Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/226/1 - Folder - Part 18
167.
42nd BATTALION
When 41st began their attack of 11/12th 42nd. moved
from Bde. support and relieved part of 9th and 10th Bdes.
in Amiens line from right of 41st (C7.D5.0) to crossroad
R19.B8.6.
9th Bde. went to Division reserve; 10th Bde. in line
from right of 11th to 800 yds. east of La Flaque.
42nd. had 3 Coys. in line, one in support 500yds.
behind front line. B.H.Q. at Q 24 Cent. This was night
of 11/12.
German shelling pretty heavy and bombing intense.
AUGUST 12. - Word being received that 10th Bde. had
penetrated successfully wouth and east of Proyart and the
Southern half of Proyart village, 42nd Bn. were ordered to p
push out patrols and keep touch with the enemy supposed to b
be retreating, and press him closely.
Before 10 a.m. Lieut. J. H. N. Price, M.C., took a
patrol into the N. end of Proyart and reported moderate
opposition.
Int. officers of 42nd Bn. - Observe on hill at R13
Cent. reported the Germans withdrawing in large numbers
from Proyart Hill (9 Cent.) and ridge, South-eastwards.
At 11 a.m. one platoon of A Coy. (right Coy. to which
Price belonged) followed (at noon) by a second platoon of
the same Coy., made towards the N. part of Proyart in open
order - occasionally getting down under M.G. fire.
The other Coys. were each to send a platoon in the same
way (but orders reached them later). The right Coy. (A)
had to get from left of 10th Bde. (supposed to be at R21
Central) to about the railway crossing (R15A Central), C
Coy. (centre) from there to the cross-roads at 9 Central
(Proyart Hill). D Coy. on left from cross-roads to railway
crossing to left of 41st at R2.C.O.4.
As soonas the attacking troops left their shallow
trenches German shelling increased considerably. The two
left Coys. sent their platoons slightly later than the
right Coys. During the afternoon M.G. fire became intense.
The German artillery was violent. Our own artillery, owing
to the vagueness of the situation, was unable to operate
very greatly.
Though many Germans had withdrawn, several hundred had
been left strongly posted on the Proyart Ridge, and for the
two kilometres over which attack had to go to reach the
main German position (the objective) the troops were in full
view under direct fire.
The German was also strong in St Germain Wood. M.G.'s
forming a strong solid defence. The ridge in R 8.a and
B. was also strongly held. Before half an hour had
elapsed from J.O. heavy casualties were inflicted on us by
M.G. and shell fire - about 20 men being put out of action
before leaving the vicinity of the trench line. The
shelling was of all sizes from 12-in. to 77. Several guns
fired over open sights from rear slopes of Proyart ridge.
(There were no tanks - and no barrage - some area shooting
was arranged but few batteries were in position as they
were shifting).
In St. Germaine Wood, and huts in the quarry behind it,
about 100-200 Germans were strongly posted. On Being
shelled by German guns these xxxxxxx continually put up
white Verey lights, but German guns still kept dropping
shells.
42nd Bn. had to resort to open warfare tactics, working
round up from flank, etc. About 2 p.m., as the attack was
getting to this position, several hundred Germans tried to
xxxxx
168.
retire to the general line of Proyart Ridge. Riflemen and
Lewis gunners of 42nd Bn. killed many of these at ranges
of from 100-700 yds. Many of these Germans surrendered
(about 100, including several officers, had so far
surrendered). Our men were beginning to feel very
distressed owing to the intense heat - impossibility of
sending water forward, lack of sleep the night before, and
the heavy calibre shelling. Also the midday meal had to
be held over till night time. Still, they pressed forward,
losing pretty heavily (310 men jumped off (100 in reserve) -
at this stage the casualties were about 50). The advance
had been down a broad slope bare as your hand, except for
St. Germaine. They pressed to the objective and went onto
the crest of the ridge, past the main Proyart-Cappy Road -
so as to command Chuignolles valley. One platoon of D Coy.
pushed on into trenches by the ruined windmill beyond
the crossroads. Their left flank extended along the ridge
westwards. At this stage 10th Bde. were (probably) about
15 Central, or bend of railway south of it.
At this stage the Germans began to pur reinforcements
southwards fown the main road and trench system from Long
Woods and up the Chuignolles valley to a strength of several
hundreds in close formations. A large number of them
carried M.G.'s. In the trenches in 9 B. were about 60 or
80 Germans and they showed willingness to surrender, though
two or three of their officers could be seen trying to
prevent them. Our only troops within 300 yds. of here
were 2/Lieut. Boorman with 3 N.C.O.'s and 4 men and a L.G.
