Item 01: Ralph Ingram Moore letters, 10 February 1907-15 March 1918 - Page 38
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[Page 38]
4.
other German war boats were about so they had to keep a motherly eye on us.
We passed the line on the 13 inst. Naturally a holiday was proclaimed for this important event. During the day I think every soldier on board was thrown into the tank. Being very close none of us were wearing much clothing, so it did not matter. The ceremony itself was very funny. The officers appropriated the brass instruments of the band. The band €“ save the mark €“ marched on to the forecastle deck to welcome Neptune & his suite. Although only two officers could play, the rest made a most ungodly noise, but that did not prevent Col. Talbot from conducting in a most strenuous manner. Neptune was disguised in the most approved style €“ all that we expected Neptune would look like, but Britannia was superb, her figure being beyond description. A plentiful supply of flounce hid her blushes. A few soup ladles, and hair brushes hanging from her wrists acted as trinkets, and quoits on either arm made excellent armlets. The victims for the ordeal of shaving etc were pounced on by the satellites of Neptune. These poor beggars had first to swallow two soap pills and a mixture of vinegar, pepper, salt mustard etc. After that they were lathered with a white wash brush. It appeared to me that the lathering consisted mainly of hitting
[Continued on Page 36]