Diary of Mervyn Ernest Hazen, 1917 - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.2
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

Cl PUB BFAPPONNTHE Nome Mervyn. E. Hazen Addres. Garrawonga Victoria. Hustralia In the event of this Diary being he kindly retun to above addres DIAPVAND NOTEBCOK MCNNI
TELEPHONE NUMBERS NAME. TELEPHONE. ADDRESSES. Miss. B. Rockett, N1. Water Lawe Salisbury. Mess MCoultas. P.O. Hcalby W. Scarborough i M. Steel. Burniston Rd Scalby. "M. Vayro. Ashcliff Holberck Will. Scarbaough Mr Gewaacl C. P. Office. Ceally Wr. Searboough
ronomical and other Not reat Britain; the times Rising and Setting and other Astronomical date ar CN Greenwich Mean Time and for the Meridian of Greenwich and during the operation of the Daylisht Saving Bill the times siven must be allexed according wy. 1827 31 Days TANGARY TMONDAYLL 36 Circumcision Stock Exchange clogg New Years Bay spen in roih tone or advanced out past, myself & 3 makes for Kation Hatigu for outhort. & hour (3) ti s) heapy fboyptardment by our eary & 48 hopum fors tnoss driver fivm his trunches cauped sept finder s shak srone very cold & muddy. camgthie. Mnd up to knees going into heyches. New years we Iruth fuly Tnady E2 TUESDANYAAT 3631 Htill of outpost Ration Fatigne relived at 0 Pp1fy 28 Battation Moved fack Fluch & cacaped all nght lon verry fhyady on way out up to nees mathes
JANGARY ist Month 1917 3 WEDNESDAV 1S-362) Shiee in lon trch (wood mne of retions Releeved from Coun Grenen about moved back to camp Comalties Led tanl fom Bustrata also parest pb ATTHURSDAV A-36rI stayed in tut all Day no fatigues 44 1917 37 Days JANUARY S.FRIDAVIIS-36) Dividends due Statyd in Hut all Dax. 43 Called out to go on cmmunition fatian up to sinchy - o meles ffrom Camp Sprshed 30 P.M. at Eaytl of Lavn followed by realy reci O. SATURDAV.IO BS Kpiphans p at 5 AM. to go on Engeens fatiane Carrying tumber gven Heynquartels to Rose ece Resenvd 5 /2 wiles back to camp 43 30 AM.. 4.30 P.M. called out on Tatque carrying Duck Boards laying new track to new fout 4 Wlle trip Bact to caut 714 p
1st Month 1847 JANUARY TGunoar pi 38 Cipiphany pst at 6.50m rport to th Baylay Yards 8 Am. On Bautge building up embarknent I ft ngut nealso Barrong Tinshed up abe 3. P.M. S MONDAVTIEESSN Plough Monday OKull Moon, 7. 42 a m. Sames as Sunday Day. Drew 40 oRanes a 1617 31. Daysi JANGARYI LS-TUESDAVSESSO Christmas Fire Insurance ceases Lup B.9.M. No. Fatigues ftanca in Het till 30 POr then moveduf t 10 cowr such on way pp to pout hue T0 WEDNESDAVTTOFESS) if noe already done send in axident resistration form tayig in Dugonty all tay 4034 lared but to bo ono Fadigue0 Dug. tly enc Sopx 3/49 ched about 10 30. P2 Mate C6 myer sent back to gaump as wostmaker
JANUARY 1st Month 282 IITHURSDAN, OY-SSII Hilary Law Sittings begin ot stay Dugont tilt Whev move of p Front line. My hat n atache t H. A Stay. Duchped coupmtd fu. fet for sunken road. I shen went on Building Dugant for boy N.G. Worked frvr 1818n 4 tuo 6 B0 A 1.113 knowed all nyght Sheruaptipory by Enemy A2. FRIDAV.he-3SS Or stays in Beep bujons fall o Chy hage map till 530 t mobed ntagain to continue work worked till $650403. very cold all mane also at on Patone upto spiete mruch f as alaim paid of tewven E Hound man expausted stuick en Mid. French blown inr flsh whead of us. 1817 31 Daye1 TANUARY 18SATUROAV A My Bart hday (23 yrs of age wentfoat ab 2 P.M. Dewarked on ay gouts till 7 Pn came i for tea out again at & worked caco 1160 then rretered on account of darkngrs out doam at 3 A.M. n woed till 1AM. 14 Shelted extra heavely 2 Casuathes Ta SuneapAS and after Epiphany Left Dughet to continue work t & tenshea got at 3 co anl illa all day by 22 Batt Relieved St7 ored tack to low vuuch i u pot. stayed allongt
JANUARY ANN 1947 Fruday, 1914Jo MO Htarted Barade . Felli att 9/50B M. f. Dismissed at 10.30 Tell the Againe at 1 ispresseds at 330P1 IG. TUESDAYLRE-3 (Last Quarter, 11. 42 a.m. still in low truck Mspe at 5PM for Adeland ot po self teabily at 10 nft wnte.a Ha fur samout Adaide a about 8P 1917 131 Days. JANUARE I7FWEONESDAVUIV hovedoff from Addlarce tat about 10Am. for Station entraied about ventidaty arriving at Meriu about Mumana to Mu ay Libermont I8 THURSDAN ISPI Went Hully for Bath & Gadie 94 1 Got Buckshe feed stak from Lushalg Corkig br Smuch fam one to Biefet att
 

Printed Poem - see original document
 O JOY OF DAY BEGUN

O JOY OF DAY JUST DONE

LESSENING THE

TIME BY ONE.