Not being able to spare a man to take charge of the
prisoners, or to show their weakness to the Germans, and not
being able to kill them owing to the shortage of ammunition
(The L.G. corporal was lying at the crossroads firing down
it whichever way the enemy came along the roadside), they
had to withdraw after inflicting heavy casualties.
The Coy. on their right (C), having had the Coy. Commndr.
Tempy. Capt. Jack, M.C., gravely wounded (?d.of w. as
prisoner), and another officer, Lieut. O'Connor (M.C. for this)
and most of N.C.O.'s killed or wounded, and being xxxxx
outnumbered by Germans and under point-blank 77 and 4.2
from Chuignolles Valley, were also forced to retire about
100 yds. west of main road.
They right Coy., for same reasons, were also forced to
withdraw. Lieut. Jack Maclean, M.C., who had taken M.G.
posts and about 30 prisoners besides being in the thick of
everything all day, was wounded in the thigh by an
explosive bullet. (He was given D.S.O. for this). This
Coy. (A) withdrew in line with/centre Coys. flank, their
line passing somewhere near Cemetery and railway. They could
see the 10th Bde.
About 4 p.m. one Coy. of 43rd. Bn. reported to left
Coy. of 41st Bn. - which got up late, felt their way
forward under Capt. French and Lieut. MacGibbon between the
Chuignolles Road and the river bank. They were heavily
shelled and lost about 24 men in the Coy.
Immediately after getting there these officers had to
ride back and bring up a full-strength battalion of
Lincolnshire Regt. (17th Div.) along the Mericourt-East
Valley past St. Germaine Wood. Near Fallette's Wood the
Germans put down a very heavy artillery fire - the whole
area taken consisted of dumps. A full battn. relieved this
one Coy. of 56 men under shell fire all night.
42nd Bn. look on this as the hardest fight they ever
had - except for B Coy. against the guards at Bouchavesnes.
It was without barrage, by open day, down a plain slope.
It was thought because several hundred were seen retiring
that the Germans had practically withdrawn. It was found
that any amount of Germans were left. The men reckoned
the Germans were in strength, and thought it was absolutely
169.
certain destruction. About 310 started and 100 casualties.
That night the whole Bde. moved back to near Kate Wood
and Cerisy Valley. (It was then daylight on 13th). Thence
to Hamel Aug. 13.
There was an attack expected near Chaulnes, and the
officers and N.C.O.'s went down to Lihons to reconnoitre.
August 19.- Next move was [[xx crossed out]] on evening of Aug. 19
to gully east of Sailly le Sec. Everyone made a
reconnaissance to Gressaire Wood, where J.C.T. was to be.
On morning of 22 Aug. at 5 a.m., some time after Zero,
11 Bde. marched to the fore end of Gressire Wood on a tape
line in K.24. The British batteries in the wood were
heavily shelled and there were a number of casualties.
At 9 p.m. 24 Aug. Coys. moved up to the bump of higher
ground immediately north of Bray.
Diagram - see original
They stayed here while assaulting troops passed through
on night of Aug. 24/25 to attack at 2.30 a.m.
25 August.- 42nd. on left got got to their objective
without resistance.
