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Wallaby Warrior
The World War I Diaries of Australia's Only British Lion
By Tom Richards, Greg Growden Allen & Unwin
Copyright © 2013 Greg Growden
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-74343-378-2
CHAPTER 1
UNDER WAY, 1914
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August 26: The war news on the 9th August prevented me doing any business at all, so I went and enlisted for the front. The authorities seemed so slow that I went down to Sydney by Wollowaka, arriving after a rough, seasick passage. I set about volunteering for the Light Horse but after waiting four days found they were full up — so Fritz Schwarz and I signed on with the Army Medical Corps and went into camp in Queen's Park. The first day I drilled with an awkward crowd of fellows and was also awkward myself. The officers did not know their drill either. Most of them are doctors and without much in the way of military knowledge, but are nevertheless a splendid set of men.
September 1: Queen's Park. I have been fitted out with a new uniform, was vaccinated and had a fairly easy day. The Light Horse Ambulance, camped adjoining us, are a reserved crowd of fellows, in fact they are conceited.
September 4: Harold Baker came down to the camp on a lovely horse and took me away to his home in Randwick for dinner. His wife is nice and very young. They were married when she was only 17 years of age. It appears Harold, as well as the girl's mother, thought she was 19, but when her lawyers in England started to fix up her estate they discovered their mistake. They have one child. We wandered around Coogee in the moonlight and I admired it immensely. I got into camp at 10.45pm after taking off my leggings, boots and socks and leaving them in a tree to return for them as I had to beat the guard.
September 5: We now have a full uniform. General leave was extended until midnight. Bob Miller and I went across to Manly. I went for a walk in the afternoon and down the Corso where the band was playing. It was my first night out in uniform and I felt very uncomfortable. I did not know whether to raise my hat to the number of friends I met or not.
September 6: This is the second Sunday I have been in camp and again went to the English Church service in the open air. The preacher with all his regalia worried me by his one-sided version of British righteousness in taking the part of the weaker nations in the present war. The singing was very poor. The English followers were asked to step forward, also the Methodists and marched off to different parts of Queen's Park.
September 9: Roast mutton for dinner today. Yesterday we had tinned beef, cold for breakfast and made into stew for dinner. The usual bread and jam for tea. The Commander is tightening up all leave. We appear to be sailing in about four days' time. A quantity of gift clothing was distributed today. It seems to me that the average man has, with all his years of civilisation, raised himself but little above an animal, as when those clothes were given out their eyes were as those of a begging and anxious dog.
September 12: Rain. Our tent was in a hell of a mess — all under water. The language one hears in our camp and all around the place is vile and noticeable amongst the empty-headed young fellows mostly.
September 13: I must get my Ambulance work in properly, and as I'm not going to get any fighting, which I so very much regret, I will at least attempt to gain some benefits and go thoroughly into First Aid work. My blankets and clothes are all wet and no chance of drying them just yet.
September 14: I regret more and more the fact that I am not in the real fighting line instead of buggering about with Ambulance work as 'linseed lancers'. There is always that doubt ... with a fellow likely to be termed a 'quitter'.
September 17: This camp life is perhaps not so hard as it is depressing. The grub is passable but though it is plentiful and wholesome there is a miserable sameness about it.
September 21: Fritz arranged a football match against the Light Horse (the conceited party adjoining our camp about 60 strong), which resulted in an easy win for our men. I was captain and our score was 21–0.
September 24: Things are getting very close to sailing. Our daily papers are hardly worth reading as they are all war cables and notes which never seem to agree with one another. I am disappointed at the tone of the press in attempting to belittle the ability of the Germans and accuse them of all kinds of murder and plunder. They even accuse them of cowardice and crime.
September 25: Up at 5am and away to the boat with the transport horses at 8am. One man, one horse and they behaved splendidly going through the city to Dalgety's wharf. The going aboard was accomplished in half an hour. Our horses were under the main deck while there were layers of horses on two decks below, making in all four decks of horses — the lower one being perhaps 40 feet down the hold; they were not lowered down, but walked down along the gangways. It was just wonderful.
October 5: We all marched in good order for about eight miles to Maroubra. The back section had a lot of trouble picking up the correct step, due considerably to the fact that our officers are such bad, short-stepped and rambling marchers. But the average soldier is an arrogant, conceited and boastful person — 'superb grandstand players'. Always judging their standard of manhood by the worst man in the squad. The Englishmen mostly are a loud -voiced, empty, inconsiderate lot, and can be easily picked out by their stiff and bound up movements.
