To return to the record of the events with which the 28th Battalion was concerned after leaving Alexandria.
The knowledge gained during the voyage of the "Ascanius" enabled the troops to settle quickly in their new quarters. In addition to the W.A. Battalion there were on board two companies and the headquarters of the 27th Battalion. The transport, the "Ivernia,"[L] was a comfortable ship of 14,000 tons register belonging to the Cunard Line. The captain and officers at first displayed a rather cool and curt manner towards their new passengers but in the course of a day or two visibly thawed. The captain afterwards, in explanation, stated that from information he had received in regard to the Australians he had expected to find in them an absence of discipline and a tendency to "smash things." He was now agreeably surprised to discover them so tractable and well-behaved—comparing them in a most favourable manner with other contingents he had carried.
CHUNUK BAIR.
Taken from Table Top—looking East. Corner of Rhododendron Spur at top of right-side.
Official Photo. No. G. 1830c.
Copyright by Australian War Museum.[ToList]
Routine was quickly instituted. Special precautions had to be taken in regard to enemy submarines which at this time had become very active and had lately torpedoed the "Southland" conveying the Brigadier and portion of the 6th Brigade as well as the G.O.C. and Staff of the 2nd Australian Division. News of this occurrence had reached the Battalion just prior to embarkation and naturally excited great interest. However, the voyage proved uneventful, the weather good, and the colours of the sea and evening skies a never failing attraction.
Heading towards Crete, the transport skirted its western coast and thence wended its way through the Grecian Archipelago. Arriving off Mudros Bay, Lemnos Island, on the evening of the 8th September, it was found that a boom was across the entrance and the harbour closed for the night. Nothing remained to be done but to stand on and off during the hours of darkness. To cast anchor would have rendered the ship an easy prey to the underwater craft. The sight of the "Southland" on a neighbouring beach lent point to this possibility.
Shortly after sunrise the appearance of a British destroyer coming from the direction of the Bay indicated that the entrance was now open. Threading its way between numbers of British and French men-of-war and other vessels the transport came to rest something less than a mile from the shore.
Anchored in the vicinity was the R.M.S. "Aragon," now used as quarters for the Inspector-General of the Line of Communications and his staff. From this source orders were received to disembark the Battalion on the following day. The arrangements necessary were few, consequently there was little to do and most of the afternoon was spent in bathing at the ship's side or in writing letters. Word had gone forth that the last mail before reaching Gallipoli would close that night. So numerous were the missives that it was found necessary to make every available officer a censor for the time being in order that delay might be avoided. The writings, as usual, were apropos of the occasion but it was found that one man, anticipating events, had informed his mother that he was writing his few words "by the light of the bursting shells."
Disembarkation was to commence at 2 p.m. on the 10th September but the movement proved to be merely a transhipment to the Weymouth-Channel Islands packet boat "Sarnia" which arrived, after a delay of one and a-half hours, and tied up alongside the transport. Coincident with this there appeared several staff officers delegated to "assist." The Senior Naval Transport Officer, a captain in the Royal Navy, endeavoured to make up the 90 minutes lost by urging speed in the move from one ship to the other. When the futility of expecting fully equipped men to move quickly over the solitary 15-inch plank laid down as a gangway was pointed out to him, he showed signs of irritability and threatened an adverse report on the handling of the troops. On being informed that it was his privilege to make such a report he left the ship. However, he was later observed in altercation with the skipper of the smaller vessel and eventually a second gangway was rigged. When this move was commenced there was room on the main deck for two companies only. The other two were kept clear and their officers took refuge on the boat deck. There they were found, reclining in chairs, by another staff officer duly be-tabbed, trousered, brogued, and carrying a cane. He seemed to be amazed at the indifference of the Australians to their impending move and burst out "I say, you fellows, do you know that you've got to be off this —— ship in half an hour?" Being greeted with roars of laughter he disappeared down the companionway calling plaintively, "Where's the Colonel? Where's the Colonel?"