Sergeant Pridham’s diary offers more than a record of his experiences. It provided him with an anchor and a refuge, a companion of sorts to which he could confide his innermost thoughts and hopes while insulating himself from the alternating terrors and idleness that might lead a lesser man astray. It kept him from sinking into apathy or despair — indeed, the effort he made to put down his thoughts despite the discomforts and dangers that each day brought shows remarkable strength of character.