2 Coys. of the 42nd. went on down hill to exploit
(from the outer Amiens defence - there had been a mist but
this had lifted). They started into Billion Wood Valley,
got a few prisoners un opposed but heavily shelled in one
part. 44th was on right. The ridge they had left was a
very big one - the biggest for many miles - a landmark. The
Coys. going over the top to exploit were shelled at once and
had casualties. The guns seemed to be in Vaux Wood and
Spur Wood. The Coys. were not to push forward if
opportunity offered. As they came under M.G. and artillery
fire they did not go far and decided not to go on. The
Tommies had not got the high ground on the left - and until
they did it was difficult to get on on the lower ground on
the right. Eventually it ws done by 43rd and 44th at night.
25/26th.
(41st was behind 42nd is support on Aug. 25 and again
on 26th.)
26th August. - About 2 p.m. 10th and 11th Bdes. advanced
to a line NW-SE to Vaux Wood.
In afternoon 41st got orders to relieve 43rd. This
was later changed to an attack to take the line to the N. end
of Vaux Wood Copse K (44th and 10th Bde. on right).
At 11 p.m. passed through 43rd and were in touch with
44th Bn.
August 27th. At 2.50 a.m. Aug. 27 they reached
objective - there was M.G. fire but the Germans cleared. It
was a silent stunt - no artillery. Germans ran as soon as
we got near them - no tanks. The Germans were then falling
back on the Clery or Somme positions. (There was a fair
amount of rain during the xxxx shifts at Bray-Suzanne
on night of 25 Aug. - a sharp storm). Very few casualties.
At 2 a.m. orders came that at 4.55 a.m. Bn. attacked
on left).
It was very noticeable that in the 2 a.m. advance the
Bn. took up it a line wonderfully accurately in the dark;
170.
and also they kept touch over difficult country which was
unknown to them. The success signal (one green light) was
sent up, and by guide sticks from Bn. O.P. you could tell
which Coy. was there. Signalling was by O.L. lamps
(Lucas lamps with red disk).
As soonas success signals went up, C.O. went up and at
the row of trees below Z Central put his H.Q. Coy. Commanders
were collected by I.O. and told what they had to do at H.Q.
They had (at 4.55 a.m.)
At 5 to 5 a.m. Barrage would come down for 20 mins.
one on a line near where the bend of the river begins. The
Tommies thought they had some men in between, and this was so
as not to fall on them. The troops were to mop up to the
barrage. Then barrage would remain for 30 minutes and
then go on to Farguy Mill, which was the objective.
41st Bn. with one Coy. of 42nd. Bn. on left (100 yds.
behind) mopped up to the barrage.
Lieut. Jackson was hit going up to the barrage by a
shell - and Lieut. Armstrong lost his right arm by a shell
also. The night was a bright moonlight. The Tommies were
uncertain where they were. From 21C where the Tommies
thought they were came a collection of German flares.
Diagram - see original
A Coy., xxxxxx 41st Bn. , under Hanley, went a bit further
than its objective. C coy. (on right of A) struck some
fighting (under Capt. French). C helped B, which struck
heavy fighting in Spur W ood.
Diagram - see original document
Spur Wood, Farguy Wood and the big embankment at
Chapeau de Gendarme were heavily held. The hill was very
steep, Closely bushed with lots of cover.for M.G.'s.
Diagram - see original
Pte. Gordon of C Coy. (which was held up in front of
Farguy Wood) did great work. He repeatedly went into Farguy
Wood, dealt with a M.G. and 9 men, and altogether took 40
prisoners singlehanded. (He was wounded doing a similar mad
work on Sept. 1 by a German officer, who shot him in the hand
with the revolver which he had grabbed).
171.
B Coy., after heavy fighting, got to its objective.
They had to use T.M.'s and L.G.'s, but got there by 5 8.5 a.m
and began to consolidate.
The whole day they were fighting with Germans in the old
trench system - Chapeau de Gendarme and old trenches of the
old French and German lines to the north. The Tommies who
had the old French (1914) line east of Maricourt as first
objective and the old German line as 2nd Objective, never
got beyond their first objective through they started well. Our
Light Horse in all this work did very fine work indeed - and
on this occasion cleared up the situation on the left north
of Maricourt - which was most vague.
