Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 3]
[Transcriber's notes:
This diary covers the period from 20 March 1917 to 31 July 1917 when the 55th Battalion was engaged in trench warfare in northern France and Belgium. The diary includes descriptions of enemy bombardments, allied offensives, aerial combat, battalion casualties, military police duties, destruction of villages and towns, severe weather conditions, and army food, clothing and pay, as well as Herbert Harris's health and outlook on the war and his personal situation.
The diary also includes a vivid description of Herbert Harris's longed-for "Blighty leave" (pages 44-48), his will, written on 25 April 1917 (pages 51 and 52), a newspaper clipping showing a map of the battlefield area within the triangle Albert-Bapaume-Peronne (page 50), and several pages of lists, rosters and assorted notes.
Parts of the diary are almost in note form, with little punctuation and variable use of upper-case initial letters. Some line breaks have been introduced in the transcription to assist with readability.]
No 3077
Pt H H Harris
A Coy
55 Batallion
Anyone finding this Book with others in my Possession please forward to Mrs H H Harris 4 Hill St Hobart Tasmania also all effects
2 other diaries in Pack
Tuesday 20/3/17
very cold night last night wind blowing a gale
Rain & snow all day, guns booming in the distance
caught up with the hun at last. Had a notice up "it's a long way to Tiperary but dam sight longer to Berlin, Come on you Conquering Heroes .
Expect to shift out of this Tomorrow
owe 7d deferred Pay £22.12.0 .
Wednesday 21/3/17
By the date you would think Spring was near by the weather you'd think winter just starting. Very cold last night & again today, wind shifted a bit so it might take up. been snowing again, guns going it like mad in the right. Got Fritz again dont think he will want much more of it.
Hun graves in Bapaume 7 & more in each, must have got hell from our Artillery.
Pay 5d £22.13.0
letter from Viv & parcel from Maude wrote to Both. Back to Bat. Tomorrow