Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 7
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[Page 7]
This story is primarily a record of the Sydneys part in the war up to July of 1916 but with slight exceptions the Melbourne covered much the same ground. [The Melbourne was a sister ship of the Sydney]
The Australia's work has for the most part lain elsewhere and her wanderings and will no doubt be revisited some day by be the subject of some future book.
The Sydney was on a "banzai" trip along the Coast of Queensland showing the casual taxpayer what he had bought with his money when the first news arrived of impending trouble in Europe.
The ship in point of fact was alongside the pier at Townsville and there was naturally a certain amount of excitement aboard. Next day orders were received to fill up with coal and stores and to load practice ammunition. This was on July 30th. On the third of August the Yarra & Warrego arrived and the same evening all three ships sailed for Thursday Island which was their allotted war station.
En route a wireless message was