and a description

"Then came the day when we were drafted to the sea-going training ship, H.M.A.S. "Sydney". We had our own boy's mess deck and sleeping deck, but during the day we had to work with the able seamen in whatever part of the ship to which we were detailed. So all the jobs hated by the AB's came our way. Chipping rust, painting and of course "holystoning". Holystoning was rubbing a piece of sandstone about six inches square by four inches thick on a section of the upper deck which had become less immaculate than the remainder. The quarter-deck was always a prime starter in the "holystoning" stakes. As it was at the after end of the ship where, in a harbour, the Officer of the Watch paraded up and down during his time on watch, we were continually under his watchful eye. First the deck was wetted down and then fine sand was sprinkled on it. Then it was down on your knees for a couple of hours or so, kneeling on whatever you could find to kneel on, and broken only by a "smoko" of ten minutes half way through. Holystoning was a favourite punishment given by the Commander for minor offences committed by the boys. No wonder the Quarter deck was always spotless. "