Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Taylor war diary, 16 January 1916-22 July 1919 / Tom Taylor
MLMSS 3048

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Taylor, T. 30th Battn. – Wireless Sectn.

Memoirs. & Diary of.
My. Service in the A.I.F.

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Memoirs and Diary of my Service In the A.I.F

On the 16th of January 1916 having gained my mothers consent to enlist I made a trip from Hunters Hill to the Board of Health Chambers Circular Quay Sydney to offer my services in the A.I.F

Needless to say I passed the exam & returned to Hunters Hill to fix up all matters of business before going into camp which I did at Casula on the 8th of February the same year.

My four Comrades were A Blythinan L. Bell G Ruffles & P Shurman all of whom were my old schoolmates as far back as I can remember. We were all going into the Australian Light Horse but a fortnight after going into camp I was sent home on the sick list & while away my comrades passed the riding test and were transferred to the 1st Aust Camel Corps.

On my arrival back in

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camp I went for the first test in an effort to join them but found that out of 30 of us they only wanted 8 & my turn was about 25th. They gave us all a riding test but it was only to fill in time & long before my turn came the 8 were picked These included 4 Russian Sailors who gained preference before our own boys,

On arrival back in camp I made up my mind with a few more that we would volunteer the following day for the infantry & 3 days later were drafted from Casula to Liverpool camp. Here I was put into the 5th Rein of the 30th Battalion & a few days later into the 6th Reinfs of 30 which made no difference as we were both to sail on the same boat.

We stayed in Liverpool Training & going through all the necessary Drilling until the afternoon of the 8th of April

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when we left for the Sydney Show Ground to catch our boat on the 9th (the following day). All the way from the Central Station to the Show Domain the Roads was lined with people & we had all the difficulty in the world to get through as everybody seemed to want to shake hands or kiss us goodbye.

When we Reached the Domain we were sorted out & lined up on parade & reviewed by Col. Ramachotti the District Commodant who made a speech wishing us the "Best of Luck" Etc & A safe Return & numerous other things about nothing at all. I was while on this parade that I caught sight of my mother on the edge of the crowd & succeeded in attracting her attention.

After a march past we were taken to the Show Ground & told we could break off till

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Eleven (11) pm. I had succeeded on the way down in telling mother where to meet me so I lost no time in getting to her. This was going to be my last couple of hours with her for for – well I did not know how long but for all that, neither of us gave war a thought, we were out to enjoy ourselves while the time lasted.

At 10-45 pm having seen mother to her Hotel I said Goodnight & told her to be outside the gate at 4 30 am where I could see her as we marched out: As I was going out she called me back & said, "I may miss you in the morning Tom so Ill say Good Bye now & God bless you Son. This was absolutely the hardest moment of my life but mother was one of the bravest & although not a tremble escaped while I was there to upset me I know she cried herself to sleep that night. "If you should meet Jim

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Give him my Fondest love" She said as I closed the door to go out. Jim was my only & eldest Brother & was a regular soldier in England when the war broke out.

I went back to camp that night feeling Anyhow & next morning when we marched out I was on the outside of the column where I could not miss seeing mother had she been there. But she was not & I thanked the Lord she was not, as it spared both of us that parting again. The scenes at the boat were something awful & I gave a sigh of relief when I was safe on board the A71 H.M.A.T. Nestor.

About 6 am everybody was on board the ropes were cast off & we were tugged out into mid-harbour. Talk about streamers & ribbons there were about 3 to each one & a few to spare. I caught one but my thoughts were father away then there whoever was on the other end of

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of that streamer.

We pulled out a few hundred yards & lay off until steam was up ready to sail. Dozens of Launches circled round the boat & as I afterwards found out one contained my mother. However I did not see her & at one pm we weighed anchor & started our long Journey. How we watched the Heads fade away behind us, & as to our thoughts Ill leave them to be guessed, but my own were right back with my Little Old Home.

The next thing that looked like troubling me was sea Sickness but strange to say, although Id never been outside the Heads before I was never troubled with it at all. All the way through the the Bight we encountered heavy weather, but once through there the weather continued fine all the way. The last we seen of Dear old Ausie was Cape Lenin

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& when that faded away on the distant horizen we just settled down to await events.

All this time nobody knew where we were going as Gallipoli was over & our boys were all in Egypt. A great majority favoured Messopotamia & nobody gave France a thought. It was shortly after leaving Lenin that word was received that we were to receive orders at Suez, & then Rumours began to float, England, France, & goodness only knows where we were not bound for.

3 weeks after Leaving Sydney we Sighted Colombo & the boys looked forward to a day or two ashore to stretch their legs & get something different to ship’s food, although on the whole we had nothing to grumble about all the way over. The next morning after dropping Anchor at Colombo we were taken ashore & marched to the Imperial Barracks Where we had some food and were able

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to get some cigarettes. There is no getting away from the fact that the Tommy Garrison gave us a real good time here & we were sorry when the time came for us to be marched back to the boat.

Next day we were up early & all looking spick & span as there looked a chance of being independent leave ashore for the day but the time went on & no word came along so the boys decided to take things into their own hands. There were a number of coal & water lighters moored to our boat & some of these had been emptied. Before anyone could tell what was happening, the crowd had taken possession of these & away we went ashore to have a good look at Colombo.

Colombo itself is divided into 2 parts The native quarter & the white quarter. For 1/- you can go for miles in a Rickshaw & the Races we had in

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these vehicles were very funny. By the way a Rickshaw is like a small Light Sulky Drawn by a nigger. When we tired of this we decided to go down & have a look at the native markets. Here for 1/- you could purchase a tree of sugar bananas that many, that it took one man all his time to carry it, & that night when we went back to the boat weary & worn out, but never-the-less happy, we felt that we had eaten a mountain.

Next morning we left Colombo & set out for our next stop Suez. The weather from Lenin had been delightful all the way to Colombo but now it was awfully hot, & we were all getting as brown as the niggers themselves. The sea was as smooth as glass & now & again a solitary ripple & a black fin showed

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where a shark was following the ship.

We had gramophones & plenty of Records, cards, & numerous games so we were not short of amusement, & although we were not allowed any lights for fear of Submarines, we thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

4 days after leaving Colombo we sighted Smoke on the Horizon to the Stern & later we found out that this was the HMAT "Ceramic" carrying the 17th of the 1st 2nd 3rd & 4th Battalions.

On the morning of the 8th of May we sighted Suez & at 4 pm we pulled into the Suez Canal with the Ceramic just behind us. She would have beat us easily only for stopping twice on the way to bury two of the boys who had died of meningitis. We stopped in Suez one night but were not allowed ashore & next morning entered the canal itself on the way to Pt. Said.

Never shall I forget this

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sight, as on each side were nothing but barren wastes of sand hills & here & there a solitary Palm tree reared its head like some great King. And it was in this land that our boys guarded the canal, for all along both sides of the canal were the camps, while further out beyond our sight from the boat, were the long lines of trenches in the hot baking Sun.

There is one thing I can say & I took particular notice that these boys looked just as much at home & just as cheerful as you see them in everyday life in Australia. Cries of "Where are you from", & "Who are you", were like the croaks of a pond full of frogs.

We stopped for a while at one place going through, as the Turkish Aeroplanes were bombing the canal further along, & a few of us took this opportunity of swimming

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ashore & having a yarn to the boys, & also to find out if they knew where we were likely to be bound for. Here we found out that most of the ones arriving about this time went to a place called Tel-El-Kebir, where there was a big training camp & which was situated about 100 miles from Nowhere in the middle of the Desert. About an hour after stopping we got "all Clear", & away we went again.

Next morning we entered the Harbour at Port Said & Dropped Anchor among all sorts of craft; from French Submarine Chasers to Big British Cruisers & Dreadnoughts. No sooner had we dropped anchor; than word was received that we were to disembark, & for an hour or two everything was hurry & bustle.

About 11 am we left the "Nestor" & were taken down to a small railway siding

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Just off the wharf, where we were counted off 20 to a small truck that in ordinary times held about 6 comfortably. Never in my life will I forget that ride as we only went about 2 miles per week, & as for Rails, I do not think they used them on that line as the bumping was something awful & the squealing was enough to deafen anyone.

Every here & there along the track were small camps of Ausies & the frequent cries of "Where From" could be faintly heard above the moans of the train. I dont think they got much satisfaction from us anyway, as we were just about full of soldiering & we had just started. While the Sun was shining I think, to be exact, the Temperature was 129°, but as Soon as the sun went down it felt about 1° to us in that open truck.

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About midnight we pulled into a small railway siding and by the dim light of a few oil lamps we made out the name on the white notice boards Tel-El-Kebir Camp. As dreary as it looked we were that way we were very glad to be at the end of that Journey & when we were told to "Get out at the Hick", we just grabbed our equipment & kit bags & fell out.

From there we were marched about 4 miles through the camp, carrying all our possessions & about 2 am we just staggered into what was known as the Quarantine camp. Here, after a snack of something to eat, we were told we could turn in & have a sleep & I just fell down on the sand where I was with my mate Nugget Lyons & in a few seconds we were fast asleep.

Next morning when I awoke the Sun was well up & we were

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thinking of something to eat, but here we were disappointed as we found nobody would have anything to do with us, as we were not on the camp strength for 2 days. Anyway we were all well up in money & were able to purchase a few things from the canteens & YMCAs around the camp.

We put in the first couple of days & nights OK until we were put into tents & then we began to feel a few of the pests of Egypt. The mosquitos came first, not ordinary mosquitos like you see in Australia but about 4 times as big & they used to come in droves. I have heard them in the top of the tent humming so loud that often they have been taken for an aeroplane going over. I believe it was said, "one fellow woke up & found 2 of them shifting his

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blanket off him to get a good bite", but that must be taken with a pinch of salt. Never the less I wouldn’t Doubt it, & I never want to see any of their brand again

The next pest were the "Gippos" themselves who were there rending Doughnuts and oranges & a few other things in the eating line. I dont know what the Doughnuts were made of but Judging from the way these fellows were always around the cookhouse refuse tins, I should say our scraps had something to do with them. They were there last thing at night & at daylight in the morning crying "Doughnuts 2 for 1 Piastre" & "Oranges 2 for ½"

It was awfully funny to see a couple of Ausies clad in nothing but a shirt chasing a couple of these pests across the sandy Drill grounds. Many a morning they were caught & their

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baskets taken from them, but never-the-less they were there again next morning as large as life, with a fresh lot.

By now we were all getting used to the climate & as black as the niggers themselves, faces, arms, & legs, as we only used to wear a short sleeved shirt & short trousers nearly to our knees. The boys knew me as "Corporal Abdul" as I used to wear a small Army issue forage cap & had gained the exalted position of Lance Corporal in my reinforcement. I drank more water than I ever did in my life before, but later on we were but on the allowance of 2 pints to wash shave & drink & I can tell you many a time 6 of us washed in 2 pints of water, to make it last.

I don’t know how we should have got on for amusement if it had not been for the pictures & YMCA Concerts & although

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I wouldn’t give 2d to go & see them here, they were more acceptable in those days than a night at "Her Majestys" would be now. The food on the whole was not too bad as long as you kept it covered with a sheet of paper, but it was a common occurrence to drink ones tea & find about an inch of sand in the bottom of your Dixie, or take a mouth full of Bacon or potato & think you had a mouth full of sand. The flies were very bad too & you were very lucky if you got your tea down safely without about a dozen falling in, but Anyhow we soon got used to these little things & settled right down to business.

Parades were held from 4 am to 9 am & 4 pm to 6 pm, as it was utter suicide to try and drill in the middle of the day for the heat, which at times was terrific, 137° being registered in the shade for one

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day while we were there. Bayonet exercises, marching, saluting & assault were all gone through, & although they were not very heavy it was enough to make us very tired, as it was all done in the loose sand.

I experienced two sand-storms while I was there & it was look after your food then. The only thing to do was get in the tents & wait till it finished & in both cases, down came the tents on top of us as the pegs would not hold in the loose sand.

Except for a few little incidents such as these, everything went along OK until the night of the 3rd of June, when our Sergeant came & poked his head into the tent & told us Reveille would be at 3 am next morning to pull down all our tents as we were moving to England to undergo training before going to France.

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Nobody slept at all that night & the row of the singing was something awful but who cared, we were only to pleased to get away from that Land of Sand, Sun, & Sorrow, to where people spoke our own language.

Next morning we were up bright & early, & packed all our kit bags, cleaned our equipment, & got everything ready for our Journey. Breakfast was over at 4 am & then we set too to pull down all our tents, roll them up & clean up anything else in the way of rubbish, for although this was only a desert it had to be left just as it was in the first place.

About 3 pm we had finished and were just about tired out so we went down to where our equipment was stacked & made ready to move off. This was 3 pm

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and we sat there or slept with our packs for pillows till 10 pm. when a start was made. By one (1) am we were in the trucks again but I think there were only 15 in each truck this time & the niggers had oiled the wheel Boxes a bit so we got a bit of sleep.

About 1.30 am we pulled out onto the main line & said Good-bye to Tel-El-Kebir. By the way it was at Tel-El-Kebir that Kitchener fought his first big battle in the Egyptian War where later on he got the title & name "Kitchener of Khartoum". About 3 am we passed through Zag-A-Zig where we bought some bread & cooked eggs, & after this the first thing I remember was Young Nugget shaking me with a drink of hot tea & "saying wake up its 6 am".

About 10 am we pulled into some big station with a

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long name where we got something else to eat & where we were able to get out & stretch our legs a bit. About midday we pulled into Alexandria & were run right on to the wharf where the boat, which was to take us to England, was moored. This was the NZ "H.M.T. Franconia" a Cunard Liner of 43000 tons and as it afterwards turned out this was her last trip as she was torpedoed on her return journey to Egypt.

About 3 pm we were all on board, 4500 troops, & at 5.30 pm we pulled out into the Mediteranean with a Destroyer as escort. There were 5 troop decks on the Franconia & I was down on the bottom one below water level & had we been torpedoed, we never stood a dogs chance of getting out, as there was only 1 single flight of stairs to let 400 men get

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up on to the next deck where there was another 600. Everywhere we went we had carry life belts & anyone caught without his life belt was in for serious trouble.

One little incident that occurred while on this boat happened at dinner time on the 6th day from Alexandria. We were all sat down at the tables on this particular day & everybody had his life belt at his feet under the table, when all of a sudden there was an unearthly Bang! You should have seen those boys, myself included, we just took one summersalt & we were in our belts & all jambed on the stair case trying to get on deck. When we did get there they told us it was alright that they had only fired at a barrel for practice with the Big Six inch gun which we carried on the stern for protection.

The padre told us another tale when we landed in England but that comes later. It was

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just about this time that word was received of Lord Kitcheners Death & that afternoon we all held a memorial service & stood to attention while the Last Post was sounded over the Water.

The food on the Franconia was not too good & on one occasion we buried the pudding & Butter with full Military honours, & we would have buried the lot, if it had not been for not being able to get any more.

On the morning of the 15th of June we were all up bright and early & found ourselves in the harbour at Plymouth & how different it looked to Suez & those places. The Green hills glistening with dew in the early sunrise & the numerous chimneys of the city just beginning to smoke. The morning was very cold & most of us were wrapped up in overcoats & mufflers & even then we felt it, through being used to Egypt. About

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9 am a tug came out to towed us up the river as far as Devonport where we disembarked at about 10.30 am.

Ours was the first transport of Australian Infantry & Line troops to arrive in England & an enormous crowd turned out to see us land, and every now and again somebody would ask "Do you know so & so in Sydney" as if Sydney was about 4 houses. One woman was heard to say "Why they are white I thought the Australians were all Blackfellows."

Never-the-less the name our boys had earnt on the cliffs at Gallipoli & Lone Pine was well known in England & we were given many a cheer before we were put in a train to go to Salisbury Plains. And these were trains, just the opposite to Egypt as we had 2nd Class corridor carriages equal to our first in Australia & only 8 men

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to a compartment.

All along the line wherever we stopped we were looked after by the ladies of the town & Cakes, Tea, & Cigarettes, & fruit were very plentiful. The card below is one that was given to each of us by the Mayoress of Exeter where we were going through & with it was a meal fit for a King.

[Photograph of G. M. Lyons with the following caption.]
Owing to the card being misplaced I am filling this space with my pal G.M. Lyons.

There is no getting away from the fact that the women of England took the place of our own mothers & girls 13000 miles away & looked after us as if they had known us all their lives & I defy anybody to say otherwise.

It was about 9 pm. when we ran into the small station of Aylsbury on Salisbury Plains & were told this was the end of our Journey by train.

It did not take us long to fall in & very soon we were swinging

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through the Pretty country village singing songs that we had heard before we left Australia & all in high spirits at being somewhere where we could buy the necessities of life & speak in our own language. Most of the way to the camp the roads were lined with Trees & though it was now 8 30 to 9 pm the sun was still up owing to the Daylight Saving Bill, then in Execution. The weather was delightfully warm while the sun was shining but the nights were very chilly.

About 9.15 pm we arrived at Rollestone Camp where we were put in to huts (30 in a hut) and by 10 pm we had had our tea & were asleep in bed. 3 blankets per man were issued out, & by two of us sleeping together we managed to sleep very comfortably. Stoves were also on Issue 2 per hut & as the coal

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was very plentiful we were never cold.

Next morning we were up with "Reveille", had breakfast, and at 9.30 were called out on parade, where camp orders were read out, Bounderies Etc made known, & other things too numerous to mention. The following days were days of hard training with Rifle & Bayonet & later with Bombs.

6 am, Reveille, out on parade, for physical exercises, 7.30 breakfast, 9 am parade, 12 30 Dinner, 2 pm, parade till 4 pm, then if one wasnt on Guard or fatigue, have tea & go for a walk, or to the pictures, or a concert, or Down to the YMCA & write home.

Canteens were very plentiful where we could get cigarettes Etc, & where a hot meal could be had up till 11 pm at night & as you may guess this part of the business was well patronised especially after about a 10 mile walk round the the surrounding

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country & villages.

just on the hill a matter of about a mile from our camp stands the Stone Henge, a well know curio of England, & many a time we passed it on our way for a Stroll.

On the 26th of June word came out that 4 days leave would be granted to 50% of the camp for the purpose of visiting London, and I was one of the lucky ones that got in early & got a pass from the 28th June to midnight on the 1st July & away I went to London free for 4 whole days.

My Brother was in Camp at Wimbledon at this time & it was there that I was making for, as I was dying to see him & give him all the news from home. I had written him a letter on my arrival in England & found out his exact address so I should have no trouble in

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locating him when the time came & now here we were in the train going to London & in a few hours I would be with him for 4 days

Everyone was happy & singing until we got into the Suburbs when we all got to the windows to acknowledge the waves & shouts of people all along the line & on the stations as we flew through

About 11 am we got out of the train at Waterloo Station London & were marched round to Australian Head Quarters Horseferry Rd Not far from Waterloo Bridge & Westminster Abbey. There we were addressed by some Staff Officer on Saluting, Soldierly appearances, & numerous other things, the Riot Act was read to us & we were then taken round & paid whatever money was due us.

