Tesch, Labracht Fredwick Charles (Sergeant, b.1893 - d.1950)

Papers of No. 451 Sergeant Labracht Fredwick E. Tesch (1st Battalion), comprising two original personal diaries (for 1916 and 1919) and two hand written notebooks on signalling. The 1916 diary begins with summaries of his experiences following enlistment in October 1914, especially fighting at Gallipoli (including the landing on 25 April, the Turkish attack on 18/19 May and the battle of Lone Pine). After describing his signaller training at Zeitoun (Egypt) in early 1916, the diary proper documents his service in the front line in France and Belgium, initially in the Hazebrouck/Bailleul area (from mid-April), then in the Albert/Somme theatre where he participated in the Battle of Pozieres, and later in the Ypres Salient and the Somme again (referring to Fricourt, Dernancourt and Marmetz). The diary describes his signalling duties manning telephones, and laying and maintaining communication lines during fighting. The diary for 1919 (in 1918 format) describes his return to Australia. The notebooks contain technical notes on radio procedures and equipment.