| Place | Date | Summary of Events and Information |
|---|---|---|
| ALBERT | 1/8/16 | Left HARPENVILLE at 4.30pm and moved to ALBERT men arrived in good order only 9 having fallen out on the march with leave. we bivouacked at BRICKFIELDS. Enemy shelled town of ALBERT during night. |
| TARA HILL | 4/8/16 | moved to TARA HILL and occupied the bivouac vacated by 28th Bn heavy shelling during night. 2nd DIVISION attacked and captured OG1 OG2 trenches in front of POZIERES |
| SUSAGE VALLEY | 8/8/16 |
The Battalion moved from SAUSAGE VALLEY on August 5th to take over
Positions OG1, OG2, POZIERES. A Company moved at 4.30pm with two
minute interval between Platoons. B Company followed five minutes
after A Company. We moved via SAUSAGE VALLEY, SUNKEN ROAD,
PIONEER TRENCH, COPSE AVENUE TO TRAMWAY TRENCH. We relieved the
27th Bn who held OG1 only from BAPAUME ROAD INCLUSIVE to
R35 C4.8. Ref MAP 1/20,000 the 27th had fallen back from OG2 early
in the morning of August 5th. however I instructed my Company
Commanders that OG2 would be held, string points to be
constructed. also strong patrols to be sent out in front of OG2
this was complete by 10.30pm. SRGT TWINING in charge of SCOUTS
I ordered to reconnoitre WINDNILL near BAPAUME ROAD, and to
establish a strong POINT on right of MILL. The Battalion relieved
the 27th Bn under a very heavy Barrage of Enemy Artillery
we suffered heavy casulaties in taking over, no trenches were constructed
the place being just one mess? of Croters? no communicating trenches
existed attempts had been made to dig them, but they did not
go beyond JUMPING OFF TRENCH in front of TRAMWAY trench.
this meant about 400 yards over the open to get up RATIONS and
water. all wounded had to be arried back in the same way
Communication being kept up by Runners. My Battalion suffered
very heavy casualties during the night of 5th August and day of
6th, although constant efforts were made to dig trenches they
were almost immediately blown in by Enemy Shell fire. This barrage
continued unceasingly throughout 5th 6th and up to 12 noon on
7th August. at 7 pm on the 6th I relieved the two companies
holding OG1 OG2 with D company. still keeping C Company
in close support. at 2.45 pm on the 6th I sent a message
to BRIGADE that I considered a counter attack probable, this
happened on the morning of August 7th at just before 5.30 am
I immediately dispatched messages by Pigeons & Runners. also sent
up S.O.S signals for Artillery Barrage. Two Platoons under
Lt Dyke went forward to reinforce my left. The German
Counter Attack succeeded in penetrating the line at a far point
on my left. elsewhere they were either driven off, killed or captured.
2nd Lt LAW, sent a party under Sergt BECK to charge some Germans
who had got into a point on the left. at the same time
a party of the 14th Bn who were on my left, under Lt JACKA
attacked on the right. between them the Germans were captured
and the prisoners? to the number of 54 including 2 Officers
passed through my HQs for dispatch to the rear. By this time
our Artillery were firing heavily. and formed a barrage
in front of OG2. this must caught the Enemy who were
waiting just below the crest. their casualties were reported as
heavy. Sergt TWINING who was in position near WINDMILL
informed me that he did goof work with a LEWIS GUN
also that a German Machine GUN got within 300 yards of
the WINDMILL and fired from a Crotes?, but that one of
our shells knocked the Gun out. on the morning
of the 6th one of may advanced patrols captured a German
patrol 200 yards in front of WINDMILL, including wounded
our prisoners numbered during the 6th and 7th of August
about 70. To my Medical Section under MAJOR WOLLARD special praise
belongs. although we suffered heavy casualties, during the time
we were in the tranches we removed not only all our own, but
also all those who had been left by the 7th Brigade which
preceded us. much of the work had to be done in the open
and under a very heavy fire. MAJOR IMLAY who remained at
the advanced dump did very good work in sending forward
Food, Water and Materiol, also in collecting stragglers and
returning them to the firing line. The Battalion casualties
August 5th to 7th inclusive were
6 Officers Killed LIEUTS. DYKE, RICHARDSON, WALTER OTWAY, HAWKE, COSSON
98 Other Ranks Killed 404 Other Ranks Wounded
MAJOR WOLLARD. Wounded slightly but remaining on duty
48th BATTALION was relieved in the night of August 7th by the 47 Battalion.
