hour
steamed off for Albany with the submarine in tow.  
Thurs 24^th The submarine broke loose twice today

& we had to stop & pick her up

December

 a again. We are getting accustomed to

life on board now & are having a fairly

decent time, the food is pretty good, there

are 18 men in each mess, each one has

agreed to contribute 1/- a week to

two mess orderlies whose duty it is to

draw rations, & do the washing up etc.

We have three parades a day, the first at

7.30am before breakfast a for physical

jerks exercises the others morning & afternoon

are mostly taken up with lectures etc.

There is a piano lashed to the walls

on the promenade deck & we generally

manage to arrange some sort of concert

during the evenings.

Frid 25^th Xmas Day.

Church parade was held this morning

at 10am on the aft well deck, otherwise

there was nothing in the way of 

celebration to mark the day, which

December

25^th passed very quietly. The pudding

could hardly be termed special, unless
it was specially solid, most of it

found its way overboard, so for once

we did not appreciate our Xmas pudding

During the day another steam boat has

been visible on the horizon away to

port steaming in the same direction

as us.

Sat 26^th Boxing Day

Like yesterday we have had the day

free from parades, things are extremely

quiet on board, the weather is keeping

splendid & the sea is very calm.

Most of us were vacinated today

the doctors have had a busy time as

there is nearly 1100 men on board

Sund 27^th Church parade at 10am, all ranks

are ranged up on the aft well deck

& the chaplain conducts the parade service from

the huricane deck The ships piano is

brought into comision to accompany the

singing of the hymns.
Mond 28^th. After a decidedly calm & steady trip

across the bight we arrived at Albany

this morning at 7am, six other troopships 
were already in the harbour, one

the A41 (a german prize) has a fire on

board, having put into harbour with

it, though pretty well under control. She

is being unloaded at the wharf.

     We anchored for a few hours in the

large harbour, them moved on into the

small inner harbour, where we could

get a good, though by no means near

view of the town. Albany viewed

from the harbour is a very pretty looking

place, the town nestles in a hollow

of the hills & the low scrub which

December
covers them gives effect to the scene.

We are not being allowed any leave 

here, and are waiting now for the

remainder of the fleet, several of

the boats arrived after us & are

anchored not far away.

Tuesd 29^th A short distance from us is

anchored a NZ troop ship, & the

troops off her went ashore for a

march this morning. I was detailed

for duty on the guard today. Sentries

are posted on different parts of the

ship in case of fire etc, & have two

hours on post & four off for the 24 hours.
Wed 30^th Our stay in harbour is inclined
to become monotonous, as we are not

allowed leave, we are hoping our stay

here will not last much longer. Things

are extremely quiet on board.

Thurs 31^st At 8am this morning we weighed anchor

& one by one the boats steamed out of the

harbour, the fleet consists of 17 vessels,

three "White Star" liners "Ceramic", "Seavic"

& "Persic", two P&O boats "Berrima" &

"Borda" & the "Ayreshire" "Port Macquarie"

"Westralia" "Themistocles" "Ulysses" "Ascanius" 

two captured german boats & three

N.Z. troopships. We watched them

all leave them then with the submarine in

tow got under way & steamed through

the chanell between the reef & the main

land, thus coming up level with the

foremost boats as they headed for the

open sea after passing round the reef, 

it was not very long before the coast

line was gradually disappearing from view
below the horizon, we watched it disappear
with very mixed feelings & thoughts of

what this venture had in store for us

& what the coming year will bring forth.

We have bade "Good bye" to our homeland

with the closing of the year, no doubt to 

many it will be a last "Good bye" but

what ever the fates decree, & if any return

it will be to enjoy the liberties & freedom

of our ^own land in ^full security.

January 1915
Frid 1^st. New Years Day. The new year

finds us setting off upon a great

undertaking, for different to what many

of us have ever before tackled but

however great the difficulties might be

they will be cheerfully met, & ^we hope successfully

overcome. The spirit of revelry was

very much in evidence in the sleeping

quarters last night, it appeared as at first

though that things were going to be quiet, &

the night pass without much amusement

& the usual New Years larks amongst

troops, a good number set about getting
into their hammocks in the usual way

swung from the hammock hooks, but a few
shrewd heads looked upon that as bad

policy & made up their bunks on the 

deck where they felt more secure, however

they came in for their share in the 

performance early as parties out for
fun, seeing them in in^nocent slumber
hauled them round the deck untill
they woke, to find their blankets etc

& themselves widely separated. Others
who got to sleep in their swinging
hammocks woke up with a start, as
they suddenly came in contact with the

deck or a mess table beneath, this sort 

of thing continued until the early

January

hours of this morning much to the

disgust of those who do not appreciate

a joke & who preferred to spend the last

few hours of the old year in peaceful

slumbers, but they had absolutely no

hope of doing so while the majority

of us felt inclined to enjoy ourselves

perhaps at their expence. Few of us

will ever forget altogether New Years Eve

on board H M S Berrima in the 

Indian ocean, it will always be

accompanied with pleasant memories

as almost everyone enjoyed themselves

thoroughly, & in doing so seen the

year of 1914 come to a close.

This afternoon was devoted to sports
which created a great deal of amusement.

Another troop ship the "Adjana" joined

the fleet this afternoon, as far as we 

know there is no naval escort with 

us, there has been no sign of any.

The fleet is travelling in three lines 

& presents a fine spectacle steaming at

about 10 knots.

Sat 2^nd. The submarine broke loose again today

& is following us up under her own

power. Things extremely quiet.

Sund 3^rd. Church parade at 10am. Stopped to

get the submarine in tow again.

Tues 5^th The "Ayreshire" gradually dropped back

today being unable to maintain the

usual speed her engines being defective.

Our speed is about the usual 10 knots.

The submarine broke loose again & got

her engines to work. Pay day. We have

a canteen on board, there is a fairly

good variety of articles on sale but

there are some fancy prices for them.

January 1915

Wed 6^th Stopped & got the submarine in tow

again this morning. A short length

of heavy chain has been fastened to

the nose of the submarine & the

tow cable attached to that to prevent

the nose of the sub sawing the

cable & cutting it through.

The Cocos Islands were passed today

but we did not get within sight of them,
it was there that the Sydney on Nov 10^th

1914 put an end to the raiding cruiser
Emden.
Frid 8^th. Have an attack of tonsilitis & have

to spend a few days in the ships

hospital, any how it is a deal more

comfortable than sleeping in a bunk

than in a hammock so I don't
mind that part of the business.

Sat 9^th Encountered a heavy rain storm

during the night, the sea us keeping 

remarkably calm. Everything is very

comfortable in this place, it was 

originally the 1^st class smoking

salloon, it contains about 40 beds

Feeling much better getting plenty of

attention.

Sund 10^th Church parade. Returned to my

quarters this morning. Feeling pretty

right. Crossed the line today, the 

ceremony will be carried out tomorrow.

A service was held on the promenade

reef at 8pm, we are not short of parsons
there are four on board.
Mond 11^th Para-Typhoid inoculation was the

item of interest this morning, & the doctors

spent a very busy few hours with the 
needle & serum. The ceremony of

crossing the line created a great