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Welcome to A Soldiers Thoughts from the Second World War Webpage.
Transcribed as penned, from Ian's notebook diary (titled “going overseas on S.S. Aquitania”).
Fri 11th Dec 1942
Shave & mess at 0745hrs. After a good breakfast I spent the morning roaming the deck & watching the visitors outside the wharf gates. Soon after dinner they ran an alarm on to us so we had to stand on the boat deck for over a half hr waiting for the all clear. We have to carry our life jacketswhenever we leave the cabin and wear it properly for an alarm. At five the wharf gates were opened, and the way those women raced for positions alongside the ship was really comical. Some had been waiting outside since morning. What patience! We expected to be leaving at any time so I stayed on deck till about 8p.m. hoping to see someone I knew but without success. After that I retired to the comfort of my cabin.
Sat 12th
Woke at 6:30 a.m. wondering when we would pull out. No movement so decided to stay in bed. Felt beat of engines almost immediately afterwards so was out & on deck in record time to find us already clear of the wharf. I had intended to flash farewell with my mirror but it was too dull so I just had to try mental telepathy. As we passed out towards the 'Heads' there were sheets waving everywhere along Seatoun. All day we were within sight of N.Z. & it was indeed strange to pass just off home & know that I would not see it again for an indefinite period - perhaps never. That afternoon our company was lumbered for picket duty. I was lucky & struck a post on deck. It was really quite pleasant up there often quite alone & nothing but the sea & sky in front. I did more thinking then than I have for long enough. Luckily the sea was calm all day & there were very few ill.
Sun 13th
Started off on picket sharp at 6 with another dull morningbut still comparatively calm. There was enough movement to be interesting but not too much. For the first time in my life I am out of sight of land, nothing but rugged, white flecked fields of blue in sight with sea birds soaring above like drifting flakes of foam. In spite of its strangeness, it still seems the most natural thing in the world to be in an unknown position in the Tasman. Today is communion Sunday at home. They had communion on board this morning but I had to miss it because of this picket duty. Dinner today was just the usual. I had hoped for something special for Sunday but I can't moan. The food on the whole is excellent. Once again the whole day was free apart from picket, with nothing to do but wander around the ship, stand in the canteen queue or sleep. I did a bit of each. At night I had a drink of raspberry at the wet canteen in the recreation room. The place is just like a low gambling dive. The room is crowded out, blue with cigarette smoke, stinking of beer, & crown & anchor, housie housie & poker schools running everywhere. Occasionally an officer strolls in & the schools break up like magic until he gets out again. I was glad to get on deck for some fresh air after that.
Mon 14th Dec
Arose a bit late this morning and the fresh water was off by the time I got out. I don't relish shaving in salt so I left it. Nothing has been said about shaving so far & quite a few miss shaving. Today we started the regular routine of parades. We have to be on deck between 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. and 2 & 3:30 p.m.. Today is the roughest we have had yet, and there were quite a few empty spaces at mess. Up on deck the chaps revived a bit but some sold out over the rail. The ideas of these parades on deck seems partly to give us some fresh air, but mainly to force us to amuse ourselves & break the boredom. Today we had the news, a quiz & talks on anything & everything. It was great to see the way our escort was pitching. Spray was flying everywhere & the rollers breaking right over the bridge. I was rather glad we weren't aboard it.
Tues 15th Dec
Much calmer than yesterday but still choppy and fairly dull. This morning we did a bit of skipping and then had talks by the chaps on their civvy occupations, bridge building, undertaking, carpentry, etc. Some of it was very interesting. The morning finished off by a couple of shoots at kites towed past our ship. The whole thing looked rather good with tracer crisscrossing everywhere. The first one went down with the second burst, but the next one took a bit longer to knock apart. During the afternoon we had a bit of a sing song & a talk on foreign currency, mainly Egyptian. Somehow I think I'll get lost with their different coins.
Wed 16th Dec
The sea this morning was as calm as I have ever seen it. Scarcely a ripple stirred the surface & the swell was as slow & even as to be barely noticeable. This morning we said goodbye to our old escort & welcomed another. This forming the excuse for a most interesting lecture on naval craft. The lecture was interrupted by the appearance of a shark alongside. Everyone jumped up to see it but Iwas a bit slow and missed. At night, being absolutely done in from a wrestle in the cabin, I crawled up on deck to recuperate & was rather interested to see whales of some kind, spouting their jets of spray into the air from all around. I caught a glimpse of one as it broke water and it appeared to be fairly small, possibly black fish.
