Style and criticism
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The author of this diary has a unusual but pleasant way of writing. In stead of saying "All quiet" he writes "its a haven of rest and peace". And " We were parsimomious in our use of 18 pounders and negligible in anything else." when he critizies the weak retaliation of his own artillery. On another page: "Our weak artillery reply crippling our efforts of maintaining a equal fight".
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There is a touch of Humour in the diary of the 14 Battalion Royal Irish Rifles.
One of the Commanding Officers of 14 Battalion Royal Irish Rifles does not hesitate in expressing his thoughts, some examples:
“Comments on “beautiful day and is saddened that the sun beams down upon a world at war etc.”
“I will face the music should I be left to command the line myself on next tour". Some of his Officers have been transferred and he is not happy about it.
Does not hold back when criticising the unit that occupied their billets before, they were in a filthy state and he does know how they get away with it.
He refers also to the poetry of Rudyard Kipling on one particular page.
Nice to now in the awful conditions of this war they can sometimes keep their sense of humour!
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by
erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be
in response to marie.eklidvirginmedia.com's comment.
I wonder who wrote the diary. Is it Major Brooke C.O. of the 6th Connaught Rangers? I ask this because I suspect that the C.O., who signs the diary, is not always the one who writes it or am I mistaken?
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by
cyngast
moderator
in response to erik.schaubroeckscarlet.be's comment.
Erik, in an infantry battalion usually the adjutant had the job of keeping the diary, as well as handling all the other paperwork, although I've seen a couple of diaries where I think perhaps an assistant adjutant--or someone else in the battalion headquarters--wrote the diary. The C.O. was supposed to sign it as an indication that he had read it and all was correct.
In some of the smaller units, such as a machine gun company, trench mortar company, field ambulance, or engineer company, the C.O. seems to have written the diary. Those units were too small to be assigned an adjutant.
It looks like the author of the 6th Connaught Rangers wanted to write novels or poetry!
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by
ral104
moderator, scientist
I hope he got the chance to later on!
One of my favourite diaries so far was one of the artillery brigades - I can't at the moment remember exactly which. The author was a forward observation officer and he had a beautiful style of writing, along with a very well developed sense of humour, which got very dark at times.
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