On June 2nd, we received notice to stand by and be ready to march out of camp so that we knew that the time had arrived at last when our turn had come to sail for Australia. We were all so elated that we organised a “Bucks” dance in one of the recreation huts and danced until midnight. On June 4th, at 4 am, quota 33 was roused and fallen in and paid £10 per man, and then marched out after breakfast with our band playing. Four miles marching took us to Warminster, where at 7.30 am, we entrained and after a fast trip past Exeter, and over beautiful country finally reached Devonport Pier at 1 pm. Here we immediately disentrained and formed up on the wharf beneath the shadow of the transport A624 on which we were presently to embark. We had not long to wait here. The other half of our quota arrived on the second train and we then commenced to file up the gangway on to the ship, handing in our pay books as we passed. The troops were then filed down below to the first deck-and were allotted to their various messes and sleeping places to be used during the voyage. When all had been fed and allotted, we officers set out to discover our own quarters. I occupied a temporary deck cabin No. 3 together with Lt. Sutton of 18th Btn, Solomon of 25th Btn and McGeorge F.A. on the Port side of the ship and on the main deck. The sergeants occupied the opposite side of the ship and received second class fare. They numbered about 80 in all and altogether there were 50 officers, 80 sergeants and 1,200 men on board.
About an hour later, everyone had more or less settled down to their new surroundings and the men crowded on deck to see what was going on around them on shore and on the harbour. On shore, a British military band was playing martial music in our honour and soon our own band on board returned the compliment. At about 4 pm, our boat cast off her moorings and by the aid of a tug, began to move out into the stream.
There was a rush to the rigging and other points of vantage and as we moved out the bands on shore and our own band on our own ship played farewell music and the last I heard of the band ashore was the strains of Auld Lang Syne, wafted to us above even the cheering and “cock-a-doodling” of the small boats which we passed. On our trip down Plymouth Harbour, we passed several battleships and destroyers, etc. all of which had paraded their complements at the bows where they stood at the salute, with bands playing, as we passed. Thus the Navy bid us farewell and Godspeed on our long journey home. Sirens tooted, bands played, men shouted and cheered all the way for five miles down the harbour and on reaching the heads, we dropped the pilot and tug and set sail under our own steam due south for home and Australia.
The excitement over, I had time to look around me and to discover how we were situated. I found that our boat was the S.S. Mahia, known to the navy as H.M.A.Troopship A624, of 10,500 tons, speed 13 knots, built originally for the Germans in 1914, but since taken over by the Shaw Savill and Albion Line. The boat was fitted out originally as a horse transport but had been converted into a trooper, therefore it became possible to put all the troops on one deck, which was a great advantage from many points of view. The men were more easily managed and cared for, were more healthy with more space and more air. The men’s deck was fitted with bath houses, showers, mess tables, hammocks, cells, library, canteen, baggage store and kit racks. There were two galleys, one fore and one aft, whilst there was ample deck space on the main deck for all to move about on and to take exercise upon. For the first six days the weather was miraculously calm and our ship made about 315 miles per day, and it was during these days that steps were taken to organise amusements with which to pass the voyage comfortably.
Lt. Sutherland of the 20th Btn. was appointed Recreations Officer and right well he performed his job too! He was about the most popular and indefatigable officer aboard. He was forever throughout the long voyage, devising and organising something with which to amuse the troops aboard the ship and it was to a large extent due to his efforts that we passed such an enjoyable trip home. The amusements we had were frequent and varied.
We had with us an excellent string band and also a very efficient brass band. Also there was a concert troupe which gave us a concert below on the men’s deck twice a week. Our string orchestra provided us with music at night on the top deck on two other nights each week and their efforts were always greatly appreciated. The band played to us frequently too, so that together with the Debating Society which arranged open debates on another two nights weekly, all hands were well amused on six night of each week. On the seventh (Sunday) there was always religious service.
