Diaries in the VWMA
Diaries are a tremendous resource for learning about the experience of war for those who fought it. While there are many published diaries from servicemen and women, families have uploaded many more to the Virtual War Memorial.
These are in a wide variety of formats: some are simply scans of the original handwritten diaries, while others are typed with explanatory comments added by an editor.
Diaries are arranged by conflict. If you are aware of any we have missed, please email us at schools.program@vwma.org.au
Boer War
George Wilson - Typed, Boer War 1901.
World War I
Walter Allen - Jan-July 1918 (killed at Hamel). Typed, not much detail.
Lorna Backhouse - Typed. Nurse in Egypt 1915.
Edward Cairns - May-Oct 1915, KIA at Gallipoli. Typed.
John Coventry - From enlistment Nov 1916 to return 1919. Typed.
Hedley Cullen - Typed, from embarkation to death at Gallipoli in August 1915.
Frank Dunstan - Typed, 1916-1919. Supplemented with maps and supporting materials.
Leslie Dunstan - Typed, interesting from a stretcher bearer, all through 1916-1918.
Arnold Easther - Typed, two short entries around day of death (Sept 1916).
George Gilham - Photocopied handwritten, poor quality images. 1914-1919.
Robert Haines - Handwritten with accompanying typed transcript. Jan-April 1917 (KIA).
Melvin Harrigan - Typed, 1915-16 Light Horse and Australian Flying Corps.
Rowland Jones - Typed transcript of 1917. Quite brief entries.
Charles Kirkham - Typed and handwritten, very cursory entries.
Fredrick Emil Ledin - Handwritten and transcribed, 1916-1919. 59th Battalion. Over 200 pages, very detailed.
Ernest Limbert - Handwritten 1917-1919, but fascinating end matter - letters written, reflections on gas bombardment etc.
Albert Leslie McFarlane - Typed covers 1915 from enlistment to end of year. Contains some images
John McKenzie - Only single-page extracts of handwritten diary, very difficult to decipher.
Alfred Muston - This diary covers the period 3rd June 1916 to 8th August 1916, the first period of Alfred’s war.
John Noakes - Typed, extensive 1915-19.
James Nowlan - Gallipoli, handwritten.
Thomas O'Brien - Handwritten, 1914-1916.
Victor O'Connor - Typed with editorial expansion, 1915 (also includes letters).
Patrick Ohlstrom - Western Front, handwritten. Also accompanying animation.
Arthur Oxer - Short diary on Gallipoli, handwritten.
John Leslie Partridge - Embarkation to 30 April 1915 at Gallipoli. Includes training. Typed.
Percy Pelham - Scans and typed transcript with photos. From embarkation in Dec 1916 until Sept 1917 (KIA).
Clemens Reiners - Jan-July 1917, typed, with good details.
Herbert Vincent Reynolds - extensive collection of diaries and letters from Gallipoli and the Western Front
Thomas Schofield - Typed, diary covers most of 1916.
Claude Schwonberg - transcribed with images of original handwritten pages, 1915 - 1917
William Spurling - Photocopied typescript, 1915-1917 (died of wounds).
Gilbert Stephenson - Typescript, New Guinea/Rabaul Sept 1914-Feb 1915.
Leslie Stirling - Typed, Oct 1916-Oct 1917 (KIA). Quite detailed, lots on the weather. Typed.
Lyell Swann - Typed, 1916-1918. AFC. Died in aircraft accident 14/11/18.
Reginald Telfer - From Gallipoli to Villers-Bretonneux 1915-1918. Huge typed collection of diaries (over 300 pages). Very detailed.
Hurtle Gordon Williams - 1915 diary of his time in Gallipoli. Typed
Combined World War 1 & World War II service
Percy Saunders - A beautifully presented transcription of personal diaries of his service across 2 conflicts complied by a grandson " Happy on the Service". Typed manuscript - 302 pages, includes maps and images. Exceptional.
World War II
Horace Baker - Typed transcript (? possibly summary) 1940-45. Deals with operations in Egypt, Lebanon, New Guinea and surrounds.
Claude Bibb - RAN, served on HMAS Sydney. Diary Jan 1940-Feb 1941. Handwritten but clearly printed and very legible.
Keith Edmonds - Comprehensive typed diary. RAAF, POW in Changi and Japan.
William Stanley Hancock - WW2, Written.
Gladys Leila Green - WW2, Signal Woman, Typed.
Robert Macdowell - RAAF WW2, covers 1945. Handwritten.
Vernon Ignatius Dillon McMahon WW2 Army, transcribed and typed by son Peter McMahon. Impact of war. Images. Life after war.
Henry Milton Robinson - WW2, Army, May 1940. Typed.
Samuel Ross - WW2, Typed, 1940-1945.
Stanley Trigg - WW2, Typed, 1941-1944. One line a day.
