Thomas James Richards, Diary No. 1, 26 August - 18 November 1914 - Part 8

Friday.   Nov 13th
The day has been a
full day’s holiday to celebrate 
the crossing of the line “Equat”.
There has been much horse
play and many injuries have
occured. In the morning the
fore part of the ship were at

It and in the afternoon the
aft. end was the scene of
the strife and turmoil.
I was on guard but 

Nevertheless prepared myself
for the ordeal but then
they called for me. I warned 
them that I would ^not go with
out a struggle. I fought 
them for 15 minutes and
knocked them about like
skittles on the wet decks, so
heavy did I kick that I 
felt very sorry afterwards
however they got me into
the tank alright. I wanted
some exercise and this

opportunity suited me splendid.
The 10 New Zealand [[?]]
[[?]] came up through our
line this morning and
have gone on at full speed
for Colombo to get supplies.
The band has been 
playing until dark each evening 
lately and it is a great
relief to hear sone harmony
Tonight they played
”Rendezvous “ this is the
most stirring piece of music
ever I listened to it seems
to cast a spell over me.
It seems so weird, Eastern
like and gets right down
to my very boots. I heard
it played first in S. Africa.

It is surprising how fellows
mistake Bill and I. A chap
named Naughton claimed
acquaintances with me yesterday
he is one of the bakers
Charters Towers. We
shook hands and he asked
where my brother was now,
that represented the new 
rock drill firm at Glencurry
he met him there.
This happens to have been
myself but he W.O. ulcer not see it.
Another fellow Bisward

told me that he met me in
Brisbane first when he was
playing with the N.S.W. 
schoolboys. I was never 
there at this time, so
evidently it was Bill he
met. I did not
attempt to enlighten him.
 

Our mess orderlies get themselves 

into some lovely agu
arguments, it is rare xxx fun
when “Sully’ gets properly going
which they often do.
The whole of the transport
are showing a number of bright

lights  tonight and look quite
brilliant  after the past days of
darkness.
To day is Friday and the
13th of the month; many persons will
take the passing over into the Northern
Hemisphere on such a day to be a
rather bad omen. But I [[?]]
like Fridays myself, and have started
on some of my best ventures on this
day
 

 Saturday.    Nov 14^th
Our cause has been altered
considerable to the West.
I was on guard from 4 to 8 both
yesterday afternoon and this morning
The dawn was strikingly interesting
The moon  rose fitfully about 4.30.
and struggled with the clammy 
gray clouds to get a look at the
orb which to which she isxxx
attendent and slave. The moone
desire was achieved at intervals
of short duration only, Then the
sun came along and split the
water line from the sky will
a thin streak of golden hue, 
which looked like the oncoming
of a bush fire in low dry country
The xxx glow grew brighter and
dispelled any attempt on the moon 
fac3 to look down upon us.
The bright lights of our fleet of
transports which shone pleasantly all
night through, after having been extinguished

for the past five days, were now
compelled to give way to the majisti
oncorning of the fireyglobe of daylight.
all the &Gilours diid out of the sky
allused
giving place to a silvery cay of xu
light that cast a shune of along
the ocian bo way of warning us
of his infinite power. while away
it the North & South white
inberg like clouss slowly dimmished
and disoppeared.
I was doing duty on the stum of the
ship near the 4.9 gun. as follows
a copy from the first board.
Guns propetite 40lbs.
No 28 Post. Poep duk
your town of duty will be for 2 hour
but you will not leave your poss
walit the refuf guard comes.
you will prevent all troops from
entering the door marked sturing
year except the ships vew and the
1CO140
 

to
 

guns vew
You will prevent angone axups
3.
the guns inw enterfuing
with the gun.
4. If you see a fire which you are
unable to put out at once, you
will go quickly and quietly to the
ship officer of the watch on the
navigation bridge and tell him
where it is and the extent of it.
5 When you hear the stand pass
sound be ready to heave the
lipbury overboard.
You will present any troops
b
going up on the docking bridge
you will prevent all troops other
7
than Hospital attendants, ships cew
and gun ice from enluing
are
this inclossions
you will allow no smaking on the
5
dick until the charge is sounded
and will stop all smoking wher
light out is sounded
 

you will not tolt to amone
axcept in the prformance of your
duty.
are 15 of thise lows Eypewritin
There
a bing up of the post
signed)
D M. King Tieutenant
Ships Adjutant.
J.S.S. Cunpidies
14/11/14
Mail day- Hunter Broad Hynes Neiloon
Moran, Board Bill Richard. Weller
The sunsets we have had
lately are truly phunominal, they have
newen my mind all over the world
with their simoles from the
reoihig Mountains to Neagara
io raly and Swizerland to
the Fqnences over to doubs
copies and back to Wistern
Oweensland.
 

