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

-75 -
range of the German advanced line at 360 yards. We, a
Corporal and myself went on 150 yards along the road and
took the line of duckboards at right angles and in a few
minutes I was astounded to find myself on high ground
looking down into a village, La Barque, which I knew to
be well in German territory. I hesitated, it seemed folly
to continue but the duckboards kept onward and there seemed
nothing else for it but to continue on although it was close
to the enemy line and plainly exposed. The further we went
the worse our position seemed to be getting but there was
no other track in sight and impossible to "squib it" and go
back; such a thought never occurred to me anyhow, so on we
went and mighty thankful we were when we got down into the
hollow and against the sheltered bank. I came exactly
upon my half-completed dugout, saw the job and considered
it quite a good one. I then saw Lieut. Bruton and in
going along with him to see a map with names of roads and
trenches, we saw about 6 of our men looking over the top
of the trench (Lewis gun men they were). Lieut. Bruton
called out to them and remonstrated with them for exposing
themselves so freely. A moment later I could hardly believe
my eyes for only 30 or 40 yards away were two Germans waist
high over their trench waving a bottle and beckonning to us,
at the same time calling out loudly. At first I thought
they must be our men having a little joke but no they were
Germans much to my astonishment. I have heard a lot about
this kind of thing from time to time but could not believe
it. Then again it is said that the Tommys commonly do this
sort of thing with the Germans, and in consequence neither
side fire at the other. As I said yesterday, in writing
these notes, we have been put in here to make war, and I am
quite convinced of this now too. This is probably the
reason that I was not fired at in coming along. But this
is the Australian's first day in the trenches here, so I
 

-76 -
reckon that in a few days time there will be no looking
over at one another, it will be war to the teeth.
January 29th.         Monday.
Since breakfast this morning (which I might say
was at 10 o'clock) I've had a busy time running about this
bit of territory trying to find out the work allotted to
our Mining Coy. according to the map numbers and squares.
With a covering of snow on the ground there is a greater
sameness about the country than ever, so that getting about
without knowing the trenches or names of any of them, it
becomes awkward work.
I got back to camp by 4.30. After dinner I got
away and took in charge another party of 50 men to carry our
material up from the railhead to the job in Yarra Bank,
really the front line. These men should have taken a
second trip up, but as the trolly loads of materials had
not arrived I gave them a sporting chance, that was, if the
trollies had not arrived at a certain point by the time they
reached it they could go away home. The men won by a few
minutes only but to keep my word I had to let them go away
to their camp or dugout.
January 30th.         Tuesday.
Hostilities have ceased on this sector for the
present. I believe the Tommys, a Yorkshire regiment, were
known to have gone over and had conversation with the enemy.
To-day when a German opposite our line stood up
and while rubbing his stomach pointed to our party of men
coming along the duckboards with the fellows bringing up
our rations for breakfast, or rather big large containers
holding about 2 gallons of tea or stew, built on the thermal
principle and will hold hot for two or more hours. It is
a splendid system of feeding the men.
At 10 o'clock to-night it began to snow heavily.
 

-77 -
It was certainly unique to see our Australians at their
firing line posts covered thickly with snow and yet in
good spirit mainly because there is a little sunshine each
day and a moon by night.
January 31st.         Wednesday.
I have had a busy day running about the Timber
Dumps looking for timber. I racked up 9 trolly loads which
go forward to Turks Dump where a carrying party of 50 men
take it on their shoulders along ice bound and slippery duckboards 

up to Yarra Bank.
We are building a deep dugout for the men off duty
to live in. It will have three entrances and is 40 ft.
below the bank.
I have had a bit of a cough for weeks but at the
moment I am coughing harder and feel just rotten. I have a
temperature also. I hope it is nothing serious as I don't
want to leave the Battalion now. I would like two stars
which I could probably get after six months service.
I have written up my diary in some strange places.
To-night I am leaning in the corner of the deep dugout at
Yarra Bank.
February lst        Thursday
My cold, coughing, head-ache and general trouble
are rather bad to-day. I am staying in bed and not going
to work to-night. I saw Dr. Taylor at dark, he gave me some
pills, but both my pulse and temperature were normal.
This is the first breakdown I've had on service so
suddenly. On Gallipoli I was worried and starved to illness.
But here there is no way of accounting for it. Anyhow I
reckon all will be well tomorrow.
A fine big parcel of goods came from Mrs. Edgar
Brice. It is all good eatable stuff, but yet it seems a
great pity that it should be paid for and sent across here
as really I don't want the stuff. The scarf I received was
 

