Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/250/1 - 1917 - 1937 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066655
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

sutpost & was really in the Gernan line, tome of them had a shot at me, only one nearly gettingine as it knocked my shrapnel helmet off + being very week, knocked me down, Tortunatlly I was not hurt as te bullet knocked te helmet of without toiching me. After a tremendous efoit. I stumbled on to one of our outposts, without even knowing where I was going. It happened to be one of (Cays posts. I was taken in by one of the sentries, where my back was dressed & I was taken to the support line, from where I was carried to the RAP& evacuated by motor ambulance to an advanced dressing station remaining there about 5r to be inoculated & then passed on by another ambullance to a central dressing Station, - the 1AEA - who in their turn passed me on to the 53 CCS just outside keroune, where I remained the night 129.18 operated on this afternoon. The bullet entered the Rside of spine without touching it travelling upwards, cutting through the muscles of the back & coming out by the left shoulder blade, which it but breaking a god part of it away. We whole course of the bullet was opened up + cleaned; the wound is about 14 long. Teel very sick & weak from loss of blood etc. - 159.18. Sunday. Was not evacuated until 3pin. the line not being considered safe. We are the first hospitaltrain to leave Peroune since its recapture 169.18 Amved at No 2 General Hospital at LeHavre at dawn Left at 4pm on the Guildford Castle, did not have port until darkness 17.9.18 Arrived off the Ioteof Wight at daybreck.. placed in the hospital train for Cardiff, S Wales. Taken by notor ambulance to Ninson Park Hospital 21.9.18 trensferred to a VAD RedCross Hospital at Hany Dock.
AUS Dt ORoond Mary In the Field, Dect 27h 391 Dear Carlie. You will, no doubt, be grieved to hear that that prince of good fllows, Alan Prichard, has gone west. I heard of it when I returned from Div. HG. after our meeting. Just at present I am undergoing a period of depression in consequence of this, and has was considerably Ess bright than it might have been. We were the best & greatent of friends and I had come to regard the dear chap somewhat in the light of an Elder brother - though there was not such a stear duparity in ouer ages. wis In the Field, 191 was a disposition that endeared him to every body he met. He was so absolutely unselfish, and he would never, on any consideration, shirk what he considered a duty or responsibility& If the world were composed of all such natures as his, it would be a very smooth-running place. You cannot magine how much Ill miss him. We had come away together & been together the whole time. We had an absolute community of interest, had shared our beds & our rations. You he has made his exit - a glosions Exit, Even though made quietly and unostentationsly from a crowded Stge.
in the Field, 3 396 He was always a gentleman - modest, unasouming, quiet and courageous. His good works were so numerous that he is assured of a good place in the hereafter in which we are taught to believe. So far, the order regarding Aussie, has not been promulgated to Battalions. It's a ponderous Cusi- ness. It has only just appeared in Corps Orders, & will now have to go thro' Div. & Brigade before it reaches the battalious. As Corps, Dwv. & Brigade do not publish orders regulardy each day, I donbt very much if notice will reach Battalions in the Field, 4 191 in time for the first issue. However, you may rely on me to do whatever I can to assist in the matter. With very best wishes for the New Year, & the hope that your stay in England will be pleasant. ffull H Eodoard
EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF 2880 Private J.S. Bartley, 30th Battalion, A.I.F. December 1917. The Trenches at Messines were in a fair condit- ion, and wre continually being revetted. Pollard Supports, near the Lone tree, came in for a heavy share of gun fire. on 3/12 the company moved up to an advanced bombarding post and lay fifty yards from Fritz. They relieved the Tommnies, who told them that Jerry (Fritz) came over when he liked and made off with some of them. And no wonder, for the Tommies had no barb-wire erected at all to try and prevent him. The country round about was dotted with pillboxes. During the stay in the bombing post Fritz made it willing by dropping Minnies round about and was Almost successful in blowing the sap in, whilst he landed a Minnie on his own wire and blew it out. The bombing post lay near the old windmill, and whilst there a great deal of listening post and patrol work was done. A patrol was sent out one night consisting of two men, and upon crossing an old sap they were hauled down by a couple of Huns, who had been waiting for them. But one of them, Private S.