Item 02: Fred Hamilton-Kenny letter diary, 5 December 1914-26 February 1915 - Page 19
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[Page 19]
Saturday
Dec 12-14 It's Saturday aftn about 2.30 – Forward the deck is covered with sleeping men – lying asleep on the decking – One man alone is reading – He's a cook – Another is using a sewing machine & using it handily – Curious to see such a home loving machine just below a 12 pounder & alongside a Maxim – We are all anxious to hear about the last fight of the Scharnhorst & Gneisenau & who took part in it & we keep the wireless man on duty with his ear pads on to catch the aerial messages – Probably we shant get anything – Our last two messages were between Brisbane & Noumea & in French – The word 'coule' bothered us but it means sunk – "Un exadre Anglais coule Scharnhorst – Gneisu Dresden aux les isles Falkland et pourinet Leipzig et Nurnberg". That was our text –
It's a lovely day – No prayers, no quarters – We holystone – the decks instead & then wash down – Clean up for inspection & prayers on Sunday. Most of the officers are asleep – I've lent 'Bernhardi' to one & marked the naval chapters for him – Gradually I'm understanding the navy & naval things.