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[Page 27]
Two merchant ships were found inside the harbour. These the M.L's not being epris with the state of affairs, promptly torpedoed and then, seeing no signs of any opposition or people walking about waving white flags they returned to the main body, which, well content with the its work returned to Brindisi, there where after mooring up for the night, many of us adjourned to feast our eyes on the frolicsome frivolities of the fair ladies of the Teatro Mazzari, an ever popular resort of both the rank and file of all ships.
Two days after this Durazzo was occupied by Italian troops.
After the Armistice was signed the whole of the Australian flotilla left for the Dardanelles and thence to the Black Sea where they were occupied on various missions. The "Torrens" and "Yarra", escorting the light cruiser "Liverpool" were despatched to Batoum and were entertained right royally by the people of that exceedingly interesting town. The "Warrego" & "Parramatta" were utilized as ferry boats between Constantinople and Sevastopol, a not very congenial task as the weather by then - late November - was getting bitterly cold, far colder than anything we had experienced in the Adriatic. At Constantinople they discovered that food and clothing were at more than famine prices. For a cast off suit you could get hundreds of offers of Turkish pounds (with not more than 7/6 of our money) while a pair of boots even though they had been soled and heeled fetched as much as 12 Turkish pounds. Such prices were too tempting for many of our sailors with the consequence that several of their wardrobes were depleted almost to the vanishing point and a very strict eye had to be kept on the issue of "slops" (lower deck clothing).
Whilst on one of her periodical trips to Sevastopol, the "Warrego" this time accompanied by H.M.S. "Hope" instead of "Parramatta" a rather curious incident befell these two ships. For the clearer understanding I cannot do better than give the verbatim reports of the respective commanding officers of these two ships.
[The following crossed through.]
Copy of Orders to Master S.S. "Patmos"
You are to give me at once an apology in writing for not dipping your colours to H.M. Ships "Hope" and "Warrego".
You are then to steam once round H.M.S. "Hope" with your colours at the dip and then proceed on your journey.
(Sgd.) Colin Hutchison
Lieutenant Commander
H.M.S. "Hope" - 9/12/18.