Diary of Wilfrid Wanostrocht Giblin, 1914 - 1915 - Part 1

W Giblin
Original Diary
of
Col. W.W. Giblin, A.A.M.C.
1914 - 1915.
The Official War Historian of the Commonwealth
Government (Dr. C.E.W. Bean), after his study of the
collection of private war records preserved in the Australian 
War Memorial Library, wrote:-
"The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most
valuable historical records, but, like all private memoirs which were
not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be
regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they
are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record
accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to
indicate whether he is recording his own observations or incidents
told to him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand at the mess-table.
Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with
vivid detail, and without warning that they are told at second 
or third hand, have been found to be completely inaccurate in
important details. A certain number also have been written up
or revised long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes
made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his
experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is
and what is not likely to be historically accurate."
CLEAN, SHARP DUPLICATES
J. Walch & Sons, Printers, Hobart

48/16.
W.W. Giblin Lt. Col.
o/c 1^st Australian
Army Hospital

Nov. 2  1914

Personal Diary in duplicate
one part being sent home 
as occasion offered.

2. D.R.L. No. 1232
A.W.M.
LIBRARY
Classⁿ No. 370.9
Cat^d

Left Hobart Nov 30^th 1914 at
7 a.m. per S.S. Warrimo for Melbourne 
with 5 officers (Capts Campbell, Mattis
& Atkins, Lieut Boddam Quartermaster)
& 74 N.C.O's & men of 1^st A. Clearing
Hospital, 4 reinforcements & 6 Nurses
of A.A.N.S.
Captain M^cBeth & Chief Officer
both very pleasant. Passage
very calm with exception of some roll
round Cape Pillar, a great contrast
to the gale experienced by the boat 
on her trip from New Zealand to
Hobart. All men well with
exception of Pt Bill Nicholls, who
suffered from severe vomiting from 

acute indigestion all way across.
Working at French with Campbell
Mattis helping with pronunciation.
Men quiet & well behaved, remarked
on by officers of ship.
Melbourne Head at 3.30 p.m. - due
at Victoria Docks at 7 p.m.
Expect to have to ship equipment on
S.S. Kyarra tonight. 

Dec 1^st Arrived at Melbourne at
about 8 p.m. Berthed in Victoria
Docks next to S.S. 'Kyarra'. The
transhipment of troops effected without
delay or difficulty. Received by Col.
Grimwade, Military Transport Officer
on wharf & Colonel Martin O.C. Troop.
Ship on Kyarra. Both very pleasant.
Found that Kyarra was delayed for 
some days owing to having been
loaded at Brisbane & Sydney with
a quantity of Red Cross material &
also wool & tallow all of which
has to be unloaded also 750 tons
of coal before our baggage & the
motor ambulances can be shipped.
Dec 5^th Left Melbourne at 6 p.m.
after a tedious afternoon. Had hoped
to get away at 2 p.m. but five
life lifeboats (costing £ 1000) were
shipped at last minute & launch
 steam tug to take us out of dock
was not available till 6 p.m. Had
spent the time in Melbourne busily as
there were many things to fix up 

in connection with the Hospital, equipment,
pay &c. Dined with Capt. Campbell
(M^rs Campbell Miss M^cColl Captain
M^cBeth) at Menzies & also with Capt
& M^rs Brevis.
There was large crowd to see boat
off. Guard with fixed bayonets kept
them off till the ship was leaving the
wharf. I was allotted cabin with
Lieut Col Ramsey Smith O.C. 1^st General 
Hospital. Ship very crowded & no chance
of cabin to oneself. By successful
diplomacy I effected an exchange whereby
Major Barrett was put into cabin with
Ramsey Smith & I moved into one
with a Major G.B. Carter who is
Secretary to 2^nd General Hospital. He
is an Irishman & has served for many
years as R.A.M.C. in India. He came 
out to New Zealand a couple of
years ago & has had rather unpleasant
experiences in country practice. The
exchange of companions is a very
grateful one to me.
Dec 6^th We struck some heavy
weather today & a large proportion of
officers & nearly all the nurses are 

