Friday 9th August
I was up at six and getting the boys ready for breakfast at 7.30. We didn’t have to wait on them as we did at Liverpool. There the usual procedure was that we helped the boys and then ate ourselves. It was only when we got to Glasgow that we realised how very inefficient Liverpool had been. The unexpected arrival, the bad food and poor service (although the ladies who worked there were magnificent), the beds (fancy expecting a rather ‘backwards’ boy of five to sleep on a palaisse!) However, Glasgow …! We had a magnificent breakfast – grapefruit, flakes, bacon and eggs, rolls and jam. After that we labelled our boys with their berth ticket and got them into a new order. The buses came at nine and took the baggage: this also had to be relabelled – most of the originals had come off! We got to the station about 10 and left by special train for Gourock. We had elevenses sandwiches on board and all the children tucked in. It was an interesting run all along by the shipyards. Geoffrey Shakespeare was with us.
We got to Gourock at 11.05. The escorts had to get out and go through passports and ration cards, our own and the children’s identity cards, ditto censor and customs. The censor, a lady, looked at any papers you cared to produce and looked at them very carefully – all through letters and diaries and novels. But the stupid part was that you could have kept back anything you didn’t want to show; and the customs just asked anything to declare; my cases were full of papers but none of them were looked at. Heft my camera to be given back when out of British waters. Then the children had to be lined up. Their berthing label was torn in half and we boarded the tender. It was raining. We all got very mixed up on board this, but sorted ourselves out in the end all right. I had to have a big series of expeditions to find cases and so on that had been put down and forgotten in the excitement of the moment. We saw a school of porpoises and the Clyde was absolutely packed with shipping – of all sort, shapes and sizes.
We went on board by sections – the excitement was terrific. We found out at last that we were on the Antonia. My section was C Deck aft, most poky little quarters. We have four berths of four bunks, and I have a two seater (or lie-er) in the middle – all to myself, thank goodness. I had an awful job trying to help the boys into their cabins before lunch. There was rather chaos for lunch as the dining room only held 220 and we were nearly 300. However, we were eventually dealt with in relays.
It was a relief to have them all in the boat at last. It all sounds fairly simple when it is written down, but actually it was quite the reverse. It would have been a heavy time just travelling by oneself. But with sixteen small boys, many of them very vacant, to look after, it was really hard work. I managed it with only one loss. John Ridly put his haversack down on the tender and couldn’t find it again. It must be with us somewhere: I expect it will turn up soon.
After lunch we had our first boat drill. I then fully realised what a helpless lot my section really are. Of course, everything is very strange and wonderful and they can’t concentrate for more than a few seconds. It took us about five minutes to get out of our cabins and get into line. The situation is not exactly ideal. There is very little room in the cabins and the passage outside is only 2ft oin wide. (As I write this I realise that I shall have to evolve a new order again!) We have to go out, turn right, then left, then left, then upstairs and so out on to B Deck where our station is – right under the guns. The we were all issued with different types of life vests. These all had to be changed. There was a good bit of inefficiency here. First we were told to take the children down below to fetch them and then to go and fetch them ourselves: eventually they were all brought up. My section will have to be drilled and drilled and drilled.
It cleared up just before dinner and the clouds lifted. We are right up at the front of the convoy. There were ships as far as you could see. I and some boys counted and came to about fifty five. Behind them were all the navy – or some of it.
We spent some time over dinner owing to bad service. After the meal I put my younger ones to bed. The others soon settled down and I went forward for refreshment. There I learnt that Elliott (Elliott of the Eliotts, E for Elephant old man! Slap!) who I knew was a newspaper man, was the Guineas man of the Daily Sketch. His job was to go round seaside resorts and give guineas to people who recognised him.
I went to bed about 10.30 and wrote till about 12.1 had to go once to a small boy. But apart from that the night was quiet.
We have got a tremendous number of Jews on board – about 80 percent of ordinary passengers. They had their ceremonial meal in the dining saloon when we were eating. They had lights on the table and all ate with hats on – bowlers, trilbys, caps and some special little skull caps.