-----, hurled his steel lid at a Fritz and got away, only to be shot. The noise attracted their own machine-gun fire, and the Huns hurried away with the other man. The wounded man crawled in and reported the matter. That night the relief was many hours late on account of that affair. Fritz had a great habit of putting over a Minnie barrage at midnight. One morning word came along to say that the artillery were going to strafe Fritz all along his main lines, and force him to take shelter in No-Man’s Land. But the gunfire fell short and the boys had rather an anvious time, ebing under their own fire. Peter Smith’s post was all but blown in with a Minnie. No. 2880 and Joe Lansdowne had some trying nights lying out in the open on listening post, near that old pillbor, while Private Enmet had the breeze up and nearly bayonetted Sgt. Brown, and managed to bayonet No. 2880 on the nose in his wild alarm.
At the rear of the bombing post was a mound, and from there and near the old windmill was situated a Stokes battery. Fritz did not attack. Pill botes were everywhere, as the nature of the ground would not permit much digging eere water commenced to flow in. Fritz as usual made regular use of his flares. The Tommies (the Queens) who had been relieved actually had no barb-wire, and very few funkholes. This was soon remedied. Fritz had his machineguns sweeping the duckboard track leading out. The relief (of the 30th)....turned up much later than was anticipated, and so about 4 a.m. the company commenced to move out over that slippery track to the duckbdards. This was the early morning of Dec. 9. Fritz was fairly quiet, but a stray bullet....,90t No. 2929, who departed to the base and afterwards to Blighty. It is said that the whole ward got across to Blighty, because they put up decorations in the ward bearing the words God bless the doctors and the sisters. The company came out along that shell shattered and ploughed up ground to Bristol Castle, which was but a name to a series of trenches, lying opposite Stinking Farm. From thw Castle many dangerous fatigues were done to the line, through much shellfire, Captain D. Chalmers was in charge of the company at the timeCaptain Stephens unfortunately met his death by a Minnie reaching headquarters. With him was killed Alex Huntries and others..Captain Stephens’ death was regretted by all, for all the boys spoke of him as a gent leman.. Huns Walk, Kiwi Road, and Steengast Farm were places likely to be remembered by the men who were there.......The Hun hit on an idea of what was known as the evening newspaper. These were small automaric baldoons, which freely dropped printed pamphlets from Fritz, usually describing his victories. They proved a fine target for the archies to practise on.... The men now moved out to Desvres, a large village about four Kilometres from Boulogne, and took up billets in an old cement Pactory, not far from the station. What a relief it was to get out of that crowded troop train, and what a disappointment it was
3. to the men when they saw the billets. It was a cold winter’s night, and snow and sleet were falling. The wind howled and whistled through the broken windows, and the floor was covered in parts with snow. What a cold shivering night the first one was. Later on the boys made themselves fairly comfortable, but the doctor stopped all fires. Part of the factory was in working condition, and it was a Godsend to hang around the furnace of an evening......... A platoon dinner was held. Each platoon had one, and each man paid in five 2ns Francs towards costs, and it was both a pleasing and interesting function and quite a success. The colonel was present at No. 15 padtoon’s spread. The men assembled in an estaminet and were weited on by the mademoiselles.. Capt. Thompson took over the company command at Desvres. After about six weeks rest the company moved up towards Dickebusch on to and Kemmel Hill, and reached Messines once more...
October, 1929. VICTORLAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGALINE. 17 France, N888 1918. An Austrahan Raid at Messines, By Soldat' (for the V.P.L. Magazine). J J McKenna 570n It was dark and very foggy when we paraded shortly leaders to obtain definite information as to what was after midnight on 14th March, 1918, near our huts at being done at that time in and behind the German lines. Wulverghem. Ten minutes later, responding quietly but The launching of an enemy offensive somewhere on the British front was expected daily. Prisoners had told of cheerily to the good wishes of a few comrades come to witness our departure, we were on the move towards the a concentration immediately opposite our corps. The trenches. The battalion to which we belonged was evidence of our airmen seemed to confirm the story. It was not improbable that a few papers from Datum