Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 1 July - 16 August 1916, Part 4

"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  3/7/16
By

TO   Intelligence Officer
B.H.Q.

Sender's Number.      Day of Month      In reply to Number        AAA

Last night in conjunction with

artillery bombardment we took up

a position B.G map NW Sq 31 A [*I 31 A 2¼ Y*]

& opened fire on enemy's

communication saps immediately to the

right of raided area. Today

enemy searched this position with

high explosives but our position

was untouched. Evidently we caused

some damage during our stay

4250 rounds were fired.

J.M.

From    AMitchell

Place    No 4 M G Coy.

Time

The above may be forwarded as now corrected.

Censor.

(Z)

Signature of Addressor or person authorised to telegraph in his name.

*This line should be erased if not required.

(T1809) Wt. 14142-641. 45000 pads. 4/15. Sir J. C. & S.

8 a.m.

July 3^rd/16

2^nd Aust Div.

Further to my field messages BM. 305 to

309 - I have to report on Minor Enterprise as follows :-

Information already sent, gathered

through indirect channels is now substantially

confirmed. - Artillery and Infantry action

developed exactly as planned, and punctually. -

on reaching and crossing COUREAU River two

belts of enemy wire were encountered. The raiders

describe the wire as "hardly touched"; but there

were large craters in the ground between the

two belts. - The party forced their way through

the wire, under hostile machine gun fire, reached

and entered enemy trenches & raided them. -

About 25 of our men actually entered enemy

trenches. The left parties found neither men or

guns; dugouts empty; works very much damaged

by our artillery. - Right parties lead by Sergeant

Garcia (wounded) methodically bombed a series

of dugouts - at least 3, probably 5 in all -

crowded with enemy, one having an electric

light burning. Several men confirm hearing

enemy screams & groans in these dugouts as

bombs exploded. - A conservative estimate is

that 25 enemy were killed or wounded.

The withdrawal through enemy wire

was difficult, as our wounded had to be got

through.

For reasons which follow it has been

very difficult to collect information in time

for this report.

52

On way out, both telephonists were wounded & put out of

action. - Before reaching enemy parapet, Lt. Wanliss,

O.C. Assault was wounded; but bravely carried on his duties

until he collapsed. - At 11.59 p.m. all my communications

were cut, both on all direct & on all alternative routes -

also all Artillery routes. - Measures previously concerted to

meet this contingency were put into use. The time taken was

in collecting information as the raiders came in, not in transmitting 

same. - All officers who went out became casualties. -

Practically all _^ our casualties occurred on going and returning

in enemy wire - mostly from Machine Gun fire - but some

men are positive there was enemy shrapnel bursting on its own

wire. -

One very intelligent N.C.O. thinks that only a few of our trench

mortar bombs (medium) fell on our side of enemy parapet.

The absence of prisoners or loot of any value appears to be

due to (a) Shortness of time due to delay in crossing the
wire

(B) Our returning party being fully occupied in
helping our wounded.

Up to time of writing our Casualties are :-

Wounded :- Lts. Wanliss, Harvey & Roderick & 25 others

Unaccounted for :- Lt Julian   & 9 others
Total 38

53

Although the enterprise cannot be considered to have been

successful, having regard to the number of our casualties,

yet this is no fault of the raiding party.

I consider the resolution and determination of the

party in persevering to force their way into enemy

trenches _^ through uncut wire under heavy fire worthy of the highest praise,

& reflecting the greatest credit upon their offensive

spirit.

John Monash

B-G.

4^th Aust Inf. Bde.

Please report to Fourth Aust Div.

4557B.

AUSTRALIAN

IMPERIAL FORCE

JUL 3 1916

4th Infantry Brigade.

11 a.m.

July 3rd, 1916.

2nd Australian Division.

Further to my telegraphed and written reports

re Raid of July 2/3 :-

In spite of the most elaborate system of alternative lines,

both permanent and emergency, buried and over-ground, and with ladder

wiring, -every telephonic communication between my H.Q. and the fighting

units unit and supporting Battalion was cut. The rockets supplied a

supplementary signals failed to act. All intelligence had to be collected
by runners and liaison officers who were new to the ground.

Following further information is available :-

Our Scouts encountered an enemy patrol of 10 or 12 men and

drove them back towards their own parapet, just at the moment when

our main bombardment commenced. The whole of this party was destroyed

by our Mortar fire. Their bodies were seen by several of our men.

On entering enemy trenches, at least 6 enemy dead, killed by

our bombardment, were counted.