We have got the whole of B Deck and half of C Deck for the children and ourselves. I am beginning to think that the best thing to do is to let them go as much as possible. The sure way to lose someone is to say to them ‘Stay in your cabins’.
Saturday 10th August
I was woken up about six, but after a light riot act slept till about seven. The boys had breakfast at 8 and we followed at nine. It was pleasant on deck and I took the air for about an hour. After breakfast we had an escorts’ meeting. We were supposed to have a boat drill at 10.30. We all got down to the cabins and waited. This waiting about is the most trying business of all. At 11.15 we were told the drill had been cancelled. I then started on my arrangements for services tomorrow. We had another escorts’ meeting. Mrs Hale, Mrs Thomas and Miss Moon interrupt and talk the whole time.
We then had to remove all berthing tickets. I caught my boys at their lunch which was at 12 and so it was fairly straight forward. We had our lunch at one. After this Mills and I set about making a bath list out. We had two baths for 90 children so it had to be very carefully worked out on a three day rota.
We had to interrupt it for a boat drill. I was away from them when it started and my section got together very well. Peter had lost his life belt! I stayed to look for it and they all got up very well. I eventually got another belt for Peter and put it on. I asked him to listen carefully and said slowly, “Peter, you are never to let go of your lifebelt. Now, what have I just said?” I tried it four times but still no answer. The officer in charge of our station, who had explained yesterday and today about “intermittent blasts supplemented by the continuous ringing of the bell” asked Kendal what the emergency signal was. Of course, there was no answer.
While telling of this inspection, when the inspection officer asked one of Patrick’s boys what he would do if he heard a bell ringing, he replied “Go to the lavatory.” Talking of this reminds me of another reply or, rather, habit. When we first arrived and the baggage was being put round we tried to keep the boys in their cabins. They, of course, tried to get out. “What are you doing and why aren’t you in your cabin?” “I’m going to the lavatory.” This was the experience of all the escorts.
Again, this reminds me of our arrival at Gourock. We left Glasgow rather hurriedly and the train had no corridor. When we got to Gourock the boys were locked in and we escorts went through customs etc. We witnessed a series of processions of Shakespeare’s secretary and a representative leading small boys along the platform.
While on stories, Patrick patrolling the ship, came across a grubby little boy on A Deck He clipped him over the head and packed him down a gangway where the boy explained that he was a cabin passenger.
Now back to the afternoon. Mills and I finished the bath lists. We kept popping out to see naval vessels going by. An aircraft carrier (Illustrious, I wonder?) and four destroyers. Then a cruiser going out looking very new and smart. Ships of all kinds were arriving all day. We must have about 100 here now.
I had dinner at six and then packed off the youngest to bed. Then I had a further stroll round the deck. Then got the rest to bed – and quiet too! I have rechecked arrangements for services tomorrow. Holy communion at 7. Children at 10.30. Ship’s service taken by Purser at 11. Children at 3 and 4.
It seems strange not to be playing bridge on Saturday night. I expect there is something going on at Blickling.
I got to bed quite early after a talk with Captain Cox about the morrow, and was ready for sleep about 12.
Sunday 11th August
I was up at six and ready for the service soon after half past. I found that SPCK had packed a Communion set in my parcel and that the ship carried one too. As I had bought one I had the choice of three. I used the ship’s. There were 25 at Communion. Four boys and six girls and two escorts; four other small boys attended. Three of the boys who fully intended to come overslept and were quite cut up about it.
Got up about 6:30 and went to Communion with Olga; it was a nice service because the padre is very nice.
Diary of Margaret Beale. Sunday August 11th, 1940. Now in Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
I had breakfast at eight and patrolled B Deck aft afterwards. The main job was to keep the children from treading in the gutter, on the rails and on the degaussing cable.
I got ready for the boys’ service and meanwhile the news was shouted to us through a megaphone that we were to sail at 10.15. However, about ten we moved a few hundred yards into position. One girl was promptly sick!
All sorts of exciting things were moving around us. The Revenge went up ahead of us with two or three destroyers. However, in spite of counter attractions we had a full muster at 10.30 for children’s service. We started with Praise My Soul, the King of, Heaven. Then followed some Prayers; Soldiers of Christ Arise; Lesson (the Flight to Egypt) then a talk on aeroplanes and copy(W)Right; finally, Onward Christian Soldiers, the Blessing and The King.
