n or twelve feet. For a landsman
to gain a ladder on a ship's side under these conditions is not a
thing of undiluted joy. Anyhow I missed the ladder and went into the
water. The first fear one had was that the boat would drop on one's
head; however, I was hauled on board by two hefty sailors. The
inspection finished, we were rowed back to our own ship, wet and cold.
By the time "home" was reached I felt pretty chilly; a hot bath soon
put me right, and a dressing gown was dug out of the Red Cross goods
supplied to the ship, in which I remained while my clothes were
drying. Sewn inside was a card on which was printed: "Will the
recipient kindly write his personal experiences to George W. Parker,
Daylesford, Victoria, Australia." I wrote to Mr. Parker from Suez. I
would recommend everyone sending articles of this kind to put a
similar notice inside. To be able to acknowledge kindness is as
gratifying to the recipient as the knowledge of its usefulness is to
the giver.
The voyage to Suez (which was reached on the 28th January) was
uneventful. We arrived there about 4 in the morning and found most of
our convoy around us when we got on deck at daylight. Here we got news
of the Turks' attack on the Canal. We heard that there had been a
brush with the Turks, in which Australians had participated, and all
the ships were to be sandbagged round the bridge. Bags of flour were
used on the ----.
The submarine cast off from the ---- outside and came alongside our
ship. I was invited to go and inspect her, and Paddy accompanied me.
On going below, however, I left him on the deck, and by some means he
slipped overboard (this appears to run in the family on this trip);
one of the crew fished him out, and he was sent up on to the ----.
When I got back I found Colonel Monash, the Brigadier, running up and
down the deck with the dog so that he would not catch cold! The
Colonel was almost as fond of the dog as I was.
EGYPT
All along the canal we saw troops entrenched--chiefly Indians. This at
the time was very novel--we little knew then how familiar trenches
would become. At various points--about every four or five miles-a
warship was passed. The troops on each ship stood to attention and the
bugler blew the general salute. Port Said was reached in the
afternoon, and here a great calamity overtook me. Paddy was lost! He
was seen going ashore in the boat which took the mails. Though orders
were out against any one's leavin
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