Series 1: Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood's Personal Diaries, 1915-1920

Description

Six handwritten diaries compiled by Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood spanning 1915 - 1920. The diaries commence on 1 January 1915 and cover the period before the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Daily entries record events at Gallipoli including the landing, the armistice in May, Lord Kitchener’s visit and the evacuation in December 1915. Subsequent diaries also record events such as the capture of Mouquet farm, visits to Buckingham Palace, conferences with Corps commanders and the armistice of 11 November 1918.
This series also includes the newspaper clippings, souvenirs, name cards, artworks, telegrams and handwritten notes that were originally interspersed through the diaries. One item of note within this series is a poem titled "Birdie" which reportedly was sent to an Australian soldier during the First World War.