Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, April 1916 to June 1917 - Part 1

1/6
Kindly return to
F.S. Gray.
76 High St
Hobart
Tasmania.

O.H. Gray.
2552 A.M.C.
3^rd Aust Fd Amb
30 Mar. 16.  Retd to Claremont.
25 May 16  Left C.
29 -  Entd Broadmeadows.
12 Sept.  Left Broadmeadows
Wareham Dorset
Parkhouse Salisb.
2 Jan. 17  Etaples France.
Amiens
Albert
Ribemont

12/4/16.  Just retd from week-end
leave, spent at Bruny x Westbourne.

Have been back a month in Tas.
a fortnights furlough & then back to
camp.  Expect to leave shortly, &
had final leave, Tom & Oll are thinkg.
of going in the F.A.U. to Eng. -
Arthur is in London.
17/4  At home Sat - Very wet, could
not go down to N. Bruny Show
Went to Berwyn & Baradincts
Father came out aft. train Sund.
a glorious day - after the rains
20.  Went into Town with patient
& arrived home for tea.
21  Caught Waldemar at 8.30 &
went down to Bruny with Father
Henry busy with show.  rather wet
steady rain in afternoon.
22  Tom came down for weekend,
from Sandford - North
Bruny Show - a fine day, it
passed off well - [[Rumure?]] called
in with passengers I retd to Town
by her.  xxxx xx xxxxxxx
asked us xx for xxxx -
23  Went to Meeting, & to dinner
at Devonshire House - tea
at Rowntrees - Uncle T. has a
bad cold -.  Missed 9 train
thinking it went at at 10, & so
had to catch ten train, &
walk 6 m. to Claremont - a
nice night, but was warm on
reaching Camp.  At midnight.

26/4/6.  last 2 days very wet
several tents blown down.
3/5/16.  Very windy.  8 AMC leaving
to morrow - No word when I'm going
Tom & Oll decided to go in A.M.C.
Oll still up at Kempton -
9/5/16.  Official news that the Austns
are in France.  - Recd
31 letters yesterday from Egypt. -
Mostly home news from Nov. on.
Stewart Gibson came into camp.
as relieving Doctor, with rank of captain.
21/5/16.  Heard yesterday that C. Bushby
& I may go this week, go from B.M.

with first lot.
22/5/16.  Oll & Tom came into camp
to-day & after a little bother got
papers etc fixed up.  They will come
into the A.M.C. to-morrow.
26/5/16.  C. Bushby & I are on our
way down to Rosevears on the Rotohoharna
Came thro' to L'ton on the night
mail & breakfasted with Ida &

Fred Smithies & FK Heyward.
Rang up "good bye" to "Westbourne"
& Ida yesterday.
27/5/16.  Had a pleasant trip
across in Rotohoharna. quite calm.
a large number of passengers
came across down to Rosevears in tender
Arrived at Heads about 7. & shortly
after had to stop & reverse engines
nearly ran aground on Beacon.
A thick fog enveloped everything
till 10.30. proceeded up Harb. & reached
Wharf at 1.30.  Left Kits at Barracks
& went out to H.J. Beale's at Hawthorn
Hazel. Margt & twins well.  Hazel took
us. (C Bushby & I) round to see their new
house.  Joe Howie came to tea. retd
at 9 PM & slept at Sturt St Barrack
28/5/16. Sun. After breakfast. walked
into City, & at 11 went to Meeting, Spoke
to several Friends.  Caught train
out to Glenferrie & went to Howie's
for dinner.  Mrs Howie well.  I went
with them to Charles Howie's in aft.
& had tea there.  Retd to town &
met Charlie B. & back to Sturt St
to bed.

