Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"...Werner was a 24-year-old optician when he enlisted on 28 August 1915. He was shipped to Britain in May 1916, made a Lance Corporal, and by November he was in France. He avoided wounds until April 1918, when he was wounded twice in four days. He was discharged on 2 January 1919.

The diary begins on 25 May 1916, when he embarks on the transport 'Ascanius' bound for Britain.

On page 57 Werner describes how he was wounded on 23/24 April 1918. He was working in a field dressing station when shells began falling:

'Major Metcalfe left me to finish bandaging the Artillery chap and went towards the door to have a look at the chap who had got knocked there; I saw him grab a stretcher and then just as he got to the door, in came another shell, right through the door and in between us. I was blown right over the man I was dressing, whom we had placed on the floor fortunately, to shelter as much as possible, and [I] was quite helpless for a few seconds and just wondered how long the roof was going to take to fall inand finish the job off. When, after a few seconds it showed no signs of falling in, I began to think of my own immediate troubles; I felt my thigh first - the dust etc. was too thick to see - and finding it still there, which I had hardly expected as I didn't feel it there, my next thought was to get out; I tried to stand up but found R. leg no good so tried crawling and got on fairly well; at the door I came across Major Metcalfe and will never forget the sight; he lay half in and half out of the door with the R. leg blown off below the knee and the L. fearfully mutilated. I told him I was not of much use and having noted that there did not seem much bleeding crawled to the gate and yelled for the others to the best of my ability, as I found my R. lung also "somewhat out of action". The others didn't take long to turn up though my word wasn't I glad; Baker fixed me up and plastered me all over with bandages and it wasn't long before a car arrived from Franvilliers and carted the lot of us out of the place.'

Werner's diary entry for 25/4 says 'Major Metcalfe died of wounds after having both legs amputated.' Werner himself was taken to Lewisham Military Hospital in England, where he was treated for shrapnel wounds in his arm and thigh, and a 'severe' lung injury. His injuries were so extensive that he never returned to the front.

Werner was later secretary of the 10th Field Ambulance Association, until it ceased operation due to its members passing away..." - SOURCE (collections.museumvictoria.com.au)