[Page 11]
Wednesday 19 January 1916
In spite of late hours previous night, woke early & got out to hurry up the men's "fall in". A muster parade & roll call being held to ascertain whether any men had not returned from shore leave, there was no time for physical drill before breakfast.
The day was fine, but dull & grey throughout. At morning parade at 9.30 I was able to take abt 80 of the men up on to the boat deck & there went through some rather strenuous physical exercises, there being no motion of the vessel to interfere with exercises.
The afternoon parade was of a similar nature with the boat still at anchor in the bay. The tender with a full complement of 1st saloon passengers came alongside abt 4 o'clock, & abt 4.30 the anchor was weighed & we started to move, just as one of the ladies on behalf of the passengers presented to the men a fine lot of things purchased with money amounting to abt 7pound;35: 2 gramophones, boxing gloves, books, games, mouth organs, etc. there was great cheering by the men, & certainly it was very handsome of the passengers.
A very welcome change was made at dinner in that instead of the officers waiting for the second sitting & so coming out of mess at abt ¼ to 9, we went down at 6.30 & after mess watched the men boxing etc.
We reached the heads abt 7.30 & dropped the pilot: there was slightly more motion outside with a fresh head wind blowing, & the night was decidedly cool, greatcoats being generally in use.