Diary of voyage on repatriation to UK from Burma

Diary of voyage on repatriation to UK from Burma

The diary covers the period 29 July to 16 August 1946 on board S.S. Carthage, from Rangoon to the Bay of Biscay. The cover has the Royal Air Force crest. The inside front cover has the inscription 'To Ray from Mary'. Notebook is in poor condition and some pages are covered in calculations.

1946-07

1946-08

Hardback book containing handwritten notes and diary.

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YBarrettR1863228v1

[Royal Air Force crest]
R.A.F.
[page break]
To Ray from Mary
EUSTON STATION
EUS 1234
[page break]
? Mr. Sam. Miller.
Squire Smith.
Jock Stewart.
Duke Liesen
Mr. C. Renyolds. [sic]
Mr. Albert Platt
[page break]
31 at 6/3
[calculations]
29th Embarked on S.S. “Carthage” 1500 TONS in pouring monsoon rain after trip down Rangoon River in Landing Crafts.
Sailed at 4 p.m. after life boat drill
1,400 Army & 1,100 R.A.F. personnel on board. Dropped pilot off at 8 a.m.
30th Food very good. Ran into storm during evening boat rocking a bit up to noon. 290 miles
[underlined] 31st [/underlined] Sea still rough. Was Sick after dinner, but was feeling fine again & ready for tea. 397 miles covered Slept on deck. dusk until noon that day.
[page break]
[calculations]
[underlined] Aug 1st [/underlined] Arrived [deleted] near [/deleted] [inserted] off [/inserted] coast of E Ceylon early afternoon & reduced speed by half. 259 miles covered
Aug 2nd Sailed into Colombo harbour & dropped anchor (& lost it) at 8 am. weather fine. 8o N of Equator. 214 mls covered Total miles to date 1,260. Full Harbour. Sailed at 4-20 p.m out into coconut tree surrounded bay [indecipherable words] went wrong. Ran into few small storms but first starry night for months 305 miles covered up until noon Passed island 450 miles out. Last land for 5 days.
[page break]
[calculations]
[page break]
Aug 9th Passed Little Brother islands at dusk.
[underlined] Aug 10th [/underlined] Passed Mount Sinai early morning 26 mls inlands where God gave Moses 10 Commandments. Docked outside Port Suez 12 a.m. Dutch Boat alongside forge Bargained with natives in boats for leather goods etc. & watched 48 R.A.F. chaps disembark for M.E.F. Sun Set.
Aug 11th
Sailed at 3 a.m. In greater of Bitter Lakes when I got up. Just off of Kabrit. Italian Battleships still anchored in lake after 2 3/4 yrs but had stern up. Passed by familar [sic] scenery for rest of day. [indecipherable word], Port Said, etc.
Cost of our ships passage through canal £3,000, & out into sea
Aug 12th
Along Egypt coast. No land in sight 335 miles
[page break]
Aug 13th No land for 200 mls in either direction. Passed between Malta & Sicily late at night 420 mls to noon.
Aug 14th Passed Panterlleria [sic] early morning & Cap Bon at 10 a.m. Bore at 3 p.m & Phillipville 9 p.m.
Aug 15th Off Algiers 7 a m very misty & [deleted] off [indecipherable word] [/deleted] 50 mls N Gran later in day. Watched sun set off mountain range of South East Spain.
[symbol]
Aug 16th Passed rock of Gibraltar at 6 a.m. In Straits when I arose & climbed on deck. Through Cape Boding & Cape Trafalgar in morning & off Portugal Cape St Vincent in afternoon. Off Lisbon just
[page break]
[symbol] Instructions received to proceed to Tilbury instead of docking at Southhampton [sic]
[page break]
Aug 4th 400 miles to noon on Mess Orderly. Ensa Concert in evening.
Aug 5th Played Bridge in evening 357 miles.
Aug 6th Running into gale. Bridge in evening. 361 miles.
Aug 7th Everything [deleted] [indecipherable word] [/deleted] locked ready for another big storm which arrived at 4 a.m. in morning while I was asleep. 374 mls.
Aug 8th Passed Rock of Aden at 6 a.m. in morning & entered Red Sea later on. Sea calm [inserted] [symbol] Straits 13 mls wide [/inserted] 392 mls.
100 mls from Abbusinea [sic]
Aug 9th Hellish hot [inserted] [symbol] Passed Volvanic islands [/inserted] like a furnace below on duty. Sailing up red sea. Dolphins jumping around boat Picture Show on Deck in evening.
Aug 10th Last day in Mess hall. Passed large coral reef & island named after first man to fly in old Greek Legiond [sic] Sun melted [indecipherable word] wings.