A

Lucky

Life

Marie-Louise Dalle

A LUCKY LIFE

first published 2006 by Memoirs Foundation (Australia)

2 Burwood Highway, Burwood East, Victoria

Copyright © Marie-Louise Dalle 2006

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright owner.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication Data

ISBN No: 0-9775808-7-3

Typeset in 13pt Adobe Garamond Pro by Synergy Publishing

Editor: Arnold Bonnet

Project Coordinator: Mary Peries

Art Director: Mark Bonnet

Graphics: Alison Bout

Production: Wendy Wright

Every endeavour has been made to source the photographs and to contact copyright holders to obtain the necessary permission for the use of photographic and other material in this book. Any person who may have been overlooked should contact the publisher.

Printed in Australia

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to my three beautiful children Michelle, Adrian and Vincent. I love you dearly and cherish the wonderful times we have spent together. Thank you for being the special loving children that you have been to me. You have taught me many things. You are the best children anyone could wish to have.

To Laurie, Leanne and Shaz, thank you for looking after my children so well. Hope you have lots of enjoyment as you grow old together. I love you all very much.

To my sisters and brother, and their partners, we share a special bond that has helped us through our windstorms of life. I love you dearly.

To my parents, love you heaps! See you again one day.

To Donny, my rock, my soul mate, thank-you for the wonderful times we have had together. We have now spent more than half our lives together. I love you dearly and cherish our adventures and good times. We were so lucky to have met one another all those years ago. Thank You for all the great memories.

And to my grandchildren Chrystal, Anthony, Dominic and Hayley. I love you up to the sky and back. My wish for you is that you are happy and that you find a partner as beautiful as you.

FRONT COVER PICTURE*:Front row squatting L to R: Pierre, William Joris, Marie Louise.Mid Row L to R: Elza (my mother), Jules Joris, Alice Joris, Viviene Joris, John on lap, Margaret Joris, Alice (Mimi). Rear L to R: Auguste (my father), Beatrice, Jacqueline, and far right Albert Joris.

*Where Christian names only are shown, the family name is Dalle.

Contents

Chapter Page

1 Marseille to Adelaide 1

2 Elza, her Parents, and how She Came to Australia 13

3 Marie is Born 21

4 Starting School 43

5 Marie Finds her Calling 59

6 Moving into the Chalet at Research 65

7 Meeting Domenic 91

8 Children and Grandchildren 99

9 Extracts from Marie’s 1992 - 2001 Journal Entries 113

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1Marseille to Adelaide

Auguste Dalle’s diary, written onboard the Narkunda during part of his voyage from Marseille to Adelaide.

Note: Auguste Camille Jean Dalle was 21-years-old when the wool-buying firm he worked for, Henry Cauillez & Co, sent him to Australia.

This diary was found several years after his death. It was written in the back of a school exercise book – his Geography book. It was 68 years-old. It was translated from French to English by his daughter, Beatrice, in 2001. the year it was found.

The Narkunda was built in 1920. In 1942 it was bombed and sunk off Algeria, while trooping. Thirty-one lives were lost.

It is not known why the diary ended on the 11th of November 1933, but what we do know is that the Narkunda arrived in Adelaide on Saturday the 25th November 1933. A photograph of Auguste made the front page of the Adelaide News. The temperature that day was 71.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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Friday 27th October 1933

I arrived this morning at Marseille after a whole night on the train. A little tired, a bath and a wash at the hairdressers made me feel composed again. I was impatient then to go and see my boat which was moored at Quay C. It was gigantic. I went up the gangway and they showed me to my cabin, no. 563.

On arrival, I was disappointed. The cabin was not the one I was expecting to find. It was cramped, narrow and untidy. On one of the bunks, a man aged about 40-45 was sleeping.

On the floor, another man was mucking in his case. He, like me, had just arrived. I said “Hello” to him in English and French, not knowing who he was. He replied in English in a very unsympathetic manner. All this made me a little disenchanted.

I returned to the city with the intention of having a good dinner. I had the Marseille bouillaisse, which I liked. However it repeated on me all afternoon.

After that, I went to the cinema with the hope of cheering myself up. They were playing Le Coq du Régiment, a film that amused me immensely.

It is thus, all happy, that I returned back to the ship, where the dinner was announced for 7:30. I went there to see the meals that we will be getting. I was surprised – it was excellent.

