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James Steel's Diary.
This site is the story of James Allan Steel.
1940 - Diary:
15/5/1940 Left Dunedin for Trentham camp.
1/8/1940 Left Trentham camp for final leave. Crossed on Maori.
2/8/1940 Arrived in Dunedin.
3/8/1940 Went to rugby, Otago vs Southland. Draw 10 all.
5/8/1940 Went to Warrington. Stayed with Bob Gray.
6/8/1940 Returned from Warrington and had night at home.
7/8/1940 Went to Kelso for young peoples dance.
8/8/1940 Returned from Kelso and went to send off dance at Dunedin Town Hall.
Ron and Meryl, George and Betty and Annie.
9/8/1940 Went to Middlemarch for send off. Silver watch. Stayed at Jones’s.
10/8/1940 Returned from Middlemarch and went to Warrington. Party at Olive’s
at night. Received pocket knife.
11/8/1940 Church with Annie. Whole family at home for tea.
12/8/1940 Left Dunedin for camp. Saw Bob and Mrs Gray at Warrington. Crossed
over strait.
13/8/1940 Arrived Trentham 9.30am. Posted to the 6th Anti -Tank Company.
16/8/1940 Transport arrived Wellington. Mauretania.
17/8/1940 Paraded in Wellington. Rained all the time while speeches were on.
18/8/1940 Fine. Leave. Went to Russ King’s for tea. Hung around hut.
Marched around block.
19/8/1940 Fine. Supplied with all sea kit. Short march. Rang Annie but she was out.
20/8/1940 Fine. Everything issued for overseas. All ready to go on board ship.
Embarkation postponed Archilles went away fast. Word of a raider in the Tasman
sea. Rang Annie.
21/8/1940 Fine. Arose from bed 7.30am. One hour late. Went for 12 mile march
through Upper Hutt. Sports day at racecourse. Embarkation postponed for a while.
22/8/1940 Fine, windy. Went for march of 10 miles. Gun drill. In bed 6.30pm.
Still waiting.
23/8/1940 Overcast. Row over meals. No one went for breakfast. Hell to pay.
Inspection of kit and huts. Route march in afternoon. Still waiting.
24/8/1940 Warm. Arose 6.30am and went for short march. Cleaned hut out then
had rest of day off. Word of embarkation for next Tuesday.
25/8/1940 Warm. Arose 6.30am.On fatigues officers mess. Had bacon, eggs and
sausages and mashed potatoes. No more leave so must be going this week.
26/8/1940 Warm. Arose 6.30am.March of about 8 miles and a parade in the
afternoon. A guardsvan was shunted into yard so all getting very excited. We are
in No 3 deck of Mauretania and are going on board tomorrow morning. Were up half
the night getting ready and had our photo taken.
27/8/1940 Warm.Arose 4.00am and got everything ready.Have just watched 25th
Battalion going out. Had to clean hut out and are waiting on train. Left camp
at 9.35am and arrived boat and settled in at 12 noon. Lunch at 1.30pm and were
moved out into stream. We had lifeboat drill for an hour and a talk by the
Captain at night. Retired about 9.30pm.
28/8/1940 Very hot.Arose 7.15am and still in the stream.Have watched for
Sister Cessford but think she is on other boat.Left harbour 7.45am. We have a
nice 4 berth cabin with all the conveniences, better than a hotel. Lost sight
of land 1.30pm.
29/8/1940 Very hot.Arose at 6.00am.Breakfast at 8.00am. PT for rest of morning.
Ships crew had gun practise.Sports in the afternoon. Speed about 20 miles an hour
and doing about 480 miles a day. Saw quite a few whales. Bed at 7.30pm. Heavy
sea and a nice roll.
30/8/1940 Warm.Arose 6.00am and had wash.Warm cabin. Cleaned brass. Breakfast
was Fried fish and potatoes. Rifle drill and cleaning. Sports in afternoon. The
Archilles left us and the HMAS Perth joined us.Sing song at night in cabin.