29/5/16  Left Sturt St. at 8.30 &
went to Barracks to report.
I called in at Homeo Hosp. on
way & saw the Matron.  Had
some trouble in finding where to
report, but eventually got a pass.
&c to the Clearing Hosp. Broadmeadows.
Had an appointment with Herbt Beale
at 12.30.  C & I met him & W Findley
in Flinders St. & he took us to lunch
at the Comml Trav. Club.  After a
good meal we viewed the City
from the Aroof of building & then
a walk round the block, saw
that Bulgarians had invaded Greece,
We parted & C & I came out to
B. Meadows, arriving in a cab at
the gates at 5.30.  Reported &
turned in after tea.
30/5/16.  Had a look round Camp.
Reported to Office & gave particulars
Parade of all returned.  "Overseas" men
at 2 PM.  Met Sweeney who went with
me on "Runic" -  In evening 8 Tas.
AMC who left this morning
to go by the Morea returned to
Camp.  They had had all preparations
& embarked for Eng. & then recalled.
Hear that no troops were to travel by
her as she is a mail boat.
31/5/16  One of the Tas. 8. suffering
from Measles, all the others are
isolated in Contact Camp.
3/5/16.  Week^end leave,  C. Bushby & I go into
town AM.  Hear about big naval
battle off Jutland, 14 British 59 German
boats lost & about 10,000 lives lost.
Dinner at Rest Home & visit Art Gallery
& Museum.  I went out to Caulfield
3PM to the Warburtons, very nice family
introduced from Y.M.CA.  Spent the
night there,  After dinner, took tram
4/6/16  to Armadale & found the Pearces
Mrs P in bed with influenza.  I saw
a wild Squirrel at Caulfield,: it is
being opened up by new electric
trains.  In evening took tram to
G

Glenferrie & walked to Joe Howie's, where
I found a note on door, to go to
Alf Howies home.  I reached there at
9 & after supper caught tram to
Princes Bridge. & last train to Camp.
It had been raining & things roads were muddy
Walked a mile from Station.
6/6/16.  CB & I walked to Station & caught
3.30 train - Yest. cleaning & disinfecting
a ward.  Went route march this
morning.  Had tea at Rest Home, went
to Homeo. Hosp., & Pictures - Walked
round Block, to Cathedral Rooms to
supper & caught 9.30 train.  Had to
wait at Essendon an hour, had supper there
7/6/16  News came through of Sinking
of Hampshire & loss of Kitchener & his
staff on their way to Russia - terrible. -
"Disasters never come singly" -
8/6/16  A parade of all men in Camp
& a message from the King read - then
the Dead March played by band &
the "Last Post" by buglers - More
rain, & everywhere frightfully muddy.
CB & I go on night duty in #3 Ward
24 patients, influenza etc.  There are
2 meningitis cases - have been several
deaths lately.
11/6/16  Heard that Will Howie was
coming down for week-end from Castlemaine
Went into town by 9.45 train, spoke to
several Friends at Mtg.  Geo Clarke - C Howie
& wife - Edith Sayce & F Longmore.  Walked to
stn with E.S. & came out in train to Hawthorn
Alf H. on Stn to meet a Fd. - Walked to
Laves St & then back to meet W.H. who missed
me on way.  In aft. took 2 tram rides to
Richmond & train to Hawksburn to Sayces.
I retd by 5.30 train & caught B.M. reaching
camp by 7.10.  On night duty.
15/6/16.  Off night duty -.  Stretcher drill.
17/6/16  CB. & I went into City by 9.15 train.
Had tea in town & walk round.  lunch
at St Kilda Rd. - Mrs Alf Deakin asked
if we were free to go motor trip - We left
Base Hospital at 12.30. - in a 2 seat

2 seat car. driven by the owner, & his wife.
Through Melbourne & out into suburbs,
passed Heidelberg & Diamond Creek -
The workings of a gold mine close by.
Passed through green country, hilly, &
reminded me strongly of Tas. - Many
orchards, apples lying in heaps on ground
Passed WG Gray's nursery, Allwood,
Going down hill to Diamond Ck a puncture
& stopped for ½ hr, a convenient place,
might have been worse.  A French man,
a despatch rider was with us, Arrived
at Cottles Ck 3 PM. & entertained by residents
in a decorated barn, nice bunch - about
100 returned Soldiers present, 2 or 3 char a [[?]]
& 10 or 12 cars. - Retd in a Fiat Car,
a splendid run in 25 m. in a 1¼ hr -
Road was sticky with recent rain, one car
climbed the bank & had to be left. - Reached
town at 6. had tea & se went to Rickards,
8 to 11,  Then we hunted town for a bed,
& finally secured a room at Vic. Coffee Place
at 12 PM.  Slept until 9, hot bath & breakfast
in town - Went to Botanical Gardens
[*TOM'S DEATH 20/6/16
(died 19th)*]

