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 a military post. The journey took him from Newcastle-upon-Tyne via Plymouth. Cape Town, Durban, Bombay and Delhi. It is not daily record but more of a narrative journal that may have been written contemporaneously, or subsequent to the journey. The narrative briefly describes the sights that he sees and the troop movements of which he was part. There are a few short essays written in the notebook 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 by British Troops travelling in India, during the summer months by rail' and offering health advice. It was printed by the Quartermaster General's Office in India in 1916. The second loose item is an undated newspaper cutting about the heat in Basra, India.

Gunner W.M. Harrison (military number: 185153) annotated his diary at the front with two addresses. The first reads, 90th Battery R.F.A, 16th Brigade, Nowshera, N.W.F.P, India and is dated March 1917. The second reads, R.F.A. Details (tailor), No.2 British Base Depot, Mahina, Mesopotamia and is dated August 1917-1918. No further biographical information is known about Gunner Harrison other than what can be gleaned from his diary. Further investigation through his military records may 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 the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

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

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

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