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[Page 10]
power at about 11 knots which is much over the speed allowed in the canal. We have to stop for about 2 hours in the Bitter Lakes, so we have a swim, but it is not very enjoyable owing to the water being so very salt; We reach Suez about 2 p.m., the same day and wait for the Eclipse to come through that we might proceed on our journey. However she did not come through till the following day, when we immediately got under way for Aden 25th. Arrived Aden 29th March
Just before we got into Aden we had the misfortune to lose another propeller blade. This of course was a serious matter as there was not a dock sufficiently large enough to take us, so it was decided to attempt the task with divers and was successfully accomplished in two days. We got under way for Colombo on the afternoon of 1st April. We arrived at Colombo on 9th April after a most beautiful trip across the Indian Ocean. Left Colombo for Singapore on 14th April arriving Singapore on 22nd April. We left Singapore for Batavia on 25th arriving there 27th April. We remained there one day. Some of the crew had a trip up to the town of Batavia while the officers were entertained by the Dutch Admiral. We left again on the evening of 28th for Port Darwin arriving there on May 6th after a beautiful trip through the Dutch Islands. There we were entertained by the residents to Sports and a concert in the evening. We left Port Darwin for Cairns on May 9th arriving Cairns May 13th. Here we were entertained to a trip to the Barron Falls. Left Cairns May 18th for Sydney.
On this trip we encounter heavy seas, and are forced to take refuge in Moreton Bay. Proceeding the following day, still a heavy sea running. We arrive in Sydney on 24th May, our long and tedious trip having come to an end. The boat then went into dock at Cockatoo Island, and when she came out, proceeded alongside Garden Island to undergo an extensive refit and overhaul of engines.
During the month of June, most of the crew are on leave. On August 4th War in declared. The boat is not ready to proceed to sea, so it is necessary to put in a lot of overtime to finish the engines and to get the torpedoes tested and afterwards get them in position in the boat. Everything is ready on August 9th.
During this time the S.S. Upolu was taken over by the Admiralty to act as a parent ship to submarines to carry oil fuel provisions, spare fittings etc. S.S. Upolu was built in 1892 for the U.S.S. Company, after which she changed hands several times.
Previous to the Admiralty taking her over she was laid up at Rose Bay. She turned out to be very unservicable for the work for she was of 750 tons and a speed of about 8 knots. We remained in Sydney till 28th August when we received orders to proceed North not knowing our exact destination. We arrived at Palm Islands of the Coast of Queensland on 2nd September. Here we met the Sydney, Encounter, troopship Berrima, and the storeship Aurangi. We receive orders that we are to leave for Port Moresby (New Guinea) the same afternoon. We all moved off about 4.30 in the afternoon arriving Port Moresby on September 5th. After taking in oil and provisions we leave for