AWM52 1/11/18/4 - Headquarters London Victory March Contingent, 1946, part 3, Naval log - Part 3

42
Weather.
Check
parade.
Lined Ship.
AWOL Late
Arrivals
Suggest mention of sailing at 1000
instead of 1100. Numbers of relatives
and friends missed last minute
farewells because of this which was
due to berth required for 
another vessel.
RPark
Departed                
Fremantle.
Adm.
Offr
Casualties.
43
Wednesday 24 Apr.     FREMANTLE - AT SEA
Fine clear day, with only a very
slight breeze. 0900 check parade held
to ascertain whether all personnel
returned from leave. RAN & RAAF
were all present approx 10 AMF
missing. 0950 Orders given to assume
dressing ship position. A crowd of
approx 250 were present on the
wharf, and the Western Comd Band
played the ship out, assisted by the
ships Marine Band playing on the
quarter deck. At 0955. Missing AMF
personnel arrived ^in a body after ganways had
been drawn up. They were hardly
dressed and at least two still pretty
drunk, as they attempted to make and made a
most undignified last minute entry
into the ship through the lower
port holes. This incident denigrated
and confirmed an wanton display of
ill discipline and bad manners, did
did nothing to further the reputation
of the contingent, and it is felt that
even if it is necessary to curtail
all leave in the future, everything
must be done to prevent it's reputation
repetition 1000. The ship drew out
of the dock with the contingent
lining ships side. X A most unsteady
parade, possibly due to the effects
of the "night before" 1020. Stood
down. Good uniforms rehung during
morning. Mail distributed. LtCapt
WIER returned to duty a resumed
his duties as adjt Lt STARMER
resumed comd of his pl. 1200

44
Position.
Engines
Breakdown.
Muster.
Gen EATHER'S
Address.
45
Course 278° Speed 15 Knots Distance
since 1000hrs 17.3 miles Latitude 31° 56 'S
Longlitude 115° 26 'E. 1201 Main engines
failed and ship becalmed. 1258.
Engines repaired. 1500. AMF component
of contingent mustered on main
deck amidships, and Gen EATHER
addressed troops. He reiterated his
remarks made before leaving
MELBOURNE with reference to
his intention to grant as much
leave as possible. He warned
all ranks that this only applied
as long as they played the game.
Any future incidents like this
morning would result in a very
drastic curtailment of leave, both
in CAPE TOWN and LONDON.
1515 - 1600. PT & organised games.
MJM ✓ Brig Moten 26/4

Wing Comd Kingsford Smith: Seen 26/4.

RPark 26/4

46
Weather.
Trg

Programme.
Lecturette.
Knowledge
of AUST.
47
Thursday 25 Apr.          AT SEA.
0510. Heavy rain squall, with wind
rising to gale velocity. Unpleasant,
cloudy & windy day. 0830. Offrs
conference in orderly room. Following
trg programme promulgated :-
0900 - 0915  Fall in, administration, & Inspection
0915 - 1015    PT and Recreational Trg.
Arms Drill every second day
1015 - 1030   Lecturette
1030 - 1045  Break
1045 - 1130   PT or Drill
1115 - 1130     Rifle cleaning every second day
1130 - 1500   Dinner Break
1500-1600   PT & Games
Adjust of Programme designed to be
as flexible as possible, & permit of
ready alteration in event of bad
weather or other unforseen occurences.
The lecturette period to be arranged
from day to day, and lectures to be
provided from RAN & RAAF to AMF
& vica versa. It is also intended
to use this period, to further by
question & answer, the contingent's
knowledge of AUSTRALIA  Literature w
provided by the Department of Information
will be issued in the near future.
It is considered that all members of
the contingent should have as
many details about AUSTRALIA both
statistical & general, as possible
at their fingertips, so they may
provide any ready answers to
queries whilst in ENGLAND.
From CAPETOWN to PORTSMOUTH

48
PT & Rec
Trg.
Entertainment.
Anzac Day
Church was held in

Cafeteria Mess deck
Allocation to 
Ships Duties.
49
it is intended to increase the

scope to include a knowledge of
ENGLAND  0900. Parade & administration
of PALAUDIN palaudine. 0915 - 1015. PT
and recreational trg done as well
as possible with considerable movement
in the ship, and ships company

scrubbing down the upper deck.
Lecturette time used to ascertain
mens views on entertainment. Lt.
Comd PURVIS has been designated ships
entertainment offr, and is anxious
to co-ordinate details of concerts,
quizes, card parties, de plays, deck
games, and cinemas as soon as 

possible. Many men made sensible
and useful suggestions, and quite
a bit of prospective talent was
located discovered.
1100. Projected church parade to
commemorate ANZAC DAY on quarter
deck had to be cancelled owing
to unsuitable weather. Broke off.
After discussion with the 1^st
Lieut it was decided to allocate
all men to ships duties. These to
be carried out when weather
did not permit full trg programme
to be completed. It was decided
to allocate duties as closely as
possible to firstly, men's civilian
vocation and secondly, military
experience. This includes carpenters, 

fitters, storemen, sheet metal workers,
mechanics, and gunners. Not
only will this greatly facilitate the

50
Tour of
Engine Room.
Position.
51
working of the ship, but will help
considerably to relieve boredom.
In addition, a duty pl will be
detailed daily for ship's duties as
required. 
xxx The captain kindly consented
to allow two parties daily of six
to be taken on a conducted tour
of engine rooms at 0930 hrs & 1040 hrs
respectively.
1200. Course 278° G  Speed 15 K
Wind Force of 11-15 K Distance travelled
since 241200 - 360 mls. Latitude
31° 10 ' S Longitude 108° 39 ' E.
1315. Parade. All ranks stood down
1830. Clocks retarded 1 hr

