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The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Les Jones and Robert Kennedy

The 23,722 tons liner: the SS Strathallan was built at Barrow-in-Furness and owned by the Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd and requisitioned by the War Office as a troopship during the war. Its last Captain was J.H.Biggs CBE.

Transcripts from Harry's Diaries
Our sincere thanks go to Alan & Georgina Greening for sharing Harry's Diaries

Mon 22nd Sept.
We got ashore just after dinner until midnight. We were pestered with natives every few steps we went, begging & trying to sell us a lot of junk. Women with babes asking for annas, it was rather heart breaking at first & we gave a fair amount to them. We got used to it after a while & took no notice of them, we were told not to by white people in the services canteen that was all they did, scrounge for a living. I must say I was disappointed with Bombay . I always thought it was such a grand place, but it's a dump, especially in comparison with Cape Town , it proper stinks. We had a general look round & and had plenty of ice drinks & spent a fair time in the canteen eating something decent for a change & and that's about the only place you will see any white people & can have a chat. It's a sight to see these natives sleeping at night. They sleep all over the pavements, under the arches, anywhere they can drop down. You have to be careful you don't walk on them. Children as well kip down with the men, some of them have a piece of sack to lie on & some nothing at all.
Tues 23rd Sept.
Went ashore about 4 o'clock & it' s boiling hot. We toured the place pretty well & had plenty of iced drinks & a bottle of iced beer, but we couldn't stand the price of that, it was over a rupee a bottle. We visited a lot of the rougher native quarters, it's a sight to see them. It gets dark about 7 o'clock & it's semi blackout so there isn't a lot to do, only go to the canteen & eat and have a sing song.
Wed 24th.
We are waiting for a R.A.F. crowd to get aboard before we push off. We are going ashore this afternoon, I expect for the last time.
We walked round the shops & through the Gateway of India. Then we had a garry, 7 of us & they are only supposed to take 3 or 4 at the most. It's a horse drawn sort of landaul. One of the lads drove & at times he wore the Indian driver's round hat, we had some good fun. We went round what they call the cages in Drant (!!) Street. The houses, such as they are, have no windows, just iron bars. They are really brothels & when they get a customer they pull the shutters together. Any how I'm not interested in that sort of thing. Talk about a stink, there was goats tied up to the front doors piddling all over the place & nothing stinks more than a billy goat & the smell of incense. Of course there is some smashing buildings here besides the dumps, but I don't think I ever want to live here long.
Thur 25th Sept.
We are rushing the last of the stuff on board, all the troops are on and most of them moaning about the old cattle boat, especially the R.A.F. This is the first time they have had hammocks, they have had cabins all the time.
We pushed off just after dinner there in convoy, troopers & no naval escort so it must be fairly safe waters.
Frid 26th
Not much to talk about, I've got a job in the Sgts galley, not much to do & plenty of good grub.
Sat 27th.
The weather is very hot, it's murder down in the mess deck, you can pull your vest off & ring out the sweat after about 10 minutes. I'm glad I don't eat down there. We are all sleeping on the decks in short pants, those that can find room.
Sun 28th.
We seem to be separating, we can only just see the other ships. There's shoals of Porpoise in this water, there must be thousands of them, they come right out of the water.
Mon 29th.
There is no sign of the other ships. Occasionally we pass a sailing ship in the distance, so we can't be so far away from land. I am mounting the Bren gun tomorrow with the team in case we meet aircraft , so I shall loose my job.
We can see land, sometimes on both sides, we are just entering the Persian Gulf . We can write a letter, only one & they have to be in today, so here goes, but it's rather a job, they won't let you talk about anything.
Tues 30th Sept.
On the old Bren gun again. Land is close on both sides at times. By the way, the clocks have been retarded 2 and a half hrs during this week.
Oct 1st 1941. Well, this is the end of our voyage. We'll disembark today at a port near Basra & are stationed in a dump in the desert about 20 miles out, & was greeted in a sand storm so I think I will end up at that.

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