Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1917 (Vol. 1) - Part 1

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Diary of Lieut L.R. Turner
28^th Regts. F.A. A.IF.
9/11/17. We have embarked at last.
After months of weary waiting and
no small amount of disappointments
we learnt defnutely that we would
set out for pastures new on the
A 15 known in civilian days as
the "Port Sydney". When I marched
up the gangway of the Transport
I had something of the same feeling     
as I had when I walked into the
Town Hall Recruiting Depôt to enlist
tho' this time I imagined I was
much more like a soldier. My
first experience of troop deck
wasn't a very pleasant one and
I wondered how the men would
get along eating and sleeping
on the same deck under the
conditions as I imagined they 

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would be like after we got
on our way. Still they're Soldiers
and will have to put up with
it. It was a fraud farewell
and most of us were glad
when it was over. I was soon
to discover that the troubles of
an officer and particularly those
of an O.C. unit were only about
to commence. We had no sooner
left the Pier when Orders came
thro. that the men had to receive
their pay for the last two days
in Camp. Then stores had to
be drawn and a hundred and
one things done to get the men
fired up for the trip.. In the
midst of it all I thought of
my papers and set off to my
Cabin to see that they were
safe. They weren't there nor
could I find them anywhere 

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I set all manner of NCO's on
the task of looking for them while
I went on with pay. Ultimately
everything for the time being was
completed and I was able to turn
my attention to the lost papers..
I reported the mishap to the O.C.
Troops who told me quite Cheerfully
that unless they were found in
half an hour the 28^th would be
put off at Queenscliff. Imagine
the state of my mind. I saw
an excellent chance of being
cashiered for something entirely
the fault of the Embarkation
staff at Maribyrnong. They
were discovered at last however
amongst the papers of another
unit and I breathed freely once
more.. I had letters and telegrams
to read but they had to wait
until we cleared the Heads 

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Anything might have happened
on our way down the Bay but
there was no time to think about
it in fact it was nearly 6
oclock before I realised I'd had
no dinner. I made up for that at
Mess we sat down to that just
after leaving the Heads. I had
never been Outside before and
looked on the next few days with
some amount of apprehension.
After mess the C.O. Troops
summoned a Conference of officers
to arrange details for the next day
our first day at sea and after
that we disappeared into our
Cabins to have the first good
sleep for some days.
10/11/17. Reveille at 5.30 and as
I anticipated I heard it. First
Parade was 6.30 by which 

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time all hammocks have to be
stowed away and the decks cleared
for parade. At 7 we repaired
to our private parade decks
for physical jerks. There isn't
much room to carry out anything
of a violent nature so we
just had to do the best we could.
There was no weekend leave
to look forward to most of us
thought seriously of spending it
as out patients of the Ship's
Hospital. We passed Cape Nelson
at 9 A.m. the last opportunity
we had of saying goodbye to
Victoria. Later on in the morning
we passed two Whales certainly
of interest to me for I had never
seen one before. We weren't
destined to see any more
of land for we struck out
straight for Cape Leeuwin. 

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Nothing of interest occurred
during the day except cases of
sea sickness. I was inhuman
enough to laugh heartily at
some so anxious were they to
reach the upper deck and
a gunner naively reminded me
that "everything comes to those
who wait".  At the end of the
day I had not missed a meal.
11/11/17.. I woke up this morning
wondering just where I was. and
then it dawned on me that it
was Sunday. Our first Sunday
at sea and I suppose Church
Parade.. I was down for duty
too as officer of the Guard
which meant remaining on
duty for at least four hours
during the night. Church
service was held at 10. We 

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crowded the men on the Promenade
deck Col. Holden of Wesleyan
fame officiated assisted by a
parson of my own faith and
a fine Chap too. It was a
grand sight and and very
inspiring to see and listen to
the thousand odd voices. I was
rather amused at one of our
fellows. He managed to get on
deck Somehow and just before
the Service Commenced pointed
out to me with some dismay
that the was of the Roman Catholic
Faith and asked what he had
better do. I told him to get
down the Companion Way three
steps at a time else he'd be
converted. He disappeared.
In the afternoon we had the
men allotted to their respective
boat stations. It sounded realistic 

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and I felt sure Id dream of
submarines. After they were allotted
the alarm sounded and all
got to their places in 5 minutes
except one or two officers: I
tossed with Lipscombe whether
he or I should take the 1 - 5
Am. shift and as usual I
lost. So in view of that I
repaired to bed at 8 feeling
very seedy, perhaps worse than
any time before. Everybody else
except poor little Jones was
well.
12/11/17. My day commenced
at 1 A.m. I had to turn out
very reluctantly to be sure
and do my rounds of the
Guard. I didnt relish the idea
of walking the troop deck
from end to end in my then 

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condition but it had to be done
By the way I dreamt of submarines
I don't know when I appreciated
a period of time less. than I
did those early morning hours
It was rough perhaps the worst
we had had and my head
and abdomen were very much
disturbed. I spend some of the
time on the bridge with the Second
Officer amongst other things
discovering we were 360 miles
from land just about opposite
Eucla the boundary between
South & West Australia and then
I thought of submarines and
open boats. I carried the privilege
of remaining in bed until it
was time to get up for breakfast
and I wanted it badly. While
I was asleep I was told
afterwards we passed a Whale