Description
Object description
Ts diary, letters and 40 photocopied photographs and postcards (286pp), covering in great detail his service in the 6th Howitzer Battery, 2nd Brigade, 8th Reinforcement New Zealand Field Artillery (26 August 1915 - 24 May 1919), describing his training, camp life in New Zealand and his deep religious conviction, the journey through the Suez Canal and tour of duty in Egypt (December 1915 - April 1916), travel to France and experiences along the front at Armentieres (May - August 1916), including reports from the opening of the Battle of the Somme, his frustration over the drunkenness of his fellow soldiers, involvement in the September 1916 Somme offensive during which he describes the heavy casualties sustained by the Division and poor weather conditions in the area, subsequent travel across Belgium (July 1917 - April 1918), where he notes the effects of exhaustion on the men and low morale due to ineffective leadership, his time spent at Officer Training College in Exeter (May - June 1918) where he describe his joy over news of the Armistice and anger over demobilisation riots in London and subsequent journey back to New Zealand including a stop in the United States (April - May 1918). Also included is an epilogue, recording his life after the war and subsequent family history (4pp, written 2003) and a memoir (21pp, written 1994) by his nephew, James Roderick Matheson, describing his experience as a piper in the Second World War with the 26th Battery, 4th Field Regiment, NZA.
Content description
Ts diary, letters and 40 photocopied photographs and postcards (286pp), covering in great detail his service in the 6th Howitzer Battery, 2nd Brigade, 8th Reinforcement New Zealand Field Artillery (26 August 1915 - 24 May 1919), describing his training, camp life in New Zealand and his deep religious conviction, the journey through the Suez Canal and tour of duty in Egypt (December 1915 - April 1916), travel to France and experiences along the front at Armentieres (May - August 1916), including reports from the opening of the Battle of the Somme, his frustration over the drunkenness of his fellow soldiers, involvement in the September 1916 Somme offensive during which he describes the heavy casualties sustained by the Division and poor weather conditions in the area, subsequent travel across Belgium (July 1917 - April 1918), where he notes the effects of exhaustion on the men and low morale due to ineffective leadership, his time spent at Officer Training College in Exeter (May - June 1918) where he describe his joy over news of the Armistice and anger over demobilisation riots in London and subsequent journey back to New Zealand including a stop in the United States (April - May 1918). Also included is an epilogue, recording his life after the war and subsequent family history (4pp, written 2003) and a memoir (21pp, written 1994) by his nephew, James Roderick Matheson, describing his experience as a piper in the Second World War with the 26th Battery, 4th Field Regiment, NZA.
History note
Cataloguer BEK
History note
Catalogue date 2006-06-13