Part 2 - The Aquatania

Friday llth December.  Revally 5:50.  Left Trentham by train at 9:15 arrived Wellington 10:15.  Saw Gracie, Merva, Mag, Alan, Little Alan: they had been waiting since 5am. for the train to arrive and they walked along with the carriage until the train got to the wharf gates.  Embarked on to the Aquatania and saw them from the bow of the boat, but too far away to talk.  Visitors were allowed on the wharf at 5pm.  Visitors off wharf at 8pm.  One of the lads with me had been dreading the boat trip and as soon as he put his foot on the gang plank he felt sick and we had to help him to his bunk.  He was just the same all the trip until a couple of days before we reached Egypt and his main dread was the trip home.  I don't know if he made it or not.

 

We were just above the water line on the ship.  The conditions were very cramped, three bunks high, head to tow, the passageways were only wide enough for one person.  The heat was terrific with very little ventilation.  We were supposed to sail that night but being a Friday the seamen refused to sail, they are very superstitious.

 

Saturday 12th December' Got up before 6am and saw Gracie and the rest on the wharf.  The Aquatania started to move just after 6:50.  We watched them from the deck but soon lost sight of them.  We went through the straits and headed south, sea calm, the South Island still in sight to about 4:50pm and at about 8pm it disappeared from view for the next three years.

 

Apart from the sea all we could see was our escort, the New Zealand cruiser Achillies.  Nothing much happened from day to day, we got out of our sleeping quarters as much as possible as the Quarters made us feel like a lot of rats in a cage.

 

Sunday.  Must be travelling in a southwesterly direction as the clocks go back 50 minutes tonight at midnight.  Weather fair and seas calm but we must be getting pretty well south as the temperature is getting pretty cold.  Some of the crew told us we were going so far south to get away from the main shipping lanes: not so likely to meet up with enemy subs.

 

Monday 14th December.  Sea getting rough and ship starting to pitch quite badly and waves coming over the bow; can see the Achillies in the distance bobbing up and down like a cork.  Heading almost west now, believed to be south of the east coast of Australia.  We haven't been told where we are heading for but by the direction we are going it must be the Middle East.  Appear to be heading quite a lot North.  This morning the Achillies anti-aircraft guns opened up and were aiming at a kite flown from the cruiser; very good shooting.  Not much to keep us amused with, pretty boring, walked around the ship several times and wrote letters.

 

Wednesday 16th December.  On deck we found we were being escorted by another cruiser, believed to be the H.M.S. Adelaide, great sight.  Mid morning we were asked to go over to the starboard side of the ship as the Achillies was leaving us.  The Achillies crossed the bow of the Aquatania, the crew of the Achillies were all lined up on deck as a salute to us; every one on board cheered like mad and our escort soon disappeared travelling in the opposite direction to us.  Supposed to be crossing the Great Australian Bight and expect to reach Freemantle on the 18th.

 

Freemantle

We didn't reach Freemantle on the 18th and on the 19th we were joined by a destroyer; at first we thought it was a Dutch ship but later we found out it was an Australian destroyer.  It kept circling the Aquatania and several planes were flying in the vicinity.  It appears from what we can make out that we are in dangerous waters.  Went up on deck and surprised to see land; it was an Island just out from Freemantle.  We kept travelling for about another half hour and anchored a couple of miles out.  The country side looks pretty burnt up.  Shortly a Dutch tanker pulled along side and started pumping oil into the Aquatania.  On Sunday some lighters and wharfies came out and unloaded supplies etc.  I gave one of the wharfies some letters to post for me; we were told not to do this for security reasons.  I was pretty careful what I had written, but a bit later on I overheard a couple of the ships officers talking and they said the wharfies had been searched and a lot of letters had been taken from them, so I thought my letters would never reach home.  However I learned many weeks later that they had got through O.K.

 

On Monday 21st the wharfies came aboard as usual and early evening a great panic started.  We had to put our life jackets on, the wharfies left in a hurry, the anchor was pulled up, the ship turned around and we headed out to sea in a northerly direction, a couple of Aussie destroyers kept circling the ship and planes flew all around.  We found out later that a Sub. was in the area, hence an the activity.

