War Diaries

[Barry Hayter]

Were dairies written by all levels of the army from Corp down to Platoon or were they centralised at stages throughout the hierarchy?

I've got Battalion level diaries but wondered if for example there would be a high level diary for the 47th Division? Basically I'm looking for references to my man and wondered if higher levels of report might exist worth reading? (He was an officer so more chance if they exist).

Thanking you.

[doogal]

The short answer is Yes - absolutely.

Diaries were kept from Battalion level right up to Army level.

You will find that the Adjutant Quartermaster for a division, as well as the field ambulances all kept diaries amongst others, so don't just think in terms of the vertical structure, think across organisational levels too.

Go to the catalogue at the NA and type in 47 Division, this will bring you a good idea of what is available.

doogal

[Greenwoodman]

Yes they were. AFAIK, the lower end stopped at Company level, when the company was operating as an independent unit.

Above battalion, you should find Brigade, Division, Corps and Army war diaries.

[Barry Hayter]

Heavens above, more expense and more reading!!! Good news though of course!

[Barry Hayter]

As an after thought, any ideas what rough figure I'm looking at for pages to a Divisional diary?

I've probably got about 500 pages at Battalion level to cover 1916 to end of war so am I looking a a massive increase or was information simply condensed for the Divisional?

[doogal]

As an after thought, any ideas what rough figure I'm looking at for pages to a Divisional diary?

Normally, there is the usual day by day brief account. Then consider that divisional orders, administrative reports, maps and logistical details often make an appearance.

However, it is a question of "how long is a piece of string", as it can differ greatly depending upon the attitude of those charged with keeping the diary:

some can be lists of "ditto" (-do-) for days on end, whilst other go into fascinating, yet probably superfluous detail at every opportunity.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

A services nick name for paperwork was bumf (bum fodder). War diaries were written at the time, while there was a war on! The regulation requiring them to be kept was pre war and so for a different pace of life. Each diary will be different!

As with anything someone is obliged to do, everyone reacted in a different way and adopted their own style some writing the bare minimum. I've seen a diary for Hill 60: "occupy trenches Hill 60" list of casualties "Bn relieved and addressed by Gen Sir H Dorrien." Thats all for a defence that resulted in the units first VC!

[Aaron Nelson]

Further more to comments already made, the same War diary can vary from month to month. For example, I have a copy of the 330th RFA diary, each time the Adjuntant (person filling the diary in ) changed, the diary itself took on another lease of life. There are months where some Adjuntants simply put one liners, others went into whole paragraphs, sometimes half a page for a single day entry.

So it does pay to get the whole diary.

cheers Aaron.