| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | AWM2020.22.286 |
| Collection number | PR89/056 |
| Collection type | Digitised Collection |
| Record type | Folder |
| Item count | 1 |
| Object type | Diary |
| Physical description | 68 Image/s captured |
| Maker |
Edmondson, Maude Elizabeth |
| Place made | Australia |
| Date made | 1940-1942; 1950 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copying Provisions | Digital format and content protected by copyright. |
| Source credit to | This item has been digitised with funding provided by Commonwealth Government. |
Folder 1 of 4 - Diary of Maude Elizabeth Edmondson, 8 January 1940 - 27 June 1942; c.1950
Description
Papers of Maude Elizabeth Edmondson relating to the life and Second World War service of NX15705 Corporal John Hurst "Jack" Edmondson, 2/17 Battalion, Australia and Libya, 1916-1956.
Wallet 1 of 4 contains four folders.
Folder 1 of 4 contains the first of two diaries kept by Corporal Jack Edmondson’s mother, Maude Elizabeth Edmondson. The diary consists of regular, detailed entries dated from 8 January 1940 to 27 June 1942. The diary is prefaced by a lengthy introduction in which Maude states her purpose in maintaining the diary: “At Jack’s suggestion I am writing this. Both he and I are to write a few lines each day if possible, or as often as we conveniently can, then later the little events and so on that I put down can be read by him.” The entries include descriptions of visits from friends and relatives, her visits to Ingleburn during Jack’s army training, her nightmares, ill health and concern for Jack’s welfare after he embarks for overseas service. Maude intersperses her diary with news of the war’s progress including at Libya. She also recalls reading an article in The Herald published on 18 April 1941 about hand-to-hand fighting at Tobruk, where an unnamed Corporal saved the life of his Commanding Officer. She suspects that the Corporal is Jack, and later receives a telegram informing her that Jack was killed in action on 14 April 1941.
Collection also contains two later entries where Maude recalls several dreams involving Jack and other relatives, c. 1950.