Diary of Percy George Rupert Parkes, 1916-1917 - Part 2
MARCH 1915
12 15 MONDAY
We are to start training & doing
an attack practise which means
a "Hop Over" for the 23rd
I select ground while C.O. goes to
Brigade for definite instructions.
It is on this plan to attack Warlencourt
& Grevilliers trench in conjunction
with 2nd Inf Div on our left. We get
on the job right away & organize
the Companies in fighting order.
1316 TUESDAY
Busy training this morning a full
diagram of trenches we have to
take is marked out by tapes. Right in
the middle of this news received
that the Hun had evacuated & retired
back No doubt smelt a rat as our Guns
have been bombarding the last two days
1417 WEDNESDAY
Remain at Camp standing
by ready to move up. Fatigue
party supplied to clear roads.
At 6pm I ride up to 21st Bn H.Q who
we relieve tomorrow. The ride up
& back I'll not forget in a hurry.
The rode was full of shell holes &
mud lay feet thick on the road.
The horse was frightened at falling
into a shell hole as they could not be seen
1915 MARCH
15 18 THURSDAY
Relieve 21st Bn in Reserve at midday
Visit from General Birdwood.
He remarked "Parkes hope it won't be
long before we are in Bapaumbi."
Thought to myself something doing
1619 FRIDAY
Relieve 24th Bn in front line opposite
enemy line on left of Bapaumbe.
Operation Order issued to attack
Enemy trenches & occuppy Avesnes on
N. side, at 3 AM tomorrow. Forward
H.Q. established at B Coy H.Q. &
B.A & C Coys in line D in Supports. Attack
cancelled later on. This attack was to have
been without Artillery preparation & wire was
in front of enemy. trench rows thick & trenches
manned with Machine Guns.
1720 SATURDAY
Going to forward H.Q last night we had
a nervy times & for an hour scrambling & crawling
along in the mud as M.G. fire swept over our heads.
7AM this morning news came that enemy had evacuated
in front. We pushed forward against Avesnes without
resistance only Artillery fire. We then pushed on up
the west & on outskirts of BapaumBe. Our patrol going
through the first hopes to enter Bapaumbe.
1821 SUNDAY
On reaching other side we met with heavy M.G. fire.
& casualties stayed here all day Saturday & at
midnight (now an Adv Guard) pushed on to FavReuiL
& occuppied noth northern edge at 2.15 this
morning. I have forward H.Q at FavReuiL
MARCH 1915
19 22 MONDAY
Stay & hold these two villages all day. (L. Horse
patrols reported these places vacated by enemy
5 hrs after we occuppied them. They are beauties)
like Bapaume All places have been blown
up & burnt before leaving by retiring enemy.
Wells poisoned roads blown up & buildings
ruined. When we occuppied these places
they were still on fire. At 5pm 21st pass
through us & become Van Guard.
2023 TUESDAY
Rushed up last night to relieve 21st Bn right
Coy. After placing posts over 1000 yds frontage
we received word to attack NORIEUL at 3 AM.
Giving us 1½ hrs to do it. "B & A" Coy pushed forward
& got into trench first with enemy who appeared
to hold it strongly. Could not push through
owing to MG fire & rifle fire & getting casualties
we withdrew about 500 yds. 8.30 AM another
attack but failed again. Dug in about 500 yds
N. Flank. Casualties heavy including Adj & 3
other Officers. Officers & men dead beat & soaking wet
2124 WEDNESDAY
Relieved last night by 26th Bn & we march
back to WARLENCOURT 6 miles back after hard
fighting all day. The attack was in my
opinion a huge blunder. The Battn advanced
about 7 miles during 17th & 18th 19th & 20th with few
casualties & on the last day met with a severe
crushing that spoilt the whole show &
lost good men that may have been avoided.
We were undoubtedly the first troops to get
through Bapaume although 8th Bdge chalenge it.
Bn today resting after a very strenuous time.
