Diary Henry Arthur Goddard 1918 - Part 11

MESSAGES AND SIGNALS

 

Telegram - see original document

TO 35th Battalion.

Sender's Number.

B.M. 38. 

Day of Month.

8

34th and 36th Battalions will take over half 

of the Divisional front extending from

HANGARD Northwards tomorrow night 9th inst. 

AAA 34th and 36th Battalions will then

come under the orders of the 5th Australian

Infantry Brigade AAA 33rd and 35th Bns.

will remain in Divisional Reserve in VILLERS-

BRETONNEUX AAA 9th Aust. M. G. Coy and 9th

Aust.L.T.M.Bty. will move on morning of 10th

instant to cellars vacated by 54th Battalion

in VILLERS-BRETONNEUX AAA Detailed orders

follow AAA 34th and 36th Battalions to

Acknowledge AAA

Addressed 33rd, 34th, 35th and 36th

Battalions, 9th A.M.G. Coy., 9th A.L.T.M.Bty.

Repeated 5th Aust.Inf.Bde., 175th Inf.

Bde., 18th Division, 3rd Aus. Division,

9th Aust.FieIf Ambulance.

 

9th Aust.Inf.Bde.     

Signature [[?]] Major

Bde.Major 9th Aus.Inf.Bde.

VILLERS BRETTONNEUX

9 Wounded

AVRIL

10 ^9 MARDI

Villers Brettonneux

Intermittent shelling - no casualties

overcast dull day.

At 9.30. a.m. I met General Rosenthal

outside town reference forthcoming operation

We met in a ruined little college. Shells

were falling near. 33 are to remain as

garrison of town and we are to become

[[?]] attack battalion.

Harrassing fire by enemy on town all

day.

VILLERS-BRETTONNEUX.

1 Killed

3 wounded

AVRIL

10 MERCREDI

Villers Brettonneux

Overcast some rain - 2 men Killed and

three wounded shells over.

Enemy heavily shelled town with gas.

At 10.a.m. I held conference Coy Commanders

on proposed forthcoming operation.

Came across a pathetic case of an old woman

left behind in a cottage She is bedridden. Says

she has lived in the cottage for nearly 80 years

& refuses to go away. Boys doing what they can

for her. Will try & get her away in an ambulance

Also found another old lady dead in her

nightdress on the floor of her cottage evidently

having been blown out of her bed by a shell.

Very heavy artillery work all day.

34 & 35 Bns are holding line next the French

this side of Hangaard.