Click here for diary entry for Monday April 28th (cont.) – Saturday May 3rd 1941

Sunday May 4th

29th Day

Was mess orderly during day.  Small fleet of small yacht out. Looked like sailing dinghies.  Slept and read in afternoon.

Monday May 5th

30th Day

Ordinary routine during day.  Good concert on forward deck at night.  Some very good items.  Rain came and spoilt it.

Tuesday May 6th

31st Day

Left Colombo, Ceylon.  Barges and watering pontoons towed away 8.15AM.

Leander sailed 8.00AM Escort :

Aquitania 9AM

Ile de France 9.30AM then Mauretania 10AM

Passed minesweepers returning as we left moles.  Saw my first junk in sail.

HMS Leander sighted smoke of the starboard bow at 5.15PM.  Went off at great speed to investigate.  All convoy altered course.  Was only ordinary tramp.  Another passed later going in opposite direction.

Started blackouts again. Cabin once again very stuffy.  At 11 o’clock at night great commotion.  Tanker went through convoy between Ile de France and Aquitania.  Ships whistle blew.  Leander played her searchlights on tanker.  Clock went back 1/2 hour.

Wednesday May 7th

32nd Day

Sea as smooth as glass.  Saw great shoal of porpoises leaping out of water between Aquitania and us.  Another warship, Canberra joined convoy at 10.30AM as escort.  Convoy had manoeuvres in afternoon all the ships whistles blew.  Clocks went back another 1/2 hour.  Leander wished us “best of luck” and turned back.

Thursday May 8th

33rd Day

Received ships magazine.  Canberra had…

Click here for diary entry for Thursday May 8th (cont.) – Tuesday May 13th 1941