Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

We recently found a letter written by Horace Arthur Hammond to his family on the troop ship to Egypt in World War I.

“Argyllshire” Nov 29

Dear Mother, Father and Grace,

I am writing this letter from a diary commencing from the time we reached Cape Town. We arrived at Cape town on Tuesday night 28th Nov and anchored outside the harbour. We went into the harbour early morning Wednesday 29th. All the troops went for a route march at 11 o’clock in the morning through the town and into the park where we were dismissed until 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We strolled through the park looking at the miniature lakes and fountains. There are some beautiful tropical trees, ferns and cacti. The locals were selling baskets of strawberries, big ones and fairly cheap. The parliament buildings and museum and library are fine buildings standing in the park. We walked up and down the town a bit and then went to the soldier’s welcome hall where we had a free lunch provided by a few of the ladies. (I forgot to mention that we sighted a cruiser (KENT) as we were coming into port). After lunch we went down to the pier and up in the tower on the end of the pier. Do you remember seeing it when you were there. I don’t.

We caught the train from there to the wharf. I think Durban is the better town of the two. It is by far the prettiest and better laid out than Cape Town. The Table Mountain is about the only thing I remember of the place. We got on board about 3:30pm and pulled off about 7:30 and anchored outside for the rest of the day. There are two other boats waiting for us, The Booner and the Marothon. The next morning, Thursday Nov 30th found us still anchored outside. The miners that passed through some time ago smashed up Cape Town a bit and so made it bad for us. That was why we never went ashore again. There were ominous and threatening looks amongst the troops, so the crew took the oars out of the boats for fear that they (troops) would rush them to get ashore. Nothing happened, however. No work was done that day, and they wouldn’t even join the sports that were organised. We passed the day away lolling about the decks still anchored when we awoke Friday morn.

Dec 1st
Cruiser Kent moved out early followed by the Booner, Marothon, Argyllshire (us). Since the Marothon left Fremantle, they have buried six or seven men of meningitis. (Not Official) (Don’t know if I spelt it right)

So far, we have no illness what-so-ever on our boat. The three boats keep in a line some two or three hundred yards off each other and the cruiser alongside.

Dec 2nd
The boat rolling about two much to do any drill. We heard a rumour that there was a submarine far south of us. A good lookout is keep day and night about the decks. All lights are covered up by six o’clock and all precautions taken to leave no trace of our vessel. As it is Saturday we have a half holiday. We slept most of the afternoon on deck. I forgot to say that we have been paid twice since we sailed. Ten shillings the day before we reached Durban and another five yesterday. I think that will be the last until we reach England. Well after sleeping the whole afternoon, we strolled along to the canteen and invested sixpence (our last) in some biscuit. After tea, we had a cold salt water shower. Very refreshing but on the cold side. No baths to wash in. The hammocks have been issued so will leave off until tomorrow.

Sunday Dec 3rd
Church parade being the only parade at 10:30am the rest of the day we have to ourselves, and I’m busily engaged writing this letter from my diary.

We passed the sister ship to ours, the Wiltshire on her way back. One cannot tell the difference between them at any distance. We slept most of the day, had a few hymns in the evening and then turned in.

Monday Dec 4th
Which, first of all is your birthday Mother. I’m really sorry not to be home to wish you many happy returns but I am sure that you will think of me and know that I am thinking of you. Well Mother, I hope you will have a happy birthday but suppose it will not ?? too bright to you. But just think of me having a good time and have one yourself. May you have lots of presents and good wishes. You have all my good wishes, and I will send you a little present (a keepsake) later on.

I will now give you the routine of the day. First thing in the morning, we have physical jerks for half an hour, then we have breakfast after that at 9:45am. We have a lesson in French for an hour and the next hour signalling. Nothing more till after dinner which by the way is not much if any. Of course I am its only referring to the signallers, the others work a lot harder. This afternoon we had a boat drill. On the signal we all go down below and stand by our mess tables and put on life belts then go up to certain stations on deck. There are not many boats but plenty of rafts which are better than boats, unsinkable. We have been warned every time so far but after this we may expect it at any moment, day or night. There are about 80 men of our company picked for submarine guard. Tonight, we never get that thank goodness. I have heard nothing more about the submarine scare. That about finishes things for today.

Tuesday Dec 5th
As the men are still on submarine guard, those that are left are having a holiday. I wish our company was always on guard, always do me, but afraid those on guard would not like it. There is nothing much to say today, nothing exciting has happened except that it is washing day. For us and for you. I am still enjoying good health and so is Herbert. I hope you are not having your bad turns quite so frequent.

Wednesday Dec 6th
There is nothing much to say now there is nothing doing. When we reach Dakar, a town on the coast of West Africa. I shall have a little more to say. We are calling there to take a gun on board and also to pick up two or three destroyers to escort us home. I don’t think we will be allowed ashore, but I will send Grace a postcard from there, a photo od Durban.

