Major Henry Charles David Marshall - Wallet 1 - Booklet 5 - Part 1

 

VX 34 MAJOR H.C.D. MARSHALL

GEF NO. 3317

 

VX 34 MAJOR H.C.D. MARSHALL

A.I.F.

3317

Stamp*

Geprűft

2

44/6/43

Oflag IX A

V.

 

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Brigade Headquarters Theo tells me were in Troglodyte
dwelling and they were very comfortable in the caves. They
got a strafing one day and a couple of men were casualties.
At one time Jack Bishop was rumoured to have collected
one but this proved untrue. I never saw these HQrs however.
The Italians kept up a searching type of shelling better known
as harassing both by day & night and our Artillery had
Observation posts ahead of us from which they endeavoured
to spot the positions of the enemy guns and later to put
them out of action. We supplied a section as local protection
to the OP. in our area. A better description of the country
would be to describe it as a sawtooth - little hills with
valleys in between and completely destitute of cover of
any description. During the time we were sitting outside
Bardia we had to carry out a number of patrols to the
wire and the tank ditch surrounding it. I think that
Timms took the first one to the wire and did a very good
job obtaining some essential information regarding the state

of wire and depth of the tank trap. O'Glynn took another
and Bruton another - each patrol coming from a different
rifle company each night. Bernard took out his platoon
on a daylight patrol but the Italians caught them when
they became a bit venturesome and got within range of
their mortars. They chased Bernard home with a perfect
salvo of bombs fortunately missing him and his platoon
but he was rather annoyed at the personal attention
he received. Their mortars by the way had an astonishing
range which we discovered this time. The climax came
next day when Bernards dugout received a direct
shell hit. and made his head ring. It made him hate the
IT's with a bitter hatred and he particularly wanted
to know how they knew he lived in that particular
dugout. He wanted his own back and when we attacked
he got it. Right throughout our service he bore a charmed
life and was only slightly wounded in Crete. He had
many astonishing escapes - miraculous is rather the
better word. We spent New Years Day in our positions and
from memory it was a bitterly cold day. Either that day
or the next we were issued with leather jerkins. Thick leather
with a flannel inside - no arms but they kept the body
warm by keeping out the wind. They were sufficiently large
to wear under or over our greatcoats and as most units
preferred to attack wearing greatcoats and these vests
outside it gave rise to the Italian report that we were
using bullet proof vests. They also announced on
their wireless that their troops were being attacked
by 30000 "rough, brutal Australians wearing these vests.

 

146
at the same time or rather the night before our attack was
due there was an issue of rum. It kept the cold out if it
did nothing else but I was careful to see that the non drinkers
share was not used by the drinkers for it was very powerful
stuff and the issue was a tablespoonful of really thick
heady stuff. It came from India and was very fiery. I
mean the taste was biting and not as good as Jamaica. Theo
developed a relaxed throat and spent New Years Day gargling.
Both he and I were very worried - he that he would be
evacuated and I that too - as I was not ready to command.
Still I had to later so my fears were useless. By this time we
had two other units attached to us for the battle. A
company of the Northumberland Fusiliers under Major Yorke who
later became a P.O.W in Italy. His brother inlaw is here in the
next room to me. His company took over from another of the same
unit commanded by a lad named Hineman. A very tall
dark goodlooking chap who disclaimed any knowledge of
relations in Australia. Just about this time all units were
issued with a four letter code name - ours was ENGA and
Brigade SEAR, Division was ENID. A great storm of amusement
was caused throughout the A.I.F by the name allotted to
Corps - namely BUBO. The medical authorities were aghast as
in their terms it signifies a veneral swelling in the 
groin. I expect that Corps had that thrown back at them.
At the same time various code names were used over the
telephone to denote the officer speaking without disclosing
his appointment. The adjutant of all Battalions was Tony,
The Brigade Major SAM the Staff Captains and Seconds in Command
           , the Transport Officer VINCENT, The medical Officer
           , The Quarter Master LEWIS, the Intelligence Officer DEREK
and the Signalling Officer            . We also had a2 troops of Anti
Tank Guns of the 106 RHA - E and F troops but they had very
little to do during the battles. They tried hard as I shall
tell you later. We had a scare either on New Years Day
or the day after. About six oclock we received a message
from Division that the Italians had made a sortie in
Strength and were attacking the 6 Bn on our right.
We immediately became a hive of industry as there
was a large gap between our right and their left.
We warned all Companies - stood too and I was sent
to bring our Carriers up on the right. This took about

