Alfred Herbert Love diary

Alfred Love was a plumber from the Melbourne suburb of Coburg.  He died shortly after writing the last entry in this diary.

Alfred Herbert Love. Diary, January - April 25th 1915

Accession number: MS 9603

From the State Library of Victoria's Manuscripts collection.

See the catalogue record for this item

Transcription:
Pg 26

Thurs Apr 22nd Still on Board the Seeang Choon at Lemnos Island - nothing doing much only more boats coming in from Egypt - There is a Terrible lot of Boats here now and yet more to come - still feeling well

Fri Apr 23rd The Warships are getting ready for the fray now - all getting steam up - Some Transport (7) and 4 Battleships have gone out tonight - soon to be our turn now I hope - getting tired of the ship

Sat Apr 24th A lot more Troops left today - the Battle starts tomorrow morning in earnest at DayBreak

(Sunday) We can here (sic) the big guns firing this morning - We are now moving ourselves - 9.50 - Reached the scene of action at 5pm and landed and dug ourselves in under fire

pg 27

Mon Apr 26th Daylight now - The turks are Driven back a mile or two - very heavy losses yesterday for the Australians - about 4 hundred come on one boat last night - we are now ready in trenches and give them hell - We move right up to the firing line in the morning. The Allies are having it pretty rough but we?ll win

Tues Apr 27th Arrived at firing line at 10 oclock this morning ? having a very bad time of it so far ? machine gun played hell on our men ? for a start they were getting hit and killed all around me but I escaped so far

(Written up the side of the diary - Thinking a lot of wife and child)

pg 32

Written on inside cover: In the event of my Death I wish this book to be sent to my Dear Wife to let her know that my last thoughts were of her and Essie my darling Daughter
Address Mrs A. H Love
33 Moreland Rd
Brunswick
Melbourne
Victoria
Australia