 

After breakfast went up on deck, flat sea but getting very hot, we appear to be going in a north westerly direction and must be well into the Indian Ocean by now.  We have only one escort now, the cruiser Devonshire; the destroyer must have left us during the night.  Try to spend as much time as is possible up on deck as it is terribly hot down in the dungeon.  Thursday 24th December, Xmas eve, feel b—awful being where I am on Xmas eve.  We had a lecture this morning but it was pretty boring.  Had another lecture in the afternoon on Egypt and the Egyptian currency, quite interesting and this is the first Egypt has been officially mentioned.

 

We watched a lot of flying fish on the sea, quite interesting.  Friday Xmas Day.  Got out of bed at 6:45, had a wash and went to breakfast.  Getting damned hot; went up on deck to cool off, perfect day and sea very calm.  Just received patriotic Xmas parcels: two packets of ten cigarettes; tube of shaving cream; one packet of Greys tobacco, and two packets of cigarette papers.  Dinner was quite good, lamb, spuds, peas, and mint sauce, Xmas pudding and a bottle of Lemonade.

 

Saturday 26th.  Very hot now the temperature in the mess at breakfast was 95' F. (54 centigrade).  Paraded in the afternoon for vaccination and decided to sleep on deck but had to go below as we got a bit of rain.  On Sunday an aeroplane left the cruiser and did quite a lot of cruising around.  Possibly looking for submarines.  Reported to have crossed the equator this afternoon, now in the middle of winter, very hot now.  Starting to get a few lectures now on Egypt and where to go on leave.  We had a concert in our quarters at night, one of the boys played a piano accordion and we had a singsong but at 11p.m. one of the ships officers came in and told us to shut up and go to bed.  On Thursday the 29th Dec. the ships guns fired three-inch fairly small guns but they made a hell of a noise.  Went to the pictures and saw Lady Fight Back and G. Man Step In.

 

The Equator

Thursday 51st December received Royal proclamation that we had crossed the Equator.  At 3p.m. we saw what we think is Italian Somariland nearing the Gulf of Aden.  A lot of land now on the port side; obviously Africa, it looks very brown and barren.  Watched the sun go down at 22 minutes to seven.  7 1/2 hours behind N.Z.  Issued with patriotic gifts again: four packets of cigarettes and a lead pencil.  Past Aden at a distance on starboard side.  A destroyer headed our way and we turned quickly round and stopped, we didn't move for several hours.  Found out afterwards that the reason was a few mines had broken loose and had to be cleared before we could proceed.  Changed N.Z. pound for Egyptian Piasters.

 

Monday 4th January 1945 Mr Mitchel, our officer read us a few details on Egypt.  Received our disembarking numbers.  Passed a lighthouse in the middle of the Red Sea.  Received our pay books.  On guard to-night first shift 8-12.

 

Egypt

Thursday after breakfast went up on deck and saw land on Port Side: looks very hilly and very dry and very barren this fair land of Egypt.  Arrived at Tewfik at about 10:50a.m.  Lighters are carrying troops.  About twenty five ships in outer harbour.  The wogs on the lighters have been begging for money or anything they can get.  They look filthy in their long white dresses.  At 5:50 collected our kit bags ready to go ashore on the lighters.  Got on the lighter at 5:45 and headed, for shore for the first time since leaving N..Z.  The A.S.C. transport took us to camp about four miles away - the Suez Transit Camp No 17.  Camped in tents, pretty cold at night.  Plenty fresh water, plenty bloody sand.

 

6th January.  Suez Transport Camp, first day in Egypt.  Sausages bread and margarine for breakfast.  Taken on a march after breakfast.  Thursday 7th collected our kit bags in the morning and paraded at 9:15.  Issued with 5 packets of ten cigarettes and one box of matches.  Left shortly afterwards by rail; the wogs are very annoying and try to sell us all sorts of things.  On the trip we saw a lot of ancient ruins.  Arrived on the outskirts of Cairo at 3:50.  Big American aerodrome just before reaching Cairo.  Cairo a huge city with many classes of people .  We went out to Maadi camp, passed through cemeteries, with vaults and tombs. First sight of Pyramids across the Nile River.  The A.S.C. took us to our lines, as reinforcements we appear to be very welcome.