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half an hour and when we had made all possible
precautions we had leisure to wait for any developments.

It was then that we studied the message again and found

that it had taken over an hour to drift through to us

and if anything had happened it was over long ago. During

our excitement period we had a report from a forward

Company of small arms fire to their front. A few moments

later the anticlimax arrived with the correction that

the S.A fire turned out to be a motor cycle backfiring. The

true story of the sortie was that the artillery supporting the 6

had our O.P very much forward of their forward troops in the only

position they could see. The IT's stood it for some days and

then sent a fighting patrol out to collect them. Our O.P had

to make an undignified run for it and their chasers were

only stopped when they bumped the Sixth. The whole show

had been over almost an hour before we received the

message. For Yorke's brother-in-law a few lines back read

Best Man. Up till now we had been greatly handicapped

by the lack of certain equipment particularly precision

equipment. Compasses and field glasses were the main

trouble. We only had four compasses and one pair of

private glasses in the Battalion and actually went into

the attack with these. Needless to say after the attack there

were more than enough Italian glasses to equip us

as well as six pairs arriving from Division. These

were some of the results of our appeal in England and

all had private names attached by a small label. Whether

they were gifts from private owners or the results of purchases

from pawnshops I don't know but they definitely were

stronger magnifications than most of the I.T's. From time

to time we received small consignments but at no time

ever received our full equipment either of compasses

or field glasses. In various stages we received orders for the

preparation for the attack. A Coy under Russ Savige and 

B Coy under Sol Green were detached from us and were

to attack with other battalions. We received final orders

at a conference at Brigade and all the Coy C'drs came in

to BHQ. This was late back and we finally finished

about eleven oclock. Sol Green had to move his

company about a 1000 yards but we had time to

break about four bottles of beer and drink good

 

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luck to each other. Whilst we were waiting for Theo to

return from Brigade Sol told us of a lucky escape he

had had during the day when a shell burst about

three feet from him. He also gave us each a lucky

threepence from a Christmas cake he had received from

home. Mine went into your photo holder together with a

pansy you had given me. They are still there and I hope

to keep them until I get home again. There was a naval

shelling during the night and it sounded terrible but

I don't think it did much damage as I told you before

naval shells are not built for this type of work. Still they

must have been demoralising. Sol Green had to go back

about midnight to his company by a round about route

of 3 miles and unfortunately his driver lost him. We

were on the telephone and got a great shock when his

Coy reported that he had not returned. We pictured him

having been captured with orders and maps and the phone

rather ran hot. I persuaded Theo to go and lie down and 

rest as he had improved but was not feeling too hot. I

started using the phone and gradually traced Sol

as having called in at 16 Bde HQrs. for direction. He finally

arrived back at about 2 am to his show and there was

a sigh of relief when I was able to report him back to the

Brigadier. His company had to move into position and

then make up their sleep as they had had a broken

night. Not the best preparation for attacking at dawn.

Shortly before dawn on Jan. 4 1941 our Artillery commenced

their barrage and the noise was deafening. We wondered

how anybody would live through it. The Italians were

very scared and touchy at night and any alarm

set their small arms fire going. If any of our patrols

were out and suddenly the whole front burst out we

pictured the whole patrol as casualties. Fortunately due

to good leadership and the ITs habit of having their

fixed lines high we had no casualties from these bursts.

