Item 01: G. T. Birkbeck diary, 30 September 1915 - 23 April 1919 - Page 11

[Page 11]

10: C.M. on board, three infantry men sentenced to 21 days cells for stealing medical comforts whilst on guard duty
15: Aussie bunny for lunch. Very hot 107.3 at noon, men wearing only shorts & singlets. Hospital & deck full of sick.
17: Pte. Sellars fell down hold 50 ft., dying four hours later, buried at sea 7 p.m.
19: Mishap to steering gear, drifted for three hours till engineers righted matters.
20: Crossed the line; no sports out of respect to Pte. Sellars.
27: Funeral service conducted by troops; dixies of tainted meat buried, funeral March played on mouth organs. Steward received a hot time from mess orderlies. Dry canteen out of stock & no smokes to be had on board.
29: Paid today & C.O wanted to deduct 1/- from each man to pay for shortages, but all hands created a noise & that was the end of it.
30: Reached Suez at 7.30a.m., fine fun with Arabs hawking goods in feloukas. Remaining on board till tomorrow, to be medically examined by M.O.