31/8/1940 Hot.Arose 6.00am to discover the Acquitania, the Ajax and the HMAS
Canberra cruising with us. 7 in convoy now. Sports all morning and passed through Bass strait at lunchtime. Passed opposite Melbourne at 1.00pm and just entering the Great Bight. Tug of war competition. Bed at 9.30pm.
1/9/1940 Hot.Arose 7.30pm and went to church. Nothing to do but read and
write. No sign of land.
2/9/1940 Very hot.Arose 6.00am.Rifle drill.Sports and went to pictures "Charlie
Chan at the Opera". Expect to see land tomorrow.
3/9/1940 Very hot.Arose 6.30 and out looking for land.Just lay around all day.
Bed early and will be in port tomorrow as we have passes.
4/9/1940 Hot. Arose 6.30pm, saw land 7.30pm and arrived in port and tied up
at 12.00. Leave started at 2.30 and arrived in Perth at 3.15pm. Went for tour of
city in afternoon and had supper. Back at boat at 11.20.
5/9/1940 Hot. Arose 7.00 and left port at 11.00am and now out in briny.
Don’t know where we are going.
6/9/1940 Hot. Arose 6.30.Learning morse code.Swim and washed.Sports.Bed 7.30pm.
7//9/1940 Very hot. PT and sports.Boxing tournament in afternoon.
8/9/1940 Very hot. Church parade 9.30. Went on guard 5.00. Too hot to sleep.
9/9/1940 Very hot. Still on guard. Weather is really hot, sweating all the
time. Finish guard 5.00pm. Bed 9.00pm.
10/9/1940 Very hot.Arose 6.30.Rifle drill and dubined boots.Went to pictures
and lay on bed. Too hot to do anything. Crossed equator and received
identification discs.
11/9/1940 Arose 6.00,had rifle drill and wore boots for first time since
coming on board and they were hard on feet. Gym shoes had softened them. Boat
drill and boxing match. Watched the flying fish. Expect to reach port Saturday.
12/9/1940 Rifle drill,sports.Went on guard after 5.00pm.Will reach port Sunday.
Short arm parade,several caught,none of our boys.
13/9/1940 Still on guard.Have to clean walls of cabin,cupoards and drawers.
HMAS Canberra left us and HMS Colombo took its place. Finished guard 5.00pm and had rifle taken from us.
14/9/1940 Clean cabin and pack kit. Kit taken up on deck for strict inspection.
Bed 9.30. Sore eye and paraded sick. Paid 14 Rupees = one pound.
15/9/1940 Bombay harbour.Church parade,watched a lot of small boats , expect
to berth at 1.00am. We are out in stream as we cannot get to wharf. The Indians
are out selling the boys fruit and making a huge profit. We tranship tomorrow at
7.00am. They are unloading the boats.
16/9/1940 Wet. Arose 5.00am, parade full gear, 7.00am went on board Rohna and
reached shore at 12.15. Waited there till 3.15 and went on board Ormando and
went on leave til 11.30. Had a good time but rained nearly all the time, had a
lot of fun trying to knock the prices down with the Indians. Had to sleep on
mess table as couldn’t find a hammock.
17/9/1940 Arose 7.00am and had a hell of a job finding our gear about the
place. Sweating like hell as no ventilation. Had boat station drill and allowed
to sleep on deck but got wet through. Had a meeting over condition of boat and
demanded a change. There was stew for tea and had maggots in it, very tasty.
18/9/1940 Wet.Arose 6.30 and refused to parade.Heads were looking over ship.
The convoy moved off at 1.00 without us and we are under close arrest,the whole
ship.Conditions are terrible but hope we get away as the boys in Egypt have
started and we would like to get there.Eyes sore,still going to Doctor.
19/9/1940 Arose 6.30am,rolled hammocks,breakfast then went and saw Doctor.
Sailed at 7.00am and caught up with convoy of 5 boats, Orion,Empress of Japan,
Normandie and 2 others about 3.15pm. Received pay 4.00am and went on guard at
5.00am for 4 hours.Blackout and heading NNW. Conditions on boat have improved
since boys cleaned it up today.