1915 MARCH
22 25 THURSDAY
Am acting Adjutant & 2nd in Command
as well. Still upset over 20th affair &
done up. Bn resting & clearing up.
Total Casualties 5 Off & 35 OR. Peculiar
on looking back remark passed by
Birdwood hoping we would soon be
in Bapaumbe. The Bn took the following
villages during our 7 miles advance
AVESNES, Bapaume, FAVREUIL, BeunaTRe
attacked NOREUIL but failed.
2326 FRIDAY
Salvaging work by Battn still
in Reserve & troops to go back
further still in a day or two.
Duties as Adj. going strong. Any amount
of work to do that but it has to be done
although would like to sit down &
put write a few letters home.
2427 SATURDAY
Our move back arranged for
tomorrow. Meanwhile salvaging
going on. Fearful lot of material
lying about as all this country has been
the place of severe fighting. An Officer
from 22nd Bn Lieut Bayley takes up duties
as Adjutant.
25 28 SUNDAY
Move posponed owing to 7th Brigade
doing an attack of villages we could
not take.
MARCH 1915
2629 MONDAY
Leave Warlencourt relieved by
52nd Bn. Arrive at Mametz Camp
about 4 pm tired after wet &
long march. Good Camp though
& soon shake down
2730 TUESDAY
All day spent in cleaning up
& re equiping. We are out for
some time whether here or back
to villages I don't know
2831 WEDNESDAY
Ride over & inspect transport
this afternoon La Boisselle
Have tea at 2nd Div Training Depot
at Bicourt with Capt Dunn.
1915 APRIL
291 THURSDAY
Company training. Major Pealan
comes back from 47 Army School.
I resume command of A Coy.
312 FRIDAY
Move to BICOURT Camp more roomy than
last Camp we were at.
Same Camp as we stayed at 2 months
previous to going to forward area.
313 SATURDAY
Get down to hardwork & start training
at once Platoon drill & Coy Drill all
day.
1 4 SUNDAY
Brigade Church Parade. General Birdwood
gives decorations.
APRIL 1915
25 MONDAY
Start our syllabus of training
Squad Platoon Coy Drill. Will have
a chance now of getting things
straightened up in discipline etc.
Rain has set in fairly heavily
End of March & beginning of april
last year was very wet.
Give lecture tonight on Reconnaissance
Brig General & Staff attend.
36 TUESDAY
Same work as yesterday with
Battn drill Capt Dunn joins up
from 2nd Div T.D. & act as my 2nd
Practice Platoons patroling.
4 7 WEDNESDAY
Drill parades morning & afternoon
Heavy Snow Storm during
afternoon. A Mail arrives from
Australia, letters written over
2 months ago, very seldom we get
get them before 2 months.
1915 APRIL
5 8 THURSDAY
Company much improved & working
well. Men taking interest in
their work 60 reinforcements makes
the strength 210 & 5 Officers.
Have very interesting tactical
exercise tonight. Platoon patroling
attacking strong Posts.
69 FRIDAY EASTER
Receive letter from Art dated 2/3/14.
Expecting word of his transfer pretty
soon. Half holiday today.
Capt Dunn Doctor & myself ride over
to Quarter Masters for dinner. Come
back across our well remembered
Sausage Gully in which we came up
on first time as Posieres. What a change
now. Where hundreds of guns were continuously
barking now runs a railway & huts each side
710 SATURDAY
Practice Company in Attack morning
Afternoon attend with C.O. bayonet
fighting display.
Concert tonight in YMCA hut by
23rd Bn
8 11 SUNDAY
Brigade Church Parade
APRIL 1915
9 12 MONDAY
Training as usual.
4th Div attack & driven back
from Hindenburg line near Bullicourt.
Germans claim number of
prisoners.