House holding the line in front of Messines, just south of Vpres. We were re-joining, after having spent four days under- would indicate whether the German intended to try his fortune on our sector, or whether he was merely going some intensive training in preparation for a raid on the enemy entrenched opposite us. During the four threatening there and striking elsewhere. At all events, days we practised assiduously on some old trenches which it was considered that the situation warranted a raid. So we—four officers and eighty men of B Company, 58th existed in the vicinity of our huts, and which greatly resembled in plan those we were to attack. The rehear- Battalion—had been withdrawn from the trenches, and sals, therefore, gave us an excellent idea of the shape on the night of 13th/14th March, 1918, fully equipped, the operation would take. in splendid physical condition, quiet and confident, were on the Messines road, bound for the line. Preparations. In comparative calm behind the lines we gave careful The March to the Trenches. attention to every detail of our preparations. We ob- Parties marched in numerical order. Distances of tained some light body armor which had been found a hundred yards separated one from another—a usual useful in previous raids. We provided ourselves with precaution against extensive loss from artillery fire. Just English uniform, and erased from our equipment and before we reached the crest of Messines Ridge, we quitted underclothing all marks by which our battalion or corps the road, and, turning left, took the duck-board track might be identified. We secured a supply of corks leading to battalion headquarters. We halted at the cook- raiders use burnt cork to blacken their faces for purposes house for some hot tea. The battalion signalling office of concealment at night. Ammunition, bombs, and Hare: attended to the synchronisation of watches. Then on we were obtained, and stored ready for distribution. We moved again. A short march brought us to Fanny's were divided into three parties. To Party Number One Communication Trench, a well-built sap running from the was allotted the first enemy line, on a frontage of one ridge to the front line. We now moved in single file, each hundred yards. Members of Party Number Two were to plodding along behind a comrade dimly visible through pass through their comrades, pierce the hundred and the fog and darkness. At length we reached the lines of fifty yards between the first and second enemy lines, seize the company in support. Shortly afterwards we passed the second line, and hold it whilst Party Number Three the headquarters of the right line company at Gapaard. went through to the final objective—Datum House. This Then, leaving the trench, we turned to the right, and re- was a concrete structure, or pill-box, which, we sus- joined the road we had left at Messines. Absolute silence pected, the enemy used as a line headquarters. was imperative there, for we were approaching our front Reasons for the Raid. line posts, and the enemy was not far away. The pace As part of the training, full explanations of the reasons was necessarily slow, particularly after we had left our for the raid were made to the troops. These men did front line, passed through the openings cut for the pur- not need telling, however, that one of the reasons for the pose in our wire, and entered No Man's Land. There we raid was the irrepressible pugnacity of their brigadier, crawled on hands and knees, for we had to be careful lest who was ever unhappy unless fighting, and who had an enemy patrol should discover us, and give the alarm. repeatedly stirred into volcanic activity the quietest Once we were brought to a standstill, and crouched in the sectors of the British line. His persistent and successful roadside ditch, when an enemy machine-gun, firing pro- raiding on the Messines front is believed to have caused bably at random down the road, sent its bullets whistling the ruin of the opposing German general, who, our in- by us. Finally, spread out in three lines in No Man's telligence discovered, was sent home to Berlin in disgrace. Land, we lay still, guessing how long we had to wait for The hopes that sway every officer ordering a raid must zero hour. be considered if we would fully understand the reasons Waiting for Lero Hour. for enterprises such as ours. Prisoners who can be per Peering through the dense darkness, we wondered if suaded to talk frequently supply valuable information Identification of the enemy troops on the sector is im- Fritz had heard us. Our captain, passing along on a last portant intelligence. A successful raid means damage to inspection, stopped for a moment, glanced anxiously around, and whispered to one of his officers that he the foe's morale, whilst a peaceful endurance of hostile attentions means damage to ours. Although reasons like did not like the enemy's silence. Perhaps he was thinking these all had their effects upon the decision to raid, the of the information that reached us just before we left principal cause of our adventure was the eagerness of our our huts. We were told it was not improbable that we
VICTORLAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGALINE. October, 1929. should find sturmtruppen (chosen assault troops) already in occupation, preparatory to a general attack at dawn. Our final instructions had been to reach Datum House if No other Company can quote vou a we could, but, at all costs, to bring back identification of lower rate than the occupants of the enemy trenches. In Action. Not a sound came from the lines we were facing. Along the front a few of our guns were firing inter- 63 23½ mittently. Then, a sudden crash from behind us startled the night. The first shells from our barrage screamed 4 close to our crouching figures, and burst with a roar fifty 33 yards in front of us. Artillery officers had warned us against lying too close to the barrage. They wanted at least seventy-five yards between us and their target. The margin was small enough in all truth, but we could not afford to give the enemy time to leave his shelters after the barrage had lifted, and bring his machine-guns to insurance is Co-operative play upon our advancing lines. Confirming our fears, one or two of our eighteen-pounder shells fell short, and Liberal and Prompt Settlements. burst close to the men on the right. Fortunately, no casualties resulted. At zero plus three minutes, the The Commercial of Australia barrage lifted, and placed its wall of fire between the first and second enemy lines. It had hardly moved before Insurance Coy. L4d. Party Number One was in the trench. Lewis gunners ran along the parapet firing from the hip, whilst bayonet IS PURELY AUSTRALLAN men and bombers worked down the trench, searching every dug-out. They cut from the tunies of several dead All its Profits are Invested in AUS- men the shoulder straps upon which the German infantry TRALLA thereby helping to reduce the wore the numbers of their regiments. One prisoner was taken. He was found cowering against the parapet, com- COST OF LIVING. pletely unnerved by the terrific shock of the barrage. Lewis gunners took up positions on the Hanks, and riffe- You must benefit when you deside to men searched the shell-holes and shelters just behind the INSURE IN THIS COMPANY. front line. They found nothing, but remained out a short distance to cover the Hanks of those who were to pene- Apply to- trate further. In the meantime, we of Party Number Two, seeing at a glance that our comrades needed no Head Office for Australia. assistance, had dashed through, and, throwing ourselves 360 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE astride the road, had crouched as close to the barrage as we dared to go. The fog enwrapped us, and the usually H. L. CARROLL, General Manager. or J. A. CALLANDER. Secretary, brilliant fares the enemy fired from his second line hardly Victorian Postal Institute, Melbourne. made an impression upon the darkness. The fumes of explosive pervaded the air. Enemy machine-guns in 000000 Kiwi Farm rattled an answer to the fire of the Lewis gun on the right Hank of Party Number One. At zero Name plus six minutes, the barrage lifted to the second object- ive. The fares abruptly ceased. We were up at once, and Address. rushed in single file for the wire at the point where it crossed the road, and where we expected to find a pas- My policies expire on the following dates: sage. Stumbling at every step into the waterlogged shell- holes, we struggled on and reached the wire, finding it Fire. Amounts.. intact. After some difficulty, we found a lane partly cut a little to the right of the road. As we plunged through, Accident.. barbed wire strands struck our faces, wound round our ankles, ripped our puttees, and tore long gashes in the Workers' Compensation leather of our boots. We were through at last, and had only a moment to rally before the fire would lift from Please post this slip to either of the the trench to form what the artillery call a Dox barrage. above addresses when your interests will This means that fire would be so directed that shells would burst continuously along three sides of a square. One be immediately covered. side would extend across our front a hundred yards or so beyond us. From each end of it legs would be run
