Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 1 July - 16 August 1916, Part 2

Copy.

B.M. No.307   3/7/16.  To 2nd Aust. Divn.

Information still indefinite but confirms that

enemy wire and machine gun fire on wire caused some

delay both going and returning aaa.  Left parties found

all dugouts empty aaa.  Right parties found dugouts

full of Germans whom they bombed aaa.  No news yet

of any prisoners nor of our casualties aaa.  It is 

thought our party is now all in.

From 4th Aus. Inf. Bde.  1.53 a.m.   (sgd) J.M.A.Durrant.

                                                                                         Major.

Copy.

B.M. No. 308    3/7/16.   To 2nd Aust. Divn.

Artillery Liaison Officer reports on behalf of

O.C.  Attack fully confirming my statements in B.M.

307 aaa.  Conservative estimate of casualties

inflicted is 25 aaa.  Some of our wounded still

being brought in aaa.  Our total casualties probably

as much as 20 mostly slight. aaa.  No word of any

prisoners aaa.  Our casualties chiefly from machine

gun fire aaa.  Enemy trenches very much knocked about.

From 4th Aus. Inf. Bde.       1.53 a.m.        (sgd) J.M.A.Durrant.

Major.

Copy.

B.M. No. 309     3/7/16.    To 2nd Aust. Divn.

Additional reliable information aaa.  Enemy wire

very little cut and proved formidable obstacle aaa.

Our men gallantly persisted and about 25 entered enemy

trenches and bombed several dugouts full of Germans aaa.

Two officers including O.C. Assault wounded two officers

not yet accounted for aaa.  About 20 other ascertained

casualties aaa.  No prisoners brought in aaa.  Practically

all our casualties occurred while struggling through

enemy wire aaa.  Owing breakdown of telephones unlikely

get any further information until party which is now

scattered can be got together to-morrow morning.

From 4th Aus.  Inf. Bde.   3.10 a.m.   (sgd) J.M.A.Durrant 

Major.

4th Aust. Inf. Bde.

Raid of July 2/3

Summary.  (Collected by Capt. Stanton)

Whole of party agree that the assault was commenced in

good order, the enemy wire was not cut but delayed them many minutes -
many casualties were caused here by shrapnel and machine guns from the
flanks.

Many  who were wounded, including Lieut. Wanliss here

pushed forward with the party and reached the enemy trenches; there
was no wire in borrow pit.  Mortar seemed to be catching trenches
parapet (in places razed to the ground), instead of wire.
The Bombing Parties and Blocking Parties jumped into

trenches and worked along, encountering opposition with bombs.

The time in enemy's trenches was very short, owing to

time taken in getting through wire, and no prisoners were, therefore,
taken.  Sgt. Pearce and Cpl. Myers bombed dug-outs with Germans
inside, about 12 in all, the dug-outs being under parapet, and having
covers which they lifted.  No machine gun positions were seen.  No
loot was brought back again owing to short time party had in enemy
trenches.

Before the assault, shortly after our artillery

opened, the enemy sprayed No Man's Land and his own wire with shrapnel
and M. G. Fire. 

A German patrol or listening post of 10 or 12 men was

seen to right of where party were lying in Courai, and these Germans
were killed by our mortar fire.

German trenches were very similar to our own, but

built higher, parapet being quite 10 feet high.  Communication
trenches were found as shown in Aerial photo, and were blocked.

	Officers	O.R.
Reported back to La Rolanderie Farm without reserves, etc	2	50
Known to have been wounded and attended to by M.O.'s	3	25
	5	75
Unaccounted for at present	1	9
	6	84

Sergt. Harris and Sergt. Pearce carried man, whom

 --2--

they believe to have been Mr. Julian, back to enemy wire, but

finding he was dead, they left him to carry others.

All speak highly of the way Mr. Harvey and Mr Wanliss led

the party through enemy's wire.  Mr. Harvey shouted "Come on

Australia"

Mr Wanliss, although wounded on way out, got to parapet 

and directed assault, but was again wounded coming back.

