Five Months at Anzac | Page 3

Aden I had personal experience of the worth of the Red
Cross Society. A number of cases had died aboard one of the transports,
and I had to go over to investigate. The sea was fairly rough, the boat
rising and falling ten or twelve feet. For a landsman to gain a ladder on
a ship's side under these conditions is not a thing of undiluted joy.
Anyhow I missed the ladder and went into the water. The first fear one
had was that the boat would drop on one's head; however, I was hauled
on board by two hefty sailors. The inspection finished, we were rowed
back to our own ship, wet and cold. By the time "home" was reached I
felt pretty chilly; a hot bath soon put me right, and a dressing gown was
dug out of the Red Cross goods supplied to the ship, in which I

remained while my clothes were drying. Sewn inside was a card on
which was printed: "Will the recipient kindly write his personal
experiences to George W. Parker, Daylesford, Victoria, Australia." I
wrote to Mr. Parker from Suez. I would recommend everyone sending
articles of this kind to put a similar notice inside. To be able to
acknowledge kindness is as gratifying to the recipient as the knowledge
of its usefulness is to the giver.
The voyage to Suez (which was reached on the 28th January) was
uneventful. We arrived there about 4 in the morning and found most of
our convoy around us when we got on deck at daylight. Here we got
news of the Turks' attack on the Canal. We heard that there had been a
brush with the Turks, in which Australians had participated, and all the
ships were to be sandbagged round the bridge. Bags of flour were used
on the ----.
The submarine cast off from the ---- outside and came alongside our
ship. I was invited to go and inspect her, and Paddy accompanied me.
On going below, however, I left him on the deck, and by some means
he slipped overboard (this appears to run in the family on this trip); one
of the crew fished him out, and he was sent up on to the ----. When I
got back I found Colonel Monash, the Brigadier, running up and down
the deck with the dog so that he would not catch cold! The Colonel was
almost as fond of the dog as I was.

EGYPT
All along the canal we saw troops entrenched--chiefly Indians. This at
the time was very novel--we little knew then how familiar trenches
would become. At various points--about every four or five miles-a
warship was passed. The troops on each ship stood to attention and the
bugler blew the general salute. Port Said was reached in the afternoon,
and here a great calamity overtook me. Paddy was lost! He was seen
going ashore in the boat which took the mails. Though orders were out
against any one's leaving the ship, Colonel Monash offered me
permission to go and look for him. With Sergeant Nickson and Walkley

I started off and tramped through all sorts of slums and places, without
any success. Finally we returned to the water front, where one of the
natives (a little more intelligent than the others) took me to the Custom
House close by. One of the officials could speak a little English, and in
response to my enquiry he turned up a large book. Then I saw, among a
lot of Egyptian writing, PADDY 4 A.M.C. MORMON. This
corresponded to his identity disc, which was round his neck. He was
out at the abattoirs, where after a three-mile drive we obtained him. His
return to the ship was hailed by the men with vociferous cheers.
On arrival at Alexandria we made arrangements for the disembarkation
of all our sick, Lieutenant-Colonel Beach superintending their transport.
We left soon after by rail for Heilwan, arriving after nightfall. A guide
was detailed to conduct us to camp, and we set out to march a couple of
miles across the desert. It was quite cold, so that the march was rather
good; but, loaded as we were, in full marching order and soft after a
long sea voyage, it was a stiff tramp. In the pitch dark, as silent as the
grave, we stumbled along, and finally arrived at the camp outside
Heliopolis, a place known as the Aerodrome.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sutherland and Major Helsham were camped with
their Ambulance close by, and with most kindly forethought had
pitched our tents for us. We just lay down in our greatcoats and slept
until morning. Our Brigade was camped just across the road, and
formed part of the New Zealand and Australian Division under General
Sir Alexander Godley.
Training