This page has already been transcribed. You can find new pages to transcribe here.

Transcription

[Page 8]

Great Britain once more.
My happiness knew no bounds. What would I not have given at that moment for a bit of friendly wilderness where, unseen, I might vent my joy in some mad freak in order to allay my expected feelings which were well nigh uncontrollable. My heart beat fast but I tried not to let my face betray my emotions. I am quite sure not a few of our boys felt just as happy as I did.
I arrived at the Esher Auxiliary Hospital Surrey, on the afternoon of the 17th. The Matron was the presentation of kindness, she gave me a bed in the best ward & in fact almost made me feel uncomfortable through her attention. That evening, while being introduced to a distinguished lady visitor, the Matron said-: "Mrs --- allow me to introduce to you, one of our brave Colonials." With treatment such as I have mentioned, the Australians in England could have nothing but praise.
Next morning when I awoke, the outlook from my bedroom window enabled me to grasp the fact that I was really home, & not in the trenches. It was that of a soft velvety lawn where the grass ever wears its springtime colouring, of a silvery lake whose tiny wavelets sing eternal music to the whispering breeze, of expanses of pastureland, invested by most lovely groupings of trees & groves.
Often have I thought as I gazed upon the scene, what a wide contrast existed between that happy English paradise, & the shell battered trenches of Gallipoli.
Worst Day
Many stories have been written about the Landing on April 25th & some of them are no doubt very good, but speaking from my own experience, I am inclined to think that the majority of writers in their narration, seen to omit a few of the little incidents which would help the reader to almost imagine he was on the scene of action.
Below, I give a few extracts from my Diary, which I wrote from memory a few days after the Landing.

Current Status: 
Completed