Offices for any information at all about London were there for the use of the troops & it took us no time to find out

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where we wanted to go & what took us there. From Horseferry Rd we went to the Strand where we got in the Tube Railway at Charring Cross to go to Wimbledon. By the way I forgot to mention Len Lyons ("nugget’) was with me all the time as we had decided to stick together right through the piece.

It was not till about 4 pm that we got to Wimbledon Camp & I went to the Sergeants mess & inquired for my Brother Sergt Jim Taylor. They told me he was not in with his men so I stood outside the Hut talking to Nugget & wondering what he would say when he saw me.

Although I had never seen him in my life before I knew him as soon as he came round the corner, & I simply went up to him & said "Hullo Jim Hows things." Poor old Jim he was that pleased to see me, I never thought he would never let go

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my hand again, then off he rushed to get leave to go into London for the night, & before many minutes he was back again ready.

After having tea at the Golden cross Hotel in the Strand we decided to go to the Hippodrome as there were some very extra special turns on at the time & not having seen a decent place of amusement since leaving Australia, we did not argue the point much.

It cost us 7/6 each for seats, all that was left but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves & after supper we went to bed, And what a bed, I thought it was a shame to spoil it by getting into it & although I was dead tired I was too comfortable & the bed too soft, to go to sleep for quite a long while.

Next morning I woke up about 10 am & went & had a hot bath & shower, Another luxury after the Army showers, & then went to look

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for Nugget. Of course I found him where I expected, asleep in bed, & if I had left him there he’d have slept all day, but I just pulled him out & we went & had Breakfast.

All that day we put in looking round London, The National Art Gallery, Westminster Abbey, The British War Museum Etc, & numerous other sights that abounds in London. At 4.30 pm we again met Jim & we went down to Hyde Park to Listen to the Grenadier Guards Band & to lie on the Grass & talk of home.

That night we all went to the pictures for a change, & after Supper went home again. The next day being Sunday; we did not get up until Late and then went for a stroll before meeting Jim at 2 pm, when we went for a run round in a Taxi. And so we spent the first leave in London & were very sorry when the time came to go back to the Dull

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routine of camp life again & it just seemed like leaving the outside world & going into one of our own.

Before leaving Jim I told him not to Volunteer for the "overseas Service", as one of us was enough at a time, and I knew that before very long now I should be on draft and over "The Other Side of the Creek" [The Channel]

It was a weary down-hearted lot that walked into the camp that night, but never the less we were very glad when we crawled into our hard beds, as it was about 1 am and we had had a fair walk from the train.

Next morning we were up with the crowd & our trip to London was no more than a dream of the past, as we were soon back into the old groove of Drill day after day getting ready for when we crossed the Channel.

On the morning of the 8th July I received word from Jim that as I was soon going over now he had decided he

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would not stay in England & he was now on 8 days final leave before Sailing for Salonica, & he asked me to apply for a couple of days to see him before he went.

Straight away I wrote out my application & and attached his letter & that afternoon I left the camp once more on 6 days special leave to Manchester where Jim lived. Nugget applied for leave to accompany me but was refused leave on the grounds of having no relations as in my case.

It was late that night when I arrived at Liverpool street station, Manchester, but having sent Jim a wire that I was coming & time of the train, he was waiting at the barrier for me when I walked out & before long I was sitting down to a good hot feed which I was sadly in need of as Id had nothing to eat since 12 noon, & it was now about midnight.

Next morning I was up

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in good time & Jim took me round to show me all the places of Interest, for this being my Mothers & Fathers native City, there were a few places I was glad to see.

I had the experience of going over one of the biggest cotton mills, "The Warwick.", in England & it simply flattened me to see the machinery in that building, & the process the cotton goes through is simply wonderful. The cotton goes in one end from the bales & comes out 6 floors up on reels ready for the shops. Of course there are girls on every floor looking for & mending breaks Etc, but still not doing anything in the way of Spinning.

I think I can safely say I was the first Australian to get out to Middleton, a suburb of Manchester, and many were the arguments I heard as to what nationality I was, or from what Dominion I came. Some said I was a Yank, Canadian, or South African, in fact anything but an Ausie.

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Anyway we are well known there now so what’s the use of grumbling.

While on this Leave we went to Bellevue Gardens, one of the Pleasure resorts of manchester & something like the White City of Sydney only on a larger scale and not white. And so things went on, every day something new until the 17th Jim was due back in Camp, so we left Manchester together for London where I said Good-bye to Jim & away we went for our respective Camps.

When I arrived back to Lark Hill, (I forgot to mention we had now shifted to Larkhill), I found that Nugget had got into trouble with the Sergt Major & was in the Guard Room so I had lost my pal, but although I missed him very much I knew any of the boys, so was never without Company.

On 21st July we learnt that the 5th Aust. Division had been terribly cut up at Fromelles on the 19th of July,

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2 days before, suffering 9000 casualties in 11 hours fighting, and as we were their first Reinforcements we were soon to get a move on & fill the gaps in their ranks. Then followed strenuous days of training, Bombing, Practice Shooting, & Bayonet Drill, & every one knew that his life depended on these things, besides the ones he had left behind so we settled down to do our best.

About the 21st of August the 7th of the 30th, & 1st of 53rd, 54th, 55th, & 56th, Battalions marched into camp & among them were several of the old boys I had known at home. By now the draft list was out & we were soon to get a move on so everything was hurry getting all deficiencies in kit & equipment Etc, & in our spare time writing home & going to see any of the boys who had just arrived with the latest news of our own home towns.

On 23rd of August word came

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out we were leaving next morning and on the morning of the 24th we mustered on parade ready to fall in & march off. About 8 of my old Pals were there to see me off; one being killed later in the game at Walcourt. & nearly all the others being wounded once or twice in different battles.

About 3 pm we marched off to the tune of "So Long Lettie" & "Boys of the Dardenelles" & after a night in the train we embarked on a channel Troop ship on the 25th at Folkestone. So this was good-bye England & how we watched the white cliffs of the coast fade out of sight & we wondered if we should ever see them in the future, for we knew full well what we were going to & before long we would be right in it.

About 3 pm that afternoon we entered Etaples The Aust Base Camp in France where we were told that we must have 8 days in the "Bull Ring" one of the hardest

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and roughest training places in the war. Everybody who went "up the line" must pass through this testing Camp in Bayonet Drill, Bombing, & Gas, & numerous other things that one had to know in the "Big Game". Here too were the Base hospitals, and every day the Hospital trains came in carrying the wounded by the score.

By the way the first thing that greeted us when we got off the boat at Boulogne, was a long string of Ambulances discharging their cargo of wounded on to a Hospital ship for England, and it was then we knew the game was in Ernest.

Marching every morning from our camp to the Bull Ring we had to pass the big cemetry where the little wooden Crosses told us: this was where thousands of our boys both Tommies & Ausies, Canadians & New Zealanders were taking their last long rest & they were still pouring in.

We passed this later on again but it now

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covered acres & every 6’ by 3 held a soldier. Day by Day for the 8 days we were there we passed these things but nobody took any notice, it was only a soldier, yet somewhere a mother or relations were sad at the loss of a loved one, but to us it was war & any day in the next few days we may be out ourselves.

On the 2nd of September we left Etaples after having got issued with a Service Rifle Bayonet & Ammunition and boarded a train for Armentieres where our battalion was in action, and I cannot say we enjoyed that trip. In ordinary horse boxes that holds 8 horses they put 40 men with Rifles & Equipment, so you can understand there was not much room to rush round and we were only too pleased when we arrived at some stopping place to get out & stretch our legs abit.

About 6 pm we arrived at "[Hazebruick]" where we took leave of the train & were

[Page 45]
told to fall in as we were nearly to our destination, and next day we would very likely be into the war. From Hazebruick we marched by road to the little village of Saille where we were put into an old Brick Foundry to stay the night.

[Photograph of H.M.A.T. "Nestor."]

Everything was dead quiet and war seemed miles away so we just strolled into the village itself to have a look round as we had not yet had the experience of being in a french village to purchase anything and become aquainted with the French manners & customs.

As luck would have it I fell in with one of the boys I had known earlier in the game & who had

[Page 46]
Joined the battalion up in Egypt, and he took me round & showed me quite a lot of things and learnt me a few small sentences in French that were very handy, as I knew not one word. By the way, my pal Len Lyons had been left in England over the Sergt Major trouble so I was still on my own.

[Souvenir Card with the following words]
Greetings from across the sea
"Nestor."

[Caption]
"Farewell Message" souvenir card of the "Nestor" A71

As we were going back to our billets about 9 pm I noticed a flash here & there along the skyline to the North-west & every now & again a dull "Boom" sounded in the distance and my companion notified me that they were the guns "just wakening up". By the time we reached home the flashes were very frequent and we sat up watching them for quite a long while

[Page 47]
[Card]
From Lance Corporal T. Taylor
Australian Expeditionary Forces,
On Active Service Abroad,
To
My Dear Mother
With Best Love

For the sake of those I dearly love,
And in the cause of Liberty,
I’ve left my southern sunny home,
And crossed the wide and trackless sea.

Heaven guard and bless you, dearest one,
Whilst I in foreign hands may roam;
Though I am absent in the flesh,
My tenderest thoughts are of my home.

Good luck to you whilst I’m away;
I know the parting cost you pain;
My earnest prayer from day to day is
God be with you till we meet again.

[Page 48]
[Reverse of card – small sketch of kangaroo]
At the Front.

[Page 49]
and wondering what it really felt like to be up among the fighting in the front line. War or no war we slept very well that night and were up next morning thinking & expecting any moment to be told to get ready to go up the line but no word came so we had still another day to ourselves.

Next day we left Saille & went to the old Rope factory Armentieres well within range of the enemys Guns.

That night I was put on fatigue with the Ration truck on the light railway to Convent Corner & this was my first taste of war. After nearly getting blown up with a small shell, of which Reg Harrie got a peice in his leg & was invalided back to England, we had several exciting times dodging Machine Gun Bullets, and I often laugh to think how we used to drop when we heard the rattle of the gun although he was not shooting at us at all, but we soon got used to it and I began

[Page 50]
to think if this was war, it was not too bad after all.

It was here that we had the pleasure of knowing "Parapet Joe", a German machine Gunner, supposed to be the cleverest Gunner of his day & woe betide anybody who had his head above the parapet when Joe opened up. I think the only other trouble was "mineweifers," or large trench mortor bombs, used by Fritz but they could be seen coming so we didn’t mind them at all.

Our Dugouts were very comfortable, mostly cement; in fact the trenches themselves were high class, as Fritz had been such a long time without disturbing us that they had made them into a real home. Our only cobbers were the big rats that used to walk along the parapet in the moonlight looking for spare scraps of food that we might throw over that way.

It was about now that rumours began to get round that the Ausies were going down to the

[Page 51]
Somme, and when on the 12th of Oct the advance guard of the New Zealanders came in we knew things were not far wrong. On the 14th of October we were releived by the main body of New Zealanders and went back to Strazelle where we were to reorganise & take more reinforcements to bring us up to strength.

It was while at Strazelle that we voted on the first conscription Issue & what I voted was what the rest voted as we knew Australia was free when we left & we were going to keep it free.

The day after going into billets here we received word of where we were going & what was on the books when we got there. We were going down to Somme to participate in a big attack or "Stunt" very shortly, and as we had heard from the N.Zs. it was no picnic, we just had to prepare for the worst.

On the 18th of October we left Strazelle marching by road to Bailleul, where we once more boarded the train

[Page 52]
that was to take us to the Somme.

Once more we were in the same old cattle trucks, bumping, squeaking & scraping, until Somme or no Somme we wished the journey over. All the way down we passed through stations & past old fashioned farm houses where the old French folk waved a greeting & made grim signs which conveyed to us to kill every german we met.

It had been about 10 am when we entrained at Bailleul and about 7 pm we pulled into Longpre & were told this was the end of our train journey. Bitterly cold, a semi Gale blowing, & raining a treat, we were told to fall in as we had to march a matter of 5 kilometres to a place called Bussy, and after a lot of running round & unnecessary talking on part of the officers, we got a move on.

We were carrying at this time our Rifles, Equipment, full packs, overcoats, 2 Blankets, 100 Rounds of Ammunition, & a spare pr of

[Page 53]
new boots, besides occasionally having to take a turn on a range finder Our equipment etc without the Range finder weighed about 75 lbs per man so you can guess it was no light weight. Wet through, nearly dead with the cold, & hungry as wolves we staggered along the road counting the posts, 5 kilos, 6 kilos, 7 kilos. Surely we must be near it now.

Every here and there someone would stagger out to the side of the road unable to go any further, while all along the road were boots, blankets, overcoats, & ammunition by the thousand. Every now & then an officer would come up on horse-back & say "Stick to it boys youre nearly there" & although we were nearly exhausted we generally had enough go in us to "howl him down."

The Padre was a very decent sort and gave up his horse early in the march to a couple of the boys who were suffering from

[Page 54]
sore feet & he walked with the rest of us till the end of the march, but he was not carrying any rifle or Equipment although at times he gave someone a spell on theirs.

At 1 am we were still plodding along & by this time we had covered 16 kilometres or 10 miles, and it was about this time the Colonel discovered he was lost & then things went anyhow. Somebody fired 2 shots that were said to be fired at the colonel but nobody took any notice of them & nobody knows who by whom they were fired.

After going another 2 kilos myself & Tim Quinn decided to drop out as we were just on our last gasp and the battalion by now was only about ¼ strength, the rest being all along the road for miles back. It was still raining so we crawled under the shelter of a haystack & wet as we were, with our packs for a pillow we were soon sound asleep.

It was just

[Page 55]
day break when we awoke with our officer poking us in the ribs with his cane, & he told us the battalion, or I should say the remnants of the battalion, were only 1 kilometre further along in Bussy. He gave us a couple of Army Biscuits & a peice of cheese and I dont think I ever enjoyed a feed like I did that one as small as it was & as hard as the biscuits were.

Once more picking up our equipment we pushed on & in about ½ an hour we joined up our battalion again, the first 2 to get in & in plenty of time for breakfast, which we felt very much inclined for when it came along "Bacon & Tea".

The was no parade for the boys that day as we were too tired, so we just put our blankets out to dry and slept the greater part of the day. We stayed at Bussy for 3 days & on the morning of the 4th we marched 2 miles where we caught Motor Busses that took us to

[Page 56]
Ribemont, not far from Albert. On this trip we passed through the city of Ameins where later on I spent 2 days leave & which in the latter part of the war, we were to defend in one of the hottest battles on the western front.

At Ribemont we stayed one night, and next morning 22nd of October we were told to put everything in our packs except 1 Blanket, our equipment, Rifle, & Ammunition, also our overcoats and waterproof sheets, as our packs were going to be stored away while we were up the line.

About 8 am we left Ribemont & started for Mametz Wood, which was well in the battle area, where we were to spend one night before going into the Line at Flers to relieve the Tommies who were then in occupation. The march from Ribemont was uneventful until we arrived at Mametz when a couple of coal boxes or High explosive schrapnel shells went overhead with a whiz & a Bang.

[Page 57]
& woke us up to the fact that there was indeed a war on here.

That night we camped on Montauban Hill & talk about sardines, they have a good time to us that night but as the weather was now getting bitterley cold we managed to sleep fairly well. Next morning we were up & had something to eat, then filed past a ration dump to get 1 tin of Bully beef & some buscuits to see us through the day & about 11 am we filed out of the camp on our way into the support line at Flers.

It was now we began to get a taste of what the Somme mud was like for along the Montauban – Burnafay Road the traffic was one long continuous line, and what with the recent rains, the road was one long line of mud holes. By the time we got off that road we were sights worth seeing, splashed with mud from head to foot from the big motor lorries but still smiling. One did not have to

[Page 58]
[Hand sketched map showing roads, railway, trenches, front line, dumps, walks, and guns]

[Page 59]
[Blank page]

[Page 60]
look twice to see that there had been a war on and also that it was not very far away now as an occasional "Rubber Heel Percy" went over & burst with crash over Cosy Corner X Roads.

Here & there had once stood a village or farmhouse, but now the only thing that marked where they had stood was a crumpled bit of Iron Gate or a few bits of half Bricks scattered to the four winds of the earth. Now we were passing an old cemetry but like everything else this had gone long ago the only things that were left standing was a half Tombstone & the Crucifix that stood in the corner of every French Cemetery.

Just on our right a big Naval Gun reared its muzzle high into the air and few seconds there was a deafening crash and a shrill whistling that grew fainter & fainter, as the shell went away into the clouds towards Fritz. "Shelling Baupaume Railway Station", a tommy informed us and we

[Page 61]
didn’t doubt his word at all.

Now we passed through a wood but it was a wood no longer, as the trees were splintered and dead with the shells that had been hurled into it when the fighting had passed over that spot and all it was good for now was firewood as soon as the line was far away enough to use it.

Everywhere one looked was barren desolation and mud & shell-holes while every here and there a steel helmet with a gaping hole in the top, a smashed Rifle butt, a broken bayonet, or a smashed up Machine Gun, told where someone had put up a game fight for his life.

Leaving the Main Rd we crossed a bit of a valley between the ridges and here we found battery after battery of heavy howitzers, while now and again to the right or left a stray Sixty pounder would belch a solitary shot then close up again.

[Page 62]
Everybody seemed busy about here cleaning the guns, unloading ammunition, Rations, [indecipherable], and all sorts of things that must be used in a place like this.

After crossing this space we no longer went overland as the Hun now had the country ahead of this point under his vision and it would have been suicide to attempt crossing it with a body of men, so we now entered the Communication Sap. known as "Fish Alley", And Fish Alley it was too.

For a hundred yards or so the going was good but after that it was anyhow, walking along on the duckboards with which it was paved thinking of "the Girl you left behind" or something else, when all of a sudden you go down, duck board & all, up to your knees or thighs in nice yellow sloppy mud & as cold as ice.

Next thing, you would tread on one & it would fly up & if it didn’t hit you in the face, it would cover you in mud

[Page 63]
I was carrying a bag of Mills Grenades, being then a bomber, and I cannot say I enjoyed the trip at all. It was go on 50 yards, stop & crouch into the side to let someone pass, go on 10 more yards, stop again to pull someone out of the mud, another 10, & stop to let the Ration party go past.

Every now and again the sight of my Rifle would catch in a telephone wire, and nearly break my back with the sudden jerk as I stopped. Keeping ones eyes on the wires overhead, the next thing would be your feet tangled in the ones that had fallen down, and several times I just managed to save myself a nice mud bath, head first.

Every now and again a "Coal box" would hum over the sap to burst with a bang and a whistle of flying metal among the batteries on the ridge just behind. For about 2 miles we went through this sap. This taking about 2 hours when on rounding

[Page 64]
a bend in the Sap we came onto Flers Trench where we were to go into support for 3 days before "hopping the bags." There we releived the Irish Guards. Division, B Company going into "Reserve" & A & C Companys going into the front line, while D Company which was ours stayed in Support.

After the Tommies had departed we set to work to make dugouts out of side of the trench roofing them with waterproof sheets or whatever we could find. About 5 pm we settled down to eat some bully & Buscuits, all the food we had with us.