The troops were tired at the start, and it was a very
difficult fight. We got 100 prisoners and 20 M.G.'s.
The Tommies were up Road Avenue and Five Street and
Lowestoft Street.
(Gordon got a V.C. for his work, which helped B Coy. a
lot).
(Of 42nd. Bn. : The location and details of C Coy.'s part
in operation is exact, as it was done by Lieut. Tardent,
I.O., who was there).
42nd Bn. was attached to 9th Bde. (which was very weak)
from noon on Aug. 27. The diary on this point is very
accurate.
42nd had to be pushed up constantly, hardly stopping -
the Germans were retiring after Aug. 28 and these Bns. simply followed.
42ND BATTALION - "B" cOY.
MARRIERES WOOD - BOUCHAVESNES.
At midnight on Aug. 29 B Coy. of 42nd, under Tempy.
Capt. Trudgeon, came under command of Col. Morehead, 33rd
reached these without very heavy loss and decided to go on to
first exploitation line. They did this without unde loss
and decided to go a further exploitation on the main road in
20D. English xxxxx troops were operating on left. They
reached there by 7 p.m. After having left first exploitation
line 33 Bn. lost so heavily that they had to call on B Coy.
42nd, which had moved to near Road Wood and throw it into
the front line. Total bayonets, 62.
The 33rd got part of the way to 2nd exploitation objective
and then put in 42nd Bn. B Coy. B Coy. worked up Apremont
trench and other C.T.'s. about the old quarry in 22c. (33rd.
Bn. only had 80 bayonets).Trudgeon had to fight bombing and
working with L.G.'s. After fighting worn Germans the 42nd.
here came on new Quard troops and they fought very hard. The
men took over two bombs per man and fought the rest of the day
with German bombs. They got to the road with heavy fighting
and decided to go on to the 3rd exploitation line near
Quarry Farm. (to the hedge just this side of it). 2/Lieut.
Warwick, newly joined , was killed there 100 yds. west of
Quarry Farm. Very few of B Coy. were able to reach this line
and the Germans fought well and were numerous - our men were
tired. A L.G. N.C.O., Cpl. Mann, with two men, being
surrounded by the Germans, after inflicting heavy casualties,
dismantled his L.G. and threw the parts away. He withdrew
172.
himself and his men in line with about a dozen more of the
Coy. to about 200 yds. east of Main Road. (D.C.M. for this).
Capt. Trudgeon and 2/Lieut. Snelling (newly joined), the
only officers left, joined in the hand to hand fighting and
decided to remain where they were. - 200yds. east of road,
as the Germans appeared likely to launch a heavy counter-
attack, night was falling, and the men had had no food
since breakfast. Also they were on a crest. (Both these
officers got the M.C.) The line was very thin - 33rd. and
42nd. out on their own, nothing coming up to them. Behind
the German M.G.'s were piles of empty cartridges.
The 9th Bde. had been given orders to get the commanding
ground west of the valley, and they fought all day to get it.
Prisoners volunteered that they had volunteered to stop
the Australian advance.
At 2 p.m. on 31st three Coys. of 42nd were to attack
from old Quarry (c20 Cent.) east but got only to trench from
C20 Cent. to east end of road wood. Patrols sent out met
heavy M.G. fire and penetration without a barrage was found
impossible. Lieut. Stanford (newly joined) was wounded by
shrapnel in head and d. of w. (in 20C Cent.)
In afternoon, before 3 and 4 p.m., Lieut. Tardent from
20 C Cent. saw Germans dribbling men down road (sunken) from
C 2 d.8.1. into Bouchavesnes and Alf Cut on the English
front. Artillery was turned on and they were scattered.
B Coy. were relieved on night 31/1st. by 42nd., and 41st
relieved.
Diagram - see original document
The road was the hopping-off line for Sept. 1. xxxxx
Patrols were sent out to bring in anyone out in posts east
of the road.
Where Warwick was killed one of the 42nd was badly
wounded and captured by the Prussian Guards. 41st Bn.
retook him next day. He (pte. Ogg) was badly treated till
the morning's attack - took everything off him. When the
barrage started they gave him a drink of coffee and put him
outside the dugout. (A 9th Bde. prisoner was taken also).
