Thomas James Richards, Diary No. 1, 26 August - 18 November 1914 - Part 4

Sunday Oct 18^th
It has been raining on & off all
day. We got up at 5 a.m. & took
the horses down and aboard the
Clan Macocadale. 102 went on in
40 minutes We walked back to the
Camp and got general leave until
10 p.m. I again & as ever
went to Manly to return by the
last boat. The day was
cloudy cold & heavy showers regularly
Monday Oct 19^th.
The eventfull day has as last
arrived. The camp was astir
at 5.30. with kits packed and
handed in by 7 am. A damn
poor breakfast and we were on
the road by 7.45. Tram car
were used from Charing Cross to
Fort Macquarie wherewere where we
were aboard the majestic looking
"Euripides" by lights in very quick
time. We were put off into
messes of 20 men and there we sat
for hours until the 3^rd Infantry
were put aboard. All seemed
is readiness to leave by at 2.p.m.
but we are still at anchor at 4 o'clock
 

There were but few people out
this morning as we passed along Oxford
St. Yet there were some stiring little

incidents as we drove by. One aged

man holding to a stout stick  for support

tried with as brave a heart as ever

a soldier possessed to stand at

attention. Another old warrior straightened

himself by the aid of a veranda and

xxx saluted. Lots of men & 

women waved a pleasant good-bye

but it was only skin deep; No one

nobody but ignorant persons could

treate such a mission as we are about

to undertake so lightly, and almost

with frivolity. But the men who have

seen service, were as the two above

mentioned, full of sincerity and hope

knowing that there was hard work for

us to do and at the same time with

doubt sorrow & sympathy laying beneath

their hardened but thoughtful casings

of their experienced bodies.

I am no bubber; pain & distraction

hardens and me, and drys my eyes 

to cold clearness, but warm affection & ^with

^a manly consciencious face upon it, fills my eyes

with tears of joy and brotherly feeling

that one is understood. This being

missunderstood' is the greatest trouble I have

noticed on this globe. Most people are so

wrapped up in themselves that they forget

even those nearest them until something

serious happens and brings home these

foolish idea that because they are alright

everything and everybody as ^a I matter

of course must be also.

Many of the hundreds of boat loads of

people that sailed around the "Euripides"

to-day thought of nothing further or deeper

than that a friend or brother was going

to the war and as it was going a

long voyage they came to wave to him 

(not the troops) a pleasant and safe 

return. The Coast Artillery

with their brass band aboard the

S.S. Miner went around about our

vessel for 1½ hours playing cheerfull

tunes but just before leaving they

struck up "Old Lang Sine", it seemed

to come right from their hearts and

it again dawned upon mye they themselves

were warriors and know and understood

the work ahead of us. They finally

played "God sa Save the King" and

I was fighting again to keep back

the tears as we stood lined up at

attention on the top deck.

Many of our well-wishes waved

flags and shouted franticaly, they were

in earnest too, but it was a couple

of people on the "Burra Bra" making for

Manly that fills made water come to

my eyes when they stood still

and held a blue Australian flag

outstretched. It was plain to me what

was ment they were cold level headed

persons, and seemed to say "keep your

end up boys wherever your going to

just for the honour and for the glory

of your dear Australia and your 

love for the Mothercountry.  It fairly

thrilled b me through & through. It was

one of those silent signals " full of meaning

and respect. When some broken 

down insignificant craft came up close

to us and "tooted" her good wishes on

the shrill siren, it came from the 

right place under the coat.

The rain in heavy showers intermingled

with sunshine must have dampened &

discouraged the folk who came down 

to the Quay and Farm Cove to see

us away. Our boys are tired

and sleepy as they have been up early

in the morning and late to bed

each night. Dinner was a bit

topsy turvey, but is full of promise.

There are 6 or 8 nurses on board,

this afternoon I saw them on the promenade

deck and amongst so much karki colour

their sky blue dresses with a bright red cape

cape & white hanging cap makes a pleasant

change. This will be particularly

noticable later on when the dungrees

and browns get become an eyesore.

