Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 1, 26 August 1914 to 24 April 1915 - Part 5

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obeyed by the men whereas they laugh and play with

some of the others. There are six corporals in the

Corps three of whom are mere schoolboys and very weak

indeed, in fact it makes the old heads in the ranks

feel quite sick of things at times. We are still

being taught flag-signalling but making only little

progress. There is an examination in first-aid work

shortly and we are afraid there will be some terrible

mugs discovered. We have again been instructed not to

throw overboard anything that will fl^oat (matches or

paper).

4th November, 1914.  The weather is warming up considerably

and the sleeping room getting more stuffy and

uncomfortable than ever. I wake up in morning with a

dull sickly head and a sore throat. I have not smoked

a cigarette for days and as the gift cigarettes are

cased in thick paper I doubt if I will smoke again.

Today we have fire drill and I am in charge of No. 16

boat on the poop deck. It broke the afternoon's drill

splendidly, which is hanging like hell lately. I

have found "The Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer splendid

reading. They date back to 1350 and deal largely with

chivalry.

5th November, 1914.  The sea is now extremely flat

with but a very light breeze blowing. Last night the

wind went around behind the transport and it was a hell

of a night lying with hammocks swinging a few inches

from each other and the smell that polluted the

already stuffy atmosphere was tremendous. I have had

a sore throat which only affects me in this foul-sleeping
chamber. I am fixing up a diary for W.T.B.

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and I am seemingly paying it too much attention as I

don't get time to give to this book. Today several

fresh war vessels arrived upon the scene, one of which

ran through our lines, or files, in an exciting manner.

Today we had Colonial goose for dinner. The first

voyagers were lead by the older men to great expectations

but when boiled rabbit appeared they swallowed their

anguish and made quite a good meal of it. I went down

a hold to hunt up some cooking "dixies" and found a

case of books opened. They were very old volumes mostly.

I found one that had been condemned from the Newcastle

Library named "The Gay World", I will go ahead with

this, then I think I should continue reading light

stuff and try to rouse my conversational ability so

that I will at least be able to take my active part

in the ship's affairs, also do some boxing and card

playing to liven myself up somewhat. I have noticed

for years that whenever I concentrated upon either

reading or writing I lose my power of speech, not

that it is at any time brilliant. This evening as I

leaned over the ship's rails to take in the beauty

of the sunset my thoughts likened the furnace-like

glare of the sun's surroundings to the forge fire at

Brennan and Andrews at Charters Towers where I was

blacksmithing at an early age. The sunset as I stood

staring at it was exactly like the fire of coal that

I laboured to keep aglow with a big bellows when

there was a big job in hand such as a large axle or

tyre to weld. It used to/attract my eyes and make

me almost blind when I turned towards the daylight.

It was jolly hard work for a youngster but it was

worth 17/6 a week and there was a lot of fun to be

got out of it by practical joking which I was extremely

fond of. I worked for a horse-shoer named Bradford

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for 7/6 a week which I did not always get as he was a

drunkard though a good tradesman. He used to coax me

sometimes to go and get bottles of beer for him. I

went willingly enough if it were counter lunch time,

otherwise I often refused him. Horseshoeing is hard

and heavy work for a man let alone a long splinter-

like boy. I must have been long and weedy about this

time as I remember Father warning me against athletics.

6th November, 1914.  An Orient liner passed rapidly 

up on our starboard side just before dark yesterday

evening. It was evidently moving three miles to our

two. There was a tremendous ovation for her from our

men and much excitement prevailed. I am on guard from

12 to 4 p.m. and 12 to 4 a.m. We are always to be in

waiting for the whole 24 hours and sleep with all of

your clothes on. It is most humiliating for me to have

to stand guard over the isolation area or in other

words the pox patients, of whom there are still 40.

I should be studying my ambulance work instead of

spending so much time read and writing other stuff.

I find that this sleeping in a hammock and sitting

around the deck tends to make a fellow more round-shouldered 
than ever. I will have to do some boxing

and all other kinds of exercise to keep me straight.

I found a wonderful piece of poetry by E.W. Wilcox

called "The Well Born". I admire both its spirit and

frankness immensely and have placed it at the end of

this book. It is astounding what lovely and perfect

ideals we fragile, puny pieces of humanity sometimes

conjure up in our minds and seem prepared to act in an

almost opposite direction viz. this poem and my

intentions towards Manly.

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7th November, 1914.  I was on guard from 12 to 4 a.m.

at the top of the stairway in the sleeping compartment.

