Carnie, George Clark (Private, b.1889 - d.?)

Collection relating to the First World War service of 3267 Private George Clark Carnie, 8th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements, Egypt and France, 1915 – 1919. The collection consists of three original hand written diaries which give a comprehensive personal impression of three years of life in the firing line. Carnie talks of seeing his friends killed and wounded, seeing the emotional impact of war on colleagues and subsequent coping strategies. His diaries particularly reveal his strong religious practice and it’s this practice which he credits for keeping him alive throughout the war. The three diaries span from 11 October 1915 to 17 January 1919: the first diary runs through to 18 June 1916; the second covers 19 June 1916 to 6 May 1917, with loose pages covering 7 May to 7 August; and the third diary dates from 8 August 1917 to 22 February 1918, with loose pages covering 17 November 1918 to 17 January 1919.

Although Carnie was frequently under fire in France, most of his service was not spent on the front line due to cardiac related ill health. He served predominantly as an armourer. His entries are daily and detailed, describing duties, marches, billets, food, health, religion, pastimes, leave, conditions and weather. Battle locations discussed include Pozieres, Messines, Fromelles, Etaples, Amiens, Deville Wood, Fleurs, Bapaume and Albert.

On Sunday 20 May 2017, Carnie writes: ‘Warm today. After dinner went for a walk to Mametz Camp. Saw Law but as they were going to be inoculated this afternoon he couldn’t come so I went off on my own to Pozieres through the wood past where the monuments were to the chaps who fell on the 1st July [1916], round the big mine crater, up the valley to the chalk pit then along the sunken road where the dressing station was. It was blown in after we left ... over the main road to Bapume [Bapaume], then through the remains of the village to the French cemetery but did not find Les Muir or Cis Coe’s grave; a lot To Unknown British Soldier. I walked all round but never came across them. Then I set out for home. A little way on is a big monument to Officers, NCO & Men of the 1st Division and a big cross here for the same of the 8th Battalion. I only came across graves of 11 chaps of the 8th Batt[alion] identified. I think of those who lie in unknown graves the bravest of the brave, my section Sergeant, Jack Walker & men of the Section who gave their lives at Pozieres on 25 to 28 July [1916] Les Muir, Cis Coe, Archie Barber all brave honourable men … The ugliness of the remains of the places is being hidden by the green carpet. Nature is covering over the unsightly results of war. Along further on the right of road going towards Albert is a crop of little crosses marking where the heavy fighting had taken place at the start of the push. Past another mine crater on the right.’