I am not absolutely sure, but I think this is Bernard. It looks like it was professionally taken in Cairo. We have very few photos of him at this age - perhaps he was usually the one taking the photos - but it resembles the image on his WW2 identity card.
In this part of the diary, he passes the Rock of Gibraltar, the ship briefly visits Malta, before arriving at Alexander.
Tea-time brought another mild excitement. Land is sighted on the starboard bow this time. It is a low-lying shore that rapidly gives way to bold and rocky cliffs. About half an hour previously we made a hairpin bend, so that this must be the coast of Africa, probably Morocco. As we proceed it becomes clearer, although the afternoon light is rapidly fading.
Coming on deck after tea, away ahead of us lay a mass of lights crowning some high promontory. At 9 0 t clock we were alongside. And what a sight! Row upon row of lights rise in tier upon tier from the water to far up the sides of the "Rock". Their reflections fill the water with a pale blue light. Ever and anon the long arms of the various searchlights stretch across the Straits, throwing everything into vivid relief. As we approach they rest for a moment on us, and completely dazzle everybody. Apparently there is some difficulty in making out who we are, for twice we passed the place and were recalled. Once the anchor was let go as though we were to remain some time. Then on the third attempt we got clear away and entered the Mediterranean.
From here conditions change somewhat. At tea time we had a visit from the Orderly Officer who gave us additional orders as to our doings at night. No smoking was to be allowed, no matches to be struck. No singing and no loud speaking either. As an additional reminder of the seriousness of his warning, he told us that only that day two German submarines had been sunk in the Straits of Gibraltar. it was quite sufficient; from that time on everyone saw that the instructions were most rigidly carried out. In fact it was rather amusing at times, when some forgetful man struck a match, to hear a general chorus of hoarse whispers "Put that light out".
Now the Submarine Guard came into evidence. The forty of us were divided into two batches and during daylight had three hours on duty and three hours off. The front part of the fore-castle was allotted to our use, so that if there was no other advantage, we at any rate were sure of having room to make ourselves comfortable.
After leaving Gibraltar we skirted the coast of Spain. It was a glorious view that greeted our eyes when we got up next morning. Apparently only about half a mile away, though probably nearer three, lay the brown coastline. Behind it the ground rose rapidly to scrub-covered hills, capped in many instances by dark clumps of trees. The hinterland seemed to be interlaced by valleys numerous and deep, while various small patches of blue smoke proclaimed the presence of several villages. And overhanging all, and towering above rose range upon range of lofty mountains rising in tiers, until they reached a climax in the rugged snow-capped peaks which caused them to be named the Sierra Nevada.
Watching these made the time fairly fly past, and far more quickly than we had noticed it before, darkness fell, and another day was over.
During the night we must have left the coast of Spain behind, for dawn found us in the open sea. As far as I could judge our speed was about 12 knots. We had expected that, calm as our voyage in the open ocean had been, the trip in the Mediterranean would be quieter still. This day was the reverse. A rather choppy sea made going a bit unpleasant. The boat pitched and tossed a good deal. Many ships crossed our path. The Mediterranean seems to be a fairly busy place 1 suppose that really there was no room in it to allow of the tactics that we used in the Atlantic.
Our course changed next night. When day broke the coast of Africa lay on our right. It was and is, a very uninviting shore. Bleak and desolate, barren and unprofitable, it would have made a very doubtful place of refuge if we had had need of one. It changed continuously. At one time it would be low-lying, at another high and rocky, with an occasional lighthouse along it. At one place there were two solitary, high rocks, like huge monuments, rising sheer out of the water. Soon afterwards we passed an island of appreciable size on our left. On the African coast the only sign of habitation was a lonely settlement. This must have been the coast of Tunis.
