General, Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 20, 31 July - 15 August - 1918 - Part 8










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7. C.O., 17th Armoured Car Battalion, should establish a
collecting point for information, and transmit same as rapidly
as possible to 4th and 5th Australian Divisional Headquarters,
the latter Division arranging for repeating same to Corps by
priority wire.
8. All returning cars will inform all our troops whom
they pass of any information likely to be of immediate value to
them.
Brigadier-General,
General Staff,
Australian Corps.
DISTRIBUTION.
1. 2nd Australian Division.
2. 3rd Australian Division.
3. 4th Australian Division.
4. 5th Australian Division.
5. G.O.C., R.A.
6. B.G.H.A.
7. C.E.
8. Fourth Army.
9. III Corps.
10. Canadian Corps.
11. 5th Tank Brigade.
AUSTRALIAN CORPS
Corps Headquarters,
August 7, 1918.
To the Soldiers of the Australian Army Corps.-
For the first time in the history of this Corps all five
Australian Divisions will tomorrow engage in the largest and
most important battle operation ever undertaken by the Corps.-
They will be supported by an exceptionally powerful
Artillery, and by Tanks and Aeroplanes en a scale never
previously attempted.- The full resources of our sister
Dominion, the Canadian Corps, will also operate on our right,
while two British Divisions will guard our left flank.
The many successful offensives which the Brigades and
Battalions of this Corps have so brilliantly executed during the
past four months have been but the prelude to, and the preparation
for, this greatest and culminating effort.-
Because of the completeness of our plans and
dispositions, of the magnitude of the operations, of the number
of troops employed, and of the depth to which we intend to
overrun the enemy's positions, this battle will be one of the
most memorable of the whole war; and there can be no doubt
that, by capturing our objectives, we shall inflict blows
upon the enemy which will make him stagger, and will bring
the end appreciably nearer.-
I entertain no sort of doubt that every Australian soldier
will worthily rise to so great an occasion, and that every man,
imbued with the spirit of victory, will, in spite of every
difficulty that may confront him, be animated by no other
resolve than a grim determination to see through, to a clean
finish, whatever his task may be.-
The work to be done tomorrow will perhaps make heavy
demands upon the endurance and staying powers of many of you;
but I am confident that, in spite of excitement, fatigue, and
physical strain, every man will carry on to the utmost of his
powers until his goal is won; for the sake of AUSTRALIA, the
Empire, and our cause.
I earnestly wish every soldier of the Corps the best of
good fortune and a glorious and decisive victory, the story of
which will re-echo throughout the world, and will live forever
in the history of our home land.-
John Monash
Lieut.-General,
Commanding Australian Corps.
CHF/WE
C.E. Australian Corps.270/186
8th. August 1918.
G.O.C. Australian Corps.
There are at present in Poulainville Dump nine (9)
lorries each loaded with sufficient wiring materials for 250
yards of double double apron fence - each 500 yards of single
double apron fence. These lorries are loaded in the proper
proportionate numbers of wire and pickets as follows:
Each 100 coils of wire, 200 long pickets, 400 short pickets.
They can be moved at any moment under your orders through
S.O.R.E. (Captain Burnell).
In addition to the above stores, Advanced C.E.Headquarters
reports the existence of the following Boche dumps in good
condition.
Q.27.c. Road junction containing, inter-alia,barbed wire, concertina
wire, angle iron pickets, and screw pickets in
large quantities and undamaged.
Q.25.d. Barbed wire in large quantities.
Railway Dump at W.7. Not yet personally inspected by my Officer
but reported to contain quantity of undamaged stores,
of which he is getting a detailed report.
JGB
C. H.
Brigadier-General.
Chief Engineer AUSTRALIAN CORPS.
8TH AUGUST OFFENSIVE.