I had been up against the difficulty of accommodation. We had the service in the 3rd dining room. This we could only use for half an hour in the morning and the afternoon. The Purser was very helpful about the communion and other services.
We started to move just as the service began with the boys – which I thought was very suitable. I know how the boys enjoyed it and were very disappointed not to have another in the afternoon. I went straight from there to the ship’s service, conducted by the Purser. He took it very well indeed. I read the lesson, which I chose from Isaiah 42.
By the time this service was over we had moved through the booms and were really going. We were immediately behind the Revenge, with two destroyers, followed by the Orion, the Duchess of York, a captured French armed merchantman and two more destroyers. As soon as we were out a bit we began to change positions. We passed close to the Isle of Craig (?) and after that circled waiting for the Oronsay, Duchess of Australia, the Georgic (a sister ship of ours) and other destroyers. They were coming up from Liverpool. We shifted and changed positions quite frequently. Destroyers, (one brilliantly dazzled) dashed here and there. Avro Ansons and London Flying boats were passing and circling the whole time. After lunch, which I had at 12, 1 was on duty forward. It was very pleasant up there. Then orders- came through that the children were only to be allowed on A and B deck aft. I stayed forward until it was time for the girls’ service at 2.45. The service was the same except that we had stories of Jesus and Water.
After the service I reclined on A Deck aft. Billy Bishop was there. He was Oah Kayer, but a bit homesick. He pointed out a boy and girl and informed me they were falling in love. “I’ve been watching them for the past half hour.” He then relapsed into a silent recline. I roused him to show him a flying boat which roared past about 50 yards away. “Oah, its only a flyin boat.”
I went down for tea at 3.45 and after that was on duty on A Deck aft. This was really delightful. The journey down the Clyde and the coastline were magnificent. I manage to borrow a pair of glasses for most of the time. We could see Ireland and Scotland – both looked grand.
At dinner at six, things came to a head over our steward. I was down there at six and at seven I had just received my fourth course. We kicked up some fuss and discovered that our man had refused to serve us anymore! After dinner I got my little ones to bed. They were all more or less all right, though some of the older ones were being and feeling ill.
I went up to A deck aft. We were pitching a good deal and the stem was for me almost intolerable. My reactions. Cabins just cause trouble. They are very small, situated right at the side and right at the stern. The pitching and rolling down there are terrific. I stayed up above and then came to write up today in our lounge on A Deck. We have more or less appropriated this. I have just been down to check up on my boys and see that they were in bed. On the way down I saw a group of boys. Miss Rees said they’re not ours. However when I got down Shaun was missing – he was soon found and now it is 9.30 and we have an escorts’ meeting.
Convoy ZA
Battleship Revenge departed the Clyde carrying £14.5 million in gold being transferred to Canada with AMC Asturias. Steamers Empress of Australia (21,833grt), Oronsay (20,043grt), Samaria (19,597grt), Antonia (13,867grt), Duchess of York (20,021grt) and Georgic (27,759grt) escorted by destroyers Ashanti, Griffin, Watchman and Vortigern.
The gold transfer and convoy was designated Convoy ZA. Operation FISH was the code name given to the evacuation of Britain’s gold reserves to Canada.
After the meeting, Mr and Mrs Anderson and I went out on deck. It was a bright moonlit night; silently grouped around us were the other ships and we throbbed through the night. It was a wonderful night. I stayed out watching that till quite late.
Monday 12th August
There was quite a heavy mist when I got out on deck. The ships which had gleamed in the moonlight were quite invisible. The mist gradually cleared and after breakfast you could see that they had hardly changed position at all. We were still in the danger zone and carrying lifejackets about wherever we went.
In the morning we had a medical inspection. This was really, for me a red letter day. Peter Burt was taken off with German measles – my relief was ill-concealed. It was blowing very had now and white horses were leaping up as far as the eye could see. The gulls left us during the morning. Some narrow-winged and graceful birds just skimming the waves stayed with us. We were right out in the Atlantic. Mal de mer had started among the children and among the staff. We had a boat drill during the morning. After that I was on duty on B deck aft. This mainly consisted of keeping the children from putting their feet in the ‘gutter’ and from running about on deck.