October, 1929. VICTORLAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGALINE. 19 back to our first objective. Thus our front and Hanks POSTAL INSTITUTE WELFARE SOCLETY. would be protected, and a way left clear for our with- drawal. As we waited, we thought that the barrage was due to move. We wondered whether it was too slow in The Postal Institute has commenced a Welfare Society, lifting from the trench, whether we had been too hasty and members are requested to give their patronage to or whether only a portion of the barrage had moved on. the following traders:- At all events, we found ourselves dangerously close to Boots and Shoes.—J. Brown, 239 Elizabeth Street; 15 the bursting shells. Enemy occupying the trench saw us, per cent. and threw a few grenades, which fell short. As our Books, Stationery, etc.—Secretary, V.P.I.; almost cost. bombers replied, we lost all thought of the shell-fire, and Cameras, Films, Developing, Printing.—D. A. Gross, dashed in with the bayonet. Of the Germans, one fell 387 Swanston Street; 15 per cent. wounded by a corporal's revolver, and two fed to the rear Chemist.—D. A. Gross, 387 Swanston Street; 33 1-390. through the barrage. Another ran across our front, and Cigarettes, Tobacco.—Billiard Marker, Basement; along the top of the trench towards Datum House. An almost cost. officer fired, but the fugitive sped on. All this time stray Dentist.—G. Shanahan, Harley House, 71 Collins Street; shells from the edge of the barrage were bursting around 25 per cent. us. Our escape from damage was remarkable. The Dentist.—Dr. L. S. Marks, 12 Collins Street, Melbourne. probable explanation is that, before bursting, the shells Drapery.—Manton’s, Bourke Street (see advert.); 10 went so deeply into the sodden earth that they were per cent. in all departments including beauty parlor. prevented from scattering their splinters very far. Firewood, Coal, Coke, Briquettes.—Head & Knight, 217 York Street, South Melbourne; see advert., 10 per cent. Furniture.—Copolov's, 132 Russell Street; furniture, 12½ The Withdrawal. per cent.; linos, carpets, 10 per cent. Gramophones, etc.—Copolov's, 132 Russell Street; 10 Suddenly, to our surprise, there rang out three whistle per cent. blasts—the signal to withdraw. Turning around, we Groceries.—Patronise our Store on Second Floor; could discern a bunch of men halted at the wire. They almost cost. broke up into small parties, and disappeared into the fog. They were the men of Party Number Three. They had Hatters, Mercers, Neckwear.—Byers, over Stewart, Dawson's; 20 per cent. become entangled in the wire on the road, and had seen F. W. Warne Pty. Ltd., 263 Swanston Street, and 43 with dismay that the barrage was falling between them Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. and Datum House. Our captain had hastily conferred Jewellers.—Dumbrell's, 319 Bourke Street; 10 per cent. with the officer in charge of the party, and decided that Lending Library,—Patronise our Library on Second it was useless to go on, and dangerous to remain longer. Floor; included in membership. At any moment a counter barrage might cut us off from Men's Wear.—F. W. Warne Pty. Ltd., 263 Swanston our own lines. We had already obtained identification, and Street, and 43 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Datum House seemed secure behind the shells. Millinery.—Misses Laffan, 48 Elizabeth Street; 12½ per cent. We suffered some annoyance from enemy machine- Opticians.—S. W. Siddeley, M.V.O.A., 2nd Floor, Fink's guns, which came into action as soon as the cessation of Buildings, Ca Elizabeth Street, Melbourne; 20 per cent. our artillery fire permitted the teams to leave their See advert. shelters. Otherwise, the withdrawal was effected without Paints.—Industrial Paints, 118 Haines Street, North difficulty. Reviewing the raid at battalion headquarters. Melbourne; 16/- gallon, 5 per cent. we found that two of our men had been wounded, that Photos and all Photographic Work.—Eden Studios, 15 we had killed ten of the enemy, captured two prisoners, Royal Arcade, Melbourne; 15 per cent. See advert. identified our opponents as old acquaintances, and thus Pianos, Players.—Secretary, V.P.L.; almost cost. established the fact that there was no immediate danger Sporting Materials.—Hartley's, Flinders Street; 10 per from the sturmtruppen. Apart from other considera- cent.. tions, the effect on the morale of the men amply justified Tailors.—Byers, over Stewart, Dawson’'s; 10 per cent. the raid. After weeks of waiting for an enemy move, Tea, Coffee, Cocoa.—Patronise our Store on Second they had tasted again the joy of action, and had felt the Floor; almost cost. moral superiority the attacker must always feel over the Vacuum Cleaners.—Secretary, V.P.I.; x6 each. passive defender. Discount is allowed in every case on production of a In these raiding activities the Australians found an membership ticket or an authorising welfare form, ob- occupation that entirely suited their spirit of enterprise. tainable from the Secretary. They quickly became the boldest raiders in France. An Help the Institute by explaining to others the benefits account of the methods they adopted was published for to be derived from the Society, and patronise Welfare the information of the army. Their reputation spread firms for all purchases, whether large or small. even to the enemy, and it is a fact, substantiated by the What the per cent. reduction represents:- evidence of captured documents, that German infantry 5 per cent. 11- in the £1 occupying front-line posts lived in nightly dread when 73 per cent. 116 in the 21 they knew that they were matched against the daring 10 per cent. 21- in the 81 Australians. 12½ per cent. 216 in the 21
VICTORLAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGALINE. October, 1929. The Mark of the Mocassin 15 per cent. 31- in the 81 Perkins, Kenneth The Good Companions 20 per cent. 41- in the 81 Priestly, J. B. 25 per cent. 51- in the 81 Boothroyd's Mill . Reed, E. C. 33 1-3rd per cent. The Affair at the Chateau 618 in the f1 Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie The list of traders will be added to from time to time, Hidden Love. Richardson, Norval and our desire is to help you to save your money. Ask Lucky Star Rutter, Owen your wives, mothers, and sisters to patronise these Wel- Quen Dick Sheppard, A. Tresidder fare firms. Silent Thunder Soutar, Andrew Wynnegate Sahib Sutherland, Joan Young Mrs. Greely Tarkington, Booth The Green Murder Case Van Dine, S. S. This Way to Fortune Books Added to the Library Woden, George Travel- Combing the Caribbees. Foster, Harry L. History- Plain Sailing. Anon. Australian Discovery by Sea Scott, Ernest Piccadilly . Applin, Arthur Technical- Eve de Luxe Baker, Amy J. Telephonic Transmission Hill, J. G. He Married His Parlour Maid Barcynska, Countess The Five Flamboys Beeding, Francis Meet Mr. Craw Bell, J. J. LIRRARY BOOKS REVIEWED BY READERS. Rodeo . Bower, B. M. No. 18846. The Marked Pistol, J. C. Lenehan. Nighthawks! .. Brandon, J. G. An Without Capitulation entertaining mystery story. The interest is sustained to Charnwood, Lady Pines of Jalaam the end, where a series of startling exposures brings the Chase, Daniel War Paint story to an end.—G. Laws. ... Coolidge, Dane Seaworthy Dingle, Captain Scarlet Gables Dodd, Catherine No. 17,179. The Wandering Darling. By Rita.! The The Fatal Call Dorrington, Albert book is written well, but in parts is over-descriptive. The The Maracot Deep Doyle, A. Conan characters that are English are true and possible, but 1 Another Day Farnol, Jeffery do not care for the German element. To my mind some The Riddle of the Rose Ferguson, W. B. M. German characteristics are unnecessarily stressed, whilst The Wrist Mark . Fletcher, J. S. others are not mentioned. Taken as a whole, however, the The Five Red Fingers Flynn, Brian book is interest-holding.—W. H. Simmons. The Black Minute Frankan, Pamela A Modern Comedy Galsworthy, J. No. 16469. The One Girl in a Million. Louis Tracy. Young Apollo Gibbs, Anthony A good story, well told, of a murder in the West of Death Comes to Dinne Cluck, Sinclair England. Exciting developments and satisfactory con- Black Shirt Again Graeme, Bruce clusion.—G. Laws. He and Ski Greatrix, Dawson Quettenden's Folly . Green, E. E. The Major Knight Errant Greene, L. Patrick No. 13916. The Camden Hill Mystery. E. Bailey. Rapidan Gregory, Jackson good, exciting mystery story. Interest well sustained The Ocean Hill Grover, Sidney T. throughout.—G. Laws. McGlusky the Mormon . Hales, A. G. Black Jack House. . Harker, L. Allan No. 18466. The Case of Sergeant Grischa. Arnold Instead of the Thorn Heyer, Georgette Lweig. A vivid picture of the war on the Eastern (Rus- Golden Harvest Hill, H. Haverstock sian) Front, and a scathing indictment of the Prussian The Crooked Wheel Hughes, Rupert military machine at work. Unlike most war books, it The Devil and the Deep Sea Jordan, Elizabeth has a definite plot, which is very well constructed and Elizabeth Who Wouldn't Lambert, Dorothy admirably handled. Sergeant Grischa is a Russian cap- The Blue Pochette Lawford, Florence tive. He attempts to escape, is recaptured and brought The Heritage of the North Lee, Herbert P. to trial. Generals, lawyer-officers, German soldiers, Rus- The Double Cross Livingston, Armstrong sian civilians, Red Cross nurses, are brought into touch Moslem Jane Lorimer, Norma with him and his ease.? We get a panoramic view of The Lodger Lowndes, Mrs. Belloc the war on this front and the story itself is enthralling. Out of the Storm Macdonald, Marcia The numerous discursions the author makes from the The Fish Hawk Marshall, Edison direct path of the story, far from being annoying, are Himself and Mr. Raikes Maxwell, Edison welcome and interesting. Mrs. Grundy might take ex- By Soochow Waters . Miln, L. J. ception to about three expressions, but the book is per The Treasure House of Martin Hews. Oppenheim, E. P. fectly clean in design and execution. The actual writing The Palgrave Mummy .. Pettee, F. M. reaches a high literary standard.—J. McK.

