Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/253/1 - 1918 - 1939 - Part 20

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Open for review

Accession number:

RCDIG1066690

Difficulty:

4 REVEILLE November 1, 1933

Edits Daily: Digger's Rise

(By C. G. Pura in "The Sun Junior")
An exciting and a varied career, punctuated by visionary glimpses into the many spheres of journalism, and added by a novel war experience, has been the good fortune of Mr. Frank H. Ashton, Assistant-Editor of "The Sun," Sydney.
Born at South Yarra (Vic.), he received his elementary
education there, but at the age of 12 his
family moved to Sydney, and here at school he early
gained distinction in studies. After four years at
St. John's Church of England School he received top
marks in a scholarship for North
Photograph - see original document
Frank H. Aston.

Sydney Church
of England Grammar,
but an age
handicap put him
second on the
list, and he
decided to embark
into journalism as his
future career.
Becoming
a member of the
staff of the "Town and
Country Journal," he
was assigned to
special writing,
and later to
touring throughout
the State,
taking photographs and reporting on shows, completed
the set curriculum.
After several years he tired of the roving life,
and a successful application to "The News" found
him once again in the journalistic grind, this time his
jobs being mostly police work. Early in 1915
he was offered a position by Mr. D. W. McCay, then the
news editor of "The Sun."
The war, however, having intervened, he enlisted in the 1st Divn.
of the Field Artillery. Through the long years of warfare he spent
a great part of the time as a runner, receiving no serious casualties,
except slight attacks of trench fever and gas.
After the Armistice he returned to Sydney and rejoined "The
Sun." One year later he was sent to London to join the "Sun"
cable staff. There he met an English lassie, married and remained
in England for three years. Wanderlust again overtook him, and
he returned to Sydney again, to be assigned to special writing.
Cable editorship, sub-editor, chief sub. and news editor followed
in rapid succession, and now Mr. Frank Ashton wistfully retrospects,
and remembers the time when "I was a lad doing produce
sales, water court, coroner's court, and Stock Exchange." And
all this, headed, "had to be done in one day."
"My hobbies," he said, with a Mondayitis look, "are work,
motoring and golf... in the order."
Mr. Frank Ashton has, from the first rung of the ladder of
hardship, worked his way to the top.... To aspiring journalists,
it is an incentive to succeed.

"Pompey's Mob": 7th Bn. History
(By Ex-Private in 1st Bde.)

To the lengthy and always slowly growing list of unit
histories is now added that of the 7th Battalion (A.I.F.),
which, in 1914, was Lt.-Col. H. E. (Pompey) Elliott's mob.
Cold comparison is of no value when contemplating
these unique unit records. Each unit, indubitably,
acquired a personality all its own. Each took, apparently,
in its moulding, the impress of the outstanding
characteristic of the commander who had most to do with its
original training. So the Seventh, impressed with a
personality of dour courage, expresses unconsciously in
its record how faithfully it kept true to its motto:
"Cede mullis!"

The eye is drawn irresistibly to each outstanding event, each scintillating
flash of sharp incident which, as is usual in all records of war, occur
suddenly in the midst of a vast deal of formal routine.
Thus the reader discovers the dour heroism
of Lt. N. J. Greig, who, defending a crater
near German Officers' Trench on Gallipoli,
stood his ground alone until death - acting swifter
than the merciful Turkish commander, Zeki
Bey, who in admiration would have saved his
life - struck down; an incident that surely is
not described with the detail it deserves. Also
he appreciates the Lone Pine epic, where in a
defensive action (much more graphically
described) four 7th Battalion men earned well-won
Victoria Crosses in a single day!
And again under the ghastly "sturmreif"
shelling at Pozieres, and under the heart-cracking
strain of the Somme winter, this record unconsciously
reflects the 7th Battalion's tradition of "no surrender." "Pompey" had left long since to take
promotion to a General's rank, but the 7th, treading a now too-familiar path,
fought through a common round of rough assaults and march and
counter-march until April, 1918, when, in the face of the German break-through
at Armentieres, again it reaped honours suitably in keeping with its
distinctive traditions by being the first to man the La Motte defence line;
and from that moment, the record states with quiet grimness, "the line
moved only one way-back towards Germany."
So victory comes at last, but the intensive honesty and fidelity of the
Seventh shows forth yet again on August 9 in that very hour of final
triumph. With quiet yet justifiable pride the story is told of how the
Battalion, without artillery support, struggling to maintain a critical flank
when plans went awry, fought doggedly onward over a wide, exposed plain
against stout frontal resistance and torrid enfilade fire to wrest at the last,
their allotted portion of the "Red Line" from a worsted foe. Cede nullis!
Thus this History is a good record, clearly told. I would have said
dourly if it were not for its happy and nicely judged flashes of humour.
It touches happily too on a matter which, I think, has often been
over-looked in earlier regimental records, that matter of the casual life of the
Digger on service, in billet and bivouac, and his ceaseless - if private -
warfare upon quartermasters, orderly corporals, and all other fair game
of a like ilk. And had I known once as I know now that the 7th had
some of its earliest beginnings in Footscray and Carlton, I, an ex-private
in the 1st Brigade, might not had lost a "pogue" to them in a certain
two-up school near Ypres. But, then, on the other hand, I believe that
had I known it, I would have appreciated their support in the line a lot
more!
Congratulations to those who are responsible for this, their very fine
record.
WHITE HORSE Scotch WHISKY

SCREW CAP BOTTLES. NO CORKSCREW REQUIRED.

November 1, 1933 REVEILLE 31

Tanks Night Attack - (from page 3)

deciding what to do, the tank company commander

appeared from the rear, having evidently come up with

the reserves.

We now held a conference. The tank C.C. said

"We'll do whatever you want. I can order the tanks

forward, but look at the state of the crews!" I wondered

whether the reserves would be pushed through at once

to carry on with the good work. No so, however! The

commanding officer of the reserve battalion decided he

would await orders from the brigade commander. The

tank company commander volunteered to go back and

explain the position to the brigadier. I was ordered in

the meantime to keep my tanks where they were, motionless

and silent, so as to to draw enemy fire, until

I received fresh instructions.

After what seemed an interminable time, during which

we were, of course, behind the enemy lines, a runner

came with the message that the thanks were to remain

silent, so that the infantry could retire in safety. We

were to stay put until we received word from the infantry

another hour -and-a-half, covering the retirement of the

infantry. Then a runner reported "All clear!" A hail

of bullets sped the departing tanks as, at 3.45 a.m., they

took leave of the enemy, after spending five-an-a-half

hours in his company. I travelled back inside one of the

tanks. Rumbling along the main road, we passed the

headquarters of the 10th Australian Infantry Brigade,

in a dugout close by. We were stopped there and a message

was delivered that the Infantry General wished to

speak to "O.C. Tanks."

I was taken to him, and he spoke in a very serious

tone. There were other staff officers present. The

General wished me to make a statement of exactly what

had happened. It was a formal interview. He told me

that the reconnaissance officer at the head of the 37th

Battalion, on his way to the casualty clearing station,

having been wounded in the foot, and had been brought to

him to give an account of the operation. He added that

he was a man noted for his veracity. I related the whole

story, omitting nothing, and explaining how the noise

of the tanks had drawn the fire of the enemy, not only

on themselves, but also on the infantry, who were keeping

in close touch. Regretfully, I agreed that the presence

of tanks in the dark had been a hindrance instead of a

help to the infantry.

