Thomas James Richards, Diaries, Transcript Vol. 4, 9 November 1916 - 31 May 1918 - Part 7

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While overlooking "no man's land" with its
many dead, Germans as well as our own, I saw two of our
Australians waving a white flag. Three minutes later
they hopped over, one man carrying a stretcher. They
went 30 yards, hurriedly opened the stretcher, put a man
on to it and stooping low hurried safely back into the
trench. It was a brilliant sight and speaks well of the
German's sense of honour, after the awful things we've
heard about him.
In the trenches were duckboards but there were
often breaks at the junction through which the leg would sink
for 24 inches more or less. The whole place was several
inches under slush and water.
I did not remain longer, coming back to the
Chalk Cliffs and to my dugout where I remained until 8 o'clock
to-night and then did my nightly run over to see what was doing
at the works. It is a trying journey at night with shelling
going on.
January 7th. Sunday.
We expected to move out last night, and be away
from the shell fire, and to some extent the mud. It seems
strange the amount of running about that we have lately done
on Sundays. We have a weak kind of a Chaplain with the
Battalion but I've not heard him "go" as yet.
Orders are through to the effect that we move off
at 1700 p.m. for Bendigo Camp. I took the message down to the
Chalk Cliffs and twice I was hung up by shell fire and compelled
to wait until they quietened down or lifted their fire up past
me into Pilgrim way. Coming back I was not bothered by fire,
only water and shell holes.
At 5 o'clock we moved away with the moon dimly
shining in peace and calm. We got on to the duckboard line in
10 minutes and followed the same track right through to Bernafay,

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a distance of probably 5 miles, without any break in the boards.
When nearly half way along some big shells commenced falling
away to the right, gradually working along to our path when the
tail end of the party which I was bringing along just missed
four bursts. I was jolly glad to get along behind Brigade Hdqrs.
cliffs.
At 8 o'clock we were in Bendigo Camp and put away
into "Bow Huts" which were jolly cold after the warm dugouts and
tunnels that I have lived in for quite a time.
January 8th. Monday.
I managed, after putting all the clothes I possessed
over me, in keeping warm last night.
Blankets packed and away by 7 a.m. At 9 a.m. all
hands moved out with the Mining Platoon in the rear of Battalion.
At the Railway Dump we waited1l hour before getting aboard the
train of ordinary timber and lumber waggons. After waiting again
with the men in the cold wind and drizzle we moved off slowly to
Mahault where we got out, dumped the kits and walked into Ribmont
where we are billeted.
It seemed strange that the train we were aboard could
not have run into Merricourt and saved 4 miles of marching when we
were actually aboard the train.
There is a kind of unconscious feeling that the air
is a whole lot lighter and easier to breathe out here and away
from gun range. Yet there is no jubilation or laughing that one
might expect. It seems the men are all wooden now and never smile
or show emotion although they must surely feel the freeness, the
feeling of security that must go with being once again clear of the
firing line.
January 9th. Tuesday.
I had quite a little trouble in finding my billet
last night and when I did so, it was in a big Armstrong Hut with
a whole lot of 2nd Battalion officers, several of whom I knew;
Walter Stack, Capt, the Uni. cricketer.

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I slept comfortably and rose at 8 o'clock.
At 1 o'clock, A Company, to whom my Miners are attached,
went to Heilly baths and had a glorious time in the hot water
showers coming home with clean underwear on.
Lieut. Graham and I had tea in a lovely little
nook, (for officers only). There were two jolly fine French
girls there and their stock of small articles very good and
pretty. I enjoyed the tea and the surroundings very much
indeed. Lieut. Graham has been unlucky. He had charge of
a Company last time in the line. No. 7 Post was badly blown
out by shell fire and he took the remaining men away and when
the Brigadier came around in the morning he noticed the vacant
Post and kicked up a hell of a row. Graham was taken away from
the B Company and put into A Company with his colours very much
lowered. Had he placed his men back again before morning
nothing would have been seen or known; although he took a risk
leaving the stretch of line undefended. He was a little careless
perhaps; but also very unfortunate in being found out. He is
a jolly good fellow too.
January 10th. Wednesday
Lieut. Moffatt of B Company is a Queensland sheepman,
and such a jolly good fellow. I have been having my meals
with him and sleeping with the 2nd Battalion officers. Harry
Dingle is there also as well as Sparke and Boardman. Lee is the
other officer with all mannerisms and fads, bumptious and officious
that is necessary to make a man nasty in the eyes of an honest man.
Anyhow I have been eating with them and getting on very well indeed.
I got the Major's permission to visit the Clothing
Department for Officers at Pont Noyerell, near Amiens, and bustled
off at 11 o'clock. Caught a waggon and later an officer's car
which dropped me at the door. I bought some £10/14/- worth of
clothes. Valise, "Sam Brown", Overcoat, Jacket, Collars etc.
The prices paid are remarkably cheap, and although they were out

