Digger’s diary recounts ‘hell on earth’
.After 94 years of research and historical writing, you might expect that we would know everything there is to know about the Gallipoli landings.
But the State Library of New South Wales has just proven that there is more to learn, especially on a personal level.
He describes his predicament as hell on earth but he also takes time to poke some fun and get in strife.
The library took possession of a digger’s diary, largely penned in the trenches by a young soldier from Sydney called Charles Hardy. If killed, please inform my sister, Mrs M Lawson, Newtown, Sydney,” an excerpt from the diary reads.
– ‘No toy soldier’ –
Private Charles Hardy it seems was a character, one with a gift for telling it like it was:
“Landed at Anzac 21st of August 1915 at rear of firing line. No more a toy soldier.
“Ammunition was issued today. Corporal Wilson got his head blown off. 18th Battalion got cut up.
Keeping diaries was forbidden but he did it anyway in a pocket-sized book, mostly written at Anzac Cove.”
The 21-year-old blacksmith served with the 19th Battalion in France, Egypt and Gallipoli. I waited for about 10 minutes before I fired at an old Turk to make sure of him.
“November 16. I sneaked out at night time and cut one of his Turkish buttons off,” another excerpt reads. I took deliberate aim and then bang! Over he went and never moved on.
The library’s manuscript curator, Tracy Bradford, says it is the personal, uncensored nature of the diary that makes it so valuable.
– Uncensored memories –
The 90-page tome was in private hands for decades but was just bought by the State Library of New South Wales for $5,000.
Charles Hardy was not an angel.
“His diary is very matter of fact, it’s very poignant in places, it gives a real honest view of what life was like,” Ms Bradford said.
In his diary he teaches himself French and Greek and enjoys observing the foreigners around him:
“The French troops are very funny. He describes spending three days in the clink as he calls it, for going AWOL in Cairo. I don’t care for it. They don’t get any jam so they come up and say ‘jam Johnnie jam’.
“Visited the Indian camp.
“Visited the Indian camp. Had some chap patty and curry. They think terrible lot of the Australian soldiers.
“Greeks are kicking up the devil because they are going to war soon. I think they talk too much.”
“I think that really speaks to people because it’s the unofficial history, it’s not glossed over, it’s sort of bureau speak, it’s very, very personal,” Tracy Bradford said.
“The Turks are very cheeky. We threw them some bully beef and they returned it full of slops. .
“Shooting Turks is fun to the boys but it’s death and sorrow on the Turks’ side today. In all, thousands of them killed.”
– War-inspired wordsmith –
Amid the horror, Charles Hardy tried some poetry:
“A flash and the sudden whistle of a cordite-driven ball. A sob in the clinging darkness and Private’s dead, that’s all.”
The burden of war can be felt growing heavier as the diary goes on:
“May 15. Hell on earth. My nerves are shattered. Just about dead with thirst and hunger, my God I will never forget the flies and the sand.
“November 20: I’m 22 years old and have never had such a miserable birthday. It’s terrible cold and windy. I’d sooner sell peanuts than be a soldier again.
“August 16: Went and looked at Graveyard at Lemnos Island. Was surprised to see so many poor chaps buried without any names. Nobody knows who they are. Mostly all Australians.”
Somehow Charles Hardy avoided that fate. He was injured in France and discharged.
He returned to Sydney where he married.
Government records show he was still alive in the late 60s, but little else is known.