Diary of Inga Johnson

Inga Johnson’s war diary from 1917 to 1918 works like an autograph album with collaborative authorship. In a small ledger of 100 unlined pages in portrait orientation, measuring 18.5 x 13 centimetres, Johnson curated poems and illustrations with the help of fellow soldiers, nurses, and war workers. Each drawing exhibits a distinctive style signed by her colleagues along with their military rank, position, and battalion. Johnson kept this war diary as memento, later pasting a memorial card (dated 26 July 1936) on the back cover. This memorial card features the poems “Requiescant” and “Cease Fire” by Canadian poet and war chaplain Frederick George Scott.