The General thanked me for my statement, and said

it coincided in every detail with what the reconnaissance

officer had said. He could see now that it had been a

great mistake to use the tanks at all in the operation.

With great sorrow he told me that in it he had lost a very

fine battalion commander, and of a magnificent battalion

of one thousand men who had gone into action only one

hundred had come through.

"Come thro' the jaws of Death,

Back from the month of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of (ten) hundred."

NOTE. - Commenting on the foregoing, Captain Hickey's runner, who

was promoted sergeant from the ranks and awarded the D.C.M. for

his work in the attack, becoming a company-sergeant-major shortly

after, wrote to him recently :". . . . As I read the narrative everything

came back to my mind as though it were a recent happening.

Every detail you record is only too true, and I marvel that after all

these years you have been able to give such a vivid description. I

was not previously aware that you had been challenged at the point

of the revolver on that delightful evening. A similar experience came

my way. When we went forward to turn the tanks back into action, I

happened to be standing in front of the leading tank, when long comes

an Australian officer brandishing his revolver and threatening me with

my life if the tanks so much as moved. I explained who I was, but

it made no difference; he said, 'I put you in charge, and if these

tanks move you will be shot.' His point was that we were drawing

the enemy fire. I often wonder if he ever returned to cover, as no

sooner had he left me than it started to rain bullets all round, turning

one side of the tank in front of which I was standing into a glorified

pepper box."

MASCOT.

In Mascot, the biggest social attraction of the year is the Armistice

Ball, organised by the local sub-branch of the R.S.S.I.L.A. This year

it took place on August 29, being the only date available to the Governor-

General and Lady Issacs. there were 400 present.

Some 600 people thronged the roadway to welcome their Excellencies.

The Vice-Regal party was received by the Senior Patron of the sub-branch

and Mayor of Mascot (Ald. Cyril Dransfield, a Digger), and the president

(Mr. Fred Emerson).

Eighteen debutantes were presented, and their dance, to use the words

of their Excellencies, was one of the sweetest, if not the nicest, they have

every witnessed. The mayoress (Mrs. Dransfield) was the Matron of

Honour. Lady Isaacs, Mrs. Dransfield, and Mrs. Emerson were presented

with beautiful bouquets - the gifts of another patron of the sub-branch

(Ald. Anderson, of Botany).

The nett proceeds of the ball were divided between the benevolent fund

of the sub-branch and Furlough House. To Mr. Secretary Philpott's wonderful

organising all the success was due. The Ladies Auxiliary arranged the decorations.

The sub-branch desires to thank the contractors to the Council (Messrs.

Allman Bros.), and the architect (Mr. R. S. Hamilton, a Digger) for

their assistance in making the Coronation Hall so presentable.

CHULLORA.

The Chullora (Electric Car Repair Shop) Sub-Branch held its first

annual smoke concert on September 8. The success of the function

was due to an energetic committee, assisted by the "Royal Scots Entertainers,"

including Mr. W. Mackay (leader), Messrs. Dough Graham, B.

Dick, J. Friels, A. Moody, T. Lightbody, Paul Gibbs, and Jack Silversides.

The President (Mr. W. Wilkinson), who was M.C., stressed upon

all present to become members of the R.S.L. One of the leading organisers,

Mr. Fred Amy, who was the first to get the "smoko" on the

way was unfortunate in meeting with an accident (breaking four

toes), just prior to the function. This prevented his being present. -

"THE MEAT OF THE MILK"

Allowrie Cheese

- Also -

Gruyere and Gruette

100 P.C. AUSTRALIAN MADE

Sold Everywhere

'PHONE: MA 5851.

SPECIAL CONCESSIONS FOR RETURNED MEN.

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(Opp. Mick Simmons'), SYDNEY

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'PHONE: B 6138. J.R. PATRICK, Gov. Director.

32 REVEILLE November 1, 1933

Celebrities of the A.I.F. (From page 7)

leave, with the dry comment that he "wanted to see the

show through." This is typical of Lillie's determination in all things.

He is now married and living in Melbourne with his

wife and family of two, and, as in 1914, is still the same

modest, fearless, likeable boy, known affectionately to all

his old comrades as "Ger."

For a further estimate of Lilie's character and his

soldierly qualities, one may now turn to the following.

"I knew Cyril Lillie from the earliest days of Broadmeadows Camp.

He had been a keen militia officer in pre-war days and carried his enthusiasm

into the moulding of the A.I.F. Though a very junior 2nd/lieut.,

he never lacked confidence or moral courage on that account. Stocky,

freckled, and red-haired, he was variously known to his comrades and

his men as 'the pink kid,' , 'ginger,' and later more affectionately 'ginner.'

"His rather high-pitched, raucous voice could be heard high over the

rumbling and shuffling of a battalion parade. He never had any pretensions

to academic distinction, even in his adopted profession of soldiering,

but from the very beginning he knew his work and could apply his

knowledge practically. His knowledge of military history may not have

been profound, but his instinctive ability to size up and deal with a military

situation stood him in good stead on all occasions without the help

of either Napoleon or Stonewall Jackson.

"Though never unpopular, he was sometimes spoken of with something

approaching amused levity by members of his company who failed to recognise his real quality. This amusement turned to respect long before

it was force into admiration by his behaviour in action. In the

officers' mess he bore himself with dignity and a confidence born of lack

of fear and lack of false reverence for anything or anybody who did not

deserve reverence for his own sake. Shrewd commonsense and an inborn

discretion prevented him from making the mistakes so common in more

sensitive and imaginative people

One of the occasions on which the higher qualities of philosophy and

tolerance became evident was when, in Egypt in February, 1915, he was

superseded on the seniority list of officers of the 5th Battalion by two

subalterns junior to himself. No reason was ever given for his supersession,

and although their subsequent records were good enough, nothing

that happened later justified Lillie's being passed over. Never

by word or action did Lillie betray any sense of annoyance or resentment.

He was loyal to the backbone, and he was capable of being loyal to a

newly-advanced junior.

ALWAYS IN FRONT LINE.

"It was not until his regiment went into action at the landing at

Anzac, however, that Lillie came into his own. He was always in the

front line, and with all due deference to senior officers, nearly always

directing it. He never lost his head. He was not imaginative enough

or hysterical enough to throw his life or his men's lives away in leading

forlorn hopes. On the other hand, he was devoid of fear and he retained

in the fiercest fighting the same commonsense and discretion which stood

him in good stead in the officers' mess.

"He saw what had to be done and did it or had it done. Neither fear

of the onrushing enemy, nor fear of the criticism of some "brass-hat"

behind, affected his judgement in the least. In all those critical situations,

he kept his head both in the spiritual and in the physical sense.

After the first two or three days' fighting at Gallipoli, all the mend of

the 5th Battalion would have followed the "Pink Kid" whereever he would

lead.

"On coming out of the line on the Wednesday night, four days after

the Landing, the writer had a few hours' much-needed sleep, and woke

up to a beautiful April dawn and a sound of trudging feet. It was a

digging party, led by Lillie, going back into the line to dig commutation

trenches, and all that day messages from him of sound advice and

reasonable requests were received at battalion headquarter during the

progress of the work. From that time on he was consistently with his

company, first as a platoon commander, later as second-in-command, and

in the end, commander.