AVE
 

4
 

Nov 15th
Sunday
We were ordered out of bid at
4 o'clock this morning to see the
Sydney steam past and at the
same time we were instructed to
stand at attention and not to
However, we did
cheer.
not see anything of the Sydney
and solled about watching the
sincise. But as the rain
distrubed my rest and drove
me as well as a hundred o
down stain to a restless night
The saw two lighthauses
flashing in the distance and
then land loom up which
yeeyto
eveainlly is partien of
We have been following the
rugged blue outline of this oncunt
our countey for many houss and
intermingling with the fishing
some been
fluts of Ratamaran
 

paddlea along on the outrigger
side by large padates, or
under the influence of a oblong sail
rigged on two pobs pred close
together at the bottom, and perhaps
8 or 10 ft apart at the top; the
roat are extremly nanow,
and the two pole stays are
tiid to either the ontrigger or
me boat itself. It is a very
unde looking cast but fairly
ovoy to handle, I should imagine
he sun has not shore to-day
ar we, and we are sleaming past
Mount Gavenia Hotel, of whose
lemon squash and majestie, or
rather livich accomodation I very
much enjoyed in 1908.
It is a wonderful sight to see
the pioour at Colomba with so
many vessels within its breakwaters
invcluding siveral was-ships
He are at anchor ontide with 20 others.
Einnamon Pettak
 

4
 

Monday
Nov. 16th
He are at anchor just.
outside of Columbo. It is a fine
right at night time to see the
number of bught lights that
surround us.
There are coloune
beaeon light shining from the
breakwater and shore. Then
there must be 20 vessels inside
the Harbour while another 30
are anchored outside.
The 10 New Dealanders were
in the Harbous and many
mall parties were allowed
to go ashore.
There was a craft composed
of 6 planks land together without
endo near our side this
morning, the three natives were
a source of much interest
to our fellows, and as they dived
in opus money and got it
 

4
 

so quickly and easily the boys
gapped on in amagement
doubly so in fact when they
learnt that the water is infiotu
with sharks.
Our fellows are wather indigner
at not going ashore but I
think the authorisia are wise
as there would be so much
stealing at the native stores
and ginerally bad and child
ish behaviour that trouble of
a more os less serious nature
would be cistain to ariss.
There is a unest being
held on our well diek amongs
the rather old and pded
programme (admiting that
good songs never pade) There
was an itim from the bag
pipers which was well accen
it was weerd and shring
enough but everybody agreed
that as was ever the same anr
 

(Colombo.)
Tuesday
Nov. 17
We went into the Harbour
this morning at 8 a.m. there
has been little itims of interest
going on about us all day; as
we are taking in water the
natives make both interest &
amusement, there are a number
of diving boys about and ding a
fair amount of business.
They are also sending up ugarittes
cocoanut &c.
The rumour that some of us are
going to Eggpt & some to
India is in full blast to-day
I feel terrish slupy this afternoon
so much to that I cannot
read for har of going asleep
I slept splendidly last night
too. It must be in the ais of
the East, as it is so usual to
have the on afternoon map.
 

4
 

pa from bread buttes & gamn
did not occupy many menurs
as the mess room is terrilly
not and swveaty.
The Omrrah passed us.
outward bound, at 6 o'clock
the stand at attention was
sounded and the fellowsslood
up after a little bullying.
This is the 3rd or 4th time
to day that we have had b
get the attention & stand will
back from the rails and
the fllows were right fed
up with it; many of the
Omrah troop were ut attention
but when a section of them
cheered our troops (bot the
hard rule of discipline and
cheered in return. Nothing
has been said, but surely the
officers will punish us in some
way or other. Personally is
 

be quite right
seems to
to stand at attention when
a war ship or one of our
own transport pass by as
this is a solimn business
we are all on and tho
quies ceremony seems more
fitting to the occossion.
But I did think it dumnably
hard when a maddling
rized steamer, the Sd Monta
Momborsa steamed into the
harbous from Africa with
a numoer of well dressed min
& wamen wave their handkes-
ships and mildly but whole heatt
by cheesed and when poor Jaik
Davidson waved his pater he
had his name taken by a
pobleman; done of us were
at attention and it brought
tears to my eyes to see the proour
ent good- wishes of the women &
chitdren going unacknowledged
 

4
4
 

Wednesday
Nov. 18th
We left Colombo last
night about 8 o'clock. The band
plaged a fine programme of
It was most
musie
delightfal sleeping on deck
until 40.m. where it commen
ced to rain, we stuek it ust
the wates can along undernes
the blankets then it was
compulsary to gather the bid
up and go dounsteen.
It was after 5 o'clock then so
it was no ure going to bed
again. I had a salt showe
and washed off in a bucket
of fresh wars
We took fish water in at
boylon only I trid to obtain a
guide book to the Red Sia +
Meditterrai but without anuess.
 

Convict Mp
Curipidies
i
In consequence of the exorlane
ant prics charged t the
Drybantin Every man
is requested to Boriit
the aforesaid astablishmen
Of cause seabs who
wish to go back on their
follow men are welcome
to do so.
The fellows are indeed dissatiopid
at the number of regulations thet
have to be observed and whih
look so useless and childish.
But I really do not find
much to complain about other
than that we should be
encouraged with our baths &
washing cloths then we are. I
a man washes his shirt he
 

t
 

had better stay and keep his
eye on it, for fear an order
is suddonly issued to the
effect that all cloths muss
not be hung about the dick
then the military police take them
down and they will probebly
turn up in the serand bag
on Thuesdays.
The sunset to-night was
one of the richest notural
colour effects I have seen
for years a real motter
gold as rich and as preinat
ing as the precious metal itself
being turned from the prege
crulible at the Mixt Only
this sunset had the advantage
&of a striking purple
border which made a sitting
sildom seem, and which
I doult could be seen in
other than equatorial slimes.
 

The band is plazing again
to night and the fellows daning
around the well auk in a
surprisingly orderly style.
I borrowed a small by
good Allas to day which
has given me an idea of
our route right along to
I would love
England
to know more of the
biblical history of the Red
tea &c. so that I may
one see the actuol point
of interest.
There were shoots of flying fish
skirting the oily light refluting
some fellows said
waters
they were gumboling & having a
I began to
great time
wonder if nature was really so
obliging as to provide special
foulities for the amusement