& enjoyed the glorious day there, till 1 PM.
Walked along Yarra Bank - I went
out to Hawthorn to Hazel's, they were
getting settled in their new house.
To Burke Rd & up to Anderson S Rd.
Saw FK Howie, & - Beale - Retd to town
at 9 o'c. & met C.B. at Flinder's St. retg. to
Camp by 10 train.
18/6/16/ Heard from Father that Tom has
Meningitis - poor old Thomas, I do hope
it is not severe, it is a terrible thing to get.
Father will be dreadfully worried.
20/6/16  Heard today that dear old 
Tom passed away yesterday - Poor
Father, how they will all feel
his loss.  Why is it that such a
bright young life should be
taken?  He did his duty nobly.
21/6/16  I felt I would like to see someone
I knew so, went into Kensington
in evening to Longmores.  They are
very nice, I had a pleasant evening
Fanny L. had asked me to come
some evening.  Went in to town
with her & her sister Doris to bring
home her father.

30/6/16  Have been on ward duty for a
week day duty 0 7 to 7.  The 14^th AGH.
is going to be formed shortly - Hope I
am going soon.  Heard from Home
& several friends - Went in to the
Longmores this evening - had a pleasant
time including a ride into the City
in the car to bring her father home.
31/62/7/16  Into town with Charlie B. in
morning - wet.  Went out to Mrs Howies
in afternoon. & spent an enjoyable
week end, Alf H. & May H. are jolly.
Mrs A. Howie came on Sunday ev.
Went a walk along the Yarra on Sun
& came into town in evening.
4/7/16  Leave, went into city & out to
Hazel Beale's, they made me very
welcome.  they are getting straight
in their new house - twins are well
6/7/16  On night duty. - There is a
probability of our being sent with the
14^th AGH now forming - no definite
news of when we would otherwise be
leaving, & no certainty of getting back
to our old units.  The Hosp expects
to leave next month, I am tired
of this comparative inactivity, so
welcome any move.
9/7/16  Miserable weather for Camp.
raining steadily, camp a sea of mud.
Heard that Oll has put a to be transferred
to Broadmeadows to go on with me.
C.B. & I on his wish put in to go with
14 AGH.  I am one of those selected & he is
left, will see the O.C. in morning re. his
coming or our going back to our ^new unit.
16/7/16.  I went on in to the Domain
with 40 others, The Domain is a
fine camp, sand, very clean, the
14^th was quite a model unit, &
by time it finishes training should
be good.  I had leave one night, on
Thurs. was on guard at night.  On
Friday recd word to report again
to Broadmeadows to go back to my
unit per Orontes on 16 Aug - it is
more satisfactory, altho' I had
some regrets at returning again

to Broadmeadows,  Came out Fri.
afternoon, & reported.  Got a week end
pass.  In evg. went in to the Longmores
at Kensington & had a pleasant evg
going in to City in car with F.L.
& her sister to bring her father.
15^th Sat. went in 9.15 to City & met CB.
spent till 3 PM in town - Then went
to Mtg House to a childrens party,
a good gathering of Friends.  Had games
etc. & tea at 5.  Left at 6 30 &
caught tram to the Howies where I
spent a pleasant week end.  I had
tea Sunday ev with the Sayces, &
Rita is at the Melbourne Hospl.
Joyce Walker was there also.  Came
right thro' from Balaclava to Bm
10 PM train.
17^th/7/16  Went into City in aft. to
the Base Hosp on business, spent
the afternoon in town & retd 8 PM
20/7/16  Has been raining again
& the camp is very muddy - Leave aft.
went into town 3.30 train. raining
lightly - streets very miserable.  Came
out to Kensington to Longmores.  Fanny L.
was out ^until 9. but I had an enjoyable evg.
Invited to evg. at CH's on Sat. but will
be on duty.  Received telegram from
21/7/16  F.O.G. saying that he is coming by
Rotomohana Sat.  Must meet him, expect
he is sent on to join me, or other Tasmns
22  On duty at night went into town AM.
met "Rotomohana" - Went with O. to Vic. Barracks
In aft. retd to Camp.  O. is sent on.
but this PMO doesnt know whether he will
be able to go with me.  O reported at Camp.
23/7/16.  Went into City with O. & to Mtg.
Met several. Fds.  Mrs Perle invited us
for next Sunday.  Went to the Clarkes at
Toorak.  GE Clark keeps a private school
Went out in the aft. with Isabel Clark
& a friend to the Violet Farm. retd to
Camp 6-8 train. in time to go on
night duty. -