When I got up the following morning, land was in sight far ahead of us, and we seemed to be making straight for it. Gradually we swung round to the North of it, drew abreast and were passing it, with obviously no intention of stopping. I was rather disappointed, as I was sure that it was Malta. Soon it fell astern, and revealed to us a much larger island separated by a narrow strait. This larger island then, was Malta. From the sea it rose in moderately high cliffs, on the top of which patches of cultivated land could be seen. About three miles ahead of us, at 9 0'clock, just on the horizon, could be seen almost a procession of ships coming from the island and going out to sea. Obviously then the harbour must be there. By 10 a.m. we were in sight of it. A small harbour boat, rolling all over the place, came alongside and told us to carry right, on into the harbour. We swung round towards tho narrow inlet that lay between the high walls of the island cliffs. Two breakwaters ran out till they almost met, and behind them could be seen several ships of all descriptions. As we entered the harbour it dawned on me thet Valetta was the only port that Malta possessed, and that therefore this must be it. On the left lay a French Dreadnought with two or three submarines close to it. We dropped anchor just beyond them, and proceeded to look round. When we were alongside the battleship her band played "Tipperary" for our amusement, and cheered most frantically. The harbour was much larger inside than the external view would have led one to suppose. All round it, except at the entrance, rose high cliffs, with the town clustered on any practicable space on their sides. The quaint Eastern houses looked very picturesque. Just across the way lay another transport, one at which we gazed with immense interest. She had been attacked by a submarine. The three torpedoes fired at her had all been dodged, so that the U boat had to resort to gunfire. Her gun at the stern was manned, and volunteers asked for to help in the stokehold . The submarine guard on board turned out, and peppered the attacker with rifle fire. The united efforts of all three gave the "U" boat's Commander furiously to think, so that before long he dived and was seen no more. He had, however caused a few casualties on board. To return to ourselves, however, sll round the ship clustered small native boats, high in stem and stern, manouevred by diminutive native boys. Most had on board fruit for sale, one had newspapers, which they got rid of when the watchful eye of the Customs officer was looking elsewhere.
From others boys would dive into the water after coins, which they invariably recovered. Four of our Officers went ashore, but they had to be back almost as soon as they went, for we left at 3 o'clock. The noise of our weighing anchor seemed to disturb the French dreadnought. There was a sudden scuffling about, and before we were fairly on the move, they were playing us out! As we approached the harbour entrance, I noticed that there was another harbour on our right, whore several British ships were lying. The cliffs round the entrance were all fortified, but they took good care that no armament was visible. Leaving the Harbour we swung to the right and by tea time had only the open sea around us.
The moon which had been conspicuous by its absence in the earlier part of the voyage, seemed to have plucked up courage at this point, Until the early morning hours there was plenty of light, so much so that the Submarine Guard had to keep watch while it was shining. The other relief did it this night. In the morning a French cruiser lay about a mile so away on our port bow. Che kept pace with us, and was probably acting as escort. From the distance at which she kept, I could not tell whether she was French or English, so I was compelled to take the popular verdict.
The same routine was followed as on the previous night, except, that it was our turn to do it. Two men kept awake at a time, the rest, slumber on the forecastle head, liable to be awakened at any time. Through this night and the next day the sea was just like a mill pond. We used to enjoy leaning over the prow and watching various schools of dolphins dodging it as it forged its way through the water. They seem to use only their tails, but they can fair1y move some! Out in the Atlantic we had had a little excitement when a whale could be seen blowing off on the horizon, but it was as nothing to the interest displayed in watching the these dolphins. They were very like sharks in a appearance.
During the day some of the A.S.C. men were told to pack their kits, from which it was generally concluded that we should reach Alexandria next day. This turned out to be correct. I was on guard on the front when dawn broke. For some little time previously there had been lights on the starboard bow. As daylight increased and their distance decreased, a low-lying, palm studded shore became visible. The end of our voyage was in sight. Apparently we were a bit early, for we did several bends and double loops just to kill time, before heading into the harbour. We anchored in the outer harbour, a large one, at breakfast time Thursday November 18th. 1916. And what a busy place it was. The whole harbour teemed with life. Several transports passed us as we lay at anchor and gave rise to the rumour that we were before our time. Apparently there were not as many boats as at Malta, but the difference in the sizes of the two harbours probably accounted for this. The clumps of trees that fringed the shores, made the general aspect of the place much more picturesque then that place.
At dinner-time we moved on into the inner harbour, passing H.M.S. Terrible in use as a transport. In here, as at Malta, fruit-sellers clustered round the boat with figs oranges and chocolate. We decided to chance their cleanliness and found the figs quite good. By tea—time we had docked, close to a hospital ship. This reminds me of an unrecorded event. For two or three days our C.O. Major Stopford had been suffering from malaria. Probably he would return on that Hospital ship. He went ashore as soon as we docked. Apparently we cannot disembark until some of the cargo has been moved.
To celebrate our last night on board, the whole ship's company joined in a sing-song. The Officers' Mess provided a piano. Our men did not take a very great part, but in answer to clamorous requests contributed a couple of items. It was quite a success. At 10 o'clock we broke up remarking that we should disembark on the morrow. Sure enough S oi clock the next day found us lined up on the quay ready to move off.
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