Thomas James Richards, Diary No. 1, 26 August - 18 November 1914 - Part 1

N^o 1

1914

Aug. 26 ^th

Nov. 18 ^th

Arrived Columbo

No 25

Private Richards T. J.

First Division Austra

Expeditionary Force

Army Medical

England

Katamarang

July 1914
I left Sydney as Manager of
the Manly touring side on July 10^th
and played football at Inverell, after a

train journey of 409 509? miles, we played on the
following day and were defeated

by x10 to 9.  On the Wednesday
15^th inst. we played at Bridhira Bundarra
winning by some 10 to 6.  But 
Bundarra is 38 miles South of
Inverell, we had a fine lunch at
Tingah, the home of tin dredging
and got some specimens of
grass stone
On the 18^th Inverell again
beat us by some 3 to 0.  On
Sunday we motored to Glen-Innis
in intense cold, the
team went back to Sydney
but I stayed over night and
worked the town with underware 

&c. going on to Armidale
on Monday night. 

The New Zealand arrived that
night. I tried to do business
but failed. The New England
team beat N.Z for the first ½
hour but were eventually
defeated by 31 to 6. I trained
from Armidale at 4.a.m. and
arrived at Brisbane July 23^rd.
The three games that followed
between Queensland (2) & Australia
were easily won by N.Z. after
very uninteresting displays.
The war news on the 9th
August prevented me doing any
business at all. So I went
and enlisted for the front, but
the authorities seemed so slow
that I went down to Sydney
by the "Wollowaka" on
August 18th. arriving in
Sydney on the morning of the 21^st
after a rough, sea sick passage
I at once set about volunteering
for the Light Horse but after wasting
four days I found they were full up,
no further room. So Fritz Schwarz 
and I signed on with the
Army Medical Corps and went
into camp in Queens Park
on August 26th.
The first day I drilled with an
awkward crowd of fellows & was also
an awkward man too. The officers
did not know their drill either, most
of them are Doctors and without much
in the way of military knowledge,
but are never the less a splendid
set of men. 

August 25th
Fritz & I again turned up at
the Rosebery 
August. 26th.
Fritz Schwarz and I signed on
and got into the ranks to-day
after being sworn in & medically
examined. I had to got do a lot
of thinking and keep at a very
high tension to find the correct
way to turn on command.
Colonell Newmarch has already
taken a most apparent liking
to Fritz & I and there is no
doubt but what we will get
along splendidly with him. 

Queen's Park
September 1st. 1914
I have been fitted out with a new
uniform, and had a fairly easy
day. I was vaccinated to day all
hands not done during the past 5 years
have to go through it now.
The Light Horse Ambulance, camped
adjoining us, are a reserved crowd
of fellows in fact they are conceited.
I went out in plain cloths to meet
Annie Stout at David Jones, she was
looking splendidly I had dinner with
her and an enlightening two hours
conversation in Centennial Park.
I got back to camp at 9 o'clock
made my bed which is as hard
and cold as on the first night.
my neck is stiff and my hips &
shoulders ache.
Captain Poate is a much improved
instructor, it is surprising 

Sept. 2^nd
Up at 6.a.m., a wash & brush
up, a cup of poor coffee and lit
line up for physical drill, which
is fairly stiff and makes a number
of fellows squeak.
Breakfast on dried fried chops and
a little writing then parade at
9. 30 o'clock. which means we
have 1¾ hours for breakfast.
Met W.2.B. at the Quay, tea, &
out to Bondi leaving at the
Junction to return home to camp
by 9 o'clock 

Sept 3^rd 1914.
PAY DAY
£ 1-10-0.
Miss Childers & Doris McMullin
brought a hamper out to the camp
and Fritz, McKilvey & myself
enjoyed tea on the grass with these
well meaning and amiable girls
at about 6.30. It was a lovely
moonlight night. I told the girls
a story or two about the stars
and went back to camp at 9.20
leaving them to it.
My first war pay-day. I signed
for £ 1-10-0 