October 6: We are this morning preparing for a march through the city. The fellows are keenly looking forward to it and are now bustling round in great expectations. We filed out of Moore Park about 11.45am and the whole route was thickly lined with people. The Army Medical Corps was lost in the procession but nevertheless they came in for applause and complimentary criticism. Going through Macquarie Street where our doctors are so well known, we had a great reception particularly from the hospital. Many of the people provided fruit for the troops — the skins of which covered Oxford Street.
October 19: The eventful day has at last arrived. The camp was astir at 5.30am with kits packed and handed in by 7am. A damned poor breakfast and we were on the road by 7.45. Tram cars were used from Charing Cross to Fort Macquarie where we were aboard the majestic looking Euripides by lights in very quick time. We were put into messes of 20 men and there we sat for hours until the 3rd Infantry were put aboard. There were few people out this morning as we passed along Oxford Street — yet there were some stirring little incidents as we drove by. One aged man holding a stout stick for support tried with as brave a heart as ever a soldier possessed to stand at attention. Another old warrior straightened himself by the aid of a verandah and saluted. Lots of men and women waved a pleasant good-bye but it was only skin deep; nobody but ignorant persons could treat such a mission as we are about to undertake so lightly and almost with frivolity. But the men who have seen service were as the two above mentioned, full of sincerity and hope knowing there was hard work for us to do. I am no blubber, pain and distraction harden me, but warm affection with a manly, conscientious face filled my eyes with tears of joy. Most people are so wrapped up in themselves they forget even those nearest until something serious happens and brings home their foolish idea that because they are alright everything and everybody as a matter of course must be also. Many of the hundreds of boatloads of people that sailed around the Euripides today thought of nothing further or deeper than that a friend or brother was going to war, and as it was a long voyage they came to wave to him (not the troops) a pleasant and safe return.
The Coast Artillery with their brass band aboard the SS Miner went around our vessel for one and a half hours playing cheerful tunes, but just before leaving they struck up 'Auld Lang Syne'. They finally played 'God Save the King' and I was fighting again to keep back the tears as we stood lined up at attention on the top deck.
Many of our well-wishers waved flags and shouted frantically. But it was a couple of people on the Burra Bra making for Manly that made water come to my eyes. They stood still and held a blue Australian flag outstretched. It was plain to me what was meant. They were cold, level -headed persons and seemed to say: 'keep your end up boys, wherever you're going, for the honour and for the glory of your dear Australia and your love for the mother country'. It fairly thrilled me through and through.
There are six or eight nurses on board. This afternoon I saw them on the promenade deck and amongst so much khaki colour their sky blue dresses with a bright red cap makes a pleasant change. This will be particularly noticeable later on when the dungarees and browns become an eyesore. Midst the hooting of the whistles and the cheering of our boys we slowly steamed down the harbour, but to our astonishment we put into Mosman Bay and hung up for the night. There was a great scramble for bunks or hammocks at 6.15pm. They were hung very close together, so much so that when one man turned over he woke up the man next to him and set a whole line of them swinging. Yet the fellows seemed to favour sleeping on hammocks to the ground at Queen's Park.
Ship's rations
Bread 1 lb per man
Meat ¾ lb
Jam 8 ounces per week
Salt 2 ounces per week
Pickles 6 ounces
Milk Condensed 1 lb tin per week
Sugar 14 ounces per man
Butter 10 1/3 ounces
Potatoes 4½ lbs
October 20: The Euripides got under way at 5.30am and steamed past Watson's Bay with a high wind and blinding rain. We were running fairly steadily yet before breakfast the decks were covered with prostrated forms. The 'fall in' was sounded at 10am and it was sorrowful to see the fellows dragging themselves and one another up for the parade. No more forlorn a spectacle could be witnessed than a crowded troopship on the first day at sea. So far we find the conveniences of the Euripides somewhat lacking. There are not enough hammocks, and the galley arrangements are inefficient as the poor mess orderlies have to wait a very long time to be served. There is a terrible congestion of men both underneath and on decks. The wet canteen was opened today between 11 and 12. The fellows went past in single file and paid three pence for a mug of beer. Beer was the only beverage dispensed. I was a little surprised that the fellows did not rush it more feverishly as there are some excellent looking beer-loving countenances about the ship. It is surprising the number of sports followers on board, and the present cricket season and the coming football season must suffer in consequence.