"He fought with the 5th Battalion in nearly all its major engagements,

never failing in the smallest degree in all the difficult situations he was

called upon to face. On one occasion, at Pozieres, for many hours he

held the line with a handful of men against an enemy counter-attack,

keeping the Germans back by skilful bombing tactics, while the whole

line was in danger of being driven back partly because his senior officers

did not realise what a stout defence he was putting up. The task of

the battalion and brigade staffs was not, as they supposed, to save a desperate

situation by furnishing him with reinforcements, but merely supplying

him with sufficient bombs to hold his vital piece of front line, which,

while he was there, was never really in danger.

"It might be asked, why did Lillie, who sailed in 1914 as a 2nd/lieut.,

return to Australia after the Armistice with only a captaincy and one

decorations - the Distinguished Service Order? On the face of it, the

honours and promotion achieved by him pale into insignificance compared

with those of hundreds, nay, even thousands of officers of less outstanding

quality. The reasons for these apparent anomalies are first,

that Lillie's battalion, the 5th, was unique in the slowness of promotion

of its officers. One of the earliest battalions formed, and one certainly

containing some of the finest personnel, both officers and men, including

the famous "F' Company formed from the great public schools of Victoria,

it so happened that its early casulties among officers included a

greater number of wounded than killed, and many of these lived to rejoin

the battalion and fight on.

"Secondly, the original and later officers of the 5th Battalion included

many experienced men with pre-war militia experience. In fact, many

of it's original N.C.O.'s and even private had had considerable experience

as officers in the militia before the war, and it thus happened that

a number of the 5th Battalion's officers were seconded early for staff duty

on brigade and divisional headquarters, and these seconded officers tended

to hold up battalion promotion. In the 5th we never had the extraordinary

circumstance, as occurred in the 7th, of a man who landed at Gallipoli,

as a corporal, rising as early as 1916 to be major and acting-colonel

of his regiment.

"Then again, the 5th did not, at Gallipoli, take part in the devastating

actions f the original attacks on Lone Pine and German Officers' Trench,

although they were early engaged in the holding operations at Lone Pine.

Lastly, Lillie's qualities themselves, although fraught with dauntless courage,

dogged determination, and an absence of the sense of fear, either of

enemy action or of other fearful consequences, were never essentially

spectacular. He was devoid of the faculty of self-advertisement. He treated all men

alike, giving real deference where he felt that deference was due, and

in this judgment I believe he was nearly always right.

"It is recorded that on more than one occasion when a general visited

and criticised Lillie's dispositions in the front line, Lillie, in a mater-of-face

sort of way, returned the compliments by explaining to his commander

just how is dispositions on a larger scale would be improved from the

point of view of the men who were bearing the brunt of it in the line.

Never offensive, but always straight dto the point, and sometimes a little

dogmatic, these criticisms, although they helped to win the war, might

possibly have not helped Lillie to amass a collection of 'honours easy,'

Suffice to say that those who knew him at the front are satisfied that he

belongs to the great army of heroes - the super-men - who won the war,

and who, in winning it, so guarded the interests of the men they commanded,

that the life of no comrade was sacrificed unnecessarily.

"Great is the good fortune of Australia that some men of Lillie's type

lived to come home, and great should be the honour accorded to him

and them now and while they live."

Won D.C.M.: First Bayonet Man

Newspaper photograph - see original documents

This is a war-time picture of 2101, Sgt. E.C. (Joe)

Wegner, 3rd Bn. (A.I.F.), who entered

the fray early on the

Peninsula, and carried on with the

business until November, 1916, when

he was wounded at Flers, on the

Somme and won the Distinguished

Conduct Medal in circumstances

which are set out in the London

Gazette (January , 1917):

"For conspicuous gallantry in action. He

acted as first-bayonet man and himself killed

eight of the enemy, He was wounded at the

beginning, but hung on till next day, when

he was evacuated."

Wegner, who went back to the line

and carried on until the Armistice,

was one of the gamest and was always prominent as first-

bayonet man in raids. He is now farming at Busselton

(W.A.).

MASONIC CLUB AND ARMISTICE.

The recently formed N.S.Q. Masonic Club Sub-branch, which already has

a financial membership of 50, plus associates galore, is making special arrangements

for Armistice Day, including a luncheon. Subsequently members

will march to the Cenotaph where a wreath will be laid.

A MACCABEAN NIGHT.

The Jewish Returned Soldiers' Association will hold a special function

at the Maccabean Hall, Darlinghurst, on Armistice night, to which all

Diggers, irrespective of sect, are cordially invited. Tickets (2/6) will

be available at the door.

22 REVEILLE February 1, 1934

Tanks in Night Stunt

(By Major S.H. Heseltine, who was Adjutant of the

37th Bn., A.I.F., when that battalion and tanks co-operated

in a night march into enemy territory at Proyart in

August, 1918)

The article in November Reveille (reproduced from

The Royal Tank Corps Journal), by Captain D.E.

Hickey, of the Tanks Corps, entitled "A Night

Attack with Tanks," is in the main correct. There

are however, certain matters of which he apparently was

not aware and these may be of interest.

During the attack on August 8, 1918, the 37th Bn. was

in reserve, and consequently took no active part i that

battle, but was moved up in rear of the fight, and on the

evening of that eventful day bivouacked in a steep gully

at Morcourt, near the Somme, where it remained till

August 10.

On the morning of the 10th the

commanding officer ( Lieut..-Colonel

Knox-Knight) was sent for by

brigade headquarters and returned

about 2 p.m. I was his adjutant,

and when he came back he told me

to make arrangements for the battalion

to move that evening. Each

mas was to carry two days' rations

in addition to his usual "iron

rations," as well as extra ammunication,

grenades, "Verey" light,

rockets, etc. While I was arranging

this he saw the battalion scout

officer and the company commanders

and explained the task the battalion

had to carry out.

It was, I think about 5 p.m. when the battalion moved

off, and while we were marching the commanding officer

explained the scheme to me as he ahd not had an opportunity

of doing so before.

He said that the 10th Infantry Brigade, with some

tanks attached, was to march out that night along the

Amiens-St. Quentin road, the 37th Bn. leading and at a

certain point behind the German front line we were to

wheel to the left. That at the same time another force

on our left was to move in a similar way, but to wheel

to it's right, so that the two forces would meet head-on,

and when they did so everybody was to halt and dig in

on the ground they were on and to face both ways. The

idea of the operation was to surround an area of ground

held by Germans. Other troops were then to advance

from our original font line and drive the Germans to

were in the area enclosed by us into our arms.

It was therefore be seen that the operation was not

an "attack," but a night march straight into enemy

territory. As stated by Captain Hickey, the 10th Bde,

crossed the frront line at La Flaque after dark. The

exact time I do not remember. The 37th Bn. was leading,

with three tanks in front and three behind.

The battalion marched in column of fours, the men

loaded up with all the extra rations, grenades, ammunition,

etc., and guided by the scout officer ( Lieut. McNicol(,

who, with the commander of "A" Company, was

the only man beside the commanding officer who knew

the route we were to follow.

Lieut.-Colonel Knox-Knight, Captain Hickey, and the

battalion signallers marched i the middle of the column.

