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[Page 175]
Afterword
When I listed in the army I didn't know a lieutenant when I saw one, like most of those who work at farming I was very fond of books, and when this war broke, out I determined to go as soon as I could; my opportunity came when I was 19½ years old. As one can see from the mistakes made in this journal I have not had a college education, as a matter of fact I left school the day I turned 14 partly because dad wanted me, and partly because I didn't like school. Reviewing the time I have served in the army I have never regretted enlisting I have been once round the world, I have seen a bit of the big stoush. I have looked death in the face, and it was not pleasant, it has given me great experience with other men, and last but not least it was for Aussie. As a soldier I was a very poor one. On the "Bullring" the only thing I could do decently was bayonet fighting barring of course the charge on the cookhouse door. In France I was dressed mostly in tatters dirt and chats and could dig a trench very quickly when Fritzs machine gun acted as a convincer of the necessity of it. But my long shot was as an eater of buckshee stew. As for longshots out of a rifle I might have hit a haystack if it was large enough.
I have missed recording a few small incidents that occurred at different times it were impossible to record all. Once I recall, Birdwood visited us when we were at Contay and had a chat with us, no stiff necked hidebound military parade like lots of generals would have had. Decent fellow, Birdwood,. Good advice for a young fellow who is going soldering is to take no notice of what other men say but just go straight along your own way takeing no notice of neither sneers or praise. Don't confide in a strange friend too quickly he might betray you. Don't do a thing because a lot of