December 1 Saturday.

It was fairly calm during the forenoon & I didn't have any trips to do in the picket boat. I took the officers trip in the afternoon and it got up to blow. It got very cold also and we took them over the bows. I brought off the Commanders wife, a General MacFarlane & his wife & a Colonel Heath & his wife. I had to do more trips during the afternoon and took the ladies ashore. Coming back I had to pick up the launch and 2^nd picket boat which had broken down owing to painter getting caught in screw. It was rather exciting as a lighter almost rammed us & we had liberty men in the launch. I got them back & had to go for officers. I had dinner and then had to take the skipper & his wife ashore. When I got back I had to do some more trips & ended up about 11-30 & I turned in a straight away as I was very cold & tired. The Commander fell into the ditch when he tried to get the ladies into the boat. I saw a submarine with a 5.9 in the stern.

2 Sunday.

A fairly fine day. We had divisions and Church & after I went to Communion in the chapel which is situated near our old bathroom. There were more ladies aboard. I don't think they ought to be allowed aboard in wartime. I loafed all afternoon & played bridge. It was very cold all day & couldn't get warm. I after quarters I had a shave & bath and after supper I played more bridge. I did a bit of torpedo resumee during the afternoon. Mackenzie looked in during the afternoon & looked a real breakup. I was paid �3 by the fleet paymaster. I got a key chain from Dickinson. I came top in the signalling for the month with 84% & in the last exercise top with 78%. I think we do torpedo next week and we will probably have a couple hockey matches on. We have to start at nine I think. I came out very well in the photos that were taken of me a few days ago.

3 Monday.

We started torpedo today and had instruction in search light control. It was a very fine day and we were given leave in the afternoon. I went to Edinburgh with Dickenson. Caught the 1-00 train from N. Queensferry. We went to Gieves and I bought a pair of dancing shoes 25/- a pair of gloves 8/6 and a walking stick 3/-. We then went to some pictures and had a good tea at Mac Vittie. We left Edinburgh by the 5-12 train which took us down to Port Edgar where we caught the 6-00 boat & we got back to the ship about seven. I had to make out a correct list of the division with all the particulars etc. as the Admiral is inspecting us tomorrow. We had a rehearsal at 8-30 and everything went off fairly well. I turned in about 10-10. We are having the show in the YMCA hut next Tuesday. My mess bill came to �4/17 but we had a couple of funds & also a big tobacco bill.

4 Tuesday.

We dressed in No.1s for the Admirals inspection. He came about 9-30 and we all had to fall in on the QD and when our names were read out salute him and walk off. He then inspected the divisions and the mess decks and left about eleven. He gave the ship a make & mend which we took as well. I played bridge before lunch. It was snowing for about three hours during the mid-day and was pretty cold. After lunch I wrote up torpedo notes and played poker & then I had a bath after tea. My shoes from Gieves arrived in the forenoon. After dinner I had a good game of bridge & was rather successful. The Admiral is coming again Friday to inspect us when we are out in the Flow. There is a rumour that we leave Rosyth on Wednesday week. The gramophone broke down once again so no music. Commander N is coming back about the end of the month. Really nothing much to put in. I received 60% for my gunnery notes.

5 Wednesday.

We had a torpedo lecture by Torps in the lecture room on low power and electrical instruments. In the afternoon we had to go round the ships in parties. I was up censoring till 1-15 and after that I went round and inspected gun circuits etc. After tea I played bridge and poker being very successful and then I tidied up for dinner. We had our band night and I played more bridge after dinner but my luck was out. I turned in about ten. Rather a warmer day than unusual. An engineer sub joined the ship today. The Revenge is being blistered at present but I don't think we go next. Really no news at all. Same thing day after day. I'm getting some photos done of myself and different ships. Parcel from home hasn't arrived yet nor the College magazines.