By now Fritzies & our guns were beginning to get busy and with crash after crash his heavies burst in Flers Village and in the Dip in Front and all along the Ridge behind searching for our batteries. From the rear the long Deep Booms of the Howitzers, & the Whippy Bark of our 18 pounders in front told

[Page 65]
us Fritz was having no picnic either. Every now and again a "whiz plop just over or outside the trench told us it was not safe to venture outside the trench for flying peices.

About 7 pm just getting dark the Sergt came & told 10 of us we were wanted for fatigue to the Ration Dump about 400 yds to the right to carry over shovels & picks and rations. To get there and back we had to leave the trench & walk overland as it was impossible to keep to a trench in which men are living.

The shelling was now very heavy on both sides, & in Flers especially the red Dust of Bricks and the black smoke of the shells hung like a big cloud over the Town. Every here & there on the way to the Dump, one could see shapes lying in all positions. Both our own men & Fritzies, lying just as they had fallen.

There was a New Zealander with his Rifle in his

[Page 66]
hand & his bayonet through a Fritz, while alongside of him lay another Fritz with his Rifle Butt smashed where he had hit the N.Z. & smashed his butt on his skull. It was easily pictured. The N.Z. had bayoneted his man, the Fritzies Pal had smashed the New Zealander, & the N.Zs Pal had killed the 2nd Fritz, & there they lay as they had fallen. These sights were common so we payed no attention to them whatever only perhaps some one would say "Poor Blokes" & that covered everything.

In the next few days we were going through what they went through, and some of us are going under, so it was no use grumbling but just a case of take things as they come & say nothing.

That night it started to rain again & as our dugouts were not too substantial we slept in a wet bed & listened to the constant Bang, screech, & crash, of bursting shells, flying pieces, & the roar of the Guns

[Page 67]
Next day we were out all day deepening & widening Turk Lane for the new advance when it came off, and that evening the Company officer gave us our orders. We were to take Scabbard, Bayonet, & [indecipherable], trenches and I found myself in the first wave to go over.

Next day we worked on Factory Dump and Grove Alley all day in the pouring rain & went back to our dugouts that night with the thoughts of the morning in our minds. I wrote home that night, just an ordinary letter as I didn’t like to upset them at home, & then settled down to clean my bombs & Rifle & Bayonet for the Stunt.

It was still raining heavily at 10 pm when the Corporal put his head in my Dugout & said "Gas Alarm" & "The Stunts postponed" for a day. For the next 2 hours I sat up in my Dugout with my gas-mask on & thought what a queer thing war was after all.

[Page 68]
About 1 am I had just got off to sleep when there was a thud and the two dugouts across the trench from me fell in. We turned out & dug all the earth away but the occupants had evidently left them earlier as there was no one underneath. These were Keith Harding & Jimmy Drysdale Both of N.S.W. Next Day Fatigue again in the rain and that night "Stunt postponed for 3 days". This was getting hard having to make a hop over & advance after 8 days on hardly anything to eat and wet through the whole time.

On the sixth day myself & Big Jim Robinson made a trip in daylight, at the risk of our lives, beyond Flers where we had seen a potato field one night on Fatigue & here we managed to fill a sack of spuds, some beetroot, cabbage sprouts, and a turnip or two. On the way back we got caught in some of Fritzies Tear gas but except

[Page 69]
for our eyes running for half an hour we were O.K.

On arrival back at the trench we built a fire & made a petrol tin full of Bully Stew but it came out blood Red, owing to some Idiot peeling the beetroots & putting them in. Anyway we were too hungry for a hot feed to let little things like that worry us so we just "hopped in" and there wasnt much of that stew left to tell the tale.

Next Day we decided to have a shave, not having had one since leaving Bussy, and I was just going to get outside the trench to get some water from a shell hole, when a shell landed about 15 yds away killing 2 Artillery signallers who were going over to their battery. We hopped out & ran over but they were both gone beyond help.

Somehow I forgot all about the shave and decided to leave it till after the Stunt and we were out of the line again.

[Page 70]
That afternoon it started to rain again and that night word came though that the "hop over" was postponed again indefinately as it was simply murder to try it in wet weather, so we just sat back and waited events.

On the Ninth Day in Fritz opened up about 11 am and shelled our trench from one end to the other for about an hour and every minute we expected one to land in with us & blow about a dozen of us skywards, but we got out light with 2 killed and 3 wounded Bolton & Fisher were killed.

Next day a surprise awaited us on our arrival back from fatigue. We were to pack up as we were to be relieved by the 2nd Division, who were going to make the Stunt first thing next morning, so on the 3rd of November we left Flers trench to go back to Montauban weary, worn out, with being on Fatigue all day & ½ the nights & looking more

[Page 71]
like Savages, all over mud & whiskers, but still smiling. Going out we met with a hot parting from Fritz but managed to get out with no casualties.

About 6 pm that evening we reached Montauban Hill, Commonly known to the boys as "Hungry Hill", & here they told us we were going to stay a few days although there wasnt a tent or dugout erected. "Dig in" they said, and about 1 hour after there was Tommies running round looking for roofing Iron, Gun Covers, Tarpaulins, and anything that could be put to any use, while "Hungry Hill" looked like a small city.

Tim Quinn & myself made a visit to the Dump ½ mile away, & got away with about 100 new sand bags & 2 sheets of Iron. Out of these we built a bonny little home. It was while here that a batch of Reinforcements joined us and who should be amongst them but Nugget. I told him to try &

[Page 72]
get into D Coy but they put him in C Coy so I did not see him much up the line.

On the 9th of November we received orders to get ready to march out at 11 am as we were going to go back to Ribemont for a day or two & then further back for a spell, which had been well earned. The march to Ribemont was uneventful except that we had to leave our little home on Hungry Hill, but never-the-less we were glad to get away from those roaring, banging gungs and it was with cheerful hearts that we swung along the road that lead to peace & quietness.

We stopped in billets at Ribemont 1 night & next day marched about 2 kilos to where we caught motor lorries to take us to "Vignacourt" where we were to have our spell. All our packs were at the place where we caught the lorries, but we had no time to look for our own so we just picked up the first we

[Page 73]
came to and we could get ours at the other end.

The one I got hold of belonged to some souvenir king I think, as it was about ¼ full of nose caps pieces of schrapnel and goodness only knows what he didnt have, anyway I managed to get to the other end of the journey & dump it in the Quarter Masters Store where I located my own & was able to get into a clean shirt, as its no joke wearing a shirt 18 to 20 days in that sort of place.

If ever there was any pests in this war it was the "Chats", as the boys called them, or body Lice, & I dont know how many were in the world at this time but I had ½ of them. It was a common sight to see the boys running the flame of a candle along the seams of their shirts and this was done that many times that often Ive gone to put my shirt back on & the arm has fallen off it burnt through. This is an honest

[Page 74]
fact. I had a clean change in my pack and after a rough bath & my Clean Clothes on & a shave, I was more like myself again. Next day we went on Fatigue building cook-houses and getting everything in order for our stay.

That night Nugget came round to my billet and we went round to have a look at the town and see what we could buy in the way of soap Etc. We managed to get a few things we wanted and above all a big feed of Steak & Chipped potatoes which we thoroughly enjoyed. I think we visited that place every night of our stay in Vignacourt as we were fairly well off for money at this time owing to my having a big win at "Poker" while on "Hungry Hill".

We were supposed to have a spell at Vignacourt but I cannot see where the spell came in, as we were out on parade every day, morning & afternoon, and fatigues afterwards, but still one

[Page 75]
was not kept awake at night with the guns and we could sleep with a feeling of security unless a Fritz aeroplane came over and dropped bombs.

It was while here that we were issued with our winter Issue from the Comforts Fund 1 sheep skin Vest; 1 pr. Gloves, 1 pr. Sheep skin Mittons, 1 Cap Comforter & Muffler, 2 prs. of Socks. It was now fearfully cold and the slightest breeze cut right through one to the bone. While here I took all the spare clothes they could give us and although they were extra weight, I could see what the winter was going to be and I was not going to get frozen if I could help it.

On the 23rd of November we received Orders that our stay at Vignacourt was over and that we were moving out at 5 am the following morning to catch the Lorries to take us on to Ribemont again. Next morning when we awoke at Revielle, 3.30 am, we found it had

[Page 76]
started to snow and everything outside was covered in a white mantle about 6 to 12 inches deep, while the air itself seemed frozen, it was so cold.

Wrapped up with only our eyes showing, & wearing overcoats we marched down to where the Lorries awaited us about 1 mile from our billets, and after a lot of trouble we were safely stowed inside and off we went. Talk about cold, my feet were just like 2 blocks of Ice owing to having no movement, & there we had to sit for about 4 hours till we reached
Ribemont again.

Once more we handed in our packs Etc and next morning moved up once more to Montauban. By now the Tommy engineers were erecting "Bow Huts" and just had enough finished to hold our Battalion uncomfortably, that is about 60 in a hut that was built for 30, so once more we had to do the "Sardine act" to get a sleep.

[Page 77]
Next morning we moved out of Montauban & into the line in front of Le Transloy, into trenches that posessed the joyful names of Zenith & Spectrum, & which through the Rain & Snow were over our knees in mud. There was not much actual fighting on each side now as both sides were busy fighting our biggest enemy, the Winter, which was down on us in full swing.

During the 4 days in those trenches we lost half our battalion with trench feet & it was pitiful to see those poor fellows trying to walk out with feet as black as ink and swollen twice their ordinary size, while tears rolled down their cheeks with pain. Many a man lost his feet (one or both), that trip in but as for myself I came out OK except for one big toe that swelled a little but soon went down again. This I will say, the stretcher bearers worked like fiends

[Page 78]
and how they stuck to their job through that, nobody knows, but each man earnt a decoration although they never got them.

When our 4 days were up we went back to Montauban for a spell but were only out two days when the battalion was ordered in again. This time I struck things very lucky as I was detailed with 2 others & a Corporal to be guard over a gum-boot dump at a place called Carnoy, for 14 days, The first day there we erected a cosy little dugout with a fireplace inside, and as the coal Dump was next door we did not want for fuel.

The Irish Guards were camped just close handy and when they were going away 2 days after we went there, they left us about a dozen blankets so we were very comfortable. By the way the Battalion Quarter Master had asked us to get him

[Page 79]
a good pair of boots, so we never went short of good rations. Corpl Wells was the Corpl in Charge.

But like all good things the 14 days soon passed, and on the 16th of December we once more joined the battalion up at Montauban Huts, only we were a bit more comfortable than we were the last time, as there were now plenty of huts and only about half the men that had filled them before.

The name of the camp was "Adelaide" after Adelaide S:A: There we now went on fatigue on the roads, keeping them clean & digging Cable saps for the Corps Signal Section and anything else that wanted doing, until Christmas came along. Half a days work we put in Christmas Day, unloading sleepers for the Anzac Light Railway & at 12 oclock went back to the huts for a half days holiday.

Cold, miserable & hungry, we

[Page 80]
filed up to the cook house for our "Christmas dinner" of Bully beef Stew and buscuits, as our rations were not yet to hand and our Christmas comforts were delayed somewhere. How we thought of home today & licked our lips at the thoughts of a leg of turkey or duck and a big slice of Christmas Pudding.

That afternoon most of us went to bed & had a sleep till 5 oclock when the Sergt sang out for a fatigue party for Christmas comforts & mail. That night we each received a parcel from the Comforts Fund a Double Rum Issue & besides I received a big Parcel from home containing 200 cigarettes, so things were A1.

Next day, Boxing Day, work as usual, building the Anzac Light Railway and so on day after day we kept plodding along with the knowledge that one day we would be out of it, either killed or wounded,

[Page 81]
or be in it right through. I dont know how we would have got on had it not been for the Comfort Fund Coffee stalls where we could get a hot drink of Coffee or Cocoa any time of the day or night for Nothing.

On the 14th of January the 29th Battalion came in and relieved us of our Job, and once more we went up the line to Thistle French where we relieved the 2nd Division. Everywhere one looked here was Snow except where a stray Rifle & Bayonet stuck up in the frozen ground and the long heaps of snow here & there that one had only to look at once to see that it was some poor fellow that had fallen in the taking of that position.

The first night in I was sent out on a Bombing & Machine Gun position with 4 others to guard the 2 Lewis Guns & to Act as Snipers. About 11 pm Cpl Hamps sighted Fritzies about 30 strong coming

[Page 82]
out to relieve their Machine Gun positions and Bombing post just on our Right, and give us orders to be ready to open fire as soon as he gave the orders. When about 50 yds. from us he gave the word

[Two photographs taken off a German soldier]

to "let em have it", and 2 Lewis Guns and our 5 Rifles opened up on them I forgot how many were there next morning but I got off 8 shots and I think I could say a couple went down to my rifle. It was shoot to kill when

[Page 83]
when we did shoot, as they were coming out to get us and it was war.

The two photos on the other side were taken off one of them 3 nights later by the patrol and given to me by one of the boys who got them. The Break on the side is where the bullet went through the photo, also on the top right hand corner of the other. Anyway we taught Fritz a lesson that night as he never came out in numbers anymore to relieve his men but took a lesson from us & went out one at a time.

Next morning I went back to the front line again just before daylight and slept all the next day.

[A sketched map of the Front Lines and Nomans Land]

[Page 84]
The next night I took on Runner from platoon H.Q. to Company HQ at Millers Daughter Dugouts about ½ miles from the Line, but the night was very quiet except when a stray Machine Gun would open out 3 or 4 shots & then close up again.

The third night in I was put on patrol across 200 yds of open space that Devided D Coy from C Coy. This was no sweet Job as every now and then Fritz would send over Star Shells & Flares, that lit up the country for miles & the only thing to do was stand as still as possible with your head bent, so the light would not light up your face there were only 2 of us on this & we carried Rifle with the Bayonet sticking in the Sling swivels so we could fix it at a seconds notice, & 2 mills Grenades in our pockets ready for a dust up.

Everything is as silent as death except our own footsteps in the soft snow

[Page 85]
while every dark object or dead man was regarded with suspicion, as Fritz was up to all sorts of ruses to take prisoners. Here & there we gave them a dig in the ribs with the muzzle of the Rifle but they were beyond recall.

The next day we were asleep in our dugouts when one of our 18 pounders started to drop short and dropped 3 shells right in our trench. The first did no damage the second blew in Corpl Wells dugout wounding him in the lower part of the leg. The third landed right on the Vickers machine Gun position, but except for blowing a few sand bags away no damage was done.

That night I did some more running and the next day we pulled out to "Rose French", the Support line for that particular sector. That night I was on ration fatigue to "Needle Dump." where we got into a

[Page 86]
very exciting 10 minutes with some of Fritzies "Whiz Bangs", a small shell something like our 18 pndrs, the Casualties here being 4 killed & 2 wounded but they were from other battalions as we got back as we had started.

The next morning we went back to E Camp Trones Wood where we were put into huts and told this would be our home for about a fortnight. There we were on fatigue every day up round Gillemont & Ginchy building the Anzac Light Railway and making roads and Vickers Machine Gun positions in case Fritz came in with a heavy attack as soon as the winter passed & building roads to take up the Guns when our new offensive opened.

The winter was still in full swing & the ground was as hard as stone, while our water froze in our water bottles and the bread was frozen that hard it was nearly

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impossible to cut it with a knife. Shells bursting on the hard ground made little or no holes, adding to the Velocity of the flying splinters, and one had to keep very low while they were about.

Some of our time was spent up around Delville Wood where one of the hottest fights on that sector took place, the wood being taken & lost six times until finally the South Africans at great loss took it & hung on. They say Delville Wood is one great grave-yard although they were all out of sight when we arrived there.

10 Days after going into Camp at Trones Wood, a party of us were sent up to do front Line Fatigue at "Cameron Sap" and to get there we had to pass "Millers Son Dump & Dugouts" & go through "Eternal Alley," another like "Fish Alley" only worse, as the mud was knee deep most of the way through & to get out on top meant

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[A sketched map showing Guedecourt, Flers, Le Transloy, Les Boufs, Longoeville, Ginchy, Moval, Guillemont. Also, Anzac Light Railway, Duck Boards, Needle Dump, Rose Trench, Miller Son Dump & Dugouts, Spectre Walk, Thistle Trench, Eternal Alley, Scrap, Cameron Sap, Front Line Before Sunray, Sunray Trench & Sunbeam Sap, German Front Line]

[Page 89]
[Blank page]

[Page 90]
nearly certain death from Snipers. Every morning we went from Millers Son Dugouts to Cameron Sap to work & back again at night for about a fortnight, until the 14th of February when the battalion came in and joined us up again.

2 days after we held a raid on a sap called "Sunbeam Sap," as we heard Fritz had deserted it and they wanted to know if it was held and how strongly. It was about 11 pm when we went over 35 strong armed with nothing but a "cog-wheel" shaped piece of steel weighing about 20 oz. on the end of our entrenching tool handles, and nothing in our pockets except a playing card for a return ticket.

The night was pitch dark and we lay for a while waiting for our trench mortars to blow things about a bit before we hopped in. As soon as the Barrage lifted we went

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in for our lives, but the trench was empty except for a flare king and his assistant and they surrendered without a fight.

Next morning the battalion took charge and decided to occupy it as part of our line. I dont wonder at Fritz leaving it as it was one river of sticky mud and the one moan of the boys was, "A man ought to give this country to Fritz and apologise for fighting for it," But if Fritz showed one whisker to come & take it, every machine gun in the line opened up on him.

It was while we were here that word was received to keep a sharp watch on Fritz as he was retiring inch by inch with Le Transloy as a pivot, and we were to occupy every trench as he left it, and harass his retreat as much as possible.

2 days after Sunbeam we occupied "Sunray" on the left and it was

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this trench where we put in the livliest 4 days I’d had for a long while. A wide open trench, it was infiladed from both flanks with machine gun fire, and Day & night was raked from End to end by Artillery and trench morters. I dug a little sitting position in the safe side & roofed it with 2 Bomb-proof waistcoats and a piece of Board. Over these I piled about 2 foot of earth & here I sat to eat & sleep. The 3rd day in a coal box burst right on top of me about 3 feet up, taking everything off except the piece of board & leaving me untouched except for being deaf for the next 5 minutes with the concussion.

This was absolutely one of the narrowest escapes I had had to date and I cannot make out how I was not riddled with schrapnel as each side of the truck was peppered. It was while in here

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that I was detailed for Stretcher bearer owing to the casualty list going so high, and 3 times we had to find our way, through barbed wire & round shell holes in a pitch dark night, across country to Millers Son Dump where the Field Dressing Station was, a distance of roughly 1 ½ miles.

On our last night in a Pine Apple bomb fired by Fritz landed clean in our trench killing Sergt Major Schneider and a Sergt and wounding 8 others bringing D Coy Casualties up to 47, not a bad record for a little place like that.

After being relieved by the 29th Battalion we went back to Rose Trench for one night and then back to E Camp Trones Wood next day. Owing to Trones being occupied we went across to Townsville Camp, Burnafay, where we expected to get a bit of a spell after our heavy going, but here we were mistaken

[Page 94]
as that same night we were sent up to "Guedecourt" to build a road into the Village, to take up the Guns where Fritz began his big retreat.