I had the first part of the afternoon off. I spent some time trying to get the boys in my section who were ‘confined to bunks’ comfortable. I then sat on A deck aft and read. I had got The Witch in the Wood out of the library.
I had tea at four and then went to B deck forward to keep children off that. We were really doing some pitching now and it was getting pretty cold. I retired after some time to put on a pullover and collect a scarf and coat, and then I was none too warm. I sat out on the deck in the bows reading. The sun was quite warm but it was getting rather damp. It was great to see our escorts. The destroyers seemed at times to stand right on end. The Revenge was continually swept by waves.
After one particularly heavy wave had come onto us we were all cleared off the fore deck, so I went aft and helped to get the youngest of my children ready for bed.
Most of the children were so bad that we cancelled bathing altogether. Billy Bishop was heard to remark during the course of the everting: “Ee I doant think much of te sea!”
The prospect of sleep in my cabin seemed untempting. I went down and the movement was so horrible I came back and walked and walked and walked on A deck till quite late.
I began to think that ice cream for dinner had not been a good thing. It was a dark night and you could see nothing. The Griffin had corrected the Christmas tree effect that she had cultivated when in port and all was silent except for the throb of our own engine and an occasional wail on the sirens.
Tuesday 13th August
On Tuesday morning when I got up I did not feel so good. The movement aft was quite appreciable. I couldn’t force a shave in our bathroom aft and after a rather hurried attempt at breakfast I retired to the Lounge on A deck. Hardly any of the children appeared all day. The only active escorts were Anderson, Mrs Hale, Mrs Thomas and Miss Nott.
Kendal, John Michael, Harry and Richard seemed all quite unaffected. I slept almost the entire morning. I really needed this but I must confess that I think it was mainly sea sickness which made me do it.
In the afternoon I helped Anderson with secretarial work. Each child had a form to be completed in triplicate – a tremendous job. I didn’t attempt lunch, but had some tea and held it. I ate quite a good supper and held that too! In the evening I finished reading The Witch in the Wood. My word, that book helped me through that day.
It was a quiet day on the whole, and no one had to do very much except console the sufferers. For one in my condition that was extremely difficult.
Wednesday 14th August
We had a very bumpy night. But I felt quite good when I woke up. However, after a round and a glimpse at the cherubs I was not quite so frisky. I popped up and had a brisk walk then a bath and a shave. However, I was doomed to fall before breakfast! I had a light breakfast, but only kept it five minutes!
The boat drill and doctor’s inspection were cancelled. Our main job was to try and get the children up on deck. This was only partially successful. I then showed the second engineer how to work the cinematograph. We fitted it up in the cabin lounge for a show in the afternoon.
Just before lunch the leaders and deputies went to the Captain’s table for introductions, sherry and caviar. The Captain had been on the Lancastria – and so had many of the stewards. We had a very interesting chat with him and the chief officer. At lunch I discovered the wonderful power of ginger ale. After that I never looked back.
The afternoon was easy. We got more children up on deck where they sat or lay very quietly. We persuaded most of them to tackle dinner, saying that only those who had dined could go to the flicks afterwards! This ruse was quite successful. Getting the boys back to bed was quite an easy job. We were deemed to be out of the danger zone by now, and we were allowed to undress for the first time. I later returned to the A deck lounge where I fell asleep. I was roused by a steward at ten past twelve and then staggered to my bed in the bowels.
During the day the Orion left us, accompanied by an armed cruiser. The destroyers also turned back, going back through our lines – quite a fine sight.
Thursday 15th August
Many of my boys were quite definitely better in the morning – the night had been pretty calm. After my experiences on the two previous mornings I was rather nervous. However, I got through ablutions and breakfast without a sign of trouble. We had a boat drill at ten – after which the girls had PT – or at any rate, those who were well enough. I helped Miss Rees. She took half for exercise while I took the other half for games. It was a grand morning and the sun was quite hot We had obviously moved quite a lot south since Tuesday when I had found it so cold.