I went back to my cabin. I found three drunk men, two from my cabin and another that I did not know: lots of empty glasses; cigarette ash everywhere on the beds; largely a shambles.

I decided to leave because these men disgusted me. I went for a walk in town and came back at 11 o’clock. The boat was going to sail at 12 o’clock. I went to bed. In the middle of the night I woke up. We had departed. Only the noise of the motors told me the ship was sailing, as there was no movement.

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Saturday 28th October 1933

I woke up at seven o’clock with a discrete voice saying, “Tea, sir?” It was the tea boy who brings the tea with a few biscuits and an apple.

At 8:30 they announced that breakfast was served. I got up and through the porthole I could see the sea was rough. In fact, very strong waves were hitting the side of the boat, but it did not make any difference. I went to breakfast and found myself at a table with another man going to Sydney. I started up a conversation with him.

Afterwards I went up to the bridge. In the distance one could vaguely see the coast of France that we were leaving, as it appears we only left at 6:30am.

In my cabin, on my side. The drinks are still there. It is 10 o’clock. I get a book and go and read in the lounge.

Lunch at 1:30. The announcement over the loudspeaker says the sea is getting worse. I must eat quickly, as I don’t want to have the food all over me.

I go back to my bunk and sleep till 4:30. The sea is a little calmer.

Night time I go for a walk on the bridge. It is interesting. In the distance all around one can see lights. We should pass between Sardinia and Corsica.

Further on, one can see the lights of Italy.

Sunday 29th October 1933

This morning on waking I felt okay, but after washing, the movement of the sea made me feel off, so I ordered breakfast in bed.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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That was a bit better. I got up about 11 o’clock to go to Mass because a Roman Catholic Mass was being said in the dining room.

Fancy not many at the mass, only about 30 passengers, but a large party of mature women. A little later a protestant Mass was said. This was announced by a beautiful bell which reminded me of a village church.

In the afternoon we passed near a very small island, Stromgoli, comprising a huge mountain which seemed to be a volcano spitting up smoke. At the bottom of the mountain there were houses here and there. I don’t know how anyone can live there. It is absolutely devoid of vegetation.

A little later, towards seven o’clock, we passed between Italy and Sicily.

Night had already fallen and this passage offered us a beautiful spectacle, seeing both sides of the land with twinkling lights. A fairy show.

Soon we could no longer see anything. We were at sea, and we had left the coast that we had been following since our departure from Marseille and I feared that the stability of the boat as suffering. I can sense it already tonight. The cabin boys came around to make sure the portholes are closed; this is a sign that it is going to be bad. I prepared to go to bed straight away.

Monday 30th October 1933

To my great surprise on waking up this morning, the sea is very calm. I went to the lounge to do some letter-writing.

After that, I went onto the bridge, where it is refreshing. The sea was exceptionally calm. Lucky for me because I am a bad sailor.

The day passed without anything ado. We were hoping to reach Port Said on Wednesday morning at 4am and then sail

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again at eight o’clock. At midday we have sailed 24 hours and done 399 miles. The speed of the boat has increased 21 miles in 24 hours from yesterday. There are still 647 miles to Port Said.

I am more and more surprised at the way in which I can tolerate the sea voyage, one could say I’m becoming accustomed to it.

Tuesday 31st October 1933

Today the sea is unbelievably calm. I have never seen it so calm, no movement of waves. One does not have the impression of sailing since we do not move and I finish off by finding this voyage very agreeable.

This morning, as every morning so far, I woke up tired, however I have not done anything the day before. I sleep tight all night. I do not understand. It is perhaps laziness.

At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, at two-minute intervals, the siren sounds. I wondered why in broad daylight. I am on the bridge and I can see that we have gone into some fog but that only lasts for a few minutes.

Today the boat’s Captain obliged us by showing us around the command post. It is on this subject that he gave us many explanations which were very interesting and also very curious.

For example, the telephone system, where one puts the microphone on the neck, I.e. against the larynx, as like this it appears the voice has more carry and none of the words are lost. Simply marvellous!

Wednesday 1st November 1933

We have entered Port Said. I notice this on waking up. I get up early therefore, as we are leaving at 10 o’clock.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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On going into the port I was assailed by all sorts of Arabs: taximen, postcard sellers, and photographers.