Thurs 17th
Nothing of note occurred today other than mail to go from our first port closed tonight. We had a short talk on censoring. One or two extracts from my letters were quoted as what a chap musn't write. During the day all we did was to have a few relay races, a short talk on gambling & a lecture on time as affected by longitude.
Fri 18th
This morning we had a few sparring rounds, an exhibition wrestling bout and a talk on semaphore, and in the afternoon a few games & a talk on tanks. A slight stir was caused among the boys when smoke was sighted on the horizon & our escort steamed off to investigate. Apparantly everything was O.K. as she came back pretty soon. Whenever an aeroplane or ship comes in sight, word flashes around in no time. Our Btn. put on a concert. Some of the items were really good, but most of the programme consisted of sketches which were a bit more than risque. There were three WAAC's in front & did they blush ?!
Sat 19th
We were told that we had the whole day free to do washing today & they turned on hot fresh water for it & then kept us on deck almost all morning. The way this army plays about is truly marvellous. We got another escort this morning, perhaps business is getting a bit brisker. We seem to have been altering course much more extensively lately. I eventually got my washing done & found enough space to hang it out. The whole ship looked like a second hand shop with clothes hanging on every bit of deck space. Before going to bed a few of us made hogs of ourselves with tinned fruit and cream from the canteen. I only hope we sleep.
Sun 20th
Today doesn't seem at all like a Sunday. This morning everyone was running around looking for land & we passed a low sandy island about 7 a.m.. About 9 we were approaching Freemantle & all looking forward to seeing the city from close quarters & perhaps getting leave there, but our hopes were cut short when the anchor went down when about half - 1 ml. out. The city looks rather good from here. I wish I could have a good look at it.
They brought a tanker alongside to refuel us & barges on the other side with fresh water, & stores of many kinds. The wharfees on the barge are even worse than the N.Z. ones. They brought their fishing lines out & fished when they couldn't be bothered working. The sunset tonight was the most beautifull I have ever seen, it even beat the West Coast sunsets. The sun, centred between two solitary dark rocks slid behind the blue horizon in a blaze of red, lighting the western cloud layers to flaming life. The last molten segment of sun had hardly vanished when a destroyer glided accross the calm hushed sea to silouhette itself against the blaze of brightest gold.
Mon 21st
Another day as hot as yesterday but by keeping on deck in the fresh air as much as possible. Everybody was pretty wild about our not getting in to Fremantle & we heard the artillary chaps rushed the lifeboats to get on to land but I don't think it was too successful. We all agitated for leave but it didn't work & we pulled out about 8 p.m.. All the time we were lying off the port, various craft, mainly minesweepers & destroyers were patrolling all around us. There was a scare at one time & all the guns were fully manned but it soon passed. All the Coy. who hadn't previously been done, got the scratch today. I was amazed that it was so easy. As we pulled out our escort pulled out too. She is a cruiser but a bit larger than others we have had. Once more we are on our way to somewhere.
Tues. 22nd
Just another day set in a boundless stretch of ocean. Nothing of note occured, and we filled in the day as usual with games & talks, reading & writing. Although we are travelling slightly north, today is slightly cooler than yesterday for which we are all most thankfull.
Wed. 23rd
Another fairly calm, dull day & not much warmer than yesterday. Our course has been mainly N.W. - W.N.W. since we left Aussie so it should get a bit warm soon and I'm not looking forward to it. This evening I saw flying fish for the first time & they are most fascinating. Small blue things almost 4” long, they would take off in shoals & scatter like a flock of startled starlings as the prow of the ship approached them sometimes travelling amazing distances for their size. At the first glance they appeared for all the world like a flock of swallows, or what I should imagine swallows would like. The body was shaped after the style of a miniature sword-fish, bright blue above & silver bellied, the 'wings' of blue were as long or longer from tip to tip than the body and appeared to beat only when entering or leaving the water. I was amazed to see some travelling over 100 yards. One thing that has often impressed me is the immensity & heartlessness of the ocean. We travel for days & still see nothing but “blue above & blue below & silence wherever I go”. Its moods & caprices but ruffle the surface & are continually changing. The passage of the largest liner is but the mark of a needle point soon washed over & obliterated.
