Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 1 July - 16 August 1916, Part 5

4
11. 35       Left Diversion and Bombardment
                commences.

11. 39       Message Smoke-oh Dugout "Doggo".

11.40       Jump

11.48       Told that O.C. attack only had
communication with centre ½ way telephone
in N.M.L.                     

11.55½    Lt Ashe sent out message that ½ way
telephonist ought to go onto the front end of
wire.                             

11.59        "Men have got in trench and are
 coming back now"

12.8        Ashe reports he is afraid our line is cut.
 

5
12.10       'Out' signal given  to artillery -

12.15        Artillery sent      "Stop - Stand By ".

12.20       Sent Bm 305 to 2^nd Div

1pm.       Message through Artillery received

1.4 and Bm 306 to 2^nd Div that raiders were still coming in.

1.8 pm      First man from Captain Cox

reported.  He is a one of Capt. Cox's runners.

He says that Capt Cox is on his way here.

Sgt Garcia wounded in the head.

 

6
1.12       Liaison officer says they cant get much information on owing to men coming in so scattered.

1.31       Artillery say that O.C. attack

3           refused to give artillery

12          any information, but sent had sent

12          at a message to ARC Adv. Report Centre. 9                                                   
36     1.33       Liaison officer ^∧ (Osborne)reported

"Wire not cut, and caused delay at
destroyed Parapets much knocked

about.   Our men bombed a good bit but did not

7
have much time.   No information of prisoners -
This information received from ^∧ one man

returned from the trenches -
Later Osborne said that xx a telephonist told him we took 17 prisoners

1.35       This information was passed on by 

'phone to Colonel Jackson.

except the reference to 17 prisoners

Osborne told us that Cox told an

M.G. officer that he was not

to fire after 11.50.

1.46.    Second liaison officer reported 

that the party had great difficulty
with wire.   M.G playing on 

wire both coming and going

Left dugouts empty.   Right

dugouts full of men.   They

bombed them.   He hasn’t 

heard of a prisoner - 
About 20 wounded. 

1.53 sent Bm 307 to 2^nd Div

July 3

Rockets wouldn't go.
Candles under.

Wanliss & Harvey  Wounded
Julian & Roderick

Enemy [[thompmelled?]] over wire

L Cpl Bullen. -    }
[[?]] Cpl T. Ross   }   Interviewed       
Cpl C. F. Ross      }    in [[ ?  ]]
Cpl Fulton            }

Sgt Pearce said he put bombs in dugout.
 

"B" Form.                                Army Form C. 3122.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.  No. of Message 14

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL  FORCE
JULY 3 1916
4th Infantry Brigade

Prefix    Sm      Code    RW
Office of Origin and Service Instructions.
Received
At   9MP
From   AYB
By .....................      
Sent
At......................m.
To ......................
By ......................
Office Stamp.
AZD
3.7.16

TO                4  Aus    Inf    Bde

Sender's Number.    G 705
Day of Month    3rd
In reply to Number
AAA

Message from 1^st Aug [[ ? ]]  begins AAA
Altho last nights operations were not
successful as usual The Corps
Commander is well satisfied and
congratulates all ranks upon their
determined efforts which have
not been without effect on the
enemy  AAA  The Army Commander
has also expressed his satisfaction
AAA  Addressed 1^st and 2^nd Aust
Divs  and  NZ Div  ends addressed
4^th  5^th  and 6^th  Aust Inf Bdes
repeated 4^th Aust Div

From            2^nd  Aus  Div
Place
Time             9.55 am
 

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL  FORCE
JUL 3  1916
4th Infantry Brigade

Headquarters,
4th. Aust. Infantry Brigade.

No information regarding the Raiding Party
reached me until
2.a.m.  3rd. inst.  the first being from wounded
N.C.O's. and men.

1.   The number of wounded treated at Dressing
Station was :-
2 Officers.         Lieut.A.T.Harvey. (Serious)
                            2/Lieut.J.B.Roderick. (G.S.Wd.
                             both legs).

Other Ranks.     10.

