Letters from Geoffrey Gordon McCrae to his family, October - December 1915 - Part 3

                                LEMNOS 4-11-1915

 

Dearest Helen

         Thank you very much for 

your letter of 10th Sept and the news

of my friends on the "Mashobia" - I

am pleased to hear Henry & Katie

are still doing their duty towards

the State. Our stay here has been

prolonged, for which none of us

are sorry, I still go for sails on

the harbour in the good ship "Maude"

there is really little else to do 

here I had a gorgeous time

during my five days trip on

the H.M.S. "Lafocey", when we were

ordered to the front again. the 

other day I went out to say

farewell we wept on one

anothers shoulders & cracked

two bottles of "bubbly". I am

sending you his notes to me

for safe keeping as a momento

of some of the happiest days

of my life. I shall endeavour

 

thos 'he did not send notes

                          (2)

to describe them. Friday morning

6 a.m. - cold, dark, boisterous mornings

nasty short sea; found two oilskins

sou'westered figures waiting on

the pier for us got into a dinghy

and were rowed out to where

a motorboat was moored trans-

shipped into her and commenced

a lovely, fast, bumpy ride, out

to the large greyhound like ship,

were received on board by N^o.1

(1st Lieut Hastwell) and taken down

into the Wardroom Commander

Edwards or "poor little Graham" (as

he calls himself) came down in 

his dressing gown and we all

had a delicious cup of hot coffee.

They have made a very fine

place of the Wardroom, installed

a huge gramophone, and round

the dodo, they have pasted on

figures cut out from artistic

theatrical posters, making a

great effect. They have also

little mottos put up such as

                         (3)

"Live each day so that you can

look every dawn man in the eye

and tell him to go to Hell". The

skipper's motto is "My life has

been full of troubles but half of 

them never happened". 8 a.m. a

pinnace came alongside and

put a navigating Lieutenant on

board. We pulled up our "Mud-hook" and went out of harbour

to swing ship for compass -

adjustment - whilst this operation

was being carried out, we

breakfasted - After we went up

on the bridge and returned to 

Harbour to put the "Navigational

man" back on his ship. As we 

were turning, some inward-

bound destroyers came up

with is. The leading ship, the 

"Foxhound", signalled and asked

us if it was "too rough for us".

This jibe was very effectively

replied to latter on. Having landed

our visitor, we proceeded to sea

                           (4)

and on our way out of harbour

we passed the "Foxhound" in

the midst of coaling, everyone

of her officers & men black as

niggers - The "Laforey" is an oil-

fuel-ship and they know not

the discomfort of coaldust, so

"Little Graham" called the Yeoman

of signals to him, and tod him

to send "from Captain to Captain"

"would you like a drop of oil?"

thus, these bright youths break

what to them is dull monotony.

When we got outside, we reving

up the engines to 25 knots;

a never-to-be forgotten sensation.

The sea was fairly big as there

had been three days wind

and riding over the waves at 

that pace was just like

being in a well-sprung rocking

chair, there was not the slightest 

vibration - These ships are one 

huge spring, and, if you

                      (5)

look along the wire rope-rails

at one moment, they will be

quite "taut" and then they

slacken according to the ship

as she contracts or expands,

riding over the waves, Ordinarily

no smoke is seen coming from 

the funnels, but by slackening 

down the fans in the furnaces,

a most dense smoke is produced

which hangs for a long time:

this is known as a "Smoke screen"

and is used to obscure ships

from ^the enemy's view - Edwards 

gave me a demonstration of

it as we went. We arrived

at Suvla Bay at 3.30 and 

anchored, we were ordered

further off shore as we were

liable to be shelled if we

stayed in so close. The 'skipper' 

and the "sub" went out on the

boat we were to relieve, to

make a reconnaisance - they

returned for dinner - Next morning

                      (6)

we went out on patrol, spent

the morning in the engine &

boiler rooms: this oil-fuel is

wonderful, only requires

two men in the stakehold

the furnaces looks  more like

a large kitchen range than

anything else. Everything was

full of interest and I enjoyed

every moment. The ships people

were apologizing all the time

and hoping we were not being

bored I forgot to mention Ber

Layh came with me. They have

on board a most intelligent

& sagacious dog named Mick,

a wiry haired Terrier, who takes

a keen interest in everything

that takes place: he supervised

all work done on deck and

when it is finished, he comes

up with a most satisfied

and pleased look on his dear

old face and makes his [[saleam?]]

to the Commander.

                          (7)

At 4 a.m. we went in close to the

shore and plastered Abdul's

trenches with Lyddite, of course

I got up to see the show 

The concussion of the guns was

terrific and the flash quite

blinding if you wanted to

see the result of the shot, you

had to close your eyes on the

command "fire!". The Turks 

replied with Shrapnel. It is

an uncanny feeling being fired

at on the sea. When you are

in the trenches you have a

certain sense of security, but

on board, there is no protection

whatever, just ^to stand, on open

decks with shells howling

over head isn't very pleasant

However then they made it

too warm, on went the engines

at 30 Knots, and we were out

of range in no time. One morning

Layh, Scott and I went out sailing

and fishing in the "whaler", the sea

                  (8)

was rather choppy and we had

some difficulty in "stepping' the 

heavy masts  - "Little Graham" became

a bit anxious, thinking the Turks

might take the advantage of a

"sitting shot", so he shot away 

from us at full speed and

got between us and the shore

and made a "smoke-screen", thus

obscuring us from Adul's vision

until we got the sails set ad

under weigh. The last night we

were out, we had a great "stunt"

with another destroyer. We fired

on the trenches, whilst the other 

ship watched for the batteries on

shore to fire upon us, and

directly she picked up the flash

of the guns, she opened on them

then the two ships suddenly

changed positions and did the

same thing again. I said my

prayers rapidly a few times that

evening I can assure you

                           (9)

I think those are the main points

of interest during our trip, of

course, we lived like lords; hot 

baths every morning, downy beds

to sleep in, and an excellent

table. I think taking it all 

round, the navy people have 

the better time of it. They live

in clean surroundings and can

always get a clean change whereas

we always live in dirt and

clean clothing and baths are

a luxury - And it is bad luck

if they (Destroyers) get hit; she was right

through Helijoland "scrap" without

a casualty, and torpedoed the

"Mainz"; but on shore you're lucky

to come out of it with your

life. No more news; hope this

long screed has not bored you - 

all personal items will be found

in Mother's letter.

                 Farewell

                          Much love

                            from

                                     Geoff

IDRL