Gallipoli diary gives a valuable glimpse into a young Anzac’s World War I experience

A TREASURED family heirloom provides a personal glimpse into a young soldier’s experience in the trenches of Gallipoli.

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HE spent four years away at war, a boy barely into his 20s, brimming with promise — bright-eyed and ready to serve his country.

The young harness repairer from tiny Guyra, near Armidale, signed up for war in 1915.

He landed at Gallipoli on August 20 and proceeded to Pozieres in March the following year.

And, unlike many others, Private “Will” Roberts, who served with 17th Battalion 5th Australian Infantry Brigade, returned home in 1919, where he ran a business, married May, and had a family.

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His oldest daughter, Lola Watts, has lovingly kept her father’s treasures from the front, having known him just 16 years.

A century later, Mrs Watts knows these items are just as important and powerful, if not more.

Photographs of her dad’s mates, a diary, letters, embroidered postcards signed off “Somewhere in France” — these are his “precious” memories she holds dear.

Especially Mr Roberts’ diary, written from 1914 until 1919.

“When I look at these things, they’re not much ... to me it’s a very precious little thing.”

One photo in particular is poignant for Mrs Watts. It was taken in Egypt after they had returned from Gallipoli.

“They all look pretty ragged and not quite the boys they were,” she said.

Lola Watts' father William spent four months at Gallipoli during World War I and kept a diary detailing his experiences. Photographer: Russell Brown.

In August 1915 Pte Roberts arrived at Gallipoli to “the noise of guns and the whistling of bullets”.

He wrote:

“ ... we came to what was known as the ‘left of Anzac’, into a valley and ordered to dig in and take cover.”

“ ... I could hear from others the ground was very hard but I seemed to be lucky as I struck a soft patch and with my entrenching tool soon had dug in to cover myself from any stray bullets or snipers, but with the thought of battle I did not sleep much, and on hearing the word to rise about daylight I was horror stricken to find I was sleeping on a grave which was the reason of my easy digging as it may have been only a week before it was dug.

“on looking up I could see above mee the small cross with these words written in pencil ‘Here lies an Unknown Soldier’.”

Mr Roberts passed away in Brisbane in 1956 as a result of injuries to his back during the Great War.

While her father did not speak about the war, Mrs Watts said he made it his legacy to establish an RSL in his hometown.

“He started the RSL in Guyra and every Anzac Day we marched with him,” she said.

“He was very civic-minded.”

Originally published as Gallipoli diary gives a valuable glimpse into a young Anzac’s World War I experience