2.Missing.   1 Officer.  2/Lieut.R.D.Julian with
12 other ranks
reported by checking Officer as not having
answered the
roll call.    He is however certain that a number
of men proceeded
to to  billets by a different route.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

3.   Report by Wounded man.   2/Lieut.Roderick
states that the enemy
wire was reached without any difficulty.   The
wire was not cut
and during the delay caused by this a number
of casualties
occurred - mostly by Machine Gun fire.   He
himself was wounded
in both legs there.

Sgt. Garcia states - He with a party of 4 men
(bombers)
after experiencing difficulty in getting through
the enemy
wire which in the section he negotiated was
practically
untouched.   Sgt. Garcia and 2 men reached the
enemy trench
threw 6 bombs and jumped in.   The bay was
unoccupied except for
about  killed or wounded of which there were
about 6.   The next
bay to it was full.   They there met with 
opposition, bombs
being thrown at them to which they replied
with effect,
judging by the cries he states he heard.   The
part then went
down a communication trench and came to a
dug-out brilliantly
lit up.   In it were four of the enemy, two of
whom our party
had disposed of when the dug-out was struck
by a shell,
wounding Sgt. Garcia and one other man.  They
then vacated the
enemy trench.  On the return journey,
Sgt. Garcia was again
wounded in the head and leg.

No.112. Pvte.W.Pike was with Sgt. Garcia, and
his story is
similar in effect only he affirms that the
occupants of the
dug-out were Officers.

N. 2225. Pvte.H.White. states that they found
the wire un-cut
and only got through after a long struggle, of
which his hands
and face bear witness.

4.   There were no prisoners taken or loot
obtained by these men.

Chas M M Dare Lieut.Colonel.
Commanding D.57. Battalion.
 

3.15 a.m.
3/7/16

C.O. 14^th  Bⁿ

Owing to breakdown of all telephones, it
has not been possible to collect any reliable
information as to our casualties, or course
of events.
Please concert measures to let me have, at
Rolandirie H.Q., before 8 a.m.  July 3.
information on following points :-

1.   N^o of wounded treated at your end
with any available particulars.

2.   Names of any supposed to be 
unaccounted for . -

3.   Any information of any importance ^∧ direct
or hearsay, given by
wounded men as to what happened.

4.   Were there any prisoners or loot. -

I am having similar investigations made at the
billets of the raiding party.
 

John Monash

Return this note with your reply. -
 

ROUTINE ORDERS
By
Lt-General Sir W.R. BIRDWOOD, K.C.S.I., K.C.M.G., C.B., O.I.E., D.S.0.,
Commanding lst Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Headquarters,
5/7/16.

A.
215. RAID.

The Corps Commander wishes to express his
appreciation
of the gallant conduct of all who took part in
the raid on the
enemy’s trenches on the night of the 2nd/3rd
July, carried out
by a party consisting of 6 officers and about 83
other ranks
of the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade.

A brief summary of the events is given below:-

The party encountered a hostile patrol
(strength 10 to 12)
in NO MAN'S LAND at the moment when our
main bombardment was
commencing;  this party was forced back into
the zone of our
fire and all of them were killed.  Great difficulty
was
experienced in crossing the enemy’'s wire.   Our
scouts and
some of our wounded threw themselves on the
wire and formed
a bridge for the assaulting party to cross.  The
enemy’s
trench was entered in spite of fierce opposition
and severe
casualties were inflicted.

Notwithstanding the loss of their officers,  the
N.C.Os  of the party carried on with coolness
and method.

It is estimated that a total of 51 of the enemy
were
killed.

Our own casualties were 3 officers and 20 O.R.
wounded
and 1 officer and 9 O.R. killed.

The officers of the raiding party were:-
Captain        Cox        O.C. Raid
Lieut.            HARVEY
Lieut             WANLISS
2nd Lieut.    JULIAN    (killed)
2nd Lieut     RODERICK.

216.  ADMINISTRATION.
The administration of the Town of BAILLEUL
was
taken over by 1st A & N.Z.  A. C., as from 4/7/1916.

J.G. McCONAGHY Major
D.A.A & Q.M.G.
1st Australian and New Zealand Army Corps