Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1919 (Vol. 7) - Part 5

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on someone's part. Evidently we are

not to go on in this boat but where

our substitute is and who is to

decide on something definite is a

pure matter for conjecture. We remain

on board without tacit permission to

go ashore gazing at Egypt on all sides

of us but casting longing glances in

the direction of the town if only to

wander thro' it and have afternoon

tea or some "refreshment". Late we

learn that the "Dunluce Castle" is to

take us on but no one knows where

she is quite evident a "Mystery Ship"

29/3/19 Still another day on board

still no leave and still no credible

information about our departure

and how. When we arrived the

weather was ideal but today we

notice that the thermometer has gone

up but nothing compared with

what it can reach here. If we were

proceeding and getting the benefit

of what breeze there would be we

would not notice the heat We have a

very pretty plantation surrounding

the Water Storage Depot on our Starboard

and that is rather refreshing to the

aspect on the Port side. Sand as far as

the eye can reach but that's Egypt.

Dissatisfaction is running rather

41

high on the troop decks owing to our

hopeless inaction and delayed permission

to visit the town. The O.C. spoke to the

men and told them just what was the

matter and who was to blame but

it did little good and we heard dark

mutterings of a "mutiny" for the morrow.

30/3/19. Sunday and something to cheer

the heart of the most listless We were

to be allowed shore leave and Oh

the "Dunluce Castle" was discovered

calmly at anchor at Marsailles and

some force moved the Military to dispatch

her hither so we won't have to return

to Marsailles to tranship after all -

but she can't possibly be here until

Tuesday so we may proceed on Wednesday.

It was decided also to send some of

the fit men ashore to a Rest Camp the

remainder to stay on board but being

a Hospital Case needless to say I remained

We set out for the town by road moving

to the few boats about and the approach

from the rear certainly didn't improve

our impressions. However by the time

we reached the Promenade saw

the "Serpent" one of the latest in

Battleships Riding at anchor in the

harbour and were having tea in

the cool plaza of the Casius Hotel

We were quite happy as we sipped tea

and ate real cake we admired the

42

view of the pier with De Lessep's

statue standing as if guarding the

narrow entrance and still further out

the long sea wall causing the harbour

to look like a sea of glass. Tea over

and a wander, thro' the rather modern

type of streets brought us to an Indian

shop in search of Curios and things

to take home. Needless to say we

bought and bought in abundance

We had a fine modern tea at the

Eastern Exchange Hotel in a Good

Quarter of the town and came home

thereafter by water. Feeling rather tired

for our first day on land and glad

to turn in.

31/3/19.Most were off quite early

on another visit to Port Said but 

not before a muster parade had been

held to ascertain how many elected

to remain on shore overnight helpless

or otherwise. I was deputed to accompany

the ship's officers and search thro'

the crews quarters to find some

canteen goods that had been stolen

during the night with the view to

holding a Board of Enquiry take on

events of this nature are quite

matters of course on troop ships

and the same trouble will go on

until the end of time without a

possibility of being checked and

43

laying the offenders by the heels. I didn't

go a  shore electing to remain to spend 

a quiet day with Company Law

We were able to ascertain a little more

of our future movements. Rumour hath

it that the "Dunluce Castle" will arrive

tomorrow but will not leave again

until Thursday morning owing to

coaling and provisioning. We are all

anxious to be on the move and it will

take somedays now to get our sea

legs again.

1/4/19. All Shore leave was "off" for the

day just because we had at last

received definite orders but not to

proceed on our way rather to beat

a hasty retreat to Alexandria where

one of those elusive rumours predicted.

We would pick up the "Dunluce Castle"

Without a doubt we are typical "Cook's

Tourists" tho' under compulsion. I

don't know what the Australian Public

will say about it probably have

questions noted in Parliament

certainly such bungling should be

exposed with a vengeance. It is

expected that we will save time

by going on to Alexandria at least

44

that is the official explanation We hived

off at 4 and after an easy and

comfortable run were almost thro'

our journey by the time we retired.

2/4/19. I slept on deck and waking

early was one of the first to see

Alexandria as we were at anchor

in the glorious inland sea. Nearly

18 months ago we moved out of

the same harbour with a destroyer

on either side not quite sure whether

we should reach our destination Safely

or not. Without a doubt Alexandria

is a splendid example of British

rule and British industry and

the large number of boats lying in

the harbour indicated what a Valuable

shipping base it is. We anchored well

out and the first duty was to distinguish

the "Dunluce Castle" amongst the many

boats about tho' none of us would

have been surprised had she

already left for Port Said. We discovered

her lying in the river harbour busy

coaling and anxiously wondered

whether we weren't going strike

something infinitely worse than the

45

"Czaritza". The O.C. and S.M.O paid a

visit to her during the afternoon

and came back with a report that she

was not yet clean enough for occupation,

that her speed was only 10 knots

and we could not depart until at

least Sunday. Soon we'll have spent

a month in Egypt at this rate.

