Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 107
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[Page 107]
Taranto Italy
inside the mines. Now had this port been a British or French their would have been a special escort sent out & trawlers.
1.30 pm dropped anchor at outer harbour & orders to remain so until next morning.
At 3 pm a Austrian Zepellian air ship appeared over the city quite visible from the ship. Height probable 10,000 feet. The shore batteries opened fire with shrapnel & drove same away it disappeared behind the clouds.
June 22 Sat.
Speaking to the officers of the transport Canberra re the Leasowe Castle the night she was torpedoed. The Leasowe being in the front line of formation the Canberra in the 2nd 800 yards behind her. After the Leasowe was hit she stopped. The Canberra came up & heard voices shouting in the water & found several soldiers hanging on to a raft in fact they passed them within a few feet. But the Canberra could not stop as it was against all orders. So signalled the nearest destroyer. They saw the raft before they realized that the Leasowe had been torpedoed. So it proves that some of the troops were either blown over the side when the torpedoe hit or they must have jumped overboard immediately.