Thurs. 24th Dec
We had had quite a pleasant break this morning when the big guns on our tail had a practice shoot. As we were on the same deck slightly forrard we had the pit seats. Their accuracy gave us much more confidence in our defences. Today I indulged for a while in the new entertainment of watching the flying fishes play. Today I saw some wee squits that couldn't be more than 1 and a half” long. I don't know any more about them as they were too small to pick out any real features. They merely glistened above the surface for a short distance and vanished. My Xmas eve celebrations this year were confined by circumstances to a supper but it was quite pleasant. Imagine 4 chaps standing on an unlighted deck gazing out over a silver sea & eating tinned fruit salad, peaches & cream using the rail as a table.
Fri 25th Dec
Xmas day at sea & what a day, as hot as they come & quite a bit of sunshine with very little breeze. The day was free & we had a special Xmas dinner with beer or soft drink, then we had a specially good tea both dinner & tea from the owners. We also had supper of a bit of fruit salad & a few biscuits from the N.Z.G. As a Xmas day it was not much of a success but still it was the most enjoyable day of the trip so far. To give myself a chance of getting to sleep I had a cold bath & was rather interested to see spots of phosphoresence in it, then went out on the rail for a quarter hour to cool off completely before retiring. It is really quite a good formula.
Sat 26th Dec
Had quite a pleasant day, the temp on deck was just comfortable & I spent most of the day reading. My scratch is just starting to work today but has so far given no real trouble. It is only 5 days gone anyhow. It was our turn to see the pictures tonight but I didn't go as I have seen it fromabove twice already. It our turn again on 4th Jan.
Sun 27th Dec
Just another hot day but the temp is slowly improving. The breeze is much stronger today and definitely cooler than it has been for the last few days. I think Friday would be the hottest day we have had. I suppose that would be about right as the sun would be about over Capricorn now. We are supposed to have crossed the line some-time tonight. We seem to have got into dangerous water once more as we are zigzagging for the first time since Aussie just about tea time our escort sent her plane off W.N.W. & then followed it. I saw a few slightly larger flying fish today. All sizes from 5” - 1ft. Some of the largest appeared to be a bit purplish. Just passed a whale, a fairly small one I think, a dull grey colour.
Mon 28th Dec
Today is again slightly cooler than yesterday and the sea is amazingly calm. Towards evening it became absolutely glassy & the scene that our silver grey escort, cutting through that mirror surface, made against the pink tinged clouds, was really beautiful. We passed several small schools of porpoises. In some schools the creatures seemed to be blowing & therefore looked like small whales, but I shouldn't think there would be so many here.
Tues 29th Dec
Today is washing day & so basins & baths have been busy all day & decks have been smothered with lines of dripping clothes. One had to bend double to move on any deck & it was hard to find a dry place to sit. The washing is now in but still wet so will have to finish off tomorrow.
Wed 30th Dec
As usual did nothing till 2:30 pm when we went on guard once more, luckily we were on the open deck again so it wasn't so bad. There was a great bit of fooling around getting organised though.
Thurs 31st Dec 42
Started the last day of the year off well with sentry duty. It was the first time I have seen the sunrise on this trip & it was beautiful. Sighted land this afternoon, the first we saw was a plateau & then further on a few hills. It is a fair sized bit of country but I believe, an island; Cicotra or some such thing. One thing about having land handy, there is much more life around, birds, seaweed, jelly-fish etc, help to make the sea more interesting.
Fri 1st Jan 43
A new year is started, probably the most adventurous one of my life. This first day has been spent in sight of a continent on which we expect soon to land and to spend several months if not all of the year. What event await us there? The coast was a very barren & rugged one, steep brown escarpments rising, indistinct in a haze of heat, to a level coast line, probably a plateau. Many strange fish & sea creatures could be seen around us, but too far away, or far too short a time to describe. We also passed through a fairly large expanse of orange scum, probably formed by a filamentous algae, and apparantly coming from the shore line. We would be between 15 & 20 mls offshore at the time. In the afternoon I treated myself to the pictures. In other words I jammed myself into the mass of sweating humanity hanging over the rail above, & watched the show. The day closed with a glorious sunset, & before long the phosphorescent fires were shooting through the foam.
