Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 20]
the coast of Western Australia. Far away astern of us there are a few grey specks getting ever smaller – the last sight of Australia - 'tis most fitting that the dusk should be creeping on, for it was seven years ago that I saw these same specks of land at the dawn of a glorious day – that was my first of Australia, the land which has been so much to me, which gave me my great chance in life, which I now leave perhaps for ever.
Dec: 31
Sea quite calm – usual routine.
Jan; 1. 1915
Burial at sea, perhaps the first of many – a brilliant sky above, glorious blue below – we are all lined up on deck – all the fleet is stopped – somewhere, from one of the ships , a body has been cast to the deep; way back in Australia some mother will mourn a son – there is dead silence throughout that huge fleet; just the gentle heaving of the ocean, each man to think of Death as he may.
The "Dismiss" is sounded; we all feel relieved to get back to the work of living, though I can't help thinking of the, perhaps not far distant, date when I shall see my comrades dying in hundreds on the field of battle.
Jan: 2
Usual routine – in the evening am giving lessons in drawing to two of the men. We have a printing press on board,