J. A. Palmer war diary, 8 Dec. 1915-17 April 1919
MLMSS 2938
[Transcriber's contents notes :
Diary entries - Page numbers
Enlists at West Maitland 8th December 1915 - 2
Voyage Sydney to England 9th May to 23rd June - 2 to 14
In camp in England, training & leave to 21st November - 15 to 19
Left for France 21st November - 19
Arrive Armentiers 27th November 1916 - 20
Saw action---- one shell - 21
Wounded in arm 10th March; in hospital - 24
Two weeks furlough; camp in south England - 26
Rejoined battalion 26th August - 28
To Ypres 26th Sept - 29
Saw action; expresses horror at British treatment of dead - 30, 31
Passchendale, many casualties - 33
German offensive started 21st March - 37
Battalion into line 4th April -
Palmer gassed 17th April; to US General Hospital 19th April - 38
Palmer to convalescent hospital England; camp
Australia House, London opened 3rd August -
Armistice celebrations till 23rd November -
CO announced return to Australia of 2nd and 3rd Divs. 16th December - 44
Sailed from Liverpool 9th January 1919 - 45
Arrived Sydney 25th Feb - 53
Troops complain of conditions of camp at Quarantine Station, North Head - 54
Farewell to AIF - 56
Full marching order kit for AIF - 58
Lists of distances - 59
Lists of places called at - 60
Mess orderlys accounts - 61
Les Darcys bouts - 64, 65
Anzac Day - 67]
Diary of Period of Service with AIF
[Page 3]
units. We encamped for one night at the Sydney Show ground & boarded the S. S. Hororata, or to give her the war time name. A20 She was a good troop-ship with plenty of room. After the usual throwing of streamers & good byes were said we steamed off & cleared the Heads about 4.30 pm. A good many on board were down in the dumps, but very soon a new form of gloominess came along in the shape of sea-sickness. The food was horrible & very few ate any of it. We passed Gabo Is about 12 noon on Wednesday 3rd May. We ran into some rough weather at this part. We were all in a kind of dread at the thought of going through the Gt Aus Bight
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& of course the sea was rough. & got worse as the night came on We rounded the Lewin that night ∓ I thought we would be swamped. The heavy seas broke the ships hospital in & carried one of the lifeboats away. However things were calm again the following morning
On Saturday 13th May a boxing tournament was started & lasted for some time some good bouts were witnessed & where ever it p was possible the chaps climbed to get a good view of the fights We struck some heavy weather again about half-way across the Indian Ocean. But as we got closer to Colombo the weather & seas were good & seas were good & began to feel the heat of the tropics
& it improved the food a great deal. The natives that were coaling were a queer lot & absolutely filthy. They seemed to live on curry & rice They got the food in bowls & ate it with their hands not bothering to wash the coal off their hands The town of Colombo seemed a very clean place that of course was the part where the white race lived The heat was pretty solid whilst we were marching but when we got back on board ship again it seemed a lot cooler. A few of our chaps broke ship & went ashore in native boats They were caught & brought on board & put under guard. We left Colombo on Friday 26th &
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Perim seemed a very lonely spot & I for one would not like to live there. The sea was perfect hardly a ripple on it & the heat was intense In fact the tar or pitch on the decks melted. Several points of interest were passed including a big light house right on the extreme end of a big reef. Also twelve large rocks sticking up out of the water & They are called the Twelve Apostles & it is supposed that it was somewhere about this part Moses split the water to allow the children of Israel to pass over the Red Sea Also in the distance we saw Mount Sinai. We arrived at Port Suez on Friday 9th all the reinforcements were
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soon alongside & the niggers were hard at work coaling up To look down into the barges form the deck it was like looking into a huge ants nest The niggers were running up & down long planks with baskets on their shoulders they made all the noise possible to make coal dust was over every thing Whilst we were standing at Port Said the P.O. Boat Malwa pulled in she was outward bound for Australia The coaling finished we steamed out of Port Said We passed a big French Battleship & our band played the French National Anthem & the Battleship returned our salute We were escorted by a gunboat to
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that of the Hororata We lived mostly from the canteens on both boats. We steamed out of Alexandria on Tuesday 13th June with a gunboat as escort. We kept close to the African Coast pretty well all the way to Gibraltar when we were about three days out from Alexandria our escort changed from a gunboat to two destroyers. We pulled in to Gibraltar on Tuesday 19th June & C & D Coys of 34th Btn were doing submarine guard when we came to Gibraltar they dismounted us We only stayed two hours & steamed out & we had to mount guard again. Gibraltar seemed a very pretty place from the ship the town seemed to be built on the side of the great
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daylight all the way We landed in the best part of the year It was strange to us having broad daylight & seeing the farmers at work up till 10 oclock at night. We arrived at Amesbury about 11 pm & detrained & marched to No 1 Camp Lark Hill. After drilling for about a week a parade was ordered for Saturday afternoons & C & D Coys of 34th Btn refused to parade & were all put on 4 days C.B. Disembarkation leave was granted & off we went all over England some to Scotland for 4 days I went to London on July 14th 1916 & arriving at Waterloo went straight to the Y. M. C. A. & got rid of my overcoat
