Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 1 June - 1 July 1916, Part 13

"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 Officer.")
Recd at ................  m.
Date ....................
From ..................
By ........................

TO  Capt A R COX   14^th  Bn
La Rolanderie Farm

Sender's Number.    Bm 245
Date of Month     24th
In reply to Number
AAA
Instead of me meeting you at
10 am tomorrow please
report here at 9.45 am
for consultation with GOC
and artillery representative
and  Bring with you the
papers I gave you today
and Acknowledge
From           Brigade Major
                     4^th  Aus  Inf  Bde
Place
Time            4.35 pm
(Z)     JMA Durrant Major 
Signature of Addressor or person authorised to telegraph in his name.
 

SECRET.
Copy No. 8
[*4aB/4425*]
AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE
JUN 25 1916
4th Infantry Brigade
6TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE.
OPERATION ORDER NO. 18.
Ref. Map 1/10,000, Sheet 36 N.W.4.,
Edition 6 (Re-drawn B).
24th June 1916.

1. INTENTION.
3 Parties composed of Officers and Other Ranks drawn from
23rd, 22nd and 24th Battalions, and 3 Covering Parties
from 21st Battalion, 6th Infantry Brigade, will leave our
trenches respectively at I.20.d.8.5., I.21.c.2.7½., and
I.21.c.3.8½., on a night and at a time to be notified.
The 23rd Battalion will enter enemy trenches at I.26.
b. 10.8¼ ., 22nd Bn. at I.21.c.3.0¼., and 24th Bn. at
I.21.c.7.2.
2. INFORMATION.
The information concerning the hostile trenches and the
portion of NO MAN'S LAND to be traversed has already been
communicated to all concerned.
3. ACTION BY ARTILLERY.-
3 minutes before zero time, i.e.- 00.00, the Artillery
will demonstrate on the enemy's trenches from I.26.
b.8.7. to I.21.b.4.3., including Support Lines as well
as I.26.d.3¼.7., (special attention being paid to the
main Communication trench running back from I.21.c.3.0_^1/8.),
and any other point on Divisional front decided upon.
At zero time (00.00) the Artillery will bombard the
enemy trenches, either side of the points of entry.
This bombardment will last for 5 minutes. Wire will be
cut by 2" Trench Mortars opposite points:-
(i) I.26.b.9¾.8¼.  and  1.27.a.0¼.8½.)     
(ii) I.21.c.2¾.0¼. and  I.21.c.3.0½.       )    and gaps made.
(iii) I.21.c.6¾.2.  and  I.21.c.7¼.2.          )   
At 00.04 the Trench Mortars will commence to lift.
At 00.05 the whole of the Artillery will be lifted and
will then have established barrages beyond each point of
entry. (For details see Artillery Orders.)
At 00.05 the Trench Mortars will play on the enemy trench
midway between the various points of entry.
At 00.20 the Raiding Parties will have left the enemy
trenches, being in not more than 10 minutes.
On the "OUT” signal being given the Artillery will
shorten on to the enemy's front parapet again.
This fire, together with that directed on any other parts
of the front, will continue until ordered to cease by
the 6th Infantry Brigade Commander.  If this order is
not received before 00.30 the Artillery fire will cease
at that time.
4.  COMPOSITION and COMMANDERS.
Composition of Parties already decided upon. ----

(5.- DUTIES.)

