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[Page 4]
H.M.N.Z. Troopship No 8.
Auckland Harbour
11th October 1914
My dear Father
Many thanks for your kind letter- I wrote a long letter to you just before we sailed the first time, but evidently by your letter it must have gone astray- After 6 weeks training in camp we embarked on September 23rd- two troopships took us the "Waismana" No 12 & "Star of India" No 8- We went on board the Waismana 1600 men & 600 horses. 600 men & 400 horses went on the Star of India. We lay in the Harbour all night & at 9 o'clock the following morning steamed away with H.M.S. "Philomel" as a convoy. It was an awful experience we were packed in bunks down the Hold's like sardines & the heat & smell was simply awful- I turned into my bunk early & the first thing I heard in the morning was men yelling out that we were back in Auckland- You can imagine the disappointment it was to us all. We anchored in the Harbour & stayed