 

We were separated from most of our mates.  Bill and Vic Cooper stayed together.  On Friday we were lectured by our new Captain on Egypt.  Went to dentist: three teeth to be filled.  Issued with equipment: rifle, web gear etc.  Pay parade £1 = 100 piastres.  The meals here are quite good.  100% better than Trentham.  The recreation huts here are good too, especially the Maadi tent.  On Sunday went in to Cairo on leave, visited the N.Z. Club; good food, nice fruit saldad and ice cream.  Went for a ride on a garry (horse and cart).  Bought a table cloth for Gracie's 21st birthday.  Quite a good day but a filthy city.  The next few days we had plenty bullring drill, marched across the desert, darned hard marching on soft sand.  Had a lecture from a Colonel who told us a wounded soldier is a nuisance as it only takes 10 minutes to bury anyone and a wounded soldier takes a lot of looking after.

 

On Thursday 21st Jan. went for a route march up a fairly steep hill overlooking Helwan and saw one of Napolian's forts, or the ruins of it.  It was right on the top of the hill and was situated to command a huge area, the Pyramids would be about 15 miles away in the distance.  Rumours of the fall of Tripoli.  Did several more long marches over the sand in the desert, 12 miles out and 12 miles back all on soft sand.

 

On the 30th Jan 43 went on a bus tour, first crossed the Nile, visited the zoo, quite good.  From there we went to Old Helipolis where we saw the tree where legend has it the Holy Family sheltered on their flight through Egypt and a small church near by.  There was an obolist there like Cleopatra's Needle, the four corners  face N.S.E.W.,  It is built of solid Granite and is 66feet high, and was supposed to have been built 2000 years B.C.  From there we went through New Helipolis, it is a new city but part of Cairo and mostly Europeans live there.  There are many large homes there, Helipolis means City of the Sun.

 

Sunday 7th February l943 went to church, climbed out the window.  Later in the day we were sorted out into different Companies .  I went to Petrol Co., Bill to 2nd. Ammunition Co.

 

llth Feb.  Paraded sick in morning, just the flu and bad stomach, sent to base hospital and out of hospital on 22nd.  Ended up in base reception, couldn't get back to Petrol Co. so put my name in for 17th General  Transport as soon as there was a vacancy there.  Received twelve letters today, 7 from Gracie, two from Vi, one from Jess and one from Ivan Bradshaw.  Went on leave today to see the Pyramids and Sphinx.  Not bad.  But really disappointed in them as they are not much to look at; they are huge: the biggest one covers 15 acres.  They are made of huge rocks.  Climbed inside the largest one; the wogs sold us some candles so we could see where we were going.  Right in the centre of the Pyramid is the Kings Tomb and just above is the Queens tomb.  The Pyramids are about 12 miles from Cairo on the opposite side of the Nile River, right in the middle of the desert.

 

17th General Transport

Tuesday 2nd March.  Got notice to report to the orderly room at 11a.m. with all my gear; told I was going to 17th General Transport.  Went over by truck and was posted as spare driver on a Fiat three ton truck.  Next day I got up at 8 o'clock (great life), shaved and went over to have a look at the truck with my driver, the truck is in workshops.  The next few days we did virtually nothing as the truck is still in workshops.  Went on leave on the picket truck.  One South African was killed on the Bab -el Luke railway station - he was jammed between the platform and the carriage; another S.A.  we thought he had been hit in the head, but found out later that he was drunk.

 

Most of the work at the 17th Gen Transport is picking up supplies from Abyssia , most of our supplies come from the Pommy Dump.  The supplies consist of all food and general supplies for the N.Z.  Division.  Abyssia is on the other side of Cairo about 16 miles away.  We mostly go through the Dead City which is a real slummy area - absolutely filthy.

 

We have been told that if we happen to hit a wog on the way through not to stop and help because if we do we will never get out, we will disappear and so will the truck, quite a worry when you go through.  The Dead City would be about 6-8 miles through.  The history of the Dead City is that several hundreds of thousands of years ago a plague wiped out the entire population and it was known as The City of the Dead but at some stage the name was changed to the Dead City.  When we were driving through the wogs would try to stop us by any means, but we never even slowed down.  We were also told never to travel less than 20mph. as the wogs would get on the trucks and throw everything out.  Actually the spare driver was always supposed to ride on the back of the truck, but we made sure that we kept up a good speed, and mostly both drivers sat in the cab.

 

I don't think that there could have been any toilets in the Dead City as it was quite common to see these people doing their business in the streets.  They would just up their long skirts and let go.  In this area there didn't appear to be any roofs on the houses as it seldom rains in Cairo, but we found out that buildings without roofs didn't have to pay taxes.  True or false I don't know.

 

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