TIME - TABLE OF EVENTS
Time | Event |
a.m. 3.20 |
Planes in air. |
4.20 | Zero. Barrage Opens. |
4.59 | Infantry clear of TAILLOUX WOOD. |
5.27 | Barrage reaches protector on North Flank. |
5.28 | III Corps reaches GREEN LINE. |
5.43 | Infantry enter WARFUSEE |
6.27 | Infantry clear of LA MOTTE en SANTERRE. |
6.30 | III Corps leaves GREEN LINE. |
6.31 | 3rd DIVISION all on GREEN LINE. |
6.39 | 2nd DIVISION all on GREEN LINE. |
6.43 | Barrage reaches protective line on South Flank. |
6.50 | Contact Plane flies along First Objective Line. |
7.20 | Canadians reach GREEN LINE at our Boundary. |
7.28 | III Corps reaches BROWN LINE. |
8.20 | 4th & 5th DIVISIONS cross GREEN LINE. |
8.24 | III Corps reaches RED LINE. |
8.30 | Heavy ARTILLERY lift off CERISY. Canadian Heavy ARTILLERY lift off WIENCOURT. |
8.40 | Heavy ARTILLERY left off WEST end of BAYONVILLERS. |
8.50 | Heavy ARTILLERY lift off EAST end of BAYONVILLERS and MORCOURT. |
9.50 | Heavy ARTILLERY lift off EASTERN MORCOURT VALLEY. |
10.20 | Heavy ARTILLERY lift off at HARBONNIERES. |
10.50 | Contact Patrol Planes fly over Second Objective Line. |
11.20 | Contact Patrol Planes fly along Third Objective Line. Ammunition- Dropping Planes drop their S.A.A. |
25. Nevada Coal Pit.
26. Central Workshops.
27. Main Road.
28. do. - another view.
4
8/8/18
INFORMATION GIVEN BY EFE. CARTER - ARMOURED CARS COMDR.
Got armoured cars through WARFUSEE-ABANCOURT. When we
reached the other side we found that some of the road was good
but a number of trees (large and small) had been cut shot down and
lay right across the road in places. Removed obstacle by
chopping up the smaller trees and hauling off the big trees
by means of a tank. We practically cleared the road all the
way down.
We did not come up to the advancing troops until they w ere
well up to the Red Line.
When we came to 0.29 & 35 we found quite a number of Huns
there. Had to wait on account of barrage but went through
light barrage. When we got to 0.30 we detached 3 sections
to go down to FRAMERVILLE. When they got there they found
all the Boche transport (horse transport and lorries) drawn,
up in the road ready to move off. Head of column tried to
bolt in one direction and other vehicles in another. Complete
confusion. Our men filled up the lot (using 3000 rounds) and
left them there. (4 junior staff officers shot also).
The cars then came down to the East side of HARBONNIERES,
on the S.E. road towards VAUVILLERS and met there some steam
wagons and fired into them causing an impassable block. Some
shooting round VAUVILIERS. Then came up to main road. Two
sections of cars went to XXXX FOCAUCOURT and came in contact
with a Boche gun in Wood N.E. of FOCAUCOURT. This gun blew the
wheels off one car and also hit three others. However three
of the cars were got away.
2 other cars came towards PROYART and found a lot of
troops billeted there having lunch in houses. Our cars shot
into the houses, killing quite a lot of the enemy.
One section went towards CHUIGNOLLES and found it full
of Germans soldiers. Our cars shot at them. Found rest
billets and old trenches also. Engaged them. Had quite a
battle there. Extent of damage not known. Our cars then
.2.
came back to main road, where I met them. We were well in
advance of Blue Line. Everything was perfectly quiet - no
shell-fire of any kind.
I went --mile beyond LA FLAQUE. There was a big dump there
and Huns were continually coming out and we brought quite a
lot of them back as prisoners. (Time: about 12.30 p.m.)
A party of Huns was detailed to tow back one of my disabled cars.
I saw no sign of any wiring system anywhere.- Old overgrown
trenches but no organised trench system.
I proceeded to some rising ground in W.6. Did not go into
FRAMERVILLE but could see that the roofs of the houses were
intact. Saw no trace of any organised system of defence of any
kind and no troops.
