Diary of Keith Morton Hickman, 1916-1919

Hickman, Keith Morton (Sergeant, b.1895 - d.1966)

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Places	Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Messines, Neuve Eglise Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Passchendaele Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Ypres Europe: Belgium, Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Ypres, Menin Road Europe: France Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Lille, Armentieres Europe: France, Nord Pas de Calais, Nord, Nieppe Europe: France, Paris Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Amiens Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Amiens Harbonnieres Area, Hamel Area, Hamel Europe: France, Picardie, Somme, Amiens Harbonnieres Area, Villers-Bretonneux Area, Villers-Bretonneux Europe: United Kingdom, England Europe: United Kingdom, England, Greater London, London Oceania: Australia, Tasmania, Hobart Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Melbourne, Maribyrnong
Accession Number	AWM2018.19.107
Collection number	PR04049
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	File
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	75 Image/s captured
Maker	Hickman, Keith Morton
Place made	Australia, France, United Kingdom: England
Date made	1916-1919
Conflict	First World War, 1914-1918
Copying Provisions	Digital format and content protected by copyright.

Description

War Diary relating to the service of 20170 Sergeant Keith Morton Hickman, V.3.A. Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. The collection consists of a black notebook containing the handwritten war diary of Hickman. The diary is an account of Hickman’s service, and covers the period between January 1916 and May 1919. In it, Hickman chronicles his enlistment, embarkation, training, leave in London, and volunteering for the V3A Heavy Trench Mortar Battery. He then tells of his experiences fighting in French Flanders and Flanders in the areas of Neippe, Armentieres, Ploegsteert, Neuve-Eglise, Messines, Menin Road, Ypres, and Passendale. After Flanders, Hickman was required to go to the Somme, and relates his experiences in Amiens, Villers Bretteneaux, and Hamel. Throughout his diary, Hickman also includes details of many occurrences including influenza, scabbies, the bitterly cold winter, gunshock, being heavily shelled, losing his false teeth while swimming in the Somme, and encountering large numbers of refugees. The diary concludes with Hickman’s account of Armistice Day in Paris, a short sightseeing trip, his journey home, and his return to Australia. Also contained in the notebook is a betting ledger on the end pages.