Actually they were like a Henley fireworks display as the

Italians used blue, red and green tracer and fired

lots of it. Sometimes our planes went over at night and

bombed them and the tracery in the sky of all these

colored glow worms was beautiful to watch. No one of course

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did not heed the fact that any one of these little colored

lights was not capable of killing. The balance of the Bn

(that is less A and B Coys) was Brigade Reserve. Under orders

we had to establish an out of Battle nucleus of personnel

on whom a new Bn could be formed if necessary. Selected

Officers, NCO's and men much against their will were sent

back to B Eschelon and fretted there all the time. Normally

the 2 1/6 of a Bn also goes back and it was rather an

interesting point as to how I was to be classified. I was

not 2 1/6 then (that is officially) and if I went back my Coy

would be led by a subaltern for as you know HQ Coy has

no 2 1/6. As the senior was the Signalling Officer he could not

do both jobs. Halliday was the choice but his 2 ^I/_C was also a

subaltern as we had to supply some Liaison officers

to Division. It was finally decided that I go in as HQ Coy

Cdr and no 2 1/6 Bn be left out. It suited me as I did not

want to be left out of our first-action and miss seeing the

results of my training. I think the attack commenced at

5.32 or thereabouts and all we heard most of the morning

was our artillery shooting off at various targets unseen

by us. We received news at odd intervals that the battle

was going along alright for us - that the 16 Bde had broken

in. B Coy were to go in at another point and carry on

the attack along the wire whilst A Coy were to enter at

still another point and do the same job. Our infantry were

to be supported by 1 Tanks but only one appeared for

Sol Greens show and it soon ran out of Ammunition

and Petrol. His company continued on and took post

after post. Sol was unfortunately shot in the stomach

and died almost instantaneously. He was showing

some ITs how to put their hands up when he was Shot

from the next post. It cast a gloom all over the Bn when

we received the news as he was wonderfully popular. It

enraged his own show and they never let up. The Italians

had spent a number of years developing Bardia and they

considered it impregnable. They had made the terrain

inside and outside the wire as bald as a billiard ball and

had constructed concrete posts along the wire in two 

[[* hand drawn diagram of posts & wire*]]

rows - each post being about 300 yards

apart. It was impossible to use any cover

 

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as there wasn't any. The posts themselves varied in size

but generally held about 80 to 100 men who lived in

concrete rooms below the surface of the ground. They had

a number of rooms - electric light and connected by

telephone. In those rooms they lived in indescribable filth

or else in the anti tank ditch which surrounded the

post. This had been roofed over by thin weak slats and

sometimes was covered by sand. I only went into two

posts and kept as far away from others as possible. Fleas

were terribly fierce and dirty clothing, equipment

ammunition and occasionally dead men did not

make these places very pleasant. More about these later

as I find that I am jumping ahead. I really started to give

you only a small picture of them. They were armed usually

with 2 or three light automatic weapons, an anti Tank Gun,

two or three mortars - some had a field gun - one or two

medium machine Guns - hundreds of hand grenades and some

molotov cocktails which were bottles of petrol with a hand

grenade wired on for throwing at tanks. The bottle burst and

the bomb exploded on impact and lit the petrol which

ran all over the tank and set it on fire. About 2 oclock

Theo received orders to go forward and take over command

of the area now occupied by the 5 and 7 Bns. There was

apparently some confusion and he was to straighten it

out. A few minutes before he left we rather had the "raspberry

jam" visit from two sources. For some time we had been

complaining that we were not receiving our mail properly -

not a very serious complaint but really a little wrinkle

to be ironed out - and right in the middle of the battle

arrived a Major of the Army Postal Service and two

assistants. They committed the crime of driving right

up to our Headquarters in their Saloon Car and wanting

this was a great crime as no one was allowed to disclose

our position by coming by car. Two ways were

possible for giving out our position. To ground observers

who would see the car drive up and draw their own

conclusions and to air observers the wheel tracks

stopping in one place denoted a headquarters of

some sort. The correct drill was to drive reasonably

near - get out and walk. 100 yards and send the car

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away to dispense itself in a waiting area. At that

