Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/274/1 - 1918 - 1941 - Part 16

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the men of the units which took part in these operations, who

fought with such vigour and dash, thus bringing to the credit

of the Australian Corps a victory which ranks with the greatest

that have been recorded in this War.

 

(Sgd) J. BULL, Lieut.

O.C. C.Coy

56th Bn.

 

 

THE CAPTURE OF PRISONERS BY THE AUSTRALIANS.

 

It was early on the morning of Saturday 31st August

1918that the 14th Brigade received orders to prepare to move

across the Somme, and there be prepared to take up the offen-

sive against the German forces.

The preparation was complete before the  orders reached 

us. Ever since the opening of the offensive on Thursday, 8th

August, we had been kept in readiness to move with a few

minutes notice, and so, ifthe orders had come to move immed-

iately it could have been complied with equally as well.

After the lapse of about one hour the movement began, our

course laying in a northerly direction. At first it appeared

as though we were to undergo a concentrated fire from the

enemy long range artillery, and it was not until our aero-

planes came to the assistance that we were able to change our

opinions. The trouble all lay in the fact that the Enemy

balloon Section were having a day in the air, and immediately

our move began we came under direct observation. Consequently

they gave their artillery a hint as to where they should fire

and so things became a little warm.

'Twas them that those "sprites of the air" came over.

Before the German observers could arrange for more fire from

their guns they were being unmercifully hauled down from below

so as to escape the wrath of those "spiteful British airmen.

After this things quickened down so much that we were en-

abled to enjoy a hot meal on the track and make a crossing

over the Somme with the loss of but a few men wounded. In fact

their wounds were sustained near by the "starting point" and

not in the actual crossing of the river.

Saturday night was spent in a  trench about 1,000 yds.

east of Clery-sur-Somme and without incident.

Sunday morning at 6.o'clock found the Brigade entering

upon an attack against the supposedimpregnable position

of the Germans around Mont St. Quentin and Peronne.

Well those German troops who held these positions might

have felt safe from any attack ever reaching them, and never

should any attack ever reached them.

With the 53rd and 54th battalions forming the attacking

force, supported by the 56th Battalion and with the 55th

Battalion in reserve the great strong hold of the Huns began

to quiver with the first onslaught.

The right battalion, which was the 54th pressed steadily

forward and within five hours had captured the town of

PERONNE.

The 5 Battalion, which was the left battalion, was

less fortunate. Shortly after beginning the attack they came

under devastating machine gun fire, and on reaching the German

wire entanglements had suffered many casualties. Despite the

difficulties that had confronted them they pressed forward un-

hesitatingly until the enemy, away to their left, brought fire

to bear on them also and forced them to stop their advance.

They had fought well; but under such annihilating fire,

and with Mount St. Quentin still in the hands of the enemy,

it became impossible for them to advance further.

It was not until 3 o'clock that afternoon that the bri-

gade operating on the left of the 14th Brigade gained posses-

sion of the Mount.

Following this success the 53rd Battalion attempted to

push forward, but immediately they attempted to advance the

Bosche machine guns opened up with such a deadly fire that

that battalion was obliged to remain in their present posi-

tion.

Meanwhile the support battalion had thrown one company

forward to fill a gap between the 53rd and 54th battalions,

thus making the line continuous and maintaining that which

is absolutely essential in all military operations - an un-

broken line.

 

  

 

 

 

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The whole brigade, knowing that to advance was no longer

possible without the loss of many lives, turned its present

position into a defensive one and awaited a German counter at-

tack which never came.

Why the German Command did not decide on a counter of-

fensive I cannot say, but I venture to say that their troops

would never have taken Mont St. Quentin again. They had

given us too much time to consolidate.

On the following morning the Brigade attacked on a one

battalion frontage. The battalion to lead the attack was

that of the 56th followed by the 55th.

Never has the Brigade been called upon to undertake such

a task, and never have men advanced under such adverse cir-

cumstances so cheerfully. While moving forward to the position

of assemblage the enemy artillery barrage came down in a per-

fect tornado of shells. The officers in command of companies

acted immediately and brought their commands into two waves

and continued to move forward to the position.

Officers and N.C.Os moved amongst their men endeavouring to

keep them under control, and often placed themselves in pos-

itions of extreme danger with the view of keeping the spirits

of the men at a high standard. But these men needed no example.