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of a lot of goods and short of sizes, I reckon it was a good
day's work.
I came back to Heilly in an Ambulance Car and walked
back to Ribmong.
I saw two teams from the 2nd Battalion playing League
Rugby and was surprised, as I did not think the men had it in
them after the rough times over the past few weeks.
I went over to the lst Field Ambulance and collected
a set of pyjamas as well as a sweater and other things. The
fellows gave Dingle and I a fine reception.
Bed at 11 o'clock.
January 11th. Thursday.
I examined the men and their rifles to-day and
gathered in a list of the shortages. It is surprising how
careless the men get up in the line and lose their things.
Well I had the men, 21 of them, lined up on the orad
for inspection. I wanted to look at their bayonets first;
now the order to "fix bayonets" is a peculiar one as far as I
can make out. You call the party to attention and give the
order "fix", the right hand man steps forward two paces and
sets as a guide, then comes the order "bayonets" and they put
them on. I was not aware of this and gave the order "fix
bayonets". The man came forward all right and got the whole
party ready for another command which I did not know of. A
pathetic look overspread their faces, then in desperation they
fixed bayonets and the guide went back into his place and I went
on examining the bayonets. Oh! but it was a bad blunder on my
part.
There was nothing doing in the afternoon.
I tried to write a little to Mother, Ted Reynolds and
Ella Bollston.
I am in a billet with fussy Capt. Walker and attached
to A Company.
Letters from Mother and Dad were charming to-day.

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January 12th. Friday.
I was up at 6.40 a.m., breakfasted, shaved and
dressed up in "Sam Brown" and new (and only) jacket, by
8 o'clock on parade and following 4 full platoons of men
down for shooting practice.
Some 40 men had each fired 5 shots each when
General Walker, inspecting troops behind sent along a
messenger to stop the shooting as the bullets were coming
his way. At that moment there were two men down on the
mound who had fired 5 shots each at their respective kerosene
tin targets and only one bullet hit the tin at 35 yards
distance. This should be a good record I think!! The
shooting was poor all around. I was indeed surprised.
In the afternoon I had to take A Company out for
two hours play and running exercises with a view to making
them hard.
Well we got there all right and I broke them up
into "close column" of platoons all right, then it rained
heavily. After a spell the fellows got going playing Sunday
School games like, and having dead stale relay races. A
football livened them a little.
Then came the puzzle, here were the men lined up
in column of platoons and I did not know the exact words of
command to put them into column of route and move off. We
did it yes but only through the Sergeants moving off. It's
a mean imposition keeping Dingle and myself here without
schooling.
Parcels from Mother, two letters, Mollne and Elvy.
January 13th. Saturday.
Packed up by 8 a.m. and moved out at 12 o'clock.
I brought up the rear of the Battalion with the Guard, four
prisoners and some police, with instructions to pick up
stragglers, men who fall out on the march. The first I got
was a drunk, and he would not walk so we, after being abused,

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left him for the Ribmont police to care for. Another chap
with a bad heel limped back and had to be assisted. Otherwise
my work was very easy. Now we are camped in no less a
thing than single thickness tents. The place is laid out
well with duckboard walks connecting the Battalion, but it is
going to be miserably cold in this camp. Seems to me its a
dismal shame to put our men up in tents at this time of the
year, but I suppose the "heads" gave it consideration before
allotting the inhospital camp to us.
We will be parading from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. I can
see a horrible time in store for me with my scant knowledge of
drill while here. The mining platoon is broken up, but will
probably be formed up again when going back into the line
shortly.
January 14th. Sunday. Church service.
On waking up this morning the ground was covered with
snow. The forest in front of my tent (Blake and I are together)
was beautifully decorated. I thought that our Church Parade
would be cancelled, but no fear, at 9.30 a.m. the Battalion was
drawn up into square with the snow building up on the heels of
our boots making it difficult to walk along. The Pardre arrived,
after I made a "blunder" in taking up my position, and without
any singing went along into his service, which dealt with the
opposites, the contraries of everything being in the end used
in many unexplainable ways. Fire and water for instance are
opposites and yet they are blended together by man and their
effects on man are very similar.
It was quite a good service seeing that I never had
much faith in him or his ability as I have seen him around the
camp and in the mess. It is the first Church service I've
been to since leaving Poperingle, so I enjoyed it in a way,
although I would have loved him to have given us a popular song
or two. His prayer for the sick, wounded and dead seemed a
foolish point in face of what he said concerning all that happens

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in this world is thought out before hand and planned by God.
If so, why then bother about asking His help and assistance.
Nonsense.
January 15th. Monday.
In the Mess I heard repeated the story of a spy from
Cairo. B. I. Swannell took a great liking to an Egyptian
fellow and he was allowed to wander anywhere at will. He
often wandered alone for hours in the officers' rooms waiting
their return. He was aboard the troop ship when the Battalion
sailed from Alexandria and was made a big fuss over. Well!
on the day of the armistice at Gallipoli, a Turkish officer came
over and spoke to Major Stevens congratulating him upon his
promotion and here sure enough was the Battalion's and Blair
Swannell's Cairo friend.
There is thick ice on the ground all day to-day and
it is awfully cold, especially so in tents and no fire in the
mess room even.
Parade at 8 a.m. this morning. A Company had the
baths for the morning, one of those miserable baths so common
in this country, the most foolish thing in the Army, which is
saying a whole lot.
Parade again at 2 p.m. this time games to harden the
men was the order of the day. I took 30 men and played a
soccer match. The ground was slippery and muddy, and ere long
I was the dirtiest man on the ground. I enjoyed it very much
though.
January 16th. Tuesday.
It has been frightfully cold to-day. Yesterday the
frost and ice commenced to thaw by the afternoon, but to-day it
remained firm all day. The result is that we did not get wet
feet playing soccer, route marching, or drilling, during the
working day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., less 2 hours for lunch.
To-night we had a lecture from the Major Woodford, he dealt
interestingly upon the system of offense, the formation to be