Sat 2nd Jan
I believe we passed Aden early this morning & are now in the Red Sea. The morning was spent cruising round slowly with about 6 other ships apparantly waiting for an escort. We passed a couple of fair sized turtles on the surface, but I didn't see them. Soon after noon we continued at full speed again. I believe we had been waiting for some stray mines ahead to be blown up. The land along the Red Sea, what we could see of it, is very barren & a mass of low sharp peaked hills, apparently wind & sand eroded. Just bare, brown rock softened in the haze. The sun set around here is really beautiful but different from home. The colours are much softer & last much longer. Rather than the glow fading after the sun has set the gold seems to deepen & grow in the West as the light fades. I thought we were all done for tonight. After discussing mines & torpedoes, I was standing on deck when I saw a phosphoresecent trail materialise heading straight for our bow. I was hanging on tight to my life jacket & ready to jump, it was just a yard or so from the ship, when the trail did a snappy turn & 'beat it' in the other direction. It seemed to be just a scared fish that had taken the wrong turning.
Sun 3rd Jan 43
Once more out of sight of land for the whole of the day. The sea was a bit more choppy today but not much. A school of playful dolphins amused us with some exhibition leaps and apart from that there was no occurance of note.
Mon 4th Jan
Still on the wide blue ocean but land is very faintly in sight on the western horizon. We amused ourselves during the morning as usual an went to the pictures in the afternoon. Still not near harbour at 8 pm.
Tues 5th Jan
Still at sea but land fairly close. I don't like the look of it at all, steep barren hillsides and no sign of life at all. Cast anchor off Port Tufic this morning. It sure is a busy looking place, ships by the dozen around with barrage balloons around. The 'Wogs' on the lighters & tankers were funny, just like a lot of monkeys and apparantly as dirty as they make them. They would eat almost anything we threw them that was eatable, one even tried eating some persil. We went off in ferries just after 5 pm & straight on to trucks to go to a transit camp out of Suez. The trip was rather interesting but unfortunately it was dark by the time we got away. The air was full of the weirdest conglomeration of odours I have ever smelt, trucks were passing backwards & forwards all the time. Natives in every kind of dress immaginable were along the roadway, & there were signs of military engineering everywhere. We were dumped in a maze of tents & huts, shown our tents, given tea & stew & left to do the best we could with great coats & blankets on the sandy ground.
Wed 6th Jan
Arose after a fairly cold & uncomfortable night & watched the 'Wogs' passing along the roadway. They looked far more like women than men. We filled in the day investigating the various establishments & playing with the 'Wog' money.
Thurs 7th
Up very bright & early & ready to continue the trip. On the train soon after 8 am, & a very dirty rough type of train it was. The Gypo vendors invaded the train as soon as it started to move at 9:30 & couldn't be kicked off till the next station. There was some sort of bartering going on. Passed through the outskirts of Cairo soon after noon & my impressions of that place were very mixed. It would take a book to describe them. Passed the dead city & saw the Nile valley & pyramids in the distance. Reached Maadi at 2:30 pm & by truck to the lines. We are in tents. A real good tea, an exploration of the nearer part of camp, collected information & advice about Cairo & so to the good old palliass on the sand to freeze for another night.
Fri 8th Jan
Up in time for breakfast , a cold shave in the morning breeze & then to the days work. Today it consisted of dental exam, issue of gear, pay parade, history sheets etc. In other words we got organised. Between times we explored the camp a bit further & did our best to get lost but without success.
Sat 9th
Started off the morning with a brigade parade. All the infantry reinforcements just arrived. After that I joined the regimental sigs & I hope it goes O.K., the idea is to get into the Div. Sigs. next . I missed out on leave but in the afternoon Cam & an old stayer & I visited Cairo & investigated parts of it. It is a real mixture of ancient & modern & most interesting.
Sun 10th
Started the day with church parade but I couldn't hear what was going on. Went into Cairo during the afternoon with Eric, Lindsay & Chum & once more explored the streets & saw the museum of Hygene. It is not exactly a pleasant place but very illuminating. We managed to get lost once or twice but eventually got to the right place. After tea at N.Z. club, entrusted ourselves to the care of a Garry driver, telling him to take us to St. Andrews pres. church but got landed at All Saints Anglican cathedral where the service was already half way through, but we entered & enjoyed an excellent sermon.