We, in the centre of the battalion, had not marched far

past La Flaque when a terrific hail of bullets, apparently

from machine-guns, struck the column, but particularly

the tanks. In addition to the machine-gun fire there

ws a considerable amount of anti-tank gun fire. Fortunately

there was a deep ditch along the side of the road,

into which the troops moved as soon as the fire opened,

and along which they continued to move.

(Continued next column)

After moving along the ditch in single file for a

while the column halted. Lieut.-Colonel Knox-Knight

sent messages along for the march to resume. After

one or two efforts to move on there was a complete stop,

and a message came back that the thanks had turned back.

Lieut.-Colonel Knox-Knight sent me up to find out what

the trouble was, and to try to get the troops moving

forward again.

As I got near the head of the column I saw the tanks

exactly as described by Captain Hickey. Each tank

looked like a huge firework, caused by the sparks from

the machine-gun bullets which were striking them. I

found one tank halted, partially turned round, and another

moving back towards our starting point. I tried to get

the tanks to go on, but as all the crew were inside I

could not communicate with them. I then tried to get our

men to move on, but then discovered that the scout officer

and the leading company commander had both been seriously

wounded, and that there was no one else who knew

the route.

I then went back to tell the commanding officer, but

when I arrived a the place I had left him I found that he

had just been killed. I then found the next senior officer

in the battalion and told him he was in command.

As the was now no one left in the battalion who

knew the route, he decided it was useless to go on. The

troops, were not disorganised, but would have gone on if

there had been anyone who knew which way to go.

Under the orders of the acting commanding officer the

troops were moved out into the country on the right of

the road, where they lay down and waited for orders.

A message was sent back to the brigade commander, and

after some time an order was received to withdraw.

The casualties in this affair were not nearly as heavy

as stated by Captain Hickey. According to my diary

they amounted to about 80. The strength of the battalion

at that time would be nearer 600 than 1000.

There were, however, I believe, a number of casualties in

the next battalion of the column. The fact that the fire

was apparently directly aimed at the tanks and that the

troops were able to get into the ditch at the side of the

road saved many casualties.

THE LAST POST

The sad, sweet notes fall on the quiet air,

Pale-faced and tense the rigid Digger stand;

Gone is the splendor, and the glory grand

Fades out in that grim carnage over there.

Around the earth it floats from coast to coast,

Retelling to lone hearts that ache with pain,

The farewell notes with meaning all too plain,

The sad, Last Post.

Life ends for all; but some before their time

Lie down and finish with the things on earth;

Hushed is their laughter, stilled their mirth -

War's useless slaughter and it's awful crime.

When peace is ours then hate we war the moat,

And stand in protest with people in the mass,

Regardless of our name, our sect, or close,

And hear the last, Last Post.

Approaches close, the time of peace draws near,

The little Child then born in Bethlehem,

Crowned in the Inn by love's rich diadem,

Goodwill to man doth to the earth appear.

Children of God, how can we make this boast,

And hate and fight and one another kill,

And like a shambles this fair world to fill?

The bugle peals the last, Last Post.

- R. Herbert Millington, Narrandera, N.S.W.

February 1, 1934 REVEILLE 21

Beg Pardons

Through a typographical slip, a West Australian newspaper

once called an old soldier "a bottle-scarred veteran." in its

subsequent apology, the paper described him as a "battle-scared

veteran." Which is on par with the following correction which

appeared in another paper: "In our last issue we stated that

John Doe was a defective in the police force. Of course that

was a typographical error. John Doe is really a detective in

the police force."

RETURNED ARMY SISTERS.

In the annual report of the N.S.W. Returned Army Sisters sub-branch

of the R.S.L., reference is made to a proposal for the establishment of

a rest home for returned sisters at Furlough House. The project had been

put to a referendum, and was adopted, the result being communicated

to the authorities of Furlough House, who, however, had not yet taken

further action.

Membership of the sub-branch is 273. During the past year the sub-

branch contributed £10/10/- to the R.S.L employment drive, £1/1/- to

Furlough House, £1/1/- to the R.S.L. Anzac Day fund, £3/3/- to the Last

Post Fund, £5/5/- to the Xmas Cheer fund of the Australian Legion, and

£25 for the relief of distress among returned sisters.

Office-bearers: President, Miss S.H. Durham; vice-presidents, Mrs.

Kamishansky, Misses F.L. Lowe and N. Younger-Wood; committre,

Mesdames Longden, Haddon, Matthews, Misses McKenzie, Gilchrist,

Henson, Larkin and Harford; hon. secretary and treasurer, Miss E. M. Coleman.

KOGARAH.

In his annual report, the president of the Kogarah sub-branch of the

R.S.L. (Mr. F.M. Gordon) referred to the "Digger spirit," which beat

just as strong as ever, manifesting itself in divers from throughout the

year - in direct monetary assistance to pals, in securing work for the unemployed,

in adding cheer to convivial evenings ( like a ray of sunshine

in a very drab world), and in regular attendance at meetings. Mr. Gordon

has been re-elected president of the sub-branch, together with Mr.

J.H. Butt as vice-president, Mr. F.E. Baker as hon. secretary, and Mr.

B.E. Newlands as hon. treasurer.

MAROUBRA-KENSINGTON.

The president o the Maroubra-Kensington Sub-branch of the R.S.L.

(Mr. H.L. Hind) in his annual report, in referring ot the big advance

in membership achieved by the N.S.W. branch during the past year,

stresses that Maroubra-Kensington contributed substantially - its financial

membership having increased from 151 at December 31, 1932, to 197 at

the end of 1933. It was now the third largest sub-branch in N.S.W.

As the result of the initiative taken by Maroubra-Kensington, a council of

sub-branches has been formed in the Eastern Suburbs. Mr. Hind was

elected foundation president. The sub-branch is represented by two delegates

on the Randwick Beautification Committee, which has made excellent

progress in beautifying Anzac Parade. During the year regular visits

were paid to patients in the Military Hospitals, and comforts distributed

to them. Nobel assistance had been given by the Women's Auxiliary in

the alleviation if distress. Two raffles were conducted during the year,

and the nett proceeds from the first were £38/8/-, which was allocated to

distress; and the second, £35, which went to the Children's Christmas

Tree. In conclusion, Mr. Hind says:-

"My past year of office was very pleasant and enjoyable, and it is

my fervent wish that I shall be spared for many years to take an

active part of the affairs of the sub-branch and to watch its continued

growth in membership, usefulness and prestige."

In all Maroubra-Kensington, the secretary (Mr. E.C. Child) reports,

dealt with over 150 application s for Xmas Cheer from ex-servicemen or

their families. Each was handed on open order for food or clothing

valued from 5/- to 10/-, and among them were distributed 110 fowls and

a similar number of puddings, of which number, 10 was donated by the

Australian Legion. The total amount expended was approximately £57/10/-.

By far the greater percentage of applications were received from non-members

of the League and comprised mostly unemployed residing in the

various camps throughout La Perouse, Long Bay and Yarra Bay.

The committee consisting principally of Messrs. Claude Wilson, W.H.

Russell, W. Iliffe, and W. Squires worked incessantly throughout each

night of the last week prior to Xmas, and to them the success of the

effort is very largely due.

Canada's War History

Having spent many careful years in assembling, indexing,

and cataloguing countless tons of documents, the

Historical Section of the Department of National Defence

has now settled down to the serous duty of writing

Canada's official history of the war.

Fifteen years is a long time wait, especially when

practically every other British country has already made

considerable progress with official histories. However,

careful and painstaking preparation was always a Canadian

characteristic.

