Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 17
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[Page 17]
After altering our courses the stranger was now nearly astern & gaining on us. darkness came & he was about 4 miles off. We increased our speed & called the firemen who were off duty & put a double lot at the furnesses. Our speed in a matter of 15 minutes increased to 17 Knots & then to 18 Knots about 20 miles an hour. Revolutions on both engins 92. The troopship vibrating & going for all she was worth. We soon lost sight of him & continued at that speed during the night. All troops on deck with probably 500 glasses straining there eyes to see if they could see anything.
After at daybreak not a thing visable. We sent a wireless out & sent word of this stranger's movements. We found out after as we had suspected that she was a raider. She was sighted & sunk by gunfire by one of the English auxilary cruisers. We all thanked God for the speed we had otherwise we would have been a easy prey for him. We proved the above statement re the raider from the Naval Authorities at Port Said.
Nothing of importance happened until we got of the Island of Perim . We were chalanged by a British Patrol cruiser Sent an officer on board satisfied we were all right & steamed again up the Red Sea towards Suez. We had a splendid trip up the Red Sea