P. Burke Marston.

 

UNBORN TO-MORROW,

AND DEAD YESTERDAY!

WHY FRET ABOUT THEM,

IF TO-DAY BE SWEET?

Omar Khayam.

 

Charles Letts & Co

Diary Publishers

By Appointment.

Name Mervyn. E. Hazen
Address Yarrawonga
Victoria. Australia 
In the event of this Diary being    
lost kindly return to above address 
DIARY AND
NOTE BOOK
MCMXVII

 

TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

NAME. TELEPHONE.


 ADDRESSES.
Miss. B. Rockett, No  1 Water Lane Salisbury.
Miss. M. Coultas. P.O. Scalby Nr. Scarborough
   “    M. Steel. Burniston Rd. Scalby.    “
   "    M. Vayro. “Ashcliffe”  Holbeck Hill. Scarborough
Mrs Yewdall C/o  P.Office. Scalby Nr. Scarborough  

 

1

1917  31 JANUARY

1 MONDAY 

New Years Day. spent in Front line on
advanced outpost, myself & 3 mates on 
Ration Fatigue. for outpost. 1 hour (2 till 3)

Heavy bombardment by our Heavy V 18 Pounders
Fritz driven from his trenches. Camped
on seat under 3 sheets Iron very cold. & muddy.
no Casualties. Mud up to knees going 

into trenches. New Years eve, Trench 

fairly muddy.

2 TUESDAY

Still on outpost. Ration Fatigue, relieved at

6.30 P.M. by 20th Battalion. Moved back
to “Cow trench“ & camped all night 
very muddy on way out. Up to knees
No casualties.

 

2

JANUARY 1917
3 WEDNESDAY 
Still in "Cow trench" (Good issue of rations)
Relieved from Cow Trench about
6.30 & moved back to Camp C
No Casualties
Received Mail from

Australia also parcel from

Mater
 

4 THURSDAY 
Stayed in Huts all Day.
& night. no fatigues 

 

3

1917 JANUARY
5 FRIDAY
Stayed in Hut all Day. 4.30
Called out to go on Ammunition
fatigue up to Ginchy - 5 miles
from Camp finished

at 10.30 P.M.
Fall of Snow

followed by heavy rain
 

6 SATURDAY 
Up at 5 AM. to go on Engineers
fatigue. Carrying timber from
Headquarters to "Rose XXXX
Reserve 5½ miles back to camp
10.30 AM. 4.30 P.M. Called out
on Fatigue. Carrying Duck Boards
& laying new track to new front
4 miles trip. Back to Camp
11 P.M.

 

4

JANUARY 1917
7 Sunday
Up at 6.30 AM report to 

Railway Yards 8 A.M. On "Banjo"

building up embankment

for next line (Also Burrow)

finished up at 3 PM.


8 MONDAY

Same as Sunday 7th

Pay Day. Drew 40 Francs
 

5

1917 JANUARY
9 TUESDAY 
up 8 A.M. No Fatigues.

Stayed in Huts till

4.30 PM then moved up

to "Cow Trench" on way

up to front line.

 

10 WEDNESDAY

Stayed in Dugout all day

4.30 Called out to go on

"Cable" fatigue. Dug 

Trench 500 [[yds?]] x 3 ft x 7ft.

finished about 10.30 PM

Mate (C Myers) sent back

to Camp as bootmaker.

 

6

JANUARY 1917

11 THURSDAY 

Stayed in ^cow trench Dugout till 6.30

then moved off up to

Front line.

My Mate & I attached to

Coy H.Q. Staff. Dumped equipment in

Dugout in "Sunken road. & went on

Building Dugout for Coy H.Q. Worked

from 8 P.M 11th till 6.30 AM. 12th

Snowed all night. Shelled Heavily

by enemy XXXX
 

12 FRIDAY

Stayed in Deep Dugout all day

(The Death Trap) till 5.30 then moved

out again to continue work. Worked

till 6.30 AM 13th Very cold all

night. Also went on Fatigue

up to "Spectre trench" to get

gas alarm. Mud up to [[?]]

found man exhausted, stuck

in mud. Trench blown in just

ahead of us.
 

7

1917 JANUARY

13 SATURDAY 

My Birthday (23 yrs of age)

Went out at 2 PM & worked

on dugouts. till 7 PM. Came

in for tea.  out again at

8 PM & worked till 11 PM

then retired on account of darkness.

out again at 3 AM. 14th worked 

till 8 AM. 14th. Shelled extra

heavily. 2 Casualties.
 

14 SUNDAY 

Left Dugout to continue work at 11 AM

& finished job at 3 PM. Heavily

shelled all Day. 

Relieved ^by 22nd Batt at 7 PM

& moved back to Cow trench in

support. Stayed all night.

 

8

JANUARY 1917

Friday. 19th Jan

15 MONDAY 

Started Parade. Fell in

at 9.30 AM. Dismissed at 10.30

A.M

Fell in Again at 2.30 PM

Dismissed at 3.30 PM.
 

16 TUESDAY

Still in Cow trench, Moved

off at 5 PM for 'Adelaide' Camp.

Myself leaving at 3.309

Calling at Y.M.C.A for Parcel

eventually arriving at Adelaide

Camp about 8 P.M.
 

9

1917 JANUARY

17 WEDNESDAY

Moved off from Adelaide Camp

about 10 AM for

Station. Entrained about 11 AM

eventually arriving at Mericourt

about 8 P.M. Marced to Billets

at Ribemont

 

18 THURSDAY

Went to Heily for Bath & Change

of clothing. I got Buckshee feed

of steak from "Australian

Dump" Cooked by French

Madam. Home to Billets at

6 P.M. 

 
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