Midst the hooting of whistles

and the cheering of our boys we

slowly steamed down the Harbour

at 5.30 pm, but to our

astonishment we put into

Mossman's Bay and hung up

for the night. There was a 

great scramble for bunks or

hammocks at 6.15. They were

hung very close together so much

so, that when one man turned

over he woke up the man

next to him & set a whole line

of them swinging. Yet the

fellows seemed to favour sleeping

in hammocks to the ground

at Queens Park. I went

to bed about 8 pm and 

up again at 6 a.m.

Ships rations.

Bread 1lb per man

Meat   ¾ lb

Jam    8 ozs per week

Salt      2 "      "       "

Pickle  6 oz

Milk     condensed 1 lb tin per week

Sugar   14 oz per man         " 

Butter  10 ¹⁄₃ oz                      "       "

Potatoes 4½ lb                   per week

 

3,011 men all told on board.

Farewell to Sydney

Tuesday.    Oct 20^th

The Euripides got under

weigh at 5.30 am and steamed

down past Watson's Bay with

a high wind and blinding

rain. We were running fairly

steady yet before breakfast the decks

were covered with prostrated forms.

The "fall in" was sounded at 10 a.m.

& it was sorrowful to see the fellows

dragging themselves and one another

up for the parade. No more

forlorn spectacle could be witnessed

than a ^crowded troops ships on the first day

at sea. In the afternoon we were

well ahead of the "Star of Victoria"

and the "Clan Macorquadale" and

moving pleasantly along in fine

weather with dry decks a calm

sea, and a number of smiling

faces about.

So far we find the conveniences

of the "Euripidies" somewhat lacking.

There are not enough hammocks

for the men, and the galley arrangements

of are inefficient as the poor

mess orderlys have to wait a very

long time to be served.

There is a terrible congestion of men

both underneath and on decks.

The wet canteen was opened to-day

between 11 & 12 the fellows

went past in single file and paid

3^d for a mug of beer. Beer was

the only beverage dispersed. I was

a little surprised that the fellows

did not rush it more feverishly

as there are some excellent 

looking beer loving countenances

about the ship. It is surprising

the number of sports followers there

are on board, and the present

cricket season and the coming

football season must suffer in

consequence. When one

looks over the troops as they
stand around their height and
physique is admirable, their
age is thoroughly mature and
their faces though hard and
weather beaten, are very determined
and strong looking. I like
them immensely.
Rumour has it that we will
call in at Albany and continue
on through the Red Sea, this
news I hope is correct as I
will love the trip through the
heart of the old world.
I regret not calling on
D^r. Moran and Paddy M^cCue
before leaving Sydney.
It is also hard to part from
W.L.B. too after the month I
have spent with her. I don't
quite feel as if we can ever
be much to one another though
God knows we should be all
in all with each other.
Wednesday Oct 21^st
Last night the sky was
fairly clear and the boys merry, the
Bag-pipes and orchestra keeping them bright.
At about 8.30 the Dean held a
short service on the well-deck which
was also a pleasant break in a day
made somewhat miserable by the
number of sad faces and sickly forms
laying about in all directions.
There does not appear to be anything
like sufficient accommodation
for the 2,500 3,011 odd men aboard.
At 9 o'clock I had some bread
butter & herrings before going to
bed, at 2.a.m. I felt very bad
and vomited freely.
The hammocks are placed to
close together yet the fellows
like them & sleep well.
Through some mismanagement
or other there was no arrangement
made aboard for the Army
 

Medical Corps at all. So that
we have just to squeeze in &
make the best of a bad position.
So far I have no regrets at
having volunteered but I wish
we were at the end of our
destination, this ship life does
not offer anything novel.
The mess orderlies are having
a rough time and by the
growling that goes on the ship
is generally unsatisfactory. This I
hope will rectify itself as time
goes on.

