Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 23
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[Page 23]
Albany was having the time of its life. The Hotels shops and streets were full of soldiers having their last run ashore, and with flags waving and bands playing all wore a festive air: the shadow of what was coming was not yet visible.
The warships Minotaur Melbourne and Sydney were busy coaling and at daylight next day the troopships got underway.
The Minotaur went well out in front ahead about five miles; the Melbourne and Sydney followed and took station on either flank seven miles apart. The transports followed in three great lines and took station in between.
It was truly a noble sight to see, these forty khaki crowded ships starting on their journey, and it is probable that such an Armada had never put to sea before. We in the Sydney felt proud to be of the party, and it was all a fitting genesis to Gallipoli.
Leaving Albany the warships went into war routine: the ships were darkened at night, the guns manned, and double watches kept. The efforts of the transports to darken ship were not always successful, and some evenings the fleet presented the spectacle of a large well lit town. One could not help thinking that the torpedoes of an enterprising enemy could not have failed to create havoc amongst us at night. To the uninitiated at any rate it looked impossible to miss. However the secret of the expedition was so well kept that we afterwards heard the Germans had no notion of its whereabouts.