Item 02: Fred Hamilton-Kenny letter diary, 5 December 1914-26 February 1915 - Page 8
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[Page 8]
Part I
H.M.A.S. Fantome
The High Seas
Monday 7-12-14.
Dear girl
We did our gunnery & steam trials & put back to Garden Island – I got a letter from you & Mab & R – Mab got her buttons & R told of his Fort – I am sending R one of my 3 tailed bandages in case of casualties – It may come in handy. Anyway he can learn to bandage from its pretty pictures – I had no time to reply for we put to sea & shant touch land till we get to Cairns –
As soon as we got out – General quarters were announced – gun crews were listed & each man – including myself – had his billet assigned – just as if we were going into action – at once – I have to stand by the Ward room & attend there to all the wounded – The Ship's corporal & the Sick bay attendant have to cater for me & pick up the wounded & bring them to me – My S.B.A. has already asked me if he cd be put ashore but I candidly told him I wouldn't lose him for worlds & that if he wasn't shot I'd make a man of him before the trip ended – He's a combine of Fool – Coward & Ass I think – Gun crews have to sleep by their guns – Shells are handy & everything is arrayed for instant action – in fact – the sole aim of our life is to be efficient – for action - & everything is subordinated to that point of view – Gun drill – Fire drill – Boat drill –