After lunch – a very hearty one – I sat on deck sunbathing. It was really grand. Many of the children were quite surprised at feeling so much better. Life was definitely worthwhile again.
After tea I assisted with the boys PT. We did this on A deck aft. An assistant Purser who had been in the RAF conducted it. Mills, Patrick and I helped. This mainly consisted in doing the exercises ourselves to show the boys how! We had a very good muster and an energetic time was had by all.
I had the early dinner at six o’clock and immediately after that stared on bathing. I was single handed and in the course of two hours supervised 30 boys bathing. Most of them I scrubbed personally. Mrs Anderson afterwards remarked that she had never seen her section so clean. Certainly I gave them a real do – finishing up by throwing a bowl full of cold water over each. All this was done in our rather evil-smelling bathroom down by the rudder. I was pretty exhausted what with the heat and activity.
We had an escorts’ meeting at 9.30, after which I sought the bar. It had been an energetic day on the whole. All my section had returned to normal. I had an awful job getting them to bed. Perhaps the most difficult part was to persuade them not to wear three thicknesses of underclothing under their pyjamas.
John Michael has been rather devilish today. Last night he slipped into the Cinema when he should have been in bed, and none of us could find him. I threatened not to let him go to the show we had after lunch today, but I melted. Then immediately after lunch our section was called for a medical. Could I find half of them? No! They had shot off to the flicks. John Michael was among them. I dragged them out and he assured me that if I let him go back he would always obey in future. However, he was missing at bath time and bed time again this evening.
I hope I shall be able to get a good photo of him. He is a very delightful little chap. I should have liked to have had my camera yesterday and today. The contrast between A deck yesterday with rows of children stretched out and today with rows of them doing PT would have been amusing. So would the contrast between the scene in the dining room yesterday and today.
Well, it’s about 11.30 now and I must retire – gracefully I hope! Nurse had just come in and says it is a quarter to one. My sense of time has gone wrong.
Friday 16th August
I was woken (or awakened) betimes by the boys, but I didn’t get up! I lay in my bunk and shouted instructions to my boys! This I found was quite a satisfactory procedure. But I was in time to have a stroll round before breakfast at 9. We had a boat drill soon after. Our alarm bell on C deck aft still does not work. I then had to rally my section for hair inspection. After that I helped Miss Rees with the girls PT. This took us through till lunch time and was quite strenuous going. We ranged the children round A deck and then stood on the hatch and did the exercises ourselves. I was eating terrific meals all day and enjoying them greatly!
In the afternoon we took boys PT. This is generally more boisterous and rowdy and usually attracts more attention from the deck above. Patrick stands and bellows and Mills and I do the exercises very violently, popping off the hatch now and then to clip a slacker over the head or elsewhere. The first rule of CORB is frequently broken – particularly by us three!
During the morning we had collected information from our children as to where they are going or would like to go. About 50% have got aunts or some relation to go to. The others were mostly anxious to go on a farm. I fancy that most of the younger ones have got ideas of cowboys and Indians clear in their mind’s eye. When Richard Dermont came to me he said, “I’m not going toy Auntie’s.”
“Oh, Richard, why not?”
“She doesn’t live in Canada.”
Another whom I overhead said firmly “I don’t want to go into the country.”
“Why?”
“I was evacuated to the country at the beginning of the war and only went to the pictures twice in six weeks.”
Another didn’t want to go with his sister, “What, not even to the same town as your sister?”
“Well, I don’t mind the same town, but not the same end of the town please.”
After tea there was a lecture on Canada by one of the passengers. Most of the escorts and children went, but I was asleep! Later I got ready for community singing which we had on deck at 7.30. This was a roaring success. One of the crew accompanied us on the ukulele. We had quite a large audience and a very good time was had by all.
After that I packed my boys off to bed. Mills and Patrick were on bathing that night, thank goodness.
Having seen the boys to bed, and removed Donald Smith’s shirt, vest, trousers, braces, socks and shoes in which he was preparing to slumber, I returned on deck. It was a grand evening and we sat out for a long time until the craving for refreshment took nearly all the escorts to the bar.
