Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 20
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[Page 20]
The Melbourne pilot flew over the gun that fired at the French Cruiser & killed 36 men & put her out of commission. She is laying here at Port Said at present. We hear of a British monotor & a torpedo destroyer having moored for the night inside of submarine proof nets. The both were torpedoed whilst at anchor.
A French oil steamer passed within a few feet of us & when about 400 ft. away a terrible explosion occured on board. The oiler caught fire & she burnt close to the shipping for 2 days. Several explosions occured. The magazine blew up & a piece of iron was blown from her on top of the Exchange Hotel a matter of 500 yards away. All the windows within a radius of ΒΌ of a mile were all shattered.
My self & other officers being at the Navy house having a lecture on gunnery & on submarines when we heard a terrible explosion the windows of the building fell out & the Lieut. Commander in Charge remarked that the Huns were at it again. Meaning enemy airoplanes.
Well we all rushed out & found it to be a French oil tank steamer on fire. Several of the crew was burnt to death & several injured. The captain & pilot jumped overboard were burnt badly but saved. Whilst on fire some of us officers passed her within a few yards in a boat & saw one of the crew with his head & arm out of one of the forcastle ports. Burnt to death. A horrible sight.