Tears of the Moon - Di Morrissey [161]
Hamish
A few months later Hamish wrote to his mother:
Albany, October 1914.
I have so enjoyed my time here—I have met a very nice girl. I hope you will meet her one day … after the war. But how I yearn to be part of the great military convoy assembled here! It is an impressive sight with so many troop ships and escorts out in the sound. To think they have come from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. Soon they will set out on the great adventure to the other side of the world.’
It didn’t take long for Hamish to hear of the forming of the Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, a kind of support service. He wangled a transfer and was drafted to Melbourne to join a unit of the ‘train’ about to be shipped out on the transport, Port Macquarie.
On his last leave in June 1915, he travelled to Fremantle by coastal steamer to farewell his mother.
They sat over tea and his favourite cake while he explained to her what his strange unit was all about.
‘The Naval Board has offered to send a train of personnel, equipment, vehicles, horses and so on to serve in Europe.’
‘But what will you do exactly, dear?’
‘Build bridges, jetties, piers and pontoons for making harbours and landings on invasion beaches. We’re navy but told sometimes we might be under army command.’
‘And will you be involved in any actual fighting?’ asked Olivia apprehensively.
‘Officially, no. But if there’s a chance, we’ll certainly have a go,’ said Hamish enthusiastically.
‘Do be careful, Hamish,’ said Olivia, taking his hand. She smilingly added, ‘I suppose it’s a silly thing to say.’
He patted her hand. ‘Mum, please don’t worry about me. I couldn’t bear to think of you going through each day, fretting. Promise me you won’t do that. Think of the great things I’ll be doing, the places I’ll see. Be pleased that I’m glad to be part of it all.’ His smile softened. ‘And if, just if, anything happens to me, you must promise me not to be sad … ’
‘Hamish! You can’t say that! Don’t even think it.’
‘Mother, it has to be faced as a possibility. I’ve thought about it. And you know … I’m not afraid of dying. So remember that. And I want to know that you’ll go on with your life and be happy. Give me the freedom to go with a light heart knowing you will be all right. I’ve always admired your strength, don’t fall apart, Mum. We all have to do our duty.’
She nodded and kissed his cheek, holding his head to her breast for a moment. Then he settled back in his seat, helped himself to more cake and gave her his impressions of Melbourne.
When it came time to say goodbye, Olivia called on all her inner strength to be calm. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come to Melbourne and see you off?’
‘It’s no grand departure … not like the convoy leaving Albany. The Port, as we call her, will waddle out of Port Phillip Bay without much fanfare. I’d rather remember you here in this lovely room with the smell of cake and tea. Not standing on some windy rainy dock.’
‘Those poor horses … I hope they survive the trip,’ said Olivia absently.
They held each other tightly. ‘I’ll go and see Gilbert and Mollie and then I’ll be off. Stay here. I love you, Mum’
He quietly left the room, turning to blow her a kiss and then shut the door softly behind him.
Tyndall wrote to Olivia that he was staying on in Broome even though many boats had stopped working. Some opportunists were coming down from the Aru Islands up north and applying for the unused licences in order to build up their own fleets. These men, who had been using cheap labour and working at the Arus just outside the three mile limit, were not welcome in Broome. Tyndall was not going to readily forfeit what he’d