6 Thursday.

We had breakfast at 7-30 and the concert party went ashore. We went to the YMCA hut and had a very good rehearsal and we came back to the ship about 12-00. In the afternoon we were detailed off for parties in torpedo. I was down in the exchange all the afternoon & worked it. In the dogs I wrote a letter to Mother & started one to Gladys and enclosed some photos of myself. I also had a game of cards. We had a navigation dog watch lecture from 5-30 to 6-30 & then I tidied up for dinner. They had the cinema show on in the wardroom and we all went in there. It wasn't a very good show but better than nothing. Packed up about 10-20. The Admiral is coming aboard tomorrow when we go out in the Flow. Not a bad day today and it wasn't at all cold. The war news is still the same. Nothing of importance. The Italians are retreating a bit.

7 Friday.

The usual routine. We got a underway about nine and all our BS went out into the Flow. The Admiral didn't come aboard. We closed up at 6" control and during the forenoon Guns exhibited his gentlemanly manners with me as the object, I hate that man. We had the afternoon off as the visibility was too bad for us to do 6" full calibre firing. However we closed up again about 4-30 and we & the Oak attacked the Canada & Resolution we firing star shells & the others using search lights. They did much better firing than we did. The shells were a great success but no use against search lights. We fired star shells from P₂ & S₂. We packed up about 7-15. After dinner I played poker and then turned in about ten. We moored outside the inner gate. I think we go back in our original billets tomorrow morning early.

8 Saturday.

As usual the day off. I posted letters to Mother, Gladys & Eric and enclosed some of my photos in each. I played bridge all forenoon and fooled around. In the afternoon our hockey team went ashore & we played the Iron Duke's gunroom and after a real good game we beat them by seven to three. I scored one goal. We had tea at the Officers Club room and returned to the ship by the liberty boat. I had a bath, tidied for dinner & played poker. After dinner I had a good game of bridge and turned in a little after ten. Owing to us going out into the Flow on Tuesday the show has been put off till Wednesday afternoon. We have a dress rehearsal on Monday forenoon. The weather for the last few days has been very mild. We don't know when we are leaving here but presumably we will go when our month is up. I hope that the 5^th BS & ourselves take turn about as the emergency battle squadron.

9 Sunday.

We had divisions & Buthy & two more of us managed to escape Church as there was no room. I wrote up all my torpedo notes and most of the afternoon I spent at them also. I tried on my dancing apparel and I look pretty foolish but the same as the others. I had my photo taken a couple of times as the day was very nice a & sunny. I had a bath and after dinner I had a good game of bridge and turned in about ten. They are all busy over our costumes. A new AP has joined the mess & he looks a very big chap and seems alright. The mids in the Australia are arranging to play a rugby match between the RAN and the battle cruisers next Saturday. It will be a good & exciting go but they might put it across us. We go out in the flow on Tuesday. We go ashore tomorrow for our rehearsal. Not much naval news during the last few weeks.

10 Monday.

The theatrical party landed at eight and we went up to the YMCA hut. It was very cold and there was a big frost. It's rather extraordinary to see all the water in the holes turned into ice. They've rigged the scenery and we all dressed up in our togs and it was very chilly knocking around in flimsy things. Things went off fairly well and we finished about 1-30. Some of the costumes were very good. I had a couple of games of billiards and a few buns and a cup of tea at the hut. Evans, Dickie & myself had a walk up to the hockey ground & we returned to the ship by the liberty boat. A very thick fog settled over the river but it cleared up about ten p.m. We had a dog watch lecture at 8-30 in the port battery and packed up about ten. We go out into the Flow tomorrow and my harbour station is in the UCT I think the show will be a success on Wednesday and the scenery is fairly good. The AP has come to stay I think he looks a fairly big fellow.

