WE TAKE THE 'DURBAN CASTLE' TO FREETOWN, WEST AFRICA

We got into Liverpool about 5 p.m. and then we were off on yet another march through the city, and once again advertising the fact we were off overseas.  We found all of this rather contradictory, because on our last day while in camp at West Kirby we were not allowed out and

we couldn't telephone, cable or write.  Here was our entire draft marching all over Liverpool advertising our departure.  It was so obvious. But how else could they have done it?

Just after 5:30 p.m. we boarded the 17,000 ton Durban Castle.  We were "downstairs" just below the waterline, but in bunks.  A lot of the fellows were in hammocks on other decks.    We  had several lectures while in West Kirby on hammock slinging, and on the perils of associating with women and natives.  At this point I was not in a hammock so the lectures weren't needed, and I couldn't see any women or natives around to apply the other knowledge I had been given. I was with a chap named Trevor Clist, about my age.  

The section I was in was called Q2, the centre of the ship. There was also Q1 and Q3. The sections went right up to the top deck, D1, 2 and 3 and C1, 2, and 3 etc.  We all ate in a mess similar to a regular R.A.F. camp.  We had to wait an hour and a half for tea that night and for

breakfast the next morning.  Later they got things sorted out and we had a system operating.   There were 2,091 men on board, besides officers and a few civilians, National Fire Service people bound for Bombay.

Most of the officers shared cabins and ate in the lounge and were really catered to.  However, on looking back on it all, I think we had the most fun.

One nice thing about troopships was they carried everything.  Rationed stuff I hadn't seen for a long time;  years in the case of the English lads.  Chocolates, toffees, tins of fruit, cigarettes, and as I recall the food was really quite good.  We carried our own knives an forks [irons] to each meal, usually at tables right on the deck where we slept.

Our ship waited in the River Mersey for five days while forming up a 30-ship convoy.  When we moved out, there were 20 ships and ten destroyers.  As we left the harbour area, several local ferries passed by, and the folks on deck waved and cheered to us.

As we sailed further south it was 90 degrees below deck.  We were all lying naked on top of our bunks trying to keep cool.  As time went on we learned the names of some of the ships in our convoy; Stirling Castle - Strathmore - Empress of Russia.  One of the ships left us somewhere

around Gibraltar and went "somewhere?" with three of our destroyers.  We were then joined by a battleship which we learned was the Malaya.  

Each morning we had a muster parade at 10:15 and later changed to 9:15.  On this parade we had to wear full kit.  Jacket, tropical shirt, drill or shorts, shoes and topee.  Topee and life jacket had to be carried at all times.  During the parade session a couple of chaps passed out from

the heat.

It wasn't long before fatigues were being assigned and Len Brown and I were given the job of cleaning one of the latrines on C deck before the 10 a.m. inspection.  This inspection was really quite a laugh.  The ship C.O., Captain, half a dozen officers in diminishing ranks and several

N.C.O's came trooping through in a long line.  We were forewarned of their approach by a Corporal blowing on a trumpet.  As long as the latrines were clean at the time of the visit, that's all that mattered.  The rest of the day they could be a mess, and generally were.  Washing ourselves was usually a pain in the neck.  We actually had to line up and wait our turn.  

On July 2 we anchored off of Freetown, Sierra Leone for further supplies. TO BE CONTINUED