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Though many Germans had withdrawn, several hundred had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