Homeward Bound By Maurice Smith

Homeward Bound
by    Maurice Smith ~ Oddbod (UK) 430064

Extract from Airletter to Family 18/9/1945
I’m coming home!
After V.J. Day we were given indefinite leave to take civilian jobs wherever we could find them.  I went to London to a clerical job with the Ministry of Works. My mail was being directed to the Boomerang Club, but I didn’t go in there until Tuesday when I found the following telegram had arrived on the previous Saturday.  “YOU ARE WARNED FOR DRAFT. RETURN TO YOUR UNIT IMMEDIATELY." 
By the time I packed and got paid off at the Ministry of Works, I didn’t get back to camp until the Wednesday, only to find I had missed the draft. So it was that I went back to London to farewell friends for a second time as there was no further Draft to leave until the next Monday.  I stayed at the Salvation Army Hostel near King’s Cross. I went to bed early on the Sunday night and put in an early call for 3am. Some hours after I retired, I woke, looked at my watch – 3.45am. I threw my clothes on, raced downstairs, swore at the orderly for not waking me and reached the railway station at precisely 4am. A final burst took me to the right platform and fifty yards ahead of me the train to Worksop pulled out. I’d had it! The next train to Worksop was at 6am and a slow train at that. Thus, it was that I missed Draft No 2. This time I was paraded before the Adjutant who was decent enough not to inflict any punishment, except to forbid me to leave the Station while I waited for the next available Draft.

Extract from Airletter written aboard Troopship “Orion” 14/11/1945
I seethe with anger as I sit down to write. Yes, I had embarked for home alright. Last Sunday 9th November was the exact date, after taking one look at the conditions on board, something like 500 blokes walked off the ship, we stayed. As the ship slowly pulled away, we listened to a tearful rendition of Auld Lang Syne by an R.A.F. Band on the wharf. We were homeward bound at last. We sailed on. Everything was okay for 24 hours until, all of a sudden, we stopped dead. For four hours, we were motionless in the Bay of Biscay, then the blow fell. “The Ship has developed engine trouble and we are returning to Southampton.” For two days now we have been limping back to our starting point at a steady eight knots. We expect to dock this evening and special trains will take us back to various holding camps. With my luck, I’ll bet I get sent to the most furtherly point in the country and spend all night getting there.

Extract from Airletter to family 3/12/1945
This time I really am coming. After travelling all night from Millom in Cumberland, we embarked again at Southampton last Friday night 30th November. This time we are on the Athlone Castle. She is a motor vessel of 25,000 tonnes, 720 feet long with a single squat orange and black funnel, but they till us she only cruises at 18 knots, slow but sure? Conditions are not crowded this time and the food, so far, has been good.

"Athlone Castle"

Extract from Diary kept on board Athlone Castle
This is the 2nd day at sea and we are driving through the Bay of Biscay into a gale of some considerable force. The ship is riding remarkably steady. Harry, Cliff, Lloyd and I have located the Roulette Wheel and are giving it an occasional work out as a change from our daily “500” card games. At 1.15pm on the third day at sea, we had an announcement of the Ship’s position, that at noon we were 66 miles west of Oporto. We will be entering the Straights at 5pm tomorrow morning and should pass Gibraltar around 7am. Meantime, I won two quid at Roulette. At 10pm, we passed the lights of Lisbon. I couldn’t help thinking what a mass of espionage and counter espionage must have gone on underneath those lights – the lights of the last neutral port in Europe during the war years. 
On the 4th day at sea we were up at 6am but no sign of Gibraltar or any other land for that matter. Someone must have miscalculated over the announcement. 11am and land was sighted on the starboard quarter – possibly Spanish Morocco. At noon, we were approaching Tangier and expect to be passing Gibraltar in two hours. Daily run 437 miles – best so far. 2.30pm, we’ve been up on the sundeck for a couple of hours. The African coast looks very rugged! Passing Gibraltar now but poor visibility spoilt our nearest view of it. 
5th Day – Algiers, one time pirates’ stronghold and a reputation of being one of the world’s beautiful, at the same time wickedest, cities is drifting by to Starboard. 7pm Harry and I have cooked up a brilliant scheme to break the Roulette Bank. One of us to keep backing the Red and doubling it till Red turns up. The other one to do likewise on the Black. A win at every turn of the wheel! What Novices! A run of eight Black and the Red bettor was looking for 128 chips which he didn’t have. Put it down to experience.
6th Day – At 7am we were passing Bizerta and will be leaving the coast soon. Much lighter in cash today after the disaster at the Roulette Wheel. Sticking to “500” Card game now. At 10am the rocky headland of Cape Bon, where the African Corps made its last stand and was liquidated in 1943, has come into view. At 1pm there was an announcement “we are now passing the Island of Pantelleria, highest point 2,287 feet.” It looks pretty rugged – more like a big rock. 7.30 pm – the lights of Malta, the little island the axis couldn’t break, are coming up to Starboard. 10pm – we were just finishing a round of “500” when we saw a red light out to sea. So, the four of us made our way to the Roulette Wheel confident this was the lucky omen “back the red”. Needless to say, another run of Blacks came up and a few more bob went up the spout.
7th Day – There is a rolling swell today. We were 170 miles north of Benghazi at noon. The Blue Mediterranean is at its bluest today.

Port Said 1940's - ANZAC Memorial In Foreground

8th Day – A quiet day. Played “500” but no Roulette! At noon, we were 100 miles north of Alexandria and are reducing speed to reach Port Said in daylight tomorrow morning.
9th Day – Arrived at Port Said this morning at 8am. It looks to be a fair mixture of luxury and squalor. The ship was immediately surrounded by a swarm of little boats crowded with hawkers and their wares. At 6pm our sister ship The Stirling Castle was pulled in and berthed right next to us. She is bringing troops back from the East. Did a spot of sunbaking and more cards.
10th Day – Moved off at 7am but stopped again in a wider part of the Canal for northbound shipping to pass. Only a couple of Dhows so far though. 11.15am a French Liner “The Pasteur” has just passed with troops aboard. 12 noon – an American Liberty Ship “P131” and Hospital Ship Atlantis, have just passed. Believe there are four more Ships to come, but I must have lunch. 
1.30pm – Three cargo boats and The Queen of Bermuda have passed and we are ready to move, but we can’t. We’ve grounded. 
3pm – We’ve lost too much time getting a start and as we can’t make Ismalia before the next lot of shipping is due, we have been stopped again.
8.30pm – Underway at last and should clear the Canal by morning.
11th Day – We’re stopped in Suez Harbour first thing this morning, but are now under way again.  We were paid Ten pounds each this morning – in the money again!
2.30pm – Passing Mt Sinai of biblical renown and will be leaving the Gulf of Suez about 5pm and entering the Red Sea. (to be continued)