11 Tuesday.

The fog has lifted in the morning and we weighed about seven but as we were passing under the bridge it settled down again with the result that we anchored just outside the inside net. I was in the UCT coming out. I went up to the sick bay and got some medicine for my cold and then I went to the torpedo lecture. After lunch we weighed and came in at eight knots & moored again. In the afternoon we loafed around and then we had to take turns and go up to the searchlights, spotting top & forebridge & worked the searchlights. It was very good sport. We did it instead of a dog watch lecture. We were put at two hours notice about seven. Pretty hard luck on the show tomorrow. I tidied up for dinner. All persons of any age serving with HM Australian forces had to vote for conscription. I voted for it at 9-30 p.m. tonight.

12 Wednesday.

I got up at 7-30 & heard we were at raise steam with all dispatch. At 8-5 we unmoored. The 6^th LCS & the Glorious & Courageous left shortly after. We remained at 1� hours till about ten when we went to two hours again. All morning we were in the battery trying circuits & to get the sights in order but we couldn't do it. The concert party landed about � to 1 and we rigged up the concert & stage and had everything ready by three. There was a rather small but select audience including Admiral Burney & everyone says it was a great success. We got back to the ship about six and we were invited to dine in the wardroom. We were at 1� hrs notice all evening. We had a good dinner in the wardroom & there was a big singsong but I would rather prefer a good hand of bridge. I turned in about 11-30. We expected a zepplin raid but none occurred. I think our show ought to go very well up north.

13 Thursday.

We were still at 1� hours notice when I got up. We did a torpedo lecture on the different parts of the torpedo. In the afternoon we were shown round the different switchboards by Doyle and I did a gunnery sketch in the dog watches. About six we got orders to weigh 1^st BS at 7-40 and we unmoored and left Rosyth about 8-00 p.m. We didn't know where we were going but as none of the battle cruisers left we presumed it would be to Rosyth (sic). As I have to have the morning watch tomorrow I turned in about 8-30 and soon got to sleep. I think we will be giving our show on Boxing night I think. I am very sorry that we have left Rosyth as it is much better there than at Scapa. It wasn't at all cold when we were down there. I hope it is the 5^th BS who relieves us as we would then be probably be taking it in turns to be at Rosyth. The 6^th LCS returned about midday.

14 Friday.

I kept the majority of the morning watch and the remainder in the spotting top. I had my breakfast followed up by GQs and we had a run in the battery. We had a bit of a roll on but I didn't feel at all indisposed. I was up in the spotting top from 12 to one and we had sighted land. We were almost in when I had my lunch and I was in the UCT whilst we went into Scapa. We got in about 2-00 p.m. and found the were four American ships in, the Florida, Delaware, Wyoming & New York but I haven't seen much of them. We had quarters at 3-30 & we had a signalling exercise at 6-20 and although I was doing very well the snow came down very thick and I had to leave a lot of words go. I finished off my gunnery notes. After dinner I played bridge & turned in. The weather here is pretty rotten & I would much rather have stayed down at Scapa (sic). Here it is too cold.

15 Saturday.

I had a good night in and had a loaf all day. In the forenoon I wrote up my gunnery notes and finished them off. It snowed all day. The weather is very rotten, cold & blowy & squally. Sunset was sounded off at 3-15. In the afternoon I played in a bridge tournament and was beaten after some very close gos. In the dogs I had a few shots on the Captains table and then did a bit of exercise and had a bath. We had the pictures in the wardroom and they were very good and included the picture "America awakes". I turned in after the show was over. We have dinner at 7-00 instead of the usual time. I don't know where to get another diary now we have left Rosyth. According to reports the 5^th BS are going down to Rosyth so perhaps we relieve each other. Most of Christmas week will be spent by us in the Flow.

