Wynne letters to Claude Leplastrier, 29 October, 15 November 1923 / R. H. Wynne - Page 7

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I shall never forget our arrival at the home Port that voyage. After we had anchored we found our disembarkation was unavoidably delayed so the O.C. call all the Troops together & asked the Captain & myself to appear & give out the prizes that had been won in the different sports that had been held on board & after this had been done the O.C. made a speech to the Officers & men & I suddenly discovered traits in my character which I never knew was there. What little I did he magnified a thousandfold & evidently the men all agreed with him if you could judge by the resounding cheers that followed & then he presented us with those testimonials & this broke me up. I tried to make a speech of thanks, but over flowing thoughts of how we had been spared to bring the brave fellows from far Australia, & through that horrible danger zone fairly overcame me & although an old Sailor is credited with a fairly adamant heart, it was too much for me. The surprise was too great & I went under. So you can just imagine how I prize that beautiful testimonial from a crowd of the "[finest?] Soldiers & men" that ever fought for Old