Item 01: Percival Hurley war diary, 29 September 1915-24 September 1916 - Page 212

[Page 212]

12
No 6 30 parade. Turned out about 6 40 washing accomodat rotten long lines of men waiting to get at two basins – water running sluggishly a steamer passed us about 7 oc going east another steam passed us about 9 30 on the horizon our port side looked like a P & O.
Nix doing today parade 10 30 – packed kit bags – no aft parade – A big 2 funneler passed on starbor side - about 6.0.

Even yarn to Bird – he knows Pavitt & Ruth of Bomea – told me about the Singapore Rivs & the 5 Indian L Inf – Shropshire Regt
Brek B & marg – jam - sloptea
Boil [indecipherable] spuds      rice &
Boil rice & few raisins [indecipherable]
Turn in 11.0

Indecipherable Net exs = 1/-

13th
Only troubled the ship for cup of tea for brek.
Bisc & herrings. Sea a bit rougher.
Danger zone for next 24 hours – said to be near Malta but not calling parade 10 30.

Dinner Meat & spuds
Aft no parade – yarn etc did some French – read sleep. Fitz has lost nearly £5 of money in 3 days. (2 Fruit milk Dks)
New Tea system - salmon vinegar & duff pudding 4/-
Even yarn Fitz & Lygo – Supper Pears & milk 3/-
Turn in 9.30

14
About 10 30 great scare – we stopped went astern booster round then ahead again about ½ hours shuffling. Garbled explanation apparently nearly a collision – two vessels got mixed up between or near our escort & ourselves. Owing to us showing no lights then were coming directly on to us until evidently they spotted our escort or were signalled to by it. The larger vessel passed us on the starboard side at a distance of 50 yards – the other & smaller vessel appears to have cleared off as soon as it spotted us