Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 7, 8 August - 15 August 1915, Part 1

Narrative of operations from 
1945          7^th August 1915     52
To 1200    8^th        "       1915
At 1945 on August 7^th I reported with
my adjutant at Brigade HQ and received 
verbal orders for the advance and attack
on Koja Chemen Tepe via the Abdel
Rahman Bair.
On my return to Bivouac from
Brigade Head Quarters I conferred with
my officers commanding company's with
regard to plan of action.
My Battalion was leading the B'de
and passed the starting point at 0310
in square 92 U near the _^second A in ASMA DERE
being preceded by one platoon of B Coy
as advance guard.
I made arrangements with CO's 
14^th & 16^th. B'ns for keeping touch throughout
the brigade.
The advance from the point
we left the firing line was down a 
steep declivity in a north easterly direction  56
[*JM*]
 

This led us into the bed of the ASMA DERE 57
and a reconnaisance was made as
to the best line of ascent up the opposite 
spur. As a result of a reconnaisance
the previous afternoon it was known
that this ridge was held by the enemy.
I therefore detached another platoon of B
Coy as right flank guard. The top of
the ridge was reached without any
opposition and we continued in a 
north easterly direction to reach the
north end of the ridge near 93L
midway between 4 & 7. 
The advance guard platoon was
then sent down into valley towards
square 93L7 to protect our left flank
and advance continued in an easterly
direction.
In the meantime a third platoon
of B Coy was sent out in front as 
advance guard and the right flanking
platoon was called in to rejoin the
column.  58

He skirted the north end of this   (50)
spur being protected from observation 
by a dense line of prickly undergrowth
resembling a hedge.
After advancing another 500 yds
the left flanking platoon was also called
in and rejoined column thus only leaving 
one platoon detached as advance guard 
we continued our route, the objective being _^where 
the _^first A is in ABDEL RAHMAN BAIR
The advance in the new direction 
was continued for about 600 yards which
brought us to a slope covered with dense
low thorny undergrowth where at 0415
our advance line of scouts came
into contact with enemy's patrols, who
opened fire on our men, our advance
guard drove in the enemy's outposts
and then immediately followed a heavy
outburst of Rifle & Machine gun fire from
enemy on the high slopes on our front,
left front and right front also from the high
slopes to the south of us.  60
 

The leading coy (B) which had   (49)
been detailed as advance guard and
also as outpost company for the N.E.
face of the ABDEL RAHMAN BAIR
pushed briskly forward to make this
outpost line. D Coy was deployed to the
right front to assault enemy's position
and were subsequently supported by two
platoons from A Coy, as the fire from
the southern ridges was holding up our
advance and this disposition was 
successful in holding the enemy there
in check. 
Finding that B Coy was held
up I supported them with Balance of
Battalion (The whole of C Coy and 2
platoons of A Coy) this effort was successful
in reaching the NE spur though meeting
with heavy strong opposition and incurring
very heavy casualties which were due
mainly to machine gun fire.
Opposing this advance there
were eight enemy machine guns in action, 
on our left front.  62

I dispatched two messengers to the 14^th  (48)
B'n to guide their advance to our
left front where enemys fire was most
severe, These messengers succeeding in
drawing a small number of 14^th in the
direction indicated but the greater number
advanced towards our right front 
which position I considered had been
satisfactorily dealt with by D Coy &
and the 2 Platoons of A Coy.
Having failed to secure the
full support of the 14^th Bn in the
desired direction I tried to get touch 
with 16^th B'n to cooperate in the
offensive on my left front but found they
had advanced on the southern slope
of the plateau and were being deployed
to the right and rear of the 14^th B'n. 
The enemy having counter-
attacked in strength on our left front
and left flank and our line being
very thinly held it began to gradually
fall back. One of my officers then
got into touch with Col Pope O.C.16^th  64

and on reference to Brigadier General   (47)
of 4^th Brigade, a general retirement of
the Brigade was ordered.
This retirement was most
successfully carried out, Capt Rose B'de
Machine Gun Officer was in charge of
rearguard and had under him the
Machine Gun Sections of the Bde and an
escort of 50 men of various B'ns.
From the point where the 
rearguard action commenced all
wounded men, Rifles & munitions were
carried back to our lines, the offensive
of the enemy against our retirement
resulted in heavy casualties to him due
mainly to favourable targets and the
excellent handling of the machine gun
sections.
15^th Battalion casualties in this
operation were.
                                 Officers                               Other Ranks
Killed                             -                                       20 100
Wounded & missing  8                                     95
Wounded                      3                                     185
Jas. H Cannan Lt C
C/615 Bne
66

(11)
13^th Colonel Tilney reports all very                            
quiet just a little firing on his right
16^th Report a very fair night comparatively
quiet.
14^th Turks started to entrench in right
front, seem hasty entrenchments &
practically unoccupied. No attack
during night, but a few Turks seen 
moving about & a few small parties 
seen moving away northward.   
Aug 1915

8/8/15
from sea at
135 .8 xx150 to D thence
to Bakababa Down to
Chocolate hills 105 Qrw aaa
Wx . hills not included in line
apparently

(73)

"C" Form (Duplicate).    Army Form C. 2123.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.  No. of Message..........
SM 2^nd 37                       Charges to Pay.         Office Stamp.
                                                     £   s.    d.                      8/8/15
Service Instructions.                      57
Handed in at ZBK  Office     0501 m.         Received 0518 m.
TO  General Monash 4^th Australian
                                       Inf Bde
Sender's Number     Day of Month     In reply to Number  AAA
                                                8th
begin sending up ammunition
to our battalions that
are engaged and send
a party of 20 men
to our headqrs to help
us take boxes to our
troops  
action taken
G.R.C Capt
FROM                   General Cox
PLACE & TIME     0455
24932 M.R.Co.,Ltd W1 W9668/1672  50,000 Pads - 1/15   Forms C.2133