Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1919 (Vol. 7) - Part 4

30
17/3/19.  St Patrick's Day tho' few of us
realised it in our joy at commencing
our homeward journey. We spent
the morning mostly discussing the
"Lion" and "Warspite " both of which
were lying alongside and heaving
sighs of great regret at not being
able to go over them and see
what remained of their Battle
Scars. At Noon precisely here to
report we cast off and moved
out into the harbour towed all
the way down by a tug and
threading our way thro' the numerous
buoys. Soon we were in the
Channel and gradually the Coast
of England which all of us
were anxious yet sorry to leave
- because it meant home - receded
from view as we made. the
open sea 5 o'clock was just sounding
as Lands End - Somewhat appropriately
disappeared on the horizon. We
quite expected trouble with the Bay of
Biscay and few of us went to sleep
expecting to pass a peaceful day
on the morrow.

31
18/3/19. Strange to relate the sea was
comparatively calm when we appeared
on deck just as the breakfast gong
was sounding and no one remembered
being pitched out during the night
and no one with few exceptions
complained of sea sickness so there
was hope of coming thro' with
flying colours. By Midday we were
in the very centre of the Bay and
a beautiful blue sky reigned
supreme and how we appreciated
it after so many dark days in
London. There were soon 130
officers aboard mostly Hospital
cases tho' a sprinkling of
Light Horsemen returning from
furlough  and University Cases
and the latter naturally have
fallen in for duty. Bridge mostly
is favored and I even indulged
in a game myself during the
afternoon tho' a complete novice
It was a great day and many
more such will soon put the
Hospital cases into the G.S.
category
 

32
19/3/19.  During the night we had 
passed the "Bay" and by morning
were rushing down the coast of
Spain and Portugal. We were
too far off to see the Coast line
and well imagined to what direction
it lay. We continually passed
other craft going in both directions
and during the afternoon two
destroyers with a submarine
between passed within a mile
of us going 'home'. on the hoop
deck I had run across across three of
our old Bty [[rank]]  two of whom 
had been wounded on the
memorable 8^th August and the third
by a bomb on the equally memorable
24^th. Just as the sun disappeared
we saw the lighthouse off Lisbon
evidence that we were leaving the
miles behind us.
20/3/19 Owing to the danger from mines
we were giving the coast a wide
berth but during the morning were
close enough to see Cape St Vincent
as we made for the Straits of Gibralter
 

33

By 4 in the afternoon over the

Starboard bow was the outline of

the Moroccan coast and our first

glimpse of another continent. As we

came closer by the aid of glasses

could be distinguished the white

Dwellings of Tangier which report

has  made a British possession

as a result of the Peace Conference

and in exchange for Gibralter. Just

as the sun was disappearing below the

horizon there appeared the evolving

light of Gibraltar and regret was there

That we were destined to pass so

historic a place in the darkness

21/3/19.  Placid seas blue skies and

lazy hours had so far characterized 

our trip and now that we were

ploughing our way thro the blue

Mediterranean a continuance of

those conditions could confidently be

expected. That predicted was 

hardly time for the afternoon at 

least for a bit mostly rain began

to fall which had the effect of

keeping us indoors and bridge 

34
scored. By 9 tho it had cleared

and we were able to promenade the

Deck in search of exercise just before

turning in.

21/3/19.  We had so far since passing 

thro the Straits kept in sight of 

the African Coast but merely the 

dim outline could be seen so was

to all intents and purposes of little

interest. The day certainly was

One we would long remember I

Speak of my old friend Punch

and my self for it was just 5 

months ago since we were forced

to take rest from the line and

what was responsible for our

presence on this transport. The

day itself passed without interest 

and we found ourselves speculating

on whether we would call at Port

Said or Alexandria and whether 

we would tranship to another

boat owing to adverse medical

reports that had been sent in

on the suitability of the "Czaritza"

for passing thro' the Tropics but

it is not of sufficient importance

to distract our night's rest
 

  

