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The Wellington Regiment (NZEF) 1914 - 1919

Chapter XVIII

page 127

Chapter XVIII.

We Return to the North—Armentieres Again-A Quiet Time—Sailly-sur-Lys.

After being relieved by the Royal Fusiliers, the 1st Battalion was strongly reinforced and marched to Albert, then entrained for Longpre and went into billets there. On the 10th October, the 1st Battalion said farewell to the 4th Army and entrained to Caestre in the 2nd Army area. From Caestre the battalion was taken by motor-lorry to Estaires. A few days later the battalion moved into the line again in the Armentieres sector, and relieved the 59th Battalion of the 15th Brigade of the Australian Forces, in what was known as Cordonnerie Sub-sector.

After spending two days in Fricourt resting, in which time every man was able to have a bath, the 2nd Battalion marched from Fricourt Camp to Edgehill and, having entrained there, detrained at Longpre at 11.15 p.m. and then marched eight kilometres to Erondelle. It was exasperating after leaving the train there for no apparent reason to march eight long kilometres by the side of the railway line and to see the train passing and re-passing. The battalion arrived at Erondelle exhausted. Next day the quartermaster's supplies were available and shortages were made up, and we were given leave to Abbeville, one of the old towns of France, full of interest, where restaurants and entertainments were in full swing to cheer the jaded.

After resting four days at Erondelle, the 2nd Battalion marched to Pont Remy and entrained there for Bailleul. Bailleul was not reached until 3 a.m. and the battalion then immediately marched straight on to Strazeele, a distance of eight kilometres. In the afternoon of the same day, the bat-page 128talion proceeded by motor buses to Armentieres, taking over the position of Battalion in Brigade reserve in the old familiar left sector and occupying trenches 84 to 89 inclusive, Battalion Headquarters, re-occupied Cambridge House, and the distribution of companies were three in the front line and one in support.

As soon as the two battalions took over the sectors of the front line, old hands led parties into No Man's Land for wiring and scouting. Nothing of interest occurred during the rest of the month of October. No raids were madc either by our own troops or the enemy, and generally the line was quiet.

At the end of October Lieut-Colonel W. H. Cunningham was awarded a Russian decoration for distinguished service in Gallipol, Second-Lieut. R. Riddiford the M.C. for the gallant part he played in the raid carried out by part of the 2nd Battalion in Armentieres, and eight other ranks received the D.C.M. or Military Medal for gallantry. The Non-commissioned Officers and men were Sergeant L. R. Nicholas, Sergeant W. McKean, Corporal P. A. Gordon and Privates S. T. Dibble, E. Lymer, N. Orr, J. C. Harris and A. T. Ruane. These decorations were presented by tbe Army Commander of the 1st Battalion.

Sergeants: R. G. Potter, D.C.M. for raid, A. D. Price, S. Gilshnan and C. B. Lepper and Corporal J. H. Hardy and Privates W. A. Gray, G. Adsett and J. Johnson were awarded decorations for acts of individual gallantry.

The month of November was without particular incident. Several attempts were made on the area occupied by the 2nd Battalion to loose gas upon the enemy. On only one occasion was this possible on account of the wind. Then, after a heavy bombardment by all the Artillery in the locality, gas was sent across. The usual S.O.S. flares were sent up by the enemy, but the artillery retaliation was very small Indeed, during the whole of this month, it was obvious that the enemy was conserving his ammunition, and our artillery was not slow to take advantage of this.

page 129

In the early part of the month, the gas mask* which had done service ever since our troops arrived in France was supplanted by a more up-to-date and highly efficient gas mask known as the box respirator. It took us a little time to get used to this new protection against gas; but in the end we much preferred it to the former because whereas the old P.H. helmet encased The head to the very ill content of the wearer, the new respirator merely protected the month and eyes and left the rest of the head uncovered.

On the 28th of November, the 2nd Battalion having been relieved by 2nd Otago, moved out from Armentieres to Sailly-Sur-Lys and took over billets there. Training was soon in full swing and we rapidly lost the careless and slovenly habits acquired on the battlefield and in the trenches.

The 1st Battalion remained much longer in the front line, and it was more difficult for it to organise training. About the middle of November a regimental school was established in Ruebiache.

It was inevitable on account of the enormous amount of work to be done in the trenches in repairing the parapets that were rapidly deteriorating as the cold and wet weather set in that all the N.C.O.'s were called on fairly frequently to take fatigue parties up into the line. It was always felt that our troops when in reserve were given too much work in the front line in the form of fatigue parties.