16 Sunday.

It was a very cold day & snowed a great deal. We had divisions in the battery. As there was no room I didn't go to Church but read. After lunch I played bridge and read & also wrote up some torpedo notes & played poker, then I did some exercise and had a bath. After supper I played more poker & had fours & won a bit. The 5^th BS left for Rosyth today. We do a week of Navigation & Seamanship instead of torpedo owing to the excessive gunnery programme. All midshipmen under 18 are not allowed to smoke in the wardroom when they go in there. It doesn't affect me. I can't find the address so as to get one of these diaries for next year. I have a rotten cold & I am thinking that it will stick to me all through the winter. We might be doing a 15" big shoot and Saturday or Christmas Eve. It doesn't seem like Christmas to me over here. The Christmas cards arrived today.

17 Monday.

I sent to John Walker & Co for a diary for 1918 and I hope it arrives in time. We started Navigation & Seamanship but as 15" control went early the 6" mids had a forenoon off. I think we are going to use 6" instead of 15" in big shoots in order to economise. In the afternoon we had seamanship and I played some good games of bridge. There is a buzz that we & a ship from each class are going to America in return for their ships but it is only a low down buzz. The American ships went down with Beatty to Rosyth. We had a navigation dog watch lecture and after dinner I read the evening papers and turned in early. It is too cold to stay out in the open now and it snows nearly every day. I received 75% for my gunnery note book & 74% for the last signal exercise the one below me getting 60%.

18 Tuesday.

A bit warmer today. I kept the relieve decks. We weighed about 10 to eight & as 6" didn't go till late in the forenoon I had a game of bridge. We had a dummy run at 6" main armament control but it was a failure first time. In the afternoon however things went alright although all the sights of the guns were a long way out with the director. I had to give the orders when the right & left guns had to be brought to the ready. We had night firing & fired star shells. They went off very well. We packed up & came to anchor just before eight and after dinner I had a game of bridge and turned in the early. I wish we would get a mail shortly as it is years since we got the last. I won rather a good bit at a game of poker we had close on £1. My cold doesn't seem to be getting much better although it doesn't get any worse. I managed to get a 3 pdr case & put it in my chest.

19 Wednesday.

The weather lately hasn't been near as cold as when we arrived up here. No snow today. In the morning we had navigation and I finished off another slight and gave it in. In the afternoon we had seamanship and we didn't have to do anything so I wrote letters to Eric & Gladys and posted them as well as one to Mother this morning. I played some games of cards & had a bath before dinner. After dinner we had the band and we had a bit of a sing song and a scrag. I turned in about ten. Another convoy was attacked and sunk on Dec 12th when we were at notice. There will be a big fuss made over it ashore. The Partridge was sunk as well as the merchantmen. Still no mail. I am getting sick up of this life and would like to go to something where life is more varied. Some of the junior lot performed tonight.

20 Thursday.

The weather still keeps fairly fine although it is very cold. The decks are very slippery and one is likely to slip any time. We had seamanship in the forenoon and some of them had to help while provisions were taken on board but I managed to write up notes etc. However the Commander told four of us to draw up a scheme for stations when a collision occurs. I managed to write an account but it wasn't worth much. I wrote a letter to Miss Living wishing her a Merry Christmas etc. After lunch we were given a stand easy for the afternoon and I played some good bridge. I hear that Feldt has been given permission to grow a beard. Silly beggar. After tea I kept the first dog and then we had a signalling exercise & I did very well at it. It snowed a bit during my watch but not much. Evans passed the port as it was his birthday and we had a band rehearsal in the fan flat after dinner. A good amount of a our food for Christmas has arrived. No parcels for us.

21 Friday.

Still fine weather, in fact the best day we have ever had since Winter began. By being supposed to go to 6" control I managed to dodge going to navigation. Another big vessel of the 10^th LCS came in. She towers above us. We went into the flow about one & 6" control went. We did some sub calibre main armament firing and returned to anchor about 3-15. After tea I did some exercise and then had a bath in time for signalling exercise. We had it from the Benbow and they made it very good but I should have got more than I did. After dinner we went into the wardroom for the pictures but I didn't think that they were very good. We all have to turn out at 6-45 every morning because the N.P came down this morning and tried to turn us out at 6-30 & I wasn't having any. We do a our 6" full calibre tomorrow I think or � charge.