35

23/3/19.  Our first Sunday on boat 

Under the old conditions we would 

have had a full dress Church parade

but wounded cases are responsible 

for much relaxation and the

service was voluntary and most

of the nurses graced it with their

presence. Just at 12 noon we

came in sight of the Island of

Pantellaria under Italian rule

and long used by them as a 

convict settlement. It was typical

of islands hereabouts hilly and

rugged and on the Northern 

slope could be seen a fair sized

Village with a pretty harbour

nestling below it. We hoped to

pass Malta by day but again

we are unfortunate for it was

quite dark when the lights on the

Island were seen. We were of

course not making a port of

call so we merely Said Farewell

and moved off to our cabins

to enjoy another good nights sleep
 

36
24/3/19 Now that we are well on our

way to the Suez Canal the chief

Subject for discussion is whether we

are to call at Alexandria or Port Said

and whether we are to tranship or

not. No one seems at all certain
about it tho' the Captain assures us 

that he is going on to Sydney Whether

we are to be his cargo is of course

an entirely different matter. The day

was perfect and an indolent

life on the upper deck we were

more immediately concerned with. 

We saw nothing more of land and

for all practical purposes we might

just as well have been out on the

Boundless ocean. Poker, bridge

banker and other money changing

devices rule supreme amongst the 

more courageous but tonight for the

amusement of the nurses Guessing

Competitions were instituted in the

Dining Saloon and it was well on
towards midnight before anyone

deemed it advisable to turn in

25/3/19  A still more perfect day

dawned and for a change I turned

out early to take full advantage of it.

 

37
but one of our medico Colonels - We have

3 in board - was ahead of me so we 

pounded the deck together. It was a day

with a vengeance the sun was a  

trifle warm but we had so gradually 

worked up to it that very few of

us were sunburnt as a result of
a day on deck. No wonder people

flock to the south of Europe for relief

from the cold and fogs of the

North if this is an example

And even in the Red Sea we

don’t expect much worse it

certainly won’t be unbearable as 

at other times of the year. Altho we

were Close onAlexandria by
the time it was "lights out" the Captain
did not alter his course for the Canal

so naturally no instructions to the

Contrary he was going on. We should

reach Port Said sometime in the

afternoon and there leave our fate

as regards transhipping. Personally
no to that We are fairly Comfortable

I should prefer to remain on the 

"Czaritza".

26/3/19.  When we Came on deck there

was nothing to be seen but the blue

Mediterranean and Port Said is
 

38

only an 8 hours run from Alexandria 

But the captain had slowed down

considerably with the result that

It was well on in the afternoon

before we sighted land. Just as it

was dark the lights outside the

Harbour began to twinkle in the

distance and we were rather

distressed it was so dark as we

were unable to see the remains

of the 4 boats that had been Sunk 

by submarines just outside. More-over
the de Lesseps statue we were

all anxious to see but alas! It

appeared to be a difficult matter

to anchor in the canal with the

narrow entrance and immense

amount of shipping about but we

had a Pilot aboard and that

meant every thing. It was a

pleasurable feeling to be reaching

civilisation again and we evinced
great interest in the town and lines

of shipping we had to day a by to

reach our berth at the farthest end

27/3/19.  The Closeness of the atmosphere

all night proclaimed the fact that

we weren't on the move. Still it

was not extraordinarily hot and if
 

39

we were compelled to remain here

for a day or so we wouldn’t mind

A glance round saw the typical

Egypt on all sides Sand for miles

jabbering “Gypos” begging for coins

And cigarettes and the peculiar
feluccas standing well out in

the bay fishing. We were to coal

during the day and the C.O. proposed

to go ashore to ascertain whether 

we were were to tranship or what was

to be done so we contented ourselves

by remaining in blissful ignorance

until he returned. We weren't allowed

to go a shore though the L.H officers

Had to land, much to their regret

They had been on leave in England 

For 75 days and were returning to

their regiments in the desert.

28/3/19  Still another morning at anchor 

And as the day advanced all kinds

Of vague rumours were spread thro’

out the transport as to what should

happen to us and it even got so far

that someone predicted we should 

be taken back to Alexandria and 

transhipped there. What a hopeless

mass of maladministration on