3.
suffering from 'Mal de mer'. All the
Colonels of A.M.C. successfully faced
their meals & the parson (Col Nye) was
the only defaulter. He was too sick to
hold service. Major Richards whom I
had nominated as Field Officer for the
day was 'hors de combat' & so I had
to take his place in inspection of ship
with O.C. & Captain. Most of the men
were sick but in spite of this the
troop decks were not extra smelly.
Major Gordon, Captains Mattis & Atkins
also rather seedy. No work done.
Dec 7^th Sea abat improving but still
too sloppy for the invalids.
Meeting of O.C. to draw up program
of work.  afterwards meeting of officers
of clearing Hospital. In afternoon first
instruction by Captain Mattis in French.
His pronunciation is very good & we
made him read French aloud &
afterwards each took turns to read some
& was corrected. Lt. Colonels Springthorp
& Maudsley attached themselves to
our French class.
Dec 8^th Sea quite moderate. Men
did the physical drill on deck. Clearing 

4.                                                                                                 
Hospital under instruction of Capt Campbell.
I lectured to officers & Majors Richards & Gordon
to men. French again in afternoon. Several 
of the other officers have expressed their
sorrow that they do not belong to the clearing
Hospital. I think we are quite the happiest
family, as there is at least one fly in
the ointment of each of the others.
Dec 9^th Day fine. Sea moderate fresh N.
wind. In addition to usual work our unit
will receive vaccine treatment for prevention of
typhoid. 1^st injection 250,000,000 bacilli. Yesterdays
run 288 miles average 12 knots per hour
Expect to reach Fremantle Friday afternoon.
Had long yarn to Major Corvin of Adelaide
an old Barts man & a very decent fellow.
He was at Barts about six years after
I was.
Dec 10^th Sighted Cape Bold Run 295 miles
Feeling very tired after typhoid innoculation
Dec 11th Quite fit again. Expect to reach
Fremantle at about 8 p.m.
Reached F. at about 8.30. No landing
Dec 12 Delay in landing owing to loading
of No 1 General Hospital being incomplete.
Did not get on shore till 2.30 p.m.
Reached Perth at 4 p.m. Called at 

Govnt House & was most warmly
received by Sir Harry & Lady Barron
Sir Harry put me up at Weld Club
where I dined. Returned to ship
for night.
Dec 13^th Sunday. To Perth with
Capt. Mattis & lunched at Gov^nt House.
Major Barrett also present. In afternoon
walked round park. Very fine.
Dined with at Gov^nt House, Barrett
also present. Most interesting talk
with Sir Harry. Slept at Weld Club
Dec 14^th Met Ernest Giblin at Perth.
In afternoon Hospital units were inspected
by Sir Harry Barron who
spoke in high [[tones?]] of praise of the
Clearing Hospital.
Left Fremantle about 7 p.m.
Dec 15^th Program of lectures expanded
including instruction in bed making by
Nursing Sister.
Dec 17 Boat & fire drill
Dined with all officers of Clearing
Hospital who were my guests for
evening.
Dec 18' Second injections of Typhoid bacillii
500,000,000 units. 

Dec 27^th We had a most amusing entertainment
this evening. It consisted of
a breach of promise case in which
Major Gray of Sydney (a very stout
man of about 50 something, like
Pickwick) was sued for damages
by Nurse McPherson of Queensland (a rather
lively dame) Colonel Springthorpe made
an excellent judge & proceedings
xx were enlivened by a very quaint 
usher (Major Argyle) two policemen
(Captain Sutherland & Lieut Boddam)
Counsel were Major Stewart, Capt
Deacon, Storey & Jury Cols Manton,

Bryant, Captain McIntosh (ship) Nurses
O'Dwyer, Gibson &c Col Nash was
called as juryman but was
challenged as being too young,
Major Barret for being too retiring,

the Matron for being too frivolous.
Evidence was of a spicy & witty
character & for first ¾ hours
things went very well. Then it began
to become too realistic insofar
as it became tedious, the court hot
& the proceedings generally dragged out too much. 

The weather has been good on the whole
since leaving Fremantle. Sea moderate
since entering the tropics. We passed 
close to the Cocos Islands about 5 7
miles from shore. We could see the
usual flat coral islands covered with 
palm trees & the heavy surf on the
beaches but no signs of the Emden
which was we thought on an island
further north of those over we passed.
The Kyarra had tried to get into
touch with the wireless station on the
Cocos which was reported to have 
been repaired, but could not get
any answer. We are therefore unable
to get the exact location of the 
wreck.
Dec 24^th Crossed the line. There was
the usual official visit of Father
Neptune accompanied by his wife,
medical adviser, nurse, parson &
numerous satellites. They performed
the usual antics which upon many
officers (Atkins & Parby &c) & men.
Dance in evening & much
late cavorting among stewards & crew.