I visited the town alone because I didn’t trust the Arabs who obligingly offered to show me around and it appears that after the visit they charge a lot of money.

The outline of this village and the disposition of its inhabitants is very similar to Algeria. I find the same Arabs that were in Algeria, same manner of mutual insult. It was also very pleasing to rediscover these old memories of Algeria which I left two years ago. In the port the natives install themselves in their barges, being very curious to see. Standing up, they throw a rope and tie a basket to the rope and pull it up to the boat to sell to the passengers. This is an ongoing thing. They are selling such things as carpets, cushions, etc., 50 per cent cheaper than their first price.

A little further on another native exhibits his swimming talents, diving into the water for the money that passengers wish to throw to him. He comes up each time with his prize, sometimes a long time under the water looking for it, then he puts it in his mouth. I have seen him put in about 30 pieces.

At 10:30 we pull up the anchor to go through the Suez Canal. The trip takes several hours as the canal is only 150 metres wide. On the border of the canal is a railway line with a white train going into the desert to Algeria.

At a certain spot the canal widens and forms a sort of lake. There we wait a moment because we have to let another ship pass that is coming through the other direction. The canal does not seem to be very easy to navigate and some places are not very deep.

Thursday 2nd November 1933

We are now in the Red Sea. Since yesterday at 10:30 and midday today we have only covered 217 miles. This proves that the Suez Canal did not make it very easy.

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It was already pretty hot and especially muggy. It is humid and we were not happy in this heat. Up until now the Red Sea was very calm but also dangerous. It appears it crosses many strong currents and there are reefs and sandbars. From time-to-time one can see the mountains in the distance.

Friday 3rd November 1933

Today was incredibly hot. Sure this morning we have been in the tropics. We have in fact passed the Tropic of Cancer. The atmosphere was stifling.

Tonight it was a little better on the top bridge. A slight south-west breeze coming to refresh your cheeks. The sea however was sad, habitually lit up by a beautiful blue moon. It was absolutely obscure and seemed to plunge into a deep torpor.

I remarked that it was something I had never seen before, when a star detached itself and ran from one point to another, leaving behind it a trace of sparks as if one was throwing a fire.

I spoke tonight for quite a long time with an Indian native, who was coming back after doing his studies in England. I understand that the English of England are badly seen in India by the natives. The English go to India to govern certain explorations and they are very rude towards the Indians, treating them like slaves.

It is this that shows me all these English passengers on the Narkunda are all together different from the real English who are very gentile and polite whilst those going to India are unsympathetic and very pretentious.

Saturday 4th November 1933

It is not so hot today. The little breezes from the south persisted. At midday we passed to another spot named the Twelve Apostles, so-called because there are 13. This comprises 12 blocks of different rock but grouped.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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At four o’clock we passed in the proximity of the Nanish Islands. They are absolutely arid and totally deprived of all vegetation.

At ten o’clock at night we enter the Gulf of Aden. We hope to be able to land at Aden tomorrow morning at five o’clock.

Tonight on the top bridge there was horse-racing, evidently in miniature with wooden horses that one made advance on a certain

table with numbers indicated. It was very amusing. I did it for two turns and then won 7/6 pence and that is where I stopped.

Sunday 5th November 1933

We arrived this morning in Aden at five. At the edge of the port village there are Arabs, Persians, Indians and Jews who walk the streets absolutely ragged and are a sickly degenerative people.

It is a village of 56,000 individuals comprising of Europeans.Behind the village one finds the rocks of Maalle. The tradition

relates that one of the rocks received the body of Cain (Genesis Chapter 4, Verse 16). This tomb is thought by the people of the country to be the cause of sterility of the locality.

The whole town did not seem to be too active as far as commerce went. The traffic did not seem to be too numerous. It gave me the impression of a country rigid in a sort of nonchalance.

We leave Aden at 10:30 and soon we hug the Gulf of Aden to go into the Arabian Sea.

Monday 6th November 1933

This new sea is not quite so calm. It is refreshing, a little breeze reaches up constantly. It is no longer like it was in the Red Sea.

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Tuesday 7th November 1933

We are still travelling under good conditions. A collection has been made onboard for the poppy fund in commemoration of the anniversary of 11 November Armistice Day.

At night the captain had a show of magic. He showed himself to be pretty adroit in his different tricks and we were all greatly amused.