Well within reach of Machine Guns and Whiz Bangs, we worked silently like so many ghosts, and all that could be heard was the thud of the picks and the deep breathing of the men and now and again the sharp whistle of machine gun bullets as some alert Fritz thought he saw or heard something. And where a flare went up every man stayed as he was like so many tree stumps, as a move not only meant death to him but to his cobbers.

About 10 30 pm we noticed an S.O.S. flare go up on the right towards Sunray trench and immediately another followed from Rose Trench supports and we knew something was amiss. A few seconds later the bark of our

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18 pounders back behind Flers & Rose trench told us there was a dust up, while all along the Sunray Sector the long red line of bursting schrapnel and the pop-pop of the shells told us where it was. Every man stopped work to watch until the firing died down again.

Next day we heard how Fritz had tried to surprise the 29th at Sunray but had failed miserably, not getting within 100 yards, & had been cut to ribbons.

For about a week we went every night up to Guedecourt until our road was finished, being bombarded one night with gas shells, but never-the-less working in our masks we completed the Job.

A couple of days later I was detailed to make one of 4 to undergo a course of scouting for the Intellegence section for the purpose of finding out information about the enemy, such as Strong posts

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machine gun positions Etc, a very dangerous game and one full of risks as Fritz had no mercy on one of these if he happened to catch us at all.

But even here my old Luck refused to leave me as one of my old school mates was Corporal Nicholson in charge of Battalion section, and although I did not know him till he came up & spoke, and asked me how I liked my new Job. I said "no Bon", and he then told me I was to go on Battalion Head Quarters with him. "No picnic", he informed me "but better than shoving ones head down a Fritz machine gun to see what sort of a barrel it had"

On the 10th of March orders came along that Fritz was in full retreat along the line from Le Transloy to Bapaume and we were to go up ready for attack on Thyme Trench. About 6.30 pm we arrived at Factory corner where

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we stopped 1 night, moving on next day to Yarra Bank where we stopped 3 nights and days. All this time Fritz was slowly retreating and we were occupying his positions as fast as he left them. All sorts of Booby traps were left by him to catch our boys, but they kept pretty shy of anything that was likely to go off, and all round proved too cunning for old Fritz.

On the morning of the 15th we moved forward to Le Barque, just in front of Bapaume, and occupied the chalk pits, and on the night of the 16th of March relieved the 32nd Battalion in the front Line.

At Daylight on St Patricks Day, 17th March, we launched the attack on Fritz for the purpose of Capturing Bapaume, & at 7.30 am the Town as in our hand D Coy. under "Dad White" and B Coy under "Yank Adams" being the first to Enter.

There was a fair scrap on the North

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west side of the town which ended up with a full victory to the Ausies & Fritz going for his life with our fellows in hot pursuit. The total Casualties for this stunt was 5 killed & 9 wounded which was not too bad considering the shooting done by Fritz.

Assisted by the 13th Light Horse, we pushed on after Fritz and a couple of days after entering Bapaume we found a solitary Hun hiding in the sugar Factory about 1 mile from the town. He told us that two others and himself had been left in Fremicourt to explode a mine on the X Roads, and they had decided to give themselves up.

He had set out alone to find us and having told the Intelligence officer, myself & 2 others were sent up with an officer and German Interpreter, to get them out. Armed with 2 Mills Grenades & our Rifle and Bayonet

[Page 99]
with 5 rounds in the magazine, we went up taking with us the prisoner to show us where the other 2 were hiding.

I didn’t go nap on any Job at all, especially the part we very likely had to play in going down a dark cellar looking for a couple of live Fritzies, but that part of the business was not forthcoming as we found out when we reached the place that the others had blown up the mine and gone, leaving their mate to his fate.

Anyway I think he got the best of the deal; for although he had to do a bit of graft for his living till the end of the war; he was safe from the shells & horrors of war. We had a talk to him through the interpreter going back to our billets and he said he was the last of 5 brothers. We asked him what they wanted to cut all the trees down on the main Cambrai

[Page 100]
Bapaume Rd for and he said he didn’t know why it was but the G.O.C, (Hindenburg), made them do it.

We took him back to the cage & gave him some Bully beef and a big piece of bread also a couple of cigarettes and he nearly went down on his knees to thank us. He offered us a watch and wallet for souvenirs and said they were keepsakes so we told him to keep them. I expect he lost them at the main receiving [caje]

Next day we pushed on after Fritz, camping that night at Delso Farm. It was while we were here that we heard sounds of machine guns high up in the air and a few seconds later we saw a Fritz Plane coming to earth, closely pursued by by 2 of our own.

Later we heard it was Prince Ruprecht and he had landed in No Mans land

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in front of the 2nd Division Front Line. The Machine gunners called to him to come in & be made prisoner but he made a run for it & was shot. As soon as it was dusk our boys went out & got him, still alive, also his plane & sent both to England where he died. Before he died he said he wished to thank both Doctors & Nurses for their kindness, as he could not have been treated better in his own country. (This is according to the papers).

Two days later we found Fritz well dug in between Laboqueries & Beaumetz and here we settled down to annoy him again. On the third day in Fritz hopped over and tried to knock the 29th Battalion out of their position, but was surprised by B & A Companys of the 30th, who cut into his Flank and inflicted heavy loss taking also about 30 prisoners.

While in the

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Line here, our Job was to sit up in the top of the highest house in the Village, keeping a sharp look out for any bodies of troops or transport behind his lines. For this purpose we had a telescope and maps and on more than one occasion we directed the Artillery onto something we noticed, and laughed to see them ducking away in all directions. It was war and we were out to win every move.

Once or twice we were nearly blown out of our position, one shell just missing our house on the side and a small one landed right in the kitchen at the back, but did not damage beyond blowing half the back wall down. One night we slept in a big stone stable that was mined, but it was raining at the time and we took the risk for one night. Next day we shifted to other

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quarters.

On the 25th of March we moved back to Bapaume and on the 2nd day there the Signal Officer, having heard I was a Post Office employee, came and asked me what I was like on a buzzer. I told him I was not too bad and he then informed me I would be transferred to the Signal Section after a couple of days. Sure enough 2 days later I went to the Battalion Sigs and was put to working a Fulaphone, one of the hardest instruments in Battalion Signalling, & which had just come into operation.

I forgot to mention that about 10 pm the first night in Bapaume there was an awful Roar that fairly rocked the earth, and a few minutes later we found out that the Town Hall, a fine big building, had gone sky high, mined with the aid of an 8 day clock. There were a fair few billited there at the time including 2 high

[Page 104]
officials of France who had come up to look at the town.

For 3 days after the salvage party were digging men out of the cellars, where they had made their quarters & some were still alive although the most they got out were "gone West", suffocated or killed with concussion.

Although Bapaume was a town as big as Goulburn, if not bigger, there was hardly a house left fit to live in and fires were still burning when we got back after being in possession 8 days. We managed to get into a good stable but were only there 8 days when a "Rubber [Heel]" from his long Distance Naval Gun landed just on the lane outside, & blew half the wall in. Nobody was hurt although the Sig Sergt had a narrow shave from a big block of granite which went into the air & came in through the roof of our home.

From there we

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shifted down opposite the Town Hall until the 5th of April, we went up to Morchies in supports. There we got a very rough spin from shells, as our batteries were all round us and Fritz was searching all day long, and we knew sooner or later he would get the shanty. It’s a funny thing it stood all the while until we got there and left but the same day as we left, in fact we were hardly out of sight when he landed a 5.9 shell right in it & up it went.

Back we went to Beaucourt just the line side of Bapaume where we stopped for a few uneventful days learning Semaphore for fun to pass away time, and then back to Townsville Camp, now miles beyond the line and then – we thought – out to civilization for a good old spell.

From the 24th of November till now about 15th of April we had been in a land of desolation

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and wildness, hardly ever out of the range of guns or the sounds of battle & had not seen a civilian neither man woman or child the whole time, & yet the girls at home say what a fine time we had with the French Girls.

While here at Townsville camp I went to a 6 days Divisional Signal School at Contalmaison learning to read the buzzer, and I could have taught the instructor more than he taught us, but its always the case in the army so I just sat back and took things easy.

On the 25th of April we once more left Townsville camp for the line marching the first day to a small bunch of dugouts just behind Vaulx. That same night just before dark we saw Fritz open up on a Field Ambulance Station about 4 hundred yards away with H E shells and High Velocity schrapnel, killing 8 pioneers and wounding some stretcher bearers who were getting the wounded

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in the station to a place of safety.

The Big Red Cross Flag was flying at the time over the Hospital and a big Red Cross was painted on the earth for Aeroplane purposes.

Next morning we went into support just on the right of Bullecourt, one of the hottest places on the Somme Front. Bullecourt is where the Australians gained a footing in the Hindenburg line and hung on through 14 counter attacks although their losses were very heavy.

The line went in towards Fritz like a horse shoe and the artillery on both sides were pounding away all day & night and the Dead fairly littered the place. In the Saps under the mud, where they had fallen & been trampled, one could feel them as we walked and at one place a dead Fritz was used as a step to get out of the trench to cross a sunken road.

In one place swept by a snipers fire one had to bolt out of the sap

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across a bridge and into the Sap again. Under the bridge in a bit of a culvert were about a dozen hit as they left the Sap and had crawled under the bridge to bind up their wounds which however had proved fatal & there they were to the end. There one could see every battalion in the A.I.F as it was there, (minus the 3rd Division who were just over from England), among the Dead.

There our battalion came in for a rough spin from the incessant shelling and one scare we got nearly gave 3 of us nerve trouble. I had just been relieved at my instrument and things being a bit quiet just before sundown went outside the signal dugout to get a breath of fresh air and have a look round.

About 50 yds down the dip was a big howitzer brought up close to shell rear areas. All of a sudden, with a whish & a roar, a Fritz 5.9 landed just this side of

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our big gun. There was a bang as it burst and a huge column of smoke and flame went high in the air. Our eyes nearly left our head & with the same thought of safety we all sprang for the dugout at once and the 3 of us got stuck in the door.

We knew he had got a dump with that shell and although the dugout would not have stopped flying pieces, it was the only place like home to us. However it turned out it was only the cordite dump he had hit and set on fire so we sat back and laughed till we nearly cried. Corpl Stan Hill Pelaw Main Mine Newcastle was one of the 3.

It was here Corpl Sid Wells, who was on the Gum boot Dump with me, lost his hand while Cpl Johnson, his pal, lost an Eye, both with the same shell. We were afterwards told that both sides had to withdraw from Bullecourt

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on account of the awful stench of the Dead when the Summer came on & I dont disbelieve it as it was awful then and summer was a good way off. It was here that Major Black VC was killed & was hanging across our barbed wire for days.

After our time was up we went back to Vaulx where we stopped several days in Reserve in case of immergency, as Fritz was making things pretty hot and any day may have made a big attack to drive us out of that hold on the Hindenburg line.

At Vaulx we were continually shelled with Armour Pierceing shells, one getting A Company sig office, killing 4 Tommy Gunners who were sleeping in the loft overhead while the Signaller sitting at the telephone & the runner with him both escaped unhurt, although the instrument was blown to bits. They dug the Signal watch up next day in the debris and found it still going & the

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right time. Every night at Vaulx we expected to get blown in any minute as the big shells going over just seemed to scrape our roof and now and again one burst close handy, but we remained untouched until relieved by the Kings Royal Rifles and off we went to Bapaume.

Here we went into our Billets again and except for a 4 hour watch on the phone & occasionally a signal parade we did very little. One night just before dusk a Fritz plane came over and set two of our observation Balloons on fire but beyond this there was very little excitement.

On the 5th of June word came though that we were to pack up that night ready to move next morning, and on the 6th we left Bapaume for Senlis and Civilization where we arrived about 6 pm that night.

And so from the 24th of November to the 6th of June 1917 we

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never saw a bit of the civilized world, neither man, woman, nor child, not a whole house, only devastation, mud & places where once there had stood a little Village, & living more like savages than human beings.

All the way from Bapaume to Senlis the railway was built across the old battlefields following the big Somme push from Albert to Bullecourt and all this distance some 30 miles there was not a single house or civilian only the awful stillness and shellholes stumps of trees lines of broken barbed wire and fallen-in trenches and dugouts while scattered here and there all over the place as far as one could see were crosses, some cut out and painted others carpentered, while others were just an old rifle with a piece of board or stick for a cross arm that some soldier had put over his cobber in a spare moment, showing how he missed him.

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The first night of our stay in Senlis we received word that there was going to be leave of one day a week to Ameins and then things began to move. Ameins was the big city that we had come through on our way down in the motors and was about 30 miles away on the main line to Boulogne and Paris, & we were all very eager to get into the city and have a good look round and buy a few things that we were unable to procure at
Senlis.

The first day after our arrival we started training, the infantry doing drill with rifle and bayonet and the Signallers with lamp and flag and Buzzers and each one of us on his own special Job. Myself and 2 others who were on the fulaphone, used to go out in the fields and put down a mile or so of wire and send messages to one another, or we were supposed to do so,

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but when we had put down the wire we would just sit down and talk until time to go in again, and so the time went on until my first leave to the city about a week after our arrival at Senlis.

This morning we had to get up at 5 am & get cleaned and catch the 6.30 am train to the city arriving about 7.30 am. Ameins itself is a city about 3 times as big as Newcastle and having an up to date tram service to all the suburbs.

The Cathedral itself is supposed to be about the 3rd best in France and was a fine big building dating back into the early centuries. The architecture was something lovely but was all sand-bagged up around the base to protect it from the bombs of aeroplane raids.

We travelled all over the city in the day seeing all the different sights and when the time came to go back to camp we were just about

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tired out and glad to get into our blankets for a sleep.

About a fortnight after we were reviewed by General Birdwood who was then commanding the Australian Corps in France and he told us the 3rd Aust Division was over from England and then in the line in our old position at Armentieres. He said Fritz was not beaten by a long way and that our next Stunt would be in a very hard place so we could best settle down to training for hard work ahead.

A few days later 3 of us went to Henincourt to get an insight into "Power Buzzer", or underground wireless, but owing to the Corps wireless school being broken up after our being there 3 days we had to go back to our units.

About the 12th of July we received word that King George was going to Review the 5th Division at Henincourt and

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we were to get ready and march to the Ground on the following morning. Everybody was busy all that day, and next morning we marched 6 kilos and formed up all round a ring that had been made for the occasion. Every unit gave a demonstration and I dont think I ever saw any one move together in better style in my life.

The Artillery galloped out with 4 guns there not being more than a foot between the wheels of the guns and keeping in a line abreast all the way, took up a position and fired a salute, as one shot. It was beautiful to watch.

The 3 brigades and Div Sigs held a competition of sending a message over the lamps, then over the flags, thence per phone, thence per Sounder, and then ending at the winning post per Motor Cycle Dispatch Rider. The div Sigs won by a very short space, all the bikes being on the run home at the finish.

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On the 20 of July we had a route march to Corbie to try some new pontoon bridges which the engineers had built across the canal and next morning we marched home again.

Nothing of importance happened after this until the 28th of July when we left Senlis for Pushvillers where we boarded the old cattle trucks to go up north. By now we had the full swing of everything, we were going north to Ypres to take part in a big offensive that was to take place as soon as things were ready.

About 3 pm on the same day we disembarked at St Omer and marched 15 kilometres, or 10 miles to Blairingham and about 7 pm that night we were in our billets on the Locke Road, about 1 kilo from the Village. There we again settled down to work getting into trim for the big push and on a dark night miles away to the North West one could see the dim

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flashes that told us where the line was.

It was here on the 16th of August that I spent my 21st Birthday and I did not know it was my birthday until we were having tea that night. I cannot say I got my own key for a long while after that.

It was about this time that the Div Wireless sections were formed and on the 30th of August myself and Pte Brown were detailed to attend another school at Div Hqrs in the Village. There were about 30 men in the school, from all the battalions in the division and while we were there for the 6 days we were going the whole time. On the 6th Day an exam was held on theory and practical work and that night we went back to our battalions.

10 days later word came through that I was transferred with A O Thomas of the 32nd Battalion to the 8th Brigade Sig Section, the 2 of us having come out top in the examination and from henceforth we were

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to be Engineers and take down our battalion colours.

Owing to the 8th Bde having gone up to Reninghelst, I had to stop with the Div Section for 2 days, when we marched to Popringe and then on to Reninghelst, where I joined up the 8th Brigade on the 20th of September at Wippenhoek. Here I soon got to know the 4 I was to work with Sam Charles, George Smythe, Bill Fitch, and A.O. Thomas who came with me. Here the scent of war was in the very atmosphere and every now and again a long Distance shell went over to Popringe, while the long rumble in the distance sounded like heavy breakers on a beach.

On Sept the 23rd we left Wippenhoek and marched to Dickebusch just on the right of Ypres, where we arrived about 7 pm. Owing to the cooker having broke down somewhere along the Road we had nothing to eat, so we started off as soon as things were in order

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to try and get something off the Tommies who were close by. Myself and Sam Charles went over to the Balloon Section, and the cook was very decent and gave us a loaf of bread, some cooked rice, cheese and beef, besides a dixie of Tea, so we did not do too bad.

Next morning word was received that the 8th Bde was in Reserve and we were just thinking our luck was in when the Sig Officer came over and said the Wireless men had to go up as the 14th Brigade were short. Just as dusk was falling that night we rolled up our blankets and pushed off to "Half Way House Dugouts".

That night we slept wherever we could get a possy and next day was put in anyhow. On the night of the 25th we were told we had to go up early in the morning for the Polygon Wood Stunt and for the present we could crawl in and have a sleep. Tommo Thomas & myself crawled into

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a little Dugout about 50 yds away and were soon fast asleep. We awoke about 5.30 am on the 26th with a start and looked out of the dugout and never had I looked on a prettier sight or heard a more awful Row.

All Round the place, and stretching away on both sides, the "heavies" were pounding away for all they were worth, while away in front up towards the ridge the 18 pounders and Light Field Howitzers were going with one continual Roar. It was just breaking day away to the east and the long flames from the guns lit up the country around.

"Come On Tommo", I said, "they are Over", and we went over to look for the crowd but could only find 2 or 3 who informed us that the Sig officer wanted us. It happened they had been looking for us and couldn’t find us to go up the line but now one of the stations going forward had been

[Page 122]
blown up and Tommo & myself were to go to Hooge Crater and report to Bill Morris, and from there the 3 of us had to go forward. This was the beginning of one of the most exciting Runs to have.

Leaving "Half Way House" Dugouts we cut across country until we hit the Menin Road and then up the Road to Hooge. The guns on both sides were going as hard as they could and all along the Road were bursting shells, Dead mules & men, broken Lorries and every minute I expected to get hit with a piece of flying shrapnel that was falling like hail.

We had only got about half way to Hooge when one of Fritzies shells landed in a big dump of ours by the side of the Road, and the whole lot went up with an explosion that shook the earth and heavens. I dived into a shell hole by the side of

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the road and though we were a good distance away from it, we were by no means safe from the pieces that went overhead or landed with a thud in the soft earth near us.

