Item 02: John Duncan McRae diary, 11 December 1916-9 February 1917 - Page 84

[Page 84]

We expected to go ashore to-day & were already at 4 P.M. for disembarkation but for some reason could not get off. Till 9 or 10 o'clock we waited anxiously for orders. For 2 hours after tea I was on deck guarding our luggage etc. but all to no avail & at about 9.30 we went to the Colonel & asked for blankets, & got them. Till then we had been all ready for departure. 36(degrees) was shown on the Thermometer, so you may guess we were quite frozen by evening time. Of course no tea was ready for us & so we were only issued with ship's biscuits & a mug of tea & this did not go far towards satisfying our winter appetites. Alan & I got 4 blankets between us & slept in our clothes together under one of our mess tables. Some of the boys complained of the cold beds!!! Indeed the sleep was a disappointed & disappointing one. We had built up our hopes & they had not materialised. However the next morn brought new hope & new appetite.

By the way we are flying our Union Jack