The wet canteen has met
with general approval and is
opened only between the hours of I1
& 12 am and it takes the full
hour hard going to get finished
with the long time of constantialy
waiting men.
The dry canteen is open from
7 to 8 in the morning & 4 to 5
in the afternoon 7 to 9 at night
The rubber shoes supplied at
2/6 are scoundlous they pull
away from the sole in ½ hours

wear. The dry canteens' prices
seem far above Sydney prices
all round. Tins of Toffee
costing 6^d in Sydney stores are sold
at 1/-
 

Thursday    Oct 22^nd
It was reported last night
that a steamer would be coming
along side and any letters would be
then sent ashore. I hurriedly
wrote two of some considerable
importance to Joe Neilson and 
W.L.B. but as the 'Euripides' 
did not stop or even slow down
last night I doubt as to whether
any mail went into Melbourne.
We have no idea as to what
speed the vessel is making but
by the sun we know that it
is in a western direction that
we travel. There are
some really terrible looking
fellows amongst the troops &
reports of that the Germans have
been looting and murdering will
not be any worst than that
these wretches are capable of.
We parade from 9.30 to 11 in
the morning and from 2 to 4 in
the afternoon. The deck is too
small for marching so we have
to double mark time, and walk
or run around in single file
circles, some physical exercises and
sometimes leap-frog in small
parties. The childish behaviour
of some of our fellows reminds me
of the holiday jaunts to Townsville

& Ravenswood when we
indulged in horseplay and noisy
disorderly singing only that
now we have jealousy and
conceitedness intermingled with
it. I have adopted my
best air of reservation and do
more reading & writing than ever
before with very little conversation.
Why I don't look more for company
I cannot say, as there are many
real good fellows amongst our
party of 204 men.
 

Friday Oct 23^rd
The menu shows up a
little better and stronger just now.
Yesterday we had porridge &
stewed sausages with ^tea & bread & jam
to finish off with.  At dinner
12 o'clock there was soup, meat
with beans & potatoes. followed by
plum pudding. At tea we had
tea with bread butter & jam.
The mess orderlies are settling
down now and though our
rations are a little under weight
I feel sure all will come
round pleasantly as the
journey continues.
The sea is now as calm
as is possible and in consequence
none of the fellows are sick though
if it should blow up a little these
crowded decks would be hell
with a vengenc second roll call.
as the fellows have to take down
their hammocks at 6 o'clock tidy up
their odds & ends and are not
allowded inside again hardly
until 6 pm when the hammocks
are laid out.  with lights out
at 9 pm. The bag-pipers
and the military brass band
with perhaps a short evening
Church service add considerable
to break the dulness of the day
and give the troop a little
harmony which is absolutely
essential to their brute like
nature. Gambling goes on all
over the boat, ^no not attempts are
made to prevent it.
I waited for 1 hour in a line
to get to the dry canteen and when
I got there I could not buy any ink
fruit or cake so I bought 2
packets of cigarettes & matches and
two bottles of lemonade.

Saturday Oct 24^th
I have written an 8
page letter to Mary Ffrench
which contains astounding profound

language & Spring delights.
I went out on deck this
morning at 6. a.m. and had
a run around, but I don't
feel like excessing, my muscles
do not work as freely as of
yore. I wonder if it is due
to the past 12 months troubles
around Sydney, or Manly in
particular. I hardly think
so as I was not lively
in South Africa last trip 
(1913). My back seems
to go a little wrong at the
slightest twist, just about
the pelvis region.
I walked the deck with
Sullivan for 40 minutes this
morning and let him talk
 on the necessary ability of
commercial travelling
the free-masonary that
exists, for instance, the
men sometimes meet and
work together and if one
man leaves the party and
rushes on ahead he is often
branded as a pointer.
This may possibly exist
amongst the 2^nd and
poorer class, talkative &
swelled headed traveller.
with whom Sullivan
evidently associates.
He mentioned that when
Murphy (a solicitor now a
member of the A.M.C) was
called up on the telephone
& told that there was a
vacancy in the section
Murphy wired, "Present at
court but will report at
2pm." That afternoon