Journal of Gunner W.M. Harrison recording his journey to India, 1917

The diary records details of Gunner W.M. Harrison's journey to Nowshera in India to take up amilitary post. The journey took him from Newcastle-upon-Tyne via Plymouth. Cape Town, Durban, Bombayand Delhi. It is not daily record but more of a narrative journal that may have been writtencontemporaneously, or subsequent to the journey. The narrative briefly describes the sights that hesees and the troop movements of which he was part. There are a few short essays written in thenotebook concerning the threat of being killed by animals and famine in India.

The diary contains two loose items. One is a printed card entitled 'Rules to be observed byBritish Troops travelling in India, during the summer months by rail' and offering health advice. Itwas printed by the Quartermaster General's Office in India in 1916. The second loose item is anundated newspaper cutting about the heat in Basra, India.

Gunner W.M. Harrison (military number: 185153) annotated his diary at the front with twoaddresses. The first reads, 90th Battery R.F.A, 16th Brigade, Nowshera, N.W.F.P, India and is datedMarch 1917. The second reads, R.F.A. Details (tailor), No.2 British Base Depot, Mahina, Mesopotamiaand is dated August 1917-1918. No further biographical information is known about Gunner Harrisonother than what can be gleaned from his diary. Further investigation through his military recordsmay be possible.

No archival arrangement has been necessary.

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

LANGUAGE: English

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in thedescription belongs to The University of Nottingham.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposesonly, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be soughtin advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections(email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). TheDepartment will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and theresponsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishingto publish.

The diary was acquired by The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and SpecialCollections in November 1982.