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Tenacity
First big battle-Messines-Warneton
Keeping Fit
We were given one day's rest to recover from the fatigue of the march, but next day we started to train more intensively than ever. We had all the routine of bayonet fighting, physical jerks, and drill. Added to these we had to practice all sorts of new stunts and general attacking methods. This went on for three weeks, and that was what was called "a rest."
The relief from continuous shell and machine-gun fire, and the absence of the roar of the artillery was without doubt a rest to the mind and nerves, but of bodily rest there was no trace, if we except the one day's leave which was granted to all in order to visit the town of St. Omer.
Quite naturally we understood that something big was coming off soon, especially as we had to carry out practices over ground that we were told was similar to that over which we should have to operate.
On May 14th we were inspected by the General Officer Commanding the British Second Army Corps and four days later the return march to the battle area began, May 18th.
We billeted for the night at Tatinghem, on the 19th Renescure was reached, on the 20th we overtook Strazelle, whilst the 21st found us back again in our old hometown of Armentieres.
PREPARATIONS FOR MESSINES BATTLE
On May 23rd, we proceeded to the trenches at Le Bizet where we relieved the 98th Battalion. Here we underwent ten days of heavy trench warfare, due to enemy bombardments which came over in reply to our excessive shelling. Preparatory to the Messines Battle raids, bombing and gas attacks by both sides were frequent at all times, both day and night. The din and roar was incessant. There was not a moment's pause in the pounding of the artillery, heavy and light. The very air was full of activity, deadly and uncompromising. The enemy's display of lights of every kind was an imposing sight. On June 2nd we were relieved and billeted at Pont de Nieppe, where we remained until the night of June 6th. In the meantime, on June 5th, our Battalion carried out a successful raid in broad daylight. Among the enemy dead were found a large proportion of lads, apparently about 17 years old.
Whilst we were in Pont de Nieppe the enemy shelled the town so unmercifully that for two days and nights we were compelled to leave the town and take to the open fields. To add to our discomfort we had gas attacks to contend with.
On the morning of the 6th of June we attempted to have a parade, but when the enemy planted shells about fifty yards in front of us, the parade was abandoned. That night we fell in at 9 p.m. on our parade ground, which adjoined a cemetery. Here we remained until midnight, when heavily laden with bombs, flares, grenades, ammunition, rations, etcetera, we made our way up to the trenches by a circuitous and, to us, hitherto unknown route.
At this point both artilleries were quiet, but an hour or so after, both sides opened out with a fury that was terrific. The Germans supplemented their shells with gas, which later on, became so heavy that we had to adjust our gas masks as we stumbled along in the darkness to our position in Bunhill Row, Ploegsteert, which we eventually reached at 3.0 a.m.
Our strength at this time was 35 officers and 976 other ranks. We were scarcely in position before a huge mine on which British engineers and sappers had been working for many months was exploded. This took place at 3.10 a.m. on the morning of June 7th. The ground trembled and everything rocked. The sensation it caused among our own troops was awesome. The noise of the terrific explosion was heard as far away as England.
It destroyed the enemy's defence system and spread demoralisation among his troops. This of course, was the object for which the mine had been laid. And thus began the first big battle in which our Battalion was employed.
OUR OBJECTIVE
The objective of the 3rd Australian Division was to attack and consolidate, firstly, the Black Line, and secondly the Green Line. The 9th and 10th Brigades attacked respectively on the right and left, whilst the 11th Brigade was held in reserve.
The area over which our engagement took place was divided into sectors, shown on the military maps by different coloured markings, so that our objectives were distinguished by calling them certain coloured lines.
The enemy's lines no longer existed. For many hundreds of yards nothing remained of all his elaborate defence system but junks of iron and splintered wood all mixed up with piles of heaved up brown earth.
Naturally, when prisoners first began to come in they were objects of much curiosity and interest, but when they were coming along in droves and we became more accustomed to the taking of German prisoners, so the interest in them declined. Both artilleries continued their heavy bombardments, that of the enemy caused much discomfiture to us by reason of it pouring in poison gas.
In the early morning of June 8th, we moved back for a brief respite to a place known as "The Catacombs. This was the name given to a huge dugout built in the side of a hill, and so large that it was capable of accommodating a whole brigade of men.
THE BLACK LINE
At midnight on June 8th, we took over that particular area known to us as "The Black Line." It was our job to strongly consolidate it. For five days we remained here digging and strengthening the defences to withstand any counter attacks. Our position was so advanced that Messines, once a prosperous town, now only just a heap of ruins was lying far away to the rear.
During this period we repulsed several counterattacks and were subjected to intense bombardments as we dug ourselves in. Our casualties were, in consequence, both numerous and severe. The stench from the tremendous number of Germans lying unburied in front of us was nauseating.
At midnight on the 11th of June we were relieved and proceeded to Hillside Camp, Neuve Eglise, where we billeted for two days in tents. We moved out on the 14th, to the village of Doullieu, quite close to the town of Bailleul.