- 2 -
5. DUTIES.- 
Platoons will leave our trenches at 45 minutes before zero
time.  Scouts with 2 telephonists and 1 linesman will
precede the platoons, laying wire as they go and taking
1 telephone instrument forward.  2 Engineers will also
accompany the Scouts, carrying explosives to clear away the
wire or destroy Trench Mortars or Machine Guns found in
the enemy's trenches.
Platoons will move forward to their respective "LIE"
positions, and from there open up telephonic communication
with the O.C., Attack, who is in our trenches at I.20.
d.8.5½.  Platoons will remain at the "LIE" positions and
wait till our Trench Mortars lift at 00.04, and then move
forward, the Scouts, assisted by the Engineers, will clear
away or cut any wire necessary. Telephonist with the
Scouts will open communication just outside the enemy's
parapet.
The various Bombing, Parapet and Blocking Parties on reaching
the enemy's trenches will act as already ordered.
They will not go more than 30 yards to either flank, or
more than 25 yards down Communication Trenches.
The Covering parties will leave our trenches immediately
behind their respective platoons, and will cover the flanks
and rear while halted in NO MAN'S LAND, moving forward and
then doing the same work while the platoons are in the
trenches. They will be available to help in bringing back
prisoners and wounded, and will cover their respective
platoons when the latter withdraw.
Four guides will follow each Covering party and act under
the order of O.C's., Covering Parties. Their duties will
be to facilitate the maintenance of direction by parties
coming back. They will be dropped at suitable points
along the line of advance.
3 Reserve parties of 1 Officer and 10 Other Ranks each will
remain in our trenches near the points of exit. They will
be under the order of the O.C., Attack, for any duty. The
Officer will check parties going out and coming in. The
O.C., Attack, will be accompanied by 2 Artillery Liason
Officers.
O.C., 22nd Bn., will make all arrangements for reception of
casualties.
6. PRECAUTIONS. - 
The Platoons will assemble as follows at 9 p.m.-
Right platoon at BURNT FARM.
Centre platoon at DEAD COW FARM.
Left platoon at RAILWAY FARM.
There they will be examined in order to make sure there
are no means whereby the enemy might discover which Unit
or formation they belong to. They will have their faces
and hands blackened and will wear white bands covered
loosely with dark socks which will be removed before
entering enemy trenches.
7.-
DRESS and EQUIPMENT. - 
As already arranged.
8. SIGNALS. - 
The Code Signals notifying that the raid will take place
will be as follows and will be sent to all concerned by
Despatch Rider on the date fixed.-
"BRAND arrives at ........ tonight, acknowledge."
Zero time will be the time given in the above message.
As soon as possible after reaching the "LIE" position, the
Platoon Commander will send the following signal message
to O.C., Attack, "ARRIVED". When the enemy's trenches
have been entered, the forward telephonist will send
"ENTERED". After the Platoons have left the hostile
trenches and have arrived at the "LIE" position "OUT"
will be sent to the O.C., Attack, who will
transmit it 

-3-
8. SIGNALS.-  (Contd).     
transmit it to all concerned. The Supplementary Signal
for "OUT" (in case of breakdown in telephonic communication)
will be one rocket giving a golden shower, and fired
by O.C., Attack, and repeated from trenches 50 and 55.
Platoon Commanders, when their men have withdrawn to
places of safety from retaliation fire, will send a
succession of dots by electric torch, which indicates
"CEASE FIRE"
All the above messages will be checked back and then repeated
to the Advanced Brigade Report Centre. In the event
of telephonic communication being ineffective a torch
exposed for 10 seconds from the "LIE" position will indicate
either "ARRIVED", "ENTERED", or "OUT".  The signal for
the raiders to leave enemy's trench will be green Very
Lights fired obliquely by the Platoon Commander or his
representative in the direction of enemy's Support Trenches.
In addition the runners will be available to warn parties
to withdraw, the word used to be "BUNK".
In default of any signals the parties will leave the
hostile trenches 10 minutes after entering.
As soon as the "CEASE FIRE" signal is received by O.C.,
Attack, he will send up two blue rockets, this signal will
be repeated by "A" Bn., 6th Brigade, from the right of
trench 57 and from RUE du BOIS Salient.
Luminous tape will be laid for 100 yards back from the
enemy's trenches after the platoons have entered.
9. ACTION OF MACHINE GUNS and LIGHT TRENCH MORTARS.-
The 6th Infantry Bde. Light Trench Mortar Batteries will
fire on enemy's trench from I.21.c.8.5.  to I.21.b.3½.2¾.
and from I.16.d.2¾.5½.  to  I.16.d.3¼.6¼. Details to be
arranged by O.C., that Battery. The 5th Inf. Bde. have
been asked to use their light Trench Mortars against
hostile trenches opposite BRIDOUX SALIENT & I.26.d.3¼.7.
O.C., 6th M.G. Coy., will arrange overhead (indirect)
fire as under:
Phase (I)- 3 minutes before 00.00 slow fire on the six
Communication Trenches in I.27.a.  at their respective
points of exit from the enemy Reserve line to the
Support line.
Phase (II) - From 00.00 to 00.05 rapid fire on targets
in phase (I).
Phase (III) - From 00.05 to 00.20 lift to the 3 main
Communication trenches at points I.27.c.1.9., I.27.a.9½.0.,
and I.27.b.1.1.
Phase (IV) - When ordered enfilade fire will be put on
Support and Reserve trenches in I.27.a.  from LILLE
SALIENT and THE BREWERY.  5th Inf. Bde, have been asked
to co-operate with 1 Gun at NEW FARM in Phases (I) & (II),
and 1 Gun at THE BREWERY in Phase (IV).
10.-COMMUNICATIONS- 
Special lines have been laid from position O.C.,
Attack, to Advanced Brigade Headquarters. The D.T.M.O.
will be with the 6th Infantry Brigade Commander at Bde.
Advanced Report Centre.
11. PRISONERS.- 
Prisoners will be sent back at once to Advanced Brigade
Report Centre via WILLOW AVENUE - WELLINGTON AVENUE.
12. WATCHES.- 
Watches will be synchronised at 6 p.m. & 10 p.m. on date 
fixed.
13.REPORTS.- 
To 6th Infantry Brigade Advanced Report Centre after 10 pm.
EC Plant
Major,
Bde. Major, 6th Aus. Inf. Bde.
Copies to. -