The compilation of the record is in the hands of Colonel Al. Fortescue

Duguid, D.S.O., who was on the artillery staff of the 3rd Canadian

Division and who is Director of the Historical Section. Colonel Duguid

has considerable experience as a soldier, and possesses many scholarly

attainments to befit him as a writer and historian. Whether all the

volumes of what will be a monumental work are to be written by

the Director, or, as in other countries, the various phases and

features will be distributed among other Canadian literary men has

not yet been decided. - "Canadian Legionary."

GLADESVILLE.

Mr. G. Kidd, secretary of the Gladesville Sub-branch, reports that

visits are made periodically by its members to the returned soldier patients

in Gladesville Asylum, and smokes and fruits distributed. Many case

of distress had also been assisted by the sub-branch during the year.

ORANGE AUXILIARY.

Membership of the Orange Women's Auxiliary of the R.S.L. increased

during the year, from 58 to 85. A total amount of £124 was raised. A

donation of £23/10/- was made towards the furnishings of the Base

Hospital. A large amount of sewing had been done by the members,

and 120 made-up garments were distributed in addition to clothes which

had been supplier by supporters. Twenty-four distressed families had

been helped. The president of the Auxiliary is Mrs. Alma R. C. Aird.

MOONLIGHT HARBOUR CRUISE.

The executive of the Sydney Harbour Trust Sub-branch has undertaken

an ambitious scheme to assist Furlough House, Narrabeen. What could

be more delightful, it asks, than a harbour cruise on the night of March 1

with good companions, good music, a splendid concert programme, and a

full moon? A steamer of the Manly Ferry Company will leave No. 3

Ferry Wharf, Circular Quay, at 8.p.,. on March 1 on a moonlight

cruise, and is scheduled to return at 11 p.m. Tickets (1/6 each) from

the secretary of your own sub-branch, or from Mr. W. W. Miles, hon.

secretary, Sydney Harbour Trust Sub-branch, c/o Sydney Arboretum Trust,

Circular Quay. ('Phone No. B.W. 2852.) Refreshments at reasonable

cost.

CHRISTMAS TREE AND FETE.

Over 200 children and as many adults responded to the invitation by

the P.M.G.'s Dept. Sub-branch for the Christmas Tree and Fete held

at the G.P.O., Sydney, on December 23. It was a joyous gathering, reflecting

great credit on the hard working committee and other willing

helpers. The decoration of the Postal Cafeteria under the supervision of

Madame Cavalier was a revelation. As each tiny guest entered the fairyland

atmosphere they were presented with jazz-caps, blow-outs, trumpets,

and tin-whistles and other novelties.

Mr. J.W. Kitto, Deputy Director, Posts and Telegraphs, officially

opened proceedings, referring to the comradeship and goodwill existing

among the postal staff, and complimenting the sub-branch officials on being

the first organisation to hold a Christmas Tree in the G.P.O.

A Punch and Judy entertainment followed, and Jim Hilder, of Willoughby,

had the kiddies roaring with delight. The ladies were entertained

to afternoon tea, whilst the kiddies filled "the open spaces" with sandwiches,

cakes, fruit, soft-drinks and milk, issued out with a lavish hand.

Items from the programme included a dance by Joyce Musgrave, a recitation

by Marie Gould, and piano items by Mrs. Fisher, Community singing

held sway until the arrival of Santa Claus (Victor Thorsen).

The thanks of the sub-branch are agiven to the undermentioned: Dairy

Farmers, Fresh Food and Ice Coy./ J.W. Kitto, Peak-Frean, Arnotts,

A. Hordern, G. McKenzie, McIlaraths, Madame Cavalier, Miss Walker,

Wigleys, Peters, Farmer's, David Jones, Coles, Andrews, Woolworths, and

McDowells; and the Postal Cafeteria staff, assisted by Sister Drewitt (returned

nurse), assistant to the postal medico. The hard-working committee

comprised the secretary (Len Woottoon), the president (Bob Swain),

Nick Gurd, Vic. Thorsen, Dud Kennedy, E. Thompson, Jock Gaynor,

Jack Park, C. Lane, C. Walton, P. McCauley, Peter Lithgow, Jock Fernley,

- , Kingsley, - , Bull, and -, Palmer (2), - W, Ireland.

[* May 1934 *]

THE ROYAL TANK CORPS JOURNAL 13

THE FIRST—AND LAST—

NIGHT ATTACK WITH TANKS

The Editor, Royal Tank Corps Journal.

Dear Sir,

Thank you very much for sending on to me the

cutting from Reveille, February, 1934, with the article

:"Tanks in Night Stunt", by Major H. S. Heseltine. Yiu

ask me if I have any comments to make on it.
First of all, let me say how pleased I am to hear that
the Adjutant of the 37th Battalion, A.I.F., is alive. His
voice on the night of August 10th-11th, I918, still rings in
my ears.
The account tallies in most respects with that of my
own experience. But, perhaps, the following remarks
may help to throw further light on the tragedy.
In the great advance of August 8th, 1918, my three
tanks operated as a free-lance section along the boundary
of the l4th and 13th Battalions, A.I.F., between the Somme
and the Amiens-St. Quentin road, as far as the Red Line,
and took an active part in the battle, I myself being
slightly wounded by a fragment of a shell from an enemy
gun across the Somme, ﬁring at a tank on, or near, the
Red Line ridge.
About 3.30 on the afternoon of August 10th, with
my Company commander and another section commander,

I went to what I thought was a Divisional H.Q.,
the Colonel of the 37th Battalion, A.I.F., being present,
and there I received orders for the operation that night.
The whole thing had been very hurriedly prepared and the
orders were verbal. I believed them to be as stated in my
article: ”The First—and Last—Night Attack with
Tanks.”
It was only afterwards that I heard of the successful
operation north of the Somme. In point of fact, there was
a very important difference between the operation north
and the operation south of the river. The attack north
of the Somme followed a comparatively unimportant
road, while the attack on the south was along a route
nationale—the Amiens-St. Quentin road—a principal
highroad of France. It should have been obvious that the
defence of such an important route would be exceptionally
strong.
As regards the statement in Major Heseltine’s account
that “the two forces would meet head-on,” this is the ﬁrst
I have heard of it, as, also, that “other troops were then to
advance from our original front line and drive the Germans
who were in the area enclosed by us into our arms.” This
last fact was evidently not known to Capt. W. ]. Denny,
M.C., M.P., when he wrote the article, “Australians in the
German Defeat,” that appeared in the Daily Telegraph
of Tuesday, April 1st, I919.
I'm afraid I must disagree with Major Heseltine that
the operation was not an “attack." According to the
Universal Dictionary of the English Language (1932), an
"attack” is deﬁned as "an offensive operation by
organised armed force upon another; opposite of
defence.” “A night march straight into enemy territory”