Our strength at this time was 826 officers and men. Prior to the Messines Battle it was 1011. Our losses in this operation were therefore 185 officers and men.
After a short spell we returned to Hillside Camp, Neuve Eglise. On June 22nd it was found that our strength had increased to 34 officers and 818 other ranks, due to the new draft which had arrived.
WE RETURN TO THE BLACK LINE
On June 23rd, we returned to the Black Line and the Green Line. Here we remained for a period of twenty-one days, during which we consolidated and strengthened our new line of defence.
The communicating trenches were named: Unbearable, Gapaard, Hun's Walk, Owl, Fanny, and Wellington. These were all in bad condition. The Front Line was not joined up. Water was two feet deep in some parts of the trenches owing to continuous wet weather.
There was a great scarcity of engineering material, but in spite of all these drawbacks we made good progress by steadily gaining ground and pushing out strong posts in the direction of Warneton.
Our casualties were not severe, but never a day passed without toll being taken of our comrades by death or wounds.
The enemy presented evidence of nervousness and anxiety. He became very active with patrols and succeeded in establishing several strong posts in No-man's Land, which it was our object to eliminate, resulting in the action known as
THE WARNETON STUNT
We were relieved in the Messines sector on July 11th by the 36th Battalion and moved into tents and shelters by the side of a small streamlet called "Le Petit Douve.' Thence onwards until the end of July a continuous series of downpours saturated the ground, turning it into one huge bog. The little streamlet became a swiftly flowing river, ready to burst its banks at any moment, so that the conditions under which we existed were most discomforting.
Our strength was increased on July 14th by a draft of 108, and again on the 16th by a further draft of 50.
The Warneton Stunt, which we carried out in conjunction with the 43rd Battalion, although directed mainly towards wiping out the enemy's strong posts established in No-man's Land, which had caused us so much annoyance, was also devised to serve as a diversion for the offensive taking place on the North-west (Belgium) Front.
On the night of July 31st we returned to the trenches, performing part of the journey by motor lorries. The ground was so water logged that it took five hours to make the approach march.
The 43rd Battalion attacked on the right. The 42nd Battalion attacked on the left. The operation was highly successful. Strong post after strong post was attacked and captured along with many prisoners and counterattacks beaten off. It is estimated that 150 of the enemy were killed in our first attack.
Our casualties were fairly light but our captures were many. Our men were utterly exhausted by the strain of fifty hours continuous fighting and digging, in the most abominable Weather. The Corps Commander awarded eight of our men military medals for their conspicuous achievements on this occasion.
JESUS FARM
On August 4th, we moved back to Waterlands Camp near Steenwerke. This camp was more generally known as Jesus Farm, probably so named from the Crucifix which stood at the roadside. Shrines and crucifixes abounded in all villages in this vicinity, and were found at almost every crossroad. Here, at Jesus Farm, we found good wooden huts, which were greatly appreciated, after our long spell in the open.
Owing to many of our observation balloons flying in the sky above this location, our camp received a great deal of shrapnel intended for the Balloons. We were frequently spectators of thrilling escapes by the observers when the balloons they occupied were set on fire.
DESTRUCTION OF BALLOONS
The enemy utilised diverse means to destroy our balloons. Sometimes they were shelled intermittently with shrapnel, which exploded in the air, and sometimes he would send over small aeroplanes fitted with machineguns which fired incendiary bullets. These small planes usually hid behind a cloud. Seizing a favourable opportunity, they would dart quickly across to our lines, fire the balloon and flit rapidly back again.
So swiftly was the act performed that before one had time to realise what was happening, the balloon, sometimes two and three, in rapid succession, vanished before our eyes in clouds of smoke and flame.
Hostile aircraft hovered daily over our heads, and on several occasions we became excited witnesses of enemy planes being caught in the glare of our searchlights, whilst anti-aircraft guns, called "Archies," peppered away harmlessly at the sky. Being quite close to Steenwerke, we were frequent visitors to that town, which abounded in canteens, egg and chip joints, and estaminets. An object of particular interest to us was the Stone Grotto and Altar, cut out of the wall of solid rock in the main street.
REMILLY-WERQUIN.
Our tenancy of Jesus Farm expired on August 22nd, when we entrained at Bailleul for Wizernes, whence we marched to the village of Remilly-Werquin, where we billeted in barns. We had quite a pleasant stay there until September 26th. Apparently, we were the first Australians to be billeted in this district and the villagers did not understand our peculiarities. However, on better acquaintance, they warmed up to us and we became very good friends.
It was here that we came across some strange troops belonging to the army of one of our allies, the Portuguese. They were resting in villages adjacent to ours, but we could not form strong attachments with them, on the contrary, many a "scrap" took place between us. We always referred to them as "Pork and Beans," or "Pork and Cheese."
The towns of Lumbres and St. Omer being quite near, our visits there were frequent.
Although the weather was very pleasant and we were supposed to be resting, heavy training was the order of the day in anticipation of the offensive which it was known would soon be launched in the Ypres sector.