time we were not so severe on this as later but

nevertheless he got a very cool reception from me and

the car left hurriedly for the horizon. Theo was just giving

his final instructions to me to move the Battalion at 4 oclock

and was waiting for a carrier to go forward. When the Postal

joker threw his request for a discussion of our complaints he

got his ear well bitten and was told there was a battle on

In effect he was told to go and bury himself. Shortly before

a van drew up near us and the driver introduce himself

as an announcer of the A.B.C with a portable transmitting

set. All he wanted us to do was to provide him with a

nice little dugout from which he could catch the sounds

of a battle and send them to Australia. I am again

afraid that his wish to render this service to Australia

left us cold and we sent him somewhere or other

away from us. Talk of bottlefeeding children. Wireless

might be a necessity to some but this gentleman was

a bloody nuisance to us. We had other things to think

about. Theo left and I issued the orders to the Battalion

to move. I think my times must be wrong for I remember that

we had very little time and that it was a great rush.

Just as I received the final reports that the Companies were

moving the Brigadier phoned. He was lucky to catch us

and he ordered me to move as quickly as possible but

by a different and longer route than the one Theo

had given me. He believed it a safer route as the ITs

were shelling the road along which we were going to

advance. I had no option but to follow his orders and

I then did what I think was the finest piece of work

I have ever done. I led the Battalion over the route

and which I had never seen or heard of before

and it involved marching a mile and then wheeling

into the right direction. M^cCorkill had been left with

me as my Staff Officer and as I.O had some supposed

knowledge of the place. He proved a very broken reed

and could not make up his mind as to his position.

In the end I took a chance, gave the order to which

when I thought ready and we passed through the

two big piles of wood I have already spoken of and

 

152

came to the exact point where the wire joined the

road and where Theo was expecting us. I must

admit that I was very worried that I would not arrive

where I was wanted and I heaved a great sigh of relief

when I contacted Theo. On the way and just past the

woodheap we had to cross a minefield. We felt that

it had been taken care of but I had the responsibility

of bringing in the Bn with its attachments safely. I had

a look at the line of mines and knowing nothing about them

I decided that the only way to find out if they had

been deloused was to pick some up and clear a path

through. I can tell you I was very afraid of the first

and if I had known then what was going to happen two

days later I should have been more afraid. Two Engineer

Officers walking in another part of the same minefield

walked on a mine that had been imperfectly deloused

and were blown to bits. I knew one very well. Just

where we went through was one of our own trucks

which when Russ Savige's (A) Coy were attacking had

run into the minefield before it had been attended

to. The whole front and the engine had been blown off

and later I learnt that it was Russ Savige's own

truck and that the driver had got shell shock only.

He was evacuated and came back to us later but

his nerve had gone completely. I mentioned some time

ago that I had hurt my knee playing football at

Ikingi. By this time it was fairly painful and I

had a slight limp. It hurt me to sit down suddenly.

and I was conscious of it all the time. Just as we crossed

the minefield the enemy commenced shelling us and

to the majority this was their baptism. Most of the shells
were directed at our last company and our A eschelon

transport coming through the wood heap. No damage

was done but in turning to look at the burst my

leg gave way and I fell over. It made me terribly

angry at myself as some may have thought I had

gone to ground. We could hear the shells whistling

overhead but by now it was just dusk and the

enemy could not see anything. Theo asked me

why I had not come down the road as arranged but I

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told him of the Brig's counterorder. He then gave me the

general situation and the role of the Bn. B Coy were ahead

on the right and A Coy on the left. The position was still uncertain

and D Coy were to move along the wire with some guides from

the Engineers who said they knew where B Coy were. D Coy were

to go into position on their right. C Coy were to be in

reserve and HQ Coy and BHQ were to establish themselves

at a [[?Bin]] or well some 400 yards in xxxxxx the road and

about 600 yards behind C Coy. By now it was getting really 

dark and we had to move with some speed. I set everyone

off and then started along the wire in my truck to find

out how B and D Coy were going. It was an eerie experience.

