HMAT A16 Star of Victoria

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Departed Sydney, NSW 31 March
1916 Arrived Colombo, Ceylon 20 April
Departed Colombo, Ceylon 21 April
Arrived Suez, Egypt 3 May
Departed Suez, Egypt 4
May Arrived Port Said, Egypt 5 May
Departed Port Said, Egypt 5 May
Arrived Marseilles, France 17 May Entrained Detra
ined Voyage time 33 days
HMAT A16 Star of Victoria
Transferred to City of Edinburgh
Cold, rough weather. 791 Sapper Benjamin
Phillips was to embark on the Ulysses which
sailed on 20 February with the first deployment
of the Mining Corps on board. For some reason
Benjamin was transferred to Milsons Island and
did not embark. He later apparently stowed away
on the Star of Victoria which departed on 31
March, and when discovered, re-enlisted in the
A.I.F., at sea, and was appointed to the 2nd
Reinforcements to the Mining Corps with the new
Regimental Number 2330. Lance Corporal Benjamin
Phillips was killed in action when shot by a
sniper on 26 February 1918.
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Voyage was remarkable for pleasant weather. The
discipline was fairly good the most serious
being AWL at intermediate ports.
Leave granted at Durban from 11am to 11 pm. At
Capetown there was a Route March for 3 hours.
Arriving back at 1pm when leave was granted until
11pm. Ship was to leave at 2pm but did not leave
until 5pm the following day. Liquor in town was
considered of bad quality as a result 10
Tunnellers did not embark as scheduled on 21
August. 2/Lt Ashcroft 2 Tunnellers got measles
on board. Footnote 10 Tunnellers boarded Orsova
at Capetown around 25 August.
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7 men deserted at Fremantle 9 at Capetown.
Weather conditions on Australian coast were
stormy after leaving Fremantle.
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Rough and stormy with plenty of sea-sickness for
the early part of the voyage, becoming very hot
in the tropics. Heavy rain and muggy near
Panama. 9 days at Colon, unavoidably delayed.
7427 Spr William James McPeak died of acute
transverse myalitis on 14 August, one of 4
soldiers to die on this voyage, and was buried at
sea. Good weather across the Atlantic.
Colds and influenza prevalent when troops
embarked.
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HMAT A71 Nestor
Arrived Melbourne, VIC 19 November
1917 Departed Melbourne, VIC 21
November Arrived Suez, Egypt 15
December Entrained Suez, Egypt 4
January 1918 Detrained Alexandria, Egypt
5 January Embarked Alexandria, Egypt 8
January Arrived Taranto, Italy 12
January Entrain Taranto, Italy Detrain Cherbourg,
France Embarked Cherbourg, France Arrived Southam
pton, England 24 January 1918
Transferred to E620 Abbasiah
On Christmas Day the troops were specially
provided for by the ship. Amusements included
cricket between various troop decks and the
Officers. Religious services held on Christmas
Day and occasionally on weekdays. Weather was
excellent throughout warm in the tropics.
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A Route March through Tahiti was the first by
Australians bound for the Front. Troops returned
to the ship at 5p.m. and then marched to 3 cinema
shows. Leave was permitted in the Canal Zone at
Colon before the ship moved on to Balboa.
Amusement Committee conducted boxing, cricket and
other deck sports. Excellent concerts were
given. Classes in French and Italian were well
attended. In New York the weather was very cold,
succession of thick fogs and some rain.
Approaching the North Channel the weather became
cold and wet, but the sea was smooth.