S e i n e

At l a n t i cS e a

Paris

BordeauxLyon

Dijon

ENG LAND

FRANC E

S PA I N

Normandy

Eng l i s hC h ann e l

13

4

7

6

6

2

5

7

8

85

20km

Calais

BE L G I UM

FRANC E

ENG LAND

MediterraneanSea

ITALY

WESTERN FRONT, 1918

John Casey’s son, Noel, with

the diary

1

2

4

3

Passchendaele, BelgiumSeptember 12, 1917:John Casey hit by shrapnel, sent to England fortreatment, returnsfor final stage of battlein November but contracts ‘trench fever’Le Pont d’Aschelles, FranceNov 1917-Jan 1918: Casey recovers from illness, returns to duty‘Big guns usher in New Year’ – Jan 1 diary entryWesthof Farm, BelgiumMarch: Casey’s unit sent to Westhof Farm‘Think the war has finished’– March 27 diary entryAmiens, FranceApril 4: Four Anzac divisions, including Casey’s unit, march through thetown to confront the Germans advancing on

Villers-Bretonneux‘People overjoyed. Showering kisses and sweets’– April 4 diary entryCachy and Gentelles Wood, FranceApril 11: Casey’s unit takes up forward position‘Pretty hot spot here’– April 11 diary entry‘Fritz venting his rage in ironmongery’– April 15 diary entry‘Sniping all daymakes the place no good. Decide to go to another ‘pub’ – April 15 diary entryMillencourt, FranceApril 23: Casey’s unit on the move as Germans renew their assault on Villers-BretonneuxVillers-Bretonneux, France

Night of April 23-24: Germans capture

the town

‘Tommies lost the town last night’– April 24 diary entryApril 25: Australians supportedby British forces recapture the town

‘Terrible fighting all night in the town. Gutters running with blood. Bayonet fighting in the houses and rooms. Snipers everywhere. Plenty of dead and wounded. A night not easily forgotten. Town recaptured’– April 25 diary entryFramerville, France

Aug 14: Casey taken prisoner during Battleof Amiens, released

Aug 16: Casey’s leave comes through, travels to England

‘Great joy’ – Diary entry on Armistice Day,November 11Charge of a German infantry

DIGGER’S WWI JOURNEY