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Regimental History of New Zealand Cyclist Corps in The Great War 1914-1918

Chapter V. — In The Trenches

page 27

Chapter V.
In The Trenches.

After two weeks of the work recorded in previous chapter the Battalion was attached to the 14th Australian Brigade for duty as front-line troops, and marched from their present billets to Fleurbaix where we were attached to the 55th A.I.F. Battalion, commanded by Major Cowev.

Nos. 2 and 3 Companies were sent into the front line and No. 1 Company took over a post at Croix Marechal. The front line companies were distributed among the Australian companies and did not take over a separate Sector. The Sector was known as the Boutillerie Sector and was just opposite Fromelles, where the 5th A.I.F. Division made their attack on the 17th July. The avenues of approach were Watling Street, Boutillerie Avenue; Tin Barn Avenue. Battalion Headquarters were at Foray House, 500 yards from the front line.

I might mention here, to be more explicit to my readers, that the trenches at the front were generally made into three lines, namely (1) the Front Line; (2) the first Support Line, anything from 50 yards to 300 yds. behind the Front Line; (3) the Subsidiary Line or 2nd Support Line, about 1,000 yards behind the Front Line. This sub-line, as it was called, was the rest line where troops generally interchanged after about four days in the Front Line. The communicating trenches running up to the front from the sub-line in the rear were called avenues or streets and were named after famous streets, etc., in Great Britain, Canada, etc., all according to the troops who made the trenches in the early part of the War.

This was the Battalion's first experience at holding the line, and one or two "straffs" on our part and the enemy reply, taught the men to keep their heads down, page 28and early experience mentions that under the Fire step was a safe place. However, there was no great activity to recall any excitement in this Sector.

After holding there for ten days we were relieved at night and marched to rest billets near Sailly for four days and were transferred from the 14th to the 15th Brigade. Our rest was spent in supplying working parties to the front and support lines.

On the 24th September we again went in to garrison the front line, this time in the Levante Sector, near the site of a village called Petilion. Here we had a "Company Sector" in both front and support line and were attached to the 60th Batt., A.I.F., under Lieut.Col. Duigan. Battalion Headquarters were at Rifle House, about 800 yards in the rear of front line. The communication trench to the front line in this Sector was called V. C. Sap, after that gallant Irishman, Sergt. O'Grady, who won his V.C. at that particular spot. This was a much livelier Sector, frequently shelled, and minenwerfers were often sent over; we, in return, practised on the enemy with trench mortars, grenades, etc. It was here that we lost the first killed of our Battalion by enemy action, Corp. F. S. Des Barres (Opotiki) on the 30th September.

Leave to the United Kingdom was now opened, and the Battalion received a small allotment of three per week. The Adjutant, Lieut. McLennan, A.I.F., was the first to go, and his place was taken temporarily by 2nd Lieut. G. Clark Walker (No. 1 Company).

Transport lines were at Bac St. Maur, where our cycles were also stored, they being useless in trench warfare.

It was the Battalion's privilege to furnish a guard for the Corps Commander (Lieut.-Gen. Sir A. J. Godley). This guard had so far been drawn from No. 3 Aust. Company.

On the 27th September, 1916, a change was ordered and 1 officer (2nd Lieut. J. T. Steven) and 42 other ranks page break
The Adjutant and his Staff.

The Adjutant and his Staff.

R.Q.M.S. and Staff.

R.Q.M.S. and Staff.

page break page 29from No. 1 Company were sent for a tour of duty to Bailleul, then the site of the Corps Headquarters.

2nd Lieut. R. W. Kebbell was admitted to hospital on the 8th October, 1916, and did not again rejoin, being sent to N.Z. sick.

On the 13th October, 1916, the 5th Australian Division was relieved by the N.Z. Division, which had just returned from its glorious battles in the Somme, and we being attached to the 5th Division, participated in the relief and marched out, going into billets in Rue de Fiefs. The 5th A.I.F. Division moved away south and we were attached to the 1st N.Z. Infantry Brigade (Brig.-Gen. Johnson) for tactical purposes. The Adjutant (Lieut. McLennan) having returned from leave resumed his duties.

On 15th October, 2nd Lieut. G. Clark Walker went to 2nd Army Central School of Instruction at Wisques for a month's course in general duties.

Congratulatory and appreciative letters relative to our work in the line were received from the Corps Commander through G.O.C. 5th Division and from the C.O. 60th A.I.F. Battalion.

14/10/16.

Major H. E. Evans,

C.O. 2nd Anzac, C.C Bn.

Dear Major,

I wish to place on record my appreciation of your Units excellent work during the period of our joint occupation of the Petilion trenches. Your own activity and enthusiasm were reflected in every member of your Unit, and your Battalion left an excellent record of work and discipline to their credit. I wish you and your Officers and men the best of good luck at all times. We shall be thinking of you on our Somme tour.

Sincerely yours,

(Sd.) J. Duigan, Lieut.-Col.

CO. 60th Bn.,
A.I.F.
page 30

R. S. M. Hay was promoted to 2nd Lieut., 2nd October, 1916.

After the Battalion had been in rest billets for two days, orders were received to move into new billets at Bac St. Maur, where we were directly under the N.Z. Division, and the men were employed as working parties in the R.E. yard.

Captain H. D. McHugh and 9 other ranks were sent to the N.Z. Reinforcement Camp near Sailly, Captain McHugh to be Officer Commanding Reinforcement details. 2nd Lieut. C. A. Dickeson, N.Z. (R) B. joined the Battalion on transfer, 23rd October, 1916.

On the 29th October, 1916, the Unit was transferred to Frank's Force, a composite Division composed of a Brigade each, N.Z. (2nd Brigade) and 103rd Brigade (Imperial Infantry), and engaged in holding the line from Houplines to Bois Grenier. The Battalion marched (without cycles) via Erquinghem to Armentieres on the afternoon of the 30th October, where it occupied billets in Rue Sadi Carnot. Next day it moved up to the line and joined the 25th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (Lieut.-Col. Stewart) being attached to that Battalion for tactical purposes. Rear Headquarters and Transport were located in Boulevard Faudherbe in Armentieres.

We rook over a Company Sector in the line having two of our Companies in the front line and the third in the Subsidiary line. Advanced Headquarters at Square Farm (Chapelle Armentieres). We remained in this Sector for four weeks, changing from front to S. S. line every four days.

The Battalion organised a raid on enemy positions to take place on the night of the 18th November. The party consisted of 2nd Lieut. J. G. Jamieson (Aus. Coy.) and 15 other ranks drawn from all companies. The party was withdrawn from the line and underwent considerable training. The raid was not successful, owing to a heavy enemy barrage preventing the raiding page 31party from reaching its objective. A small reinforcement draft of 2nd Lieut. Garden, R.L., and 30 other ranks arrived on the 16th November.

Frank's Force was relieved by the 3rd Australian Division on the 27th November, 1916. Our tour of duty being completed, we were relieved and marched out on the 27th November. Cycles were re-issued at Bac St Maur and the Unit cycled to Doulieu where billets were arranged.

Our casualties while attached to Frank's Force were as follows:—

Killed Private A. F. George Private T. P. Milne
and 12 wounded.

Brig.-Gen. Trevor, G.O.C. 103rd Infantry Brigade (34th 1 Division) sent a congratulatory letter to our C.O. and thanked the Unit for its assistance and commended it for its soldierly qualities.