The evacuation, torpedo misfire, v. Lemnos to Alexandria

While in the firing-line we had to stop firing after 1 am., and no flares were sent up.  On 4 th till 8th Jan. there was heavy shelling by the Turks every afternoon.  I was on fatigues every day.  On 8th Jan. I left the Support Trenches at 8.30 pm. for the boat.  An advance party had gone down to the Rest Camp in the morning, and the sick had gone a week before. The 156 Bde. had to do rearguard for the 52nd Div.  We set sail in H.M.S. Prince George at 2 am. on Sun.,9th Jan., 1916. A torpedo from a submarine struck the ship, but it did not explode. 


HMS Prince George

We arrived at Mudros at 7.30 am. and went ashore; we stayed in tents till Mon.,17th Jan.  We had a short route march twice, and platoon drill twice.  The weather was fine till 14th, 9pm., after which it rained continuously for 24 hours.  The rain was very heavy, with flooding.  I was on guard on 15th from 9 am. for 24 hours, at a well.  We were in the sea for a bathe on 13th.  On 10th I had received letters from home dated 28th Nov. and 5th Dec., and a Xmas card from Crawlaw.  A parcel from Largs which had been sent v Peebles was of eatables, and unusable.



Lemnos is a bleak, hilly, place .  There were small, cultivated patches being ploughed with oxen and primitive ploughs.  There were th[xxx] sheep and donkeys on pasture-land.  The prices for articles like bread etc., were extortionate.  (My notes up to this point must have been re-written from another notebook into my 1916 diary, which presumably reached me about 17th Jan.)

17.1.16  On fatigue in morning carrying bales of hay from pier to A.S. dump. Left for embarcation 2pm.;went on board transport "Hororata", by means of a small steamer, the "Waterwitch".

HMAT Hororata (in Port Melbourne)

18.1.16  Parade 10 am. each morning in clean fatigue.  4th & 7th R.S. and R.A.M.C. on board.  Archd. Cochrane (from Galston, was in class at Galston school), 1/1 R.A.M.C. Lowland on board.  I was on fatigue bringing stores up on lighter to be sent on board sh[xxxx] 7 to 11 pm.

19.1.16  Sailed 8 am.  Lifeboat crews chosen from Battn.  I was on guard at side of lifeboat.  Alarm parade in afternoon.  My duty was to stand beside lifeboat with fixed bayonet.  We had all been issued with lifebelts.  We were in messes of 18, and slept on the floor.  Time spent in reading and playing cards.

21.1.16  Reached Alexandria 10am.