Night Schemes
10 13 TUESDAY
11 14 WEDNESDAY
1915 APRIL
1215 THURSDAY
1316 FRIDAY
Leave at 8AM for BeaumaTRe 15 mile
march. Through Le SARS & Bapaume. POSIERES
Arrive at 3.30pm & man garrison trench
known as Corps line defence.
14 17 SATURDAY
Take things easy today & make
dug outs to accommodate us all.
15 18 SUNDAY
Get to a deeper trench & make
a defensive position of it.
APRIL 1915
16 19 MONDAY
Receive word & orders for
a stunt on Hindenburg line.
All preparations made ready.
Coy Commdrs ride up to NORIEUL
& look at the ground & villages
occuppied by Enemy.
1720 TUESDAY
Enemy attack on our right this
morning. 1st Div T'port & get through.
as far as Lagnicourt. Here our
Supports stopped them. They
captured 5 Guns & blew them up.
Enemy suffered very heavy casualties
on same ridge as we got it when
attacking Norieul.
2118 WEDNESDAY
We are still in Corps line &
stunt posponed for a day or so
Stand-to night & morning at 4 AM
& 7.30 pm. This is on account of
prisoners statement saying they
are to retake Norieul.
Let them come & try we say.
1915 APRIL
19 22 THURSDAY
Practice in full swing for
stunt. 2 Coy Commdrs are to be left
out. Capt Rossiter & myself to have
a post. Capt Dawson 2nd in C is
in charge of A Coy.
2023 FRIDAY
Operations put off & awaiting
events further North. Training
& occassionally a road working
party supplied.
21 24 SATURDAY
We have our first Brigade practice
today over country marked
out for represent objectives.
2225 SUNDAY
Relieve No "B" who are escorts for our
Guns around Lagnicourt. Relief only
for 12 hours.
APRIL 1915
2326 MONDAY
After relieved by 20th again I
have charge of party laying
cable from Noreuil to front line.
Fairly quiet & finish about 3.30 pm
this morning. Move back to Corps
line & enjoy good sleep.
24 27 TUESDAY
25 28 WEDNESDAY
1915 APRIL & MAY
2629 THURSDAY
Maj Pedlar evacuated. I
take his Coy temporarily for the
stunt which is supposed to come
off on 30th now. We have Corps
line for the night & prepare for
early morning practice.
2730 FRIDAY
Up at 12.30 AM & practice stunt
with 5th Bdge. Arrive back &
relieve 2nd Bdge in Corps line again.
Stunt put off again.
281 SATURDAY
Specialists training. no
word of a move yet.
262 SUNDAY
Pulling Day. leave Corps line & erect
Tarpaulin Shelter near Flavnieuil
Beautiful warm day.
MAY 1915
30 2 MONDAY
Out at 12.30 AM this morning to practise
stunt arrive back about 6.30 AM.
Rest remainder of day
Word comes about 9 pm to move forward
to front line. B & C Corp take over A & D in
supports. After a lot of squeezing &
pushing was able to get Coy in to
allotted space in Sunken road about
600 yards behind line. Gas shells
were troublesome during remainder of
night.
1 4 TUESDAY
Take things quietly today enemy
fairly quiet we are continuously
pouring heavy stuff into enemy
line, he gets very little peace
A fine xxxview can be got of Bullecourt
Rinecourt & Hendicourt. These three
villages are our objectives
Most of day I lay out in the sun
Its glorious weather the last few days
2 5 WEDNESDAY
Supplied carrying parties last
night to front line. We blew up
enemy wire with a number
of mortar bombs exploded by
electricity. The results will be proved
when the "hop over" takes place
1915 MAY
3 6 THURSDAY
The stunt comes off this morning 3.45 AM. At 2
AM we file out to Jumping Off trench in our Sector alone
6th Bdge there are about 2,500 men. I am in charge of 8th wave & have
further objective to reach about 2 miles on. We were just
leaving to line on the J.T when enemy heard or saw the
thousands of troops in front of him. The Inferno then started
Two or three minutes after we started to advance. The noise
of our Artillery Rifle fire M.G fire was frightfull & one could
not see 6 ft ahead on account of smoke. 1st & 2nd line reached
3 line reached & Bn had to stop. Eventually driven back
6th Bdge only ones to push through & our flank were left in the air
We retired to enemy 1st & 2nd line & for the rest of day7 FRIDAY
23rd with 24th held out against counterattack after
counterattack by the hun. 7th Bdge sent up two Coys
to bomb to the right. They were successfull but
afterwards driven back. Again they were successful
but driven back a 2nd time. At 10 AM Maj Trew
commanding us was wounded. I had to replace him.
