Wednesday 15th July 1936

Foulkes and I were cooks. Up early and mashed tea for the mess before “Out pipes!”
After falling in (I am now an Iron Deck man), “Cooks carry on”.

Prepared dinner and breakfast. Breakfast was an easy job as we only have tea, bread and margarine. (Sometimes a little jam.)

Forenoon, cleaning iron deck, taking in stores, scrubbing locker lids.
At regular intervals during meal times or stand easy’s is the call “Fags and matches”. Then we buy duty free cigarettes and matches at amazing prices. Players 25 for 7d. Abdullas 25 for 8d. The RNVR lay in a stock and do some smuggling.

This afternoon was a make and mend. Starboard first part on. Quartermaster’s pipe, “Ship is under sailing orders”.

Quiet on mess deck with half the men ashore and the other half asleep in hammocks.
On this mess deck we eat, sleep, wash, have haircuts… These thing often happen simultaneously.

Comfy hammock tonight. That last cigarette. One sleeps whilst others in the focsle talk.