—the German front line-—would be deliberate
suicide, if it were not an attack. The Tank Corps, by Clough
Williams-Ellis, M.C., refers to the operation as "a rather
remarkable night attack," and The Tank Corps Book of
Honour as “an attack after dark.”
With reference to the statement that three tanks were
behind the 37th Battalion, this is true is so far as they were
heading the reserve battalion. Further, the 37th Battalion
may have marched in column of fours as far as the
"Hospital,” but it did not do so after that point.
It is difﬁcult to remember exactly the position of the
Colonel and myself at the moment the ﬁrst bomb fell.
We were certainly more or less on a level with the tanks.
It may have been that we were between the second and
third tanks, but slightly to one side. When discussing
my article with the officer who was in command of “H 25”
—Second-Lieutenant H. W. Humphreys (I had not seen
him since the attack ﬁfteen years before), he told me he was
certain it was his tank (the second one in the order of
advance) on which the bomb had fallen.
It seems that Major Heseltine and I went forward
more or less at the same time. The leading tank never
actually turned round. When Stittle, my runner, went
forward, the men in the tank were anxiously awaiting
instructions and asked what was happening. They were,
in fact, waiting, expecting to go forward. The reason
that the second and third tanks were coming back was
that they had speciﬁc instructions that they must keep
in close touch with the infantry, and they had tumed
to ﬁnd them. It was no good the tanks going on if the
infantry were not following. The reason, no doubt, why the
infantry were not following was that they were being
mown down.
Humphreys has told me that on two occasions when
he had got outside to keep in touch with the infantry
he could see neither them nor the enemy machine-guns.
When he climbed out on to the road bullets were ﬂying
so thickly that he dived into the ditch for cover, landing
on a German, who, luckily, was dead.
Actually at the moment when “each tank looked
like a huge ﬁrework” (to use the words of Major Heseltine),
I was turning the second and third, having sent Stittle
on to the ﬁrst, and I was caught between the rear of one
and the front of the other and had to scramble up the back
of one of them, wondering how it was I was still alive
and was it worth the struggle!
Both Humphreys and Stittle had independently the
experience of being told at the point of a revolver by an
Australian ofﬁcer: “If you value your life, the tanks will
not move,” or words to that effect. As stated in the “Note”
to my article, Stittle was actually told: “I put you in
charge and if these tanks move you will be shot." The
point was, as Stittle explains in the “Note," that when a
tank moved it drew the enemy's ﬁre.
I believe that the Colonel was killed outright when he
fell at the moment I left him; he would, therefore, have
been dead some little while before Major Heseltine
returned.
I was up forward with the tanks when Major Heseltine
was discussing the situation with the next senior oﬂicer
who then took command. I knew nothing of the order

14 THE ROYAL TANKCORPS JOURNAL
for the troops to move out to the side of the road. When
the tanks were preparing to advance again, I heard the
Adjutant shout to me. According to my record, made
next day, he :
“told me that the infantry were retiring in extended order.
I informed him that the tanks were going forward to
continue the attack; but, the infantry now being dis-
organised, he said it would be impossible for them to
follow, and so I ordered the tanks to retire.”
I must state quite deﬁnitely that it was not said to
me that there was no one left who knew the route, and that
the troops “would have gone on if there had been anyone
who knew which way to go." I knew the way. At any
rate, I thought I did, and was, in fact, going on, in spite
of the fact that I had only one officer left.
I am still at a. loss to know why the reserves (infantry
and tanks) were not sent through.
My statement as regards the casualties of the 37th
Battalion is merely a repetition of what I was told by the
General in an unforgettable interview.
In a letter home, written on the 13th August, I said :
“The infantry suffered terribly. The Colonel of the
battalion was killed.” Two days later I wrote : “He was
killed in the thick of the ﬁght as he stood erect, urging his
troops forward against the enemy.”
I have taken considerable trouble to try and verify
the extent of the casualties. Captain I. C. A. Glanville,
M.C., a section commander of the same Company as myself,
met in hospital an Australian officer who had been badly
wounded in this action. He said that he had been in
several stiff fights, but none of them had been so terrible
as that night attack with tanks.
To return to Captain Denny's article, previously
referred to, it is stated there:—
“Heavy casualties having been sufered by units of the
10th Infantry Brigade, it was decided that this brigade,
as it was unable to carry out that operation as ordered,
should co-operate with the 9th Infantry Brigade by
taking up a position round the eastern outskirts of
Proyart. The 9th Brigade was to complete the capture
of Proyart.“
The italics are mine, to emphasise the “heavy casualties "
suffered by the 10th Infantry Brigade in the night attack.
My own section suffered heavily, only four or ﬁve being
left uninjured.
I had many happy associations with the Australians,
for I was liaison officer between tanks and Australians
in the line at Villers-Bretonneux in May, 1918, and shared
their quarters. This was just after the ﬁrst tank v. tank
battle on the Cachy Ridge, and I was in command of the
two emergency tanks in Aquenne W'ood, ready to go forward

to break up any attack with tanks attempted by the
enemy.
I am, yours faithfully,
D. E. HICKEY.
P.S.—The tank commander of “H 25" (Second-Lieut.
H. W. Humphreys), and my runner (then Private, later
Company-Sergeant-Major, E. W. Stittle, D.C.M.) have
read the foregoing, and their remarks are as follows :—
“ 17th March, I934.
“ Captain D. E. Hickey.
" Very pleased to have your letter, with enclosures,
which were re-directed on to me here. I have been very
interested this evening in going through your further
comments on our show and going through all the emotions
and fears of that night.-
"I haven’t much to add.
“I consider your description as an ‘attack' was quite
correct. We expected the Germans to be disorganised after
the two previous days, but we certainly expected resistance.

Had there been no enemy there, it would not
have been an attack.
“With regard to the enveloping movement, I understood

that our object was to go north from the main road
for a distance of about half-a-mile, to remain there until
the morning and await orders. We only assumed, or at
least I did, that the Australians were going to make a
frontal attack, and the hope was expressed that the Germans,

ﬁnding themselves nearly surrounded, would
surrender.
“Nobody was delegated before the action to take the
place of Lieut. McNicol in the event of him becoming a
casualty. As a matter of fact, I did not know he was
injured until I picked him out on the hospital ship two days
later.
“I saw both Lieut. McNicol and Second-Lieut. S. S.
Jefferies (commanding 'H 24’) taking cover on the
carrier at the back of the leading tank when the Germans
ﬁrst opened ﬁre. l merely presume they walked in order
to keep in touch with the infantry.
“I must say I felt very sheepish handing over my
tank to the corporal, but I am afraid I was not much good
as I collapsed at the 1st Field Dressing Station in a cellar
and my nerves were in a bad state.
“Just before I was wounded, my driver (Gunner G.
Williams) was hit in the chest by a fragment of bullet and
rushed to back of tank while in motion. We hit a tree,
and then the engine stalled. Frantic efforts to start engine!
Lights by my shoulder accidentally turned on, drawing
more ﬁre!—H. W. HUMPHREYS, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex."
“18th March, 1934.
“Captain D. E. Hickey.
“Thank you for your letter of the 15th inst., also for
the enclosures.
“I have carefully read both Major Heseltine’s article
and your comments thereon.
"Your comments are absolutely correct, and no
alteration whatsoever is necessary.
“If the operation of the evening of August 10th was to
be just ‘a night march into enemy territory,’ what on
earth did they need the tanks for? Surely the better
course would have been to ‘march’ in quietly and without
us! If our little stunt was a ‘march,’ then the word has
taken on a new signiﬁcance.
“I, of course, can only write from my angle of the
rank and ﬁle, but we, I know, started out on that memorable
afternoon anticipating a scrap.
"Also, I understood at the time that casualties were
heavy.—E. W. STITTLE, York."
Readers

ARE ASKED TO KINDLY
I SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS

AND MENTION
THIS JOURNAL WHEN DOING SO—

20 REVEILLE August 1, 1937

Book Review
Rolling Into Action
newspaper photograph - see original document

MEMOIRS OF A TANK CORPS
SECTION COMMANDER
By Captain D. E. Hickey
(Reviewed by N. G. McNicol, 37th Bn., A.l.F.)
The author of “Rolling into Action,” Captain D. E.
Hickey, transferred from the Suffolk Regiment in Dec.,
1916, to the Tank Corps (then called the Heavy Branch,
Machine Gun Corps) and served in it until demobilisation.

