James Baillie diary, 11 February 1915 - 18 February 1916 - Page 18

[Page 13]

(Monday 12th)
There was not much tucker for breakfast lots of discontent on board we had a fine but cold night Will be glad when the battalion arrives as the O.C. says we will be taken where they are Well more cards this afternoon. Nothing to do now but go to bed and yarn Mac and I sleep in lifeboat.
(Tuesday 13th)
Mac Jack Beasley and I are to report to the cooks and take over the Galley for the afternoon Went and relieved cooks at 1 oclock and got the tea ready I can tell you we had a good feed out of it Our job is to be a short one however as we got orders to get ready for leaving the ship tomorrow. I don't know
where we are going Hope next packet we get aboard is better than this one To bed once more.
(Wednesday 14th)
Got into lighter and was transhipped on board of S.S. Itria (A25) The 6th Battery field artillery is aboard here. They have the ship to themselves.
Horses on lower deck and Guns down below in the hold. We have just got orders to take up our sleeping quarters in the horse stalls on deck That sounds cheerful the sadness is set in I think with us Its going to be a cold night so Mac and I rugged up a kind of sleeping room I don't think we will ever get proper sleeping apartments the living is a bit better here than on the Suffolk We are about to try our new sleeping apartment good night
(Thursday 15th)
Our bedroom was a bit more comfortable than sleeping in the open. There are a lot of Transports in the harbour with Australian and British and French troops aboard The Queen Elizabeth with the London P of Wales Majestic Triumph and lot of Lots more big ships to numerous to mention Torpedo boats and a big fleet of French ships. There are also Hydroplanes and a baloon ship to be used as an observation post. Well its night again so into our room
(Friday 16th)
Still on board of Itria. We took one of the life boats and went for a sail Visited the Seang Bee and saw steward and cooks one Company of the 13th battalion are on board and the rest are on the Ascot. Back to the Itria again. They have a canteen aboard here and we can get tobacco [indecipherable]