FOR THE MAIN BODY

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 11 (Supplement)

FOR THE MAIN BODY

First Transport Ileet

JN practically every main port in New Zealand in early September, 1914, lay at least one great vessel painted grey. On the bow there was no name, but each ship had a number, preceded by the significant letters "H.M." These were the transports which were very soon to steam away, bearing New Zealand's ions to serve wherever they might be called upon. Naturally, great secrecy was maintained as to their date of sailing and thft route and speed that they would take, hut it was generally known that ten ships, bearing 360 officers, 0887 men and 3830 horses, would leave at an early date. The ten vessel* were to sail from the four chief ports of the Dominion—some from Wellington, some from Auckland, some from Lyttelton, and some from Tort Chalmers. Particulars of the ships r.re as follow:— Troops Maunganui 550 Limerick 372 Arawa 1249 Orari 194 Star of India 540 Waimnna 1502 Athenic 1300 Tahiti '.... 630 Hawke's Bay 430 Ruapehu 420 Very large quantities of coal were taken by all the'ehips, as a provision against the contingency of a long voyage without a call at the recognised coaling stations. The Athenic took 4000 tons, the Tahiti 4300 tons, the Waimana 3000 totis, the Maunganui (which coaled at Newcastle) 500 tons, the Arawa 3000 tons and the Limerick (which also coaled at Newcastle) 500 tons. Coal had been coming out of Westport for these steamers at the rate of about 12,000 tons a week, and in addition Creymouth was sending fuel for the Ruapehu and the Orari. Many ex-servicemen will remember those old days and the ships by which they travelled; the hustle and orderly bustle of embarkation, the fond and in many cases final, farewells on the wharfside as the ships drew away, and the thrill of the thought that at last they were ready to fight for their country and their King. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ THE "DONK" WENT ASTRAY. Unrehearsed Concert Turn. rpHE scene is a dressing room of the Divisional Concert Party "Somewhere in France." A pantomime is being produced. The weather i« bitterly cold and an issue of rum has just been handed out. One of the troupe had a bad cold, so a few extra "tots were necesserv. This particular chap had to do * "stunt" dressed as a donkey. When all dressed up, his only visibility was the floor of the stage. Arrows chalked on the boardfl gave him his entrance and exit. Maybe the extra rnm caused him to forget his spectacles! He couldn t pick up his indicating sign*. The stage manager saw that he was pushed on to the stage at the right time, and the "donkey-business ' was correctly performed. Then the trouble started. He couldn't find his way off. Blundering about the stage, absolutely lost, he tripped over the footlights and crashed through the bass drum. The applause whs terrific. All the Diggers thought it was p«rt of th£ and 4c ma tided an encore. THRKfc BAR.