Soldier's Letters

Description

Date: 30 May 1917

Transcript:

Soldier's Letters
By the English mall on Wednesday last, Mr. W. A. Thompson, of the Presbyterian Church, received a letter from his brother, Sub Lieut. J. W. F. Thompson, of the Engineers, R.N., In which some exciting experiences were described:

"I received your letter dated December 18th, 1916, when I got home on the 13th March. I left home last November, after my foot had got better and joined the R M.S.P. 'Radnorshire' after spending ten days In the East of England. The 'Radnorshire' was bound with provisions for the South Atlantic Fleet, but while with the Fleet we were sunk by a raider, about 100 miles due east of Pernambuco in North Brazil. After the raider sank our vessel we were kept on board for five days when we were put on board the Japanese S.S. Hudson ' Maru,' and sent to Pernambuco where we stayed 14 days. When on board the raider we were fed as follows:- Breakfast at 11 a.m., consisting of black bread, jam, and a little water into which some one had dipped a very small bag of coffee and taken it out very quickly. Dinner consisted of sourcrout, a kind of very sour vegetable soup. Tea consisted of. black bread, lard, and some more water treated in the same manner as at breakfast only tea was used instead of coffee. The 'Radnorshire' went down on the 7th January, 8.11 south, 33 west.

We arrived In Pernambuco on 18th January, and left on 2nd February, on the 'Hollanda,' one of the Royal Holland Lloyd mail steamers bound for Falmouth (England), but got no further than Vigo, in Spain. We arrived in Vigo on the 12th February, where we stayed until the 21st. When we left Vigo we went to Lisbon, which was one night's journey by rail and arrived there on the 22nd, staving that night ashore. On the 23rd we went on board the Royal Mail Steamership Packet 'Drina,' also bound for Falmouth, but which never got there, as she was torpedoed by a German submarine off Milford Haven (South Wales) on the night of the 1st March, at 11.50 p.m. As we were 15 miles off we did not land until about 5.15 a.m. on the 2nd. From Milford Haven we went direct to London, arriving there on the morning of the 3rd, at 3 a.m. When we got to London we found that rooms in an hotel had been arranged for us, so we were all right. Of course when we landed at Milford we were allowed (all passengers and crew) to get what clothes we required, having lost everything on the 'Drina.' The Royal Mail Steamship Packet Company paid for them. After reporting in London, I finally found my way home, and am now awaiting my new right (which is being made in London), and also for orders."

Source:
The Wyalong Advocate and Mining, Agricultural and Pastoral Gazette

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