Sept 4^th.
Harold Baker came down to
the camp on a lovely horse &
took me away to his home in
Randwick for dinner. His wife
is nice and very young, they
were married when she was only
17 years of age. It appears that
Harold as well as the girls
Mother though she was 19 but when
her lawyers in England started to fix
up her estate they discovered their
mistake. They have one child.
We wandered around Coogee in the
moonlight & I admired it immensely
I got into camp at 10.45 after
taking off my leggings boot & socks
& leaving them, in a tree to return
for them. as I had to beat the guard. An Eclipse of the
moon was a startling kind of a
phenomenon. It xxx took 2 hours to complete
and when covered looked like a
blood red dissc. 

Sept 5th
Saturday
We fell in for physical drill at
6. 30.a.m. and drilled from 9. 30
until 12. o'clock with a lecture thrown
in; and cloths distributed. We now
have a full uniform. General
have leave was extended from 12 to
12 midnight. Bob Miller & I
went across to Manly; I went for
a walk in the afternoon and
went down the Corso with W.2.B. at night
where the band was playing. It was
my first night out in uniform
and I certainly felt very uncomfortable.
I did not know whether
to raise my hat to the number
of friends I met or not.
Left Manly by the 11.35 boat & got
back to camp at 1 o'clock. 

Septs 6th. (Sunday.)
This is the 2nd Sunday I have been
in camp, and again went to the
English Church service in the open air
The preacher with all his regalions
worried me by his one sided version
of Britons righteousness in taking
the part of the weaker nations in
the present war. The singing was
very poor. We fell in as
usual at 6.30 am and again at
9.30 Church at 10. a.m. The English
followers were asked to step forward
also the Methodists and marched off
to different parts of Queen's Park
General leave was granted from
12 until 9.p.m. I went to Manly
with the boys had dinner with
Mrs. Hynes also tea and after a walk
in uniform on the Beach & Corso
caught the 8 pm boat and got
into camp without seeing the pickets.
Monday
Sept. 7^th.
My vaccination is five days old
and and just beginning to give
me a rough time, I got out of
physical drill this morning on that
account.
Our tents were struck & aired for
6 hours to day, and the camp looks
like an African Market Square.
Captain Poath  lectured this morning on
circulation during drill hours this morning
and I regret saying I went to sleep.
I am expecting Will in Sydney from
Africa at any moment.
I have been worrying about Bert
lately as there is a good lot of news
about town written from his party.
I was "Mary Miss orderly Ann" to day, it is a
rotten game. There seems to be
something doing right through the
intervals, and as we have several
loafers in the tent it is dishearting. 

Tuesday.
Sept. 8th.
I caught the 7.30 boat for Manly
and came home by the 11.35.
arriving in camp at 1 o'clock.
My head was aching badly from
vaccination. Met W.2.B. in the Corso.
No 6.30 physical drill, all
hands on fatigue work, cleaning
up the lines &c.
The morning went by
slowly, marching, and with
stretcher drill.
Breakfast on cold tinned
beef, same stewed for dinner.
Drill & bandaging in the
afternoon. Camp at 4.40
I went up to Bondi, did some
shopping and came back to a party
tea. Two Manly girls, Doris &
Vera Childers brought tea and I
enjoyed it immensely.
Roll called at 9.50 p.m. 

Wednesday.
Sept. 9^th.
Roast mutton for dinner to-day,
yesterday we had tinned beef, cold,
for breakfast and made into
stew for tea dinner the usual bread
& jam for tea. The Commander
is tighting up all leave and it is
going to be very difficult to procure
any further time off. The fellows have, has
fellows always will, abused the good privilege
afforded them. We appear to be sailing 

in about four days time.
A quantity of gift clothing was
distributed to-day. It seems to me
that the average man has, with all his
years of civilation, raised himself but
little above an animal, as when these
cloths were given out, their eyes were as
those of a begging & anxious dog.
Brother Bill called at the camp,
he just arrived by the "Banalla" from
Africa. I had dinner at the Grand Central
with Bill. He looks very well indeed
Camp at .9.45.