-78 -
a dandy. Boots and socks too are good but we can always
buy stuff to eat. Its only waste and how can I tell the
good kindly folk so. Girlie Mackay, Bendigo, says that
all of her fruit, vegetables, etc., are going to Egypt and
Mesopotania. She is very wise as those boys away in the
wilderness want stuff to eat most.
February 2nd.       Friday.
At 5 o'clock I took my party over to Yarra Bank
and went on with the dugout work. I did a whole lot of
work myself and came home at midnight feeling quite my old
self again.
It seems more strange than ever that the German
does not fire at our men on this sector. Several nights
now I've heard officers say that while going along Fritz
has fired a flare pistol straight at them just by way of
letting them know that he has seen them. This seems
astonishing. It is astonishing too!! None of the
officers seem able to account for it. Probably we dont 

shoot because we have so much the worst of the position,
but this is why Fritz should fire.
Our Vickers machine guns from concealed positions
well behind our line fire away at intervals all night and
our artillery keep fairly active.
The weather still holds out fine and bright.
Its remarkable to see the men out in shell-holes digging
out ice 6 inches thick and taking it away in sandbags.
One fellow said - "Back home we carried it in billy goat
carts, here we cart our water in sandbags on our backs".
 February 3rd.           Saturday.
Although bad feet are not so common as when we
first came into the slop and rain on the Somme in October,
there is still a whole lot of fellows about and going to
Hospital with nasty looking and swollen feet. It seems
that the feet enlarge over-night so that in the morning
with the boots frozen hard, the feet have to be forced into
 

-79 -
the boots which stops the circulation and often breaks
the skin which then festers and causes a whole lot of
nasty trouble. After all it does not seem quite right
to expect Australians to stand up to the rigours of this
country. At the same time our men must be doing as well
as or perhaps better than the Tommy or we would have been
taken away for a spell over the hard months. Yes, our
men must be extremely hardy old birds right enough.
I went along to Yarra Bank at 5o 'clock and
stayed there working until 12 o'clock. A number of my
men are sick too just now, just colds and general worries.
February 4th.       Sunday.
I feel more thoughtful than usual concerning dear
old Manly. Two parcels came along from Manly, one from
Mrs. Hynes and one from Bert. There was mostly sweets
enclosed. But then its not the contents that pleases, its
the atmosphere, the feeling of personal touch that comes
along with it and revives many and beautiful reflections.
It reminds me most vividly of the girl I got rather mixed
up with, but more so of the many glorious hours I've wandered
over the flower strewn ridges and hills and valleys, and of
the pleasant carefree surroundings of "Elonara" and our landlady, 
Mrs. Hynes, of the fine young athletes and men that
gathered around her festive board. I can see the huge
kangaroo monument standing over North Steyne, as I lift my
head from the pillow to rise for a dip in the ocean, a
hurried breakfast and an enchanting boat trip into the city
each morning. Looking at the majestic old kangaroo through
the tops of the tall, healthy, fine trees in the clear air
and blue sky background while the breakers come up and break
with a charm of music all their own, there forms up before me
a great scene of grandeur that thrills me to think of. Ah!
Manly you have wooed and won me by your fascination and beauty
your grace and charm, your beaches ring with healthy merriment
 

-80 -
and your rugged hill sides pour forth a hundred and more
of Natures more gracious blessings, surrounded, engulfed
by romantic enchantment. Ah Manly you have your faults
too!! The most annoying I found was your magnetic charm
and a begiling influence which prevented me from following
any form of study or work. An Idler's Paradise I've many
times called you. But then I found by a hard struggle that
I learnt to fight down, hold off your idling influences and
follow a city calling, but oh at the end of each day I
rushed feverishly to the wharf for fear of missing a moment
in my return to your golden shores, to taste and bathe in
the refreshing waters, and listen to the glorious music,
Nature's music and songs to stir the soul of man.
February 5th     Monday.
I heard yesterday that America had practically
declared war on Germany. But then, we hear so many such
wild stories that I could take but little interest in it.
To-day I saw the "Daily Mail", February 2nd,
and there sure enough was a note from Germany that would
almost certain bring America under arms. Should America
declare war it is difficult to see what part she is likely
to take in the war at all. It will be a strange mix up
right enough.
I worked all last night, getting to bed at 6.30
this morning. There is urgent need for dugout accommodation 

for men on this front. There is no shortage of
materials now, and the work is moving fast.
Last night we received warning to keep under
cover at 10 o'clock as there was going to be a big bombardment

 on our part, and possibly the Germans would reply to
it with a barrage of fire.
The freeze still holds out. The sun and moon
still court us and cheer us beyond measure.
 

-81 -
February 6th              Tuesday
I have just returned to the dugout after an
awfully cold tour round the work in hand. The North
wind is blowing and its the devil. One's facial points
importance are hard and out of action entirely, the toes
and fingers also suffer badly. Were it not for the North
wind the weather would be right enough.
During the past few days I have received the
following parcels:-
Ruth, Brice, Mackay, Bert, Hynes, Abercrombie.
It is jolly good of them but much of the goods I don't
want at all. Yet they each and all draw up pleasant
memories.
February 7th.          Wednesday.
It is frightfully cold to-night. I have to go
out and face the bitter head wind at 11 p.m. Last night
I went on with the various dugouts as usual, from No. 2
job to Yarra Bank is about 1500 yards across country with
only the stars to direct. Last night it was the devil
plodding and wandering around amongst the ice bound shell
craters every few yards. I got across a new piece of
country and found an old wrecked aeroplane. It must have
been lying there for quite a long time. Then I stepped
on to a frozen corpse. I did not stay to make any examination, 

I suppose it has been lying there for a very long
time. This did not bother me and passing the "tank" I got
into the two jobs at Yarra Bank. On my return trip I was
supposed to go south-east but carelessly wandered too far
south. Some German shells made me think quickly and ere
long I had my bearing and soon reached my dugout.
There are no land marks at all to guide one by at
night. The moon shines clearly and lights up the immediate
surroundings splendidly but the haze prevents one from seeing
the distant woods and battered trees that hold out as land
marks.
 

