The Diary of Hilton Lamond

B Coy -13th Bn - (13th Reinforcement) 4th Brigade AIF

Transcribed by Glenn McIntyre.

Preface

This transcript is of an Australian Infantry soldier's personal diary of his experiences in World War One. Archival records of his Personal & Service particulars are quoted. They give an outline of his family background & his prewar pursuits thus enabling the reader to have some perspective of the diarist. Also quoted is a synopsis of his Service outline that may help clarify some of the places and events referred in the diary. This information is set out in 'Research Notes ' following this introduction.

The diary consists of one notebook written as continuous narrative, not daily dated entries. It commences on 9/01/1915 and ends at Pozieres approx. 18th August 1916 when promoted acting CSM. The notes are quoted verbatim except where original spelling /grammar might make understanding difficult. In these cases minor adjustments are made for clarity. Also where possible, historical cross- references are made to identify particular events. Any such transcription notations are made in bracketed italics. e.g. [Pozieres].

Research Notes

Name: Hilton George Lamond
Rank on discharge: Warrant Officer Class Two
Regimental Number: 4226
Age on enlistment: 21 years and 7 months
Place of Birth: Rozelle, New South Wales
Occupation: Bedstead maker
Marital Status: Single
Address: same as next of kin
Parents: Eliza Jane and Charles Lamond, 10 Belmore Street, Rozelle, NSW.
Later 629 Balmain Road, Leichhardt, NSW.
Religion: Church of England
Service Outline:
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Sydney from 29th Infantry Regiment (Militia) 9th August 1915 and to camp Liverpool. Embarked Sydney for the Middle East with 13th Reinforcement group for the 13th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Division per HM transport A60 Aeneas on 20th December 1915. Disembarked Alexandria and to camp Heliopolis, Egypt. To B Company, 13th Battalion at Tel El Kebir, Egypt, 4th March 1916. Promoted Sergeant 19th March 1916. Operations in France and Flanders from early April 1916 near Fleurbaix. Acting Company Sergeant Major 24th August 1916. Wounded in action Mouquet Farm 29th August 1916 with shrapnel to head. Evacuated to England per Hospital Ship St David from Boulogne 4th September 1916. Admitted King George Military Hospital Stanford seriously ill 6th September 1916. To Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield 23rd January 1917. To furlough 7th February 1917. To Perham Downs Depot 16th February 1917. To Weymouth Depot 22nd February 1917. Embarked Devonport per Transport Themistocles 4th May 1917. Disembarked Melbourne 4th July 1917. Discharged Sydney medically unfit 31st July 1917.

Remarks:
Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal 1914-1919.
Described as 65-25 inches tall, 126 pounds in weight, chest 34.5 inches, fair complexion, grey eyes and fair hair. Died February 1922.

Diary

Volunteered as guard at the German Concentration Camp, Holdsworthy NSW. Started on Jan 9th 1915 and served till August 9th 1916. Joined AIF on August 10th 1915 went to Holdsworthy Camp on August 23rd. Stayed at Holdsworthy about a month and then transferred to Liverpool to complete our training. Left Sydney on December 20th 1915 with 13th Reinforcements to the 13th Battalion on H.M.T. [his Majesty's transport] A60. SS Aeneas.

Did the straight run from Sydney to Suez, stopping only once for a few minutes in mid-ocean to bury a chap who had died of illness. Had a fine voyage all through and arrived at Port Suez about 10PM June 15th. Stayed on board ship until the 17th and entrained for Seito at 2AM on 18th, very slow going. The train carriages were like cattle trucks.

Wednesday 19th January 1916
On the 19th we had a free day and most of us made for Cairo, a distance of about 6 miles from Seito. Altogether spent a very enjoyable day, especially myself who had not imagined a place like this. The days following the first were mostly confined to ordinary drill and short route marches through Helmich, Materieh, Zeitoun, Heliopolis, Palais De Koubek and other places also across the desert to the Waterworks. Having made up our minds to visit as many of the places of interest as possible. I will give the dates that we visited and the places we went to. On Sunday 23rd Jan 1916 we went into Cairo and caught a tramcar out to the Sphinx and Pyramids, fare cost us 1 Piastre (21/2d). Arriving at the terminus we hired donkeys and rode round them, wondering as other people have wondered how these marvelous things were erected.

