Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 62
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[Page 62]
We left Gibraltar and slid from out the shadow of the rock and reached the straits and the ship swung her head west and made for the Atlantic. We wanted to see whether she would swing North or keep straight on after clearing the straits and we soon knew that it was not England yet.
Our orders were to proceed to the Azores, Portuguese islands in mid Atlantic, where it was known several German ships were sheltering. It was freely rumoured that Portugal was coming in to the war and it was to be our job to seize the German shipping and bring them into Gib as prizes.
A few hours out of Gibraltar the sea got up and we had real Atlantic weather, which upset some of those who were given to that sort of thing. It is curious how people go to sea all their lives and still become seasick when the weather is bad or after a spell in Harbour. Mal de mer [French: seasickness] contrary to belief is by no means unknown in the Navy.
Next day was Christmas Day. And what a Christmas! The seas were tempestuous, everything was battened down and many were seedy. Still the usual Christmas stunts were gone through customs were observed, and such as were able, ate the usual Christmas dinner.
After dinner the petty officers came into the Wardroom and the toast for one and all was peace and home next Christmas. Alas next Christmas was spent in the Bahamas and the next in the North Sea and the war is not yet over.
On the 28th December the Sydney made San Miguel, and we saw the Hun ships in port, all sheltering from the British Navy - which according to the Berlin papers was confined to its bases in the North Sea.
The Huns as soon as they saw us hoisted their ensigns and the German flag waved bravely in the breeze. It was a form of cheap bravado which Hun merchantmen displayed in all the ports we visited. After a short stay