Running, Ducking, Diving, we at last staggered into Hooge Crater and went down a deep dugout to find Bill Morris. He had everything ready to leave when we arrived and away we went up the Road to C.A.S. Station on the ridge where we were to pick up the gear for our station.

The distance from Hooge to C.A.S. would be roughly a mile and things went pretty good until we were about half way and then Fritz opened up with full force right along the Road It was impossible to leave the road as we would never have got there for mud etc and to stay on the road looked death but what were we to do but go on and trust to luck.

At one

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spot we ducked down of the road into a bit of shelter but had a shell landed on it it would have blown us to pieces so we ducked out again and ran for our lives. Up & down. Running and walking we kept going while all along the whole stretch of road was nothing but Blood stains and pieces of flesh that might have been anything but our luck held out and we dived into C.A.S Pillbox to get the gear and have a spell after travelling along one of the worst Roads, in France, for 2 miles

But our trip was not over for a long while yet as we had another 2 miles to go to the "Butte" at Polygon Wood and after getting the gear we started to the top of the Ridge about 100 yds away where we crossed and went away through Glencorse wood to C.H.Q. station where we would get put on the track for the Butte.

Just before we reached the top of the ridge

[Page 125]
we saw Bill Fitch sitting against a concrete wall for safety and he said as we passed, "Where are you going", We said, "up Forward", and he said "Youre Stiff", shortly afterwards a shell landed right on the wall and we never saw poor old Bill after. He was put down as missing but he was killed, blown to bits.

When we gained the top of the Ridge Bill Morris stopped and looked, and then said "How we are going to get through that I dont know". We stood along side of him and looked at Glencorse wood. It was simply one sea of bursting shells and we had to go through to find C.H.Q. or get lost.

I will say Bill Morris was one of the gamest men ever walked and he just said, "Come on", and away we went. We were all loaded up with gear but I never felt it and at times I could just see the others ahead

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through the smoke. Just inside the wood a shell landed nearly on us and blew us head over heels, and how we missed being like a cullendar with holes I dont know, however we escaped without a scratch and reached C.H.Q safely about 10 am where I felt as safe as houses although we may have been all killed with a direct hit from a big gun.

Here we found Bill Lawley had been wounded and was lying in the corner waiting till things died down to go out. After a half hours spell we set out again but only got half way again when Fritz opened up with his first counter attack. We were well clear of the heavy stuff but now we were into the coal-boxes and whiz-bangs that came that fast it was impossible to dodge them by getting on the ground, so we made one long run of it.

About half way Bill Morris got hit in the neck and we got into a shell

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hole to bind him up. We told him to duck off to a dressing station but he said no he had started and he was going to finish, so with his head on one side he finished the journey. How he did not get Blood poison I dont know but he risked his life that day, even when he was safe, that communication might be kept going. He got the M.M. for that work and if ever any one earnt it Bill did.

It was about 11.30 am when we reached our destination at the Butte, Polygon Wood, where we found the 53rd 55th & 56th Battalion Head Quarters and at once we got our station up and going.

Shortly after reaching there I heard a voice I knew and on turning round found one of my old friends from my home town waiting his turn to get a wound on the back of the head bandaged up. I said "Hullo Bill" what are you grumbling about

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and he looked up and said "Hullo Tom How do you like this, Im off to Blighty", and he laughed and I never seen him again till I landed home.

That night Fritz came with a big counter attack of Prussian Guards and we got up on top of the Butte, with just our heads over, to watch it. It was a grand sight and the sigs Etc that were with us amused themselves with a captured German Machine Gun and Rifles sniping him as he came over.

The long line of bursting schrapnel over Nomans Land played havoc with his ranks, while our own Machine Gunners and rifles poured in a deadly fire. Needless to say our boys proved too good for Fritz and although he did reach our line in one or two places, it was only to be killed or taken prisoner. Half an hour after it started the attack was over, a failure for Fritz and a victory for our boys,

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as they had defeated the Flower of the German Army and inflicted heavy loss besides the prisoners.

The next morning we received word to move back to Brigade HQrs. about 400 yds away as things had settled down a bit and we were to work a station from there & carry on work with Battalions by runner. Here we found H.C. Tollis (Tock) and W Lickiss, and we settled down to keep things going.

It was impossible to sleep as one half the pillbox was a dressing station and in the other half was 5 of us, our instrument, Sig Sergt, 4 runners, and 4 Sigs, and comfortably it would have held 2. So from the morning at Half Way house till now we had had no sleep.

For 2 days we stopped here sometimes the shelling was terrific sometimes it was quiet but whichever way it went it was no picnic. For rations we had to go out

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and search any of the dead laying round, and if anybody found a cigarette he was a millionaire. Water came from shell holes and nobody ever looked at the bottom of them or goodness only know what we would have found. Never the less we existed those 3 days and then Morris, Thomas, and myself went back to half way house again.

It was just getting dark when we arrived and we proceeded at once to have a hard earnt wash, a good feed, and above all a sleep, as our eyes were just open and that’s all. As soon as we landed in the Sergt called us over and gave us a big rum issue and after a feed, we were soon fast asleep.

Referring to the Rum Issue. Somebody in Australia tried to stop the Issuing of Rum to the troops and had they succeeded they would have murdered have the A.I.F., as there is no doubt the

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rum Issue kept the boys together in Spirit, and made them sleep where sleep was utterly impossible under ordinary circumstances. It may be impossible to imagine boys going to sleep wrapped up in a wet overcoat and wet through to the skin, while the noise of the guns and shells bursting shook the heavens themselves, and sleeping in places where at any moment a shell might blow them to pieces, yet that is exactly what happened all the wet season and winter.

The next morning owing to 2 more Casualties on our stations up the line H.O. Thomas and myself were sent up once more to CHQ and MAB. respectively and once more I landed up on the same station as I had left the day before. Things had now quietened down a good deal but rations were still scarce, but we managed to keep going.

It was while here that I was standing outside the

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"Pillbox" when I heard a shell go over and land almost on 2 Stretcher bearers carrying out one of our wounded men. I expected to see the 3 of them get killed, in fact blown to bits, but the only one killed was the man on the stretcher who got a piece right through the forehead, while the Stretcher bearers came out without a scratch. I seemed as though it was fate for the poor fellow on the stretcher, as that was his third issue that day and his last.

We went out that night and had to step over him going along the track, and I was now pretty hardened to such sights but I shut my eyes at passing as he lay on his back with his eyes open in the moonlight and his face covered in blood the most ghastly sight I ever saw.

We had been relieved by the tommies, and about 10 pm we staggered into Half

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way House and after handing in our gear we went off to bed.

Next morning Sam Charles and myself set off to Wippenhock to join up our Brigade again. On the way out we struck the 30th Battalion Q.Ms. store and managed to get a couple of tins of Machonochies, or Tinned Meat and vegetables, and some bread and Cheese as we had nothing to eat since the night before. About 1 pm we reached our destination, just in time for a hot dinner of stew and tea and it never hit the dixie before it was gone.

We stopped at Wippenhock until the 7th of October when the wireless men received word that we were no longer attached to Brigade as the wireless section was formed on Division and we packed up and joined up our new Unit at Scottish lines Camp not far from Dickebusch. The wet season was

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now setting in and all round the camp was over ones boots in mud, and in places if one was not careful he was likely to go up to the knees.

There was a picture show close handy run by the Y.M.C.A and here we seen the first pictures for many months. They were about as "old as Adam", and the breaks in the film were numerous, but for all that they were very acceptable just then. The only other thing that caused any trouble at scottish lines besides the mud was the Aeroplanes of Fritz and all night long one could hear the crash of bursting bombs, and the moan of his engines.

On the 9th of oct we left Scottish lines for the Ramparts at Ypres, arriving that same afternoon, and from there the same day I went with Sergt Cane for Brigade Head Qrs at Westhoeke Ridge. Once more we had to pass along the Menin Road

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past Burr Cross Roads, and "Hell Fire Corner", named after the terrific Bombardments opened on it by Fritz a few days before. It was still within Fire now and even as we passed a big shell landed about 20 yds to the right, but failed to explode.

Shortly after passing Hell Fire Corner we left the Menin Road cutting across on to the Kit & Kat duckboard track, that took us to Sans Souci, not the Sans Souci in Australia and anything but a pleasure Resort, and from there by going to the right for half a mile, we reached our destination without any mishap except for a shell or two bursting close by but doing no damage.

On arrival we set to work to erect our stations, one Power Buzzer in Communication with stations ahead of us, and one W/T set in communication with Rear Brigade and Divisional

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Head Quarters. We had a pretty substantial Pill-Box for a home, and 4 Bunks and as long as one stayed inside we were pretty safe from Light shells but had a heavy shell landed on us I doubt if they would ever have found us, as it takes more than a tin hat to stop 8ft of concrete.

Here again rations were very scarce, the first 4 days and we lived mostly on bully beef and beans salvaged from shell holes, (in Tins), and made into a stew.

I remember one day Chas. Ekberg of Hawthorne, Victoria, and myself were making one of these stews when a big shell burst over on the Light Railway about 200 yds away blowing up 2 trucks that were there. We just looked up and went on with our work when there was a whisk and thud and a big piece about 3 by 1 inch landed right in the fire. It must have gone between both of us

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to land where it did, and as there was no more than a foot space I guess one of us, or both, was very lucky.

Another time a few days later left our pill box to go to Brigade Q.M, being now on their Ration Strength, to get our Rum Issue. This was about 8 pm and pitch Dark and I had roughly about 250 yds to cover over shell holes and old wire entanglements. I reached there OK and procured the rum and was nearly back to our pill box when there was whiz bang and a "Coal Box" 5 9 landed right in front of me.

As soon as the falling pieces had stopped I got out of the shell hole where I was (How I got in there I dont know without spilling the rum but I did it somehow) and had a look. Had I been another 5 yds along the track, I reckon the boys would have lost that Issue, and been one man short.

It was while here at

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Westhocke that I witnessed one of the finest Aeroplane scraps I ever saw. It was about 4 pm when one of our Aeroplanes tackled 2 Fritzies about 2500 ft up, according to some of the crowd who saw it, & for fully a quarter of an hour they dived and ducked like flies away up in the blue sky.

Suddenly one of the Fritzies was seen to be on fire and down he came the airman jumping out about half way and racing his engine to the ground. The other two seemed to take no notice, but kept going until Fritz got on our fellows tail and drove him down to the ground. He landed in the shell torn ground a total wreck but got out in a seriously injured condition, with both legs broken and shot through the abdomen.

The last we saw of him was on a stretcher passing brigade, and although he looked pretty near dead then

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he had a big smile on his face. Our boys tried to cheer him up, as they always had time for a game man but I think he crossed the Divide before he got far.

On the night of 15th of October about 11 pm we were awakened by the gas alarm going, and on looking out, found Fritz was bombarding our ridge along both sides of us with gas shells and high Explosive. We got into our gas masks with all haste, and sat there waiting for him to stop until we were nearly suffocated and then took a risk and took them off for a few seconds then on again.

All that night he kept on with a short break now and again and it was about 9 am when he finished up. All that day we could smell the gas about and that night when I took over the Instrument I did not feel at all clever.

About 9 pm we got word that

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the next station ahead was blown in killing one of our boys, Mullins and 8 Artillery signallers, and seriously wounding Crofts, and poor old Bill Morris my Cobber in the run through Polygon. It was only that afternoon that he got his Military Medal Ribbon, and then he got this issue in the chest and face and he never saw war again. He went to Blighty with Crofts and both went home, the only 2 survivors of 11 in the pill box at the time. Poor old Mullins was buried just up behind where he was killed with the 8 Artillery Sigs and later on we sent a decent Cross up to mark his grave.

On the night of the 17th, just on Sandown we handed over to 4 others and went back to Ypres for a spell. Just as we were leaving the Ridge we noticed a big Cloud of Smoke go up from Sans Souci way and along the duckboards we learnt Fritz had got one of our big shell Dumps

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and exploded the lot. I forgot to mention that a big source of annoyance at Westhocke Ridge was Fritzies big Gotha Aeroplanes which used to fly quite low in broad daylight and bomb anything they saw. Once or twice while I was on a run to forward Stations with gear, I had to put in a very lively 5 or 10 minutes run to get away or lay in a shell hole until they had gone.

Our trip out to Ypres was uneventful and about 8 pm we staggered in cold as Ice and hungry. They had a decent meal waiting for us and after the rum issue and a bit of a yarn round the brazier we turned in. It was about now I began to feel my throat getting a bit sore, and the others of our station said the same, but we did not take much notice and just carried on paying

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no attention to the fact that we had been in a gas bombardment.

On the 25th the whole division moved back to Scottish lines, and here a surprise awaited me. I was sent for from the orderley Room and told that I was going on leave to Blighty on the 27th, for 10 days. Leave – It did not seem possible, as I had long ago forgotten what freedom felt like, but never-the-less on the 27th at 6 pm I left Scottish Lines and walked to Popringe to catch the leave train at 1 am for Boulogne.

It was an awful cold trip going down and when we did reach Boulogne at 12 noon the same day it was only to find the boat did not go till next day. It was on the 29th of October at 4 pm that I crossed the Channel, and about 9 pm, after a bath and new clothes, and a roll in my pocket, I walked out of Horseferry Road Aust. H. Qrs.

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on ten days leave, after 14 months of hell in France.

Ever since coming out of the line in France my throat had been very sore, and now when I started leave my voice began to go, nevertheless I was out for a good time while the leave lasted and I let it go its own way. From London, where I spent the first day, I went to Morecombe Bay and Blackpool, but on the 7th day of my leave, my voice having now gone altogether I went to Manchester, to see if I could get any medicine from the hospital.

On arrival I went to Whitworth St Military Hospital and was examined by a doctor who informed me I had got a dose of gas and ordered me into Princess St Hospital immediately. On reaching Princess St I was put to bed at once and kept there for a fortnight. The nurses were very good especially Matron Morrison, formally of

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Melbourne, and owing to my being the only Australian in the hospital, she used to come and talk and bring me all sorts of little things in the way of books etc, to pass away the time.

At the end of 2 weeks I was allowed up and given a pass to 9 pm every night, a privelege granted to nobody else in the hospital. I dont know where the influence came from, but I did not say no, but just took it and said thanks. This went on for the next 2 weeks and then I received my discharge and went back to Aust Head Quarters London to report. Here I expected to be sent back to France straight away but on being examined by the doctor was granted 7 days leave to recouperate. These I spent at Rugby where it was quiet as I was not in Search of excitement.

This is the sort of people I met in England. On my Arrival at Rugby it was raining

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heavily and being late in the afternoon I went straight away to look for lodgings. I had tried one or two places and found them full when an old Lady stopped me and asked me if I was a stranger. I told her I was and was looking for a place to stop at. She then informed me that she had a spare bed room if I cared to come but they were quite homely folk. I went with her and they gave me a real good time for my seven days and on leaving they were very hurt when I asked them to accept my money. These were not the only ones I met like that, and there are others who say the same thing.

From Rugby on the 4th of December I went to London where I caught the leave train to Dover, and crossing the Channel the same day landed back in France at Boulogne. It was awfully hard leaving England and once ones feet touched french soil again the outer world seemed

[Page 146]
[Blank page]

[Page 147]
[A sketched "Rough Map of Polygon and Westhoek Ridge – 2nd Battle of Ypres"]

[Page 148]
[Blank page]

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to die away out of sight again, as it had done for 14 months before.

That night we stopped at "One Blanket Hill" Boulogne named so because Summer or Winter they only issued one Blanket and I dont think I ever put in a colder night in my life than I did that night. It may be hard to believe but one couldn’t possibly sleep for the Cold, Chattering teeth, & language, not a bad mixture to keep one awake.

Next morning we boarded the same old cattle-trucks and off we went with our destination Bailleul as our boys were then in the line at Messines just south of Yares where the 3rd Div made a name in their first Battle at Hill 60.

I was very glad when we got out of that train and having picked up with Frank Wright out of my unit we both set out to walk to Div H.Q. at Dranoutre a distance of about 7 miles which we reached about 4 pm on the 6th. On my

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arrival at the camp I was given a Cheer & asked such questions as "Couldn’t you swing it till after Christmas" and called such names as "Lead Swinger" and "Malingerer" in fun for that is the way they always greet anybody back from hospital.

Next morning I went up onto a station at "Derry House" with "Splinter" Burns and "Snowy Grice". Everything was very quiet and we had a bonzer home with Table and Chairs and good bunks plenty of wood for a fire and plenty of Rations. Every day I used to walk back to where Charlie Ekbergs station was at Guy Farm and get the rations and letters and then back to our Station.

Only twice Fritz got nasty while we were there taking away our wireless aerial with a shell one day and blowing in our cook house the other time also knocking the corner off our "Pill box" Never-the-less nobody was hurt so we

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Just took these little things as part of the business

It was here that Splinter put up a joke on me that had I had a revolver or Rifle handy it would have cost him his life. The "Pill box" we were in was devided

into two parts with the door of one half facing fritz and the door of the other half facing us thus

[A sketch of the "Pill Box" floor plan]

On the night in question I was sitting at the instrument about 11.30 pm listening to a german station in the distance sending cipher to another German Station further back. The night itself was very cold & cloudy and as dark as pitch and everything was as quiet as death. All of a sudden I fancied I heard a faint footfall outside but of course thinking it was only one of the boys

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coming I took no notice.

The next thing that disturbed me was the slight sound like cloth rubbing on cement and I glanced round casually. What I saw made my hair stand on end for a moment. It was the head surmounted with a Fritzie Cap with the 2 buttons in front while the big collar of a Fritz big blue field coat hid the lower part of the face.

My rifle was in the next Room and I had no weapon to defend myself and I was just calculating my chances of getting him with my hands when he laughed. And I knew that laugh and also the face when it came into the full light, but he made the best Fritz I ever saw. He had borrowed the Rig out off one of the Sigs and completely had me

It was now that the faint Rumours of a German offensive coming after the winter were going round and

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everybody was getting busy to defend Messines as that was calculated to be one of the likeliest spots for his attack. Belt after Belt of barbed wire was put down and Id have liked to have seen any Fritzies that would have got through that lot with a few machine guns going.

On the 14th of December it started to snow a bit and on the 16th we dismantled our station and left our little old home to go back to Dranoutre as we were all going out for a spell. This seemed better than the year before spent at Montauban.

On the morning of the 19th we packed up our kits and Left Dranoutre for Daylight Corner 4 kilometres away where we caught the train for Samer 17 kilometres from Boulogne where we were to have our rest. Winter was now down on us in full swing and I think I wore pretty near the whole of my

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wardrobe on that trip down

We detrained about 8 kilometres from Samer at 10.45 pm and were put into motor-busses to complete the journey arriving at our destination at 1 am cold as frogs and hungry as hunters. However the Cooks had gone on a day before and had a good feed of hot stew waiting when we landed and an ant couldn’t have got a feed after we had done.

