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Location
Auckland NZ
Age
17 Years

19th May 1940

It looks now as if I shall be unable to do any sketching from the top of Mt. Eden, because I started to go there this morning, but it rained hard, and we shall probably be leaving tomorrow. It has been raining on and off the whole day. We often have visitors come on board now – friends of the officers. Needless to say they are all young women, or girls. I am often asked why I don’t find a girl to go out with,  but ….. It is amazing to think of all this cargo going on board, and yet we are still rationed! Because there is not only us, but dozens of other ships in other parts of the world. In Auckland alone, there are at least half a dozen British ships loading up. I wonder sometimes how N.Z manages to produce so much butter, beef and lamb.

We have taken on so far over 40,000 large boxes of butter, and don’t know how many 1,000’s of beef and mutton. That’s not counting loads of tallow, cheese and a mixed cargo!

Everyone on board is worried about the situation. I can’t help wondering why I haven’t received another letter, because I know there has been a post because others have received letters. I wouldn’t mind so much if I had never heard, but it’s because I was told I would hear again, that I keep expecting a letter.

Original Sketches & Photos