Sunday 30th January 1916
Drill was the daily routine until Sunday 30th January 1916 when we again set forth to Cairo. Having heard of a place called the Petrified Forest we made up our minds to go there. Having hired donkeys, which cost 15 Piastres, we started on our ride, soon leaving the city and coming onto the desert. After having gone about ten miles the donkey boys told us we were where the Petrified Forest was supposed to be. There was nothing to see but the desert all round. When we came to search around about we found plenty of petrified wood, so I presume there must have been a forest there many years ago. I still have a piece, which I picked up and will try to hang onto. From here we rode a distance of 2 miles to a well which is called Moses well. This well is let under a mountain and is so cool as in an ice chamber. After this long ride we felt pretty stiff and sore but quite all right in a couple of days.

Monday 31st January 1916
The next day I had my platoon out a fair distance from camp, drilling, when an officer from the Camel Corps rode up and told me that the Egyptian reserves of the Camel Corps had mutinied and were making in bunches for Cairo in bunches. He directed me to take my men across to Helmich and drive back any of them that came along. After we had been waiting 10 minutes about 40 of them were seen making towards us. We had no rifles or bayonets, our only weapons being entrenching tool handles whilst most of the Egyptians had long heavy sticks. By working a good bluff we managed to turn them back to the Camel Corps. I was left with 2 corporals and 23 men to look after them later on had 54 more handed to us to guard. In the afternoon they were all flogged, each of them getting 20 lashes and some extra. Big Sudan blacks that I could see did not mind the job carried out the flogging. I felt a bit sorry for them, as there was always a groan when they sat down but it was the best method of checking anything they did wrong.

Monday 13th February 1916
We went nowhere in particular until Sunday 13th February 1916 when we paid a visit to the Zoological Gardens. Here there is a fine collection of animals and the giraffes, rhinoceros and hippopotamus are worth seeing. They also have a few kangaroos and wallabies that were brought over as mascots by the troops.

Saturday 19th February 1916
We paid a visit to the citadel, a very old and historic place. This place can be seen miles away and is very large. Some of the buildings in it are used for hospitals and others for storage of ammunition and various things. There is one very fine Mosque in the grounds. Nearly everyone that comes to Egypt visits it. One has to either hire a pair of slippers or take his boots off to enter so as not to damage the carpet, which is one that cannot be seen every day. In another part of the grounds is a barbed wire enclosure in which Turkish prisoners are kept. The next place our attention was drawn to was the museum, which we visited next day. It is a very interesting place having a great collection of mummies, statues and old jewellery.

Saturday 26th February 1916
The following Saturday 26th February our trip was to Rhoda Island. To get there we hired donkeys and rode to the River Nile and then got on a punt, which took us over to the island. Here a guide showed us the exact place where Moses was supposed to have been found in the bulrushes. Pharaoh's house and garden were also supposed to have been on Rhoda Island.

Sunday 27th February 1916
On Sunday 27th we went to what is called the Moosky in Cairo. It is a kind of bazaar where silks and many other articles are sold by the natives. A person would quickly be broke if you paid half as much as they asked for their things.

Monday 28th February 1916
The different reinforcement companies were split up to join different battalions. Some of the 13th were sent to the 13th and others to the new 45th Battalion.

Saturday 4th March 1916
We entrained at Helmich in open trucks and proceeded to Tel-el-Kebir and joined up with 13th Battalion. I was given temporary rank as Sergeant with B Company. Tel-el-Kebir is the battlefield of the British and Egyptians about 1885. Relics of this great battle are still to be found and trenches and redoubts to be seen.

Friday 14th March 1916
A drill competition was held by the battalion. After some fine drilling A Company won by a small margin from B Company, although some reinforcement NCOs lost their rank. I managed to retain mine and was gazetted Sergeant on March 19th. The Prince of Wales paid a visit to Tel-el-Kebir on Wednesday 22nd, he ordered a half-holiday for all troops in camp. The boys gave him a great cheer as he passed them. 4th Brigade Sports followed next day and the team that had won the drill competition before won again, beating teams from 14th, 15th, and 16th Battalions.

