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[Page 71]
Almost female screams. Another rather poor turn was first counted out, and then a wit from somewhere up aloft let a very large ripe pumpkin slowly down almost in his arms. It simply brought the house down, and it had its effect. One of the Tasmanian Infantry dressed in ladies' evening dress simply looked a big dear. How on earth he rigged himself up I don't know. He sang "Thora" in the highest feminine voice, straight at the blushing and most uncomfortable Colonel on the stage in front of him. The crowds were in roars and each time this gawky-limbed, loose-jointed apparition of femininity lurched towards the colonel with outstretched arms and sang "Come, Come, COME", -- well, you should just have heard the roars of anguish and delight from the chaps. It's an occasion like this that we can get back on the "heads", who at other times wont come when we desire their presence. But I can't make a picture of this animated scene appear real, so I wont try further. It is one of the things which will remain forever in my mind. That men on such serious missions could plan, arrange and carry out such a frivolous affair some people would put down to the "irresponsibility" of the Australian soldier. Perhaps so. Australia's name is forever mud in Egypt: he has been irresponsible there. But we have heard so many grand tales of our chaps' "irresponsibility" in the Gallipoli fighting that I for one put a great part of their success down to this don't-care spirit of nonchalance. And so on this evening they did not have room in their heads, men and officers alike, for the more serious side of their undertaking. Yet they are, without doubt, little different from their predecessors who have made history in Gallipoli.
The sports in connection with the "Australia Day" went off equally well. Over £40 was distributed in prizes. As you can imagine we have many fine athletes on board. The boxing was most popular feature, and the nurses enjoyed the "brutal" sport very much.
Right through the Indian Ocean we were accompanied by the schools of flying fish. They are peculiar little chaps, and their flying consists of an aeroplaning motion with an occasional