On the 30th November, a raid along the whole divisional front was carried out for the purpose of ascertaining the positions of the enemy's most advanced troops, and generally to report on the condition of the enemy's barbed wire in the rear of his front line. This raid was carried out in a singularly uneventful manner. It was ascertained that the front line trenches and dugouts were in a very bad state. The former were full of water, and the latter were impassable on account of the slush and mud. No prisoners were taken, and those few Germans who were met fled on sight.

On the 18th December, after the usual life in the trenches, the 1st Battalion was relieved by the 1st Otago, and went into brigade reserve, and three days later marched by page 130companies and took over billets from 2nd Wellington, who on being relieved took over the sector in the front line then occupied by the 1st Otago, and but recently vacated by 1st Wellington. Our 2nd Battalion was now very fit indeed.

When the 2nd Battalion marched into the line they were in a state of efficiency which had never been exceeded since the creation of the battalion twelve months before, and it is interesting to note the work the men were put to during their stay in Sailly-Sur-Lys.

Everything was done to improve the men physically and keep them mentally alert. The class of training was the most modern known, and the men entered into the spirit of the training, realising that by attention to this matter they would render themselves more efficient and more able when the time came to deal again with the enemy.

The following is a syllabus of the work set for all ranks of the 2nd Battalion from the 18th December to the 24th December.

2nd Battalion Wellington Regt. Syllabus of Training.

Monday, 18th December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical exercises and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
  • 9–12 All company bombers at Battalion Headqrs.
  • 1.30–2.30 All company bombers at Battalion Headqrs.
Tuesday, 19th December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical exercises and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 (b, c, d coys.) Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
"A" Company Bombing:
  • 9–10 1st platoon.
  • 10–11 2nd platoon.
  • 11–12 3rd platoon.
  • 1.30–2.30 4th platoon.
page 131
Wednesday, 20th December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical exercises and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 (a, c, d coys.) Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
"B" Company Bombing:
  • 9–10 1st platoon.
  • 10–11 2nd platoon.
  • 11–12 3rd platoon.
  • 1.30–2.30 4th platoon.
Thursday, 21st December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical exercises and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 (a, b, d coys.) Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
"C" Company Bombing:
  • 9–10 1st platoon.
  • 10–11 2nd platoon.
  • 11–12 3rd platoon.
  • 1.30–2.30 4th platoon.
Friday, 22nd December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical exercises and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 (a, b, c coys.) Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
"D" Company Bombing:
  • 9–10 1st platoon.
  • 10–11 2nd platoon.
  • 11–12 3rd platoon.
  • 1.30–2.30 4th platoon.
Saturday, 23 December:
  • 8–9 Kit inspection and inspection of billets.
  • 9–10 Physical training and bayonet fighting.
  • 10–11 Musketry, rapid loading, etc.
  • 11–12 Rifle exercises, saluting, squad drill.
  • 1.30–2.30 Route march.
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Sunday, 24th December:
  • Church parade.

Lectures.

  • Daily 11.30 a.m. to 12 noon. All Officers.
  • Monday—Commanding Officer.
  • Tuesday—Medical Officer.
  • Wednesday—Commanding Officer.
  • Thursday—Bombing Officer.
  • Friday—Lewis Gun Officer.
  • Saturday—2nd in Command.

Company commanders will, during the week, train three wiring teams per company. Training to be under company arrangements, and teams to be trained during training hours.

Company commanders will pay special and personal attention during the week to the training and smartening up of their N.C.O.'s. Short classes should be held under company arrangements, and during drill hours every facility given to junior N.C.O.'s to handle their men.

During the daily route march, opportunity will be taken to do short tactical schemes in open fighting, so as to accustom all ranks to handling their commands.

C. A. L. Treadwell, Lieut.-Adjutant.

To the 1st Battalion leave was given liberally. The Band, in whom the battalion took an immense pride, and with much justification, played every day. Various forms of entertainment were got up, including sports competitions to maintain the spirit as high as possible. The winter of 1916-1917 was described by the local inhabitants as the coldest in memory, and we could see no reason to disagree with that opinion. Snow fell thick and lay on the ground in a way the New Zealanders were not accustomed to. The imperfect drainage system and the low-lying land presented a dismal and cheerless appearance. The intense cold caught many of us napping, and frost bite was at first common, but drastic measures were taken against it by daily inspection and massage of feet with oil.

On the 1st of the New Year the 2nd Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Otago Regiment and the battalion took over billets at Bac St. Maur.

* P. H. Helmet.

S.B.R. or small box respirator.