Mr. Roderick was brought in by Sgt. Anderson (who with

very many others made many trips out to No Man's Land) last of all.

Sgt. Anderson and Sgt Harris who were among the last to

leave No Man's Land finally say that an enemy patrol of quite 20 or
30 men was outside their parapet after the artillery ceased.

Enemy Machine Guns were playing on their wire continually.

Scouts & Sgt. Harris

On arrival at the Courai could see a German patrol

of about 10 men near their wire on the right - these were all

killed by mortar fire - he saw the dead.  Counted 30 mortar shells,

the majority seeming to be right on parapet over the wire, in

places the trenches were razed flat.  Particularly on the right the

wire was cut hardly at all.  Sgt. Harris laid the luminous tape

back to wire, and with Sgt. Pearce carried someone, whom they believe
to have been Lt. Julian back to the wire.  Finding he was dead, they
left him to carry others.

Left Bombing Party.  ^ Sergt. Pearce On the word to assault the men moved forward
 as in drill.  Mr. Harvey called out "Come on Australia" and hacked
through wire.  Trip wires gave a lot of trouble.

Sgt. Pearce got his party into the enemy trenches

and worked along about 25 yards, finding communication trench as on

plan, and he met opposition all the way along, enemy sending

bombs over traverses, one hitting him on the back, but not exploding.

He himself lifted cover of a dugout under parapet

full of Germans, ^about 6 or 8 and gave them a bomb.

Several of his men were wounded, some before getting

to enemy trench, as were xxxx Lt. Wanliss and Sgt. Rich of Parapet

Party, who gave Pearce distance he had gone along trench, all

  --3--

apparently wounded by shrapnel and machine gun fire on enemy's own
 wire, M.G. Fire coming from either flank.

Summary

Whole of party agree
that the assault was commenced

in good order, the enemy wire
was not cut but delayed

them several many minutes many
casualties were caused here

by shrapnel & machine guns
from the flanks.

Many who were

wounded ^ including Lt Wanliss here pushed forward

with the Party & reached the enemy 

trenches.  There was no wire in

borrow pit.  Mortars seemed 

to be catching trenches parapet

(in places razed to the ground) instead

of the wire.

The Bombing Parties

& Blocking Parties jumped into trenches

& worked along encountering 

opposition for with bombs.

 The time in enemy's
trenches was very short owing

to time taken cutting through wire

2

and no prisoners were therefore 

taken.  Sgt Pearce and Corporal

Myers each bombed dugouts

with Germans inside about

12 in all the dugouts being under

parapet & having covers which

they lifted.  No machine gun

positions were seen.  No 

loot was brought back again

owing to short time party

had in enemy trenches.

Before the assault

shortly after our artillery

opened the enemy spray on No Mans

Land & his own wire with

shrapnel & MG fire.

A German patrol or 

listening post of 10 to 12 men was seen to 

right of where party were lying

in Courai and these Germans

were killed by our mortar fire

German trenches

were very similar to our own but

built higher, parapet being quite 10 feet

high.  Communication trenches

3

were found as shown in

aerial photos & were blocked.

Reported back to La Rolanderie Farm without reserves, etc	2	50
	off
Known to have been wounded and  attendedto by M.O.'s	3	25
	5	75
Unaccounted for at present	1	9
	6	84

Sgt Harris & Sgt Pearce carried 

man whom they believed to have been

Mr Julian back to enemy wire, but

finding he was dead they left him 

to carry others.

All speak ^ highly of the

way Mr Harvey & Mr Wanliss led the

party through enemies wire. Mr Harvey

shouted "Come on Australia"

Mr Wanliss although

wounded on way out, got to parapet

& directed assault but was 

again wounded coming back.

Mr Roderick was 

brought in by Sgt Anderson (who with

very many others made many trips

4

out to No Mans Land) last of all.

Sgt Anderson & Sgt Harris

who were among the last to

leave No Man's Land finally

saw that ^an enemy patrol of quite 20 or

30 men was outside their parapet

after the Artillery ceased.

Enemy Machine Guns

were playing on their wire

continually.