I had to follow the wire exactly and it had been sighted

in sawtooths [ /\/\/\ line diagram] so I had to stand on the

running board and guide the driver. We travelled in

fits and starts and two or three times ran into the

wire but fortunately did not puncture. It was slow

going and all the time we travelled in a little dark

world of our own not knowing if we had missed the Coys

and would run into the IT's. Even then the thought

of being a prisoner was a long way down in my mind. It

really did not arise. After what seemed hours we saw

a figure close ahead and I challenged half expecting the

answer might have been a shot. Fortunately it was

a Sergeant of B Coy who took me along to the post that

Macfarlane was occupying. By this time he had

taken over command. Sol Green had gone and three

other officers of the Coy. Will and Evenson stopped them in the

leg and I forget where Davis collected. In the shoulder. This left Macfarlane as the

only surviving officer and he did such a good job that he was

left in command although very junior. In Savige's (A) Coy

Howard was hit in the hand but carried on right throughout.

Arnold was wounded and Timms killed. Timms was a very

unfortunate casl. He received an explosive bullet in the stomach

and had 16 perforations of the intestines. He might have lived for

they can do marvellous things these days but unfortunately the

ambulance in which he was being evacuated ran off the road and

overturned into the anti tank ditch. He was still alive but

the shock on top of his wounds was too much for him and

he died in the next ambulance on the way to hospital.

 

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I was then able to get a report from Macfarlane of the positions

in front and then go across and see Halliday on his right.

I was wandering along nice and calmly with my guide and

was talking cheerfully to him when he made a remark that

made me jump a bit. By the way sir the enemy are in a post

about 60 yards away. As I had wandered around a bit.

Before striking B Coys sergeant I knew I had been nearer to

this post than that. I don't understand yet why they did

not open fire at my men or the noise walking. I then started on

my way back to BHQ and on the wat met C Coy and put

them into position and told them to dig in. When I reached

HQrs I found my company and BHQ were only just thinking

of digging in so I gingered them up.  Brigade had established

a post on the road where Theo had gone so I went on to

report. Theo told me later that when he arrived in the area

earlier in the afternoon there was lots of confusion. There

were about 5000 Italian prisoners hanging around looking for

someone to tell them what to do. He marshalled them and

sent them off in a long column with one man at the head

and another at the tail. he then set about getting information

of the positions of the 5th and our two Coys and was some time

in getting it. When I arrived at the road he and the Brig were

discussing the situation and sorting out the information. They were

sitting in the ditch or gutter about 3 feet deep and were poring

over a map by the light of a lantern covered with blue paper. By

so doing the light is only sufficient and does not show from

the air or very far on the ground. I arrived and they were both

relieved particularly I think the Brig when I was able to give

them the definite positions of B and D Coys and could show

the posts they had taken on the map together with information

Macfarlane had given me of the approximate positions of A Coy and

a company of the 5th. After some thought the Brig ordered me

to return to B and D Coys and to start them off on two night

attacks. We were apparently within reasonable distance of a

very large post which was holding up the 6 Bn on our right.

He finished up his orders by saying that the successful and

vigorous pressure we were to make would be the means

of saving hundreds and possibly thousands of lives in the

morning. I then left him about 11.30 and on the way collected

some hand grenades from my Company as I knew B Coy would

155

be short. C Coy were to move again into B Coys post again as

reserve. I arrived at our forward positions about midnight and

gave them the orders and set the start time as 1 oclock. That

gave them sufficient time to prepare and to prime their grenades.

That is to put the detonators in the ones I had brought up. D Coy

were to attack along the outer wire and B Coy along the switch

line - another stretch of wire running off at an angle and

making another defence line. I then returned and reported to Theo

who was again in command. It had been necessary to check

all our dispositions so he sent Chapman (The Regt) and I out to contact all

the companys and get the latest information. We started off

and on foot - first we went along the wire and met D Coy

just off on their night attack. B Coy had left. That disposed

of them. We then went left to find A Coy and the coy of the 5th.