The night was very slack of air and the heat and smell

that arose was very tough indeed. I finished reading

"The Gay World" which turned out to be nothing more

gay than a leader of London society with a lovely house

on the Thames being a forger and a swindler. Wrote a

little in W.T.'s diary taking a grave risk of being

caught by the inspecting officer who called around three

times when I throw the book into the rubbish bin just

in time. I have read from Nash's Magazine some of

Hall Caine's book "The Woman Thou Gavest Me". It

seems an astounding story and much open to question

as to whether it is a desirable subject for the general

public to read. One of the Infantry Battalions had some

sports this afternoon. I saw only the boxing and it

really good going, very full of fight. I also did a

bout with Billy Summers but his boxing is very weak

indeed. At 8 p.m. the fire alarm was given and every

visible light was put out even the port and starboard

lights being obliterated on the whole fleet. Looking

over our portside at any time the number of lights

remind me of passing a fair-sized fishing village

and here we were lined up by the side of our boats

with lifebuoys on and boots off with absolute darkness

all around us. It was strange almost startling in

fact.

8th November, 1914.  I slept on deck last night but

could not withstand the temptation of using my hammock

and so swung it quite 10 ft. from the deck and over the

top of the other chaps. The chatter that goes on

around both before going to sleep and before getting

up in the morning is most vulgar and miserable to 

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listen to. We learnt that a private named Kendell,

a policeman, from Bathurst, had died of pneumonia.

Our ship pulled out of the line a little and buried

the body off the well deck. It was a silent and

impressive ceremony. Kendell has a love affair on

at Bathurst. It must go very hard not having even

a fighting chance for his life. Anyhow, glory is

after all a poor and unsubstantial thing. Why the

whole of this earth's globe is as compared with the 

expanse of Heaven no bigger than a point, and of

this insignificant world only a fourth part is inhabited

by living creatures. Vast portions of that

part are occupied by sea, marsh and desert, so that

very little space is left for human being. Of this 

how narrow is the area for human fame! Just as well

perhaps that every man is a world unto himself and a 

world no other man or creature has explored. The

service this morning was again without a sermon and

gone through in a terrific heat and we poor A.M.C.

were fully dressed and melting hot. We must be in the

locality of the Equator judging by the depressive heat

and extreme humidity we are experiencing. I have but

little knowledge of our whereabouts other than that

the "Osterley" passed us, and I presume she was on the

regular course to Colombo. Therefore we should put

into Colombo but when is a mystery as we have no idea

of the daily run or the distance already covered.

But I do know that we are travelling dead slow - no

more than 9 knots.

9th November, 1914.  11.30 a.m. News is being freely

circulated that the Sydney has encountered the "Emden",

Germany's troublesome warship. It took me a long time

to get to sleep on the hard deck last night but I am

sure it will make me stand up straighter than when sleeping

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in a hammock.

There, there, there, you will find Australia there

Mid the smoke and din of battle

Where the cannon roar and rattle

Our boys will keep things moving there.

There, there ----

Great excitement prevails. Men are cheering wildly at

the news of the Sydney's defeat of the "Emden". We

have had three different messages during an hour

telling us of the Sydney's victory. The men are singing

and cheering still. The band play "God Save the King"

with all standing at attention and midst perfect silence.

Very striking contrast to the fervent joy of a second

ago. A man has just this morning died - Lowe by name-

and another man is fighting hard against death in bed -

pneumonia. We were given an afternoon off today on

account of the Sydney's achievement.

And what of them? The colours reversed, the

drums muffled.

The black nodding plumes, the Dead March, and

the pall,

The stern faces, soldier-like, silent, unruffled,

The slow sacred music that floats over all.

10th November, 1914.  Yesterday was a day of great

excitement. It first started when the Japanese cruiser

which is protecting our right wing went past our ship

like a streak, crossed over in front of us and made

at a tremendous pace towards the west. Then followed

news that the Emden was engaged in action; a little later,

victory. Then the death of one of our comrades, a

half-holiday, a burial, at which the 16 bugles called

the Last Post and brought tears to the eyes of many

including the ship's captain. At 6 p.m. we were ordered

to sleep on deck with overcoats only and a life-belt

and near our life-boats. At 7 o'clock not a light

could be seen on one of the 40 steamers around us.

