General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 18, 28 March - 20 April 1918, Part 7

7^th Corps
My artillery has been engaging enemy in P 4.5 11 &
P 17 with excellent results, & still continues aaa
Two Battalions from Bonnay are on the march to
take up positions from VAIR to P.13 aaa Senior Battalion
Commander has left to report at FOUILLOY for
orders. aaax and 4th Divn, 10th & 15 Bdes
C.H.J. 102
2.10 PM
4/4/18
 

7^th Corps

C.H.J. 104
4/4/18
My Artillery observers report that

our fire on enemy masses in P.4 &

P.10 has been very deadly and that

large numbers of enemy dead can be seen

there aaa My Artillery continues to engage

the ground east of and the approaches to

HAMEL aaa Addressed 7th Corps repeated

14th Division & 15th Aust. Brigade.

 

 

7th Corps

No. CHJ 115

4-4-18

10.30 PM

Whole of 104th Brigade being now

deployed on line of Somme between

Sailly-le-Sec and Aubigny I should be

glad if another Brigade of 35th Division

could be nominated as my Divisional

Reserve, to be employed at my by disposal for employment only in an 

emergency and with the concurrence of the

Corps Commander. -

CHJ 115

10.30 PM

4/4/18

 

Copy 5/4/18.  

[* Noted / JM

5/4/18 *]

9th. Brigade Headquarters,

April 5th. 1918.

My dear General,

 

The Brigade yesterday covered itself with glory and

on a conservative estimate from all C.Os. accounted for over 4,000

enemy on our own front, irrespective of casualties caused by our

artillery. I cannot yet get details of our own casualties but they

will number I expect in killed and wounded from 300 to 500. Colonel

MARTIN and his Senior Company Commander Major WHEELER were both

wounded, also several other officers.

 

My task as Corps troops was to defend VILLERS-BRETONNEUX

from attack on the N.East, East and S.East and we did the job. As

you will have read in my information of yesterday the 14th. Division

on my North flank gave way and my left flank had to fall back with

them. The 3rd. Cavalry Division took over from 14th. Division

during the day and with cavalry on our flank we were quite happy.

Later, British troops of the 18th. Division on my Right flank fell

back and my right had to fall back in consequence. I went up to

see the line at 10.30 last night and conferred with all my C.Os.

The line then ran as follows :- Approximately U.12.a.central to

V.1.a.6.8. to P.31.central to P.25.central where we were in tough

with 17th. Lancers. During the night, I ordered a forward move to

following the line :- 36th. Battalion from U.12.a. central to V.1.a.8.0,

34th. Battalion from the latter point to railway at V.1.6.8.6, thence

to road at P.31.d.9.4; 33rd. Battalion from the latter point due

North to O.25.d.9.2. It was necessary to put forward this line in

order to secure for ourselves and deny to the enemy the line of

trenches we had dug as support to our original front line of

yesterday morning. The 35th. who bore the brunt of the attack

yesterday are being re-organised in support. The 36th. did a magnificent

counter-attack late yesterday evening in the direction of

Squares U.5 and 12.

 

General HOBBS is here in BLANCY TRONVILLE and I 

believe is to take over line from my right to the SOMME, but he is not

yet certain. - The 5th. Brigade is here also, seemingly under orders

of 14th. Division now out of the line. - General HOBBS say his 8th.

Brigade has been placed at the call of 18th. Division if they are

required. -

 

Our Machine and Lewis Gunners have had the time of

their lives and are delighted. - In the little attack last night, 

we did in about 500 enemy and captured 12 who represented four

different units. - So the enemy too seems much mixed up. - The

Bosche has absolutely " done in" VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. - He shelled it

unmercifully yesterday. - We had 2,000 shells in CACHY. - Killed

some of our Headquarters horses, including my own. - I am very

proud of yesterday's Show. -

 

 

(2).         5/4/18.

I forgot to state that as far as I know our line Southward

from my southern flank at V.12.a.central runs through U.23.

central to HANGARD which place is, I believe between French and British. -

 

I have just had a Staff Officer here from the Fourth Army

They are very pleased at our Defence of VILLERS-BRETONNEUX yesterday. -

 

I will send you further news as it comes in.

 

(signed) CHARLES ROSENTHAL.

Brigadier-General.

 

1.40 p.m.

 

 

Australian Corps.

Regret report that Ninth Brigade

detached to 19th Corps reports notifies 1130

Casualties as result of fighting East of

Villers-Brettonneux yesterday up to midnight

April 4. - aaa No further particulars

yet available

AQ132

9.15 AM 5/4/18

 

CHJ 124    5/4/18

2.50 PM

7th Corps.