Whilst we were wandering around searching we ran across

C Coy who had not found the post they were to occupy. We

set them right afresh and continued our tramp. By this

time my knee was paining considerably and I had reached

a stage of tiredness that rather dulled it. As we were

walking over we heard the most appalling commotion break

out on our right about a mile away. Or it seemed that.

There were grenades going off incessantly and I groaned. I knew

B Coy had a limited supply and from the sounds I counted

that they must have used their nights supply in the first minute.

It turned out later they had only used two. What they did

was to creep up to the post and let the IT's know then grenades

which were only dangerous if they exploded on you. If they

hit a yard away they did not harm. Whilst this was going on

they cut the wire and charged. They dropped a mills bomb

down both entrance holes and called out "Apri le Mani" and 

"Mani in Alto" - The two Italian phrases we had been taught.

As a matter of fact we heard quite clearly a very urgent Australian

voice calling out "Apri le Mani". Come out you bastards. It

seemed to work for there was dead silence. Almost immediately

and further away D Coy started and cleaned up their post

quickly. The night was extremely dark and as everything

seem satisfactory in that direction we continued our search

for the other two Coys. We could not find them so twice returned

to B Coy old position and started again in the direction

Macfarlane gave us. On each of our return visits we

challenged and were challenged by guards on IT prisoners

 

 156

whom they were taking back to BHQ. By this means we received

up to date reports of the progress. We were unsuccessful on

our third attempt and travelled in all directions - in

desperation finally shouting and risking whether we were

near Italians or not. No shots or answers came and as by 

this time it was nearly dawn and as we had been out

about 5 hours we decided to return and see if A Coy had

reported in. On the way we found C Coy still lost and

I eventually sent Chapman on and guided C Coy into their

post. They just got there before full daylight. I made my

own way back to BHQ - one foot after the other and reported

in and also went on to the Brig on the road and gave

him the latest information. Incidentally we discovered later

that in our night tramp we had walked completely through

a live minefield without striking trouble. B and D Coys

did a good job and by daylight had just reached the

big post I spoke of. It was we discovered garrisoned by

some very hard bitten fighters. One of their Frontier Regiments

who rather corresponded to the Foreign Legion and who were

one of the few Italian Regiments to really fight. Actually

they held both Corp up all next day but by then they were

only half strength with casualties and with guards to

prisoners. By now it was broad daylight and I returned

to BHQ and was able to see. The troops had either dug their

slit trenches or had built [[sangers?]] and the actual headquarters

were in part of the building of the Bn or wall. Actually it was

only a stone wall about 3 to 4 feet high in places and only

on three sides. The open side was away from the enemy.

Close at hand was an underground room which was given

to Russ Godby for his use. I don't think he used it much

as it was so dirty. We cleared away the fallen stones

and the HQrs of about six were in this place with the

balance of the Company and HQ and the AIF Gunners

well dispersed all round. The telephone was in one corner.

I was able to eat some bully and have a smoke and

to change my socks over from one foot to the other. There

were no room conveniences to sit on so I really started to feel my leg.

I had to sit on the floor either with my leg doubled under

me or with my knees bent up. Either way hurt. I was

very tired and I must admit a bit washed out with

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all the excitement and worry. I had little sleep the night

before the attack and none last night. Anyway our enemy

soon put all thoughts of sleep or rest out of our heads. I can

tell you here that from this moment we had every respect

for the skill of the Italian artillery man and later it was

universally said that his artillery served their guns

to the last and had to be shot or bayoneted or otherwise

disposed of. If the quality of his skills had been as good

as the skill of the men firing then our job would have

been immeasurably harder and our casualties much

heavier and as far as you and I were concerned I would

not be wishing this. Shortly after daylight we received

our first salvo of shells and they hit all round our

area. Some hit the stone wall and others fell in the

area of the dispersed troops. I cannot remember now

when we had our casualties but for the rest of the day

we just stayed there and were systematically straffed.