Wednesday 8th November 1933

The wind has blown all day and particularly this afternoon. It was nearly impossible to stand up on the bridge and yet our boat was not moving very much.

Up until midday we have done 393 miles. We have lost our speed of yesterday. Because of this we will not arrive at Bombay until five tomorrow night.

Thursday 9th November 2006

We ought to arrive at our port at five o’clock but this wind has persisted and made us a little late. Towards four o’clock one could vaguely see the coast. The water has changed colour. Up to the present it was a dirty blue, but as we approach India it is becoming green.

A little later, one can see in the distance big buildings. It is Bombay, one of the richest towns of English India. A population of 1,176,000 inhabitants composed of Hindus, Persians, Europeans, Jews and Mohammedans.

The difficulty of berthing this big boat at Billiard Pier did not allow us to disembark until seven o’clock, and it is announced that we are leaving at midnight. I eat quickly and then go into town. Unfortunately it was dark.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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I had relatively little time to visit so I had to hurry because I wished to visit this village that I am curious to get to know.

I take a car which brings me to Malabar Hill. From this height the panorama is magnificent, one discovers the whole town with its innumerable lights. I come down the hill and get them to take me to the Hindu quarter. At first it is the area of the real Hindus, consisting of buildings divided into apartments, and they live a little like the Europeans. All their primitive civilisation is conserved and a little modernised. It is therefore a little further that one can see a Hindu theatre, besides a cinema that is called Hindu Moving Pictures”. At the foot of the walls there are people seated, even sleeping, on the footpath – poor devils without a house.

I arrive now in the Hindu quarter. How good it is to run around. I find it very different to the native quarters that I have seen in Algeria and Cairo. They are cleaner or rather less dirty, the roads are wide and the mentality of these Hindus – how different to that of the Arabs. As much as the spirit of revolt, deceitfulness and petty theft of the Arabs, as much as the Hindu is submissive, timid and absolutely devoid of all vice.

They are very business-like in this quarter and at the time I was passing it was nearly 10pm and certain ones were preparing their bed, which looked more like a stretcher, in their shops to pass the night.

All of a sudden my attention was drawn to a noise in the crowd. I turned and saw a sort of cortège of which at the head was a coffin covered by four men and surrounded with torches. My guide explained to me that one of the religious men had died and that they were taking him back to a certain place where, following the habitual rites, they burn the body.

Sometime after, however, I go through this place which resembles a public place. I arrive now in another quarter which

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appears much dirtier and less well-kept. This is where the Mohammedans and the Jews live. It is a really mixed quarter.

A little further, however, I find myself in the Chinese and Japanese quarter. I go to leave this native section which has greatly interested me. I wish I had longer to visit. This area has left a great impression and I have rich curiosity. With all this one smells a very agreeable odour which is nothing other than the real Indian perfume.

The Hindus do not all wear the same costume. They have a variety of turbans or costumes, individuating their caste and sometimes the province in which they live. The women are wrapped up in their clothes carrying necklaces, bracelets and silver ornaments on their feet. All this signifies the strange atmosphere of India.

I pass now in front of an immense tower which belongs to the Persians which they call the Tower of Silence. It is there that once you are dead the bodies of the Persians are thrown there for eternal rest.

A little further on, a big temple, the temple Andean of Bombay. In the front of the temple is a pool in which one goes to bathe the sick. It is what they call ‘Sacrèd water’.

I am in the middle of Bombay, in the European quarter. It is very beautiful. Several buildings adorn the landscape. They are the Place of Justice, the Elphinstone College, the university and the offices of the BB&C Railway.

I return now to the shipping port. The footpaths are covered with human beings. They are the poor Indians, without work, without house and no resources. They come there to get a bit of rest for the night. There are millions and millions in this situation in Bombay and Bombay is without doubt one of the majority of big villages who are too populated, and can’t look after themselves.

Marie-Louise Dalle

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Friday 10th November 1933

We left Bombay around midnight and we travel along the Malabar Coast, which one can see distinctly. It is calm and quiet on the boat as a lot of people got off in Bombay. There are only about 50 passengers.

Saturday 11th November 1933

This morning at 11 o’clock we celebrated Armistice… beautiful ceremony. Passengers and crew assembled on the top deck. At 11 o’clock the bell rings and all the people religiously observed the two minutes silence under a sombre sky. The ceremony finished with God Save The Queen.

The diary ends here, with no explanation.