2nd Lieuts. Brown & MOTT reported for duty on August 6th
|
| SAUSAGE VALLEY | 11/8/16 | 48th Bn have been resting in their positions since August 8th inspections and machine GUN TRAINING is being carried out by all ranks |
| WARLEY | 16/8/16 | The Battalion moved back into the Front line Trenches at 6am on the 12th inst. from BAPAUME ROAD inclusive to R35.C.4.8. the strength being very low. the whole of the availavble men were required to hold the line. Enemy sheled during the afternoon and evening of 12th inst. a reconnoitring patrol moved out on Sunday 13th at 4 am and reconnoitred the SUNKEN ROAD, and ground in the Vicinity. no new trenches were dsicovered. all available men were utilised in improving and building trenches in TRAMWAY, JUMPING OFF, OG1 & OG2. Shelling was fairly continuous during Sunday. Monday 14th was the worst day ??? the time. the Enemy kept up a constant artillery fire during the morning. later on in the day a barrage fire was placed on TRAMWAY, TRENCH and COPSE AVENUE, the trenches were very much knocked about. also we had a good number of casualties, including 2nd LIEUT LAW, night 13th 14th. CAPT EVANS night of 14th. our call for artillery retrobution? met with a prompt response and saved? things for us considerably. Total Casualties 12th 15th Inclusive 2 Officers killed, 1 Officer wounded but remained on duty. 21 Other Ranks killed. 63 other Ranks wounded 7 other Ranks wounded but remained on duty. 3 other Ranks missing. 76 Reinforcements found the Battalion on 14th inst, all but 26 were men who had previously served with the Battalion. the Battalion was relieved by the 6th Bn 2nd Aus Bde on Tuesday 15th inst. |
| WARLEY | 16/8/16 | move back to ALBERT. remained at BRICKFIELD until 7am this morning marched to WARLOY arrived at 11 am. no one fell out on the march. we went into bivouac at WARLAY it rained a good deal, and the men got very wet. on the 18th the Battalion moved to HERISSART going into billets. |
| BERTEACOURT | 20/8/16 | We remained there until the morning of the 19th when we moved to BERTEACOURT at 7 am arriving there at 12 noon. It rained heavily most of the way. no one fell out during the march. |
| BERTEACOURT | 21/8/16 | 2nd Lieut BROWN and ROCHE left here today under orders to report to AUSTRALIAN BASE LONDON, for return to AUSTRALIA. their services being no longer required. these officers joined me recently from reinforcements. |
| RUBEMPAZ? | 25/8/16 | Left BERTEACOURT on 23rd inst and marched to TALINA arriving there at 4pm. moved to RUBENPR'S on 24th arrived at ??? Brigade was inspected this morning at 9.30 pm and Orders issued by G.O.C. 4th Aus Div. to those Officers and men who ??? good service at POZIERES, Aug 8th to 15th. |
| VADENCOURT | 26/8/16 | Moved to VADENCOURT at 9 am rained heavily during the march |
| VADENCOURT | 27/8/16 | GENERAL BIRDWOOD addressed the Brigade this morning and presented medals |
| ALBERT | 28/8/16 | Moved to ALBERT. leaving VADENCOURT 8.35 am. arrived at noon roads very muddy, and it rained heavily, went into Billet. |
| LA BOISSELLE | 29/8/16 | Moved to La BOISSELLE on the night of 28th and relived the 18th BN, relief completed at 7.30 pm. at between 8.30 pm and 10 pm the Enemy dropped 20 H.E. Shells near Coutees?. otherwise everything quiet. Coutees dug in this morning. 300 men supplied to Signal Company to bury cable to POZIERES. Very little Enemy Shelling so far today. |
| Ref map 1/5000 FERME OU MOUQUET | 30/8/16 |
Battalion relieved 12 BN 4th AUS INFTY. BDE. Left LA BOISELLE at 8 pm on night
30/8/16 relief completed 6 30 am 31/8/16. trenches in a very bad state mud
being in many places over kee deep. Established Battalion HQs at point
R34.0½7½ previous Bn HQs was at R34 Central, but I considered
this much too far back. The only line that exists when I took over
trench was line running O91 to T head in right above AID POST under
orders from 12th INFTY BDE I constructed two
new lines marked ..... work could
only be done at night. my strength was
about 280 Rifles and it meant constant
digging during the hours of darkness, and
I completed the works at 4.30 am 2/8/16 to
a depth of 5ft except a small length
[Small sketch map of lines] |
Attached are 2 pages of typed Battalion orders:
48th Battalion Operation Order
Special Order of the Day