Samer itself was not such a bad place but like all the small french town there was nothing to fill in time with. Some days we would go into an estaminet and have a game of French billiards but they closed at 2 pm so we were kicked out. Sometimes we would start off and walk for miles to surrounding Villages and have a look round and land home again in time

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for tea.

One day Charlie Ekberg and myself decided to go into Boulogne on French Leave. That is without a pass. We left Samer at 12 noon to walk the 17 kilometres but on going half way we caught a lorry going in and scored a ride the rest of the way. We had a good look round the city and suddenly when we had a look at the time it was nearly 8 pm and we had to be clear of the city at 8 pm sharp.

Off we went as fast as we could along the road out towards Samer but we were too late and before we knew what was wrong we were caught by 3 tommy Military Police and 2 Aust Provost Corps Police. Half an hour later we were in the "Cooler" or "refrigerator" and there we were left till next morning. No Blankets & Talk about Cold and if I walked once up and down that room I walked

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a million times.

Ek contented himself growling about what he would give for a fire and drawing pictures on the "Clink" wall & he could Draw too One was the picture of an Ausie with only one eye showing through a mass of bandages and an arm in a sling and under it was written. "Good for a Dozen Tommy MPs yet".

Next morning Ek made up a tale to spin to the major when we got back to the Crowd and all I had to say was "I corroborate Ekbergs Statement". About 11 am 2 of our MPs came and took us away to our unit and on reaching Samer they told us to report to the Orderly Room. Nothing was heard for 3 days after when we were called up before the beak on a charge of being absent without Leave for 3 hours, that was from 5 pm till we were caught, and Im blessed if they did not call

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my name first.

I told them as much of Eks yarn as I could remember and filled in the rest myself, in fact my tale would have made any ordinary man cry, but it was no good this time and after Ek had "corroborated my Statement" the major said "4 days pay stopped" and bang went £. And now Comes Christmas and being out of the Line we decided to have a good one.

We all put in 10 Francs per man that is roughly 8/4 and elected a President and Committee of 3 men to go and get the necessities etc for the feed. I was one of the Committee and we had to go round and buy peas potatoes meat butter and numerous other things that were wanted. We also went down to the brewery and bought a small cask of ale. From the Comforts 6 bottles of Wine 1 ½ Dozen of Stout and 2 bottles Cordials

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besides plum puddings jellies and custards and other things came in our share so we were pretty well set up.

From one of the estaminets we hired a piano while George Williams played a Mandolin and Cliff Burkes a Saxophone so we were well set up for music. I forgot to mention that the billet was one long Room about 90’ by 20 or maybe a bit more but something like that.

About 7 pm the Christmas tea or Dinner was held long tables being rigged for the purpose Roast beef and potatoes with Green peas and Sauce was No 1 course while No 2 was pudding & custard with jelly. I dont remember exactly what we eat that night but I remember I felt like an over fed hog. After Supper we had a sing song and by the way in the Corner was a little bar where one could go and have a drink occasionally

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The Barman George Badcock from Junee was dressed up in a white apron and handled things as if he had been on the game all his life. After the sing-song we cleared away the things and had a dance only without girls worse luck.

Considering, things went off very well except for Eddie Boyce wanting to fight the crowd and Jimmy Caher falling half way down the stairs but we got them to bed and things quietened down. I think this was one of the funniest Christmas nights I ever spent and one Im not likely to see again.

Next Morning every one was up as usual and our Christmas feed was nearly forgotten. As I said before our billet was one long room and as the weather was bitterly cold we used to have two braziers going all day and half the night. The only thing we

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could get to burn was coal and coke and now and again some charcoal and it was a great game of the one that patronised either fire to see who could put up the biggest smoke screen.

At times Ive seen the coal smoke that thick that it was impossible to see the man next to you and when we went out on parade we looked like a lot of stokers or engine cleaners alongside the other sections who were billeted elsewhere. One of the battalion men from Devies one day asked one of the Sig Coy how many cooks they had. He evidently thought we were cooks.

It was while at Samer we got 3 or 4 good falls of snow and many a good fight we had with snow balls with the village boys always ending in a Victory for us. On New Years night we had another concert etc and then settled down

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to wait a move.

On the 26th of Jany we got word to get our Rifles and equipment cleaned as we were leaving shortly and never shall I forget the sight they looked when we took them off the wall. Everything was covered in Soot and as black as the ace of Spades, Long whiskers of soot hung from our gas helmets and water bottles while the inside of our rifles was choked up.

On the morning of the 29th of January we entrained at Samer and pulled out once more for Daylight Corner and our old Camp at Dranoutre where we arrived about 8-30 pm.

On the 31st of January I left Dranoutre with Frank Wright and Fred Hanser for a station at Ravine Wood on the left of our old position where we stopped for 4 days. The photo on the next page was taken by Fred Hanser soon after our arrival but is very dull

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Ravine Wood was not too bad while we were there but now and again Fritz would open up and knock things about for half an hour just to let us know he was in the game and then things would quieten down again.

[Photograph taken by Fred Hanser with the following caption:]
A dull snap taken of our home at Ravine Wood. The group is F. Wright. (right.) A. Rumble (centre) myself (left) note the limbless tree stumps.

The second night there something went wrong on our alarm S.O.S Station on an outpost at "Forward Farm" and I had to go up at 11.30 to see if I could fix it up and get it working again It was a ticklish job getting there in the moonlight, overland all the way across the Snow. One took a risk of missing the outpost and wandering into Fritzies position or stopping a piece of lead from our own post by mistake. Nevertheless I found the place fixed up the instrument and went back to my

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own Station landing there at 1-30 am.

After 4 days at Ravine Wood we were called in and sent across to Lumm Farm just on the right of our former home at Derry House. Here we found the 32nd Battalion Head quarters and we erected our station ready for business. 2 days later I received word that I was to go up and take charge of "Kilo Farm" P.B. Station, up within 100 yds of the Front line, and to keep strictly in touch with Div every ½ hour day and night.

The rumours of the big german Attack were very prevalent by now and everybody was on the alert to teach him a lesson when he did come. Had he attacked Direct at Messines we would just have had to stand and fight it out to an end as we were in Front of about 16 belts of barbed wire and no earthly chance of falling back as the track out ran level with

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the line for 200 yds before it turned out and this only avenue of escape would have been cut in the jump off.

For 6 days we were there 8 men altogether in a little place big enough for 3 and every day the water had to be baled out to keep it below the boards on the floor while the air of the place was thick and heavy. Every night the ration party used to come up about 11 pm and leave rations for next day and bring up some cold stew or Bully mash and tea.

During the day one couldn’t show a whisker outside and theres a hole just over the door where a sniper just missed one of the signallers by a hairs breadth. After 6 days I was relieved by Fred Hanser and went back to Guy Farm where Charlie Ekberg was and stayed one night with him as it was too far to walk back to Dranoutre that same night as I was relieved.

Next morning as I was preparing

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to leave Guy Farm for Division I received word from Div Via Lumm Farm and runner that I was to go to Corpl Williams station at 14th Brigade HQrs at "Regent Street Dugouts" where they were working a big "Wilson" W/T set to Division and Corps My mates on this station were W Rigby. P.O. Hamilton Sammy Holden Vic and George Williams o/c Corporal.

Here everything was A1 bunks and fireplace and everything one could expect in that wild place and only ½ a mile away was the Pioneers Canteen where occasionally we could vary a little from Army Food. Some nights Charlie Ekberg and Jimmy Hamilton would come down from Guy Farm and have a yarn and a game of cards and altogether things were OK.

Just across the flat about 1 mile was Mount Kemmel and of a night you could see the Div Lucas Lamp in touch with the Various Companys and battalions. One day a German Station

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in the Warneton tower sent them the following message in English – :

Kemmel. Your sending is rotten.

What our boys sent back at the time is absolutely unwritable but what they sent the artillery and the artillery sent back wiped Warneton tower off the map.

At Regent Street Dugouts the days went by and day by day we watched the engineers making spare gun pits and machine Gun positions for the coming German offensive was getting very close now and was expected any day until the 21st of March word was received that Fritz had launched a heavy attack down South at Bullecourt and had Captured Vaulx and was already on the way to Bapaume.

This was not very cheerful news and all our work of 1917 was going for nothing. Nevertheless the boys never lost heart one scrap only the machine gunners and listening Posts brightened their eyes a bit more and greased the guns for

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heavy work.

Nothing happened of any consequence up our way however until the 26th of March when Orders came through that we were to pack up as we were going south to stop the German advance which had already reached cross the Somme battlefields and was threatening Albert.

On the 27th we left Dranoutre and marched to Meteran where we boarded a train which took us to Doullens where we disembarked and marched to Vauchelles where we went into billets in a former Sig School It was here that I met Frank Mack of the 29th Battalion one of the boys of the old home town. I asked him how he liked things now and he said "no good" Poor old Frank was killed just before the Armistice in one of the last Australian Attacks.

While at Vauchelles everybody made the best of things and I dont think I ever saw the boys so happy before a stunt as they were now. We knew that during the next few days

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we would be into a big dust up and we just made the best of our stay until the 2nd of April when we moved per Motor Lorries to Blangy-Tronville Near Corbie and from there next Day I went into the line at Villers-Brettoneaux with the 55th Battalion. My Comrade in Arms being one of the old Section Sapper Les Ellis Melbourne.

[Photograph of Spr. L. Ellis. M.M.]

We left Blangy-Tronville about 4 pm and went to Aubigny by motor lorry arriving at our destination about 4.45 pm. here we were told we could camp the night and go on to our stations next morning. About 7 pm it started to rain and the night was as black as pitch and at 8 pm word came through that the 55th were out of communication and the set was to go up at once.

Hard Luck it was Bill Ellis and myself who was wanted so we had to crawl out, get our gear and having

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got our directions, walk about 2 miles in the Pitch Dark and pouring rain We were to make for Chalk Pits on the Villers Brettoneaux where we would find a guide waiting to take us on to our position where we were to erect our Station

Along the road a bit the rain eased off for a few minutes and we were just thinking what a lovely war it as we walked along when flash bang right in our ears a howitzer sent a shell over to Fritz to let him know they were awake. Bill yelled something in my ear that sounded like swearing but I did not feel like answering him just then as I was counting the drops of water running down my neck.

Eventually we reached the chalk pits and picking up the guide set out for the remaining part of our journey. Slipping, sliding, through ploughed fields over ones boot tops in mud we at last reached our position only to find no place to erect a station and no dugout to sleep in. This was

[Page 170]
about 10.30 and I felt like starting a small attack on my own.

I remember Bill said "What about the Station" and I said "D – the station" and I went down the gully till I found a bit of a possy big enough to sleep in with ones knees under my and off I went to sleep as I was.

Next morning I was awakened at about 4.30 and looking round I thought all the Devils in creation was loose. All Down the gully was one sea of bursting shells and smoke. Bill was awake and we ducked out and ran up to get our station going It was only a short bombardment however and soon died down

Having got the station erected and communication going the next thing was to build a dugout which we did before breakfast roofing it with anything we could find That afternoon we walked into the town of Villers-Brettoneaux and visited the Woolen mills where we got some

[Page 171]
new underclothing and socks and I got two new womens golf jackets, one purple and one green. It was my intentions to alter them a bit and wear them for cardigan jackets as mine was just about worn out and "Chatty"

We only stopped at that place 3 days but what with shells and rain – well it was no picnic & I was very glad when Tock Tollis and Billy Lickiss came to relieve us. From there we went back to the Chalk Pits where we found Arthur Caspersonn and Jim Dillon and here we stayed another 3 days.

During the stay here we went into Corbie where we were able to get white shirts and Linen underclothes and potatoes by the ton. It was while here that I witnessed the end of Baron Rechhoffen one of Germanys Crack Airmen brought down by a bullet of a Lewis Gun shooting from just over the hill from us.

It was while here too

[Page 172]
that a Fritz high up in the sky dropped a bomb which landed in a gutter a few yards away and had it it not been for the bank of the gutter a crowd of us who were watching it would have stopped a few pieces. As it happened nobody was hit and the incident was soon forgotten.

[Photograph of Sapper J.R. Dillon. Bendigo.]

On the night of the 9th of April we were relieved at 6 pm and set out for Bussy-Les-Daours where Div Head Quarters were now situated and about 8.30 pm we landed back with the boys again. After a wash and shave which was badly needed I went into the Kitchen & Sitting Room of the people we were billeted with and where we could get a good

[Page 173]
drink of coffee for 2 ½d

They were French refugees from Theipval in the Somme and as their home there was long ago turned into dust they had taken refuge in this village with just what they could get away with when the Hun came through.

Our billets were in the stable and they had opened the kitchen and stove to us to sit round and yarn in the cold evenings and in return we would purchase coffee from them. On my arrival I found these things very acceptable especially the hot water they gave me to get the 8 days growth of whiskers off my face.

There was an old lady of 73 her two daughters of 37 and 42 and a grand daughter of 17. Poorly dressed with only what they stood in they told us the story of their flight for safety and how the old Lady and the little dog which used to curl up under the stove were both hit with pieces of bombs.

During the yarn the 2 jackets in my

[Page 174]
pack came into my thoughts and I decided to let them have them and get another next time up the line. Going out I got the parcel and they nearly went mad with delight. During the next few days we made trips in into Corbie and Tulloy and brought back packs of clothes ornaments and sacks of potatoes for our own use & before many days we had the old people pretty comfortable.

Everything went well until the morning of the 25th of April at 4 am when we were awakened by the sound of the guns going for all they were worth and on going outside found the sky fairly ablaze with the flashes of artillery and flares. Half an hour later the officer came over and told us that Fritz had broken through and had captured Villers Brettoneaux & was advancing towards Ameins. Orders were issued to don equipment

[Page 175]
and be ready to move as Villers Brettoneaux was the Key position of Ameins and must be recaptured at all costs.

For about an hour and a half we waited, cleaning our rifles and ammunition and then word came through that the 15th Brigade on the frontal counter attack with the 14th Brigade on the left Flank had completely defeated fritz recapturing Villers Bretteneaux with an enveloping attack and surrounding the tower taking up our previous position on the other side.

As soon as Fritz had found out he was knocked back he opened up on the town with Artillery blowing his own men out. Out of that stunt we captured 1500 prisoners besides the killed which were close on 1000. About 7 am word came through that the stations in Corbie and outside the town were out of call

[Page 176]
and as all the lines were broken by the heavy bombardment which was still continuing no word could be got as to how the situation was up forward.

About 7.30 George Williams said he was going up to see what was wrong and asked me if Id go with him. From Bussy-Les Dours we cut straight across the Somme in a bee-line for Corbie but half way ran into a gas cloud and had to don our our helmets when nearing the town we saw it was foolish to go straight in so we cut across the river again to the left until we hit a road

Here we saw sights that made ones heart stand still with pity for all along the road was stretcher bearers in their masks leading out men totally blind and crying with the pain of gas burns. Dozens were

[Page 177]
stumbling along alone while along the road were numbers sitting down waiting for a shell to put them out of misery

Once we got into the town it was go for your life for what with High explosive shells, schrapnel, and bricks it looked 20 to 1 on getting knocked On reaching the 14th Brigade we looked for our station but the only one we could find was Frank Wright and he told us Cliff Birks Les Waterworth and Jimmy Clarke had gone to hospital while Eddie Boyce was in the next room unconcious. I went in to look at Eddie and just then the bearers came along. I helped carry him down and just as we put him in the ambulance he came to and said something about a letter but he was Delirious.

While we were there a runner from Forward told us Tommo Thomas was on his own and wanted another man as Sam Charles had gone to

[Page 178]
hospital. This was hard luck as I had given Sam 50 Francs to mind for me and he had taken it with him. We got the Station going again and went down to the 8th Brigade to look for them. Here we found nobody as "Splinter" Burns and Sammy Holden had gone the same way as the rest. Straight away we sent word to Div to send 3 men to 8th and 2 to 14th and then started back for Div.

Fritz was still shelling heavily and we went for our lives At one place along the road was a limber and two horses with the Driver still on his horse riddled with pieces of schrapnel and lying just as they went down. Just as we were getting out of town a couple of shells landed right in a house we were passing and we just missed being crushed by a falling wall

It was about 1 pm when we landed

[Page 179]
back and here we learnt Charlie Ekberg had copped a peppering from a shell at Villers Brettoneaux wounding him in the legs side and head.

2 days after I left Div for the 29th Battalion Head Quarters at Sailly-Le-Sec & was walking along the Canal on my way up when I heard a familiar Voice say Hullo Tom where to. It was my old cobber Nugget Lyons and he told me he had not long been back from Hospital having been the only survivor out of 6 in a dugout and stopped a couple of pieces of Polygon Wood.

After leaving Nugget I carried on arriving at the 29th about 4 pm and having erected my Station I made myself comfortable for 6 Days. Owing to the heavy casualties in our section I was alone this time and had to get a battalion signaller to assist me best way he could.

I was just going to sleep one

[Page 180]
night when a shell burst in the other side of the ravine and I heard a whiz and thud and felt a stinging in my leg. Lighting a light I found a piece about as big as sixpence had come through the roof and just cut the skin. Next morning I found it had cut clean through one of the branches with which I had my Dugout camouflaged or goodness knows what would have happened to me

Nothing else of any importance happened while I was there and on the 6th day I was relieved by Frank Browne who informed me that my Cobber Bill Rigby had gone to hospital as a result of the gas bombardment. Two days after my return from Sailly-Le-Sec Fritz put over another barrage and succeeded in sending Mac Macdonough away gassed and blew Bill Lawley out through the

[Page 181]
roof with a H.E. Shell seriously wounding him The total now was 14 evacuated out of 36 so we had to just "box on" and do two mens work.

On the 6th of May I once more went up to advanced Div at Tulloy to be in readiness in case of immergency and with me were Billy Lickiss and Jimmy Hamilton. Before leaving Rear Div I was having a game of cards one day and Sammy Holden said to me Hold on Tom I wont be a minute, and as I was, with my pipe in my mouth, my tunic open, and my hat on the back of my head, he sketched me. I would have liked to have kept that but the girls got it and I never seen it again.

As I was going up to Forward Division this time to said Au Revoir and seen us to the gate, the first

[Page 182]
time they had ever done this, That was the last I ever saw of them waving to us as we crossed the hill. At Division stopped 2 Days and both nights he bombarded us with gas.

On the morning of the 9th we received word that Arthur Caspersonn and Fred Hanser had got their issue and Billy Lickiss and myself went to take their place On the morning of the 11th at 3.30 am Fritz opened again but we managed to keep O.K. and except for a smarting round the eyes I was alright

Next morning about the same time Fritz opened up a terrific bombardment and Billy Lickiss came round to my possy and said "the lines are down forward and theres no word of the battalions." Putting on my steel hat (I was already in my gas helmet) I ducked out and made for the loop set Dugout

[Page 183]
where the instrument in touch with Forward Battalions was installed.

[Photogaph with the following caption:]
The Wireless Section at Oisemont. After taking reinforcements.

I had to go about 75 yds around a hill the track being littered with fallen trees and what with smoke and dust I could hardly see. About half way round, I dont know whether torn by a flying splinter or what happened but my helmet flew open leaving me exposed to the gas. Turning round I pulled my helmet off and ran for dear life to the big dugout where I was able to get another and carry on

[Page 184]
with my work.

