World War One Diary

Day Three: fighting for freedom

**NOTE: I understand the need to correct things when they are wrong but no changes will be made to this story, as it was just an assignment where certain facts had to be correct and I made up the rest**

30th of April

1916

0630: I got no sleep last night, I was doing duties and the officers told us to go straight to do some more, no rest. So I decided to get ready for stand-to, like any other day out here in the horrible trenches. Today is the fourth or fifth day out at the front line, I am tired like never before and the place is starting to really get horrible. But again, I was getting ready for stand-to but the officers said they had gotten others in for that job. None of us men knew why and now I am starting to shake, I am getting scared because I have no idea what is happening.

0700: Officers just reported back, bad news, we are going in for battle. Now I am just about to go line up. We have our bayonets, with our rifles, grenades in our back pocket. Johnny is getting so scared, and to be honest, so am I. My hands won't stop vibrating, my legs feel like Jello, and everything I am wearing is rattling. Head officer is coming now, I have to put all my stuff in the

1100: Right now I am scared out of my whits, shells are flying everywhere, and dead men scatter the floor. No-man's land is terrifying and I want to go back. I manages to keep my diary with me, instead of putting it in the box with all my other belongings. My watch is in there, along with my mirror, and some good luck charms I received from my father before I left port in Australia those fare few months ago. Now I don't know if I am going to get all my belongings back, I am pretty much sure I am not going to make it back myself. Mud is flying everywhere, fire lights the sky, my hands are numb, and my heart is thumping, hitting my ribcage. It hurts.

1500: It is nearly nightfall, I am still here in no-man's land, and I have no idea how I have survived for so long. I have been hiding in a shell hole, hoping I don't get hit again. I have killed 8 men, to my count, I never want to again, it breaks my heart to see them fall lifelessly to the ground. The commanding officer told us to be back before nightfall. One problem, my leg has been shot while I was shooting a Fritz and I can't get up, and there is no way I can get back alone. My leg hurts, it is bleeding to no end, and I am starting to feel dizzy, probably from the blood loss. Everything has stopped, well mostly, there was a gas attack four hours ago, but all the gas has gone now. I really should get back.

1900: Somehow I have made it back into the trenches, with a few of the lads around once I had awoken. Earlier they were staring at me like I came from another planet, then I looked down at my leg and saw why. It wasn't exactly, how do I say this, there. A few of them men then proceeded to tell me that on their way back, they found me, and my leg must have been shot so badly or it had been blown off. So then they decided to pick me up and take me back here, into the British trenches.

Choosing to fight in this war was the worst decision anyone can make. I was very battered and bruised, my leg aches, or what was there. I am told that I am to stay in the front line for another day, until someone can take me back to the reserve trenches where I will be at rest until I heal and am able to go home to Australia. For now, I am in a safer spot of the front line trench than the rest.

Unfortunately Johnny hasn't been seen, ever since his duty. I am going to try and get sleep now, while all the new soldiers settle.