3/4/19. If only one was not anxious

to be on the Port Melbourne Pier

with no little delay as possible it would

be a splendid means of Convalescing

lying on deck in glorious weather

and some were intrepid enough

to indulge in Swimming Certainly

it is ideal for such a pasttime.

The Meteoric Career of some while

ashore at Port Said has been responsible

for prohibiting us from having leave

here a report from the A.Bn.

had evidently proceeded us for

the Military Authorities have put a

ban on all except the nurses.

Evidently they behaved with decorum

at Port Said. So we just looked

on our "Mecco" with murderous

eyes hoping the time was not far off

when we would proceed On our way.

46

4/4/19. Another day of indolence

tho' one passing incident occurred

The Arrival at a berth beside us

of the sister ship of the "Czaritza" the

"Czar" carring mostly convalescent 

troops and they all left England.

under the same delusion as we did

They have to tranship to the "Dongola"

before proceeding on their way and

if "fortune favors the brave" they may

get home before us. It's a splendid

means of Convalescing at least for

the weather is delightful tho' the sun

may be hot we are never at a 

loss for a breeze of some sort.

Alexandria harbour would be ideal

for yachting there is plenty of craft

about too so we made up our minds

we should venture on the morrow

authority permitting.

5/4/19. Thro' the magnanimous treatment

of the shore authorities to the "Czar"

people we too fell on our feet. It

appears that representations were

made by the O.C. and parties under

supervision were to be allowed ashore

naturally when our fellows saw

this happening they made representations

to our O.C. and he consented so

off they went in boat loads for a

visit to the city they had gazed on

for so long. Alexandria is far more

47

interesting place than Port Said

so we all rejoiced at the privilege

especially as the "Dunluce Castle" would

not be leaving until Monday. Two

or three of us elected to get a yacht

and take a run round the harbour

but the open sea seemed so attractive

that we decided to try it and found

a run in the breakers of 6 miles

quite pleasurable after several

days of comparative rest on board the

Transport. We go on shore in the

morning I'm quite sure I'll be able

to see what there is to be seen in

a day and its Sunday so the elite

will be out in all their glory.

6/4/19. We left to go ashore at 10 rather

earlier than we had at first intended

but a rumour had spread that the

shore authorities were displeased with

the conduct of the convalescents yesterday

so today thought we had all better stay

on board. Anyway we reached the city

safe and well. Owing to the unrest a

large portion of the main part is banned

to troops still to reach the square where

most people are wont to pregather we

had to go thro a prohibited area and

rather enjoyed running the gauntlet.

The main square with its Garden of
palm trees and  Guarded by a handsome
statue of Mahomet Ali the "Saviour

 

48

 of Egypt" made a pretty picture with the

blue Mediterranean in the background
and hereabouts are all the principal

buildings including the Palace of Justice
and the Bourse.  In the morning we

took a tour out thro' the pretty suburbs
of San Stefano and Victoria returning
by a circular Route and the picturesque
houses surrounded in Most Cases by
beautiful Gardens reminded one of
Colombo. After lunch we engaged 
a Gharry and made a tour of the 
Botanical Gardens which were Quite
worth seeing tho' mine are the 
Cinnamon Gardens in Colombo. We saw

no evidence of a disturbance tho' most of

the officers were armed whether they Could
be used effectively is a "horse of another

colour."
7/4/19 There was no shore leave today as

most of our time was taken up waiting

for definite Orders to tranship and Carrying
out the desperate act solely on our own
initiative. We moved off from our berth

in the Outer Harbour, to facilitate if possible
the necessary transfer and moved Near
the "Dunluce Castle" surely by some mistake

the boast were allowed to get within

jumping distance. A move was made

at 9.45 to get the troops off the stated

hour was 9 and by 10.30 the first man
was checked at the Gangway and so

the proceedings went on. Tired of 
waiting and little apprehensive that
 

49

our belongings would be moved at a
Similar  Rate we just transferred them
bodily from one to the other by the

direct method.  Our first impressions
of our new home were Certainly on 
the Up Grade and soon we were to see
what a distinct "improvement" it was
to the "Czaritza"  There are ^not sufficient
Qters for all officers so the small
fry are accommodated in Wards  16
in one and 36 in another but they 
are Quite well ventilated and it

should be some fun. We moved off
at 3.30 and after retiring for the
night hoped to find ourselves
at Port Said in the Morning.

8/4/19. The first thing I saw on Coming on
deck this morning was the familiar
breakwater at Port Said.  We should have
reached the Canal before daybreak on
average speed but new boilers had been
put in And this was the first test.

Everything naturally seemed just as
it was the week before the Same
ships here at anchor the Same Cosmopolitan
Aspect was perceptibly and
the same smell rushed headalong down
our throats. We moved on past the
lines of shipping and anchored in
the identical spot we occupied before
It was only for a few hours however