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to do things a different way altogether But to return to leave in London. I was lost about every ten minutes on my first leave. I had a look through The House of Parliament & Westminster Abbey & both places are beyond my powers of description. The marvellous carvings & tile work all worked into some formation representing something ancient Then there are huge paintings on the walls of the Houses of Parliament Such as the Death of Nelson. The meeting of Wellington & Blucher at Waterloo and many more such pieces of artistic workmanship Then in Westminster Abbey
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I had leave for two week-ends after that. Then King George 1V held a review at Bulford and granted us all another four days leave & off to London I went again. It was not long after this that we completed five months solid training & on the 21st November we left for France. On arriving at Le Havre we got off the boat & did what I reckon was the hardest march we ever did from the wharf to the rest Camp with full packs, 2 blankets, 2 P.H. gas Helmets, 250 rnds ammunition & reserve ration. We were a bit puzzled at first with the French money but we very soon got the hang
[Page 21]
when the platoon sergeant comes around with the order to roll our blankets in bundles of ten to be taken out to our Quarter-Masters Stores in Armentiers. That was just the Military Red Tape all over
The first week in the trenches proved to us what the real active service was going to be. Hardly any food & when we did get it, it was stone cold. We were in the line about when Fritz fired a shell that we got to know as a (minny) & blew my pack to ----. Nothing happened of any importance & after seven days in the line we were relieved by the 36th Battn. we came out to billets
[Page 23]
moved out to a camp at Jesus Farm, named after a Statue of Christ that was close by. I still remained at Brigade Hd Qrs as a runner Christmas came round & we had a big fall of snow in the Christmas morn The Battn. had a very rough Christmas dinner but at Brig. Hd Qrs we had a good one The roads all round were covered in mud & slush & pushing a bike around with messages was no easy task The period of spell being over we moved back to Armentiers to go into a sector of the line known as Houplines The 36th Battn had relieved the 38th 40th Battn
[Page 25]
said that no bones were broken & sent me on to the advanced dressing station From there I was sent to the 10th Field Ambulance where my arm was dressed again & they sent me on to the 2nd Aus Casualty Clearing Station just out of Steenwerck After a few days there I was sent down to Boulonge & from there I was sent across to England & I arrived at the Norfolk-Norwich Hospital on 16th March I was at this Hospital for about three weeks & was treated well From Norwich I was sent to the 2nd Aus, Aux Hospital Southall just out of London I was only there a few days when
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I went to Perham Downs on Saturday 15th June. I was re-classified & marked B.I.A.2 The Depot was situated in pretty miserable surroundings Ludgershall being the nearest town to us & it was a one-eyed place. I had my teeth fixed up & was sent to the O.T. B. where things got worse We were tormented from reveille to Retreat by the heads Having kit inspections & other ridiculous rot until we were glad to get clear of the place. I left in a draft for France on August 15th We had a good trip across & arrived at our 3rd A.D.B.D on 16th Aug
[Page 29]
the spell lasted. It was at this place that Brig-Gen Jobson left the 9th Brig to return to Australia & Brig-Gen Rosenthal took his place. On 26th Sept we began a march to Winnizele near Ypres The march lasted 2 ½ days. The first days march ended fairly well but a lot were sore footed. The second day we set out at 7am & finished up at 8.30pm with everyman except the mounted officers, dog tired & beat to the world. We had a good sleep in a big barn but were roused at 6am next morning had our breakfast & started out for Winnizele which was 8 kilos away We arrived at the Camp which consisted of bell-tents
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Tommys lying about dead & the majority of them had been killed with a full pack on their back. This is reckoned by all who saw them, to be a lasting disgrace to the British Army & none of them had had their personal belongings taken they just lay as they fell. One of our B Coy runners searched a few of the bodies & got each mans pay-book & had it sent to his next of kin. We had a quiet night the first one, & the second night in C & D Coys were laying a cable & when that job was finished they were sent out on an ammunition dump to work during the whole time of cable-laying and moving out Fritz put on a very heavy barrage but C Coy with
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the result. When this lot was all over the Battn went back Vaudringheim for another spell but did not stay long and on Friday 9th Nov. we were off again We got Motor Lorries again and were driven to Vieux-Berquin stayed in an old farm for a few days during which time we had, that is a few of us, fowl soup every night. We marched on again from Vieux-Berquin to the Rosignol camp, near Nieppe) From this camp the Battn went into the line. at Le-Toquet, on 21st Nov. for eight days. At the end of that time their were relieved & after a few days spell went back again and did twelve days in.
