Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 301
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[Page 301]
[add]ressed to the Australian flagship as she lay off Panama awaiting passage through the Canal. The Australia had arrived off Panama after the destruction of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, and intended to come through and make for England. But the Culebra Cut had given way again, and after some delay she had to make the long track round the Horn.
On the way back to the Abrolhos the Sydney turned away from the squadron and searched Trinidad, one of the many islands of that name, which lies well out in the Atlantic east of Rio. It was thought just possible that the Germans were using it as a base, as it was quite uninhabited and out of the track of shipping. We arrived there at dawn one morning all cleared for action and circled round, but saw no sign of any ship or of any recent landing. The place was wild and barren and full of large, loathsome land crabs: one does not envy anyone cast away there. We arrived back at our "hotel" on the 14th, and proceeded to enjoy ourselves as we lay at anchor within the reef rolling our masts out. The storeships had arrived, one of which was the fine 18,000 ton Celtic of the White Star Line. For two days it was too rough to coal, so we sat on the quarterdeck and fished for sharks which swam round the ship in droves.
Our new Admiral was a cheery soul, and had served on the Australian station in the '80's. He and his staff had not been ashore since leaving the Falklands in December, and, like the rest of us, were all short of clothes. We had had no washing done for weeks, and whites as such were becoming scarce.