Woolnough, Edgar Oliver (Private)

Two diaries of No. 6371A Private Edgar O.F. Woolnough (initially 20th Reinforcements, 6th Battalion and, from August 1917, 21st Battalion and later possibly 24th Battalion), probably written up after the event. They include photographs and souvenirs, and cover the period May 1916-September 1919, documenting Woolnough's journey, training in England, service in the front line in France and Belgium, convalescence in England after injury and return to Australia. He crossed to France in August 1917, joining the 21st Battalion in Belgium, and short daily entries in the first diary describe his participation in fighting in front of Ypres in September-October (including Hellfire Corner, 'Belgian Battery Corner', Zonnebeke and Daisy Wood). His duties mainly comprised support to the engineering operations, including road making, cable and duckboard laying, trench repair and laying wire entanglements in 'no man's land'. In December 1917 he worked on the 'Catacombs' of Hill 63 opposite Messines and in mid-1918 was working on front line trenches and laying wire in the Treux/Ville-sur-Ancre/Dernancourt theatre before being evacuated. He remained in France until April 1919.