I got onto the forward stations and asked them if they had any messages and how things were and they informed me that there was no sign of an attack and things were very quiet around the front line so after reporting to the Brigade officer on duty I went and lay down on my blankets as I was not feeling too lively.

At 8 am I relieved Bill Lickiss on the W/T set and after a while my eyes began to smart and the candle light seemed like a dazzling search-light and at times I had to put my hand over them for about 5 minutes at a time. At 12 noon I was relieved by "Ab" OConnor and I went outside to get some dinner. As soon as I hit the daylight something went wrong and owing to the light being too strong I tried to close my eyes but found I could not owing to the swelling

[Page 185]
of my eyes. I remember seeing Sammy Holden who was now back come round the corner and then I went as blind as a bat. While it seems that somebody was touching the back of my eyes with hot wires. It was Sammy that took me down to the dressing station about a mile away and then I said Good-by to Corbie.

It had been a good home in the early part of our occupation and Ive seen womens sets of furs of the very best cut up to make caps and slippers. One day I saw an Ausie in a lovely opera Suit white waistcoat and Tall silk hat busily scraping a pig hanging from the limb of a tree. I have dined off Lovely carved and polished oak tables with silver Vases on the table and white table cloths in a Chateau equal and better than one would find in Australia but they were not worth looking at when Fritz had finished with them.

[Page 186]
I remember one night the 8th Brigade Head Qrs had a ball and one half dressed up as Ladies for the occasion It was a shame to see all the good clothes that went to waste that night but it was all in as Fritz only blew them up once he started.

On my arrival at the Dressing Station I was examined by a Doctor who ordered me at once onto a stretcher and by no means was I to leave it. About 3 pm I left the Dressing station at Aubigny for the Field Ambulance (14th) at Daours where I had a bath discarded my khaki for pajamas and at 4.30 pm we were on a 43 mile Ride by ambulance to Abbeville No 1 stationery Hospital.

By now my eyes were paining something awful and I felt like as if someone had hit me on the head and stunned me. About 6.30 pm we arrived at our destination and were very soon in

[Page 187]
bed but I could not sleep and just had to lay there and wonder if ever my eyes would get right again

For 12 days I lay in Abbeyville without seeing anything except when the nurse opened my eye lid and I saw the light but I would do without those things as the pain was fearful and when she used to put in eye drops I could have yelled. To make matters worse my Voice went altogether after about 6 days and I was left Blind and Dumb.

On the 23rd of May I heard the nurse talking of who was going to England the next day and I heard my name and number mentioned. Sure enough that night they put some clothes under the bed ready for next morning and at 8 am the following day we were put on a hospital boat for Blighty

From Boulogne we went to Dover on the St George and from Dover per Hospital train to Aldershot military hospital My eyes

[Page 188]
were a lot better now and I was able to see but still we had to keep in bed or be carried on a stretcher until we were allowed up. 3 days after our admittance to Aldershot we were allowed up and outside as long as we were well wrapped up in overcoats etc and now and again we went for a walk down town.

Here at Aldershot the nurses were very good to us and when we were leaving the sister in charge of our two huts said we were the first lot of Australians she had ever been in charge of and she hoped she never had any one else now she knew them. On the 9th of June we left Aldershot and went to Harefield (Aust Base Hospital) and we were only there 2 days when we were sent on Furlough for 14 days.

On June 26th I landed back from Furlough and was sent to No. 1 Command Depot Sutton Veny where I was once more examined by a doctor and marked BIAI

[Page 189]
or unfit for service overseas for 1 month. I was then put on exercises like deep breathing etc and many a ruse we put up to dodge them.

I forgot to mention that on my arrival I was put into No 19 hut and on going inside I heard a voice say "Hello Tonty Hows the Biz Now". It was big Eddie Boyce that I had helped to carry out of the station in Corbie and he just managed to pull through. He told me all that had happened since he had left the Unit and I told him my share and so we settled down to the business together as one old mate is worth 20 new ones.

Later on we picked up Charlie Ekberg and Alick Cox and Bill Lawley who was blown through the roof at Corbie so there was quite a family until about a month later Eddie Boyce received word that owing to 2 of his brothers being killed he was going home to Australia. On the Friday morning following the news he came in to say Good-bye and

[Page 190]
Im blessed if he didn’t start crying. Poor old Ted he was well liked by the boys and he did not want to leave them. However he had no choice and that’s the last we ever saw of him. Shortly after that Bill Lawley left for Aust and that left 3 of us.

About the beginning of Sept I was marked fit for Service again and on the 5th I left Sutton Veny for the over seas Training Brigade at Longbridge-Deverill only about 2 miles away. Here I met old Sam Charles again who Id given the 50 Francs to mind and we knocked about together waiting for the time to go back.

It was while here that we went to the camp pictures and at half time the following was thrown on the sheet "Bulgaria Surrenders Unconditionally". Official. How that crowd got out of that hall without somebody getting killed was a miracle but they did and whats more

[Page 191]
the Canteen had to increase its staff 300% That was the first nation out of the war and although she was small she was one of Germanys stepping stones to the east and she was now out of it.

It was while here that we got news of the old section. Paddy Conlon had been killed at Morlancourt Roy Hillier and "Ab" OConnor at Bellicourt Poor little Jimmy Hamilton was drowned in the Somme Canal and Jim Robinson was badly wounded.

For 8 days I was looking after the mess hut and here I had my first fight since leaving Australia and which happily ended in a victory for me. And so the time went by until the 26th of September when I left the O.T.B for my unit Base Depot at Shefford where I was to wait a draft for France.

While here I was lucky enough to get leave to Sheerness to see my Brother who had been invalided home with Malaria & Blackwater Fever and +

[Page 192]
Im sorry to say I did not know him he was so thin. We spent the four days together and then I said Goodbye and went back to the base.

On my arrival I found Sam had arrived and would be on the same draft as me so we did not care much now how things went. We did nothing during our stay in Camp as being old hands they did not think it worth while teaching us what we already knew and many a Tall tale and blood thirsty Tale we told to the new Reinforcements who had not yet smelt powder. I laughed the day they marched out on draft for France, one would have thought they were going to be slaughtered.

On the 17th of October I left shefford with the draft for Bedford where we picked up a Tommy draft and at 3 am we were on the train for Dover. Next morning early we got on the boat and once more we said

[Page 193]
goodbye to England and crossed the Channel to France.

Once again we went round the old track and up to One Blanket Hill and next day we entrained to the Signal Engineers Camp at Abbeyville where we put in about 4 days joining up our Unit at Oisemont on the 24th of October. It was about 5 pm when we walked into the billet and what a Cheer the boys gave us while the usual "Leadswinging Hoboes" greated us from all sides. That night we got all the news.

Les Ellis and Billy Lickess Sid Pace and Ern Gill had got M.Ms Brownie and George Badcock was Lance Corporals and a Thousand different Things had happened since the day we left. I asked them how the people we were staying with at Bussy were and Les Ellis told me how a 6" Naval shell had dropped in the front garden and they had left.

We soon settled down to the old life again and as the

[Page 194]
the days went by we found the news getting brighter, The capture of the Hindenburg line "the fall of Le Cateau" and finally the capture of the big "[Normal Forest]" We filled in these days playing football and going long walks of an evening to keep ourselves fit until one day we received the paper saying that the Germans had come through to ask for an armistice. The paper man used to ride to Oisemont on a bicycle and if any one wanted a paper these days we had to walk about 4 miles to meet him or go without.

[Photograph and caption:]
Spr. Gill. M.M.

And so things went on until the night of the 10th of November at 10-30 pm we were all in bed dozing when Fred Hanser who was doing a shift on the press set put his head through the door and said

[Page 195]
"The Armistice is to be signed at 11 am tomorrow" Somebody grunted "Good oh Fred" and off we went to sleep.

Next day we got up and had breakfast and were told to parade at 10.30 am with belts and bandoliers. At 10.50 we fell in and at 2 minutes to 11 we stood to attention till 2 minutes past 11 and then broke off without any cheering as a sign of respect to our fallen chums

That afternoon the little village was absolutely littered with flags and I think if I say some of them last seen daylight in Napoleons time I would not be far wrong. All the Froggies were singing and ringing the only bell in the village boasted of while for our part we went down for a game of football.

That night we held a concert in a big barn affair and some French soldiers sang the "[Maseillaise]" and altogether it was not so bad considering. About 8 pm Charlie Ekberg

[Page 196]
Sam Charles, Jim Dillon and myself went down the road to one of the estaminets we knew and here we sat round the fire drinking coffee and talking. Everybody seemed lost that night and I believe many a one had thoughts far away and memories of a brother or Cobber sleeping in the Somme or Bullecourt.

And so the fighting ended and in reality the war ended and in our favour and we now had to make northward to be in a safe position in case the terms of the Armistice were broken.

On the 16th of November we said goodbye to Oisemont and marched by road 16 kilometres to Pont Remy near Abbeville and there we were to entrain for Bertry It was 1 am when we left Oisemont and by the break of day we we at Pont Remy waiting to get on the train.

The night was very cold and with the daylight came

[Page 197]
drizzling rain but we managed to keep very dry and secured wood for a fire All that day we waited for our train and it was 10 pm that night before we got a move on. However we had managed to confiscate a couple of bales of hay and as soon as we started we got down and had a good sleep.

Next morning at Day break we opened the door of the truck and looked out only to see where Villers Brettoneaux had once stood but which was now a heap of brick dust and a few walls. All across the old Somme Battlefields we went but what a difference to when we had known them.

Everywhere we looked was green grass and although the trenches and shell holes were still there and those thousands of white Crosses made quite plain with the green grass, It did not have quite the same desolate look as before. On we went through Perrone with all

[Page 198]
its main streets named by the Ausies Like the "Rue De St Possum" and "The Rue de Kanga" and at last we pulled into the big City of Cambrai

Here again the marks of war were prominent but the people were living here again so it was not knocked about beyond repair. All along the line wherever a bridge had been It had been blown sky high with mines and here a couple of lovely bridges had been shifted.

From Cambrai we went onto a branch line and about 7 pm we pulled into our destination Bertry. Here we began to look round for something to eat but here we were disappointed for after waiting for about an hour we were told we had to march to Busigny about 6 Kilometres or so they told us but to the boys it seemed more like 16. by the time we had finished

[Page 199]
it and as for hungry well we could have finished a horse each comfortably and asked for more.

It was 11 pm when we reached Busigny Pitch dark, and threatening rain while all the way along the roads were just Pools of mud and water and the tramping feet made it fly in all directions. Sam Charles was marching along side of me and I remember him saying something about "a man ought to be a duck" and then he shut up.

We billeted in a big chateau that night and next afternoon word came through that we were to shift to Favril on the edge of the Mormal Forest and 4 Kilometres from Landrecies.

About 4 pm we left Busigny and with 17 kilometres to go we started off. At one point after we had gone about half way a Tommy Guard turned out to present Arms as we passed

[Page 200]
and they did get a cheer with their snow white rifle slings bright buttons and badges presenting to a mob of mud bespattered Ausies.

All along the road were villages some of them uninhabitable while others were in good condition. Here and there a few crosses in a heap told where there had been a stand up fight but for most of the way it had been a running battle.

Everywhere one looked in a place at all inhabitable were french civilians already settling down to work to build up the old home while out in the fields they were already ploughing. About 5 pm we arrived at Favril and went straight away into Billets and then went looking for some tea as we were just about famished after our long march. That night we had a good bed of dried grass and I slept like a top until next morning when we had

[Page 201]
to go and get breakfast or go without which was the worst of the two

About 10 am I was informed that I was to go to St Souplet and report to the Artillery Head Quarters there and erect a W/T station as all communication was now carried on by wireless. With me were Sappers Osborne and McDonough and Lance Corpl Coles (in Charge) came out a few days later

Here we put in things very quiet and when off duty we used to go for long walks to Le Catteau and other places. It was only 2 Kilos to where fritz had blown up a beautiful Railway bridge 300 yds long and though we managed to get some snaps they all turned out failures. We had a good billet and fireplace and plenty of wood from broken houses so we were very comfortable.

On the 15th of December we received a wire that we were to dismantle and the motor car would call for us and the gear

[Page 202]
to take us back to Division which had now shifted from Favril to Solre-Le-Chateau about 12 Kilos from the Belgian Border. Here we went into billets in an old german hospital with beds and matresses a nice big stove in the centre of the room & each big room holding 12 men

Here we were told that there was nothing to do but keep our billets clean and take exercise which we did every day to the tune of about a 12 Kilos walk. Most of our time we put in making souvenirs and I have two shell cases of Fritzies made into Vases at home today.

I’ll never forget one day we were all sitting round the fire when Dan Johnson, one of the Visual signallers came in with 3 Live Nose Caps. He put them on the bed and sat down to have a yarn. Accidently he knocked one of them on to the floor and

[Page 203]
we heard a pop and looking down saw a trail of red sparks issuing from it. Within 2 seconds there was not a man in that room only Johnno and he was laughing fit to cry. Hearing no explosion we crept back and found that he had taken the charge off them and left only the cap and fuse. I forgot how I left that building that day but I believe it was was via the window.

And so the days went by making souvenirs of a day, walking of an evening and either going to the pictures or going to bed early was the daily routine until Christmas came along and then we all set too to make it as enjoyable. We had to depend wholly on what we got from the Comfort Fund as food in the areas that had been occupied by Fritz was very scarce and it was an impossibility to

[Page 204]
buy anything off the civilian population, nevertheless when the time came we did very well and were well looked after for parcels from home.

[Photograph with caption]
Long Joe. Spr G.B. Waterworth

I remember exactly at 12 noon on Christmas day I was with Bill Rigby and Sam Charles looking at one of our Aeroplanes that had been brought down just before the armistice, The two Airman were killed and had been given a decent buriel by Fritz in Solre-Le-Chateau Cemetry. There seemed to be a lot of respect held by the Airmen on both sides for one another and on more than one occasion little things happened that showed this.

For instance when Capt Ball was brought down by a Fritz they came over next day and dropped a wreath where he had fallen. Capt Ball was Englands greatest fighter and was killed near Lille by a

[Page 205]
German novice.

Another Instance happened near Bapaume when a Fritz drove one of our boys down and crashed him in the shell holes. As he passed over the Fritz threw out a small bottle of Iodine and some bandages. And so they had treated these two at Solre Le Chateau to a decent buriel and at their heads was a big white Wooden-Cross and on a copper plate was the date of their death and their names

And as soon as Christmas was over the boys began to get a move on towards home & one by one their names began to come out on the drafts for home. Sid Pace and Billy Lickiss Sam Charles Les Ellis and all the old boys went one by one and we watched for the day when ours would go up.

Long Joe Waterworth and Charlie Ekberg used to keep the boys alive with their songs and recitations on the long winter nights and theres no doubt about it "Long Joe" as the boys called him could

[Page 206]
sing and recite beautifully. All the way from Camoweal in Northern Queensland, where he had been a drover, to Brisbane a matter of 500 miles he had come to enlist part of the way on horseback and some of the way by train and coach and he said if ever we wanted to find him to look on the outskirts of civilization away up in the Northern Territory.

And so the days passed away at Solre until the 10th of January when I was detailed to go out on a Station at Leugnies on the Belgian Border to the HQrs of the 5th Div Supply Train. With me this time were Jim Dillon Frank Grice (Snowy) and Long Joe.

At Leugnies we were billeted in an Estaminet with fire place and a nice room and although we had to sleep on the floor we were very comfortable. The old people who kept the place were very kind to us

[Page 207]
too and on one occasion when Jim Dillon was down with the flu they gave him their bed for 5 days and slept on the floor themselves. Every night we would go in and sit by the fire and talk to them in French, as they did not know one word of English, and they told us of the attrocities and Laws of the Germans while in occupation.

[Photograph with caption]
"Snowy." Sapper. F. Grice. Qld

There is no doubt about it that these people had an awful time during the 4 years occupation by Fritz and they must have nearly went mad when the end came and they saw the releiving forces going past on the heels of the retreating germans. Night after night they gave us supper and coffee and looked after us more like their own sons than anything. In return we would wheel their grain down to the mill and get it crushed and bring it back and a few other little

[Page 208]
things during our hours off duty. And so the days passed at Leugnies more in pleasure than work while in at Div at Solre Le Chateau the old unit was getting broken up

All spare horses were going away Cable waggons and Limbers were being got ready to send in to Ordinance and the drafts were going home slowly but surely. And then on the 9th of February we received word to dismantle the Set and the box car would call at 4 pm to take us back to Div.

When we told the old Folks we were leaving they were greatly upset and just before 4 pm they came in with a big cake and a pound of butter to take with us. Poor old folks the last we saw of them they were fading away in the distance waving goodbye.

On our arrival back at Solre we found that the Wireless Section was finished

[Page 209]
work as all the instruments had to be sent in so we just sat back and waited for the next turn of affairs. This was not long coming in the shape of a couple of "Long-eared-Cobbers" (Donkeys) which we had to take into Charleroi and truck to the base. Twice I made this trip the other time as brakesman on a Cable Waggon and when it was over I didn’t know whether I was wearing a tunic or not for mud which flew off the wheels.

It was this trip that I came back on a G.S. Waggon and I thought Id have died with the cold as we were driving right into the teeth of a Snow Blizzard. Anyway we managed to land home alright and felt the benifit of a good warm fire and dixie of hot tea that was waiting for us.

It was about the 20th of February that word came through that we were shifting in a couple of days and things were to be got in readiness to move

[Page 210]
so for the next two days we were hard at it cleaning up the premises and getting everything in order for the following party who would take our place when we moved out.

Two days later the time came and we were all detailed to different things, some on a G S Waggon some on a ration Limber 2 to each of the store waggons to act as guard and as for myself I was told off to ride one mule and lead another.

From Solre we went Via Beaumont to Walcourt and there once more we settled down. The distance travelled was about 25 Kilometres and although I did not think much of my luck at the start at having to ride the mules I had the laugh at the other end when I saw the others unloading the waggons while we went and got a good billet. There was six of us rode horses and mules that trip and we all got good possies. They were

[Page 211]
Joe Waterworth Charlie Ekberg W Rigby Tommo Thomas Arthur Casperson and myself.

The place we were billeted in was called the White Chateau and had once been a magnificent building, standing right on top of a hill over looking the main part of the town. It is said that when Fritz came through they wanted to billet 4 German officers on the old Lady who owned the place. She refused to have them and Fritz then in Spite compelled her to billet 60 privates.

They allowed her one small portion of the house to herself but She was not allowed to go upstairs. She never saw the top portion of the house again beyond the ground floor until after the Armistice and of all the lovely furniture and ornaments she had had there was absolutely nothing left. The shock was so great that when we arrived she was a maniac and once only I caught sight of her wild eyes looking at me from the window of the room she

[Page 212]
now claimed as her whole world and never left. There was a wild rumour that she had 2 million Francs hidden in the garden and that some night she visited it at one a.m. but somehow nobody ever saw her.