Reveille was blown at 6 am, when the orderly officer went his rounds and saw that all were awake. Breakfast was at 7.30 and by that hour all hammocks were stowed away for the day and mess orderlies were waiting at the galleys to get the food for their various messes. When all had been issued, the orderly officer made his rounds of the mess tables to ensure that all men had been fed satisfactorily. At about 9 am the “fall in” was sounded on the bugle and everyone was obliged to go on to the main deck in order to enable the mess orderlies, who were permanent to clean up below ready for the grand inspection by the Colonel and the Captain in charge of the boat.
Whilst this was going on below, all men not engaged on fatigue, guard, fire, piquet or on any other duty were fallen in on their allotted portion of the decks and were given hours physical exercise, and organised games consisting of running, “Giants and dwarfs” “fly the bag” “cock fighting” “scratch pulling” “blindfold boxing” “twos and threes“ and a dozen and one other similar games, designed to exercise the men within a confined space, such as was at our disposal.
Dinner was at 12.30 when the same procedure took place as at Breakfast and other meals. After dinner, the time was filled in with educational classes of instruction under the Ships Educational officer and in reading books obtained from the Ship’s Library or in listening to the band as the men lolled about the decks.
Lt. Sutherland organised, dozens of amusements to fill in the tedious afternoons. He arranged real sports meetings, including relay races, by teams, around the decks, boxing tournaments, in which great interest was taken by all and such other games as walking the greasy pole, and pillow fighting.
Throughout the voyage, there was scarcely an hour which dragged or in which there was not something going on to amuse and interest us all and in this fact is found the secret of our successful voyage home. We had no trouble on board, as every one was too happy to think of making trouble and neither was there any sickness as the ship was kept far too clean and healthy.
We passed Teneriffe at 10 o’clock at night, and from then on the days became hotter and hotter until on June 15th we crossed the Line without incident. We frequently passed ships mostly at a distance and we were kept constantly informed by wireless of the news of the outside world. This daily bulletin together with the ships daily progress and course was posted daily in all the different portions of the ship.
We officers were very comfortable on board the “Mahia”. We dined on first class fare, i.e. three and four course meals and occupied cabins such as would be in use on any other ship. Our duties included the usual routine duties of the Orderly Officer which we performed as our turn came round in addition to which we had to take Charge of our morning parade each day. Any spare time that I had, I mostly spent in reading, developing photographs (also in printing them) and in taking part with everyone else in the general amusements which the ship offered during the voyage, so that l was quite contented. As is usual on every troop ship, numerous alarms were sounded on the ships siren at any old time day or night, when every one was obliged to seize his lifebelt and rush to his appointed alarm station. This was done in order to meet the emergency of fire or shipwreck and of course was a matter of necessity.
During the latter end of the third week, the weather was very rough and hot. It was so rough that the enormous waves seemed to be higher than our wireless, whilst the ship rolled and pitched about so much that it was very difficult to stand on deck, let alone take our meals at the mess tables. Several whales were seen as we travelled southward and neared Capetown and the flying fish became less and less frequent until finally they disappeared altogether. The usual albatross sailed round the ship day and night for days at a time, whilst sea gulls which lived at sea were also numerous. Frequently much amusement and excitement was caused by the ship running into a school of porpoises when the fish would leap out of the water and scatter in all directions at a terrific rate.
A word might be said about our ships magazine, the first issue of which left the duplicator at the end of the first week after leaving Devonport. It was the work of the men and officers on the boat, was called the “Prodigal Sun” and was filled with funny storyettes, poems and skits on topical events. Altogether it was a good production and caused a deal of amusement on the ship and was issued weekly throughout the voyage. On arrival at home, it was reproduced in book form and sold very well amongst members of our Quota. We had new been at sea for nearly three weeks and little by little the chart in the Officers Hess showed that we were gradually nearing Capetown, and it was expected that we would reach that city within a couple of days.