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Page 3
We reached Colombo on the 13th January, and found a number of ships of
various nationalities in the harbour. Our convoy almost filled it. We
were soon surrounded by boats offering for sale all sorts of things,
mostly edibles. Of course no one was allowed on board.
After arranging for Major Stewart's accommodation at the hospital, we
transferred from the ---- to the ----. The voyage was resumed on the
15th. When a few days out, one of the ships flagged that there were
two cases of appendicitis on board. The convoy was stopped; the ship
drew near ours, and lowered a boat with the two cases, which was soon
alongside. Meanwhile a large box which had been made by our carpenter
was lowered over the side by a winch on the boat deck; the cases were
placed in it and hoisted aboard, where the stretcher-bearers conveyed
them to the hospital. Examination showed that operation was necessary
in both cases, and the necessary preparations were made.
The day was a glorious one--not a cloud in the sky, and the sea almost
oily in its smoothness. As the hospital was full of cases of measles,
it was decided to operate on deck a little aft of the hospital. A
guard was placed to keep inquisitive onlookers at a distance, and the
two operations were carried out successfully. It was a novel
experience to operate under these conditions. When one looked up from
the work, instead of the usual tiled walls of a hospital theatre, one
saw nothing but the sea and the transports. After all, they were ideal
conditions; for the air was absolutely pure and free from any kind of
germ.
While the convoy was stopped, the opportunity was taken to transfer
Lieutenant-Colonel Bean from the ---- to the ----. There had been a
number of fatal cases on board the latter vessel, and it was deemed
advisable to place a senior officer on board.
On arrival at Aden I had personal experience of the worth of the Red
Cross Society. A number of cases had died aboard one of the
transports, and I had to go over to investigate. The sea was fairly
rough, the boat rising and falling ten or twelve feet. For a landsman
to gain a ladder on a ship's side under these conditions is not a
thing of undiluted joy. Anyhow I missed the ladder and went into the
water. The first fear one had was that the boat would drop on one's
head; however, I was hauled on board by two hefty sailors. The
inspection finished, we were rowed back to our own ship, wet and cold.
By the time "home" was reached I felt pretty chilly; a hot bath soon
put me right, and a dressing gown was dug out of the Red Cross goods
supplied to the ship, in which I remained while my clothes were
drying. Sewn inside was a card on which was printed: "Will the
recipient kindly write his personal experiences to George W. Parker,
Daylesford, Victoria, Australia." I wrote to Mr. Parker from Suez. I
would recommend everyone sending articles of this kind to put a
similar notice inside. To be able to acknowledge kindness is as
gratifying to the recipient as the knowledge of its usefulness is to
the giver.
The voyage to Suez (which was reached on the 28th January) was
uneventful. We arrived there about 4 in the morning and found most of
our convoy around us when we got on deck at daylight. Here we got news
of the Turks' attack on the Canal. We heard that there had been a
brush with the Turks, in which Australians had participated, and all
the ships were to be sandbagged round the bridge. Bags of flour were
used on the ----.
The submarine cast off from the ---- outside and came alongside our
ship. I was invited to go and inspect her, and Paddy accompanied me.
On going below, however, I left him on the deck, and by some means he
slipped overboard (this appears to run in the family on this trip);
one of the crew fished him out, and he was sent up on to the ----.
When I got back I found Colonel Monash, the Brigadier, running up and
down the deck with the dog so that he would not catch cold! The
Colonel was almost as fond of the dog as I was.
EGYPT
All along the canal we saw troops entrenched--chiefly Indians. This at
the time was very novel--we little knew then how familiar trenches
would become. At various points--about every four or five miles-a
warship was passed. The troops on each ship stood to attention and the
bugler blew the general salute. Port Said was reached in the
afternoon, and here a great calamity overtook me. Paddy was lost! He
was seen going ashore in the boat which took the mails. Though orders
were out against any one's leaving the ship, Colonel Monash offered me
permission to go and look for him. With Sergeant Nickson and Walkley I
started off and tramped through all sorts of slums and places, without
any success. Finally we returned to the water front, where one of the
natives (a little more intelligent than the others) took me to the
Custom House close by. One of the officials could speak a little
English, and in response to my enquiry he turned up a large book. Then
I saw, among a lot of Egyptian writing, PADDY 4 A.M.C. MORMON. This
corresponded to his identity disc, which was round his neck. He was
out at the abattoirs, where after a three-mile drive we obtained him.
His return to the ship was hailed by the men with vociferous cheers.
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