The previous statement that there were no Germans encountered

by our left raiding party proves to be incorrect. This party was led

by Sgt. Pearse (after his officer, Lt. Roderick, became a casualty)

and he and Corpl. Myers are most emphatic that his party raided at

least 3 dug-outs, in all of which were Germans. These dug-outs were

under the parapet, and the openings had covers, which the raiders

lifted, then throwing bombs in.

This brings conservative estimate of casualties inflicted to

following :-

By night parties                                           at least 25.

By left         "                                                    "      "     10.

By bombardment    In No Man's Land   "      "     10.

                                      In Trenches                            ..6.

                                        Minimum Total                 51

Private W. Pike, of the party led by Sgt. Garcia (after his

officer, Lt. Julian became a casualty) is positive that two Germans

whom he killed in one dug-out were officers.

Sergeant Garcia says that the first bay his party entered

was empty, the next bay was full of Germans, all of whom he disposed

of by bombing. He was engaged in dealing with a dug-out which was

brilliantly lit up, and in which were four of the enemy. His party

had killed two of them by hand, when a shell struck the dug-out,

rendering Garcia a casualty.

Lieut. Harvey led the assault through the wire, crying

"Come on Australia. He was wounded while cutting wire. Lieut.

Wanliss, (O.C. Assault) was wounded before the wire was reached. He

nevertheless pressed on, and continued to control the operation from

enemy parapet and was then wounded a second time. He kept on in full

control until he had given the "Out" signal, and then collapsed. When

being carried back he was hit a third time.

All reports agree that all men who succeeded in getting

through enemy wire carried on coolly and methodically, as if at drill.

Hands, legs and faces of most of the party bear witness to

the fierce struggle they had to get through the uncut wire, clothing

being torn to pieces. Also, trip wire gave a lot of trouble.

Our Scouts, and some of the wounded, threw themselves on

--2--

the wire, so as to form a bridge for the rest of the party to walk

over them.

The loss of time entailed by the wire and the number of our

wounded to be dealt with, made conditions unfavourable for bringing

back prisoners or loot, but one man claims to have blown up a bomb

store.

Enemy works were very much damaged by our fire, the parapet

being in some places flattened out. Our replica trenches were very

like the real thing. Enemy parapet is between 9 & 10 feet high

deep,-fire-stepped.

Enemy commenced throwing shrapnel onto his own wire and

No Man's Land almost immediately after our main bombardment started.

Our Assault had to go through this, and through flanking M.G. fire

from both flanks.

I consider the work of the party and every member of it a

brilliant example of a determined, resolute and successful offensive

under great difficulties. The loss of the officers made not the

slightest difference to the party, the sergeants taking charge and

carrying on.

I shall, in due course, submit recommendations bringing

certain officers, N.C.O's. and men concerned under favorable notice.

Brig.-Genl.

Commdg. 4th Aus. Inf. Bde.

 

11.25pm  3/7/16.
Sergt Anderson reports that he carried
a haversack full of German Bombs
out of the German trenches but
lost it on the way back  he also
xxured 2 bandoliers of German
ammunition (herewith).
Pte Armstrong HJ lifted the lid of a
Black Box about 18" x 12" x 12" let into the
parapet, _^ of the German trench immediately there was an
explosion alongside him, wounding 2 of
our men  he is not sure whether the
box was a contrivance to cause an
explosion or whether it was caused
by a bomb thrown from the rear.
W Stanton Capt

Major Durrant
2 Bandoliers German JBL
Ammunition
herewith
Sgt Anderson would like these above returned to him
if possible.
JMADurrant Major
BRIGADE MAJOR, 4TH INF. BRIGADE.
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
2-JUL 1916

9
2/3 /7/16
2.15  Mears, Artillery Officer, rang up
and reported to O.C. Centre Group Artillery
and _^ spoke to General Monash.
2.30  Captain Stanton and 3 of the
landing party reported -
2.33  Sent wire 2^nd Aus. Div.
BM 308
3.10  BM 309 sent to 2^nd Aus Div

3
2/3 /7/16
10.28½  Spoke to Cox, sychronised
time.  Cox said he was
just going to start -
10.30  Scouts went 10.30 out.
11.157  OK report from front dugout
11.29½  Right Diverson commences
11  31½  Colonel Jackson says "Stx Smoking
Concert" and wanted to
know whether we were at
our O Adv. Report Centre
12.8  Ashe reports he is afraid line
is cut