READY FOR SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 143, 19 June 1941, Page 6

READY FOR SERVICE

N.Z. HOSPITAL SHIP

VOYAGE TO THE RED SEA

FULL OF WORK AND INTEREST

(Specially written for "The Post" by F.A.M.) In the Red Sea,

May 22,

It is light duties for everyone on No. 1 New Zealand Hospital Ship today. After four weeks of strenuous work by officers, nurses and men of the unit, the ship is at last ready to carry out the task for which she has been sent j half round the world from New Zealand. The beds are ready to receive the patients, a carefully-devised embarkation scheme has been practised by the whole personnel, and every possible precaution has been taken to ensure that when the ship assumes her duties as a floating hospital the soldiers will receive every possible care j and comfort compatible with the | limitations unavoidably imposed by seagoing conditions. When the ship departed many matters had to be dsalt with, partly at ports of call, but principally by the N.Z.M.C. and the ship's staff as the voyage progressed. It might be 'ax-gued that much of the work that has had to! be done should have been completed before she sailed. But if the early dispatch of the vessel means that much-needed medical succour will have been brought to New Zealand, Australian, or other Empire troops so j much earlier, not one man or nurse amongst the medical personnel will begrudge the heavy work and long hours that were necessary. So far the health of the unit has been extremely good. The first day or two when fairly heavy weather \ was encountered floored the majority ( with seasickness, but within a day or two everyone was fit for duty again and the work of cleaning the ship was begun in earnest. During the last fortnight's travel in tropic waters a number of the men have been! troubled by the heat, but this too is rapidly passing. CALLS AT FREMANTLE AND COLOMBO. The outward voyage is being completed as rapidly as possible. We have' now been at sea four weeks and two days, with only two ports ■of call during that period, the stay in each case being approximately 24 hours. The first call was made at Fremantle, where certain hospital and other hospital equipment unobtainable in New Zealand was loaded and where all ranks were given about eight hours shore leave. Almost everyone went to Perth, and though their arrival was quite unheralded they were given a warm welcome by the Australians who have seen much of New Zealand troops since the war began^ The ship put to sea on the following morning and having got used to her pitching during most of the voyage to Australia the troops now. had several days of rolling. The weather calmed a day or two before Colombo was reached and since then the sea . has been almost? as calm as an inland lake. It was estimated that the ship would reach Colombo on a Monday morning and that the troops would be allowed ashore for a few hours, but, unfortunately, the time available for leave had to be cut down through an unexpected delay. When Ceylon was just discernible in the distance the ship was hove-to for a couple of hours to enable her position to be checked. The enforced delay was, however, not without its interest, for the ship was amidst a. fleet of native fishermen in catamarans, WELCOME SHORE LEAVE. The busy port of Colombo, with its innumerable small craft weaving in and out between the larger vessels, was reached in the middle afternoon, and the hospital ship took her.appointed place with other vessels moored between huge buoys. There are no wharves at Colombo, and all cargo is handled to and from lighters, while a wide variety of ferries, ranging from small row-boats to powerful launches, are always on the watch to carry passengers to and from the shore. While waiting for news of shore leave, the nurses and troops made their first acquaintance with the wily hawkers who conduct their business from rowing boats at the ship's side. The unit had received a general warning not to pay the first price asked, but many of them were victimised at first and had to put up with the chaffing of others on board who later secured the same goods for as little as a quarter of the first prices paid. Orders to prepare for shore leave came shortly before 5 o'clock. The men eventually set out in the ship's launch about 5.30, with instructions to be back at the landing stage by 7.45 p.m. The two hours ashore were made good use of. Rickshaw rides were popular with many, while others formed small parties and hired taxis to see some of the sights. Many visited the Buddhist temple and made a rapid tour of the native bazaars. It was a good time, for the birthday of Buddah had been celebrated three days previously and the ceremonies were still proceeding. On the way they were taken through the wealthy European area with its fine homes and clubs and magnificently appointed race track. NO EXCHANGE TROUBLES. At no stage during the voyage so far has there been any difficulty in exchanging New Zealand notes for the local currency. In Perth they were accepted at par. A reasonable exchange value in rupees was paid by the Government money-changers at Colombo, though none of the business people welcomed silver (New Zealand or Australian), which they have difficulty in negotiating. In fact, on the morning of sailing from Colombo native laundrymen and tailors who had business aboard were round the decks offering to buy rupees for an Australian florin each. This was profitable to those who had rupees left, for they were paid out on the basis of 14 to £1 Is (Is 6d each).

The voyage between Colombo and the Gulf of Aden has so far been the hottest stage of the journey with be-tween-deck temperatures ranging up to close to 100 degrees. It is unfortunate that in the war as it is being fought this time no reliance can be placed on the enemy's observance of international law, not even the international conventions regarding hospital ships. Even so British hospital ships carry no defensive or offensive arms whatever, but they are compelled to take all possible precautions to protect the lives of patients and personnel in the event of an attack. For that reason the training of the troops and nurses on board since they left New Zealand has included instructions in anti-gas measures, decontamination,- and so on, and the practice of emergency evacuation of patients. Since leaving Fremantie all personnel have been required to keep steel helmets, respirators, and lifebelts always at hand. Within a few hours the No. 1 New I Zealand Hospital Ship will enter upon i the serious stage of her first voyage' from her home port. She is well equipped and completely ready, and all on board can confidently be looked to to give a good account of ther" c°ives in carrying out their duties. i