Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1917 (Vol. 1) - Part 4

30
We had two trial pulls for we
Tug O'War. In the midst of one
the alarm sounded We are all
getting fairly expert now in
getting to our stations but its
impossible to eliminate the
idea that we're only practising
Possibly they may have an
opportunity of realising the
seriousness of it before we
Get much further. In that Case
"Goodbye" my diary. We listened
to a very interesting lecture
On the promenade deck this
evening by the S.M.O. I must
Confess I did fall asleep once
and to show my interest in
the lecture I asked a Question
about Germs. Why they Should
be uppermost in my mind
at the time I know not because
the S.M.O. was taking about
 

31
 

something else I had the Cabin
to myself again tonight What
the morning will reveal I
cannot say tho if looks like
rain again tonight
22/11/17. I beat reveille this
morning because I wanted to
Gather evidence on the Troop
deck for the issuing of orders
relating to hammocks. Hammocks
are supposed to be put away
by 10 to 16 but even up to 29
past 6 -  a minute before parade
some fellows. sleep. I had the 
satisfaction of tumbling
dozens out who here looking
for a much longer sleep and
now I have Orders out to
effect the same Result thro the
medicine of N.C.O.'s. Quite early
the sun was hot and the
 

32
humidity painful but with
plenty to do one hasnt an
opportunity of thinking about it
It was pay day for our fellows
and we had every cent spent
within half an hour good
record. The men only get 1/
a day and pay is very ten
days to facilitate the disposal
of 10/- notes. I expect most of
them will be ruthlessly spent
at Colombo:
During the afternoon we had
a series of sports including a
tug o'War  between Victoria and
Queensland best out of three
After a grand tussle the
Queenslanders won, tho obviously
they had the best end settled
by a toss of the Coin. Boxing
was included and four
bouts were disposed of. The
 

33
boxing isn't of a very high order
tho' creates probably the best
draw: We indulged in letter
writing during the evening
intermingled with censoring
Some were too tired for either
and just lounged on the promenade
deck. I've written 20  letters To
date and weve still until
Sunday 5 P.M. . before our
post closes. A great privilege so
it happens tho'  our letters are
immune from the Censors'
wandering gaze. There are Still
two boxes to do but we hope
with the help of Providence to
finish them all by the Time
we reach Colombo.
23/1/17 Another week and
here still surrounded by Water
Another week and we'll be
 

34
well on our way to Aden.
I wondered when I woke up.
this morning just whether it
was only a fortnight ago since
we moved out of Maribyrnong
to me it seems like Several
weeks. Will I ever forget the
9th November in a hurry.
We moved to a new parade
deck this morning still on
The promenade but on the
port side. The first thing to
be done was a medical exam
for all hands except the officers
after which I talked on
supply and transport for an
hour. Then I received some
interesting news A Court martial
was to be held on board
and I was entrusted with
the duty of prosecuting Rather 
a distasteful job under Some
 

35
circumstances but not in this
OBryan has been retained
for the defence and its Creating
no small stir amongst  the
officers. The Court Martial is
to sit on Sunday afternoon -
the military Knows no Sabbath -
and just like my luck when
I wanted  to see the approach
to Colombo. Besides it entails
a huge amount of preparation
We drew lots tonight to decide
who was to remain onboard
while we were at Colombo and
strange I was one of the
fortunate ones. I shall enjoy
the short respite on land
nevertheless.
2/4/17. We are very much closer
to the "line" but it isnt so
hot as it has been owing to
 

36
the head wind blowing. We
expect to reach the said "Line"
about 6 P.M. tho our frivolities
will be long over by that time
We will then be about 400
miles from Colombo. Where
we are in for a route march
- so rumour hath it - and
if possible a better trip into
the Interior. There were so
many letters left to Censor
that all hands were put on
them the men being left to
Thee tender mercies of N.C.O.'s
The Co has Conceived the
idea that physical Exercises
will be good for us so we
have agreed to fall in at
7.45 each morning and
be hosed the thereafter. We
passed this the ordeal Successfully
his morning. The "Crossing
  

37

the Line" events were a great
success and Created much
amusement until it appeared
that all and sundry would
be tossed into the bath and
then the C.O.. put a stop to the
proceedings by  Sounding the
Boat Alarm. It took Some
time for all hands to realise it
was a pressure alarm so
interested was everybody in
seeing that everybody passed into
the bath. I'm on Guard duty
tonight 9 to 1 Am. at which
time I will consider my day
completed.
20/11/17 Another Sunday at Sea
and 300 mies nearer our
first port of Call- Colombo.
Its truly marvelous how
Keenly expectant everybody is
and I for one am very anxious
 

38
to reach our first Stopping place
a church Service the usual
one was held at 10 Col. Holden
again officiating and this time
the pulpit was on the Captains
Bridge and the men stacked on
the promenade deck. There wasnt
much rest for us in the afternoon
for we had to arrange our details
for the sojourn at Colombo and
some of the men wanted to draw
portion of the money they had
entrusted to the adjutants safe
so there was no time to sleep
Which I found I really wanted
after the night on guard. I
finished writing my last
letter at Colombo the next
will have to be posted in Egypt.
This evening We had rather a
fine lecture from Hampson
formerly MH.R. for Bendigo and
 

138
now a private in the Railway
Unit on his travels whilst a
member of the Parliamentary party
which attended the Imperial
Congress about two years ago.
While I was going to bed my
cabin mates would talk about
mines just because we were
in the danger zone and I imagined
myself dreaming of them
To make matters worse they would
insist on taking all their Spare
cash so bed with them.
26/11/17 At exactly 3 o clock
This morning I was rudely awakened
by several fellows outside
my cabin door gestulating wildy
owing to the fact that we were
in sight of land. Ceylon at
last I thought and then
growled inwardly at being