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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
The following is a transcript of the Diary of Frank Harry James Greening of Dorchester, in Dorset, England, 1906-1986, which he kept when aboard the troopships 'STRATHALLAN' and ' LANCASHIRE ' in 1941. It was not discovered until after 'Harry', as he was known, had died, so apart from a couple of photographs taken in a desert somewhere, nothing much is known about his immediate whereabouts after that. He was also at Dunkirk , and the first rescue boat he tried to get on was full, so had to take another one, which in fact saved his life, as the first boat was subsequently shelled.
What follows is exactly as is written in the Diary.
Strathallen, 23,000Tons. Max speed 20 knots. Convoy at present 34. 10 destroyers, one Yank, 2 Cruisers.

Left Aldershot Mon 28th July '41.
Embarked at Gourock , Scotland Tues 29th.
Left port Sat 2 Aug at 7.30pm.
On Bren gun Sat 2.00pm till Sun.
Sea calm (when leaving), strong wind and swell, worse from 10-12hrs. Evening and night wind worse & heavy seas, sometimes washing decks, most of the lads are sick.
Mon Aug 4th.
Bank holiday, sea a lot quieter. Mounting Bren Gun 2pm.
Tue 5th.
Turn 4-6. Sea getting rougher & pouring in rain, not so good, I mean weather.
Second turn 10-12pm, cold and thick fog.
Wed 6th Aug.
Still foggy dismount Bren 2pm.
(Morn early accident in fog, Windsor Castle & Auxiliary cruiser)

Thur 7th August.
Sea much calmer, fog's light, much warmer.Last destroyer turned back, one cruiser in convoy.
Destroyer returned this afternoon.Clock retarded 1hr Sun, 1hr Mon & 1hr Tues night.
Fri 8th Aug.
Sea calm & bright sunshine. U boats following. Two sea planes from cruiser scouting round. One U boat comes to surface & plane & destroyer make a dash for it and drop depth charges, believe destroyed. This happened about dinnertime.
Depth charges dropped again in the evening. Up on deck just after 9 o'clock it was glorious, a perfect sun set & a lovely blue sea & the convoy in perfect formation.
Sat 9th Aug.
Sea still calm & fine weather. Destroyer G85 seems to have left us.
Sighted land about 1.30pm, at 5pm passing the Azores, looks like (the ump) Portland , I wish it was, knowing you are probably there with the boys. I think I should feel like making a swim for it. I hope the weather is as nice as it is here. It's grand, glorious sunshine & the sea is like a mill pond. I keep thinking about you sweetheart. I hope you and the boys are keeping well. I do miss my letters but I don't suppose I shall get one yet for a while. (He is referring to wife Ivy, and son's Frank and Alan.) The destroyer G85 has definitely gone.
It's just 9.15pm, that's 3hrs behind British time, I expect you are all in kip so I am just going to sling my hammock saying goodnight to you & the boys, Dear.

Sun 10th Aug.
Weather hot & quite sea. Destroyer 85 returned, another cruiser arrives, old one leaves us. On Bren gun duty at night.
Mon 11th Aug.
Weather getting hotter, nearing equator.
Tue 12th Aug.
Handed in letters written overnight (Mon), ships mail bag open. One to Ivy and 1 to mum. Bren gun all day. Weather still hot. Its terrible sleeping below, it's a job to breath.
Wed Aug 13th.
Very hot, boxing contest during the afternoon, some very good fights, so hot we had to wear topees, sea got rough after tea.
Thur 14th.
Wearing tropical clothes had a fine swim in the ships pool. More destroyers join escort & big Sunderland flying boat. Flying right over top of boats and crew leaning out waving, & cheer goes up.

Continued.....
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