The book is an account of his personal experiences
rather than a history of tank warfare in general.
The type of tank issued to Hickey’s section, when it
moved to France in August, 1917, was known as Mark
IV., and reputed to cost £8,000. They were very unwieldy,

each weighing about 30 tons and having a maximum

speed of three or four miles an hour. Each required

a crew of one officer and seven men. The starting
handle required four men to turn it.
Tanks were of two types — “male” and “female,” the
former armed with two six-pounder guns, the latter with
machine-guns.
Early in October, 1917, Hickey’s tanks were ordered
into the Salient to take part in the tremendous third
Battle of Ypres, which had been raging since July 31.
It was intended to employ them in the ﬁnal assault on
Passchendaele Ridge. In earlier actions here, in the
vicinity of Clapham Junction, about a dozen of the monsters

had been knocked out by direct hits as they endeavoured

to cross the slimy marshlands. Captain Hickey’s
impression after his ﬁrst reconnaissance of this area
was:
"If the Tank Corps was to be scrapped, putting it to work: under
impossible conditions, such as these, was a certain way of doing it."
As the weather conditions became worse, the idea of
employing the tanks in battle seemed to have been abandoned,

but two of them were used for hauling guns and
supply sledges, and even for pulling out guns half-buried
in the mud-surely a descent from the sublime.
After seventeen days of useless and dangerous floundering

round in the mud of Ypres, two tanks were detailed

to take part in an attack against Polderhoek
Chateau at daybreak on October 24. After making a
reconnaissance, the section commander reported that it
was doubtful if his tanks could manage to negotiate the
road leading forward, so badly smashed was it; therefore

Captain Hickey was detailed with 2 officers and 30
men, armed with ten shovels, ten picks and two axes, to
repair the road for about a mile, from Hooge Dump to
Clapham Junction.
To read now, 20 years after that such instructions
could seriously have been given in that dreadful hellhole,

is almost past comprehension. Needless to say, the
road was not repaired, and the tank share in the enterprise

was ﬁnally cancelled. “Rolling into Action” drives
yet another nail in the coffin of dead reputations lost in
the badly conceived and shockingly executed Battle of
Passchendaele.
THE TANKS GET THEIR CHANCE
It is a more cheerful story that is told regarding the
secretly launched Battle of Cambrai on November 19.
The author shows very clearly how valuable the tank
was, when the ground was hard and surprise tactics were
developed. It is now a matter of history that the tanks
at Cambrai astounded not only the enemy, but also the
British leaders. Insuﬂiciency of reserve troops resulted
in the enemy counter-attack regaining a considerable
portion of the area that had been won in the opening
stages. Hickey’s comment is:
"G.H.Q. could not have had much faith in tanks before the battle.
the success of which must have exceeded their wildest dreams. Otherwise

how could one explain that there were no fresh troops to relieve
the Highlanders at Fontaine on November 21? They were physically
exhausted men who had to withstand the ﬁerce German attack of the
following morning.”
THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE
During the great offensive of March, 1918, the tanks
took part in the rear-guard action from Bertincourt, east
of Bapaume, across the old Somme battleﬁeld, until they
helped to ﬁll a gap in the line near Colincamps on the
26th. It was in this locality that there spread that day
a rumour of a break-through by German tanks. This
rumour was a matter of some concern to Australian
troops rapidly approaching from Doullens. Captain
Hickey accounts for this rumour by explaining that it
was due to the ﬁrst appearance in the war area of the
new British light tanks, known as “whippets." This
agrees with the conclusion reached by Dr. Bean in Vol.
V. of the Official History of Australia in the War (pp.
267 and 268).
The reinforcing Australians and New Zealanders encountered

astonishing scenes of confusion that day, as
they approached the battle zone. It appeared for a time
that the British Army was in a state of disintegration.
Fortunately this was not the case.
FIGHTING WITH THE AUSTRALIANS
Space does not permit to deal adequately with the many
exciting episodes described in the volume under review,
but mention must be made of Captain Hickey’s association

with the Australians. He took part in the battle of
8th August wherein 430 tanks were engaged, and he
acclaims it as a tank victory, after which he says:
"Tanks now almost seemed to be regarded by responsible staffs as
super-terriﬁc monsters which had such a devastating elect on enemy
morale that they could not meet with failure."
PROYART ATTACK
The author himself does not appear to have suffered
from any such delusion, and his description of the night
advance along the east-west road near Proyart on Aug.
10, 1918, leaves no room for doubt that he regarded this
enterprise as stupid.
In this night attack Hickey’s section (three tanks)
was ordered to accompany the 37th Battalion at the head
of the 10th Australian Brigade in an encircling movement

from La Flaque down the road for three-quarters
of a mile and thence northward to the Somme. The plan
was hastily arranged on the afternoon of the 10th, no
written instructions being issued either to the tanks or
the infantry.
This was the ﬁrst occasion on which tanks were engaged

in a night attack. In the afternoon, as they
marched to the main road and thence towards the point
of departure, both tanks and infantry came under observation

from enemy balloons. Zero hour was 10 p.m., the
moment that darkness set in. Final dispositions placed
one tank at the head of the advancing column, the two
others farther back in the ranks of the 37th. Captain
Hickey, on foot, accompanied Lieut.-Colonel Knox-Knight,
C.0. of the 37th about the centre of the battalion.
The writer of this review, being scout ofﬁcer of the
37th, had the doubtful privilege of leading the way down
the road in company with 2nd/Lieut. Jeifries, in charge
of No. 1 tank, and three of the battalion scouts, Ptes.
Tyres, Cahill, and Ambrose. This party had to ensure
that direction was maintained—-hence its position in front.
Hickey gives a very vivid and accurate account of that
extraordinary night. He describes how the main road
was deluged with machine-gun ﬁre, and hammered by
artillery-ﬁre and aeroplane bombs, the while floating
lights turned darkness into day. Various observers have
agreed that the withering machine-gun ﬁre opened on
(Continued on Page 44)

