Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 246
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[Page 246]
were similarly divided lest a lucky shell should wipe out all. The surgeons are supposed to have the safest billet obtainable in action; but in a ship of the Sydney class with her thinly armoured sides, such cover as exists is probably only sufficient to make a well aimed shell, if fired at reasonable range, burst the better. The coal bunkers which were supposed to form a further protection were always the first emptied when the ship went to sea. Still the accommodation provided was the best to be had in the circumstances, bearing in mind its accessibility for wounded. According to regulations, the wounded are not to be carried below except during a lull or at the conclusion of the action, so as not to take necessary men from the guns, and so as not to expose the stretcher party to the risk of going on deck. Such treatment as is given comes from the first aid bag served out to each gun, and from the rough and ready methods of the crew. As a matter of practice, in this action at any rate, the men were brought below almost as soon as they were hit. Within the first few minutes the lieutenant in the after control was brought down on the back of a petty officer. His legs were riddled with shell fragments and his boots were full of blood. While he was being attended to the ship gave a violent lurch and heeled over at a giddy angle. The operating table rolled away and all the fittings fell with a crash. Then the lights went out and we thought we were gone. But it was only the helm going over while the ship was steaming fast, and a faulty fuse that blew out. Still it was a horrid mo-