They were cheerful and cool and obeyed orders without any hesi-

tation whatsoever.

We advanced as far as possible without getting into our

own artillery barrage area, and awaited the time  to "go over".

Sure enough it came. When the wood was passed along all

went over into a deadly Artillery and Machine barrage unhesita-

tingly, knowing too well what the capture of such a position

meant to the British Army.

Not in the history of the Brigade has such an attack

taken place and under such conditions. The enemy barrage which

consisted mainly  of heavy high explosive shells which burst

immediately on contact with the ground, thus having widespread-

ing effect, lasted for well over 2 (two) hours never ceasing in

violence. How men could live through such a rain of shells is

past all understanding, but the gallant men of the 56th pressed

steadily forward until the enemy forced them to stay their ad-

vance.

Casualties for that battalion had been heavy in wounded,

and it became necessary to throw all available men into the

front line. The right flank which was well advanced, and under

the command of a Sergeant of the name of O'Connor, - for all

the officers on that flank had become casualties,-formed a bold

defence line keeping a vigilant watch on the enemy and attract-

ing as much attention from him as possible so as to enable the

left flank, which had been held up earlier - to advance.

Under each covering fire a the right flank could put up,

the whole line was enabled to be made continuous.

During all this time the 55th Bn, had not been idle. On

learning that the attacking battalion was held up, their com-

mander had decided to come to its assistance, and so they were

now up in close support to the line battalion.

For a time the left flank  was a little uncanny as no sign

of the troops attacking there could be seen. At last on com-

pany of the 55th pushed forward without assistance whatso-

ever from artillery, and after hand fighting, were able to

link up with the 56th Bn. and the attacking force on the left.

As for the troops on the right, well no one could find out

if there were any there at all. The Ramparte[[?]]t the most north-

ern and of PERONNE were still very strongly held by the German

machine gunners, and it appeared as if the 56th, along with the

one company of the 55th, were going to have a very bad time

indeed. Suddenly, to the wonder of everyone concerned, men were

seen moving out towards the end of the Ramparts. Some said

 

 

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they were "Jerries" massing for a counter-attack, but that

idea vanished from our minds for almost as soon as

they were seem the German machine guns spoke and once more

the 56th became subject to a rain of lead. Evidently some-

one was attacking on our right and the Bosch thought we would

be coming xxx at him also.

In ten minutes it was all over, the 58th Bn. had cap-

tured this great defended locality of the Ramparts, and

now they could be seen moving about the ground where, but a

few minutes ago, no man had been plucky enough to show him-self lest he should lose his life. A few Germans could be 

seen scampering for their lives and caused much amusement

amongst our men who were sniping at them.

Now we knew that some troops were on our right and doing

well, but it was not until nightfall between 8 and 9 o'clock

that a strong fighting patrol was able to make its way forward

and gain "touch" with them.

To the relief of all concerned the 56th Bn. was withdrawn

that night from the front line, the 59th Bn. taking its place.

Thus ended the Great Attacks for the strong holds of

Mount St. Quentin and PERONNE, the 5th Australian Division

having gained an honor for the Australian Corps only paralleled

by the Memorable landing on Gallipoli.

 

(sgd)  W.E. Nancarrow,

2nd Lieut, 56th Bn.

 

20.9.18.

 

 

 

OPERATIONS AT PERONNE on SEPTEMBER 1st & 2nd.

 

The weather during the operation was good, visi-

bility during the day also good though both nights were fairly

dark.

The enemy had exceptionally good observation on to

the 5th Divisional Front, while our people in front area had

very poor observation of his front, except the forward slope

of hill to N.E. of PERONNE.

Since going through experiences on 1st & 2nd, &

also revisiting the ground, one realises how remarkably well

the troops did on ground quite unknown to them, of which no

accurate, or at least complete maps were in their possession,

the fact that there had been no opportunity of reconnoitring

and also very short time given to execute orders re movements.

The Hun artillery & machine gun officers in view

of the threatened assault of PERONNE, must have made them-

selves intimate with every feature of ground &c. The way on

which he used "heavies" dropping them just behind the Rail-

way Embankment, & all cover in woods, & sunken roads, & even

in shooting at the entrances of his old dugouts proved this.

