| Accession Number | PR05221 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | 1 wallet: 4 cm |
| Object type | Diary |
| Maker |
Wilson, Walter Broughton |
| Place made | At sea, Australia, Belgium, France, United Kingdom: England |
| Date made | 1915-1919 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copying Provisions | Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction. |
Wilson, Walter Broughton (Sergeant, b.1883 - d.?)
Description
Collection relating to the First World War service of 966 Sergeant Walter Broughton Wilson, 27 Battalion. Collection consists of:
- Three diaries containing descriptive, contemplative and factual entries. Entries commence 31 May 1915 with transport leaving Adelaide, to 22 May 1919 having returned to Australia. Sgt Wilson was a Christian and comments on Bible prophecies and faith in God are found throughout. He landed on Gallipoli on 9 September. Entries from that time describe work and rations eg, 31 October: "between bully biscuits flies and work it has knocked a lot clean out"; 21 November: "I am still keeping well though getting like a rake on the issue of rations and water we are getting". From 1916 he is on the Western Front in the Somme region. His attitude continues to be largely positive, and he comments on farming practices; the strain of enduring bombardments; the cause of shell shock; the deplorable state of the trenches; difficulties of mud; results of bombardments; life saved by helmet; results of attacks. On a NCO's course and in hospital in England from late 1916 to mid 1917, he comments on not looking forward to going back; sees VD as the potential post-war ruin of the nation; malingerers; and Zeppelin raids. From France in mid 1917 he comments on: French prostitution; 'cruel' loads men have to carry going into the line; rather sparing mercy for surrendering Germans; many comments on war news; cost of livestock. After the Armistice he expresses the desire to live among Germans to confirm opinions which have been formed during the war.
- Two notebooks containing Nominal Rolls of 13 &14 Platoons, D Company; notes from Courses of Instruction; addresses of contacts.
- Military Pass for 12 hours.
- Notebook page, kept tucked inside the cover of 1916-1918 diary with handwritten lines from the poem 'Retrospection', by Ella Wheeler Wilcox; on the reverse some comforting lines from a hymn.
- Also included in the collection is a typed transcript of the diaries.