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Rumour had it that there were German warships about,

also that mines had been laid, and so many of the

fellows were in a very excited state. The decks were

crowded with men in every possible corner. Why men

were not allowed their blankets to sleep on is beyond

me altogether. I have now learnt that there was a

German man-of-war or armed merchant boat in company

with the "Emden", which escaped and last seen making

in our direction. The weather is very hot again today

and we have another half-holiday today. The two 4-7

guns were manned all night. As I now sit writing it

seems hardly like a shipload of Englishmen at all.

Their costumes are so remarkably varied. Some have

shirts on, others have nothing at all on. The pants

vary in both colour and length to a remarkable degree

and very few have boots on at all. And the noises!

My God! could anything possibly be worse. Midst the

harsh clamour of the card players and the band of

arguers, the roars and vivid curses of the practical

jokers and their victims, can be heard rehearsing a

hundred kinds of impromptyu choral societies. The

gramophone, given to the A.M.C. by a Manly resident,

can be heard grinding out its discordant opposition in

no unmistakeable manner, while a cornet, mouth-organ

and an accordion are heaping on the agony from different

quarters of the deck.

11th November, 1914.  The canvas swimming tank in the

well deck is quite an institution, though I believe it

has been necessary to compel the whole of several

companies to make use of it. One would hardly expect

to have to make bathing compulsory this weather.

There are no matches to be had on board and whenever

somebody or other strikes a match to light a weed there

are often six men begging for a light off it.

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Some ingenious fellows are selling cigars, but the

best genius is employed by the lemon squash sellers

who are increasing in number from day to day.

Posted today -

"Notice.

All matter from the A.I.F. transports will be

sent to the "Orvieto" for censorship. Plain

postcards and open letters and urgent telegrams

will pass censor for immediate despatch provided

all reference places and dates are omitted."

12th November,  1914.  It rained again last night and

drove us all down from the poop deck helter skelter.

This is the second night now. I find on the order

board that we are to have no more afternoon parade

until the weather cools. The "Orvieto" caused a little

stir when it was noticed at 5.30 a.m. right out of her

line and communicating with two warships - "Abuki"

and "Melbourne" by rowing boat, after which the "Orvieto"

took up the position at head of the middle file again.

This action caused all kinds of rumours to be scattered

as usual. I had a glorious swim and knock about in

the canvas tank before 6 o'clock this morning. A hose

full of water is running into it the whole time.

It is remarkable the number of peddlers of one kind

and another we now have worked up from the ranks.

The barbers started doing business immediately the

ship left but the cigar sellers, biscuit and lemon

squashers have not been long with us. One of our men

told me he sold 14 buckets of 21 mugs at 3d. per mug.

Squash is 2/- per bottle and sugar nearly nothing.

One bottle makes a bucketful, I am trying to get up

a descriptive story for one of the papers which I find

difficult work.

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I find that one meal of plum pudding, allowing

8 lbs. each 20 men, takes 1240 lbs. to go round. We

get it twice a week.

13th November, 1914.   Today has been a full day's

holiday to celebrate the crossing of the "line" (Equator).

There has been much horseplay and many injuries have

occurred. 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. When they

called for me I warned them that I would not go without

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 splendidly.

The 10 New Zealand transports 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 some 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 from Charters Towers. We shook

hands and he asked where my brother was now that

represented the new rock-drill firm at Cloncurry. He

met him there. This happens to have been myself but

he could not see it. Another fellow named Bosward

told me that he met me in Brisbane first when he was

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there 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 arguments. It is rare

fun when "Sully" gets properly going which they often do.

The whole of the transports are showing a number of

bright lights tonight and look quite brilliant after

the past days of darkness. Today 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

rather bad omen. But I rather like Fridays myself

and have started on some of my best ventures on this

day.

14th November, 1914.   Our course has been altered

considerably 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, grey clouds

to get a look at the orb to which she is attendant and

slave. The moon's desire was achieved at intervals of

short duration only, then the sun came along and

split the water line from the sky with a thin streak of

golden hue which looked like the oncoming rush of a

bushfire in low dry country. The glow grew brighter

and dispelled any attempt on the moon's part to look

down upon us. The bright lights of our fleet of

transports which shone pleasantly all through, after

having been extinguished for the past five days, were

now compelled to give way to the majestic oncoming of

the fiery globe of daylight. All the gay colours died

out of the sky giving place to a silvery ray of

diffused light that cast a shine along the ocean by

way of warning us of his infinite power, while away

to the north and south white iceberg-like clouds slowly

diminished and disappeared. I was doing duty on the