His machine gunners had every inch of ground cover-

ed,in fact they caused most of the casualties we suffered,

which is perhaps not remarkable when one has visited their

M.G.positions and looked back to wherexx our own troops were,

one realises they had targets that machine gunners dream of

especially the Railway Embankment.

The  call on individual pluck and initiative was

never greater; the way i which the "Diggers" faced the job

they had seen others essay &receive such a "lathering" at

making the preposition seem hopeless and impossible, showed

a determination never excelled.

Even on the 2nd when suffering from the continu-

ous shelling & gassing, they showed willingness & individual

initiative most splendid.

 

(sgd) J.Mc F.Harvey, Lieut.

 

 

 

COPY.

 

To Commanding Officer, 56th Battalion.

From Lieut. A.W.Hicks

 

Narrative of operations on Sept. 1st & 2nd 1918.
 

I have to submit the following narrative as directed in your

communication received on the 26th inst.

Any narrative by me of events in connection with the operations

of the 1st September could be no other than a repetition of that

furnished by Major Roberts O.C. D.Coy under whose direction I 

acted and who has of a certainty already furnished a narrative

embodying incidents in which I participated as actor or observer.

At some time between 5 a.m. and  6 a.m. on the 2nd Sept. I was

ordered to take command of A Company which had lost the whole of its officers as casualties.

This Company was then occupying a trench in the high ground

s.w. of the wood in 21 (Sheet 62.c) The C.S.M. was already in

possession of an order for an operation beginning forthwith. This order

directed (a) The O.C.Coy. to report to Bn. H.Q. at 6 a.m. (b) The advance of the company in cooperation with B & D Companies on a

front at right angles to the North of the Village of Peronne, the

limits of the front being stated.

As I was unacquainted with the N.C.Os and men it was obvious

that they should be brought in rapport with myself by a brief con-

ference with the N.C.Os; but this was impossible as it was impera-

tive that the summons to Bn. H.Q. should be obeyed, and it was then

past the appointed hour. The Company was therefore left with the

C.S.M. who was instructed to lead the company which was not imme-

diately ready to proceed to the starting point, a 14th M.G.Coy.

officer cooperating with the Battalion agreeing to supervise the move.

After the interview with my Commanding Officer I hastened to

rejoin the company which was not visible. The Company had left the

trench and was not in the centre of the wood. As Zero hour was

at hand an-∧ⁱⁿeffectual endeavour was made to reach the starting point by a direct route through the wood, but before proceeding

far the need of returning to the vicinity of the road was apparent.

This done the company was hastened to the ordained position and ar-

rived a few minutes after the Zero hour "B" and "D" Companies had

already advanced and the Support Coy. C.Coy, under Lieut. Bull was

in position.

Without delay other than was unavailable  in advising the Com-

pany of immediate further advance through the Support Company pro-

gress was made to the objective. It was soon apparent that casual-

ties were xx heavy and machine gun and artillery fire were intense.

Lieut. Bullock was seen lying wounded in a trench with a number of

other wounded in the vicinity.

The Company had not advanced far towards its objective when I

became a casualty. In passing the R.A.P. the O.C. Support Comapany

was verbally advised as to the situation as it appeared to me.

It is regretted that no references are available to definitely

record positions, but it ∧^is presumed that these may be defined from

information available to B.Headuarters.

 

3rd L.I.H.

(Sgd) Aleck.W.Hicks, Lt.

 

28. Sept. 1918.

 

 

Reveille

Sept. 1933

 

Peronne - Sept. 1st, 1918

(By Lieut. W. Waite, M.C. and Bar, "D" Coy., 53rd Bn.)

 

At 4 a.m. on September 1 we received orders to attack

up to, and consolidate in front of, St. Denis village

and wood. The 2nd Div. would be attacking on our

left flank, and the 54th Bn., through Peronne, on our

right. "Zero" hour was fixed for 6 a.m.

"D" Coy. (Capt. Lindsay) were to     (Hand drawn picture: see original

 attack in support to "C." (Major                    document)

Murray), "A" Coy. supported "B." 

At about 5.30 we arrived in our

assembly trenches, to find portion of

them in German hands. "C" Coy.

struck trouble here. The 23rd Bn.

succeeded in driving the enemy out, and

"C" then got into order for the attack.

At this juncture heavy rain began to

fall, but five minutes before "zero"  the

weather cleared, disclosing a strong

belt of wire about 30 yards ahead.

