Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 21
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[Page 21]
The monotors & destroyers laying near let go their moorings & cleared. The navy men & cannal tugs done their best but water was of no use to prevent her burning as there were about 5000 tons of oil on board in cases.
Sun Jan 20
2pm The Navy authorities came alongside & ordered us to get steam up as soon as possible & proceed inland through the cannal to Ismailia as the German cruisers Goeben & Breslau were out of the Dardanelles & possibly on their way to bombard Port Said. We got up steam & at 6pm news came through that the Breslau was sunk & that the Goeben had struck a mine & the Germans ran her ashore off the Narrows in the Dardanelles. So that all the danger being over we remained at our moorings. Then we heard the sad news of the Monotor Raglan & M. Class [M28] having been sunk & hundreds of lives lost by the Goeben German cruiser.
Sun Jan 27
We were ordered to proceed to Ismalia a harbor midway in the cannal for safty. So left at 6am & proceeded passing the Cantaira headquarters in fact the base for all Palastine operations. Whilst steaming through the cannal we saw thousands of high explosive shells stowed on the banks of the cannal ready for sending up by rail to Palastine, the English having built a railway to Jerusalum during the operations.