Delamore, Adrian Wilmot (Acting Sergeant)

Places
Accession Number PR03442
Collection type Private Record
Record type Collection
Measurement 1 wallet: 1cm
Object type Diary
Maker Delamore, Adrian Wilmot
Place made Egypt, Greece: Aegean Islands, Lemnos, Ottoman Empire: Turkey
Date made 1915
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

Collection relating to Sergeant Adrian Wilmot Delamore, Auckland Infantry Battalion NZ1B at Egypt, Lemnos and Gallipoli. Collection comprises his original diary, covering the period 8 April to 30 July 1915, and a typed transcript. The transcript is divided in two sections.The first half covers 8 April 1915 to 30 July 1915 (the contents of the original diary), the second half covers his first diary, from 22 January to 3 April 1915.

History / Summary

In the first part of the transcribed diary, Delamore describes travel on the Lutzow, disembarkation on the Isles of Greece, and landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915. Delamore writes of the action and constant shell fire at Gallipoli. He also covers food rations, the censorship of his letters, and the May armistice to bury the dead. He was promoted to Acting Sergeant 13 May and stationed to Quinns's Post 2 June where he describes the closeness of the opposing trenches, bombing, the taking of Turkish prisoners, conditions and terrain. Delamore was evacuated sick with enteric fever, July 1917. He was taken to 1 Australian Hospital at Lemnos and later to Malta. The diary entries at this period describe some experiences in the hospital. In the second part of the transcript, Delamore records the sights and culture whilst serving in Egypt, including an entry on the riot in Cairo on Good Friday 2 April 1915, which became known as the "Battle of the Wozzer". The transcript of the diary has been hand bound in an embossed leather cover.