THE "THEMISTOCLES" AT ALEXANDRIA.
The 28th waiting to embark, 16th March, 1916.
Photo. lent by Mr. Yeldon.[ToList]
Having passed around the north side of Crete the ship, during the afternoon of this same day, arrived off Malta. Her engines were stopped for a while and those on the decks had a brief glimpse of the narrow entrance to the Grand Harbour, the heavy fortifications whose walls seemed to run down into the sea, and, beyond, the steep slopes, upon which the picturesque city of Valetta is built. A few naval vessels were within sight of the Transport. A wicked looking submarine and a French torpedo boat passed close by.
Receiving fresh instructions as to the route to be followed, the "Themistocles" resumed her course and, passing through the Malta Channel, entered the Sicilian Sea. The Italian possession of Pantellaria Island was sighted and also the elevated headland of Cape Bon on the Tunisian coast. Skirting the western shores of Sardinia and Corsica, the French coast east of Toulon came into view on the morning of the 21st March. Little could be seen of the great naval base, but as the Transport headed north-west, a short lapse of time revealed Marseilles, France's most ancient city, lying within its circle of verdured hills.
Proceeding under slow steam towards a precipitous islet, which with its castle was recognised by some as the Isle d'If, made famous by Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo," a hail was received from a picket boat, which came racing out from the direction of the shore. In response, the Transport changed her course abruptly, as it seemed she had been on the verge of entering a mine field.
As the harbour was entered all eyes were agaze at this first contact with the civilisation of the Old World. Comments were made on the obvious fertility of the soil, on the apparent prosperity of the community, and on the magnitude of the engineering undertakings, as disclosed by the many docks and their machinery.
A closer approach to the shore revealed sentries posted here and there. These were old gentlemen in battered képis, long coats and baggy trousers, armed with rifles, which were capped by bayonets of an inordinate length. The 28th Band, which had been revived at Ferry Post, came into action and did its best with the "Marseillaise." This was responded to from the wharves, where a number of women and a few men had assembled to see the new arrivals. "Vivas" for France and Australia were exchanged and some of the members of the Battalion let go what they recollected of their schooldays' French.
At 3.30 p.m. the voyage came to an end.