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So Far from Home: The World War I Diaries of an Australian Soldier
When 19 year old Sergeant Eric Evans embarked on a troop ship bound for France in 1917, he was already a Galliopoli veteran and a seasoned campaigner. But nothing could prepare him for the horrors of the Western Front. During the next two years he was wounded twice, badly gassed and saw countless friends and comrades die in nightmarish circumstances. In diaries that he kept throughout his ordeal, vivid and honest descriptions of life as an infantry Sergeant are mingled with an overpowering yearning for his sweetheart Dorothy Wright, patiently awaiting his return to Sydney. His thoughtful writing captures a young soldier's life in all its contradictions. From practical jokes and flirtations with nurses to politics to the misery of life in the trenches, it adds a unique and authentic voice to the annals of Australians at war. None of this was known until Fraser gregg chanced upon a suitcase belonging to his father, Eric Evans. Fascinated by this unknown story and realising the historical value of the diaries he engaged an editor, Patrick Wilson, who prepared them for publication.
266 pages, Paperback
First published November 4, 2002
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August 28, 2012
So far from home is an extraordinary piece of history. Edited by Patrick Wilson, the book contains the diaries of 847 Sgt. Eric Evans from the 13th Battalion AIF. The diaries run from February 1917 on his re-embarkation to Europe (Evans was wounded at Gallipoli on 26 April 1915, and returned to Australia to recover) to March 1919 and his return to Manly. Evans was writing the diaries for his girlfriend back in Australia, and they are part description of what he was experiencing, and part love letter to his girl.
They are very detailed in places - it seems Evans felt solace in the writing of these diaries, and often did so in the trenches, just before or after battle. However, much of the diaries concern the activities of his fellow sergeants and men out of the line, their almost constant gambling, drinking and whoring earning Evans' disgust and shame, even though he writes how he can understand why men who are pretty much sure they'll be killed would do that in their last days on earth. Evans was not himself above the occasional bout of gambling, and got involved in a couple of fights too.
Evans was desperate to gain a commission, and he often mentions how disappointed he was that he didn't get promoted, or do anything that earned him a decoration. There are only really two instances in the diaries where he directly describes engaging the enemy himself.
Another big portion of the diary concerns Evans' recovery from wounds he received in battle. He was gassed once, and this led to hospitalization for a long period of time. Later in the war he was wounded again, and was convalescent when the armistice was announced.
He doesn't talk too much about patriotism, but this passage is interesting (24 September 1918) "...while waiting to disembark, had the following dished up to us: 'All British wounded this way.' Of course we Australians came forward. 'British' wounded, I said, not Australian.' This from a Tommy officer. 'What are we then?' I asked. 'Oh, you're Australians.' I felt like running amok. Are we not British, then, are we spilling our blood and fighting for a country of which we are not a part? Are we a bastard lot not to deserve the name of British?.....I was wild enough at the time thankfully to think that I was an Australian, not an ill-educated, unchivalrous Tommy such as that officer."
I don't know too much about the provenance of this work, or what sort of editing was involved, but it certainly is well written for someone who was an engineer's clerk.
There are some other odd things about this diary. I haven't been able to find the war records of several of the men he mentions by name in the text. One man he states died in hospital in fact survived and returned to Australia. There are other turns of phrase in the book that seem somewhat modern to my mind. There is also a passage where the impression is that Evans has seen lots of graves in the field before, which seems hard to believe if he only was at Gallipoli for one day - it would be interesting to see the original diaries, and compare them to the edited text.
Still, the book is well worth reading to get a flavour of life for an infantryman in the dark days of the Western Front.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
They are very detailed in places - it seems Evans felt solace in the writing of these diaries, and often did so in the trenches, just before or after battle. However, much of the diaries concern the activities of his fellow sergeants and men out of the line, their almost constant gambling, drinking and whoring earning Evans' disgust and shame, even though he writes how he can understand why men who are pretty much sure they'll be killed would do that in their last days on earth. Evans was not himself above the occasional bout of gambling, and got involved in a couple of fights too.
Evans was desperate to gain a commission, and he often mentions how disappointed he was that he didn't get promoted, or do anything that earned him a decoration. There are only really two instances in the diaries where he directly describes engaging the enemy himself.
Another big portion of the diary concerns Evans' recovery from wounds he received in battle. He was gassed once, and this led to hospitalization for a long period of time. Later in the war he was wounded again, and was convalescent when the armistice was announced.
He doesn't talk too much about patriotism, but this passage is interesting (24 September 1918) "...while waiting to disembark, had the following dished up to us: 'All British wounded this way.' Of course we Australians came forward. 'British' wounded, I said, not Australian.' This from a Tommy officer. 'What are we then?' I asked. 'Oh, you're Australians.' I felt like running amok. Are we not British, then, are we spilling our blood and fighting for a country of which we are not a part? Are we a bastard lot not to deserve the name of British?.....I was wild enough at the time thankfully to think that I was an Australian, not an ill-educated, unchivalrous Tommy such as that officer."
I don't know too much about the provenance of this work, or what sort of editing was involved, but it certainly is well written for someone who was an engineer's clerk.
There are some other odd things about this diary. I haven't been able to find the war records of several of the men he mentions by name in the text. One man he states died in hospital in fact survived and returned to Australia. There are other turns of phrase in the book that seem somewhat modern to my mind. There is also a passage where the impression is that Evans has seen lots of graves in the field before, which seems hard to believe if he only was at Gallipoli for one day - it would be interesting to see the original diaries, and compare them to the edited text.
Still, the book is well worth reading to get a flavour of life for an infantryman in the dark days of the Western Front.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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