Sunday 26th March 1916
On Sunday 26th we left Tel-el-Kebir on route march to Serapeum a distance of about 50 miles. The first day we did about 10 miles and bivouacked at Mas Mor for the night. Next day's march was pretty solid. Our heavy packs were great burdens and the sand was ankle. None were sorry when we arrived at Moasca to camp for the night. I don't think there has been many marches as bad as the third day from Moasca to Serapeum. The heat, sand and shortage of water were terrible. Men dropped put all along the route and none were sorry when at last Seraphim was reached. Some of the stragglers did not arrive till late at night. We had very light work and plenty of swimming for the next few days to allow us to get over it.

Tuesday 10th April 1916
We went out range shooting. A dust storm sprung up which lasted three days. We thought it was going to be a Klamseen, which generally lasts for 50 days. Klamseen, meaning 50.

Sunday 14th April 1916
Wounded Turks who had been captured in small scrap on desert were brought in by waggon.

Wednesday 25th April 1916 - Anzac Day
A day which will live in history. It was a general holiday in the morning. Memorial Services were held and many old chums were thought of then. In the afternoon a Carnival was held on the Canal and a good programme was got through.

Wednesday 2nd May 1916.
Inspection of 4th Brigade by General Godley GOC 2nd Anzac of which 4th Brigade is a part.

Tuesday 22nd May 1916
The 13th Battalion was inspected by General Monash. The battalion turned out fine, dressed in Australian uniform with helmets as headdress. This inspection we believe to be final before leaving for France. Later in May the new 4th Division was inspected by General Murray.

Thursday 31st May 1916
We entrained at 6PM and arrived at Alexandria about 5AM 1st June. Embarked on Troopship Transylvania later in morning.

Saturday 2nd June 1916
Left Alexandria and had a good trip across to Marseilles arriving there on Wednesday June 7th. The people on the wharf gave us a great reception. Marseilles has not got a big harbour. All the surroundings are extremely pretty. There is one building which can be seen far out at sea. It is built on the top of a hill and has a large golden angel on the top of the town. We disembarked about 4PM and marched to the railway station where we entrained and left on our journey north about 5.30 PM. The reception we got at every town and village we passed through I will never forget. Every person, old and young gave us a wave of the hand or hat. We were not in France many hours before the boys had made up their minds that the French people were a grand race. A race to be respected. (I got a pansy from a girl in Guvisy, 20 miles from Paris.) I am sure Australians will treat them like they would their own people. I did not imagine that France was half so pretty as it really is. One never tired of looking out the window at the scenery. The land is all cultivated. The red poppies, cornflowers and others that grow wild along the hedges and on the fields make the place look beautiful. The train journey took about 56 hours and we arrived at our destination (Bailleul) in the early morning of the 19th June. After detraining we began to march to where we were to billet. We had not gone more than a couple of hundred yards along the road when we saw 5 French aeroplanes overhead. They were flying towards the front. A few minutes after we heard our first sound of battle. The enemy had opened fire on the aeroplanes. Shrapnel was flying all round them and the smoke hid them from view but am sure none of them were hit. We only had about half a mile to go to where B Company was to billet. It was a fair sized farm and it was not long before all were fixed up with sleeping accommodation in barns and other out -houses. We are about 8-10 miles behind the firing line. The big guns can be heard plainly. They have continued to boom since early morning so I think there must be a fairly good scrap on. The small village we billeted in is named Steen Je; the Germans at one period of the war were in possession of it. The night of the 10th and morning of the 11th there was heavy firing on the frontier. It was raining through the night and flashes of shrapnel could be seen in the sky and the roar of the guns and rattle of machine guns plainly heard. The morning of the 13th the battalion held a Memorial Service for Lord Kitchener [Field Marshall -British Secretary for War]. In the afternoon the great and popular Australian General, Sir William Birdwood [General Birdwood was actually a British officer who commanded the Australian Corps] visited the billets and gave a short speech to each company telling them a few incidents that happened to the boys in the trenches.

Thursday 14th June 1916
Today the 14th is the only dry day we have had since our arrival in Steno Joe. We had a short route march in the morning and rifle exercises in the afternoon. At about 8 o'clock in the evening we had an alarm. The battalion turned out in the Village Square in about 17 minutes.

