• 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
Location
At Sea
Age
16 Years

11th April 1940

i went on watch at 12:00 o’clock for six hours. It seemed rather a long time. It was good fun finding the wireless cabin in the dark! We were at anchor when i went on, but were passing Margate and birchington when I came off. It looks as if I could see where we bathed last summer. I went back to bed for an hour before breakfast I was given one of the new types of life jacket. I have been strolling around the decks and doing some sketching. We have had to go very slowly as this is a danger area. Many ships are coming. We saw three destroyer’s, a submarine, and two wrecks, all at the same time. We have just turned back a bit. I was able to read the signals sent by lamp by the guard ship. They seem to be expecting something. Still, so far I have thoroughly enjoyed it. The food is good and plentiful. We are passing the straits of Dover. It really is marvellous. The sun is out, the Sky is blue, and so, of course, is the sea.

I have just had my first boat drill. We have 2 lifebelts – one is stored away for use when time is available to fetch it, the other is not such a good one but must be carried about with you. We have been steering a zig zag course all this afternoon. I’m told it takes 100 miles a day of our distance. Have just come off from a 2 hour watch. Plenty of messages came through, but all on top of one another. We are making for Curacao In West Indies. Then three weeks across Pacific!   My next watch is at midnight.