Cocks letter diary, 1916-1919 / Verner Cocks - Page 23
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 23]
8
& could have had fish if we could eat it. After tea we walked about a bit & then had supper. Five of us went in & had coffee and toast - cake - ice cream and preserved peaches for 3/2. This was a rather respectable place too. We then collected about 40 of our men & had a race to the boat in rickshas.
Next day - Sunday - we had a church parade in the town hall & were dismissed for the day. Most of the chaps had been invited to residents' places & for motor rides but I had a look round. In the afternoon I went in for a swim & wandered round taking snaps. I will get my films developed in London & send them on. At night I went to an Organ recital in the Town Hall & afterwards met Jack with a sugar bag full of fruit. We had supper & rickshad down to the boat for the last time. During the night I talked to several citizens who informed me that we were the best behaved lot of men they had ever seen. Certainly we had set a fine example but the closing of the hotels against men in uniform was to a great degree responsible. The town is under martial law. We were the first Australian contingent to land at Durban & our good conduct will win for those following a good time from the people. I think we made a great impression marching through the