10th October 1914

Port Melbourne

Saturday October 10 1914 - SS Rangatiara

Nothing doing much today it is very cool they say down here the climate is very changable, hot for two or five days and then a sudden change and it gets as cold as ice.  There is signs of wet weather.  It has been very dry.  I see by the papers that there is plenty of rain in Qld.  There is talk that we will be here for 14 days yet, but of course it may only be a tale.  We put in time this evening digging a gun pit, just for a bit of practice. One thing it is very soft to dig it being all sand.  This is a thing that should be done in the night on Active Service.  It is to conceal the gun numbers and to get a few shots in first, of course after a few shots a Battery can be discovered by the flashes.

Saturday 10th October

Cleaning Harness during morning for all hands. Myself a Model. Afternoon making gun emplacements. Intend to make 4 complete during hours of darkness as Practice for Officers and men. Horse reported missing from Head Quarters lines for 2 days. Arranged for search parties. Col Merrington and Lieut Chambers from "Omrah" called and invited us to Church Service on Sunday morning. Also invitation from local Anglican Vicar to early 7 AM Communion. Heard of big disturbance in Melbourne tonight between military and Police. Several of our officers asked leave to go to St Kilda dancing pavilion. Wanted me to go but I concluded it is no place for an old married man. Instead I walked along Beaconsfield parade from ship to St Kilda and back again – about 6 miles. Left ship at 8 PM and returned at 10 PM. Road very beautiful. Bitterly cold night. On my return to ship I was introduced to a friend of Mr Darcy the 4th officer, I discovered him to be an old Geelong friend (Mr Brown) of 20 years ago. Letter from Colonel Burns re travelling Kitchen. He promised to donate £10-10-0 Hope to raise full amount required viz ?360 – 

[Courtesy of State Library of New South Wales - Sir Charles Rosenthal diary]

October 10th's riot between Queensland Soldiers, Melbourne

Police & local civilians, published in the Ballarat Star on the

12th October 1914 - contemporary media reports documented

 the melee at 20,000 people & 200 Constables.

[Courtesy of National Library of Australia]