E.S. "Gordon" Lacey - Diary 1

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Ernest Stanley "Gordon" Lacey grew up in Mosman. His parents lived at 'Richmond', 24 Rosebery Street. He went to school locally and worked as a mail assistant at Mosman Post Office before enlisting in 1917. Wounded for the first time in May 1918, he returned to his Battalion, the 53rd, in August, just before they were to take part in two key actions, the Attack at Anvil Wood and the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. Lacey was hit again, by shell fire, on 29 September, and died of his wounds at the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen on 9 October 1918.

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with a long stick. We got several green nuts and opened them with an old spad I found. The milk was delicious and it was a bit of a novelty to find ourselves in a tropical jungle eating cocoanut fresh from the tree. We ate our fill ashore & brough one each back on board with us. We waited in the bay until the convoy , which consisted of six troops & one cruiser was completed & then we weighed anchor. The six boats were, "Miliades" [Miltiades] 28 "Themesticles" [Themistocles], "Medic", "Rauhine" [Ruahine] "Mokoya" [Makia], Anchises" 68 and the United States Cruiser "Charleston" We steamed out of Limon Bay

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on Saturday morning Sep 8th '17 nothing exciting happened until the following Saturday when we sighted Bermuda. The island is a long low place, but we only pulled up for a couple of hours so we never went right into port so we could not see much of the place. The American cruiser left us here & an English cruiser came with us. Tuesday 18th Late in the afternoon we sighted a red light with Halifax painted on it. About tea time the rain and mist cleared & we found ourselves close in to a low lying shore. Just at dusk we sighted the wreck of a

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fine big steamer. There was a good part of the bow & all the upper decks showing. About 8p.m. we came to anchor of the town of Halifax. Everybody was waiting for daylight to have a look at the town. The town is built on one side of the harbour & on the other side there are a few houses but it is mostly open country the town is not very big & it is built on the side of a low hill. We lay out in the stream until 20th. On the 19th 14 of us got over the side & had a swim, & we were caught & placed under open

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arrest. About 9 a.m. on Thursday 20th we were brought before the OC & reprimanded we went ashore about 10.15 & had a march about the town. We were dismissed about 1.15 & told to fall in again at 2.15 p.m. My first rush was for a good meal & I think all the rest of them did the same. By the time we had dinner it was about 2p. & we had a good stroll around before going back, so it was getting on towards 3p before we fell in & marched down to the boat again. We went aboard again & there were stragglers coming in at all hours. We lay at anchor

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till sundown on the 21st when we moved out & started on our way. Before sailing we shipped a 4.2[?] gun & mounted it on the stern & put our old 6 pounder on the bow A gun crew of Royal Marines came on board to work the new gun. Our new convoy consisted of 14 vessels. 25th Aug. guard again & boat drill.

28th Engineer died at 12.30 a.am Buryed about 11.15 a.m. 29th Sports. Fancy dress comp, singing, reports. Torpedo boats reach us at last about 12. They travel at some speed & look great. 7.15 p. went down the stoke hold & had a look at the fires 29th Fired 4[?]

Last edit about 11 years ago by twofruits
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