Item 01: Eric Susman war diary, 1 January 1915-4 April 1916 - Page 127
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[Page 127]
Tuesday 13 April 1915
The sleeping accomodation for the troops on this old tramp could not be dignified by the term "troop deck". She has just carried a cargo of guano, there are no hammocks, no mess tables, practically no light, and very little air. At any rate we woke up early apparently none the worse for our night on the hard cold steel plates. After a great deal of delay, we left our moorings at about 1 p.m.
Unlike our dull, unostentatious entry into Alexandria, our departure was the cause of enthusiastic cheering on all sides. There are still a great number of captures in the harbour, most of which have been fitted, or are now being fitted up, as troopships. Amongst the ships which I particularly noticed, was the Indian hospital ship "Gascon" and needless to say our turbaned brothers in this war, gave us a rousing cheer. Clearing the harbour a little after two in the afternoon, we steamed for a time in a northerly direction, a few degrees west. Then the speed of the boat was noticed to decrease. Finally we stopped for an hour. Just think of it. The scratch crew of Greek stokers on His Majesty's troopship in a war like the present one could not keep up the necessary pressure of steam.