Diary of David Bernard Harford, 1916-1917 - Part 1

A.I.F.
(1,,

[*Private D.B Harford.
51^st Battalion. Late 28. Battalion
A.I.F*]

This is a copy of Diary of my
Late Son on the Battlefield 
of France who Died of wounds
on the 31^st of March. 1917. aged 30.
years and five months.
copied by his sorrowing mother
Mrs. S. A. Harford.
Berri South Australia,
Per SS Miltrader Transport.

February noon. 13^th. 1916 Sailed from
Fremantle Western Australia
weather fine. 5 oclock whale
sighted on Port Bow.
9.p.m 14^th. Feb Weather very rough
gale sprung up early this morning
and increasing in strength as I close
this note. 9.30 15^th Feb. Weather very 
rough with a following sea.
occasional big seas breaking on board
but our hugh vessel driven by -

(2,,) A.I.F.
Engines with the power of many hundred
horses; and cleaving its way through
the big green white crested -waves with
irrisistible masterfulness.
1 pm. 15^th. Feb. During night storm reached its climax
big wave broke on Board at 8.am. compleatly 
wrecking Latrine in whch were eight men.  Killing
one man on spot and seriously injuring another
other six men injured one with Broken leg
another with Broken arm. others escaped with
bruises and scratches. wind changed at 11 am
flattening the heavy seas. 17.^th Feb Weather very
calm sea like painted ocean on a stage.
Injured man died at 7 am Buried at sea at 
3 pm;     seen ocean - Miriage at 5am
which looked like an Island with trees growing
on them. on the side of the Island nearest us was
what appered to be a Lagoon of still water
surrounded by a high circular reef with a few
stunted trees growing on them. 9 pm. Weather 
fine. 19^th ditto. 20^th. 21^st, 22^nd, arrived at Colombia
Ceylon at 11 pm and anchored outside
23^rd 6 am steamed into harbour, 24^th. allowed
ashore plenty of Niggers. nice place, but Beer
not too good. Plenty of fruit Bannas and
pine apples etc. very hot climate,

1916 (3,,) A.I.F.
25^th Feb. Route March ashore very hot day.
2 pm
26^th Sailed from Columbia Bound for Suez.
27^th 11pm Lighthouse sighted on starboard
Bow 28^th 6 a.m. Big range of mountains
about 25 miles inland (India) 29^th 1 pm. big shoal
of porpoises sighted on Port Bow. 1^st March. 3.p.m.
Shoal of 8 whales passed just in front of vessel.
prow of Ship just missed one big fellow.
Noon 2 ^nd . shoal of Dolphins. 3^rd.    4^th. passed
Group of Islands named the twelve
Apostles. Lighthouse on most easterly Island
Not a sign of vegetation of any kind
on any of the Islands nothing but barren rock
which looks like granite. 5^th. passed big two 
funneled vessel going in opposite direction
to us. Passed so close to us that we could 
speak to one another. 6^th. Inspection of
rifles, kits e.t.c. 7^th. 2 p.m. steamer sighted
far away on North Eastern horizon. 8^th
arrived at Seuz at 8.a.m.  9^th Disembarkation
delayed) at 2.p.m.  Aeroplane flew over our
vessel. Coastline fringed by Barren mountains.
10^th. Still on Board Ship, 11th. 1.p.m Disembarked
and entrained for Heliopolis where we arrived 
at midnight. 12^th.) Sunday Church Parade
Early morning. remainder of day to ourselves.

(4) A.I.F.
visited pyrimids in afternoon and carved my
name on top of biggest pyrimid. pyrimid of cheops
in the soft limestone of which the pyrimid is
built. Threw Stone over pyrimid with sling
13^th. Drill.) 14^th. route March.  (475 feet)
Visited Marys Well, which dates back to the 
Abrahams. time. had a drink there and filled
waterbottle. Passed through Avenue of
Australian Eucalyptus trees on our way home
they take splendidly to the soil and climate of 
Egypt. 15^th. Skirmising Drill. 16^th.
April 2^nd. Entrained bound for at Helioplis
Bound for Seuz. 5.p.m. arrived at Siphon
Seuz canal Awful place; nothing but
Desert everywhere. nothing but sand and 
dust as far as an eye can see. Impossible
to keep rifles and Equipment clean, when
wind blows all the Desert seems to be in
the air. April 3^rd. all old 9^th, 28^th, reinforcements
been transferred to 51^st. Battalion.
30^th, April Fatigue party of 36 men for working
Ferry on canal where pontoon Bridge is thrown
open to admit vessels to pass along. Hours are
long (12 hour shift. tucker poor and work hard

(5,,) A.I.F.
(2 a.m. tuesday trouble on Ferry owing to
long hours broken sleep. and hard work
things looked decidedly ugly for awhile
at end of shift we paraded before
commanding officer and got things fixed up
abit. we have a splendid view of the passing
shipping. big ocean Liners pleasure yatchs
and Torpedo Destroyers Suggestive of power
and speed and deadiliness in every line of
their long black sinister-looking hulls.
with an occasional Cruiser pass before us like
a panorama about every hour of the day.
4^th, Visited old Battle ground at siphon, (big Black
Beetle. 13^th, part of 51^st Battalion about 80 men
including myself sent to Teb-el-Kebar about
50 miles up the railway-line towards Cairo owing
to Battalion being over-strength. 20^th. Visited
old Battlefield of Tel-el-Keber where Lord Wolesely
and his men crushed the arabs in 1882 plenty
of human bones lying about. the old trenches are
in perfect state of preservation. 24^th. turkish spy 
shot at Light Horse Camp at Tel el Keber.
June 5^th 11.30.p.m. entrained for Alexandria
5th 8.30.am. Arrived in Alexandria and 
Embarked for England on the 18000 ton gunard
Liner Franconia. 7^th sailed for England. Two 
six-inch guns on board for destroying submarines

(6,,) A.I.F.
10^th Inoculation for Cholera, 11^th. Sunday) Funeral
Death from Spinal-meningnitis, private 
soldier of 2^nd-51^st Reinforcements. We are compeled
to wear lifebelts all day and to sleep with them
under our pillows at night; as enemy submarines
are known to be in the Mediterrenean. we are 
escorted by two Destroyers. we are travelling at
19 Knots but the Destroyer keep ahead of us with
the greatest ease and seem to play with us as they keep
zigzagging across our course. 2.p.m. Algerion
coast about 30 miles away on our port Bow.
Monday 12^th. June. 10.p.m. arrived at 
Gibraltar moonlight night with moon
in first quarter. nothing to be seen
but half a Dozen big searchlights flashing
over the water, in the Back ground are
thousands of little twinkling lights. the
lights of the Garrison town. Behing
the town is the vague outline of a great
rock outlined against the sky. the 
rock of Gibraltar. Later (midnight)
resumed our voyage entering atlantic
ocean. 14^th 2.p.m Fired  Sixinch gun at a barrel
floating in the water -a quarter of a mile away
sinking it. I was below at the time doing
some washing and thought we had struck
a mine. there was considerable excitment