I find it hard to find the words to describe my

emotions. During the night I felt calm and reasonably

cool and I can't say I felt fear very frightfully.

Perhaps excitement kept me going. I must admit that

all that morning I suffered fright in various degrees.

Bad for a few seconds and then wearing off. Some of his

shells landed on the other side of the wall from my ribs

I was crouching down and the shock used to make

me reel. My ribs tingled in sympathy. I would

have been much happier had I known the wall was

thicker than I thought but I still thank God they

were not British shells. After awhile they settled down

and every ten minutes regularly sent over about

20 shells some of which were shrapnel. Not all of them

landed on our wall - they were spread over the HQrs

area and it was amazing how little damage they

caused. It proved conclusively the effectiveness of

proper slit trenches and digging or building. This

carried on all day and provided there was no

movement we could expect our dose at regular

intervals. Any cars or people moving about during

the times between the strafes brought down an

extra little hate. After awhile we got used to it

 

158

I suppose I should say I did for I am writing more

about myself and trying to confess my feelings to you.

Like everything in life it is the unfamiliar that is fearful

and I soon got used to hearing the shell coming and

then the explosion. I must say that each time I heard

one coming I wondered if it was mine and thought

of you but later it became a matter of course and more

of a joke. Except for a journey I made in the afternoon

I was under (and so was everyone else) the constant

shelling. It made us very mad and we tried to

locate the offending guns. They apparently had us under

open sights that is they were firing their guns like

rifles and we could not distinguish the flash or in the 

noise hear the reports from them. We had one of the

2/1 Fd Regt Observation Officers with us and he went up

one of the Italian observation ladders near us but

could not spot them. Also our anti Tank gunner

tried to find them and thought he had done so but

his guns were only good up to 1000 yards and if he tried

to get within range he would have been knocked out

before moving 100 yards. In any case he was not certain

so the attempt would not have been profitable. During

the day the C.O. of the ²/₁ Fd Regt arrived in a blaze of

glory - during a quiet interval and drove up to

our position in his car and with a wireless truck 

in attendance. He had arrived in response to our

request for Artillery support and as it was quiet

on his arrival suggested that we were making a

mountain out of a molehill. We told him of our

experience to date and also politely told him that he

should not have driven right up as it would inevitably

bring the Crabs down on us. He pooh-poohed everything

we said and apparently decided to infuse some

confidence into us with his usual bluster. He

roared hell out of his F.O.O. and sent him up the

observation ladder again. We became very cold

and told him that his officer was as game as we

could wish and had done everything possible.

It had been quiet whilst this was going on and

we again suggested the sending of his truck away

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from our neighborhood. He refused to move it and

almost on his words the shells arrived. The first

hit his truck clear in the radiator and another was

the closest we ever got. It hit about 10 yards behind

us and knocked some rocks into our nest. It was

almost comical to see his face change and he sat

here waving his hand and saying "they are coming

from that direction". He apparently had some method

of divining it. We agreed and said we knew that but

what we wanted were the guns silenced. Fortunately

there were no casualties then but they gave us the

hottest ten minutes of the day and when a quiet

spell arrived he departed to bring us assistance.

That was the last we saw of him or his assistance

and right throughout the battle the battalion had

to fight without supporting fire of any kind. - this

was something no one else had to do. So we just

lay there and prayed we would not be hit. At least I

did. By this time I was used to the regular arrivals

and crouched as low as I could and then carried on.

The battle generally was going on and about two oclock

orders arrived that B, D and A Coys were not to attempt

any further advance as a big artillery concentration

was being prepared for the last few posts holding out.

We were not in communication with any of these

companies by telephone as they were too far away.

So Theo had to send Chapman, M^cCorkell and I

to each with a message and M^cCorkell who knew

where A Coy was had to lead the mortar Platoon to

assist them to clear up a local pocket of resistance.

