SUNDAY AT SEA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20170, 13 February 1940, Page 6

SUNDAY AT SEA

PLUNGING TRANSPORTS NAVY TAKES IT GREEN FIRST LEG OF VOYAGE (By a Herald staff member travelling with the New Zealand troops abroad. Approved for publication by the Director of Publicity.) SOMEWHERE AT SEA. Sunday was a rough day for the New Zealand troops of the First Echelon who were proceeding overseas, with the transports throwing great rollers from their bows. Some of the big ships were occasionally “taking it green” aboard and the navy was having a wild time, their heavy vessels, low down in the water, being a smother of spray and smashing sea. It was rough, indeed, but it was the only rough day on the first leg of the voyage, the rest of the time being fine with a calm sea; so calm that at times it was possible to believe that the ship was steaming down the still waters of a harbour. On the Sunday, despite the rolling and pitching, the padre, Chaplain Captain C. Hyde, Wairoa, held his service on the glass-sheltered promenade deck. Several hundred boys attended, and a jolly service it was, opening with a hymn that has ever been an army favourite, “Oh, God Our Help in Ages Past.” The boys let themselves go and above the roar of the wind and the sea their voices carried the lovely words of the hymn. Following the service attentively and robustly singing the other hymns, the troops listened closely to the sermon. The padre took as his text the parable of the Prodigal Son. At times he had to steady himself against the pulpit which was lashed to the deck, but he never faltered in his address.

The service ended with the hymn, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” and the troops moved off to their quarters, many to read, others to write letters for the mail that was soon to be dispatched. Platoon officers have been kept very busy doing the duties of censors. Many spent the rest of the day in sleep, for it is remarkable how sleepy the sea air makes one, and as many days of fine weather had given most of the men good sea legs the tossing of the ship did not keep a great number from the table. Monday broke fine with a calm sea and ship routine resumed its normal round of ship-cleaning, parades, and games.