We were relieved by the 5th Brig & then went out and slept at
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to-date We stayed a Meteren until 26th January and whilst we were there I went to Q.M. Stores for awhile to take one of the chaps place that went on leave. From there we moved on to Bulford camp. Stayed there about one day & the Battn moved up on 27th & occupied a reserve line at Red Lodge for one night they camped out in the open & next day moved back to Romarin Camp. We were there about three weeks in Romarin doing working parties mostly building concrete pill-boxes. We moved up the line to Warneton on the right of Masinnes We had a quiet time taking it on the whole. For about an hour each night Fritz used to let us know that he was
[Page 37]
I was sent to the Supply Column to relieve another chap who went on leave. I had about five days in Desves & then the German offensive started on 21st March. I still stayed with the Supply Column & we did a good deal of work with rations shifting from one place to another We went from Desvres to Waton in motors, camped with the rations alongside the road from there we went back to Sercus on 24th After awaiting movement orders so went to Steenburck entrained from there to Doullens about a six hour ride We moved from Doullens to various points the A S. C arrived at a village named Behencourt after three days
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There were men of all different forces viz. Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Portugal & Italy I slept there for one night & next morning I went before the American Dr & he sent me straight of to the 6th General Hospital. When I got there they put me straight to bed again & on 28th April I was sent to England, I arrived at Southampton on the 29th & went from there to the 5th Southern Gen Hospital, Milton at Portsmouth It turned out to be a good hospital & I had a good time whilst I was there I was kept in bed for three weeks then I was put out on the balcony to sleep.. The nurses & sisters of the ward I was in were
[Page 41]
was opened by the King on August 3rd 1918 It was a wet day for the ceremony & the guard of honour was picked out from the various depots for the opening ceremony. I went into Sutton Veny Hospital on 3rd September to have an ingrown toenail cut out & was discharged from there on 5th October. Bulgaria surrendered on [no date] & that caused a lot of guessing as to when the war would end. Turkey surrendered [no date] This started the talk again & many wild rumours were afloat. Then Austria surrendered on [no date] This put the cap on it altogether & we started
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In London things were going strong. The crowd lit a big bonfire in Trafalgar Square & to keep it going they burnt some captured German Guns. They celebrated in this fashion for about a week then they calmed down again At the O. T. B. all leave was cancelled, On Sunday 17th Nov the troops that were picked to occupy the Rhine provinces started on the march to the Rhine I was put into Draft Coy. on Saty. 23rd Nov. We were warned for Overseas Draft a couple of times but on both occasions the draft order was cancelled.
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On Wednesday 8th Jan we marched out of the O. T. B & entrained at Warminster about 6 am for Liverpool where we were to board the Orsova. We anchored in the stream until about 11.30 am on the 9th Jan then we started off on our homeward trip. Considering the way in which a number of troops are handled got away better than any of us expected We struck some choppy seas & the majority on board were soon sea-sick myself included We passed Gibraltar about midday on 13th Jan The sea was very calm & taking the weather on the whole it
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with them Two of them put on boxing gloves & caused some amusement Nothing startling happened on the way through & we arrived at Suez about 2.30 pm on 20th Jan We anchored out & took on some coal. One chap was taken ashore to Hospital & some Convalescent Light Horse men came aboard Some of the men broke ship at Port Said & missed the boat One however picked us up again at Suez. At Port Said the natives did a great trade with Oranges Tomatoes & cocoanuts When the anchors were being hauled at P Said one of them was fast in the
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& the natives started to coal the ship. A large part of the men on board went ashore & a few of them played the mongrel game by causing disturbances & looting silk & jewellery Some were left behind when the boat sailed I went ashore & had a ride in a rickshaw then had a walk round the town The natives were all trying their utmost to sell us stuff I saw, what seemed to be a temple or a place of worship of some kind it was a low building with a lot of figures carved all over it & painted in lots of different colours, but I could not go inside. Of course we all had bananas & cocoanuts
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expected a few hours leave at Fremantle but it did not come off. The men that were to disembark left the ship on Wednesday morning & we steamed out of Fremantle Roads about midday on Wednesday 12th Feb Our next stop was Albany at which we arrived about 1 pm on Thursday 13th Feb. The coal barges pulled alongside but there was a bit of trouble about getting the coal on board. In the finish some of the men & crew started to work on it We left Albany on Friday 14th for Adelaide The Gt Aus Bight was a bit choppy as we crossed it & we arrived at
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coaled & took on some stores The Customs Officials went through the passengers luggage & off we went again back to the Quarantine Stn & dropped the passengers luggage Then about 8 pm on 21st Feb we steamed out bound for Tasmania. We arrived at our destination which was the Quarantine Station for those disembarking, on Sunday 23rd. It was not a long job getting those ashore that had to go & off we went again about midday the same day. We arrived at Quarantine Sydney on Tuesday 25th Feb & went ashore to the camp at North Head. After six
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pleasant as well as rough experiences as a Soldier of the A. I. F
[Page 57]
P&O Route
DISTANCE Via Suez Canal From
England To Sydney = 12473 Miles
Melbourne = 11986
Adelaide = 11396
Fremantle = 10125
Gibraltar = 1309
Marseilles = 2003
Malta = 2290
Aden = 4906
Colombo = 6999
Suez Canal F = 87 Miles [?]
