Todd war diary, 3 August 1914-29 February 1916 / Arthur Todd - Page 71
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 71]
streets but never once going inside.
At last orders came to go to Martinique the biggest French possession in the group and which almost alone of the many islands of the West Indies remained in the hands of France after the wars of the 17th & 18th Century.
St Pierre the old Capital built under the shadow of Mont Pelee was utterly destroyed in the big eruption of 1902 and was never rebuilt, the Capital and seat of Government together with almost all the survivors moved as one to Fort de France at the other end of the island.
At Fort de France we received a welcome such as only Frenchmen can give. We saluted the Port under the French column at the main and sailed right in. The town is like British towns in those parts - not very lively but the inhabitants showered upon us the most wonderful hospitality.
We were made free of the Club and the waiters were given instructions that no drinks we ordered were in any circumstances to be paid for, which was very kind but very embarrassing and the result was that one thus went thirsty rather than impose on good nature.
All the town was beflagged and signs stretched across the streets saluting us as heroes and their noble Allies. We were their brave brothers from the South and the entente was toasted in many a bubbling glass.
It is almost a wish of supererogation to say that when the Sydney appeared the Melbourne was already well tied up to the wall.
It was the opinion in the Sydney that the Melbourne never went to sea at any rate she was always in harbour