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War diaries of Roundell Tristram Toke
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War diaries of Roundell Tristram Toke

  • NLW ex 3031.
  • File
  • 1915

Two copies of a diary kept by Major, later Colonel, Roundell Tristram Toke of the 1st Battalion the Welsh Regiment.

Blue notebook, entitled 'Diary kept during war, 1915. 1916', containing a narrative account of the Battalion's departure from Agra, India, and redeployment in France as part of the 84th Brigade of the 28th Division, 15 Nov. 1914-11 Jan. 1915. Daily entries for most days, 12 Jan.-31 Dec. 1915, including longer entries on 18-22 Feb. (Château Rosenthal, later 'Bedford House'), 8 May (the first day of the Battle of Frezenberg) and 24-25 May (Battle of Bellewaarde). (1 volume; 102 pp. of text).

Black notebook, entitled 'Diary of the war, 1st Welsh Regiment, January to August 1915, by Major R. T. Toke, A Company', containing a narrative account for 15 Nov.-18 Jan., and daily entries for most days, 19 Jan.-23 Aug. 1915, when Toke was appointed to command the 6th Service Battalion the Bedfordshire Regiment. The black notebook appears to be an edited version of the blue notebook, frequently with fuller daily entries. The text is on one side of each opening, with the facing page containing occasional notes, maps and plans. Also an original signal during the Battle of Bellewaarde that "The attack will be renewed at 12.30am without fail and pushed right through with the bayonet till our old line of trenches is regained", 25 May. (1 volume; 1 cm. of text).

Loose enclosures, including trench maps (Wulverghem, Feb.-March 1915, and Kemmel-Wytschaete, 4 July 1915), lists of officers wounded and killed, newspaper cuttings, and letters from Cyril Lomax ('Sandy') relating to his intended regimental history, 1922. (1 envelope; 1 cm.).

Toke, Roundell Tristram