20/9/1940 My turn on guard 11.00 to 1.00,5.00 to 7.00 and 11.00 to 1.00 then
off for rest of day.Weather cleared up today.
21/9/1940 Watches back half an hour.
22/9/1940 Arose 6.00am,put watches back an hour.No church parade as in danger
area expecting trouble at anytime.Sleep on deck.
23/9/1940 Arose 6.00am,watches back 1 hour,sleep on deck.Weather is not quite
so hot, more like Central Otago again. We are getting near Aden and Red Sea. The
boats were dodging all over the show, must have seen a sub or something. We only
parade in morning now. Afternoons off and sleep most of the time. Play cards,
draughts etc. All cameras taken off boys. Blackout 5.45pm.
24/9/1940 Arose 6.00am,mess orderly today.Saw 2 very big sharks,zigzagging
course. Supplied a lot of the boys with rifles and ammuntion yesterday. Everyone
sleeps on deck so they must expect Italians to try and get us but we are ready
for them. Went on guard 5.00pm. Short arm parade. Blackout 5.55pm.
25/9/1940 Very hot. Up all night on guard.Everyone except guards below deck as
we pass through Hells Gate near Aden, sometime today. Boat ducked back and forth
from 2.30 to 6.30am. Picked up 3 more warships at 2.00am now we have 7 warships
with us. Finished guard 5.00pm near Aden.
26/9/1940 Arose 6.00am, to land on both sides.After breakfast met a convoy of
22 ships so all told there are 33 ships now. Went through Hells Gate last night.
Land on one side only, Africa. Other convoys passed mostly Tankers and Merchant
ships. Drivers meeting this morning ,see about 7 small islands. Very hot,
blackout 6.25pm ,sleeping on deck.
27/9/1940 Arose 6.00am, passed another convoy of merchant ships.Head chef
died last night and buried at sea. Expect to reach port Sunday morning, still in
Red sea.Watch back 1 hour.
28/9/1940 Arose 6.00am, getting everything ready to disembark.Mess orderly
today.We are by ourselves now,lost rest of convoy overnight and have seen
nothing else all day.Due in port tomorrow.Put watch back 1 hour.
29/9/1940 Arose 6.00am, not feeling too good. Land on both sides,arrived in
Port Tewfik at 10.30.Drew dry ration for 24 hours,1 tin beef,5 biscuits,1 tin
milk for 5 men and a tin of jam for 5 men. Freyberg came on board for dinner
with us.Cleaned all brass.Going ashore on Tuesday 7.30am and all troops carry
10 round of ammo. Port Said to our base camp is 100 miles at Maadi and will be
glad to get off this boat.
30/9/1940 Arose 6.00am and got all packed,everything cleaned.Did all my
washing but could not get ironing done. Cleaned all my brass. Put watches back
1 hour. Bed 7.30 ready to go off tomorrow.
1/10/1940 Tuesday,arose 6.00am,put hammocks away and paraded with all our gear.Went onto
barges at 10.20am and arrived at pier 11.25am.Put our gear on train,3rd class
and left for base at 1.30pm. Arrived at Maadi camp 6.30pm,marched full kit for 2
and half miles to camp.Had tea and given tent for 10 of us plus a nice mattress.
Another lot came in about 11.30pm.
2/10/1940 Arose 6.00am to see our camp for first time in daylight. Tents are
spaced about 30 to 40 yards apart,there are emergency ambulances here and there
around the camp which is about 4 miles square. Pictures in Cairo at night.
3/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,march.Issued with shorts,shirts,rutties.Went for swim
and had tea at Maadi.Home 11.00pm .
4/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,went for march.Started to dig sump pit.Bed 7.30pm.
5/10/1940 Arose 6.30am,are an anti tank unit no longer as they don’t have any
guns here. Saw Doctor about my feet and he says I have athletes foot.Leave at
1.30pm to Cairo so am off to see the sights. It is a great place and everything
is so cheap.
6/10/1940 Arose 6.45am,church parade. Had the rest of the day to ourselves so
marked all my gear,had a sleep and did some washing.
