The Big Raid

In early 1917, the 3rd Division was experimenting with trench raiding. The 10th Brigade had in February launched an entire battalion worth of soldiers for a raiding operation. On the 13th March the 44th Battalion was selected to provide six platoons for a raid against the enemy. These platoons were one each from A & D companies and two each from B & C companies. A support platoon (scouts and stretcher bearers) under Captain Biles was on standby. Six communication parties (each numbering 5) also took part. The raid was under the command of Captain Lamb while Lieutenant Taylor directly led the assault. The other platoon commanders were Lieutenants Cooper, Lewis and Skinner and 2nd Lieutenants Bond, Lintott and Porter. Although the battalion had seen a light amount of action in December 1916 and January 1917 (25 deaths total), this was effectively the first battle they were to take part in. 

Scouting over the previous days had shown the extent of the flooding of No Man’s Land by rain which had reduced it to a swamp. Some of the enemy trenches were flooded. Captain Lamb tried to postpone the raid but his request was denied. The German barbed wire was exceptionally strong and was damaged over the preceding days by mortar fire. 

The men had been training in perfect fashion. Some men wore steel breastplates and trench maces (with spikes!) to instil fear in the enemy. Burnt cork was used to blacken the faces and hands of the soldiers.

11:20 p.m. – The raiders left the firing line and headed towards the point of assembly in No Man’s Land.

11:37 p.m. – Arrival at the assembly point without being detected. Enemy searchlights focused on the area but failed to notice them.

11:39 p.m. – A single battery of heavy howitzers fired a minute too early, shooting four rounds.

11:40 p.m. – The rest of the artillery opened fire and hits the German trenches accurately. Four supporting Lewis guns immediately began firing on the German trenches. The raiders started their advance by crawling over the wet swampy mud.

11:42 p.m. – The raiders had advanced fifty metres and arrived at the enemy barbed wire. They then came under heavy German bombardment, especially Lieutenant Skinner’s platoon which suffered casualties immediately. The allied artillery fired smoke into the enemy trenches which gave the impression of a gas attack, forcing the Germans to put their masks on.

The raiders eventually reached their final obstacle before the German trenches, a ditch. This ditch was 12 feet wide, six feet deep, covered in wire and shrapnel and filled with water. They could not use their bridging equipment and most could not ford the ditch. Two raiding parties on the southern flank managed to cross where the ditch was only five feet deep. They jumped into the freezing water which was up to their necks and waded across whilst german stick-grenades rained all around them.

On the right flank, the majority of the raiders were held up by the unbroken wire. They suffered casualties and their advance was brought to a standstill when shrapnel began raining down on them.

“Fritz was evidently prepared for us, for he put down a barrage that we could not get through. I went back to Private Rooke who was hanging on the enemy wire. I picked him up and carried him a few yards when I was knocked myself and put out of action by a rifle bullet through the thigh. Private Edwards ran back to help me, but the enemy fire was too heavy and Edwards said he would come back again when it died down. 

I got another bullet in the knee. I was carrying ten Mills bombs and two of these were exploded by rifle bullets. My left arm was broken and my shoulder was badly shattered. I was wearing a steel breast-plate and I think it was that which saved my life.” – E.J. Herrod.

(Private Rooke was then helped by two men but all three died from an artillery blast.)

The bombardment by the German artillery resulted in many casualties including Lieutenants Cooper and Skinner being wounded. Realising the desperate situation the raiding party was in, Lieutenant Taylor ordered a full retreat, saying “It’s a dam’d shame boys, but we shall have to go back”. The two raiding parties that had gone inside the enemy trench were in the midst of a battle with the Germans and initially disbelieved they were retreating. 2nd Lieutenant Lintott was the last to leave the enemy parapet.

During the withdrawal through No Man’s Land, the West Australians were under constant artillery fire. One shell hit and killed Lieutenant Taylor. His body was recovered by 2nd Lieutenant Lintott and he was buried the next day. 2nd Lieutenant Porter was seriously wounded and was also helped by Lintott. During the night, Lintott helped five wounded men reach safety. Captain Lamb ordered the reserve party to go forward and retrieve the wounded. They went out under heavy fire all night being assisted by men from other battalions. The rescue attempts were made harder by 12:45 a.m. when German machine gun fire erupted across the whole front.

“Western Australian troops lay lifeless in the mud and a few were held upright in the wire in grotesque attitudes with their bodies torn by bullets from the traversing machine guns.” – Neville Browning OAM

Corporal E.J. Herrod was left wounded in the enemy trench. The Germans took him prisoner. Thus he was the first of only eight men from the battalion to ever be captured. 

“I was picked up by German Red Cross stretcher-bearers who carried revolvers. They pinched my watch and were very interested in the steel armour, which I wore. They took me into a dugout and dressed my wounds with my own first aid bandage. They treated me well while I was there. At 6pm I was carried down the trench to a dressing station where the bandages were examined, but not removed and I was sent on to Lille and placed in hospital there. 

I was the only Australian in that hospital and remained there for a week. I was then sent to Douai and remained there for a month. Two operations were performed on me at Douai. A lot of flesh was cut away from my groin and later a piece of iron about two inches long was taken from under my shoulder blade. They were more like butchers than doctors. I was given no anaesthetic at all and after the operation they stood alongside and told me I would die. My bandages were not removed for fourteen days. My wounds were discharging and the stench from them was awful.” E.J. Herrod. 

Acts of Bravery

Captain C.H. Lamb was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the battle. This was primarily due to his role of coordinating the raid and assisting in the rescue.

Lieutenant C.D.W. Lintott was awarded the Military Cross for his actions during the battle. This included leading his platoon in battle, being the last man to retreat and rescuing five wounded under heavy fire in No Man’s Land.

Sergeant R Andrews continuously moved up and down his platoon’s position, keeping the men organised and giving words of encouragement during the German barrage. He was awarded the Military Medal.

Sergeant H Scarr continuously moved up and down his platoon’s position, keeping the men organised and giving words of encouragement during the German barrage. He was awarded the Military Medal. 

Private R. J. Herd (stretcher bearer) went out on five occasions under intense fire and assisted in the rescue of casualties. He was awarded the Military Medal.

Private W Lane (Scout) worked ahead of the platoon, passed alone through the wire and then forded the ditch. He proceeded to stand on a parapet, with his electric torch guiding the raiders forward. The men then scrambled into the trench and captured it. He was awarded the Military Medal for this action.

2nd Lieutenant Bond noticed that half a platoon of Germans were trying to outflank the rescue parties. He organised a fighting patrol and attacked the enemy which fled in disorder. He was mentioned in Divisional Orders.

Lance Corporal H Baynes assisted in the rescue of wounded men and remained in No Man’s Land for four hours under heavy fire. He was mentioned in Divisional Orders.

Deaths

Total losses for the raid were 16 killed and 4 mortally wounded. 

Sources

Eggs-A-Cook: The story of the Forty-Fourth; War as the digger fought it, Chapter IV, Page 27-30 by Capt C. Longmore.

The Westralian Battalion: The Unit History Of The 44th Battalion AIF, Chapter IV, Pages 74, 77-82, 85-87 by Neville Browning OAM