Beside Ogg was a 33rd Bn. wounded man unconscious,
being taken to the rear by the Germans. He was on a
stretcher by Ogg. Ogg took all his personal effects and
identification marks - and this later proved that this man
was wounded, not killed.
September 1.- Zero was at 5.20 a.m. - 30 mins. too late.
Most of our Corps Artillery was helping the British on
the left and our barrage was very weak compared with the left.
The German was holding the line from Quarry xxxxxxx Farm and
then SW along the trenches to the road.
The position was M.G. from posts is the trenches,
especially the trench and copse in 22D. Soutari trench, which
was full o f Germans, and Haute Allaines. Also the spur and
trench near Copse 22. The Tommies did well, and got to their
objective - and connected with 42nd Bn. in the old German
winter trenches in 16c.
The 11 Bde. was to exploit on reaching its objective -
and the exploitation Coys. of 42nd and 41st went out under-
41st (B. Capt. W. Uren
(C. Capt. French
173.
Uren was killed as soon as they moved through A Coy by
M.G. fire. Capt. French got far out - and took prisoners
and sent them back. He had no one with him (rushed on
ahead of his Coy.). He waved to them to go back - a dozen
or 18. One fired after he had surrendered and his back
was turned and hit French badly. The men who were
following up killed all these prisoners. French go
M.G. and bar - a splendid officer - a school teacher from
Charters Towers.
The 41st was (with 43rd on their right) to take
Soutari trench. They got very near to Soutari trench, but
43rd was not up on the right. One Coy. of theirs was
behind right of 41st, and 41st held Kasea and Yassa trench.
It was from here the exploitation parties went out and it
was they who nearly got to Soutari - they got onto the
high ground om 32C and 31D, but ut was touch and go to get
the wounded back(see diary).
Captain Uren, killed on this exploitation by M.G.
Lieut. Mitchell, killed by shell practically on
reaching Kasea Trench
Captain French, wounded as above, on exploitation high
ground.
(?2/Lieut. Horton, during the attack).
This left only 5 officers in the line. The whole day
41st Bn. was subject to heavy M.G. fire - they were pinned
to the trenches, which were old trenches filled in It
was a most difficult position: the ground conformed to the
flight of the German M.G. bullets, and owing to the lie of
the land it was difficult for the batteries to get up.
Wounded had to be left in many cases till dark. Out of
400 - 13 120 casualties, 5 officers.
11 Bde. had a frontage of 3000 yds., while British
Division on left had 1200 yds. front.
A portion of 43rd Bn. (one Coy ) was put in to make a f
flank in Zimmerman trench.
That night a platoon of 14 (under Lieut. Colin Hope
Butler M.C. and Bar) got 100 prisoners and many M.G.'s in
Soutari trench. This platoon was lent to 43rd who took
on this attack.
There was all day a danger of the Germans working
round the hillslopes north of the Nord Canal to Soutari and
counterattacking - so the valley was strafed at 41st Bn.'s
request all day.
This was a very hard fight for the 41st, which had its
flank in the air. 42nd Bn. had its flanks supported.
The Germans were not fresh and did not put up any resistance
expected.
'42nd. might have gone on had not the protective barrage
not enabled the German officers to their running men
back into the trenches ahead; but 41st Bn would have had a
much more difficult job - they could not get on after the
barrage even as it was.
Both Bns. were relieved that night by 74th Divn. from
Palestine.
42 Bn. used Prisoners in this fight more than ever
before or since. They were big guardsmen and carried hot
tea, rations, ammunition, buried our dead and their dead.
In the "Peaceful"Penetration of 5-6-7-September, the
difficulty was that unknown objectives had to be reached by
a very extended line - e.g., 42nd Bn. had about
5000 yards of front and penetrated 900 yards.
174.
41ST AND 42ND BATTALIONS - BELLICOURT.
