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Transcription
[Page 94]
19.5.18 [19]
Arrived & anchored at Suez at 4.30 a.m. At 8 a.m. the Authorities came off & informed us that a General strike was on throughout Egypt. No coal could be obtained & all the Cannal employees with the exception of the Pilots & heads of different departments were on strike throughout Egypt. At 2 p.m. we left Suez & steamed through the Cannal & on account of having no search light as supplied to each ship by the Cannal Company, we anchored at 7.30 p.m. at Little Bitter lakes.
20.5.18 [19]
At 5.30 we hove up anchor & proceeded up the Cannal. 8.10 a.m. changed Pilots at Ismalia & the Great Bitter lakes. At 11.30 passed the Palastine main depot Kantara. There lined on the banks by the thousands were Australian soldiers & English Tommies who kept shouting to the Civilian passengers aboard "What did you do to win the war & why are you going home", "Is the war over etc. Are we here for good. Have the War Office forgotten us after 4 years of hard labor on 1/- per day. How much have you made during this war etc. At 3 p.m. we arrived at Port Said & found we could not obtain any coal there. We had 700 tons of Fresh water & ordered to proceed to Malta for coal. We took in fresh provisions & the majority of the passengers went ashore.
21.5.18 [19]
Delayed through Fresh meat the strike effecting everyone ashore. At 2 p.m. a Lighter of foodstuffs came off, our crew were ordered to work same. At 5 p.m. we finished all stores & at 5.30 p.m. departed for Malta