My people saw no formed bodies of troops of any kind during
the day going towards us, but quite a number of fugitives
going in the other direction. I saw,from the hill, open
country with a certain amount of vegetation on it. An advance
of a line of tanks would require a very good smoke barrage.
Shell-fire is increasing from the valleys CHUIGNOLLES - CHUIGNES-
HERLEVILLE and RAINECOURT.
Infantry on the spot gave me our line as follows - About
1000 yards East of our Blue Line.
8.8.18.
INFORMATION GIVEN BY COLONEL CARTER - ARMOURED CARS COMDR
Got armoured cars through to WARFUSEE-ABANCOURT. When we
reached the other side ^of the main canal we found that some of the road was good
but a number of trees (large and small) had been shot down and
lay right across the road in places. Removed Obstacles be removed by
chopping up the smaller trees and hauling off the big trees
means of a tank. We practically Prisoners helped us to cleared the road all the
way down. We did not come up to the our advancing troops until they
were well up to the almost near the Red Line. When we came got to 0.29 and 35 we found past our leading infantry and we came upon quite a number of
Huns there. ^and dealt with them. Had ^them to wait ^a little on account of ^our barrage but went through a
light barrage. When we got to 0.30 blue line we detached 3 sections to
run down to FRAMERVILLE. When they got there they found all
the Boches ^horse transport (horse transport and ^many lorries t drawn up in
the ^main road ready to move off. Head of column tried to bolt in
one direction and other vehicles in another. Complete confusion.
Our men killed up the lot (using 3000 rounds) and
left them there. Four junior staff officers ^on horseback shot also.
The cars then came ran down to the East side of HARBONNIERES,
on the S.E. road towards VAUVILLERS, and met there some a number of steam
wagons, and fired into them ^their limbers causing an impassable block. Some Had a lot
^of good shooting around VAUVILLERS. Then came up back to main road. Two
sections of cars went ^on to FO^UCAUCOURT and came in contact with a
Boche gun in ^a Wood North.East. of FO^UCAUCOURT. This gun blew the wheels
off one car and also hit three others. However, three of the
cars were got away. Two other cars came went towards PROYART and found a lot of
troops billeted there having lunch in ^the houses. Our cars shot
^shot through the windows into the houses, killing quite a lot of the enemy. Another
section went towards(CHUIGNOLLES?)and found it full
of German soldiers. Our cars shot at them. Found rest billets
and old trenches also, ^with troops in them. Engaged them. Had quite a battle there.
2.
Extent of damage not known, ^but considerable. Our Cars then came back to main
road, where I met them. We were ^then well in advance of Blue Line.
Everything was ^now perfectly quiet - no shell-fire of any kind.
I went a quarter of a mile beyond LA FLAQUE. There was a big dump there
and Huns continually coming out and ^and surrendering and we brought quite a lot of them back as prisoners. Time ^It was then about 12.30 p.m.k A party of
Huns ^prisoners was detailed to tow back one of my disabled cars.
I saw no sign of any wired system anywhere.- Old over-grown
trenches but no organised trench system. I proceeded to some rising ground near FRAMERVILLE but could see that the roofs of the houses were
Did not go into
intact. Saw no trace of any organised system of defence of any
kind and no troops. My people saw no formed bodies of troops of any kind
during the day going coming towards us, but quite a very large numbers, of fugitivesgoing hastening in the other opposite direction. Engage as many of them as could be reached from the roofs I saw, from the hill, open
country with a certain amount of vegetation on it. in advanceof a line of tanks would require a very good smoke barrage.Shell-fire is increasing from the valleys CHUIGNOLLES--CHUIGNES -HERLEVILLE AND RAINECOURT.Infantry on the spot gave me our line as follows.About 1000 yards east of our Blue Line.
General Birdwood
5th Army.
Everything going well at 6-45 aaa Heavy ground
mist facilitation our advance, but delaying information
aaa Infantry go and tanks got away punctually aaa
Attack was a complete surprise aaa Gailly and
Acarvche Wood captured aaa Enemy artillery was chased
along whole front line aaa. Both flank corps doing well.
ADC 44
7 AM
8/8/18

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