Item 01: Hector Brewer diary, 21 August 1914-31 December 1915 - Page 24

[Page 24]

The mess orderlies do all the work so far. Routine on board as follows. 6AM Rise & stow away hammocks 8 AM breakfast. 11 AM beer issued. Price 3d. 12 PM dinner 5.30 PM tea, 9.30 everyone in bed & lights out.

Monday 19th Fine weather, calm sea. Many dolphins seen. Speed of ship about 9 knots per hour.

Tues 20 Passed Wilson's Prom. Many rocks & islands passed

Wed 21st Entered the Bight whales on Starboard side. Been sweeping & scrubbing decks. Syrup jam & butter served out for dinner. Boxing singing and band at nighttime Large shark seen

Thurs. 22 ship rolling. Blowing from West. 2 big sharks seen. Passed Adelaide whales about 30' long sharks 12'

Friday 23rd Expect to arrive at Albany on Sund.

Sunday 25th Arrived at Albany. Troopships assembling here. Cold wind & and rain

Monday 26th Raining cold. HMAS Melbourne in sight. Castor oil given me for a cold.

Nov 1st Whole fleet of about 40 transports weighed anchor & left Albany. Great sight. Cruiser on both sides of us.
No 3 strong headwind & big seas, fine

Nov 9th German Cruiser Emden sunk by HMAS Sydney off Cocos Islands

No 10 1230 miles off Columbo.

Nov 13 Father Neptune arrived on board & everyone ducked and shaved. I escaped

Nov 15 arrived in Colombo port, Fine weather

Nov 17th all transports left Colombo. Russian warship with us & British Cruiser Hampshire
Natives very dark skinned

Nov 25th Arrived in Gulf of Aden. Reached Aden

Nov 26th Left Aden. Fine weather

Dec 2nd arrived at entrance of Suez Canal.
Searchlights taken on board. Egypt on left or Port side & Arabia on Starboard

Mon 3rd reached Port Said about 60,000 Indian troops on banks of Canal