The First World War Diary of Brigadier-General Herbert Hart

ed. John Crawford

When Herbert Hart left his home town of Carterton in 1914 to serve as a major with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, he could not have imagined that he would return as a much decorated brigadier-general.

His rise to leadership was swift, as he commanded the Wellington Battalion during the closing stages of the Gallipoli campaign, then went on to serve as a battalion and brigade commander on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918. During the whole of this period he kept a diary, in which he recorded his experiences in the great battles on Gallipoli, the Somme and Passchendaele.

Hart’s diary is now widely regarded as one of the most important personal sources relating to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

His service on the Western Front is the principal focus of the diary. Exceptionally well written, it includes gripping descriptions of both combat and life behind the front line and on leave in France and the United Kingdom.

While Hart can appear remarkably detached at times, he is also a very human observer of the events around him, empathising with the plight of his men, finding humour in the most unlikely situations and noticing unexpected details at moments of high tension.

This important book also has an introductory chapter on Hart’s early life, and a concluding chapter about his diverse and distinguished career after the war, including his term as Administrator of Western Samoa from 1931 to 1935.

Published with the Defence Force as their official project to mark the 90th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War on 11 November 1918.

read an extract >>

The original diary is held by the Kippenberger Military Archive and Research Library at the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum, Waiouru.

ABOUT THE EDITOR
John Crawford is the New Zealand Defence Force Historian and has written on many aspects of the history of the New Zealand Armed Forces and defence policy. In 2007 he edited, with Ian McGibbon, Exisle’s monumental book New Zealand’s Great War. His other major publications include To Fight for the Empire: An Illustrated History of New Zealand and the South African War, 1899-1902; Kia Kaha: New Zealand in the Second World War; and with the assistance of Peter Cooke, No Better Death: The Great War Diaries and Letters of William G. Malone. John Crawford lives in Wellington.

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Reviews

“Hart’s diary reveals the eye of a citizen-soldier in exotic and dangerous surroundings.  His descriptions are lively, occasionally humourous and range from grand strategy to domestic trivia ... For part of the war his wife, Minnie Hart, was in England and her departure clearly causes great sadness and longing for home. 
John Crawford supports the diary entries with numerous notes and a brief resume of Hart’s life before and after the war.  There is a small selection of well reproduced photos and a few maps.
The book will have much appeal to the military reader and those interested in Wairarapa personalities.  Hart wrote well and it is a great pity he never produced a book of his own experiences.  This handsome book is produced in association with the New Zealand Defence Force of which John Crawford is official historian.”  Wairarapa Times Age

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SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 234 x 153 mm
Format: Cased and jacketed
Extent: 336 pages
Illustrations: 8 pages b/w photographs
Weight: 950 gms
Publication date: October 2008
ISBN: 978-1-877437-30-4