7/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,am assisting one of the boys with some building
operations. Went to bed 6.45pm as can’t be bothered going out.
8/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,am still assistant carpenter and enjoying it. Flies
here certainly bite.
9/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,went for march.Went to bed early. Doing odd jobs.
10/10/1940 Arose 6.00am. Same as above.
11/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,did odd jobs.Rehearsed for big parade tomorrow. Went
down to Maadi at night.Bought purse for Annie and new watch strap. Met chap at
Post Office from Seacliff and had a great yarn.
12/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,parade 8.15.All 3rd Echelon there for march past. Clean
up around tent. Boys all away on leave so wrote letters and marked clothes.
Bed 7.30pm.
13/10/1940 Arose 7.30am,church.Went up to Helwan hospital and saw Jennie
Cessford.Found Gran there with severe dysentry. Had tea at Maadi,went to
pictures then bed at 9.30pm.
14/10/1940 Arose 4.00am,went to Abbassia for range shooting.Had breakfast and
dinner bought out to us.Home 3.30pm,went to pictures then bed 9.15pm.
15/10/1940 Arose 3.30am,went to Abbassia on range all day.Same as yesterday,
arrived back 2.15pm and went to bed 7.30pm.
16/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,orderly runner for day.Was asked to take on job of
orderly clerk for our company and agreed to do so. Went to pictures and
bed 9.30pm.
17/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,in orderly room all day tapping on typewriter.Went to
pictures and bed 9.15pm.
18/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,went for 12 mile march.Orderly room all day.Were paid
and went to see Gran.He was much better.Had supper at Maadi and home to bed
10.30pm.
19/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,orderly room till dinner time.Went for swim then Maadi
for tea,pictures and bed at 9.20pm.
20/10/1940 Arose 7.00am,wrote letters to Annie,Bob Gray,Mrs Leask and home.
Went up and saw Gran,had tea at Maadi,pictures and bed at 9.15pm. Had our first
air raid at 9.35pm.Bombs dropped just outside camp.Very close,expecting more.
21/10/1940 Arose 3.30am and left for rifle range for day at Abbassia.Arrived
home 4.30pm,shower,pictures and bed at 9.00pm.Air raid alarm at 4.50am but
nothing arrived.
22/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,shifting to base camp tomorrow.Packed everything in
orderly room and am now clerk to Transport Corporal.
23/10/1940 Arose 6.30am,boys are busy digging tents in and are not enjoying it.
Went to Maadi for supper and bed 9.30pm.
24/10/1940 Arose 6.00am and inside all day.
25/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,were paid and went up and saw Gran.He is doing well.
26/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,air raid but no result.Went to swimming pool,Maadi for
supper and home to bed 9.00pm. Air raid alarm about 3.00am but no result.
27/10/1940 Arose 7.00am,spent morning in Orderly room and went to see
Gran in afternoon.
28/10/1940 Arose 7.00am,Orderly room all day.
29/10/1940 Arose 7.00am and orderly room all day.
30/10/1940 Arose 6.00am and orderly room all day.
31/10/1940 Arose 6.00am,orderly room.Bed 7.30pm.Air raid 11.00pm but false alarm.
1/11/1940 Arose 6.00am and orderly room all day.Went to Helwan to see Gran.
Bed 10.15pm.
2/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,orderly room all day.Helwan in afternoon.bed 8.30pm.
3/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,orderly room.Went for swim and tea at Maadi.
4/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,spare driver for week.
5/11/1940 Same as yesterday.
6/11/1940 Same again.
7/11/1940 Same again.
8/11/1940 Same again.Pay day.
9/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,spare driver for day.Went to Maadi tent after tea for
concert.Air raid alarm went off at 8.00pm so had to go home.All clear at 10.10pm.
Bombs dropped at Helwan aerodrome.
10/11/1940 Arose 7.00am,spare driver finished.4.30pm went to Maadi for tea and
cakes.Home and bed at 8.30pm.