When one looks over the troops as they stand around, their height and physique are admirable, their age is thoroughly mature and their faces, though hard and weather -beaten, are very determined and strong looking. I like them immensely.
October 21: Last night the boys were merry, the bagpipes and orchestra keeping them bright. There does not appear to be anything like sufficient accommodation for the 3011-odd men aboard. At 9pm I had some bread, butter and herrings before going to bed. At 2am I felt very bad and vomited freely. The hammocks are placed too close together, yet the fellows like them and sleep well. Through some mismanagement, there was no arrangement made aboard for the Army Medical Corps at all so that we have just to squeeze in and make the best of a bad position. So far I have no regrets at having volunteered but I wish we were at the end of our destination. This ship life does not offer anything novel. The mess orderlies are having a rough time and by the growling that goes on the ship is generally unsatisfactory. The wet canteen has met with general approval and is opened only between the hours of 11 and 12, and it takes the full hour hard going to get finished with the long line of constantly waiting men. The dry canteen is open from 7–8 in the morning, 4–5 in the afternoon, 7–9 at night. The rubber shoes supplied at two and six are scandalous. They fall away from the sole in half an hour's wear. The dry canteen's prices seem far above Sydney prices all round. Tins of coffee costing sixpence in Sydney stores are sold at one shilling.
October 22: There are some really terrible-looking fellows amongst the troops and reports that the Germans have been looting and murdering will not be any worse than what those wretches are capable of. We parade from 9.30 to 11 in the morning and from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. The deck is too small for marching so we have to double mark time and walk or run around in single file circles, some physical exercises and sometimes leap-frog in small parties. The childish behaviour of some of our fellows reminds me of the holiday jaunts to Townsville and Ravenswood when we indulged in horseplay and noisy, disorderly singing, only that now we have jealousy and conceitedness intermingled with it. I have adopted my best air of reservation and do more reading and writing than ever before with very little conversation. Why I don't look more for company I cannot say, as there are many really good fellows amongst our party of 204 men.
October 23: The menu shows up a little better and stronger just now. Yesterday we had porridge and stewed sausages with tea and bread and jam to finish off with. At dinner there was soup, meat with beans and potatoes, followed by plum pudding. The sea is as calm as is possible, and in consequence none of the fellows are sick though if it should blow up a little these crowded decks would be hell with a record roll call as the fellows have to take down their hammocks at 6am, tidy up their odds and ends, and are not allowed inside again hardly until 6pm, when the hammocks are laid out, with lights out at 9pm. The bagpipes and the military brass band with perhaps a short evening Church service help considerably to break the dullness of the day and give the troops a little harmony which is absolutely essential to their brute-like nature. Gambling goes on all over the boat. No attempts are made to prevent it.
October 25: All hands are busy writing, yet there are a number of gambling schools going strong. Many games have been barred such as two up, crown and anchor, under and over 7. One man got 90 hours in the cells for playing crown and anchor. Several new cases of pox in the hospital today.
October 27: To WTB I wrote six pages and confessed much of my longing for her, and at the same time giving her liberty to get another man. If he is a man I won't grumble. I would not say this but how is it possible for me to offer anything in the way of comfort and convenience? Yet it will come hard to part with her, and I cannot keep her waiting for what may be a forlorn hope. When I reason coldly, Win is no good to me, but my heart won't agree and seeks her wildly.
October 30: The troops are feeling very despondent at waiting around here jammed in and scantily fed. I seem to be very lovesick indeed just now. My mind flouts back to it and its many problems as soon as I take it off my reading, in fact I am so badly hit that I compare every female character I read of with her. Gambling is now stopped. I don't know how the parson is getting on without the fool game of House. I have seen him at it for days. The war news of the past couple of days seems to be very misleading, viz. the Germans are being defeated all along the line yet they have captured Calais. It seems to me they are just laughing at the Britishers and are working down the Coast with the object of striking at England on the land and waiting an opportunity to smash in on the water. There is no doubt that Germany has applied her scientific brains to war as well as to other sciences and has been brought to such perfection that the Allies are not going to win for a very long time yet.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Wallaby Warrior by Tom Richards, Greg Growden. Copyright © 2013 Greg Growden. Excerpted by permission of Allen & Unwin.
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