Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 69
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[Page 69]
so proceeded on. It appears he was 15 hours in the water before being rescued viz. 8 hrs on the machine which was kept up on its floats then sank. So seeing the position hopeless he cut his patrol tank adrift & plugged all the connections & made it air tight so floated on this for 7 hours. Another convoy passed & one of the steamers ½ a mile off took him to be a German submarine & fired 6 rounds of shells from their 6 inch gun. So the airman exhausted after being in the water 15 hours & soaking wet took off his shirt & waved it. Finally a distroyer came over & saved him. Now at the hospital & doing well.
It appears this distroyer took him to be a sub & rushed over with the intention of dropping a depth charge.
30.
Commenced taking in troops at 2am having come direct from Palastine in trains & shipped on arrival.
11 am all the troops embarked. 2000 74th Division with Gen. Hoare the general commanding going over on the Indarra. The Omrah & Canberra were filled up with troops yesterday & left for anchorage in the bay at 5 pm left night the other troopships still being alongside the wharf. This division consists of 18000 of which 3000 are Scotch & the rest English & Welsh regiments.