I must admit that my reactions - that is private ones

were not pleasant. I felt it was going to be hard to

leave our shelter and walk over what seemed miles of

clear open ground and I felt that each of us would

get special attention from the guns of the enemy. In other

words they would be able to pick us off at their

leisure and that we would receive the whole concentration

in turn. Still the need was great so we [[cofered?]] out

the orders and had them signed and were ready.

I collected the guide from D Coy and we started first.

 

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As I told you before any movement in our headquarters

usually brought down shells so the first hundred

yards we walked I must admit was rather worrying.

They must have missed us and Chapman and his guide

also came out after we had gone about two hundred

yards. The M^cCorkill and Rowden with the Mortar Pln

struck off left towards A Coy. They certainly walked

into it and were shelled all the way across the open.

We could see them collecting and Rowden was hit in

the back. It was at the time thought to be only a slight

wound but we have heard since that he had a pretty

bad time as the shell splinter careered around inside

him. Neither Chapman or I received much attention

in fact nothing landed sufficiently near us to cause

me any worry although they were pitching some

very small shells in our direction. The only worrying

thing about these was the noise of the explosion. A

very nasty sound. Rather like a pom barking. All noise

and very little value. We called in at C Coy and explained

the position and then we went on to the Coys. I had D Coy

and was following my guide when I noticed a Bren Gun.

to the left. I went over to investigate and found Macfarlane

whom Chapman was looking for asleep. They were

also held up by the fire from a post which had D Coy

in trouble. I then gave him the orders and looked 

for my guide. He had apparently lost his way and

this was the reason we had blundered into B Coy.

He went a hundred yards on and after getting his

bearings started back to me. But the post I just spoke 

of caught sight of him and opened up with a light

automatic. He was calmly walking back and was so

tired he did not notice the bullets landing. I called

to him to run and after about three more orders it

penetrated and he started a very slow jog trot to me.

Just as he started the Italians got the range and

for 50 yards he ran on slowly with bullets kicking

up the dirt in spurts at his heels. How he was not

hit only the Lord knows for when he arrived and

I asked him if he had been hit he confessed to no

knowledge of being fired at. He was very surprised

and admitted he thought I wanted him to hurry only.

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If he had realised he would have used his best speed.

as he was lost we went back to C Coy to start again

and I met Chapman there whose guide also could not find

B Coy. As I had fixed things for him he went back and

Walker in a carrier carried my message to D Coy. They

were containing the enemy but could not advance

because of the heavy fire and without artillery support.

In fact in the last post D Coy had captured half a 

platoon were inside with all the Italian prisoners they

had taken and the other half were outside. I then

went back to Headquarters and we more or less sheltered

for awhile. During the afternoon we had a visit from

the Intelligence section of the 11 Bn who were part of the 19th

Bde who were to attack the next day. Like all other visitors

they arrived in a bunch and were rather sceptical of our

advice until the shells started to arrive. There was

an immediate change in their attitude and it was

some 15 minutes or more after the 5 minutes shelling

before we suggested they leave. And then only one at a

time instead of walking four together. The Italian

gunners were a little broader in their attentions during

the afternoon and we did not receive all their attention

fortunately. They became rather sporting and whenever

a car particularly a sedan which they knew was a

staff car they shelled it and the road. It rather pleased

us to see the brass hats running the gauntlet and although

we did not want anyone hit we were in a state of mind to

see the humorous side from the spectators point of view.

Not so humorous was the long line of Italian prisoners

who had to march through the danger space and a 

couple of times it rather looked as if the Italian gunners

were deliberately shelling their own men. During the

whole day we had between 500 and 1000 shells in our

small area and our casualties were marvellously

small. They amounted to Rowden and as far as I can

remember two signallers of mine - one hit in the knee and

the other in the buttocks and three military policeman

who bounced up full of life to collect some prisoners

we had. They too, came up in a blob and one shell

got the three of them. Cramp had a marvellous

escape. He and a signaller fell down onto the ground