22 Saturday.

We got underway rather early and the 1^st BS went out into the Firth to do 6" full calibre firing. It was rather swelly outside and the seas poured into the batteries. We fired from the port side & when we turned & brought our port side to the sea three of the guns were put out of action. We fired from four guns and owing to a director missfire & and a hang fire we fired some in individual firing & bogged up the whole show. We got back into the Flow for lunch. In the afternoon I wrote up my torpedo notes. I had a game of billiards on the skippers table and then bathed. Joey Burnett came over to dinner and we had a good game of bridge. They had just convoyed a mass of shipping to Bergen. I was dumbfounded when he told me of the buzz that we had to do 2� years as midshipmen. They are up here for a fortnight I think. The 2^nd BS have gone down to Cromarty. The 1^st Division of the 2^nd BS are still here. The Yankees have been called the 6^th BS.

23 Sunday.

We had divisions & Church on the QD and we had the forenoon off. I kept the relieve decks. No mail arrived. I played bridge most of day and read the Blue Lagoon. Then I did some skipping on the QD and had a few exercises & then had my bath. Things are very slow here and I am really bored with life. After supper I played bridge and turned in early. We do our 15" shoot tomorrow as well as a 6" shoot full calibre. I often think of last Christmas & how I spent. Much different to this one. I had very fantastic thoughts of how I was going to spend the coming year driving the Huns off the seas. I hope by this time next year that the war will be ended. I am looking forward to when we go down to Rosyth next month. There is a buzz in the mess decks that we go down to Pompey on Feb 7th to blister. I think they get 21 days leave.

24 Monday.

We left the Flow about eight and went out into the Firth and we went to GQs. We had 15" � charge pair concentration. From all accounts we did very well and we fired 6" at the same target. Everything went off very well in the battery. We rolled a bit but we did not ship much sea. We returned about noon. I received a letter from John Walker re the diary & I sent a letter with 3/3 in & it told them the number I wanted. We had the day off & I played bridge after which the gunroom was decorated. It was done very well. I did my usual exercises and had a bath. Christmas Eve. It passed off very quietly and my thoughts were very far away. One does get homesick at these times. I remember my last Christmas & it is a very tender memory. I hope next Christmas I am with dear old Mother and all friends. It seems ages ago since I left and it is only a year or so. Still there are plenty worse off than I am. I turned in about ten.

25 Tuesday.

I went to Holy Communion at 7-30 a.m. The Captain was present. During the forenoon we had songs and got the piano in from the wardroom. It was a fair day & snowed a bit. We were at 2� hrs notice. We had Christmas lunch & had a real good feed of Turkey Ham and plum pudding as well as chocolates & crackers fruit etc. I had a very good feed. We had divisions & church in the forenoon. In the afternoon we had more songs & had a couple of scrags with the wardroom. We received messages & greetings from the King & different admirals. We had drinks & smokes all round. I did my usual exercises & we had another good feed at dinner of galantines beef & fruit salads & we scruffed again with the wardroom & then had songs with them till 11-30. The skipper paid us a visit in the gunroom. We gave him a box of cigars for a present. The 2nd divis 2nd BS went out. I enjoyed Christmas Day better than I expected.

26 Wednesday.

We had the usual routine again, divisions and prayers & then we had a lecture by Torps and packed up at 11-00. We were given a stand easy in the afternoon. I posted a letter to Mother. I did exercise and had a bath before dinner. The wardroom had six snotties in to dine. All the rest of us went in afterwards and we had singing & dancing till about twelve. Everybody was rather merry. We went back to the original 4 hrs notice again. Australia refused to pass conscription by about 150,000 votes. I am quite ashamed of her. Sydney as usual had a large "no" majority and Victoria also had a "no" majority. I received a Christmas card from Tracker. I haven't sent him one & I wish I had now. I have been very sleepy all day, could hardly keep my eyes open. The Ramillies returned this afternoon still camouflaged. So they say we are going down south to Rosyth on the 20th of next month. I think it is a custom to go to short notice on Christmas.