I spent some time after that on deck with Mills and Patrick. It was brilliant moonlight and the sea was sparkling with phosphorescence. There was quite a heavy swell – possibly heavier than we have had it before. As the waves hit the ship they seemed to scuttle off to tell their friends that it was no use and when they met they would throw up their hands in frothy disgust at the disturbance of their rolling movement.
Saturday 17th August
I was on early meals so I had to be up and ready by eight. This was not much of an effort. It was a brilliant morning again. After breakfast I was on duty on A deck. This consisted in sitting in a deck chair in the sun and reading: but the children have to be watched a bit: they can’t remember not to put their feet on the rail or not to run.
We had a big medical examination of all the children later. They all had to be collected. This is not quite so easy as it might seem. You would think that having got them on a ship you could get hold of them at any time. Not a bit of it – the procedure is rather like a bedroom farce – there are so many companionways and decks and so on.
After the medical I took away six of my boys to wash their ears and feet. Kendal Burt was told that he was a nice dean boy by the doctor
had a go at him before the exam!) but when I got down to the bathroom Kendal was there already washing his ears like mad.
Anderson and I had a chat with the Chief Officer before lunch. He seemed to think (but didn’t know) that we were going to Halifax. There was general disappointment at this. We all wanted to go to Montreal. (These names have been written in in different coloured ink probably written in after the voyage to avoid censors.) He thought we would dock on Monday. We had requested our Captain, through the Purser, to allow us to take some photos of the children. The request had to go right up through our officers and down again, then signalled across to our escort where it went up to the Admiral and down again and so back to us. The answer was No. The little fish’s answer was “We can’t do it sir because ….. Goodness knows why!”
The Purser arranged deck sports for the children this afternoon. I was on duty on C deck below from – – very stuffy and unpleasant. The children had a great time on deck but rain stopped play. After tea I read and wrote and got ready for the morrow. This took me through till six when we went to dine with the ship’s officers.
The afternoons seem interminably long as every day at 5 o’clock the clock stops for 40 minutes. This is usually done at midnight but for the children’s sake it was altered for this trip. The idea was that if the change was made in the night the children would wake at an unearthly hour. But as it is we are an particularly grumpy by 6 o’clock. Our dinner was rather an odd meal. None of our hosts were with us. Apparently, the idea was that we should be given a rest from the children. Anyway, it was a very pleasant meal.
I went aft afterwards to supervise bathing on C deck. I coped with K section, and then came up to play bridge with Jean McIntyre, Patrick and Mrs Thomas. This was extremely indifferent. We broke off after a bit to play Housey Housey in the cabin lounge, helped with iced tonic water. It was great fun but horribly hot. The Purser and his assistant were running it.
We spent some time on deck before turning in.
Sunday 18th August
I was up at six on Sunday. We had our celebration in the cabin lounge at seven. Quite a good muster -15 children. It was a wonderful morning – very warm in a cassock.
We had a children’s service at 10.00 for the boys and I went straight on to the ship’s service where I read the lesson. By this time I was nearly stifled. Afterwards the Assistant Purser who took the service and I adjourned to his quarters for iced lager. This was life saving. (We still have to carry our life jackets about with us as we are coming into the mined area.)
We had a girls’ service in the afternoon. My chats at the children’s services were about thanksgiving and prayer. After this was over I changed into shorts and went on deck. I got three sets of deck tennis and then lay in the sun.
After dinner I wrote letters to my boys giving them my address and so on. I also wrote letters of commendation for my own and other boys. Only one boy, Ralph, as far as I know, had a letter from his own priest. I think that is rather disgraceful.
All this writing took me through till the boys’ bed time. I went down and got them quiet, and then came up on deck again. I did some more writing and then sat out. Quite a number of the escorts were there too, relaxing. It was a wonderful night. The sea was calm, it was warm, and the moon was brilliant. At about 1, someone remarked that cocoa and sandwiches would be pleasant. Patrick disappeared below and by bribery and corruption produced both. The sandwiches were on the same plate as the sugar but they were marvellous.
I fell asleep soon afterwards and woke up at about 3. Mills was still sleeping there when I went below. He followed me down soon after.
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