68489: Pocket Diary 1917
Creators: name: Project Team, First World War Poetry Digital Archive
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: This pocket diary belonging to Edmund Blunden relates the experiences of the northern section of the battle of Passchendaele, near the Yser Canal. The attack began on 31 July 1917, and this diary, while incomplete, has sections describing the period between 8 July and 5 August 1917. The experience was later made into a narrative by Blunden and recast as 'The Crash of the Pillars' section of 'Undertones of War' (1928). These pages contain entries for Sunday 22 and Monday 23 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, and describe being ill and hoping for the safe return of friends. |File descriptions(s):
This particular image shows the envelope containing the diary.<br>This is the backside of the envelope containing the diary.<br>This image shows the cover of the diary.<br>This image shows the interior cover of the notebook inscribed 'E. Blunden / 11th Royal Sussex'.<br>This blank postcard was inserted in the diary, presumably as a placekeeper.<br>This image shows the cover page to the Collins 1917 Diary. Blunden has written 'Ypres' in pencil on the facing page.<br>These pages contain entries for Sunday 8 and Monday 9 July when Blunden was stationed at Poperinghe, and describe difficulties with finding lodging, low morale and finding time to write home.<br>These pages contain entries for Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 July when Blunden was in camp, and describe mounting some pictures that he has collected and attending some entertainment organised by the 38th battalion.<br>This pocket diary belonging to Edmund Blunden relates the experiences of the northern section of the battle of Passchendaele, near the Yser Canal. The attack began on 31 July 1917, and this diary, while incomplete, has sections describing the period between 8 July and 5 August 1917. The experience was later made into a narrative by Blunden and recast as 'The Crash of the Pillars' section of 'Undertones of War' (1928).These pages contain entries for Thursday 12 and Friday 13 July when Blunden was in camp and then at Houlle, and describe the romance of a nearby church and chateau, and a practice attack.<br>These pages contain entries for Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 July when Blunden was in Houlle, and describe a dummy attack and organising a march to St Omer.<br>These pages contain entries for Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, and describe shelling, and 'Apache dance' and the heat.<br>These pages contain entries for Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, and describe German shells, reading Shelley and a visit to a Y. M. C. A. event in Popinjay.<br>These pages contain entries for Friday 20 and Saturday 21 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, describing the trees and orchards, sultry weather and boredom.<br>These pages contain entries for Sunday 22 and Monday 23 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, and describe being ill and hoping for the safe return of friends.<br>These pages contain entries for Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 July when Blunden was in camp near Elverdinghe, and relate experiences with the local population, and going out and organising battalion relief.<br>These pages contain entries for Thursday 26 and Friday 27 July when Blunden was working in a dugout near Canal Bank, and describes a very unsettled day, filled with rumours of German troop movements, shelling, and preparations for an impending attack.<br>These pages contain entries for Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July when Blunden was at Canal Bank and La Brique, and describe a bombardment, stealing an apple from a nearby chateau, and the start of the attack: 'Is this Armegeddon?'<br>These pages contain entries for Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 July 1917, describing La Brique, arising at 3.15 am to 'see the light', casualties, the Bilge and the start of the attack.<br>These pages contain entries for Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 August 1917, describing the rain and shelling that continues during the battle near St Julien and the 'Falkenhayn Redoubt'.<br>These pages contain entries for 3 Friday and 4 Saturday August 1917, describes the rain and battle continuing at Canal Bank and returning to School Camp.<br>This page contains an entry for Sunday 5 August 1917, and describes School Camp and hearing about friends involved in the battle.<br>This page shows additional notes and prose entitled ""But None Oh None"", but does not appear to describe a particular experience.<br>This page shows additional notes and fanciful prose, but does not appear to describe a particular experience.<br>These pages show a list of required food items.