Colombo To Fremantle = 3216
Suez Aden = 1308
Aden Colombo = 2093
Gibraltar Marseilles = 694
Malta = 981
Marseilles Pt Said = 1508
Population of Gibraltar
Civil 20.355 Military 6475
Captured from Spain July 4th 1704 by Admiral Sir Geo Rooke
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Mess Orderlys Money
Pd January 15th 1919 £. S. D
Cpl Lindrose 2.
Ellis 2. 0 3. strike>0
LCpl Prior 2. 0 3. 00
Pte Palmer 2. 0
McKenzie 2. 00 3. 00
Turner 2. 0
Strang 2. 0
McMillan 2. 0 3. 00
Scott 2. 0
Lowe 2. 0 3. 00
Patterson 2. 0 3. 00
Wiggan 2. 0 3 00
Miller 3. 00
LCpl Skinner 2. 0 3. 00
Bush 3. 00
Weimer 2. 0 3. 00
Mick Davis, killed at Ypres about July 1916
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A.I.F. Base. Post Office St Pancras Station Granary London N. W1
Mr. H. L. Boots 196 Cricklewood Lane Cricklewood London N.W
Bank N.S.W 29 Threadneedle St. London. E.C.2
Telegraphio Athanasian. Stock. London
Telephone. 10760 Central
7021 City
Miss L Dawson 40 Gordon St Huntly Scotland
Mslle Suzanne. Cafι de Paris Maison Francaise 16 Gt White Lion St London W.C.2
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Beat Loughrey Feb 27th 1915
Beat Holland March 18th 1915
K. O Demlin in 5 rnds April 3rd 1915
K. O Holland in 13 rnds May 1st 1915
Beat Jeff Smith on Foul in 2 rnds May 22nd 1915
K. O King in 10 rnds June 19th 1915
K. O McGoorty in 15 rnds July 31st 1915
K. O McGoorty in 8 rnds Dec 27th 1915
Beat Murray on points
K. O Dyer in 6 rnds
Beat Clabby on points
K. O Murray in 6 rnds
Beat K. O Brown on points 20 rnds Jan 15 1916
K.O Hardwick in 7 rnds Feb 19 1916
K. O. ODonnell in 7 rnds March 25 1916
Beat . K. O Brown points20 rnds April 8th 1916
K. O Costica in 4 rnds May 13 1916
K. O Buck Crouse in 2 rnds June 3rd 1916
K. O Dave Smith in 12 rnds June 24th 1916
K. O Dave Smith in 11rnds July 16th 1916
Beat Clabby on points Sept 9th 1916
K. O Chip in9rnds Sep 30th 1916
[Page 65]
Anzac Day April 25th
To Commemorate
The Landing at Gallipoli
On April 25th 1915
[Page 67]
one warning & the nigger would not go. So he fired a shot & it went clean through a case of cordial & through the bottom of the boat & needless to say the nigger was not long in moving off as if his life was in danger
There is a breakwater at the entrance to Port Said & just about the beginning of it stands a monument in memory of the Frenchman Lesseps who cut the Suez Canal
[Transcriber's note : It has been said that some of the soldiers on offering their diaries to Mr Ifould wanted to rewrite them leaving out most of the horror. This is not what the librarian wanted and he made that known, but this journal has probably been re-written from diary notes.
[Transcribed by Helen Monaghan]