27 Thursday.

Everything carried on again as usual. We had divisions & prayers & after that we had a lecture by the torpedo gunner on the construction of the torpedo engine. In the afternoon we had to go down to both flats at different times and fool round with rudders & the hydrostatic valve & weights. The PL caught some of them packing up about 3-00. After tea I did some exercises had a bath and then we had a signal exercise on the boat deck. I did fairly well. I got 55% for one from the Benbow. I get baffled a bit about the end of the exercise by the flashing. I get most of the letters & signs write. I turned in a very early after dinner as I haven't had a good nights rest for some time. My diary for next year hasn't arrived yet. I am hoping that it arrives in time.

28 Friday.

We did the usual routine. I was in the fore flat all forenoon and we did the preparation test. I had to go up to censoring after lunch, my last one I hope. We had an exam on torpedo a pretty stiff paper and I answered what I could. We tried to go to the Borodino but she shoved off. I did my usual exercises and we had a signal exercise from the Benbow. After dinner we had pictures in the wardroom & they were very good indeed, the best we have had. It included a Charlie Chaplin. I had to write out invitations to six officers to come into dinner tomorrow night as I was MOD. The Battlecruisers went out during the afternoon presumably to convoy some ships down as a lot of colliers etc left about three p.m. We have to write out lists of all the men in our division & give them into the Commander also we have to have our torpedo note books up to date.

29 Saturday.

We had to have a gunnery dog watch lecture from 9 till 11-30 in place of the one we missed on Christmas Day. They wouldn't let us miss one if peace was declared I think. It was a very warm day for winter, no snow at all. I had a good caulk from � to 1 till � to three by the fire. I did my usual exercises & had a bath. All except the seven senior ones had to have an early dinner as six of the S O B's came into dinner. We had a good dinner but I didn't like having to clear out till the others had finished theirs. I had my hair cut and then I went into Chapman's cabin with some of the others & waited till about ten when they had finished theirs. No mail arrived for me not even my diary. It was a beautiful moon lit night. & I had a bit of a walk on the QD and had a talk about old times. I turned in soon after ten & read and Australian paper of July 29th.

30 Sunday.

We had divisions & church. It was a beautiful day. After lunch Thompo & I thought we would like a stretch ashore so we went & had a good walk and had some tea. We returned by the four boat. I did exercises had a bath & wrote a letter to Gladys. I put in my torpedo note book. We have engineering for the next three weeks. Three of our destroyers were mined or torpedo off the Dutch coast. Thompson got two letters & I got a paper from Australia. I expect some letters tomorrow night. The mess have got a lot of extra extras in now so it's not so bad. My card bill came to £1/17 last month no so bad. My tobacco bill to 17/- for myself. The Battlecruisers 2 BCs came in about 4-30 p.m. My diary hasn't arrived yet. Only one more mail can come in time. One of the present 2^nd year Pockley won the open sculls this year. Really no news. I have never spent Christmas so quietly before.

31 Monday.

We started engineering today and I was very glad of it. Thompson & myself were down in No.1 Diesel Room all the forenoon. In the afternoon we were given permission to go to the Royal Oaks Show called "Legs". It was very good indeed & amusing. I saw Feldt. He looked rotten in his beard. I did my usual exercise, had a bath & after dinner I wrote a letter to Mother & finished mine to Gladys & Eric. I stayed up till 12-00 & saw the old year out & the new year in. The youngest snottie had to sound off 16 bells eight for the last year & eight for the new. I carried round the drum & we went round the FX. I turned in about 12-30. This is the third diary that I have finished and I am going to keep one next year. I hope the war is ended by then. The wardroom had the WOs into it dinner. It is a custom.

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© Michael Calder February 2003