11/11/1940 Arose 6.30am,on parade,3rd since I got here.Air raid at 7.45 till
10.00 but no damage.Received first mail,1 from Peter,Dad,Annie.
12/11/1940 Arose 6.30am,went on parade and enjoyed it.Route march for 2 hours
in afternoon.Went to concert at Maadi.Air raid 8.00pm.
13/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,mess orderly for day.Bed at 7.45pm.Received 6 letters
from Annie and I from Ann Farra.Air raid at 8.15pm.
14/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,drill in morning.March after dinner.Received 1 letter
from Kaye.
15/11/1940 Drill in morning.Field craft after dinner.Concert at Maadi,very good
too.
16/11/1940 Cleaned round tents and dug slit trenches.Had a sleep in afternoon.
17/11/1940 Church parade,round of golf.Wrote letters.Tea at Maadi.Letter to
Annie and Dad.
18/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,field craft all day.Saw troop train arrive,had 3 air
raid alarms at night.Letter to Kaye.
19/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,bayonet and rifle drill.50 cigarettes issued and 2
matches. Received letters for Annie and her mother.Parcel from Annie,posted 26
August,2 hankys,2 soap,1 toothpaste,1 shaving brush,1 blade,1 pad,1 pencil.
20/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,bayonet,rifle and marching drill.Sergeants mess in
afternoon,bed 7.30pm.
21/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,bayonet and rifle drill.Route march,concert at Maadi
tent.Bed 9.35pm.
22/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,very hot.Rifle and bayonet drill,parade.Bought 11 tins
tobacco.Stayed at home at night .
23/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,cleaned around camp and dug slit trenches.Went to Maadi tent and home 8.00pm.
24/11/1940 Arose 7.00am,spare driver for day.In afternoon we went to Cairo and
hired 2 bikes then toured the place.Enjoyed tea at Maadi tent and home 10.00pm.
25/11/1940 Arose 6.00am, rifle, bayonet and field craft all day. Wrote letters
at night.
26/11/1940 Arose 6.00am,guard all day.Bed 6.45pm.
27/11/1940 Same as yesterday.
28/11/1940 Parade for some Brigadier.Went to concert by Pommies at Maadi tent.
Home at 9.45pm.Surface mail arrived in.
29/11/1940 Arose 3.30am.Big parade for Major-General Sir John Dugian from NZ.
Back on guard.Bed 8.30pm.
30/11/1940 On guard all day.
1/12/1940 Same again.
2/12/1940 Ration truck for week.
5/12/1940 Ration store.Concert 6th Infantry at Maadi tent.
6/12/1940 Concert by Naafi concert party number 2.
7/12/1940 Very quiet birthday.25 today.Went for walk.Pictures at night.
9/12/1940 Went to Helwan as guard for 3 mental cases.4 hours on,8 hours off.
10/12/1940 Same again.
11/12/1940 Same again.
12/12/1940 Same again.
13/12/1940 Same but only now work 4 hours on and 12 off.
14/12/1940 Still at Helwan.Went to Maadi to get washing and some stuff I left
behind me.A lot of wounded Italians just came in and they are badly knocked about.
15/12/1940 Went for a walk up to Kiwi club in Helwan.
16/12/1940 Still on guard at Helwan.2 chaps going home Wednesday.
18/12/1940 Orders to return to Maadi camp.Went to bed 8.00pm but called out at
8.20pm to go on guard,2 hours on,2 hours off.
19/12/1940 Still on guard.Went to pictures at night.
20/12/1940 Same again.
21/12/1940 Same again.
22/12/1940 Same again.
23/12/1940 4th Reinforcement advance guard arrived.
24/12/1940 Arose 6.00am,very quiet day.Stayed home at night.
25/12/1940,Xmas day.Church and sports meeting.Turkey,green peas,new potatoes
and plum pudding.Patriotic parcel.
26/12/1940 Orderly room all day.
27/12/1940 Same again.
28/12/1940 Same again.
29/12/1940 Same again.
30/12/1940 Same again.
31/12/1940 Same again.
| 1940 Diary |
1941 Diary |
1942 - 43 |
Allans Photo's |
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