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The Staffordshire was a passenger/ cargo ship, which had been converted for troop carrying. The cargo space and between decks had been fitted out to take hammocks and the troops slept here in crowded conditions. The passenger accommodation had been doubled up, that is single cabins had an extra bunk fitted making them double cabins and double cabins had two extra bunks fitted making them suitable for four people and so on. Officers were placed in this accommodation in accordance with seniority. Charlie (Junior), Walter (4th), Miles (radio operator) and I got one of the converted double cabins a bit above the waterline. It was reasonably comfortable but there wasn’t a lot of space to move about.

Our day started with a steaming mug of tea in bed brought to us by the Indian steward. This was not standard fare but we paid the steward one shilling per week to go to the NAAFI every morning and get it for us. At 7 o’clock in the morning it tasted great. We had a rota system for getting up as there was insufficient room for all four of us to get washed and dressed at the same time.

The ritual of the day went something like this:-

The one whose turn it was to arise first leaped promptly from his bunk (generally) and washed, cleaned his teeth etc. in the one washbasin and then dressed. He then left the cabin for a walk on the boatdeck leaving the way for the next person to carry on with his ablutions. The rest followed in turn and we all ended up on the boatdeck which was usually crowded.

We were usually the first ones in the Dining Saloon for breakfast. We had a table for four and it seemed like after our enforced period with virtually no food (I lost 3½ stone) we could not refuse anything. The breakfast menu had a number of choices but not for us — we ordered and ate everything on that menu from top to bottom.

As related to Steve Lamb - Gateshead Council @ Blaydon

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