Sunday 17th June 1916
We left our billets in Steen Je on 17th June to take up our position in the reserves. The distance was about 10 miles and we had to march and carry everything with us, a fair load. The roads were hard and our feet got pretty sore. We had so much marching on the sand in Egypt that we had almost forgotten what a hard road was like. We left Steen Je with 10 minutes interval between each company. When we came to the River Lys we broke up into platoons and went across the bridge two deep. The reason for this was that the enemy is known to have the range and have caught troops by shellfire before when crossing. Gas helmets are always to be carried by every person as the Germans send gas flying round any old time. The night before we arrived here the place was filled with gas and a couple of civilians killed. Each day and night one hears bombardments and sees the Aeroplanes fired at. Equinghem is the name of the village that we are billeted in. The night we arrived here we had a gas alarm about 12PM.

Thursday 21st June 1916
We started to send our first draughts to the firing line. I was sent with 5 others on the 22nd and started and stayed till the 23rd. The shell that landed anywhere near us was just before we got to the 5th Brigade Headquarters about 2 miles and half from the firing. This one killed a cow in the field and apiece about an inch thick hit the sergeant in front of me on the helmet. The helmet saved him. We were given a guide from the 5th Brigade Headquarters to take us up. Things were fairly quiet until we got more than halfway up the sap. A Taube [German Aircraft] flying overhead must have spotted us and given their artillery the office. We got a pretty warm shelling from there on. We had to double up with our noses nearly touching the ground. On arriving in the front line which was not as we expected (trenches) but merely breastworks. Things again were quiet for about an hour when they let go shrapnel, coalboxes, whizbangs and aerial torpedoes. They kicked up a terrible row but we were well on the duckboards and no one was hit. I stayed there for 24 hours with only a couple of casualties. The worst part of it was the gas alarms. We stood to twice with our helmets on but fortunately the wind did not favor the gas and we were not attacked. I again went out to the trenches on the 25th with a party of 5 others. I only went as a visitor to see young Jack and Phil Lithium. We arrived there about 1 o'clock and things were pretty quiet till about 3 o'clock when a terrific bombardment started from our side. After they had had their say Fritz started to straffe and he made the place a regular hell. The shells and bombs were simply raining over us. I only saw three casualties but was not looking for much, I was jammed in behind the sandbags as close as I could get. One of our party was only in the firing line an hour when he was hit in the chest with a piece of a high explosive shell. I got a piece on the boot from the same shell. I wondered where the next was going to lob. We had made it up to leave at 5 o'clock, which we did and got a pretty heavy shelling going down the sap. Luckily the rest of us arrived back safely to Erquinghem. The 13th Battalion took over the trenches at Bois Grenier from the 18th Battalion about 12 midnight on the 28th. The bombardment and rain made it very unpleasant especially as we had to keep moving bodies of men about to different posts, a dangerous game.

Tuesday 3rd July 1916
We have had a fairly hard time since coming. Fritz has woke up, so have our chaps and we are in a pretty hot shop, although we have lost only a few men. The dread of our boys is an infernal bomb that the Germans throw just over our parapets. It makes a terrible row and sets everyone trembling. This bomb is a regular flying mine and weighs 220lbs. Let's hope Fritz has run out of them for the next day or two, but am hoping too much. I suppose. In the section that our battalion has taken over we have to be always on the alert for gas, as it only takes about 8 to 10 seconds in a 15 mile wind to come across to us. One part of our line goes out like a half moon from the rest. This is called the Salient and is about 80yds from the German trenches. Behind this we call the Chord line, a place that is pretty dangerous for bombs. This is our platoon position. Last night, July 2nd was pretty hot stuff, our part was to keep up a heavy bombardment while the 14th Battalion raided. The raid was very unsuccessful, only 17 coming back from a party of 80. Altogether it was a very unpleasant night. I don't think Fritz got off too light either. Occasional bombardments are the only happenings since. On quiet nights we always have patrols, wiring parties and covering parties in No Mans' Land, the land between our lines and the Germans.

