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[Page 14]
They're coming in tens of thousands,
And here's to their honour today –
Here's to the Sister Dominion
Who is showing us the way!
by a South African.
"We cant do much (I own it)" well after what I have told you, you can see how modest that statement is. "And throw them a trifle from shore" . That reminds me - Two girls, evidently well to do girls, spent several hours each day throwing oranges to the men on board. The last day, when we were not given leave, they threw 4 large sacks of oranges to the lads on the main & boat decks! You can get some idea of what exertion this meant by glancing at a liner in Circular Quay & seeing how high the decks mentioned are, but they threw them single handed. The Adjutant presented them with a big box of Chocolates each as they went, and we all gave them three cheers. They waited for no compliments, but threw a kiss & were gone. My goodness, some women do their bit.
Well to sum Durban up – we were simply stunned, goldarned hypnotised far dinkum, by their open handed generosity.
We had a good trip from Durban to Cape town & arrived in that Port at about 3.30 or 4 on Wednesday 20th Sept. The welcome here was cooler perceptibly. Not that we looked for cheering crowds, but the whole attitude was different. I put this down to 3 things. Firstly, the troops at present here when we arrived had not behaved too well, secondly, the residents were not aware of our coming, thirdly, there is a rather more mixed Dutch population who no doubt remembers the behaviour during the Boer War, which is said to have on occasions painted Cape town red.
The table mountain with the two peaks each side is very beautiful, and the buildings in the best part of the city are better even than Durban, which has a Town Hall any city would be proud of. There are no Rickshaws, which are a picturesque adjunct to Durban, very striking to a stranger, and the niggers are of a distinctly poorer class. But Cape Town is pretty beyond doubt, and we must remember that, although we were unable to accept any hospitality, when the people heard of our arrival, they offered it to us. But critical as we all are, the A.18, [HMAT Wiltshire] loves all South Africa and hopes to be lucky enough to see it again.