Item 12: Miles Franklin pocket diary, 1919

JOT IT DOWN, NOW!

Every boy should possess a note book - and use it, too. It should be in daily use, and when it is filled it should go to join its fellows (1918, 17, 16, 15 and so on) some place within easy access. Notes and note-taking is a great aid to one's hobbies and a source of growing interest and profit.

I have a great number of note books which I find of value to me every day of my life and which I would not part with, not at any price.

As you go about you hear, see or read something of interest, bearing on some hobby or particular study of your own. But pressure of work drives it from your mind and before you have been able to commit it to memory it has passed beyond recall. Here is where this note-book comes in. Five minutes spent jotting down details may save you five hours of search next month.

After you have jotted down on these pages sufficient to jog your memory, at the earliest opportunity transfer your memory-notes to a larger notebook which has been indexed and divided up under the different headings of your hobbies, studies, scouting, etc., making rough sketches of anything that needs fuller explanation.

Making a note of different useful hints and experiences enabled me to increase my knowledge in different subjects I knew. Knowledge is a thing that can't be taken from you. In business, knowledge is power - and a bigger pay for those who have it. J. GIBSON.

[Following is a form to be completed by the owner of the diary]

Boy Scout Certificate of Membership.

This is to certify that: Rank ................................................. Name ................................................ Address ............................................. .............................................. Age .......... Height..........Weight.......... is a Member of the ....................Patrol of ...............................................Troop

Date ............................. ....................................... Scoutmaster.

[The following is printed in the diary]

War Medals and Awards.

The custom of awarding medals dates back to the Chinese, several centuries before the Christian era, but in the British Empire Queen Elizabeth was the first to so award her fighting men, she however conferred such medals on naval officers only, and it was left to Charles 1 to make similar awards to the Army, and then only to officers. It was not until the time of Cromwell that a medal was awarded to a whole Army, and that was to commemorate the battle of Dunbar, 1650. The first ribbon ["ribbon" in bold type] of special pattern to be issued was with the medals awarded for the battle of Culloden, 1746. The first "Bar" ["Bar" in bold] was given with the Peninsular Medals. Prior to the East India campaign, medals were more frequently made oval in shape, but since then chiefly round, some have been faced with glass.

Formerly medals were worn suspended by ribbon around the neck, then from the coat button, and as now, pinned to the left breast of coat.

A great number of Bars have been issued with some medals, the Naval General Service Medal of 1847, has 240.

The Ribbons herein illustrated are worn as indicated with the following Medals:-

V.C. - Victoria Cross. - Instituted by Qn. Victoria in 1856 to be awarded for signal deeds of valour in the presence of the enemy; may be worn by men of all ranks in either Army or Navy, and in certain cases carries with it a small annuity.

D.S.O. - Distinguished Service Order. - An award of great distinction instituted in 1886 by Qn. Victoria to signify the rendering of distinguished service by both Military and Naval Officers in the presence of the enemy.

M.C. - Military Cross. - Instituted by King George in 1914 to award meritorious service - but [page number:] 4

[the following is printed in the diary:]

such as may not be deemed of the same standard necessary for the D.S.O. - by officers who have been specially recommended by the Principal Secretary of State for War.

M.M. - Military Medal. - Was instituted as recently as April, 1916, and is awarded to N.C.O.'s, Men and Women for the performance of distinguished service in the Field.

"General Roberts" Kabul to Kandahar Medal. - Awarded for military efficiency to men who completed the famous march of over 300 miles from Kabul to Kandahar.

Ashanti Medal, 1874. - Was struck and awarded to the men who fought in this expedition under Sir Garnet Wolseley.

Canada General Service. - This Medal was issued in 1899 to men who assisted to quell the Fenian rebellion in the year 1866 to 1870.

Egypt Medal (1882), British. - Was awarded to participants in the expedition to suppress the risings by Arabi Pasha, which continued to 1889.

Egyptian 1882, "Khedive's Star." - This was awarded by the Khedive to all who received the "Queen's" medal for participation in the same campaign. It carries three bars: 1882, 1884, and one undated.

African General Service. - Similar to the Medal issued in 1902 by King Edward and subsequently by our present king to Officers and Men taking part in various engagements against native tribes in East, Central and West Africa from March, 1914, to February, 1915.

Soudan (British). - This medal was distributed by Queen Victoria to commemorate the Soudan campaign of 1896. [page number:] 5

[The following is printed in the diary:]

Another Soudan Medal was awarded by the Khedive to British soldiers who took part in the recovery of the Soudan in 1896, several Bars being subsequently added/

Zulu Medal. - Awarded to those who took part with the forces sent to suppress and punish Cetewayo in 1877 -79.

Ashantee 1896. - Awarded by Qn. Victoria to those who had taken part in the severe operations to quell the rising in Ashanti at this date.

Canada 1885. - This was one of the first Canadian Medals to be struck, and was for the purpose of awarding those who took part in quelling the Riel's Rebellion of 1885, a rising of half-breeds in the North West.

China 1900. - Is a re-issue of the Medal of 1842-57 but dated 1900 and awarded to those who went to the relief of Pekin.

Thibet 1903. - Awarded by King Edward to commemorate the expedition which marched to Thibet.

Indian General Service Medal. - Originated by Qn. Victoria to commemorate the defence and relief of Chitral, and subsequently issued for other Indian operations down to 1908.

South African Medal (Queen's). - Instituted by Qn. Victoria and awarded to those who had served eighteen months in S. Africa (1899 and 1902) and was followed by the "King's" Medal, similar but slightly different in design to the Queen's, and was awarded with Bar for 1901 and 1902.

T.M. - Transport Medal. - Instituted in 1903 to award Officers in the Mercantile Marine for the performance of conspicuous service when transporting Troops overseas.

Ashantee 1901. - Issued by King Edward VII (the first to bear his bust) and awarded to those who took part in quelling the Native rising at Kumassi.

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