At 6 pm we were still hanging on & thats all. I
instructed 7th Bdge must hold on & protect our flank
11Bn Reports that 7th Bdge had retired thus leaving us
at the mercy of Hun should he counterattack strongly
We hold on through until relieve at 3 AM next morning by
1st Battn &
2nd twelve mach from Aussie
6 8 SATURDAY
Very quiet all day & kind of restless feeling areoplanes
very busy. Most of Coy away on fatigue
Just finish Dinner tonight & writing letters when a
heavy bombardment started above Bois Gunier. Going
outside saw several Green Rockets go up from trenches.
This was enough, immediately stood to arms ready to move
Bombardment followed by rifle fire lasted about an hour.
79 SUNDAY
Heard results of last nights stunt at the trenches after bomber
party of Turks came at our trenches & succeeded in getting
in & killing our wounded. They only stayed a few minutes
& went back again. It is thought our 'Stokes Guns' are
captured with an Officer & 6 men
MAY 1915
8 10 MONDAY
What men are not on fatigue work are
receiving instruction in various matters.
To celebrate our day of leaving Australia, have
a poultry dinner cooked by our French woman.
It consisted of soup Chicken with rice & salad.
Custard pie & jam roll, a real bust up.
Followed by a pain at bedtime. High living
did not evidently agree with me.
911 TUESDAY
Instruction & lectures on Gas attack & the
use of Gas helmet & Goggles for "Tear Shells"
This Gas is a very important part of our training
10 12 WEDNESDAY
A lot of people are moving from places
round about. The shelling of villages has
increased since we arrived in this part
much finer again today & rain cleared off
1915 MAY
1113 THURSDAY
1214 FRIDAY
1315 SATURDAY
1416 SUNDAY
Spells letter writing. Mail still all
to pot for bits of different mail come
in at same time. Half bag per Coy a day
MAY 1915
1517 MONDAY
Lectures indoors raining heavily
all day. Mud very bad but soon
dries up.
1618 TUESDAY
Very quiet everywhere.
Give D. McIntyre send off. He going on
leave to England & getting "hitched"
1719 WEDNESDAY
Digging trenches at Billets in case of
shelling. Alarm of Gas on left Everyone
stands by ready in Billets.
Concert given at E - by party from
home So many per Battn go
1915 MAY
18 20 THURSDAY
Leave at 2.30 am this morning with 3 Officers
& 160 men to B.G. for trench digging
Arrive at 5 am. Return at 11 am.
Tomorrow we go to same place &
billet or live in trenches until
work is done. Saves the long march
back & forward. To much movement
about is the drawback
19 21 FRIDAY
Leave same time this morning
with packs up "D Coy" & part of "A Coy"
under Capt K. Very tired tonight
Billet in farm house half blown
down. The floor was covered
with manure had this scraped
out as best we could.
Don't think it will affect our sleep
somehow
2022 SATURDAY
We soon find we are in a very hot corner
Batteries all round us barking all day
long. Artillery hate to have Inf. near
them as they attract attention. Can't
blame them. Tonight after tea a dozen
shells are sent over round our billet &
ranged on it.
2123 SUNDAY
Continue trenches. Men kept down
throughout the day. After tea get all men
in rear in trenches. Our action was right
soon after got it again.
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