From a copse in front Germans started

to rake our position with machine-guns.

At "zero" hour Major Murray sent

Lt. Cooper's platoon forward to force a passage through

the wire, but unable to do so, and suffering heavy casu-

alties, it had to be withdrawn. At the same time Lieut.

Eastment took his platoon out to the left on a similar

errand, and was successful. Major Murray thereupon

moved the rest of the company to the left, and advanced

through the gap, with "D" Coy. following.

Whilst in the assembly trenches Pte. Richardson of "C"

Coy. was wounded in the head, and fell back into the 

arms of Sgt. Scully, "D" Coy. This was remarkable,

inasmuch as at Fromelles on July 19, 1916, precisely the 

same thing happened.

By moving out to the left, "D" Coy. cut off enemy

machine-guns in the copse, leaving them for the mopping-

up party to deal with.

Crossing the railway we started to advance over open

country between Le Quinconcs Wood and Mont. St. Quen-

tin. Machine-gun fire from mounds along the Mont. St.

Quentin-Quinconcs road and from the mount itself was

terrific, but, despite casualties, we kept the advance going

by section rushes, Lewis guns and rifles engaging the 

enemy gunners, and giving more cover fire. The men were

moving as coolly and collected as if on a parade ground.

Four hundreds yards from the road, when things were

getting rather "sticky," a bullet set fire to the smoke

bombs which Cpl. Pain was carrying. The dense smoke

rising from them, and from Pain's burning clothes, tra-

velled across the front of the enemy and screened us from 

his view. Taking advantage of this, we advanced to the

road without further casualties. Pain suffered severe

burns but, with the help of a couple of mates, managed

to get his clothes off, and made back to t dressing sta-

tion in the nude, Germans firing at him all the while. We 

heard later that he died, poor fellow.

A message came from Major Murray, informing us that 

his flank was in the air. We accordingly moved forward,

killing two of the enemy and capturing their guns, got

into touch with "C" Coy., and swung our left flank round.

This movement left our own flank in the air, as the 23rd

Battalion had not yet reached their objective.

Whilst in this position Lieut. Anslow and 9 men were

killed by shell-fire. In addition, heavy casualties were

still being caused by machine-gun fire from Mont. St. 

Quentin.

At Le Quinconcs the battalion captured a rail-head, at

which there were large dumps of coal, timber, wire, sand-

bags, picks, shovels, ammunition, matting for camouflage

purposes, 1 minenwerfer, and a 77 m.m. field gun.

As the enemy began concentrating in a nearby sunken

(Continued foot next column)

road, I sent Sgt. Hopkins over to the field gun, and got 

a message to Major Murray or Signaller Crank to come

up to help Hopkins get this gun into action. They go

to work, scoring direct hits among the enemy, also en-

filading the road and high ground east of Mont. St. Quentin.

The enemy were forced to clear from the road, and take

cover in the trenches to the east of it. Hopkins and Crank,

who had to detonate their own shells (ground shrapnel),

were under heavy machine-gun fire practically the whole

time they were working the gun. It ws mainly owing

to their bravery and initiative that what threatened to be

a heavy Boche counter-attack was shattered.

Early in the afternoon the 2nd Divn. started to advance through the

village of Mont. St. Quentin. They crossed the sunken road on to the

high ground, the enemy falling back from this position. We brought the

77 m. gun into action again against these retreating Germans, and also

concentrated L.G. fire upon them.

At 4 p.m. I was ordered to move my platoon to an assembly point in

a communication trench alongside the railway. Here "D" Coy. received

orders to advance on St. Denis. At 5 o'clock we moved out to the

attack, in skirmishing order; Capt. Lindsay was in the lead. His battle-cry

was "Come on, "D" Company-never let it be said that your mother reared a jib."

The men carried out every movement with splendid coolness and initia-tive.

Terrific M.G. fire came from the ramparts of Peronne in front, and

from the high ground on our left front, and at the start we suffered severe

casualties, Capt. Lindsay and Lieut. Dent being among the wounded.

Lindsay sent me orders to "Carry on !" we advanced by section rushes,

the Lewis guns giving splendid covering fire and engaging enemy machine-

guns until we reached the road from Mont St. Quentin to St. Denis.

