Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 5, 6 May - 16 May 1915, Part 5

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Finalised

Accession number:

RCDIG0000587

Difficulty:

BOMBS AND HAND GRENADES IN TRENCH WARFARE.

The following notes compiled from a circular memorandum by
G.O.C., 19th Infantry Brigade, are reproduced for guidance: --
In the attack it is doubtful if hand grenades would be of
much use till the first trenches are captured. If held up, e.g.
by wires, near the hostile trenches, it is possible that a hand
grenade party might be of use to pitch grenades into the enemy's
trenches, but it is unlikely that grenades would be up at that
period of the action.
The time when they will be of most use in an attack on opposing
trenches will be when the front trenches are gained. Hand grenades
should then be sent up each of the communication trenches and along
the fire trench. In either case, the best position to take up would
be in the trench behind a traverse or bend, from which cover grenades
would be thrown at any of the enemy approaching.
2. To organize a grenade party the following is suggested: --
Squad to consist of 2 men (with rifles and bayonets), 2 men for
throwing, (rifles slung) and 2 men to carry basket of grenades - (
(trained as throwers to replace casualties) and 1 N.C.O in charge of
of squad.
3. The party would move off up the trench in the following order: --
Man with rifle and bayonet -- ready for use.
Bomb throwers with grenade.
Carrier with basket of grenade.
N.C.O.
Second thrower.
Second carrier.
Spare man.
As soon as the first basket of grenades is finished, it should
be passed back for a further supply, and the full basket of the 2nd
carrier passed to No. 1 Carrier.
4. The grenade squad should act on the offensive, bombing the enemy
wherever found, and then pressing on to bomb the next section between
traverses; for if they remain stationary when the enemy is approaching,
they will be located and probably themselves bombed.
5. When an enemy's fire trench has been captured, it will be
necessary to make a second advance, usually from the communication
trenches, after which the next trench will have to be tackled, the
bombing squad being split in two and turned outwards so as to avoid
being taken in rear.
6. In the defence, grenade squads are probably best in the support
trenches, ready to advance up communication trenches to meet the enemy
should he take the fire trench and try to advance.
--------------------------------

9
^{Army Form C.21 "C" Form. (Original.)}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS No. of Message}
^{Recd From By}
^{Prefix Code m}
^{Words Charge}
^{Sent, or sent out}
^{At m. To By Returned at M.}
^{Office Stamp. 57}
^{Delivery Means Distance}
^{Charges for Delivery. Collected Paid out}
^{Service Instructions.}
^{Handed in at the Office at m. Received here at m.}
TO [[??]] Inf Div
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
KA 455 ninth
The raiding party found the
trenches full of enemy &
retired without effecting its objects
AAA They found themselves outnumbered.
Received 6.20 am
LRS
FROM 1^st Inf Bde
PLACE
^{All Porterage, Redirection, or other charges collected on delivery are to be brought to accoant by me ans of Stamps affixed to the face of the}
^{form, and the particulars of such charges and of amounts paid out are to set forth in writing above, in the spaces headed "Delivery" and}
^{"Charges for Delivery".}
^{* This line should be erased if not required.}

^{Army Form C. 2121.}
^{MESSAGES AND No. of Message}
^{Prefix Code Words.}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge}
^{Sent At m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at m. Date From 58 By}
TO Colonel Cannan
15^th Battalion
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
Please report to Brigade Hqrs
by bearer if possible the
colour of the flags being
used to mark the flanks
of your position.
Captain Eastwood
9.5.15
Red & Yellow
DH Cannan
C.O. 15 Btt
From
Place 4^th Brigade Hqrs.
Time 9 am.
^{The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z(}
^{Censor. S}^{ignature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{*This line should be erased if not required.}

13^th Bttn Hdqrs
9.5.15 60
The red and yellow flag which
was on our foremost position now
marks the extremity of our left
flank. Our right flank is marked
by a regimental flag (two blues)
J Simpson Capt
Adjt 13^th Bttn

^{"A" Form Army Form C. 2121.}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS. No. of Message}
^{Prefix Code m.}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge}
^{Sent At ...m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^9/5/15^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at ..m. Date From 61 By}
^{TO Brigade Major}
^{* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA}
^9/5/15
The following are the colours of the flags used by the
battalions of the 4^th Brigade to mark the flanks of
positions held by them
Popes ~~13^th Battn~~ left flank Red & yellow right flank light & dark blue
Courtneys ~~14^th Battn~~ blue & yellow
Quinns ~~15^th Battn~~ red & yellow
~~16^th Battn blue yellow~~
J R Eastwood Captain
Rifle Brigade
^From
^Place
^Time
^{The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z)}
^Censor.^{Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{*This line should be erased if not required.}

8 9
^{m. (Original.) MESSAGES AND SIGNALS No. of Message}
^{Recd. from By FH}
^{Prefix Code Words}
^{Delivery Means Distance}
^{Charges for Delivery.}
^{Collected Paid out}
^{Sent, or sent out}
^{At .M. By Returned at .M.}
^{Office Stamp 9/15}
^{Service Instructions.}
^{Handed in at the Office at M. Received here at 10.15 M.}
TO G. O. C.
FOURTH BDE H.Q. 63
^{* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA}
KA 466 Nineth
Capt Jacobs first Bn reports
he has located a sniper
in a hole half way
up bare cliff 750 factors
from his position near Position
of sniper 224 B 8.
Received 10.20 am
JRE
From FIRST INF BDE
Place 10.00am