- 82 -
Fired at by Germans.
February 8th.       Thursday.
I had a rather remarkable experience last night,
or rather, at 3 o'clock this morning. I was at the No. 2
job and decided to make across to Yarra Bank. I have done
this trip several times without bother although there is
only the stars to show the direction across country.
I picked up the North star and set out not going
as far to the east as usual. I had gone about 600 yards
and saw a telegraph pole nearby. Now this pole looked like
one that I usually passed on the north side of me so I
mechanically bore away to the northward a little more.
Just then I came into a trench with frozen bottom and a
worn path. This bothered me for a moment; I decided to
follow it a while. All of the trenches ran at right
angles to my path and I was considering when I would get
out of it as I must do so sooner or later. Never before
had I met or seen a soul on the trip from one job to
another so I got a big surprise to see two men leaning
against the wide open trench looking out over the top.
I challenged them and they replied in a whisper that it
was all right. I went forward and behold I was in our
own front line of trenches with the Germans only 30 yards
in front. I felt a bit of a mug and remembered then the
close report of a rifle and the nearness of a bullet to me
just before getting down into the trench which should have
told me that my bearings were wrong and the Germans only a
few yards ahead. I followed the shallow and wide trench
along to Yarra Bank. Once a sentry challenged me with
"Halt! Who goes there?" I replied, "Its all right old
fellow, I'm just making along to Yarra Bank". He again
called, "What's the password?" "Oh!" I returned, "I don't
know anything about passwords." The sentry spoke to somebody 
nearby, then lowering his rifle with bayonet fixed, he
said "Pass on." As I passed about 8 men sleeping they
 

- 83 -
told me the password was MAT.
Down in an old German dugout where my men were working I
wrote letters to Andrew Prowse, Mrs. Hynes, Gifford.
February 9th.              Friday
I have had my eyes opened lately to the unwillingness of
our Australians to work on fatigue parties. They have a whole
lot to complain about and after all perhaps they are being
unfairly treated, but it is awfully annoying to me as I must
get the work done and to stand about bullying the men is
humiliating work.
This trouble arose on the Yarra Bank job when men who had
been on post in the front trenches were sent along to carry
sand bags full of dirt up the stairway of the new and deep
dugouts until 12 o'clock at night.
Last night, and for some nights past the trouble has
been on the No. 2 job. Here the men have to do ration fatigue
and carry our sand bags from 6 p.m. until 5 a.m. It is a
long nights work but yet nothing exceptional. But the men
complain that they are tired and hungry. They say, why don't
they feed us if they want us to work so hard. Sometimes they
sit down and it takes them a very long time to get up again
and go on with the work. I get onto them, try to bully
them at times and it hurts me very much indeed but there is
nothing else for it.
There is a whole lot of preparation going on for a raid
in this sector it seems so strange that we should know all
about it for days before hand. I want to see this raid tomorrow 
night and will have to find out the exact it is taking
place.
February 10th.             Saturday.
The moon is now in its last quarter which leaves it
rather dark for the early part of the evening. There was
 

-84-
a "raid" to-night at Yarra Bank. A much talked of raid, and
I believed, a much prepared for one, the result was a dismal
failure the raiders about 60 in number did not even get into
the German lines. The barb wire held them up.
After dinner I got about and found out the raiders were
leaving Hexham Road; I followed them into the trenches, 2,000
yards away, and came back along the duck-boards to see how
the respective sides were behaving and if they showed any outward 
signs of anxiety. This, however, was not the case. Long
lines of fatigue parties come back from the front, and the
usual numbers of bright German flares sailied gayly from his
trenches and lit up the tracks for the men to move freely and
safely along.
It seems strange the number of flare rockets that the
Germans put up when on the other side we use nothing at all.
Not twice a week do our men send up rockets.
Three minutes before jumping off time, and while the men
all stood around and along the "jumping off" trench in white
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. our machine guns on the left opened out long
and wildly. This worried me a whole lot as their anxiety would
probably arose suspicion. All of a sudden the artillery opened
and stuck it for 7 minutes then lifted for the raiders to
follow out underneath. The barrage continued through and
even after the raiders got to the barb-wire entanglements and
finding they could not get through returned to their jumping
off trench, the artillery fire kept going on. I was down in
the signal office when they tried to ring-up by telephone and
stop the artillery but the telephone would not work so a runner
had to be sent back which would take 15 minutes to Battalion
H. Q. all the while our big guns and small guns were blowing
away, ammunition. I thought we would have a special light
signal to communicate with the guns. The 4th Battalion were
the raiding party and I think the idea was very wrong, as