Gallipoli Diary

Set sail with Major John Graham Gillam, a British Supply Officer, as he chronicles his journey in the trenches of World War I through his Gallipoli Diary. He had imagined a swift and triumphant campaign in Constantinople, but reality hit hard. From the moment he lands in Gallipoli in April 1915, to his evacuation in January 1916, Gillams diary entries evolve from naive enthusiasm to stark realism. His main duty was to shepherd supplies from beach depots to the trenches for a brigade of 4000 men and he captures everything from the mundane to the horrific, from the smell of dead bodies to the beautiful scenery. His diary is not an overview of the campaign, but rather a deeply personal account of one man’s experiences and impressions. As the campaign intensifies, so does the depth of his entries. Today, the Gallipoli Peninsula Historical National Park stands as a memorial to the many lives lost on both sides of the conflict. Gillams diary offers an intimate look into this historic event, making the past feel very much alive.