Life Interrupted: Personal Diaries from World War I

They were teachers, farmers, clerks and architects. Some were still at school. They came from cities, regional towns and the bush. From August 1914 Australian men and women kissed their loved ones goodbye and enlisted in a war they knew little about.

With pride, they went to war with just a few months of battle training under their belts. Some would not return home; those who did were changed forever.

For many, the only link back to a life dramatically interrupted by war was a personal diary with tales of adventure, heartache, bravery — and thoughts of home.

From 1918 the State Library of NSW began collecting the WWI stories of soldiers, doctors, nurses, stretcher-bearers and journalists so that future generations would know about their experiences.

Life Interrupted remembers those who served — in their own words.

Explore our World War One collections.