大象传媒

As far as I can remember it was just at the end of 1942 when a Draft of us young Troopers left Combermere Barracks Windsor to join our Regiment somewhere in the Middle East.
There were about twenty of us plus a couple of 2nd Lieutenants and two N.C.Os. We marched down to the Railway Station and soon made ouselves reasonable comfortable, but not for long, as the Train made frequent stops to pick up more Troops,by the time we reached Liverpool the carriages were heaving with bodies and with all their Equipment.
Having now stopped at the Station we were ordered out and told to form up on the Platform.Then we marched along to one of the Docks to board one of the Troopships moored there.We then embarked up the Gangway onto the "SS" RANGITIKI,once on board the next step was to go down endless Ladders to where we would live,I am sure alot of readers will remember the time trying to go down those ladders with all ones Kit.After all that we realized we were on "E"Deck well below the water line, that made some of us think a bit, what if we met any Subs, what a scramble it would be to get on Deck,and with the Life Jackets on. The first time we had Boat Drill before we left Port, someof the Lads had the Life Jackets back to front, others upside down,I don`t think any of us would make good Sailors.
At last we moved away from the Quayside and out into the open Sea, where there were lots of other Transports and Escort Vessels taking up their stations.
The first two weeks were terrible,Squaddies seasick and some very ill, the Mess Deck where we ate and slept were also a mess. I was lucky I was never sick on any of the Ships I was on.
Our Ship had been chased by one of the Escorts I assume to tell us to keep up, it was said that the speed of a Convoy was determined by the slowest Ship, well I reckon it was the Rankitiki.After about two weeks or it could have been more, the cry went up one morning that Land was in sight,every one went to the side where Land was sighted,and the old tub took on a list, which some thought it would tip over.
The Convoy anchored out in the Bay of Freetown Sierra Leone,no Troops were allowed on shore,as one could catch something very nasty,I think the Port was soley a bunkreing Station.But even so there were some entertainment for the Troops on board,the local would paddle out in their one person Bum Boats full with Fruit and other bits and pieces,one of their best party pieces were when the Natives dived for what they called a Glasgow Tanner,the Boys would throw down coins for them to dive for.
After a few hours in Freetown we all upped anchor and was soon out into the open Sea again.Now the weather was getting warmer, sun bathing was the order of the day, but we had to be careful, as if one got badly sunburnt one was put on a 252, you all know what that is.
Some days later the Convoy rounded the Cape of good Hope,in the distance we was just able to see Table Mountain, some of the Convoy left us and steamed into Cape Town. The rest of us steamed on now into the Indian Ocean and a few more days saw us steaming in to the Port of Durban.Our Draft had now been told that this was where we changed Ships, As we slowely edged into our Dock we heard that beautiful Voice of the Lady in White,she greeted all the Troop Ships that entered Durban by singing all the Songs of Home.I will not say anymore about that Lady as I see that she was mentioned in a earlier Story.
Having disembarked from our home for the last five weeks we straight away marched to another Dock where there was this massive great Liner,she was a Dutch Cruise Liner by the name "THE NIEW AMSTERDAM" we were to complete the rest of our Sea journey to the Middle East on this Ship.She had been kitted out for use as a Trooper, and apparently was very very fast.
Just a last Word about the "RANGITIKI",the Ack Ack Guns aboard her were manned by a group called D.E.M.S.they also ran the Housey Housey games and the Crown and Anchor games.Perhaps someone could tell me what those initials stood for. And whatever happened to the old Tub, that was our home for many weeks, perhaps someone may know.
Now we are going like hell up the Indian Ocean towards Suez, and there were no escort, was it because she could out run a "U"Boat. There were even a couple of Swimming Pools on board, but not for the likes of us lowly Troopers. After some weeks since leaving the U.K. we finally arrive at our destination, Egypt, but thats another story.
I wonder if my Mate of those days long ago by the name of FRANK SHORT,all I remember was that his home was in Walthamstowe East London,or anyone else who were on that Draft that left Windsor at the end of 42.

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