Catalogue description These 2 volumes consist of letters written (presumably to his wife) from 1915 to 1918 and written up later into diary form.

Vol. 1. In August 1915 Barrington, a Squadron Leader in the 1st Regiment Scottish Horse, embarked for Gallipoli, landing under fire at Suvla Bay on 3 September. He describes the disease and flies which plagued the forces there, although he was involved in little action. On 11 December he was ordered as O.C. Troops on SS East Point to supervise the loading of the boat for evacuation. On 18 December he moved to the SS Beachy doing the same work and himself left on that ship from Suvla Bay. In January he joined the Scottish Horse at Alexandria and on 23 January was appointed 2 i/c of the 1st Regiment which was posted near the Suez Canal involved in its defence and preliminary work for General Allenby's advance into Palestine. The first volume ends on 25 September. (On 29 September 1916 1st and 2nd Scottish Horse Regiments ceased to be Cavalry Regiments and were formed into an Infantry Battalion - the 13th Battalion, Black Watch - known as the Scottish Horse - Major Barrington was 2nd in command).

Vol. 2. In June 1917 the Scottish Horse were part of 81st Infantry Brigade, 27 Division, XVI Corps in Salonika. There was little activity on this front and Barrington describes the poor living conditions, flies, disease and boredom with which the men had to cope. His entries contain accounts of the Divisional sports - chiefly football, racing and polo - organised to occupy the men and his own particular hobby - shooting. He supplied game - geese, duck etc - to the various Messes and also joined in hunting parties - using packs of mongrel dogs. In April 1918 Barrington took over as Commanding Officer and in the second volume ends on 30 June 1918, by which time the Greeks were moving into the front lines and the British were eagerly expecting to leave Salonika.

(In July the Battalion joined the 149th Infantry Brigade, 50th Division in France).