Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1917-1930 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
1 volume ; 26 cm
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Wilfred Denver Gallwey was born at Rockhampton, Queensland. He enlisted to World War I in 1916 at the age of 18. He was given the service number of 2430 and was initially assigned to the 52nd Battalion as part of the 5th reinforcements. He embarked from Brisbane on 19 September 1916 aboard HMAT Seang Choon. He disembarked at Plymouth, England on 9 December 1916 and was promoted to Acting Corporal (without pay) on 11 December. He was transferred to the 47th battalion on the 7 March 1917. It was as part of this unit that, on 11 April, he took part in the battle of Bullecourt. During June 1917, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. In July 1917, Gallwey became severely ill with trench fever and was transferred to Weymouth hospital in England and did not return to the front line. After his recovery, Gallwey spent the rest of the war as a signalling instructor in England. He departed England on 9 March 1919 aboard HT Kashmir and arrived in Australia on the 24 April 1919. After the war Gallwey resumed his job as a bank clerk and lived in Australia and Fiji. Gallwey spent the time leading up to the Second World War in London as liaison between the British Ambassador in Berlin and the War Office in London. After spending the war in London, he returned to Australia in 1946. Wilfred Denver Gallwey died on 27 May 1967
Repository
Archival history
Previously catalogued in the Fryer Library general collection: D640 .G3 192-.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This bound volume is a is a personal record of Corporal Gallwey’s experiences as a soldier in World War I from 1916 to The Armistice of 11 November 1918. It consists of a title page, and index, 1243 paginated pages over 12 chapters and 5 pages of correspondence as appendices. This volume appears to start after the first volume of 'When nations quarrel'. It starts at page 1340, chapter 22 and ends at page 2583, chapter 33. The appendices contain eleven letters from the Australian War Memorial and the Minister for Home and Territories to Corporal Gallwey regarding the donation of his memoirs to the Australian War Memorial. The appendices also contain two letters from the Australian War Memorial to Corporal Gallwey's mother regarding the donation of the letters she sent her son during World War I to the Australian War Memorial. These letters are dated from July 1927 to February 1930. These letters and the topics of the memoir suggest that it was written between 1917 and 1930. The front paste endpaper contains a University of Queensland book plate stating, 'Presented to the Fryer Memorial Library of Australian Literature by Mrs W.D. Gallwey, Hawken Drive, St Lucia, June 1975. Listed below are the contents of the chapters of this volume:
- Four weeks recuperation at Henencourt Wood and Lavieville, Somme
- Review of the 4th division by General Birdwood and departure for Flanders
- "Steenwerck". Three weeks vigorous preparation for the onslaught of Messines
- En route to the firing line
- The Battle of Messines, Thursday, 7th June, 1917
- The second phase (counter attack and repulse)
- Last days in France
- Convalescence in England
- Preparations to return to France
- Learning the art of signalling
- Assistant instructor of signalling
- Signing of the Armistice, 11 November, 1918 and demobilisation of the Australian Imperial Forces
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
In copyright. Can be reproduced for personal research and study. For other uses see About copyright. Please attribute the Fryer Library.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Invalid MMS ID
Former call number
Alma MMS ID
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Revised, Kymberley Doyle, 18-Feb-2025.
Created, KM, 20-Nov-2024.