18

outpost & was really in the German line. Some of them had a shot at

me, only one nearly getting me as it knocked my shrapnel helmet off

&, being very weak, knocked me down. Fortunately I was not hurt

as the bullet knocked the helmet off, without touching me. After a tremendous 

effort... I stumbled on to one of our outposts, without even knowing where

I was going. It happened to be one of C Coys posts. I was taken in by one 

of the sentries, where my back was dressed & I was taken to the

support line, from where I was carried to the RAP & evacuated by motor

ambulance to an advanced dressing station, remaining there about ½hr.

to be inoculated & then passed on by another ambulance to a 

central dressing station. – the 1 AFA – who in their turn passed me on

to the 53 CCS just outside Peronne, where I remained the night.

12.9.18 Operated on this afternoon. The bullet entered the R side of spine

without touching it travelling upwards, cutting through the muscles of the

back & coming out by the left shoulder blade, which it hit breaking a

good part of it away. The whole course of the bullet was opened up

& cleaned; the wound is about 14" long. Feel very sick and weak from

loss of blood etc. . . . . .

15.9.18. Sunday. Was not evacuated until 3 p.m. the line not being

considered safe. We are the first hospital train to leave Peronne since its

recapture......

16.9.18 Arrived at No 2 General Hospital at Le Havre at dawn.....

Left at 4 p.m. on the Guildford Castle, did not leave port until darkness.

17.9.18 Arrived at the Isle of Wight at daybreak...... placed in the

hospital train for Cardiff, S. Wales......Taken by motor ambulance to

Ninion Park Hospital...

21.9.18 Transferred to a VAD Red Cross Hospital at Barry Dock...

 

 

 

Dircts of Record

Diary

Y.M.C.A. In the Field,

Decr 27th 1917

Dear Charlie,

You will, no doubt , be

grieved to hear that that prince of good

fellows, Alan Prichard, has gone west.

I heard of it when I returned from

Div. H.Q. after our meeting. Just at

present I am undergoing a period

of depression in consequence of this,

and Xmas was considerably less bright

than it might have been. We were the

best and greatest of friends and I 

had come to regard the dear old chap

somewhat in the light of an elder

brother - though there was not such

a great disparity in our ages. His

 

Y.M.C.A.  In the Field,

2

191

was a disposition that endeared him to

everybody he met. He was so absolutely

unselfish, and he would never, on any

consideration, shirk what he considered a 

duty or responsibility. If the world were

composed of all such natures as his, it

would be a very smooth-running

place. You cannot imagine how much

I'll miss him. We had come away together

& been together the whole time. We had

an absolute community of interest,

had shared our beds & our rations.

Now he has made his exit - a glorious

exit, even though made quietly and

unostentatiously from a crowded stage.

 

Y.M.C.A.  In the Field,

3 191

He was always a gentleman - modest,

unassuming, quiet and courageous. His

good works were so numerous that he is

assured of a good place in the hereafter

in which we are taught to believe.

So far, the order regarding 

"Aussie" has not  been promulgated

to Battalions. It's a ponderous business. 
It has only just appeared in

Corps Orders, & will now have to go

thro' Div. & Brigade before it reaches

the Battalions. As Corps, Div. & Brigade

do not now publish orders regularly

each day, I doubt very much if 

notice will reach Battalions

 

Y.M.C.A.  In the Field,

4  191

in time for the first issue. However, you

may rely on me to do whatever I can

to assist in the matter.

With very best wishes for the

New Year, & the hope that your stay

in England will be pleasant.

Yrs ffully

G.H. Goddard.

 

EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF 2880 Private J.S. Bartley,

30th Battalion, A.I.F.

December 1917. The Trenches at Messines were in a fair condition, 
and wre continuously being revetted. Pollard Supports, near the

Lone tree, came in for a heavy share of gun fire.

On 3/12 the company moved up to an advanced bombarding post

and lay fifty yards from Fritz. They relieved the Tommies, who 

told them that Jerry (Fritz) came over when he liked and made off

with some of them. And no wonder, for the Tommies had no barb-wire

erected at all to try and prevent him. The country round about was

dotted with pillboxes. During the stay in the bombing post Fritz

made it willing by dropping Minnies round about and was almost

successful in blowing the sap in, whilst he landed a Minnie on his

own wire and blew it out.

