Diary for George Lush Finlay, 1918-1919

Lush Finlay Diary

Army Book 136

(1034) Wt. 15512/M1397.   450m. Bks.  4/17. B M. & S.

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 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 any 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."

Nov. 23rd.  Arrived at
PRISCHES today having
marched from MAZINGHIEN
a village about 8 miles
W of Prisches.  Marched
to Mazinghien yesterday
from Bohain leaving
Bohain at 7am. 
Prisches is not damaged
at all as it had not
fighting around it, being
taken in the last days 
before the armistice
We move tomorrow to
the AVESNES area and
whether we go on from
there on to Germany we
do not yet know.
We understand that we
do not know
The people in Prisches
are quite charming, their

houses being much cleaner
& better built than those
in the villages in the
Somme area.
All the civilians are
delighted see us and
refuse to take money
for the numerous cups
of coffee which they insist
we drink. Today, we
were given three cabbages
by the woman in whose
house we are messing
but she would take
no money in payment
but accipted a couple
of tins of bully in
exchange.
They have been and still
are very short of food
and according to one
voluble madame, lived
mainly upon the American
Relief Commission stuff

when the Bosche was
in occupation.
Prices before we came
were extremely high sugar
costing 35 francs a kilo
We see no papers nowadays 
Railhead being quite a
distance behind us still,
owing to the dislocation 
of the railways. Letters
are scarce too.

Nov 25^th
Marched from Prisches
to Avisnes yesterday
about 10 miles. Move
on to Sars Poteries (about
10KM) tomorrow. Avisnes
quite a nice town 
Civilians not yet in
full possession

Nov 26^th Arrived SARS
POTERIES today at 3p.m.
Battalion billetted in a large 
factory near the railway station
at which is a huge dump of
Bosche ammunition with
which the French kiddies are
having a great time blowing
off their hands & legs.
Billets are good. Am in a
butcher's shop which boasts no
meat.
People very kind and very
glad to get rid of the Bosche
who practised all their little
jokes such as making young
girls work on the fields.
A number of girls were taken
to farm - S^T Quentin area
& made to sleep in barracks
with the men.
Expect to stay here 6-7 days

Dec 16^th Marched from
SARS POTERIES to BARBENCON
in Belgium a village of
about 750 inhabitants.
Rather surprised to find
that they were rather surly
and that they had had
- apparently a good time
with the Hun. A rotten
little village. Distance of
march 13 miles, weather
extremely wet.

Dec 17^th Moved to Walcourt
7½ miles from Barbencon
very picturesque village
the old portion being built
on a steep hill & wall
around. A rather ancient
church which had had 
its tower knocked off
by the Hun in '14 because
a French sniper used it

Dec 19^th  Stayed a day at
WALCOURT & moved 
onto BOUFFIOULX a
suburb of CHARLEROY
7KM out. Four thousand
inhabitants. Very
comfortable, weather damnable
Extremely cold yesterday.
Men marched well Distance
13½ miles. People very kindly
disposed. Had a bad
time with the Hun.

Dec 27^th Prince of Wales. visited
billets today. Shook hands
with him. Very nice boy
unaffected.

Dec 29^th  Go on leave to England.

Jan 17  Returned last
night from England. I had
a good time. Spent a
lot of money Saw a good
deal of P. Returned to
Bⁿ to find it reduced
to two Companies. Draft
of 127 1915  men go on
Sunday Australia. Expect
to get away by March
easily.

Jan 19^th  Today 3 Offs & 130 ORs
marched out from the Bⁿ
to return. This is the first
big break and it was
rather a rotten business
saying goodbye to men
we have known & fought
with for 2½ years. After
tears were even shed by
men who in their time
have killed German

[* I  DRL285 *]

    14
    14

    26
      6
    32

  (32)
  (28)

W  | V   |  M |  W |  V |  M  |  W  | V  |  M  |  V    M |  W |
67   107    5     93    91   -15    87    71   -24   79    -8    90
65    95     4    95  [92?] -9    81    79   -14    75   -10   92
63   101     2     97    91   -13    85    77  -10    79    -4   86
61     95     4    99    95   15    79    73   -12    75    -6  103
65    97     2   107    93    19   83    79   -16    79    -5  107
71     95    10    93    91   -32   85    83  -20   83    -7  105
77    93    -9   84     93    -9   87   85   -16    81   -11   105
79    95   -13   93     87  -19    83   81      6    75     2   114
77    91     -3   97     67  -17    89   71      8    85  +22   45
81     87     1    97     61   -27   87   77    11             32   85
85    93    11    99     65   -31   91    73                   42  241
81    95      3    97    71    -29  86   81
77   95     -1    95     69   -25          79
        91     -3   81      71    -29
        91    -15

27^th

  Mess Tins                                        Lectures

  O'Coats & colour patches           Changes in Strategy

  Iron Rations                                   & Tactics

  Blankets                                          System of  Supply
————————

  Syllabus

             Inspection       {  Hair }
                                        {  Boots }
                                        { Equipment   }    ½ hr
                                        {  Arms }
                                        {  Clothing }
                                         { Overcoats }
27^th
               PT in billets                                    ¼ hr
               Rifle Exercises                               ¼ 10 mins
                                                                       _______
                                                                          1 hr
                                                                       __     

EF - HI - JK  LM MN