Diary of John Henry Llewellyn Turnbull, 1918

Turnbull, John Henry Llewellyn

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Places	Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Messines Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Ypres Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Lille, Armentieres Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Pas de Calais, Arras Europe: France, Picardie, Somme Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Albert Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Amiens Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Corbie Albert Area, Corbie Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Corbie Albert Area, Morlancourt Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Peronne Europe: Ireland, Dublin Europe: Ireland, Munster, County Kerry, Killarney Europe: United Kingdom, England, Greater London, London
Accession Number	RCDIG0001110
Collection number	PR91/015
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	File
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	104 Image/s captured
Maker	Turnbull, John Henry Llewellyn
Place made	Ireland, United Kingdom, Western Front
Date made	1918
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918
Copying Provisions	Digital format and content protected by copyright.

Description

Diary relating to the First World War service of 1295 Driver John Henry Llewellyn Turnbull, 5th Divisional Ammunition Column. This is the fifth of six detailed diaries transcribed by Turnbull after the war and documents his experiences in 1918, originally written 1 January 1918 and 31 August 1918.

This diary covers Turnbull's leave in England and Ireland in February 1918, the Spring Offensive with Operation Michael in March in great detail, remarks in the loss of manpower on both sides of the fighting line, the role the often depleted Australian forces performed around Albert, details how Australians recaptured Villers-Bretonneux in April, the American involvement in the war, the use of tanks, and the Australian involvement in the battles of Amiens, Albert and Bapaume in August. His last entry is on 31 August 1918 on the eve of the Australian operations at Mont Saint-Quentin and Peronne.

Also included in this diary are several anecdotes including an Australian soldier pretending to detonate a hand grenade in order to clear a room of fellow soldiers and get closer to the fire, Australian soldiers who had raided the deserted buildings of Amiens wore silk women's underwear and long dress pants into battle, the downing of Baron von Richthofen on 21 April 1918 and of William John "Snowy" Evans' role.

Three newspaper clippings are included in the diary: an article on the use of the Lewis Gun by C.E.W. Bean, an article on Baron von Richthofen and who bought him down, and an article about the landing of British troops at Y Beach at Gallipoli in 1915.