Background : The Battalion had just left Fremantle, Western Australia for the Middle East on the Queen Mary. A member of B Company wrote the following which captured the mood of the moment and was published in the ship's paper.
Farewell: The silent cry from countless throats,
And many tender thoughts of quenchless love,
Winged forth upon the air, as troopship boats,
Protected both on sea and from above,
Steamed out, now leaving far astern the land,
That gave us birth, or reared us through the years,
And now for which we go to take our stand,
Against the monstrous tyrant fiend that rears,
And tries to dominate and crush all men,
Reducing them to bondage slaves and worse,
E'en as our fathers went, we go again,
To conquer and subdue the world's new curse.
Farewell: What thoughts our parting brings to mind,
Of bygone days, of places, and of friends,
Of loved ones that we must now leave behind,
But bear with us their love that never ends,
Our thoughts then turn to days that lie ahead,
Days fraught with risks, with peril, care and strife,
Each bringing lists of missing, wounded, dead,
For war brings that uncertainty of life,
But this one thing I know, that, war or peace,
Or if I live, or rest beneath the sod,
His love and tender care will never cease,
So I commend myself, and all, to God.