Thursday Dec 7th
Just the ordinary routine in the morning and sports in the afternoon. Herbert and I entered for two races: the potato race and getting an apple out of a tub of water with our mouth. I bumped into another fellow in the potato race and spoilt my chance. And I ran second in the apple race. We did not finish the sports. They are to be continued on Saturday.

Friday Dec 8th
Nothing startling has happened except we have been paid another ten shillings. When our company are on submarine guard, one of us signallers have to go on the bridge and keep a watch for any signals from the Kent and send messages. My turn has not come along yet. Herbert has been on once (Has since been cut out and I have not been on at all.

Saturday Dec 9th
We have got everything ready for the sports we did not have Thursday and then we were told to cancel them on account of one of the doctors becoming seriously ill. According to what I heard he was overworked and took overdose of quinine and poisoned himself. All four ships were stopped and the cruiser sent one of their doctors over to us.

Sunday Dec 10th
We only have a short service this morning because the doctor’s cabin is right by the place where we hold the service. We expect to reach Dakar some time on Tuesday next, it is about two weeks sail from England. I don’t think we shall be home in time for Christmas but will catch the new year alright. We crossed the line today, the second time for me. I wonder if I shall do the hattrick. I hope so don’t you.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 13th Dec
We didn’t go to Dakar after all but a place called Sierra Leone, West Africa. There must have been a couple of dozen shifts in port, two French cruisers and two British. Among the other was the Port Melbourne. We signalled to her straight away and got to communicate with Steve and Bert. They had been there twelve days. They are sailing tomorrow. Mr Potts asked me how Mrs Potts was when I left. Steve says he has had a good time but sick of being in port.

Thursday Dec 14th
Spent most of the morning signalling to the Port Melbourne for the other chaps. Steve sailed about 3 o’clock this afternoon with four other boats, the French cruisers about four hours in front.
Steve went ashore says it is a dirty place and very unhealthy. Motley blacks of low type. We expect to go ashore tomorrow and don’t know when we shall leave. Hope it is soon. It is awfully hot here and can hardly sleep at night. I was very glad to hear of steve and disappointed at not going rest of the journey with them.

Friday Dec 15th
Fifty of our men went ashore. I was not among them. We had the day to ourselves. It takes all our time to keep cool and find shade. Transports come in every day. There are about twenty boats of sorts in port now. No sign of us leaving yet.

Saturday Dec 16th
Herbert and I and others went ashore. Only saw about three white men and two women. The blacks can speak English fairly well. They know the value of money only too well. Oranges, bananas and lemons are the only fruit worth buying. I bought one or two little curios, rings and bracelets. The natives go about almost naked. I’m sending Grace a couple of postcards of them. The town is not much of a place, but it nice to look around just to say we have been there. I would not like to stay there long.

Sunday Dec 17th
A lot of the boys have been coaling, and they finished this morning. I was lucky and was not picked. We had no church parade this morning. We have been doing nothing but longing to get away from the place. It looks to me as tho we shall not reach England for the new year. I also heard that we were to call at Dakar as well after all, to take a gun aboard.

Monday Dec 18th
We are still here. I am nearly a grease spot. One has to keep under the showers to keep the temp down. It was a lot too hot to do any physical work so we sit in the shade while we signallers teach the others the code. I am sick of it too.

Tuesday Dec 19th
Still in the white man’s grave land. No signs of going yet. We have had a hundred more men come on our boat from another that broke down. They had been on land for three weeks living on practically nothing. Our stores were getting short too. The potatoes have run out and so has the fresh water. The water we get here is not fit for drinking and we have to wash in the salt water. It’s a cow too.

Wednesday Dec 20th
The anchor being hauled up woke me this morning and great was my joy. There are five boats with us now. An auxiliary cruiser, Booner, Benella, Port Nicholson, Argyllshire and the Afric. The Afric buried a man early this morning and the Benella, one this afternoon. The other boat Marathon that was with us before has stayed behind for some reason I don’t know. It we call at Dakar we expect to get there tomorrow. The hotel weather will soon be over.

Thursday Dec 21st
We are going to Dakar alright and will arrive tomorrow morning. There is a sharp look out now, a cruiser has been patrolling around us this last day or two.

Friday Dec 22nd
We sighted about eight ships this morning. We reached Dakar about dinner time. It is a French patrol port and is well guarded. There are a lot of ships here. The port Melbourne has been and sailed four days ago (not sure).

Saturday Dec 23rd
Nothing doing this morning, but we have been watching the boxing this afternoon. We have not been ashore yet.