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used in attack. Everything seemed to point to attack, so
much so that I am beginning to suspect a bit of a stunt on
our return to the line in a few days time.
Blake got up late this morning. I was up at
6.35 a.m. and he was awake at 6.40, then at 8 o'clock he
went crook on the batman for not calling him, and blamed him
because he hadn't time to have any breakfast by 8 o'clock
parade. He's bad right through, is Blake, though he knows
his military business to perfection.
I am orderly officer to-night and until 6 p.m.
tomorrow.
On Sunday night Captain Edgley and I missed dinner
at 6 o'clock so as to see the Picture Show at Baizieux, and
we enjoyed it like a pair of school boys. The program was
just the ordinary one but it appealed to me immensely. The
humorous ones I gloried in. It was a break, a change, and
did both of us a whole lot of good.
January 17th. Wednesday.
Talk about snow, well we Australians have seen
nothing like it at all. It was a full four inches deep
covering everything so prettily and cleanly. Snow fighting
has been the order of the day, and was carried out with utmost
vigour.
I am orderly officer, but with 2 other officers and
4 N.C.O's I went into Baizieux, met a large car at the Church
and after picking up the same number of representatives from
the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, we bumped along to an aerodrome
where we had a lecture from a Scotsman on "Aerial Contact".
He hadn't much to say other than when in attack special attention
must be paid to the burning of red flares so that the aeroplane
doing contact work will see the whereabouts of the Battalion and
report it at once to Army Hdqrs. This aerodrome, being the
only one in France with mono-planes it will be easy to identify
them, "and if they are hovering over your lines you will know

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immediately that they are looking for you. The 'claxton
horn' can be heard from the machine and when you can hear
it you will know that they are seeking information as to
your whereabouts." The signalling sheet, for morse code,
is well designed.
Our car slipped and skidded on the frozen roads,
and often we were pelted by snow ballers. Australians on
parade everywhere had their snow fight or built a snow man.
It has been a day to remember, but cold, no thawing.
January 18th. Thursday.
It has been snowing more or less all day. We
went on with the drill as usual. In the afternoon the men
came in at 3 p.m. while the officers played football against
the 3rd Battalion officers.
This game of football is probably one of the most
remarkable games ever played by Australians on account,
entirely of the elements. A thickly covered ground of snow
being stamped into hard ice by the feet, and Australians
romping around as if it were a mild winter's day at Home.
The 3rd had jerseys and pants while we had anything
at all. At full time, 20 men each way, there was no score,
although we had men who've never played rugby before and were
tired, and we suggested an extra 5 minutes play. During
which time they scored, through our full back (soccer player)
not knowing that he should have saved by falling on the ball
when over the goal line.
January 19th. Friday.
A short route march then the squad drill and rifle
exercises until 12 o'clock in dismal weather with an awful
wind blowing. How the men stick it at all beats me, I wander
about with an overcoat on and still cold. We came in at 11 a.m.
At 12.30 we were out again, making for a ground over which an
attack with four Battalions was to take place. At 2.30 the

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"Hop over" came and away we went past the yellow flags
presenting the German bombing post, over another line
of yellow flags, representing the German first line, on
to the objective. Our part failed owing to our left flank
advancing too far.
January 20th. Saturday.
Drill as usual in the morning with a repetition
of yesterday's attack scheme to go through in the afternoon.
These schemes must do the men a whole lot of good, but the
waiting about in the cold is the devil, prior to the attack
taking place.
At night, after dinner, Captain Jacobs celebrated
his being gazetted a Major. There was a miserable lot of
attempts at speech making all round.
January 21st. Sunday.
There was a very brief Church parade again this
morning. The Padre spoke splendidly for a few moments and
with a short prayer sang "God Save the King". I wondered
why the Chaplain did not sing a hymn or two, but I guessed
when the whole Battalion nearly broke down in singing the
National Anthem. The fellows seem to have no spirit at all.
Yesterday the 3rd Battalion Band was playing "Keep the Home
Fires Burning" and although it is well known and very popular,
there was no attempt to sing the words. I really cannot
understand it at all. The men are so dead, like so many
petrified corpses, and wont wake up, although their drilling
and marching is quite good. This, however, seems to be
mechanical.
This afternoon a rugby game was played between the
men of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, the latter winning by 3 trys
to nil. It was a rotten game as our men could not play together,
and what is more, 5 or 6 of them actually had a flannel shirt,
a cardigan and a sheep skin. With all these clothes it was