The bombing post lay near the old windmill, and whilst there

a great deal of listening post and patrol work was done. A patrol

was sent out one night consisting of two men, and upon crossing an

old sap they were hauled down by a couple of Huns, who had been

waiting for them. But one of them, Private S------, hurled his

steel lid at a Fritz and got away, only to be shot. The noise

attracted their own machine-gun fire, and the Huns hurried away with

the other man. The wounded man crawled in and reported the matter.

That night the relief was many hours late on account of that affair.

Fritz had a great habit of putting over a Minnie barrage at 

midnight.

One morning word came along to say that the artillery were

going to strafe Fritz all along his main lines, and force him to take

shelter in No-Man's Land. But the gunfire fell short and the boys

had rather an anxious time, ebing under their own fire.

 Peter Smith's post was all but blown in with a Minnie.

No. 2880 and Joe Lansdowne had some trying nights lying out in the

open on listening post, near that old pillbox, while Private Emmet had

the breeze up and nearly bayonetted Sgt. Brown, and managed to 
"bayonet" No. 2880 on the nose in his wild alarm.

 

 

2.

At the rear of the bombing post was a mound, and from there and

near the old windmill was situated a Stokes battery. Fritz did not

attack. Pill boxes were everywhere, as the nature of the ground

would not permit much digging eere water commenced to flow in.

Fritz as usual made regular use of his flares.

The Tommies (the Queens) who had been relieved actually

had no barb-wire, and very few funkholes. This was soon remedied.

Fritz had his machineguns sweeping the duckboard track leading out.

The relief (of the 30th).......turned up much later than was 

anticipated, and so about 4 a.m. the company commenced to move

out over that slippery track to the duckboards. This was the

early morning of Dec. 9. Fritz was fairly quiet, but a stray

bullet....got No. 2929, who departed to the base and afterwards

to Blighty. It is said that the whole ward got across to Blighty,

because they put up decorations in the ward bearing the words "God

bless the doctors and the sisters."

The company came out along that shell shattered and

ploughed up ground to Bristol Castle, which was but a name to a

series of trenches, lying opposite Stinking Farm. From thw

Castle many dangerous fatigues were done to the line, through much

shellfire. Captain D. Chalmers was in charge of the company at the

time.........Captain Stephens unfortunately met his death by a

Minnie reaching headquarters. With  him was killed Alex Huntries 

and others........Captain Stephens' death was regretted by all, for all

the boys spoke of him as a gentleman.......

Huns Walk, Kiwi Road, and Steengast Farm were places likely

to be remembered by the men who were there.......The Hun hit on an

idea of what was known as the evening newspaper. These were small

automaric balloons, which freely dropped printed pamphlets from

Fritz, usually describing his victories. They proved a fine target

for the archies to practise on......

The men now moved out to Desvres, a large village about four

kilometres from Boulogne, and took up billets is an old cement

factory, not far from the station. What a relief it was to get 

out of that crowded troop train, and what a disappointment it was

 

3.

to the men when they saw the billets. It was a cold winter's night,

and snow and sleet were falling. The wind howled and whistled

through the broken windows, and the floor was covered in part with

snow. What a cold shivering night the first one was. Later on the

boys made themselves fairly comfortable, but the doctor stopped all

fires. Part of the factory was in working condition, and it was a 

Godsend to hang around the furnace of an evening........ A platoon

dinner was held. Each platoon had one, and each man paid five frs

francs toward costs, and it was both a pleasing and interesting

function and quite a success. The colonel was present at No. 15

platoon's spread. The men assembled in an estaminet and were waited

on by the mademoiselles.........

Capt. Thompson took over the company command at Desvres.

After about six weeks rest the company moved up towards Dickebusch

and on to  Kemmel Hill, and reached Messines once more......

 

PAGE FROM MAGAZINE: See Original Document

October, 1929.   VICTORIAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGAZINE.       17

An Australian Raid at Messines, France, 1928 1918. 
By "Soldat" ( for the V. P.I. Magazine).  JJ McKenna 57 Bn

 

PAGE FROM MAGAZINE:  See Original Document

18             VICTORIAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGAZINE.       October, 1929. 

 

PAGE FROM MAGAZINE: See Original Document

October, 1929.         VICTORIAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGAZINE.     19

 

PAGE FROM MAGAZINE:  See Original Document

20          VICTORIAN POSTAL INSTITUTE MAGAZINE.       October, 1929.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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