9 8
^{"A" Form Army Form C. 2121.}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS. No. of Message}
^{Prefix Code m.}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge}
^{Sent At m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at m. Date From 65 By}
TO First Infantry Brigade
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
B M X 9. 5. 1 5 KA 466
Would suggest Captain JACOB send
patrol to investigate sniper ~~house~~
AAA Patrol should be warned
not to fire as New
Zealand troops are on the ridge
named.
From Fourth Inf. Bde.
Place Hqrs
Time 10.32 am
^{The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (z)}
^Censor
JR Eastwood Capt
^{Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{*This line should be erased if not required.}

^{"C" Form (Duplicate). Army Form C. 2123}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.}
^{No. of Message}
^{9 Q70}
^NW
^{Charges to Pay. ₤ s. d.}
^{Office Stamp. 64}
^{Service instructions.}
^{Handed in at Office m. Received 10.40 am.}
TO 4th BDE
Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
NZA 221 9^th
Fourteenth Battalion report three
officers and sixty two ranks
arriving is this correct
no record of their
disembarkation received here
please telephone reply
PTO
FROM D A A G ANZAC COVE
PLACE AND TIME 10-15 am
^{W. 2384-583. 30.000 Pads - 8/14. S.B.Ltd. - Forms/C.21223}

For report please
JR McGlinn Col
BM
4th Inf Bde
9-5-15
4th B^de A.I.F.
These officers and men
arrived at 1.30 this morning
and are shewn on our daily
State. No Reinforcements. Brigade staff as under.
RE Courtney Lt Col
C O 14^th Btn
9.5.15
(1) Brigade staff Staff Sgt Pennington
Pte McClure
- Kerin
- McLeod
- Cole
- Andrews
(2) Sig Section Sapper Kerr
~~- Chandler~~
Explained to Capt Thoms
on phone
JR McGlinn
11-15 am
9
[*3-62
7
3-55*]

^{9 "A" Form C.M. Form A89. Army Form C. 2121.}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS. No. of Message}
^{Prefix Code m.}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge Sent At m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at m. Date From 66 By}
TO Os.C. 13^th Bn J Simpson Capt
14^th Chas M M Dare Capt.
15^th N O'Brien Lt
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
BM116
In continuation of yesterday's detail of
working parties for O.C. Engineers the
following is the detail of reliefs for
period 8 pm today 9^th to 8pm tomorrow
10^th inst.
9^th 8pm to 12 midnight - 13^th Bn
"9^th/10^th " midnight - 4am (10^th) - 15^th "
10^th 4am - 8am - 13^{th "}
" 8am - 12 noon - 14^{th "}
" 12 noon - 4 pm - 15^{th "}
" 4pm - 8 pm - 14^{th "}
The Brigadier directs that the full number
(50) of the above reliefs be furnished and
that they report punctually to time.
To be noted & returned.
From JP McGlinn Lt Col
Bde Major
Place 4th Infy Bde
Time 11am 9-5-15
T^{he above may be forwarded as now corrected. (z)}
^Censor.^{Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{D 210/9.13.-C.9258. *This line should be erased if not required.}

Captain Ferguson
O.C. Engineers
For your information & favor
of return. The Brigadier
directs that any failure
to comply with this
order be immediately
brought to his notice.
J P McGlinn Lt Col
Brigade Major
4th Inf Bde
9-5-15
2.30pm
Bde Major
4^th Aust. Bde.
Noted with
thanks
J Ferguson
Capt R.E.

^{"A" Form. C.M. Form A 89}
^{Army Form C.2121.}
^{MESSAGES AND SIGNALS. No. of Message}
^{Prefix Code m.}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge}
^{Sent At m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at m. Date From 76 By}

TO Bgde Hdqrs
4^th Infy Bgde
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
X
~~Three~~ Report of progress made in
sapping on Pope's Hill.
Three T head saps 15 yards in
front have been completed and are
now being connected to form a fire
trench. AAA A fourth sap is being
worked and will be connected with the
other three saps. The whole of the present
fire trench and support trenches have
been connected and we now have
good communications throughout the
works. The road is now safe from
snipers. Overhead cover has been
built over the maxim. X
J Simpson Capt
Adjt 13^th Btn
^From
^Place
^Time
^{The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z)}
^Censor.
^{Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{D 210/9.13.-C.9258. *This line should be erased if not required.}

^MESSAGES
^{Prefix Code m}
^{Office of Origin and Service Instructions.}
^{Words. Charge}
^{Sent At m. To By}
^{This message is on a/c of:}
^Service.
^{(Signature of "Franking Office.")}
^{Recd. at m. Date From By}
TO C.O. 14^th BN. 77
* Senders Number. Day of Month. In reply to Number AAA
nineth
Trenches X Work on improvement
of trenches has been carried
out throughout the night & the
sap on the extreme right
has been extend six or
seven feet. The sapping is
necessarily slow as there is
only room for one man to
work on front. I have now told
off a permanent platoon
at disposal of Engineer Officer.
This platoon will work in relief
and it is anticipated that progress
by this means will be greater X
From MAJOR RANKINE
Place 14th BN OUTPOSTS
Time 11.5 am 9.5.15
^{The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z)}
^Censor.
^{Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.}
^{*This line should be erased if not required.}
^{(24473). M.R.Co.,Ltd. Wt. W 4843/541. 50,000 9/14. Forms C2121/10.}

Last edited by:

Jacqueline Kennedy

Last edited on:

8 August 2024, 7:27 pm

Last updated: 8 August 2024