Mon 11th
Today we settled down to work with instruction in our diff. weapons, P.T. & a route march. The programme was rather a useful & comprehensive one.
Tues 12th
Contd. training as yesterday.
Wed 13th
Had to visit a dentist & had 1 filling done & 1 wisdom tooth removed just before lunchtime, so missed eating then. I managed to get in on a tour & visited a few old churches. Some were really beautiful as well as being historically interesting but only in one Coptic church was there any air of reverence. Some of the writing and carvings dated back to about 500 B.C. and were amazingly well preserved.
Thurs 14th Jan
Spent the day digging trenches & shooting. My target work was none too good but I think I qualified.
Fri 15th
Spent the day with our usual training & instruction.
Sat 16th
Shifted into the Sigs. school this morning ready to start the course on Monday. We got a lecture on general discipline etc. & it sounded as if things would be pretty tough. During the afternoon we merely roamed a bit more of the camp & went to the camp theatre at night.
Sun 17th
Church parade this morning was a really good service with a worth while sermon. About as good as I have heard for a long time. In the afternoon Lindsay and I had leave, so we roamed the streets of Cairo looking at handbags. I got one fairly good one at 125 pt. for Joyce & I think it was almost worth it. They asked 150 pt. for it but came down quite readily that far. I also had my photo taken & the chappie didn't waste much time, but his charge was moderate & I hope the results might be O.K. We tried to go to church at night, but St. Andrews was full & the Method service seemed to be in French so we gave it up as a bad job.
Mon 18th
Started off the sigs training with plenty of morse. Counting everything we had about 5 out of seven periods on morse so if we keep that up for long we ought to be doing it each way at about 60 wpm.
Tues 19th
Continued with the same training programme as yesterday and most of the work promises to be quite interesting. They are pretty tough on discipline though. I'm not too keen on our 2 ic at all. He seems to be chucking his weight around a bit.
Wed 20th Thurs 21st
On the job again. The morse reading certainly tickles the old brain a bit. Got leave at night & went to town with Lindsay & Eric. Unfortunately by the time we had tea, most of the shops were about to close. I got my photos & they aren't bad but too pansyish. I think I will try some place else.
Thurs 21st Wed 20th
Continued at school with the same stuff & went to the pictures at night.
Fri 22nd
Another dayas before but we had a morse reading test at 5 wpm. I managed to scrape 85%. Wrote a letter at night.
Sat 23rd
Had a parade & march past for the Brig. this morning & then a bit of a route march. Spent the afternoon dozing on my bed & then wrote during the evening.
Sunday 24th Jan
A very good church service again this morning and then in the afternoon I visited Maadi township. It certainly is a beautiful place with some corker houses.
Mon 25th
Started another week of sigs work with the same old round. I'm in the 5-8 wpm morse reading class now & it is some going after the other.
Tues 26th
Nothing of interest today. Just another day with the same routine & wrote in the Lowry Hut at night.
Wed 27th Jan
Nothing new doing today except that I joined the camera club & enrolled for the typing class. They should help to keep me occupied & the club should be rather handy for the discount on films & printing & the excursions.
Thurs 28th
Another day of morse & telephones finished up with a bit of writing in the Lowry Hut.
Fri 29th Jan
Had morse reading test at 5,8, & 10 wpm & at 5 I got only 66%, even worse than last week.
Fri 5th Feb
First mail arrived for me from N.Z. : Xmas card - Stella; letters Joyce, Luenda & Audrey.
Sat 6th Feb
Had rough look over the pyramids. Quite interesting to see but didn't altogether enjoy it. The most interesting part of it all was the rackets the wogs run to get visitors cash. They chase round to hire camels, donkeys or horses, act as guides or take your photo But they sure charge for it.
Sun 7th
Went out with camera club & explored 2 old mosques in dead city then spent the rest of the day in Cairo. The inhabited part of the dead city is a very sordid place but some parts are quite clean & interesting. Had my photo taken at hte Roxy studio & he seemed O.K.
Sat 13th Feb
Had a ramble over the zoo. They have a marvellous collection of animals, but seeing them in a hot afternoon is not much use as they are half asleep. Had a look at photo proofs & ordered some. They were not at all bad & the finished article should be worth the cash.
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