When we reached this position, having killed a great number of Germans

on the way, I found that we had no support on either flank, and machine-

guns began to play on our right. From this "possie" we got on to an

enemy M.G. post about 200 yards.

By this time I had only 17 men with whom to hold the position, so I

reported the situation to Major Murray, who was in charge of firing line.

and received from him the following message, timed 9 p.m. : "You are to

remain in your present position. I am establishing a line with 55th Bn.,

approx. on our original line. I will push a post along to the end of the

sap, N. of the railway, with whom you can get in touch. I will endeavour

to get rations out to you, and also men to bring in your wounded."

Murray also said that he would watch my right flank, and would send

a platoon to the left to take up a position between me and the 2nd Divn.

Owing to heavy shell and M.G. fire, the carrying party was unable to

reach us. At dusk I sent L/Cpl. O. W. Smith and Pte. J. Carlisle to try

and get in touch with the 2nd Divn. and find out their dispositions.

On their way they were confronted by an enemy machine-gun post of 5 men,

but shooting the observers, they rushed the post and bombed it and killed

the occupants. They then got into touch with the 21st Bn., which could

not advance their flank, but promised to help if needed.

A midnight I heard someone calling my name. Thinking something

was in the wind, I sent runners back to Major Murray, who gave them

orders for me to withdraw, as the artillery wanted to bombard the sur-

rounding positions. So at 3 a.m. on September 2 I withdrew my posts and, 

carrying our wounded out, we returned to our starting point alongside the

railway, where we remained until a 10 p.m. on the following night we

were relieved by the 15th Brigade.

 

 

July1, 1932           REVEILLE            15

 

Saw It Through: The Fifty-fourth

 

Photo of Lieut. H. Brewer. : see original document

 

This story, which is told by Lieut.

Hector Brewer, an original

member of the 2nd Bn., and after-

wards of the 54th Bn., is one of

pride of regiment and comradeship

---a story which in any Army Corps,

other than the A.I.F., might not

have had such a happy ending.

But, of course, in any other Army

it might not have had a beginning.

It describes just one of "the little 

ways" of the Digger.

Lieut. Brewer landed with the 2nd 

Bn. at Anzac, saw that campaign

through, and on the reorganisation of

the A.I.F. at Tel-el-Kebir became, with

many others of the 2nd, the nucleus of 

the 54th.

To farewell the old unit, and to be parted from their

Gallipoli pals and mates of Randwick and Mena, was a

terrible blow to them all, but they were of the stuff of

which good soldiers are made, and on meeting the fine

type of reinforcements then arriving, started their mili-

tary lives afresh as a unit of the 5th Division.

The old and the new blended well, and before many

weeks passed, the old hands found themselves proud

of their new unit, and as loyal to the 54th as they had

been to the 2nd. That loyalty, comradeship, or esprit-

de-corps-call it what you may- was no Tel-el-Kebir

parade ground "swank," for, over two years later . . . . . 

Well here's Brewer's story :-

 

After the Peronne Battle, the 54th Bn., with the

rest of the 14th Brigade, camped at Les Mesnil. The

14th held a sports meeting, and issued invitations to 

other units to attend. Several divisional records were 

broken by competitors in the 100 yards and distance 

running, and also in broad jumps. The "carni-

val" terminated in a flat race, in which some very good

horses (from other units) took part, alongside mules

from the transport section.

Rumours for some time were that each brigade was

to be reduced from four battalions to three to conform

to the French formation. There was considerable specu-

lation among all units as to which would be the unlucky 

battalions. Eventually the order came, which made it 

clear that the axe had fallen on the 54th for one.

A bitter pill, and a horrible injustice, it seemed, after

two and a half years of work well done as first-class

troops on the battle fronts of Belgium and France.

The news was accepted quietly; much too quietly ! Lieut.-Colonel

Norman Marshall, D.S.O., M.C., our excellent leader

and guide, had the unpleasant duty of carrying out 

the order to disband.

Accordingly, on the afternoon of a certain day, the

battalion "fell in." Roll was called, amid a silence

that could be felt the colonel announced that the battalion

would carry out the order to disband at once. Officers 

were called from their various commands and informed

of the units in the brigade to which they were to be

allotted. They saluted and went off. Non-commissioned

officers were then called by name, and a fair proportion

obeyed. The majority, however, stood fast, and effort

to persuade them to obey  the order were unavailing.

