Diary Entries
We are still going eight knots, have passed Key West and to avoid subs. are well out to sea instead of following the coast as subs are there. New York is our next stop. It was at Key West we joined up with those other ships. It is hotter today than at any time I have known. I am very nearly nude. Turkey for dinner today, I carved up three large ones for 47 men, not bad!
Here is today's news:-
read moreRest time. Well, we have some excitement last night. About 11 o'clock a sub was reported. All hands "Ready Aye Ready" guns loaded, straining our eyes through the moon lit seas for a periscope but we saw nothing. I eventually turned in, tired and fed up but could I sleep? No, not for the life of me. I was smoking and eating oranges at 1.30 this morning. "Thoughts" damn them, my mind would not go to sleep, it's horrible. Consequences up at 6 utterly fatigued before I start a fresh day. I saw some whales today, the spouting kind.
read moreAnother day gone, another day nearer home.
Dammit, I did not sleep again last night. I just cannot sleep. Why? I did not take my rest today so that maybe I shall be able to sleep tonight . Instead I opened and wiped and sorted out 800 oranges and 400 grapefruit. I ate exactly 3 oranges and 2 grapefruit.
I have got a gathering under my right thumb nail. I am writing this between my middle fingers. Jove, it does pain me, I wonder if it is a whitlow.
read moreSlept better last night, not so hot, we are coming into the cold weather now. The change is very sudden. The deck was all wet with rain this morning and the sea noticeably rougher.
Chippy beat me twice last night but I beat him at battleships. Went to bed about 11 o'clock. My thumb is worse Stewart going to dress it tonight.
read moreNew York today. We first start running in about 3 o'clock. It will be after 8 before we are at anchor. It takes a long time to get in here, land both sides and ships in and out for miles. We passed a convoy going out. Wish we were in it. We may have to wait till Sunday before we can leave. Saw an enormous whale this morning near New York, right close to the ship.
read moreIt was my lay in this morning, 8.15am when I got up. Dinner time at home. My thumb was not done last night and now after cleaning up all the muck of the galley the bandage and everything has come off. Any it is not redressed. It looks awful bad, not burst yet. I shall probably have to have it lanced. Now I have got a bad place coming upon my other hand, believe me I'm doing fine. Glad though my bum is better.
read moreJove, I shall be glad to get away from this ship for awhile. I'm absolutely "browned off". The customs, sentiments and the selfishness of the Merchant Seamen annoys me and gets me down. I'm far too conscientious, for this life, yet stick it I must. Yes, I think I hate these people. There is far too much detail attached to it or to possibly say why. When I had finished in the Galley I went to clean the big chamber out ready for the new. Then there was a break and the new stores came. It was not so cold as on the previous occasion in New York but plenty cold enough on deck.
read moreLeft New York. We all thought we were going ashore yesterday, but here we are once more on the briny in one of the biggest convoys to leave New York. 80 odd ships, all shapes andsizes including troop carriers. The emigration people were aboard yesterday for our identifications etc. We do not yet know why even anyway we did not go ashore.
read moreWell and truly I think it will be the end of March before we get home. We have yet to call at Halifax to join another convoy. My word we will be large. If things happen as they did last night we shall lose time all the way. it is now 2 o clock we are reforming ourselves. For last night at 10 o clock the 3rd Mate got out of bearing and lost himself. This morning there was only one other ship and us. We were lost to the remainder. Toward noon we found them sailing merrily along. It has all wasted precious hours. It is very much calmer now but very windy.
read moreWell I am afraid I have not any news today except I think we shall dock about the 16th or 17th March anyway just about Pat's birthday. I tried to count the ships today but as far as I could see, I counted 57. There are more out of sight. I managed to be some dobeying tonight and it has washed my thumbs clean. It stung very much. We lose another hours sleep tonight, the clocks go on one hour.
read more