WAR TOPICS by The Beacon Watchman

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 293, 9 April 1941, Page 3

WAR TOPICS by The Beacon Watchman

CONVOY OF TROOPS CROWDED BOATS FROM ENGLAND TO- THE MIDDLE EAST "We have been christened N.Z.'<: Cooks tourist part\* and we arc having a wonderful time considering there is a war on," writes Gpl. Bill Craig to relatives in Whakatane, his letter being dated in December last when members of the Second Echelon left England for the Middle E!ast. "I was sorry to leave England as we were beginning to know people and enjoy ourselves generally." "This troop ship lias it on the world. I don't think any of the boats used in the||]ast jfcr were so crowd-

cd. She is 27,000 Ions: and the "innards" have been stripped out to make more room. All the big boats are the same now and they are practically all being" used as troop carriers. "On this boat we number 4000 and are packed in like sardines—just a;? tight I am sure—and the heat and sweat make up for I he missing oii, but the growls and moans are good natured. We will take six weeks on the trip which normally takes only about 10 days, so you can imagine the precautions that are being taken "We stayed at Sierra Leone for three days to take on water and on the morning of our arrival we had quite an exciting time, an Italian reconnaissance plane flying over the harbour. We must have taken some good photographs. Shore batteries opened up and also the navy and, of course, all on deck were ordered

below on account of splinter clanger I suppose, but four of us were lying on top of one of the deck houses and watched the fun. It was the only bit of fun we had had for weeks and we were not going to miss it, "This is a bigger convoy than the one coming over. There are 21 passenger liners and nearly all arc troopers and average about 2."), 000 tons. So you can picture 21 ships steaming along as a beautiful sight on a calm tropical day. Two of the boats have children evacuees aboard who probably are going to South Africa or Australia. "We have had a very smali naval escort although we have been all over the Atlantic. I think to start with we had four naval ships, but to-day one of the battleships believed to be the Ramillion has left us and also one of the destroyers antl so we have only two left. "The food in general is fai.rly good considering the number there are to feed, but there are a few of those home dishes that are not particularly favoured by the New Zealanders. However, meals for 4000 take some preparing three times per day."

The letter concludes with the arrival at the disembarkation port which of course was secret.