The task of detailing the men to their units was then

begun, brothers or mates being conceded the right to go

together. There was "nothing doing," however. Not a

man moved ! The situation looked difficult. Col. Mar-

shall called for a deputation Two or

three stepped forward.

They had very little to say, but

what they did say was polite and firm.

"We don't want to be broken up. We

will do anything we are asked to do,

as we have done in the past, but only

as members of the 54th Bn."

The colonel was very patient. Darkness

arrived, and still the battalion ranks

were intact. Each man, having been 

informed of the unit to which he was to

report, was left to his own devices-

and his devices were remarkable.

Early next morning ex-54th officers

were instructed to visit their old en-

campment to see how many men had 

obeyed the order, and endeavour to per-

suade the remainder to follow. The

difficulties ahead of the men in the way

of getting food, etc., if they held out,

were stressed, and they were also told

that they  were behaving in a manner

prejudicial to "good order and military discipline"-and

much worse! No response! The men were again left

alone. 

Next morning a great sight greeted the other three

battalions of the 14th Brigade. The members of the

54th were out on the parade ground in battalion en

masse. They had appointed a commanding officer, com-

pany and platoon commanders, and so on, and had not

overlooked the post of R.S.M.-that position "filled"

by a smart-looking Digger.

They had paraded punctually at the usual time, had

their roll call and report to "C.O.," and then carried

out platoon exercises and physical "jerks." They held

sick parades through their own A.M.C. section. They

 had received food rations from the usual source under

a temporary arrangement, and army medical supplies

from the other units of the brigade. The brigadier

(General Stewart) paid them a visit. His words had

no effect. Then the divisional commander (General

Tivey) arrived, and found the men doing platoon exer-

cises. He received a beautiful "present arms" and gal-

loped off!

Several days had passed before an order arrived for

the 54th to reform. Officers and several N.C.O.'s re-

turned, and all necessary equipment for front-line activi-

ties was re-issued. In about twelve hours from the

receipt of the order the 54th was on its way to the

town of Bellicourt to support the American 29th and

30th Divisions.

The Battle of Bellicourt was the last of the war for the 

54th. It was taken out of the line and entrained for Abbe-

ville. From there a night march of 18 kilos-it seemed

80 kilos to me, says Mr. Brewer-to the village of Tours

en Vimler. Whilst there the Armistice was signed, and

the church bells which had been rung for victims of

"Spanish flu," then raging in that district, now broke into

a continuous peal of joy.

 

Thus Mr. Brewer's story ends. The last stunt in

France was carried out with the 54th intact. It was not

disbanded until Oct. 11, 1918. All were thankful of the 

wonderful manner in which the men of the 54th, during

its fighting career, had stuck to their colours-purple 

and green; and silent thanks were given to the commanders of the bat-

talion, brigade and division, who allowed the 54th to enter the 5th

Division's last fight with its identity preserved.

 

Lieut. Brewer left the battalion on Boxing Night, 1918, was placed in

charge of a camp at Sutton Veny for a time, and, strange it must have

seemed to him, for he reached Sydney Heads at dawn on April 25, 

1919-

his first glimpse since October 18, 1914, when s.s. Suffolk cleared the

Heads with the 2nd Battalion aboard for "an unknown destination."

---L. H. Barrett.

 

 

Historical Notes

TELEPHONE NO

CENTRAL 13

 

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

TELEPHONE ADDRESS

"AUSWARMUSE."

MELBOURNE

 

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO

"THE DIRECTOR"

In reply please quote

No......................

 

HOME AND TERRITORIES DEPARTMENT.

AUSTRALIAN WAR MUSEUM

122-138 KING STREET

MELBOURNE 9/3

 

Dear Mr Bean,

A note on "Pompey" which may be of

use in due course.

At the time his brigade was trying to

cross at Peronne he went forward himself

and found a broken bridge on which it was

possible for men to cross in single file.

He crossed the river, had a look round,

and decided to return. But he mistook

the bridge and found himself in 8 feet

 

 

or  so of water. He managed to struggle

across however and later [[?]] D.H.Q.

then the G.S. told him that his experience

had held up ∧^{[[?ordinary?]]} signal traffic for a time,

as all the units were telling one

another "Pompey's fallen into the 

Canal"!

 

Yrs sincerely

J. L. Treloar