Mercer papers, 9 December 1917-19 June 1919 / Harold Mercer - Page 8

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on the wharf station there were numberless different units with the packs and equipment in lines marking their position. There were a mixture of races, including some colored ones. The wait was tiresome, but the embarkation was rapid when it started. We simply went on board in a continuous line receiving our life belts as we trailed round the deck, and then right down to the lower decks to stack our equipment. Then some biscuits & cheese & hot tea issued. The only thing more solid since early morning breakfast was the tin of "bully" between three issued before leaving Camp & eaten in the train. The boat, which used to travel from Harwich to Antwerp, was packed to many times its travelling capacity. Not an inch of room anywhere; and if a "tin fish" got us it would have had a haul. When I tried to walk the deck, I had to pick my way painfully between sleepers lying on top of one another almost; but, as all lights were out, moving became painful. I went to sleep standing up against the rail. Couldn't find any room to sit or lie down. We were slipping out of port, before I had come on deck from stacking my kit, with two destroyers bounding about near us; and we seemed to pick our way through an amazing twisting of lights. At the last light a grey destroyer seemed to take us into custody and we went into black night with the whole vessel shaking as it got to top speed and chased a dim stern light on the destroyer. Other destroyers now & then rushed up close to us during the night, more noticed by swish of water than noticed by the grey shadow interfering with the glint of