Wednesday 4th July 1916
I went out with the wiring party and Jack with the covering party. Both are dangerous jobs as at any time one might be seen. They send up flares, which light up the whole ground. When these flares go up one has to stand stock still with face to the ground and then its chance whether they see us or not. Our own battalion is very keen on doing this wiring as it was in bad condition when we took over.

Friday 6th July 1916
Today is 6th July and we thought we would be relieved tonight by 15th Battalion, but were mistaken. We will have to wait longer now. None of us will be sorry when we do go out, as we are all pretty dirty and need a bath, haircut and a good sleep. Sleep being a luxury we get little of, only what we can snatch through the day. The last couple of nights have been fairly quiet and I hope tonight will be the same. I don't want to be caught out in No Mans' Land in a bombardment. It's bad enough with machine guns and rifle fire. The wiring parties on July 6th did not come off; we were to have a bombardment instead. We had ninety 60 lb bombs to throw over but were unlucky only one being thrown. Fritz threw some himself and his first smashed our trench mortar. A lucky shot I think but it gave him the best of the deal.

Saturday 7th July 1916
Bombardment of Fritz 's trenches by our artillery and Stokes mortars. Fort Brideaux knocked about a little. Fritz did not reply very much.

Sunday 8th July 1916
This morning July 8th we had great news of the Russians capturing 12,000 prisoners, 400 Officers and 40 guns.

Monday 9th July 1916
The night of July 9th I took a party out (two men and myself) to cover the wiring party, we stayed out from 11.30PM until 2AM. I think we had a narrow escape from being spotted as Fritz sent over a number of flares right near us, besides playing a searchlight on us for half an hour. All night he seemed nervous and kept sending over three or four shells every quarter hour, which made me wish I was back inside.

Tuesday 10th July 1916
The last day in for 5 and 7 Platoons. They get relieved by some of the 24th Battalion. 6 and 8 Platoons have to wait a day or so longer. The ditty I am entering was made up by Private L Sinnamon in the trenches."
AIF Nominal Roll

Doing his Bit
Have you heard of the 13th Battalion?
Have you heard of the work that they do?
How they watch for the Squarehead Rapscallion
And the next day exists without stew.

Someone has mistook them for Wowsers
So no rum has appeared on the scene
So they crouch and they cower in their dugouts
And wear quite a mystified mien.

If exhausted one falls in his dugout
And drops off to sleep for a while
Along comes a Corporal grousin
And stirs up the poor soldier's bile.

He is hauled out to work like a nigger
And to slave in the bays and the sap
For as soon as his hand leaves the trigger
His shovel starts altering the map.

So it's stand to all night till the morning
And work through the day till the night
Till they long for the day that is dawning
When rum rations coming to light

So passer-by have a pity
And throw in a few cigarettes
For he who composed this ditty
And who kindness never forgets.

So a hero's tale is ended
And the hero now is dead
For shock killed that hero splendid
When he saw his ration of bread.

And a cornstalk now is lying
In the sodden fields of France
No doubt he'd have lived on Bully
If he' only had a chance.

(Duckboard)

Wednesday 11th July 1916
Last night half our company was relieved. It was very quiet night, the quietest we have had here. Tonight, all going well our half will be relieved by the 29th Battalion at about midnight. We marched straight back to Erquinghem to billet for the night. We arrived there about 4AM and turned straight in.

Thursday 12th July 1916
We again started out at 1PM on a march to Steen Je and arrived there at 7.15PM footsore and weary. Next day at 10AM we left Steen Je and marched to Bailleul to entrain. We were in the train about 6 hours but do not know where we alighted. At any rate we set out on another march of about 11 miles arriving at billets late at night in a village called Domart. It is somewhere in the Somme district. We are now in a mobile division and by the way we are getting hurried about each man should be in an automobile.

Saturday 15th July 1916
We are still in the same billets but so as not
to get too lazy they took us out for a six or seven mile route march.

Sunday 16th July 1916
We expect to leave Domart but we may not, attended Church Parade in the morning. Left Domart at 1.30 on march to Naours, 9 miles our next billets.

Monday 17th / Tuesday 18th July 1916
Still in billets at Naours and doing a short route march daily to keep fit. We expect to do a good deal of marching in the general advance.

