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[Page 62]
the day instead we proceeded in at 4 p.m. through the narrow passage into Mare Piccolo Harbor. Passing the Italian fleet some of their larger dreadnoughts having gone up the Adriatic into Austria after being moored here in Taranto during the past 4 years as they could not go to sea on account of the submarine menace. The British pre Dreadnought Queen still moored inside & several British destroyers, also a French battleship & destroyers, otherwise the harbour is full of Italian ships of war & about 15 cargo steamers of which 10 of them were empty & awaiting orders, yet they say there is a shortage of shipping, also several troop ships. French & British busy loaded up with troop for garrison & demobilision. At 5 p.m. we commenced disembarking troops into barges. The troops leaving without their tea & not likely to get anything until the next morning, bad management again, they complained bitterly. At 8 p.m. all the troops disembarked & baggage. We found our troops would be there in camp for about 7 days, as they had 30,000 troops in camp & were sending to England by rail 12,000 a week & off course the trains could not cope with the work.
Feb. 4
At 8 a.m. we left the Inner harbour for the outer harbour & anchored for the day & night awaiting orders.
Feb. 5
At 10 a.m. orders came off to proceed to Salonika at noon as the railway bridges had been washed away & the line from Salonika (Itrea to Italy) had been blocked, so as to bring troops to Taranto Italy.