Diagram - see original
41st went up in artillery formation from Templeux le
Guerard, They had to reach Brown line by 9 a.m. in touch
with 38th Bn..
Beforehand the Bn. believed that the American line was
incorrectly stated. On reconnoitring the day before the
majority of officers and N.C.O.'s came to the conclusion
that the Americans, who said they were in the Gillemont -
Quennemont Farm line, were really in the Cat Post -Benjamin
Post line. The Bn. suspected that all was not well when,
on approaching Benjamin Post, they came under M.G. fire
They reached the Ronssoy-Bellmont Road when the German
started to shell the trenches in F.24, F.30 and Claymore
Valley so heavily that they had to xxx pull up as they were
not supposed to be in the fight yet. The M.G. fire was
pretty heavy but was probably aimed at troops further over.
There was a mist which became heavier. Bn. settled in
Benjamin trench. Americans began to drift in who said they
had met with no success.
Bn. gathered all these Americans. It was taken for
granted that the Americans hadn't mopped up - so patrols
were sent out to feel their way forward. These patrols
were platoon strong. One got to Quennet Copse. They had
fair casualties. Rest of Bn. got forward 200-300 yds.
working with 38th Bn. - they had to keep touch with them all
the time.
That night the line ran - Trollope, Triangle trench, Qu
Quennet copse; and at nightfall, after with a fight, they
got along Gillemont trench (in part of which they were) and
got 5 M.G.'s.
Left had to remain in F24A8.4.
Lieut. Dodds, shot through bladder urging his platoon
forward - killed.
Lieut. Brewer, M.G.
Lieut. Lawson, killed by a shell going out to carry in
Sergt. Rickwood, D.C.M., who was lying out in front.
Rickwood had gone out to see how things were and was lying
in front in exposed position. Lawson was killed just
as he reached him: both were killed.
Quennemont Farm was a cause of trouble.
Lieut. Robinson, wounded by a shell in the neck.
2/Lieut. J. Wallace, M.M., shot through the neck by M.G.
(wounded).
Lieut. J. J. Hanley, wounded by shell.
Lieut. H. J. Wiles, D.S.C., wounded in legs. (D.S.C.
Sailly-le-Sec for raids).
41st. Bn. handed over to 9th. Bde.
175.
42ND BATTALION -BELLICOURT.
They moved forward as for open warfare as left support
Bn. (in reserve).
About 500 yds. short of Benjamin Post the connecting
files with 41st. reported that 41st was held up by German
fire. (42nd had to advance or stop as 41st did). On
arriving at the most forward battery position 42nd found
them under M.G. fire and heavy sneezing gas.
Here 2/Lieut. S. Minter Brown was wounded in the
stomach and d. of w. He was an original man and a very fine
man (on Scottish history).
There they stayed in trench and shellholes most of that
day. Lamps and telephone were working back to Bn. H.Q.
and Bde. H.Q. which I.O. had 100 yds. behind the Coys. The
Signal Offr. went forward towards Quennemont Farm (a shade
on left front, well forward) to reconnoitre for a visual
signalling station. A tank major, finding himself
surrounded by a number of Germans and having a wounded tank
crew on his hands, asked Lieut. Patterson to help him get
them out. He with his signal corporal and two xxxxxx
signallers to keep the Germans off with German bombs for some
time and rescued the tank crew. Lieut. Patterson was badly
wounded by a bomb thrown by an American. The signallers
carried Patterson out.
About evening Sept. 29, 42nd Bn. cleaned up neighbour-
hood of Quennemont Farm and Malakoff Wood. M.G. fire was
largely indirect.
From there 42nd Bn. occupied Quennemont xxx Pit Lane,
Baul Trench, Top Lane and Hindenburg line about 21C.8.1.
The Coy. there was mixed with 44th and Americans, and for two
days carried on a bomb fight with Germans. They worked
their way down the trench about 100 yds. a day. Barbed
wire and well-concealed M.G.'s were the difficulty. On
30th, 31st and 1st, this part of the line was very difficult
with M.G. fire, shell and rifle fire. The casualties were
heavy. It rained on the first night. Owing to M.G. fire
it was hard to get mules up with hot food, but this was
eventually managed fairly regularly.