Sunday 23rd July 1916
We have been doing plenty of marching the past week and all are feeling fit. On account of the absence of No 7 Platoon sergeants both being hospital I have been made Platoon Sergeant of that platoon.

Tuesday 25th July 1916
We left Naours arriving at Rubenpre the same day.

Thursday 27th July 1916
Left Rubenpre arriving Warloy-Baillon same day.

Sunday 30th July 1916
We leave tonight to take part in the advance. We have square pieces of tin on our backs so that our Artillery can distinguish us from the enemy. All we are carrying is our equipment ammunition and arms.

Thursday 2nd August 1916
We are still at Warloy-Baillon not leaving on July 30th as was expected. A and C Companies boys went out to do salvage and fatigues and have not returned yet. Yesterday 4 German planes flew over our billets, the first we believe for 2 months. I hear that three of them were brought down.

Saturday 4th August 1916
We left Warloy-Baillon at 9PM & arrived at Brickfields at 12PM. Brickfields is just on the hill from Albert. Here we bivouacked for the night.

Sunday 5th August 1916
Germans shelled Albert in the morning. Albert I think must have been a fine place at one time, but constant shelling has ruined it. What was once a fine cathedral is now in ruins. On top of the tower is a bronze figure of the Virgin Mary with Jesus as a child in her hands. The tower was hit by shell sometime ago which knocked figure into a kind of diving position. The people have it that the figure will fall the day that the war ends.

Monday 6th August 1916
Still at Brickfield & occasional shells come over from Fritz but are doing no damage. They are causing much laughter among the boys, most of them being duds. During early hours of the morning we had a gas alarm but nothing came of it. When we were preparing to leave Brickfield Hill Fritz shelled the hill we were on & we were lucky in leaving in time to escape some big shells. Arrived at Tars Hill after an hour's march & bivouacked for the night. We were shelled out of our beds about 1AM the following morning & had to take cover in a communication trench.

Tuesday 7th August 1916
Left Tars Hill at 8AM & took up our position in reserves in Sausage Gully. This place is one mass of artillery & when firing nearly deafens one. Our artillery now seems far superior to that of the Germans & God knows they must be having an awful time for our boys are having it pretty hot. Large numbers of prisoners have been brought in the last couple of days, captured by our lads during the advance. So far our battalion has not been detailed to take part in an attack but we are sending out fatigue parties to dig communication trenches. Also we take rations to the men in the front line. We lost about 20 men today. Well my ink is finished so I will have to carry on the diary with pencil. [Indelible pencil]

Wednesday 8th August 1916
Our company again on ration fatigue. In the night the 15th Battalion had to attack & we had to stand by ready to support them. They got their objective but had to retire from half of it on account of the Tommies on their left failing to link up. The artillery preparation for this attack was indescribable. At exactly 9.15 o'clock 900 guns spoke, the noise was deafening & the vibration would nearly knock one over. It is rumoured that our artillery put out of action six German guns.

Thursday 9th August 1916
Today has been quiet to us in reserves at least as far as Fritz shells are concerned. We have sent ration parties out to the firing line. "A" Company has gone up to support the 16th Battalion which I think is attacking. I wish them every success.

Friday 10th August 1916
We relieved the 15th Battalion. A & D Coys went into the front the front line & B Coy & half of C into supports. We had a stunt on for the battalion. A & D were attacking & B supporting & carrying water & ammunition up.

Saturday 11th August 1916
The attack was carried out at 1AM but was not too successful as they took the wrong part of the German's trench. But for all that they gained some new ground. We got some very heavy shelling in supports & the small number of casualties is surprising. This afternoon we are getting a heavy shelling from Fritz. I fancy he means to counter attack tonight. This morning five Germans gave themselves up to men in my platoon. Tonight we have had some pretty heavy casualties. Bob Courtney the shipwright being amongst the killed.

Owing to both of our CSMs being casualties I am now acting Company Sergeant Major. Well I could not keep my diary going in the trenches but I will tell what I can think of some of the happenings."

Note : The entries ceased at that point leaving the pocketbook with the many remaining pages blank. CSM Lamond embarked to return home to Australia on 4th May 1917.