During this forenoon the enemy in

strength estimated at 300 attempted to

attack TREUX from the East aaa He

was easily disposed of by our small arms

fire, and his attack petered out after suffering

heavy casualties aaa My front now

quiet. - Addressed 7th Corps, repeated

4th Div and 15th Brigade - 35th Div.

3rd Cav Divn.

CHJ  184

2.50 PM   5/4/18

 

7 Corps, 4th Aust Div. 3rd Cav Div. 15th Aust Bde, 104th Bde

 

7th Corps     C.H.J. 127           5.15 pm

Subsequent to my CHJ 124 another party

of enemy, about 70 strong, advancing on

TREUX was engaged and scattered by our artillery, and

our front line troops then inflictedheavy casualties

on them by rifle & Lewis Gun fire. -

 

CHJ 1887

5.15 PM

5/4/18

 

 

A.D.C. to G.O.C

3rd Aust. Div.

 

Will you please bring the attached

copy of notes of a conference

of officers of my Company

under the notice of the G.O.C

as he may care to peruse

same?

 

The copy may be retained

by the G.O.C. if he desires it.

 

RG Hamilton. Major

[[?]] 3rd. Div. Signal Coy. A.I.F.

5/4/18

 

 

3RD. AUST. DIVD. SIGNAL CO. A.E.

CONFERENCE OF COMPANY OFFICERS - 23.2.1918.

 

A conference of Officers of this unit took place at Divl. Hd.

Qrs. on 23.2.18, the O.C. (Major R.G. Hamilton, M.C.) presiding. Also

present were Capt. C.E.H. Ferguson, M.C., Capt. J.L.G. Buckland, M.C.

M.M., Lieuts. E.B. Stanbury, G.L. Mayman, J.M. Cook, M.M., W.J. Summers,

L.V. Smith, 2nd. Lieuts. S. Fountain, D.C.M., A.S.H. Gifford, D.C.M.,

H.W. Groves, T.F. Houlihan and J.W. Allan.       Absent: Lieut.

C.E.A. Miller indisposed, 2nd. Lieut. G.J. Willats at Wireless School,

G.H.Q.

 

1. Object. The object of the conference, it was explained by the

   O.C. in opening, was to make clear certain matters

   affecting the organisation, administration and interior

   economy of the unit; to discuss questions, specially raised,

   regarding the work of the Company in the field; training

   and equipment; and questions which also had bearing on the

   Signal Service generally.

2. Aust. Corps  Aust. Corps Circular No. 9 detailing the proposed

   Signal Co.     Australian Corps Signal Co. was read. The O.C., in

   expressing satisfaction, stated that the Company was

   prepared to lose some of its best Officers, N.C.Os. and

   men owing to the new formation, but it would be in the

   interests of the Signal Service of the A.I.F. to support

   the new Corps Company as fully as possible.

    

   3. Future    The conference, the O.C. hoped, would be held often;

   Conferences.   fortnightly if possible.

    

   4. Agenda    Twenty-one matters were set down in the Agenda paper

   Paper.       for discussion. Of these, five of importance were deferred

                     owing to lack of time and, in several instances, because

                     conferences recently held at G.H.Q. would probably arrive

                     at some decision in those cases.

    

   5. Other    Before proceeding with the Agenda paper the O.C. drew

    Matters.   attention to a number of other matters of varied nature

                      and delivered instructions in such cases as warranted.

    

   6. Cable &   In future, Cable and Telephone returns to reach the

   Telephone  Company office by noon on Wednesday; Section Officers to

   Returns      obtain returns from their respective units on Tuesdays for

                        perusal before sending to Company Hd. Qrs. for consolidation.

                       Pro formas already supplied must be adhered to.

    

   7. Weekly          Weekly demands fro mSections to be more carefully

   Demands for   scrutinized by Section Officers and reduced to a minimum.

   Stores and        This has become increasingly necessary as big stocks cannot

   Stationery.       be carried in unit transport and the need for economy is

                              essential.

    

   8. Signal           Instructions were given for more careful supervision

   Office              of traffic in all Signal offices to guard against unnecessary

   Traffic.            telegraph business which could otherwise be desaptched

                            either by post or D.R.L.S.; and verbose telegrams. Each

                            Section Officer directed to personally check office business

                           on one day each week and bring irregularities to the notice

                           of the Brigade Staff concerned for necessary action. In

                           addition, Section Officers should arrange for a periodical

                           check, by the Staff of the formation, of all business,

                            including D.R.L.S. packets, as laid down in G.R.O.1980.

                           The opening of sealed packets must not be undertaken by the

                           Signal Officer except under direction of the Staff.