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[Page 83]
Thursday 27th November
Fortune is not favouring us today. Owing to bad coal we are making very slow time and instead of arriving at Chanak at 7 or 8 oclock we did not disembark till 2pm. Exceedingly interesting journey down the Dardenelles. French warship aground at Gallipoli with salvage ship trying to get her off. Gallipoli an interesting town and old sites of ancient ruins still visible Sestos, Abydos, Dardanus etc. Took a number of photos including one of Saribair from the Maidos side. Passed wrecks of two Turkish ships torpedoed by our Submarines.
British Naval Commodore at Chanak sent us on by launch to Kilid Bahr. Here French troops are in occupation and the French Commander did me the honour of a salute with a fanfare of trumpets thrown in. Troops are all Colonial. At "Retreat" the French troops have quite a pretty ceremonial, somewhat on our lines. Col Hughes took us in a Gossley Tender to see our old haunts on the Peninsular. It was intensely interesting to pass through the ruined town of Maidos to Gun Ridge and Gaba Tepe via Boghali, [indecipherable] and Olive Farm - in reality the latter is an Oak Grove. Had to return in the dark, tho' a slender new moon was very helpful. I regret more than I can say that I had not time to spend a few days here €“ but my ship is getting nearer & nearer to Port Said and I cannot risk missing her. Stayed the night with our Australian officers who are looking after Australian graves in Gallipoli. They are located in Fort Kilid Bahr now named [indecipherable] Marchand after French General. Magnificent fish for dinner.
Friday 28th November
"Hapsburg" arrived at Chanak at 8 am. After breakfast at Kilid Bahr took a few photos, including a group of our Australian officers, then crossed in a Motor Launch to the ship. As I was boarding my ship, jumping from the launch to the gangway, my camera became detached from my belt and fell overboard €“ My only consolation is that the accident occurred almost at the end of our tour and not at the beginning or the middle.
Met Col Broome RE on board. Last saw him in Berlin. He is off to Vladivostock in connection with repatriation or Russian prisoners. The son of a former Governor of West Australia he knows that Country very well. Ship Comfortable tho' the food very poor. She is an Austrian Lloyd liner of about 5000 tons Home port Trieste. O'Hara Wood and myself each have a double Cabins. Dead calm sea and beautiful weather. Not a movement of the ship.