Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 11
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[Page 11]
The troops were on board in an hour. Then the relatives & friends were allowed alongside the steamer. The ships side lined with hundreds of paper tape of all colors. The bands played The patrotic music. A sight one should & never would forget. hundreds of the troops singing all aus & Hoorah etc. Their relatives probably fathers, mothers & sisters shedding tears. A good many even fainting as the Indarra hauled away from the wharf. The colored tapes held until a hundred feet or so off the wharf & severed the connection between the troopship & Dear old Australia.
These particular men were without a doubt & without an exception the pick of Australia of mostly the Australian Imperial Royal Artillery from all the states N.S.W. S.A. W.A.. Queensland & Tasmania.
As we steamed away We could see the crowd on the pier still waving until all became dim. Night came on (having passed through the Melbourne heads at 3pm). The 1st night at sea & bound away with no idea where our destination would be or how long we should be away from those