52
Weather.
Dissemination
of Information
AUST
All Personnel
on Ship's
duties
Invitations in
England
53
Friday 26 Apr.              AT SEA.
Fine clear day with very slight
sea. By far the most pleasant day
yet encountered on the voyage. 0845

Conference of all offrs in the orderly
room. System inaugurated for the
distribution of information on AUSTRALIA.
Decided to distribute pamphlets on
pl basis, with pl shifts retaining
copies that are not in sufficient
numbers to go round. 0900. All ranks 

paraded & allotted to ships duties
for the morning. Abotut ten personnel
given specialist tasks, remainder 

used on general unskilled labour.
This included a variety of jobs
from painting, polishing and
scrubbing decks to splicing rope.
The men pitched in with a will 

and presented a most unusual
sight for a battle war ship. All other
training was cancelled for the morning.
0930 Brig MOTEN outlined to Maj
WILLIAMS suggested ideas for coping

with the expected flood of invitations
in ENGLAND. It is proposed that a
pro forma outlining action taken in
detail be attached to each invitation
etc as it arrives. A committee of
two officers from each service

is proposed, to deal with the flood.
It is hoped that secretarial assistance
can be procured from AUSTRALIA

House on arrival. Pl Comds will
have to keep comprehensive lists of
visits to ensure that each man sees 

as much of ENGLAND & possibly SCOTLAND

54
Photographic
Prints.
Sterling
Currency.
Position.
Deck
Hockey.
55
as possible.
Brig MOTEN also directed Lt
FORBES to give thought to a method
of obtaining prints of newspaper
photographs on for the War Diary and
whosoever may desire them. This
is to give each man a chance of
obtaining all published photographs and
at the same time be certain of
eventually receiving them. If possible
this will be done in CAPE TOWN as
well as in LONDON.
All AUSTRALIAN money was exchanged
for sterling during the day, on the
basis of  £1 Sterling to 25/- Australian.
This is causing some difficulty in the
ship's canteen, who are still dealing
in both Australian & Sterling. As a
consequence change in Australian is
likely to be received for sterling preferred,
causing a loss. This has been taken
up with the ships authorities & is
now in the course of adjustment
All ranks have now had their paybooks
altered to include the exchange allowance
due on leaving AUSTRALIA.
1200. Course 278° Speed 15 Knots Distance
travelled since 251200 - 360 miles.
Latitude 30° 10' S Longitude 102° 13' ' E Wind
Force 2. Now travelled 2459 miles
since leaving MELBOURNE.
Deck hockey has now become
a regular popular & regular sport for
most members of the contingent. It
is played on a court constructed
in the starboard waist ion the

56
Music.
Brig. MOTEN.
57
main deck. Played with cane sticks
and a rope "puck" it is a strenuous

& suitable game. The position of
the court is overlooked on three sides 

from "B" deck which provides a
natural amphitheatre for the many
enthusiastic spectators. 1600. RAAF
offrs played RAAF O.R's resulting in
a win for the OR's. 1615 Ward room
played AMF offrs with an easy
win for the Ward Room 1630 Gunroom
played Stokers, with a 5-1 win
for the Stokers. At present the
contingent is at a slight disadvantage
over the ships company who have

played the game before. However
it is felt by all ranks that it will
not be long before this state of
affairs is conclusively & emphatically
remedied.
1800. A programme of recorded
music was played over the ships
PA system with a commentary by
[[Mter?]] FAULKNER the ships [[?]]master.
Brig MOTEN was ordered to
bed for 3 days.
841. Now steaming dead along
30^th parallel of latitude. Ship will
steam along it now until it arrives
at approx 40 ° E Longitude

MJM

58
Weather.
Conference
Parade.
Rifle
Rolls
Bedding
I don't think this should be said as it is libellous.
No rating has been charged with either selling or
stealing blankets and the story appears to be hearsay
[[AH?]]
Kit
Deficiencies
Midday
Meal.
Interview
59
Saturday 27 Apr.            AT SEA
Fine clear day, becoming quite
cloudy and threatening towards mid day.
Practically no sew swell.
0845 Officers conference in orderly
room. Notified inoculation for TAB
and revac would be done during

afternoon. 0900. Parade. Palaudine
administered and inoculation ^rolls brought
up to date. Majority of men require
revac and approx 50% TAB. Rifle
rolls and comprehensive system for
return storing produced for the first time.
Previously no man could be certain
of getting his own rifle for use
on morning parades. Rifles cleaned
and inspected. All personnel warned
to be careful of bedding, at xxxx as blankets

are a readily saleable article.
until xxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxxxx of the ship's
xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx seven bedding blankets
in FREMANTLE a xxxxx xxxx made
xxxx xxxxxxx by trading these
xxxxxxx xxxx xxxxx of the contingent.
Ship's officers were attempting to wait
until lights out. Lists of deficiencies
in normal kit, taken - these have are
quite numerous. An attempt is
being made to re issue from
maintenance stocks during voyage.
1030 - 1100. PT. Midday meal for OR
personnel now at 1130 instead of 1200.
This will involve breaking off
at 1100 instead of 1130 as hithertoo
1200 1045. Maj Gen EATHER interviewed
each man who arrived after 0900
hrs at FREMANTLE. He pointed
out to each man individually the