And yet it was hard to realize
that we were actually fortunate enough to be taking part in an
expedition, the like of which never was before, and probably never
will be again. Never before had there been gathered together a fleet
of transports of such magnitude--a fleet consisting of 33 transports
carrying 33,000 men, 7,000 horses and all the motors, waggons and
equipment necessary to place in the field not only a complete infantry
division, and a cavalry brigade, but in addition to provide for the
necessary reserves.
At night we steamed along like phantom ships. All windows and port
holes were carefully screened so that one might walk the deck and see
not a single ray of light to reveal the whereabouts of the
accompanying vessels.
Off Newfoundland as our three lines of ships were ploughing along,
about a mile and a half apart, we picked up H.M.S. "Glory" which took
a position about ten miles away on our right. Our ship, the
"Franconia," the flagship of the fleet, had the headquarter staff, the
90th Regiment of Winnipeg, and a number of nurses on board, and she
held place in the centre of the middle line.
How an orderly fleet could be immediately dis-organized was well
demonstrated one morning when our whistle blew sharply several times
"Man Overboard." As we slowed down, with throbbing engines reversed
churning the ocean into foam, we could see the tiny speck (a man's
head) floating by.
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