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[Page 18]
Up to now I have confined myself strictly to the actual work performed by the Australian Flotilla and the ships with whom it associated. Obviously there must be a lighter side to this work. We could not always be in harness. What then were our amusements and how did we occupy ourselves when free from insurgent clamour of the Sea?
It must be remembered that all the English ships based in Brindisi were, for all matters expecting disciplinary and internal routine, under the immediate orders of the Italian C. in C. who curiously enough had bore the very English name of Acton.
He it was, who regulated our comings and goings as regards our periods of leave, the distance we might go from the town, or if on twenty-four hours leave or more the towns one might or might not visit. Owing to the difficulty of food supply there were certain small towns, an our or so's train ride from Brindisi who were hard put to as feed themselves and so it was undesirable that perhaps twenty or thirty hungry matelots should suddenly be thrust upon them all clamouring, and perfectly willing to pay for the best in town.
For leave purposes the T.B.D's, in fact all ships including our cruisers as well, were divided into three classes which were as follows:-
Ships at half hours notice - No leave to anyone.
Ships at two hours notice - Leave from 4.0 p.m. - 6.0 p.m.
Ships at six hours notice - Leave to men 4.0 p.m. - 6.0 p.m. Petty Officers 7.0 p.m. and Officers 11.0 p.m.
N.B. Meaning a ship must be ready to put to sea in fighting trim at half, two or six hours notice.
As a matter of fact it was generally arranged that a ship each time it returned to harbour should give two full afternoons - from 1.00 p.m. until 6.0 p.m. - leave during her four days in port but no man or Petty Officer was allowed ashore, after the hours mentioned without a pass from the his Commanding Officer, and this rule was strictly enforced. The same limitations applied to the French and Italian sailors, and no favouritism shown to either nationality.
It spoke well for the behaviour of our people that offences against discipline while on shore, drunkeness, brawling, etc. were conspicuous by their absence, in fact during the whole of our stay in Brindisi we - speaking for the Australian Flotilla - had only one serious case and that was owing to the town running out of