Alma Russell Letters
Letters of British Columbia men on active service with Canadian and British Expeditionary Forces, 1914-1918. Learn more.
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for the last day was an indirect one; we arrived outside Plymouth early Monday morning but the sea was so rough and the wind blowing so hard the Captain would not take us into Port. Gee but all that morning and until about 4 in the morning it was nothing but a h---l of a time on board, great seas came over the ship. About 4 every one was excited when we knew the ship was heading for harbour. It went the round of the ship that the Captain had been notified from port authorities that two submarines were in the vicinity and he must either take the risk of being torpedoed or go into port. He chose the latter and jimminy it must have been a strain on him during the two hours he took steering her through the breakwater. Once the ships propeller was within 20 yards of some rocks and she had a fierce list to starboard owing to the cargo having shifted and it was hard to stand on deck with such a wind blowing. Anyway we got in somehow but at a great risk although I would sooner have been sunk trying to get in that torpedoed in that sea. We disembarked Tuesday morning but it was about 5 before we started for Shorncliffe where we arrived about 2.30 Wedensday morning. We did not go through Lndon, but round it ad as we were ordered at Reading to pull down all blinds we did not see much of darkened London. A fellow told me tht about 8 that night they had had a raid from Zeppelins so I suppose that is why theywere so careful about lights showing from the trains. Well, we were all split up into different batteries next morning and set to work immediately so you see they do not waste much time. Jim Colvin and I are together in Subsection B as signallers only picked out and told to go much against our will naturally The work is pretty easy here and we have more time of
BC Archives, MS-1901 Box 1 File 14 / RUSSELL, Alma M., 1873-1964. Victoria; librarian. / Selected items, Ethelbert and Herbert Scholefield, no date and 1916.