After we had been two days at Walcourt we (the Wireless section) came to the conclusion we had to walk too far for our meals and we decided to start a cook house of our own.

As soon as I heard of this suggestion the though struck me that the job of cook would not be such a bad game, as dixies are not likely to fly up and hit one like donkeys hoofs are so straight away I went and had a conference with my mate Bill Rigby. He told me he had been thinking the same so that afternoon we set about making our own cook house. We managed to get a couple of spare dixies off one of the other cooks and with the

[Page 213]
help of 3 petrol tins we settled down nicely to our work.

We started cooking at 6.30 am and at 9 am the same morning we were informed that we had been given a pair of Donks each to look after. We kindly informed the Sergt that we did not want them as we were now cooks and that ended matters as far as Donks went.

We looked after the boys pretty well while we were on the game and never once had any complaint and for the two pays we were cooks they threw in 2 francs per man and brought it into the cook house and made us a presentation. This alone was enough to say they were very pleased with the food. One thing we used to give them was Anzac Duff – Receipe –

Get a Kerosene tin full of Army biscuits and soak in water all night. Next morning drain off any spare water an crush the lot into a pulp. Then add a couple

[Page 214]
of handfuls of flour a couple of handfuls of raisons currents sultanas or anything else you have on hand and some sugar.

To this add a quarter of a tin of Health Salts or Fruit Salts (That’s the nearest we could get to baking Powder in France) and mix the lot thoroughly in a dish Next get a pudding cloth (If you havent a a pudding cloth wash and boil a white shirt like we did) and boil for 3 hours. Serve hot with custard (If no custard do without) And you have Anzac pudding.

[Photograph with caption]
Our cookhouse at Walcourt Rig & myself getting the dinner.

However putting all jokes aside that’s just how it was made and whenever this was on for issue there was never a crumb left. Another thing was Slap-jacks or Pancakes made something similar only without biscuits all flour and a tin of milk and they never saw daylight.

One day we tried to make some

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bully rissoles and ended up by giving them potatoe hash. They did not know the difference however and it went off well. The Snap on the opposite page is Bill and myself taken by Dan Sutton just before dinner one day. Note the dixies on the fire and the mornings issue of bacon on the table.

Every night after our work was done we used to take a long walk along the various roads for exercise and then come home and hop into bed ready for the next morning. It was still very cold and nearly every morning I went down to fill the dixies for breakfast at the pump outside the estaminet the lady would look out of the window and say "Goo Morin Vere Coold" Id say "Oui" "Wheris Ek", she’d say "Ek Schleepe" Ek was Charlie Ekberg and he used to hire a room off them.

It was while here that Rig and myself made up our minds to have a trip to Brussels and had just

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got things nicely arranged when out came a draft list & at dinner time when the boys came in for their issue they

[Page 200]
both Rig and myself we were down for Ausie. That ended the trip to Brussels and we settled down to the cooking waiting for the day to start for home.

A few days later we were medically examined by the doctor and next day the draft was fixed to leave on the 1st of April 13 of the W/T Section were on this draft as follows W. Rigby. W. Cummings. A. Edwards. A. Osborne. A. Casperson. W. Casperson. A. Bell. G. Badcock. F. Browne. F. Grice. D. Sutton. C. Ekberg. and myself.

I remember the night before we left Bill and I sold the cook house as a going concern to the French civilians realizing 80 francs each out of the deal and that ended the good old cooking days. I shall never forget arguing the point with one old dame over half a sack of potatoes and in the finish

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we met her half way.

On the 1st of April we left Walcourt for Beaumont in Motor lorries and thus began our trip for Ausie and home. We stopped one night at Beaumont in the old Brick factory and next morning caught the train to Charleroi where we would catch a train to take us to Le Havre. It was about 12 noon on the 3rd when we left Charleroi for Le Havre and off we went across the old battlefields on the way home.

The old spots were quite different now everything being green again while the old trenches and barbed wire were beginning to fade away. Even the trees were showing signs of sprouting again while here and there along the line a solitary plough could be seen working the ground ready for the crop.

At Mons we stopped for a hot meal and were able to get a glimpse of the city for about 10 minutes. Although this place had come in for a heavy share

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of the earlier fighting there was nothing now to show there had ever been a war except the numerous soldiers whom one passed in the streets. Leaving Mons we continued our journey south west passing numerous towns and Villages and gradually getting into the old War area until at last on waking up after the first night in the train we found ourselves passing the old Somme Battlefields but as I said before now hardly recognisable.

But there was just one thing that still marked the old spots and showed where the fighting had been thickest, and they will mark it for years to come, and that was the Little Crosses which marked the spot where many a man, both privates N.C.Os and officers were taking their last long sleep. And there was not only ours either for here and there one could read on a rough Cross the words. "In memory of an Unknown German Soldier."

I think the boys were very silent over this part of the

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journey for although we were going home again to our people our thoughts went back to many a one we knew whose last home now was marked by one of these little Crosses. Poor old Mullins, Bill Fitch Ab OConnor and Paddy Conlon.

Past Villers Brettoneaux and we were out of the war zone again and now we were into Ameins but quite different to when we last saw it. Trains were running and every body going about their work as if nothing had happened. And so things went on until 9 am on the morning of the 5th we pulled into Le Harve after 2 days and 2 nights in the train & off we went into Camp to be issued with all shortages etc before leaving France.

Next morning we were taken to the baths, all our old clothing taken from us and new stuff issued and then we were told to report to the Q.M. stores with all our equipment and get issued with sea kits and anything else we were short

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of. When everything was fixed up we were told not to leave the camp as the draft would be leaving at a moments notice and besides we had to get cards fixed up to take on the boat.

On the 8th April we were told the draft would leave at 12 noon next day to board the boat and on the 9th of April, the same date as I left Australia to go to the war, we left France from Le Havre bound for Southhampton England.

On the night of the 9th we slept on the boat and early next morning we disembarked at Southampton and boarded a train which took us to Littlemoor Camp Weymouth. There we were put into huts with spring matresses and Bed ticks and there was nothing short only the white sheets which would have made them like the beds at home. Here we were once more put through the QM and issued with more stuff

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and then we were told that we would be going on 14 days leave on the 14th of April due to us before embarking

On the 14th of April we were up bright and early and looking like new pins away we went to enjoy ourselves for our last leave in "The Old Dart" The crowd was as happy as Kings during the trip to London and on arrival we were taken to Horseferry Road where we were paid what was due to us, the Riot act was read to us and then off we went to our destinations.

Myself and Frank Browne went to Manchester to spend our leave together while Rig went to Liverpool to see his relations. He told us to write to him and send our address and he would come over and see us for a day & sure enough one day he turned up and we had a good old day together. While on this leave I went

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and saw my brother several times as he was now discharged owing to his illness and living at his home.

On Anzac Day the 25th of April a party of us formed together and visited the graves of our boys in the Southern Cemetery Manchester and held a solemn service around the graves. When this was over we placed a small Ausie flag at the head of each one just to show they were not forgotten on this day especially as some of them had received his fatal wound in the taking of Cliffs that had made the 25th famous.

[Newspaper clipping headed "At Comrades’ Graves"]
At Comrades’ Graves
A party of Colonial soldiers made a solemn pilgrimage yesterday to the last resting place of some of their fallen comrades buried in "Heroes’ Corner," at the Southern Cemetery, Manchester. The party were soon to return home to the Commonwealth.

"It was only fitting," said one, "that we should pay this tribute to our fallen comrades, especially as many of them took part four years ago to-day in the storming of the Gallipoli beaches. And also they received the care of your city when they were brought here wounded, and many an Australian and Canadian mother’s heart will go out to you for setting aside this pleasant nook for the last resting place of their sons."

There is no doubt about it that they will be will looked after as they were a picture when we visited them. 3 days later I said goodbye to my brother as my leave was now expired and off we went

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back to camp to await the time when we would board the boat which was to take us back to the land we were longing to see "Dear old Ausie" Everything was just the same in Camp as when we had left it and we just settled down to the old life, going for a stroll of an evening and getting everything ready for our voyage.

On the 30th of April we heard that we were to form part of 5000 Australians who were to take part in a big march of the dominions on Dominion Day May 3rd, through London The next days were put in getting everything ready for the march, cleaning equipment and shining bayonets and numerous other things in connection with a ceramony like this.

At 4 am on May the 3rd we left Littlemoor once more and entrained for London arriving about 9 am and marched to Hyde Park where the march was

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to commence from. At 1 pm the beginning of the column moved off and before very long the whole Column was on the road marching to the sound of our own bands between crowds so dense that they were packed like sardines and Cheered us every inch of the way. Every available space on Buildings and windows & roofs were taken while lamp posts and Statues looked like lollies crowded with flies

[Newspaper clipping headed "Australia’s Heroes"]
Australia’s Heroes.
General Chauvel led past the Australians – 5,000 strapping fellows of the corps that captured 250 square miles in the final advance through and beyond the Hindenburg Line. Their slouch hats marked them out at once as "The Diggers," the heroes of Gallipoli, the heroes of St. Quentin, the heroes of a hundred fights. And after them the slimmer, more self-restrained, more English New Zealanders; the South Africans, bringing with them a live springbok, their mascot; and finally, gallant little Newfoundland’s 500.

Great crowds cheered them all, throughout the long route by Charing Cross and the Strand to Kingsway, and so by Oxford street to the Marble Arch. It was a "Thank you" and a "Good-bye" rolled in one. And if the "Good-bye" had something in it of inevitable sadness, the "Thank you," at any rate, was brimming over with smiles because, through the inspiration of unity, a great task had been triumphantly finished.

At times it was impossible to hear the band for the Cheering while the frequent Cries of "Good bye Ausie" and "Farewell Diggers" or "Good Luck and Thank you Ausies" rang out above the Cheers. It was a great send off and many an old lady burst into tears at the thought of some boy killed in Action and many a

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[Buckingham Palace letterhead]
Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men of the Oversea Forces: –

It is with a heart full of pride and gratitude that I take your salute to-day as you march in triumph through London.

The Peoples of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, by their instant readiness to share in the trials and responsibilities of the great War, have shown to the World the unity of the British Empire.

You, with your comrades from the Mother Country, vied with one another in noble deeds, which will ever be held in proud remembrance.

Readily you adapted yourselves to the changing conditions of a new and formidable kind of warfare, and endured physical hardships and exacting mental strain.

Whether on the plains of Flanders, or the heights of Gallipoli, in France, in Palestine, or other theatres of war, you displayed gallant endurance in defence and vigorous initiative in attack.

We and future generations will never forget the part played by the Canadians in the second Battle of Ypres, and on the Vimy Ridge, by the Australians and New Zealanders at Gallipoli and in the advance in France in the spring of 1917, by the Troops of all three Dominions in the breaking of the Hindenburg line last year, by the South African Brigade in Delville Wood, and by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment at Monchy le Preux.

Now, in the day of victory, I wish to express to you, who represent the Oversea Forces, my unbounded admiration for splendid feats of arms and for sacrifices made.

I wish you all God-speed on your homeward journey, with a hope that the outcome of this world struggle may assure Peace to your children and your children’s children.

[Signature of George R. J.]
May 3rd, 1919.

[Page 226]
[Blank page]
Randwick 262

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girl sing out good bye to someone she knew in the Crowd as we marched bye. Through Buckingham Palace we went where the King was taking the Salute through Charing Cross and the Strand to Kingsway and along oxford street to the Marble Arch and back to Hyde Park.

Never in my life will I forget that march and it was one of the greatest send offs anybody could have. The message from the King was given to each one who took part in that march.

That night we returned to camp tired but happy and once more settled down to the old life. They could send the boat now as soon as they liked as we were simply counting the days to Australia and Home. Every day brought us a day nearer home and many an argument cropped up as to the exact date of our landing in Ausie. Every day we had to line

[Page 228]
up for a boat Roll Call.

And so the days passed until Wednesday May 21st at 9 pm we boarded a train for Liverpool where we were to Embark next morning for Australia and home All that night in the train there was no sleep for the boys and the noise of singing was enough to wake the dead. Through sleeping stations and towns the cooee’s must have been heard for miles until we reached Bermingham where we were served with tea and sandwiches.

It was 8-5 am when we detrained at Liverpool and by 9-30 am we were all on board the S.S. Durham which was to carry us home. Numerous remarks were passed about the boat and at one stage of the journey somebody remarked what a fast boat it was and the boys all agreed somebody ought to get over the side and see what it was fast to. Another remarked what a good sea boat

[Page 229]
it was & we all agreed that was right as it did not like putting into port Nevertheless it was only a tramp Steamer and believe me she tramped all the way except when we stopped for a spell in the middle of the ocean.

At any rate we left Liverpool at 2-45 pm and with the fall of darkness we said Au Revoir to Good old Blighty and settled down to a long motonous voyage to our little South sea home

The following mileage is taken from 12 noon one day to 12 noon on the next:

22nd of May 245 miles Sea Smooth

23rd of May 217 miles Good sea weather delightful We were now quite settled down to the voyage and every day watched on the Chart hung outside the Padres Room our exact position

24th 237 miles good sea

Sunday 25 239 miles. today we watched Cape Finisterre Spain look up ahead and then die away astern. These days were chiefly spent playing cards or reading

[Page 230]
books while every night we (Rig & Myself) would go for a walk a dozen times round the boat.

26th 249 miles a couple of whales were seen this day on our starboard side while about a dozen porposes escorted us like horses in front of the boat. Of a night they looked very pretty cutting through the water like a fiery ball with phospherous.

27th 251 miles. By now the weather was getting warmer as we were nearing the equator and we were getting into our light Khaki Drill suits issued before we left Littlemoor.

28th 245 miles

29th 264 miles The boys nearly had a fit at the mileage on this day and we all agreed the old tub must have bolted. From 7 am till 9 pm we were passing canary Islands and from our View I should say it was the most desolate place on earth as not one solitary tree could be seen

30th 254 This night we caught sight

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of the good old Southern Cross away ahead and it just seemed to change the very atmosphere

31st 256 miles now very hot and a fair beam roll on the sea

Sunday June 1st 256 miles Good sea no wind

2nd 236 Very hot Canvas covers put over the deck to keep the sun off.

3rd 222 miles. Heat unbearable sleeping in hammocks without blankets

4th 245 miles crossed the Equator (no line Visable)

5th 236 good sea no wind

6th 221 ship stopped for a spell, into the Gulf of Guinea

7th 230 nights getting shorter and cooler

Sunday 8th 226 sea still good 2 big sharks seen close to ship

9th 231 nothing out of ordinary happened

10th 217 Currents head on now all the way to Cape Town

11th 211 miles Loosing ground every day ship must have stopped for another spell during the night

12th June Rough Sea and heavy weather from port side ship rolling found it hard to sleep for swinging of hammock

13th weather moderate but sea

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still Choppy

186 miles ship must have stopped for 2 spells moans of anguish from the boys and remarks as to her fate if they owned her.

14th 148 miles Utter despair at even reaching Australia in time for Xmas and many complimentry remarks passed Good weather and sea

Sunday 15th 196 miles Pudding on issue for dinner Cooks must have had a birthday

16th 234 miles boys a bit livlier

17th 235 miles still good weather and sea

18th woke up in Cape town Harbour Leave ashore from 11 am to 10-30 pm. Cape town is not such a bad place and we were well looked after while we were there by the Cape town Voluntary Citizens Committee. The only thing that spoils the town itself is the black population which seems about 10 to 1 white man We had a good day out and landed back on the boat tired out and weary.

Next Day I found myself

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told off for guard on the black quarter of the town. That is stopping any of our boys from going into the Native quarters of the town. I was on this from 11 am to 11 pm doing 2 hours on and 4 off. I happened I was on 9 till 11 pm (last shift) and about 9.15 I heard a yell and a scatter about 100 yds away and a few seconds later a nigger dashed past with 3 South African soldiers after him I did my best to stop him but he got past and ran down a dark lane where it would have been Suicide to follow. 5 minutes later I heard how a South African Sergeant had been stabbed by this same nigger just across a bit of Vacant ground from where I was standing. It did not take me long to get a good waddy as standing there unarmed was no good to me. However nothing

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else happened and we landed back at the boat about 12 midnight.

Next morning we heard "No Leave boat Sailing 12 noon" so we just settled down to another 3 weeks of agony. At 1 pm the word was received that the sailing was postponed till next morning and at 3 pm the troops "Broke Ship" and off ashore we went once more. We had a good day and at 7.30 am on 21st June we left Cape town astern and off we went on the final stage of our sea journey.

[Photograph with caption]
"S.S. Durham." (Mystery Ship)
"It’s a mystery how it missed being torpedoed"

Sunday 22nd 234 miles Pudding again

Monday 23rd 194 Rough weather gale blowing Heavy seas breaking over the nose of the ship Nearly got drowned through the porthole being open

24th 236 miles weather and sea still rough

25th 236 Gale Blowing and heavy seas bitterly cold

26th 224

[Page 235]
still windy but breeze died down a lot cold & freezing

27th 230 miles stopped for 2 ¼ hours to clean condensers heavy beam roll on

28th 230 Stiff wind blowing & slight sea running Peace signed at 4 pm. "Finis Guerre".

Sunday 29th 261 Heavy storm and Mountainous Seas no sleep all night for dixies chasing round the ship. ship rolling Heavily unable to stop on deck

30th weather fine again 205 miles.

July 1st 226. Fair weather cold slight Rain

2nd 228 Cold Heavy wind and rain wind increasing

3rd 220 miles wind changed NW Gale bitterly cold Raining hail sea moderate

4th 159 Head on Gale all Last night calm again today.

5th Heavy head on swell no Sun Cold 201 miles

6th 209 Heavy roll NW wind

7th 224 Heavy gale all last night Choppy sea still running

8th 226 Bright moonlight night good sea sunny day cold Frosty.

9th 227 Good weather and sea

10th 231 Very cold Dull drizzling rain.

11th Slight sea and (232) Rolling Dull day

12th 229 Sunny but cold just entering Great Aust Bight

13th Good weather and Sunshine 228.

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14th Calm Sea Good weather

15 236 Calm no wind good sea

16th First glimpse of Kangaroo Island 6 am
10 am first glimpse of Dear old Ausie, 245 miles
10 pm dropped anchor in Adelaide.

Next morning we had leave ashore and here we parted with some of the old boys who lived in South Australia It was a merry parting and next morning when we woke up under way for Melbourne we felt as though some great friends had gone.

The trip to Melbourne went very quietly and on the morning of the 21st July we disembarked at Port Melbourne and after saying goodbye to the Victorians we entrained on a Red Cross train for Sydney After travelling all that day and night we arrived in Sydney at 10 am on the 22nd

From the Central Station we went per motors to the Anzac Buffet where I found my Mother & Sisters and after 3 ½ years of Soldiering I was not sorry when at last I found myself once more at home.

For the first week at home I felt that I had lost the world when I lost my pals & I hope if ever I take on another war I shall fall in with some of the same boys again as we were more like brothers than friends.

Spr. T Taylor.
5 Sig Coy W/T [AIF]

[Transcribed by Sandra Mutton for the State Library of New South Wales]