August 1, 1937 REVIELLE 19

a new raider was in the Atlantic. On March 30 the
Cambronne arrived at Rio, and next day the British
ambassador there cabled the news to England along with
a description of the raider, which by this time had a
start of nine days on its dash for the Paciﬁc. From the
crews of the captured ships it was learned that the Germans

had always kept charts of Cape Horn; three of
the seven British warships on the west coast of South
America. were therefore ordered south to intercept von
Luckner. He managed, however, to slip past them and,
after coasting to Peru, turned westward towards the
equator, passing 400 miles south of the Galapagos. Reaching

the equator on June 8, about 1200 miles west of the
South American coast, he scouted along it. He was not
very successful, for he only captured three American
schooners in more than ﬁve weeks, and after this the
ship’s doctor told him that the crew were showing signs
of scurvy. The Seeadler was therefore turned southwards,

and on July 28 anchored off Mopelia, a deserted
island in the Society group. The crew spent several
days ashore among the coconut trees; but on August 2
a sudden squall put the ship on the reef, and it was only
after surmounting great difficulties that von Luckner and
his crew were able to salvage their stores, ﬁrearms, wireless

apparatus, and two boats. On the 21st von Luckner
with ﬁve officers and seamen went off in a launch, loaded
with hand-grenades, riﬂes, revolvers, and a machine gun,
in the hope of catching a copra vessel unawares and of
returning with it to Mopelia and starting afresh. The
venture was not successful. They ﬁrst made their way
to an island in the Cook group; after telling the resident
ofﬁcial that they were Dutch Americans, they persuaded
him to give them fresh fruit and provisions. They next
cast anchor at Aituaki, and took what stores they needed,
von Luckner leaving an acknowledgment signed “Max
Pemberton.” Sailing westwards they anchored off
Wakaya, in the Fiji group, on September 21, utterly
exhausted. They were discovered by a half-caste trader,
who informed the authorities; Sub-Inspector Hills, with
half-a-dozen Fijian police, at once left Levuka for
Wakaya in a cutter, but could not make way against
the strong head-wind, and had to return. Meanwhile
there had arrived at Levuka the A.U.S.N. Company’s
Amra (535 tons); Hills requisitioned her and went back
to Wakaya, where he saw the launch making for the
opening in the reef. Leaving the Amra off the opening,
Hills lowered a boat, pulled alongside the launch, and
with an empty revolver forced its crew to surrender by
the threat that otherwise his ship’s guns would blow
them out of the water, It was not till the prisoners
were safely under guard aboard the Amra that they
discovered she had no guns at all. The Seeadler’s log
and charts and von Luckner’s diary were captured, as
well as the machine-gun and the other weapons.
After the ﬁrst excitement in Levuka had died down,
the Amra was manned with forty local militia — two
machine-gun sections —- and sent off to Mopelia to deal
with the rest of the Seeadler’s crew. But these had meanwhile,

on September 5, captured (with their other motor-launch)

the French schooner Lutece, left their prisoners
on the island, and set off for the South American coast.
Calling in at Easter Island, they were picked up by a
Chilean cruiser which took them to Chile. Here they
were interned.
As for von Luckner’s party they were at ﬁrst put
into Suva gaol, and then transferred to New Zealand.
At Motuhihi, where they were conﬁned along with a
number of Germans from Samoa, von Luckner persuaded
a selected group to escape under his leadership. By
careful planning they succeeded in getting hold of the
(Continued on Page 27)
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44 REVEILLE August 1, 1937
Rolling Into Action (From Page 20)
the tanks from right, left, and front, lit up those monsters

like a blacksmith’s ﬁre as the hail of bullets struck
them. This was particularly true of the leading tank.
In that locality the guiding patrol could not live out in
front; consequently it sought shelter behind the lumbering

tank. Captain Hickey’s account errs slightly here in
reporting that this party was seen “riding on top" of it.
The present writer shivers at the idea of doing anything
so foolhardy as that.
Within half-an-hour the guides were all out of action,
Lieut. Jeffries and Pte. Tyres being killed, the remaining
three severely wounded. The leading tank had by this
time been perforated by armor-piercing bullets and all
but two of its crew were casualties.
Tanks Nos. 2 and 3 were in no better situation, and
obviously the terriﬁc ﬁre had shattered and disorganised
the 37th Battalion. Whenever the ﬁre was hottest, the
survivors naturally sought cover in the wayside ditches,
so presently the tank crews got the impression that they
were not being accompanied by infantry at all. They
therefore halted and presently began to turn back. On
becoming aware of this, Captain Hickey, exposing himself

to great danger, succeeded in checking the retirement.

It was at this stage that Colonel Knox-Knight
was killed within a few yards of Hickey, who appears
to be convinced that his crews were justiﬁed in believing
that they were unaccompanied by the infantry. He gives
an account of how his runner, Pte. Stittle, was challenged
by an Australian oﬁicer as he went forward with instructions

to the leading tank. Stittle says that this
officer threatened to shoot him if the tank moved, and
made him personally responsible for seeing that no
movement occurred for fear that fresh bursts of ﬁre
would descend upon the infantry,
There is some misconception here. The reviewer, lying
wounded in the ditch in line with the leading tank had
instructed its crew to halt but to keep its guns going.
His two wounded companions were then ordered to withdraw.

As they did so, they informed Lieut. C. J. Ashmead,

commanding No. 1 Platoon of the 37th Battalion,
of his plight. Ashmead dashed up just at the moment
when the leading tank began to turn as if to withdraw,
and he was told to “stop that tank.” He probably did
this after the manner suggested by Captain Hickey, but
his purpose was not to ensure silence so much as to make
certain that the tank would be on the spot when the
advance recommenced, or to play its part in resisting
any counter-attack.
Though it was obvious that losses must have been
heavy, the advance had not been countermanded. It was
not known, for instance, that the 37th's colonel had been
killed. its scout officer had, on his own initiative, ordered
the leading tank to stop so that it would not get too
far ahead of the main column and, just as he gave these
instructions, he had been struck down along with his
whole party.
As a matter of fact, the advance proceeded no further
that night. A line was established by the 38th Battalion
and then the tanks and the shattered 37th withdrew.
The attack—which, as Captain Hickey anticipated, “had
very little chance of success, because it was at every
stage against common sense and was fraught with great
danger”—was over. He and his men had played their
part gallantly. He himself afterwards admitted that
the tanks on this occasion had not helped the infantry,
but had drawn trouble upon them. But actually they
drew worse trouble upon themselves. The fact of the
matter was that higher commanders had not on that
occasion used tanks intelligently.

Anzac Day at Kavieng
Newspaper photograph - see original document

The war veterans of Kavieng in the Anzac Day march — Lieut. I-I.
J. Murray, D.C.M., 2nd Bn.. A.l.F., extreme left of front rank. Major
McAdam In command.
The sun rose ﬁercely over Kavieng on Anzac Day. The recreation-
ground looked a picture with its booths and streams of bunting. The
commemoration services commenced at 8 a.m. with a Mass, celebrated
by Rev. Father Lakaﬂ. At 10 n.m. the whole population gathered at
the flagstaff. The march of war veterans was conducted by the District
Office (Major T. L. McAdam). An impressive service was conducted
by Rev. B. Chenoweth.
Then all repaired to the sports ground, where the R.S.S.l.L.A. had
arranged a big sports programme. An innovation this year on the
programme was “The Kavieng All-Aged Stakes. 4 fur." Those. who
looked for the horses (ail plantation bred) to run off the course were
disappointed, as all ﬁnished well. The race went to the best rider.
The only event won by a Digger was the R.S.S. Handicap. The tote
was a huge success.
The ﬁnale oi’ a big day was the Anzac Ball at the Kavieng Club
when a generous prize list was distributed. Prizes were given for
the best couple, best fancy dress (ladies and gent), most original and
best sustained character. Supper was supplied by the management
of the Club, when toasts were drunk to H.M. the King, and Fallen
Comrades. At 4 a.m. when this scribe retired the songs were still
straining the rafters of the Club,
And so all Diggers are a year older!—Alf. N. Lusslck. hon. sec.
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