Finally put pen to paper over the last few days....

I've been staying with a friend's family down the coast for a few days and have not had access to the Internet.  It's been a blessing because I haven't been able to spend hours researching and I actually wrote a few pages and got a bit of a flow happening.  I just need to keep it up and refrain from researching or writing on here!  Another friend of mine told me I don't have to be that factual and that because it's a fictional story no-one's going to mind if it's not 100% factual.  I can see where she is coming from, and I know she only wants me to be writing rather than researching!

A quick sketch I did at work - not bad either!

This book is all that's been on my mind lately - the other day at work I was drawing with the kids.  I started drawing a poppy (my favourite flower - for obvious reasons) and then the picture just took on a life of it's own and this is the result.  I've not done a 'doodle' this good...ever!  I was very impressed with myself!

Hopefully I'll get some time to type up what I wrote over the last few days and that will get me writing again.  Unfortunately work is going to get in the way!!!  And I have to work, (until I become a famous author - Ha! Ha!) so I hope to be able to get the next three chapters of the novel done before the end of the weekend. 


My Goal:

1. Finish off Chapter 6
2. Edit Chapter 7 (It's finished, just needs a bit of a polish)
3. Write Chapter 8!

Here's hoping I can get it done!

Too many late nights reseaching, not enough writing!

I think I am in danger of spending too much time on my research and not enough time actually writing!  I'm not sure if it's a diversionary tactic or not though????

I stayed up until 2am last night.  I was determined to find a picture of the two ships Matthew travelled on during his war service - and this was no easy feat.  The names were all different, some had SS, HMAT, HMAS or Troopship in front and the spellings were all different, but eventually I found the photos and some paintings too.... Here are the paintings.....





Matthew departed Australia bound for Egypt on the "TSS Aeneas" on the 11 April 1916

  



Matthew returned to Australia on 'The Plassy" on 12th June 1919

  
I did get a new idea for the book though - I am going to have a mini chapter between each of the 'present day' chapters that contains photos, letters and diary entries.  This will expand Edwin's role in the book and add depth to the story.  Might get started on it today....

Luckily, all the photos from World War 1 are out of copyright so I will be able to use them in the book!  Loving it! ;)

Discoveries on the Internet...



Pvt Matthew Holder's War Record

 An momumental discovery was made (by me) this week....

I'd known for a long time that I could access my Great-Grandfather's war record on the National Archives of Australia - Service Records website.  Many of the war records of WW1 service men are available to view for free on the sight.  It's a great place to start if you're looking for information on a soldier.

I also found another site on my journey to discover the forgotten story of Matthew Holder.  There is another website called Mapping our ANZACs which has the records and a lot of detail about other soldiers that enlisted in the same area.  You can find out exactly how many men enlisted from your town or suburb!  Talk about making it personal.

But this was not the big discovery.... I found that I can access all of the Battalion War Diaries of the 48th Battalion for the duration of the war!  This was a big deal for me - I thought I was going to have to go to Canberra to look at the information at the Research Centre at the War Memorial.... but they had been digitised and put on their website!  I am actually able to look at the diaries (although they are very hard to read!) and read the reports from the commanders about the Battalion and it's conduct!


Battalion Diary - 48th Battalion AIF, April 1917.

I've found so much helpful information in the last few days that I want to get writing again... although I don't want to jump the gun (so to speak) and start before I'm properly prepared.   When the summer holidays are over it's going to be harder to find time to research. 

Steven Spielberg's "War Horse"

Saw this fantastic movie a few days ago....and I cried my eyes out, especially during the scenes at the Somme.  I could hardly believe that any men survived that horror!

Matthew, my Great-Grandfather was somewhere admist all that chaos and I think knowing that made the scenes in the Somme that much harder to take.  I have always been fascinated with war history, but now that I have found out more about my families war history, the stories are becoming more personal and emotional.

I hope to travel to the Somme and Bullecourt (where my Great-Grandfather was captured by the Germans) in 2015 for the 100 year anniversary of ANZAC Day.  I more I find out, the more I have to go....

Here we go....

I've had this story in my head for years, and late last year I finally decided to make it a priority to get really started on it.  I read that every first time author should keep a blog (it makes you more accountable), so here I go.....

To date, I've managed to write 5 chapters of my story, but now I've come to the hard conclusion - I will need to work on the structure of the story before I go any further.  I also need to do a LOT of research!  My story is based around the life of a soldier in the 48th Battalion of the AIF from WW1, and although I know a little about the battalion, I do not know enough to make it stand up to criticism...Yet!

Why the 48th Battalion you ask???? One simple reason. 

My Great-Great Grandfather, Private Matthew Edward Holder.  Matthew was a member of the 48th Battalion and fought in some of the bloodiest battles at the Western Front including the Somme, Mouquet Farm and Bullecourt. 

He was captured during the 1st Battle of Bullecourt and spent the rest of the war in a German prisoner camp.

No-one in my family knew anything of the history of this great man until I started digging, and that got me thinking..... how many great stories from the war (or indeed wars) have disappeared over the years?

I will publish sections of the novel here as I go, but hope you will understand my reasons for not publishing whole chapters on here.  Although it is not my intention to get "The Tin Soldier" published, you never know your luck!  I will also publish what I have found out about the 48th Battalion and my Great-Grandfather.

Thanks for reading!