Category Archives: unit and personal diaries

Despondent but determined “I think I might as well carry on”

Posted on May 28, 1944 by

                                21st May 44 Dear Mother & Dad Your welcome letter arrived on Thursday along with one from E.A.Mc. – and read together made very … Continue reading →

Posted in organisation, Queensland, training, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Leave a comment

Quite an eventful week in a modest sort of way

Posted on June 13, 1943 by

                              13th June 1943 Dear Mother & Dad After quite an eventful week in a modest sort of way Sunday strikes a particularly quiet note and … Continue reading →

Posted in Australian, Food and Drink, guard/ picket/ orderly room duty, Queensland, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A scrounging expedition with a tragic/ comic ending

Posted on June 6, 1943 by

                            6th June 1943 Dear Mother & Dad I’m writing from a Guard tent – a very drab and uninspiring place to write letters but as I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in escapades, relaxation, fun and games, guard/ picket/ orderly room duty, Tasmanian, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Moving north, into French Barracks outside Tripoli

Posted on September 17, 1941 by

TX 1004 Max Hickman 2/33rd Battalion AIF Abroad 17th Sept 1941 Dear Mother & Dad On Saturday yet another page of 33rd history was written when we came into barracks and it is from a magnificently appointed second storey suite … Continue reading →

Posted in Camps and Barracks, gambling and drinking, parcels, Posts and telegraph, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Every day we read the Germans are using their last reserves

Posted on August 21, 1941 by

TX 1004 Max Hickman 2/33rd Battalion AIF Abroad 21st August 1941 Dear Mother & dad I was very pleased to get your letter yesterday along with Youngster’s and one from Jack.  Yours and Youngster’s are as regular as clockwork – … Continue reading →

Posted in Australian, Censorship, Middle East, The course of the war, training, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Syria campaign begins

Posted on June 12, 1941 by

  War diary : first week of the Syria campaign – June 1941 Friday 6th Left Er Rama at 11pm, travelled about 20 miles – very interesting road – one of the seven wonders of the world – marvellous engineering … Continue reading →

Posted in Carrier platoon, Middle East, organisation, The course of the war, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A night out in Haifa…and the consequences

Posted on June 4, 1941 by

TX 1004 Pte Max Hickman 2/33rd Battalion AIF Abroad 4th June 1941 Dear Mother Once again from the shade of an olive branch I am writing to tell you that I’m fit and happy and hope this letter finds you … Continue reading →

Posted in escapades, relaxation, fun and games, Hierarchy, Middle East, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Camping amid gum trees – and a damn good feed

Posted on May 31, 1941 by

    TX 1004 Pte M Hickman 2/33rd Battn AIF Abroad 31st May 1941 Dear Mother After being detached from the battalion for some time our platoon rejoined them in a new camp today and this evening received quite a … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Carrier platoon, gambling and drinking, Middle East, organisation, Posts and telegraph, Tasmanian, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parcels arriving : there must be a move on

Posted on May 22, 1941 by

                                          TX 1004 Pte Max Hickman 2/33rd Battalion AIF Abroad 22nd May 1941 Dear Mother The last two days the … Continue reading →

Posted in escapades, relaxation, fun and games, organisation, parcels, The course of the war, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Different pictures in diary and letter; and a dramatic blitz on bugs

Posted on May 13, 1941 by

                  (Salvation Army paper with the admonitions: Remember the loved ones far away and write them a message of cheer today – at the top and PLEASE WROTE ON BOTH SIDES at … Continue reading →

Posted in Camps and Barracks, escapades, relaxation, fun and games, organisation, Uncategorized, unit and personal diaries | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment