Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Pte. P. Morris’s statement of the Battle of Mont St Quentin, 10 September 1918
MLMSS 1536/Box 3/4a

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Appendix 4.

Battle of
Mont St Quentin.
Pte. P Morris Statement
of the battle
10t September 1918

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Battle of Mont St Quentin

Statement by No 2940 Private P. Morris, usually called "Doc", of "A" Coy 20th Battalion, 5th Brigade A.I.F. made to Private F.J. Brewer who took same down in Shorthand (original notes attached) on September 10th 1918 at Frise, France. Private Morris was present at the Battle of Mont St Quentin going in, and coming out with his unit, unwounded. He states:-
"On the 28th of August, the 20th Battalion moved from Corbie* in Motor buses. We disembarked 14 Kilos from Cappy+ in a beautiful avenue of trees. From there we marched about 4 Kilos under "crook" conditions. We camped that night in ‘funk holes’ "
"Next morning, 29th August, we moved out to the Somme Canal. I suppose it was about midday. We came down about 10,000 yards at right angles to the Canal, and camped there, and expecting to hop over the next morning; but there was a delay somewhere, and it put us back for a day. We "stood to", and "stood down" as Fritz had blown up the bridges by which we intended to cross.
"We came back about 2000 yards and had a fine hot breakfast. Moved off again at 11 o’clock++ a.m. on the other
*See Map 1 in my Diary page
+See my Diary page
++ 30th August 1918

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side of the Canal*, left side of the Canal, and marched up about 6000 yards, up hill and down dale, in marshy and boggy country, and got into a main road, and proceeded along it till we struck the Third Division. We then crawled down a Sap, a distance of about 1000 yards under all sorts of unpleasant things, including machine guns and ‘iron founderies’.
"The excitement started when we got to the first Fritz dugout, when we took 5 prisoners. One man stood at the door and roared out: ‘Anyone down there? You could see nothing, but a little lamp burning in the distance below (It was a big dugout). We intended throwing bombs down, but on second thoughts found courage enough to walk down finding in all 5 prisoners, who were promptly ‘souvenired’ of all their German possessions, one of them being severely wounded, and decorated with an Iron Cross, First Class. He turned out to be a Sergeant Major. He hopped over, and calling me back, asked if I was a doctor as he wanted his wounds attended to. Lieutenant D. H. Authon+ M.C. ("A" coy) the came along and had a little chat, and sent 4 prisoners to the rear. I ‘pulled the foot’ of the Sergeant-Major. He asked me what I was fighting for, and said that he thought it was only a capitalistic war; in fact he
*Canal de la Somme.
+ Popularly known as "Tubby" Anthon.

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did not know what the Germans were fighting for and believed it (the war) would soon finish."
"We moved along the Sap (2 PM 30th) and found the machine gun fire more than we could go through to gain our hopping off mark, and, therefore we were delayed some considerable time. A patrol from No 1 platoon came back and went up a sap directly opposite the one we were in, and machine gun fire and artillery activity were too great to proceed. We therefore had to retire and go back into the big sap.
"Sergeant McNevin (No 1 platoon A coy) said: "I’ll settle those bastards" and he deliberately walked across the road to the machine gun post, threw a bomb into it killing three Germans; one was left and got away. He came back to the mob with a good lot of souvenirs and had a little conflab, and then immediately went back, and got two guns that were there and secured the ammunition as well; Bringing them back to the mob he said: "There you are, you bastards. I know nothing about a German guns so what are you going to do with them." We took them as souvenirs all this time 7 machine guns were playing on us from a post in advance; that was giving us all the trouble. With no 1 platoon leading, and the remainder

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of the Company following, we went up to put these machine guns out of action. They threw ‘potato mashers’* at us by the score which we took little or no notice of. We laid dormant for some time, and a message was sent back for reinforcements which arrived at a later time when we had captured the 7 guns, and 54 prisoners. (30th August) The Huns threw up their hands and cried and howled for mercy. An hour later, Mr Anthon with his walking stick in one hand, and his revolver in the other, the stick being no light weapon, came up and the prisoners begged his pardon at which he was very ‘indignant’ in fact he fired a shot out of his revolver over their heads which made them howl like a pack of hounds, and very nearly cry tears of blood. Calling his runner by the name of "Doc+" Mr Anthon said: you will be able to talk German by the time you have finished handing these’. The first thing after taking them was to ask could any of them speak English? Three or four rushed with their hands up intimating they could speak a little English, Mr Anthon having to use his stick as a baton to keep them from circling round, only ‘Doc’ and Mr Anthon being in the centre of the admiring circle. The Hun who
*The nickname for German stick bombs
+Morris was runner ad batman to Lieut Anthon the latter for his conspicuous bravery on this occasion was commended for a decoration which he subsequently received.

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could ‘talk English’ turned out to be a Sergeant-Major, and he did not ‘compre’ English well enough to converse; all he could do was to jabber. ‘Doc’ making another request, a lad about 16, one of the prisoners sprang out from the mob offering his services and crying out for some time, tried to mutter that he could talk English"
"After asking for ‘Souvenirs’ I received donations all round consisting of revolvers, ammunition in abundance, watches, photographs of Fraulines, and other things that may not be seen at Helensburg on the South Coast of N.S.W."
"After Mr Anthon asked me if I was ready to move off to Headquarters with the 54 prisoners (one man in charge of them!). We moved off to the Company Headquarters, the prisoners still begging Mr Anthon’s pardon, and wishing him every success and good luck, and calling him Kamerad and saying ‘Finish Var’. On arriving at Company Headquarters we were greeted by the O/C of the Company Lieut Barlow, who was as pleased as a dog with two tails; also meeting Lieut Gaurde, o/c ‘C" Coy, and Major Macdonald.* A guard was then detailed to take the prisoners to the cage in the rear."
*He was second in Command of 20th Battalion. The boys called him "Bluey" Mac (he had red hair) and praised him for his gallant behaviour in the battle.

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"At this time the troops happened to be hungry and had refreshments such as water, cheese, "Anzac Waifers’ and ‘dodger’* In the communication sap, ‘Elen Alley’ – the troops sat smoking as if nothing was the matter."
"On the morning of the 31st August, we proceeded to get on the tope after an exciting experience with all the prisoners. To start off with, we received a small issue of what is called "Black Charley" known as rum. One party went up Oflant Alley, and we crossed out and crawled along the road for about 200 yards. We stood straight up. The boys started off like a lot of squealing yelling hounds; one would have thought it was a stock yard broke loose. When we got to the first trench there were the 17th, 19th, and 20th men all mixed up. The officers were all singing out: "steady boys", till at last "A" company hero+ was passed a whistle, which was used for German gas alarms in their back area. After he blew this whistle there was not an eye turned to Fritz. It was simply all eyes to the Officer."
"We got tangled up in the wire about 100 yards from the Mount, and of course there was some small talk being used amongst the lads, but
*Bread
+ Lieut Anthon.

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after boots being ribboned, and trousers and tunics torn to shreds we wriggled through the wire. Our barrage was something terrible,* and a beautiful sight to see.- all due to the gallant second Division Artillery whose 18 pounders are very well known by Fritz. We were compelled to stop here until our barrage lifted. This was about 6 AM, and the boys were shaking hands & smoking cigarettes, the boys from the 17th, 19th, and 20th all old comrades in arms. They greeted one another to such an extent that you would have thought they were having a brothers meeting. Others chased out Fritzes at the point of the bayonet, and "souvenired" them and sent them back to the far area."
"When the barrage lifted sufficiently, word was passed to prepare to move. Cigarettes were thrown down, and replaced by rifle and bayonet, and we proceeded. Prisoners were being taken all the time, crying for mercy when we reached them, which they were shown. When we entered the village (of Mont St Quentin) there did not seem to be much opposition, as Fritz had lulled with his machine guns, and his artillery

*Incorrect apparently. Most of the evidence shows the "barrage" was weak, or spasmodic –

