In the Southern hemisphere, P&O ships took part in the first Anzac convoy which departed from Australia on 1st November 1914. Besides men and munition, animals (mules, horses and camels) were transported great distances in merchant ships. Some 83,870 horses were carried from Australia to India in BI ships alone.
By the spring of 1915, over 2.5 million troops had been transported by sea. Each one of them had learned to cope with cramped accommodation (squeezed in bunks in ‘tween decks’), seasickness and intensive training - all at sea and all under the constant threat of attack.