Sunday Dec 24th
It seems a very funny Xmas eve to me. We have been in swimming this morning. It was good. Today we have been issued with plums puddings for tomorrow and there is some talk of billies. At dark they pull a submarine net across the entrance of the harbour.

Christmas Day
A merry Xmas to you all at home. Last night the ladies from a mail boat came across and gave us a concert. It was very decent too. We had a church service this morning and afterwards we had out billies. Content: 1 pack of lard, 1 tin 50 cigarettes, 1 khaki handkerchief, half a pound packet of Rooibos tea pot, 1 toothbrush. 1 stick of shaving soap, lollies, chewing gum, chocolate, pack of raisins, butterscotch. Pat had a what! what! what! we expect to leave tomorrow. Have not been ashore yet. This is a message we received from the King today.

“I send you my sailors and soldiers hearty good wishes for Christmas and New Year. My grateful thoughts are ever with you for victories won and hardships endured and for your unfailing cheeriness another. Christmas has come around and we are still at war. But the Empire confidence remains determined to win. May God bless and protect you.” George RI.

Boxing day
No work of course this afternoon. We are going to have swimming sports and concert in the evening.

Wednesday Dec 27th
We sailed out of the harbour early this morning. We have to wear our life belts all day now and keep them on them for pillows. It’s a beastly fag/fog carrying them about. A fellow fell over board from the Afric this morning but he was picked up alright. There is a French cruiser and auxiliary cruiser with us. We had a wireless to say a that a submarine was sighted just off Dakar after we had left and that two Swedish boats in port had been keeping them with supplies. They say that it will take us another fourteen days to get to England.

Thursday Dec 28th
Have not seen anything of any subs yet. Nothing much happened today

Friday Dec 29th
We met another convoy today of four transports and the cruiser Kent. We are sailing in rows of three not ship in the middle. There was another death on the Benalla today. So far, we have had none on ours. We are lucky aren’t we.

Saturday Dec 30th
The auxiliary cruiser has left us, and the Frenchie has disappeared for a time. Altogether there are ten ships now. It is a nice sight to look at. The Argyllshire is the biggest and I think the fastest. It will be always do me. It’s the best sea boat of the lot. The weather is getting colder, but we have had no rain yet.

Sunday Dec 31st
The last day of the old year is going out fairly wild. The wind is pretty strong. Well, there is nothing much happen day. There was another death on the Benalla. There is a rumour of us going to Gibraltar. I don’t think there is much truth in it.

Monday Jan 1st
Nothing of any importance today. Same thing applies to Tuesday.

Wednesday Jan 3rd
We sighted another steamer, and she kept up with us for some time. Then the Kent warned her off and fired two shells at her. She disappeared after that.

Thursday Jan 4th
I have written to Gwen that I am in dear old England again and will be ringing at their door the first chance I get. We are supposed to go to Salisbury. There must be submarines about as we kept altering our course. We are somewhere in the Atlantic near the Bay of Biscay. Expect we will be picking up our escort shortly.

Friday Jan 5th
There was a death aboard the Durkan Castle today. That’s all that has happened today. We are not getting such good food now and the water is condensed and salty.

Saturday Jan 6th
We are getting very near England now. It’s too cold to sit about and read.

Sunday Jan 7th
We are on the outside of the bay being right off the proper course. The sea is a bit rough. It has been nothing like the sea we had coming out. The plates and dishes have not moved an inch on the table the whole of the voyage. Just before dark this evening we increased our speed, we are making a dash for it acting independently of each other. As it is getting dark, we could see a faint outline of destroyers coming towards us, about a dozen of them with their flash lights signalling to us. It was a fine sight. They were very small boats compared with us, but by cripes they can shift. We have about 36 hours run to England now and we are cutting the water up now. I think these destroyers gives one some idea of England’s Navy strength. It sort of makes you think with pride. Well I shall able to give you a better account in the morning when I can see something. I think we are about safe for submarines. We have had good luck.

Monday Jan 8th
I suppose we are somewhere in the channel nearby. We are having fairly rough weather and there is only another ship beside us in sight. We have left the other behind. There is only one destroyer in sight too. We are expected to reach the port tonight, a place called Devonport on the south coast. The wind is very boisterous and sheets of spray continually coming over the side. We get a bit of a roll on now and again but not enough to make the plates slide. Well, I am glad nearly there just about sick of things and want a change. I have not felt sick or been sick all through. The balaclava and mittens come in handy now we are in the cold climate. Reckon we are doing 17 knots now. That is going some. Usually about 11 to 12. Who would have thought it was me to write such a letter. I bet you never and neither did i. I never know what one can do till one tries. The sea is getting rougher …..to slid. We were having tea… all of a sudden there was a terrific …
We had run into something……ship it was only a very…. Being in the fore hart of the

(End of letter ripped and piece missing)

From Horace Arthur Hammond