List of Australian diarists of World War I

[3] Individual diaries were officially forbidden because their capture by the enemy could yield valuable intelligence regarding unit identification, troop movements, etc.

Military units were required to keep official records,[7] which are also referred to as War Diaries.

[6]: 137  Efforts focused on diaries documenting training and active service,[19]: 92  with accounts recorded "at the moment" or as soon after as possible considered the most useful.

[6]: 142  It was Arthur Bazley, historian Charles Bean's assistant at the Memorial, who suggested using the addresses recorded in the Roll of Honour Circulars to contact next-of-kin (and, later, servicemen and women directly[6]: 149 ) to ask for diaries and personal papers to be donated.

[23] Only 500 diaries were collected by the Library, despite wide advertising, while approximately one in four soldiers or families contacted by the Memorial donated material.