Among the treasures on display in the exhibition Newington and the Great War is the diary kept by an Old Newingtonian, Russell Roberts (or Robberds) Lumsdaine, while serving with the AIF on the Western Front in 1917 and 1918.

Russell Lumsdaine attended Newington College in 1904 and 1905. He passed the Junior Examination in 1905, and played Cricket in the 1^st XI and Rugby in the 2^nd XV. He was living in Summer Hill and working as an analytical chemist when he enlisted in December 1915. He served on the Western Front as a Sapper in the 1^st Divisional Signals Company. He married in England and returned to Australia with wife and baby in 1919.

What was Russell doing in late May 1918, 97 years ago? His diary entry for 26 May reads: ‘Got an Australian mail with letters up to 2^nd April. There was a bit of shooting last night but no word of a resumption of the offensive. Have the job of horse picquet this morning so am going to write letters.’ And for 27 May: ‘Quiet day. Inspection this morning, a great success. Cricket this afternoon. Scored 24, top score, but lost match. Planes over again at night.’ The next day, though, his unit’s position was shelled for most of the day by the Germans: ‘Many landed only thirty yards from our tents, but the direction made it pretty safe for us.’

Russell’s diary, along with his stamped leather identity discs and a reference written for him by the Headmaster in 1905 have been loaned to the College for the exhibition by his daughter, Mrs Barbara Dawson.

Some years ago Mrs Dawson transcribed the diary, but the disk on which it was recorded became corrupted. Fortunately she kept a hard copy printout, which we have digitised. This transcription is available to read as part of the exhibition.

Newington and the Great War is in the Chaplain Peter Swain Archives Exhibition Room and is open from 2 to 4 PM each week day and at other times by arrangement. Please contact Mr David Roberts, College Archivist, for more information.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist