LAYFORCE ( cONT)

Apparently the German Pocket Battleship"Von Scheer" was on the high seas not far from us,2 Cruisers,5 Destroyers,no match for a Battleship,thus the change of plans. 0n we sailed, heading for the Red Sea,Flying fish, Porpoises , we even wrapped a Whale on our stem, which the Navigator said really slowed us up until it was forced off. No air conditioning those days, so the Red Sea was the Sweat Sea, and glad to be seeing the start of the Suez Canal,but a reminder of things to come was the sunken ships sticking their masts out of the water."Georgic" was one , a ship which carried the Australian Troops of an earlier Convoy. We headed through the Canal , stopped at Ismalia, and unexpectedly given a railway ticket and 2 days leave to Cairo. What a train trip,everything had to be 'tied down' The Egyptians would be on the outside of the train clinging on, waiting for a chance to cut the webbing off a rifle to steal it. The orders for the troops, all  rifles to be carried, webbing over the shoulder at all times. What can I say about Cairo, The Science Museum,the Bazaars,the Cabarets., For a drink of coloured water, the hovering girls would dance with you. Part of the Cruiser Ships Company were there, and I recall how it seemed appropriate for those gunners to say'oh they are only three inch,look at those,they surely are five two fives,these days they would say big boobs! We  unloaded our Commandos on the Bitter Lakes,half way down the Canal. I believe they were unfortunately split up,for example , Beatty's son got the V.C. storming Rommel 's Headquarters. So much for capturing the DODOCANESE.

The Geordic did damage to our sister ship the Glenearn when  she was bombed  and drifted on fire  onto the Glenearn.

PARTS OF THE cANAL WERE A TIGHT SQUEEZE  AVOIDING SUNKEN SHIPS