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quietened. We gained our objective. On making a search we found a party containing a doctor, 8 stretcher-bearers, and their cook, all huddled up in a dugout (German). Of course we called out for them to come out, and they came out with their arms up. The doctor held a hot Dixie of German coffee, which I took from his grip and said ‘thanks’, I being parched for something to wet my lips. All the Diggers mounting the road shouted: "after you Doc". You see, they thought it was rum I was issuing. Needless to say Fritz did not like parting with it, but thought it was as well to do so when he saw the victorious Australians surrounding him.
Sergeant Major Simpson of A Coy, went over with a patrol to clear up about 200 yards the other side of the objective. He said, "What oh Doc are you coming?" I said, "where? He said: "with this patrol". I said "bet your life I will be up there" After a refresher with a little more "Black Charlie". We made our way along the bank of a river, or canal du Nord, looking in every corner, dugout, and crevice with no success till we got up to our barrage which was still shelling very heavily. I said to the S.M. "I think this is

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far enough, as we will be I our own barrage, and may get stonkered." "On the road back, peeping Tom that I was, I put my head in a dugout, and found a German asleep Firing a shot over his head, he lifted his head, and the first words he uttered were: "Mercy Kamerad". I was about to proceed to the door of the dugout to "Souvenir" him, but found his pockets turned inside out, and without success looked for fire arms of any description, or any little souvenirs that might be of use in Australia. We marched him down to an unnamed road, and when S.M. Simpson threatened to stick him with the bayonet he would shiver and say "Mercy Kamerad", and up would go his hands every time. Of course this was only done to put the wind up him, and when we got to our objective, we told him to pass back. We then spotted two Germans sneaking along the railway bank. We sniped at them, but could not possibly hit them. Then we turned the machine gun on them, but they escaped unhurt. We went back then to join our Company, and reported to our officers "all mopped up."
"After discussing the whole affair, there was quietness for

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2 ½ hours, and of course the Diggers laid on the bank to see if Fritz would counter-attack in force, but he did not come then.
"Later he crawled down from the North side of the hill unseen, and this enabled him to get enfilade fire with machine guns on the road. He also used his anti-tank guns and his heavies. We had fairly heavy casualties as a result, and were obliged to move. We did so. Our outposts were stationed on the right and left of the road, and there was a dugout on the other* side of the road (above the road), and a word was sent back to "Doc" to see if the men were out of the dugout. But there were 5 men wounded lying there, and one of our Sergeants, dead. It was hard to leave and here I got scared from them, for Fritz had pretty well entered the ground. To my surprize I turned my head, and a Fritz was on one side of the dugout, and me on the other. Having no rifle, it had previously been blown to pieces I had no chance of fighting him out. I made for the door, where bullets were like hailstones; also his whizlybangs were falling. I got to the door, took a step to get my bearings, and found everybody had left the bank of the road. I made for a village+*, which I could see two or three men were running to. The next moment

*Sense somewhat confused here, but this is how Morris explained himself.
+Possibly Halle

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I looked and saw a revolver lying on the ground loaded. Thinking it might be handy I picked it up. As I picked it up Fritz was sniping at me from the door. Thinking I would turn round, and have a shot at him, to see if I could be lucky enough to fetch him, but I found it was no use, and made way to the village, getting a bullet through my tunic pocket, and knocking my equipment rotten. I had no idea of ever getting back to my comrades, but we were then placed in a trench by by the careful handling of Lieut Anthon. His head poked up out of the trench he said: "Come it "Doc" you old bastard; I thought you were killed! Twenty minutes from then, the 20th Battalion was ready for Fritz to attack, but he knew better as every man was prepared and posted."
"When the roll was called; of "A" Coy there were 17 men, and an officer out of 82 of all ranks, thinking that our luck was in. We waited for Fritz here till the 24th Battalion, after about 2 hours, came to our assistance, and prepared to hop over the following morning which they did, and met with every success and light casualties."
"As regards these men who were in the dugout wounded, after the 24th Battalion went through*, A Coy

*September 1st.

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Stretcher bearers, also S.M. Simpson proceeded to the dugout where they were left. On reaching it there were six Huns there, and S.M. Simpson lined them up into single file at the point of the pistol. While they investigated further, the wounded men were attended to."

F.J. Brewer

Address of Deponent
P Morris
Helensburg
South Coast
New South Wales

[Transcribed by June Pettit for the State Library of New South Wales]