Erquinghem - Lys 
Menu
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Potage Esope
Coeur de Ninon
pois et pommes fermiere
Coupe aux fruits
Gelies
N'a foo
finish

Champagne
Beatunne
24^th June 1916
 

^M M [[Podanet?]]
24/6/16 

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE
JUN 26 1916
4th Infantry Brigade.
SECRET.
6TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE.
26th June, 1916.
With reference to OPERATION ORDER No. 18 of
24/6/16, the following additions will be made.-
Para. 3.- Sixth line from end of para.- after "again" add -
"In the event of all communication breaking, this
shortening of fire will take place at 00. 22."
SMOKE DIVERSION.- 
3a. -At 00.05 Smoke will be sent:
(i) From  I.15. d.4.1.  to  I.15. d.5.2.,  120 Smoke
Candles, 100 P. Smoke Bombs and 30 new Army
Smoke Bombs.
(ii) From  I.15. d.8½.4.  to  I.15. d.10.5.  120 Smoke
Candles and 100 P. Smoke Bombs.
(iii) From  I.16.c.3.6.  to  I.16. c.5.6½,  120 Smoke
Candles and 100 P. Smoke Bombs.
(iv) From  I.16.c.9.9.  to  I.16.b.0.1½.,  200 Candles,
200 P. Smoke Bombs.  8 cylinders of Gas,
i.e. 1 for every 25 yds, will be used on this
frontage.
EC Plant   Major,
Bde. Major, 6th Aust. Infantry Bde.
[*ack^d
Bm 259*] 

SECOND AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
Divisional Headquarters,
25th June, 1916.
HEADQUARTERS DIVISION

G 3/9

4aB/4439
AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE
JUNE 25 1916
4th Infantry Brigade
C.R.A.
4th Aust. Inf. Bde.
5th          -do-
6th          -do- 
On the morning after a raid has taken place, a short
report concerning the operation should be sent by brigades concerned
and the C.R.A., to reach this office by 10 a.m., in order
that a narrative may be forwarded on to reach Corps before mid-day.
As it is customary for Brigadiers to see the O.C.
Assault and O.C. Attack soon after their return to our trenches,
they should be able to get all information requisite for a short
report, containing such items as.-
Apparent damage done by our artillery to enemy's trenches.
Prisoners taken.
Estimated number of enemy killed.
Our own casualties, both to those of the raiding party
and those in our trenches.
Any variation of the original orders which it may have
been found necessary to adopt to meet unforseen
circumstances.
The amount of ammunition expended by our artillery.
Brodie Wall
Captain,
General Staff. 

"A" Form.                                 Army Form G. 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 Officer.")
Recd at .....................  m.
Date ....................
From ..................
By .........................
TO                  OC   4^th  Field  Company
Sender's Number    Bm 251
Date of Month      25th
In reply to Number
AAA
Would very much like you to erect a
bayonet fighting gallows at La
Rolanderie Farm tomorrow  aaa
I wish to see you regarding
attaching two of your men to
the special party under Captain
Cox for demolitions  aaa
Will call at your headquarters
shortly after 9.30 am tomorrow
on the chance of seeing you.
From    Brigade Major
               4th  Aus  Inf  Bde
Place
Time      9.30pm
(Z)         JMA Durrant  Major
Signature of Addressor or person authorised to telegraph in his name. 

HEADQUARTERS,
NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
25 June.
Dear General Monash
I enclose by the GOC's order
a copy of Raid Orders: will you
please return it as it is our only copy
of this particular raid. The orders are
I think as comprehensive as any I have
seen. I also enclose a 'narrative' of the
xxxx raid which you may keep if you
wish.
Other sets of orders will be sent you shortly.
Yours sincerely
N.R Pinwill 
Copy of Raid orders detached & returned to 
Gen Russell. 27/6/16