Description
Object description
Ms diary in three volumes (174pp, 114pp and 20pp) covering his service as a subaltern with the 134th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in Salonika, August 1916 - July 1917, describing his voyage out via Malta and conditions on board ship, arrival in the cosmopolitan port of Salonika, life in the town, religious services, their journey across country to take up positions near Bajalca in the Vardar sector, enemy shelling, his evacuation to the 29th General Hospital in Salonika suffering from malaria and then on to Malta for further recuperation (late September - December 1916) where he refers to life on the island, particularly in Valletta, and the presence of survivors from the HMHS BRITANNIC, back to Salonika in time for Christmas celebrations before returning to his unit based in the Struma Valley (January 1917), their hunting of wild dogs, hares and birds, aerial warfare, the winter snow and floods, recreational activities including theatrical performances where he makes particular reference to female impersonators, his philosophical thoughts on war, numerous visits to Kole's Kop observation post, their move to the Doiran front (March 1917) illustrating the transportation difficulties in Macedonia, the enemy's use of gas shells, involvement in the First Battle of Doiran (April - May 1917), further spells of malaria and convalescent leave in Kukus, attendance at the Artillery Training School (June 1917), and a visit to the French sector west of the Vardar. Also held with the collection are a photograph of him in uniform, a ms letter (4pp, December 1917) to his mother from his brother Noel, lamenting Birkett-Barker's death from malaria in August 1917, and two ms letters (each 4pp, 1929) to his mother from a friend who had borrowed the diaries to read.
Content description
Ms diary in three volumes (174pp, 114pp and 20pp) covering his service as a subaltern with the 134th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in Salonika, August 1916 - July 1917, describing his voyage out via Malta and conditions on board ship, arrival in the cosmopolitan port of Salonika, life in the town, religious services, their journey across country to take up positions near Bajalca in the Vardar sector, enemy shelling, his evacuation to the 29th General Hospital in Salonika suffering from malaria and then on to Malta for further recuperation (late September - December 1916) where he refers to life on the island, particularly in Valletta, and the presence of survivors from the HMHS BRITANNIC, back to Salonika in time for Christmas celebrations before returning to his unit based in the Struma Valley (January 1917), their hunting of wild dogs, hares and birds, aerial warfare, the winter snow and floods, recreational activities including theatrical performances where he makes particular reference to female impersonators, his philosophical thoughts on war, numerous visits to Kole's Kop observation post, their move to the Doiran front (March 1917) illustrating the transportation difficulties in Macedonia, the enemy's use of gas shells, involvement in the First Battle of Doiran (April - May 1917), further spells of malaria and convalescent leave in Kukus, attendance at the Artillery Training School (June 1917), and a visit to the French sector west of the Vardar. Also held with the collection are a photograph of him in uniform, a ms letter (4pp, December 1917) to his mother from his brother Noel, lamenting Birkett-Barker's death from malaria in August 1917, and two ms letters (each 4pp, 1929) to his mother from a friend who had borrowed the diaries to read.
History note
Cataloguer APR
History note
Catalogue date 2003-05-23