A WW1 Soldier’s Diary

1st. Nov. 1916.

A WWI diary entry written by my grandfather during his service in France with the Australian army:

“Great indignation felt through the ranks of the Anzacs this morning when the announcement came out through orders at early morning parade that a tattoo roll call must be attended at 9.45pm in front of the Town Hall. A conference was held after breakfast to decide whether we would turn up to it or no, and on considering things, a resolution was duly passed in favour of turning up tonight just to see what would be doing. We are unfortunate to have in charge of us two orderly sergeants who do not or cannot claim to be favourites with the boys. They are what we term “narks” – that is to say – would just as soon put you in for the least trivial breach of discipline or regulation – one wouldn’t object to that at all, if their methods were at all consistent, but when you know that an N.C.O. in charge makes glaring oversights in the irregular conduct of some intimate acquaintances of his and “sticks the knife” into the other fellow for the same offence, it encourages a fair- minded individual to foster feelings of supreme contempt for him and his office.

It is one of the hardest of many military pills one has to swallow when the rank and file have to bend to the will of an unscrupulous N.C.O. whom he knows to be illiterate, inconsistent and an ignorant “bully,” not so much that he is not acquainted with his work, but that he endeavours to impress you with the fact that the disclosure of a certain rule or regulation is only the outcome of his generosity as a result of your trifling infringement, generally spoken in a tone, which galls a man’s feelings of reason and respect. Surely because that a little idea of fairness and pleasantness be expected by a man in the ranks, he need not, when gently suggesting same, be pounced on, with a coarse reproof only natural with the species of animal life. The lads turned up in force at the time ordered and these two most unpopular sergeants had no easy task to fall them in and number them off- let alone call the roll. A pronounced feeling of resentment was evident through the whole mob and their efforts to create a disturbance were partly successful . About 120 names were on the roll and when at last the chaps did form into some sort of a line, an attempt was made to number them off, but talk about a farce! Charley’s Aunt wasn’t a place in it. You must remember it was as usual at that time of night well into being pitch dark, and as the men in the rear rank heard the men they were covering declare their number they broke away, ducking their heads, doubled along to the left flank reaching and taking a position there, continuing the numbering to such an extent that the parade proclaimed themselves to be larger in comparison to the numbers on the roll.

The sergeant in charge of course was as wild as a wet hen, which only pleased his unruly mob the more and they continued their nonsense when he started to call the roll; as a man’s name was called, about a dozen would answer it, galling him to distraction, and I’m sure that everybody went nap that he was glad to get to the end of it, as the townspeople had , being attracted by the unusual noise, gathered in surprising numbers and were inclined to be amused at the behaviour of the boys and the sergeants unsuccessful efforts to obtain order. He dismissed us with a tone of sullen defiance and immediately was vigorously counted out by all, then they just as cheerfully counted out the other sergeant, after which having dispersed, things quietened down to absolute normal state. Although my sympathies were wholly with the absurdity of turning a fellow out to a tattoo at this time of night from a nice warm fire and interesting book, the way the fellows went on was a bit over the fence as it didn’t do any good and only gave the ones in charge an incentive to put in the dirt, as revenge is defined here, which intention was declared and heard by fellows (corporals) who were billeted at the same abode as the ill-used victims of an hour or two previous. I expect there will be something doing on early parade in the morning, I think one or two names were taken for disorderly conduct. It might be mentioned here that some have a good half mile to walk to this tattoo business and whatever is the reason of turning us out it can’t be wholly justifiable to the certain result by which it is attained. The Tomes are nearly all billeted in large unused houses holding anything up to 200 and of course have simply to report to an N.C.O. who is given the duty at the respective billeting dwellings. Anyhow the poor old Colonials are always getting rubbed up the wrong way aren’t they?”