There were many changes of orders - several attacks
were proposed and sometimes attempted (e.g. tanks turned up
but got knocked out - it was too hot for them and suicidal).
The evacuation of wounded was a serious question and heavy
carrying. The wire was thick and hindered movement at night.
On Sept. 29 Lieut. Stevenson, M.C., was slightly wounded
in head by shellfire while at Bde. as liaison officer.
On night of 30th. - 42nd Bn. relieved 44th Bn. in the
line south of Bony and the line was to have been taken up
as. This was altered at 3 a.m. and a
Coy. was the guard the tunnel entrance as in the dotted line.
Diagram - see original
Capt. S. R. Warry did some fine work with his A Coy.
which had been in all the time, in bombing north along
Hindenburg line - but did not get far as the Germans put up a
good fight. The Coy. was very tired and bore the brunt of
the fighting.
176.
Eventually the line was formed as in the line of
circles ooooooooo in the sketch. Bony was eventually
taken by 10th Bde. from west - 10 Bde. pushed out to the
knob east of the tunnel. The 42nd Bn. remained on the Canal
tunnel and Hindenburg line from south edge of Bony for 1000
yds southwards. A lot of M.G.'s were captured here, many of
which had been stored in the tunnel and some in posts on the
tunnel.
At this stage 33rd Bn. went through and filledthe gap
between 10th Bde. right and 5th Div. left. During 1/2 Sept.
Lieut. Fred. Yeating and LIeut. Spelling carried out platoon
patrols to Le Catelet. Verey lights were fired from direction of Rue
Nouve. These patrols were out till after daylight., being
fired on at intervals throughout the night.
On Sept. 2 the Bn. I.O. who had an O.P. at the lamps
signalling station in 27A, which is on a high point of the
"divide" between Essaut and Somme, got a battery (30th.
Bty. A.F.A.) to come up and play on the Germans who could
the day before be seen active everywhere, retiring to and
consolidating in the Resurevoir line.
The casualties occurred in the first day and during the
fighting of Warry's Coy. up the Hindenburg line. There was
heavy shelling the first two days, but the casualties were
not so heavy as in many other fights.
On Sept. 1 and 2 the artillery fire became light and
on the spot, ans the BN. H.Q. was a long way back and
communication hard to keep up. The signalling was carried
on to Bde. by 'phone - and to forward Bde. and 5 Div. flank
Bn. Communication to Coys. was by O.L. lamp (much better
than the German lamp: some of the work to the Coys. - in
order to save re-aligning - was worked with a captured
German lamp and battery).
The signallers did good work, not sleeping day or
night - Patterson, Sig. Offr., was wounded; and Cpl. Davis
had to carry on under Lieut. Tarbent, I.O.
On the afternoon of Sept. 2, Lieut. Keating manned the
Le Catalet line in 17A with a platoon. During the day of
Sept. 2 the men had a chance of resting in some of the
shallower dugouts of the tunnel and Hindenburg line. Food
water, etc., was brought down by pack mules three times a
day over the Hindenburg line, in full view of the Germans,
to the valley by the tunnel.
(Quennemont Farm was a shambles of American dead)
but the quantity of accurate shellbursts on the trenches
proved that the barrage had been good.
Throughout the period the drizzle was noticeable - though
through Sept. 1 the sun shone brightly and visibility was very
good. During the rain the trenches became very muddy - and
the battlefield difficult.
On the nights of 1st and 2nd Sept. German signalling
lamps could be seen on the distant ridges signalling in code
(which was unintelligible). C ipher is easy to read - but
code is impossible.
No recent work at all had been put in on the Hindenburg
line, but the trenches were in passable order but not duck-
boarded - in some places they were revetted.
On Sept. 29 Lieut. Jolly and Lieut. J. W. Wood, M.C.,
did pretty good work inthe west line of the Hindenburg front
system - north of Top Lane. They with their platoons during
the night successfully engaged the Germans there - but owing
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