The Pursuit

13th August

At 9:50 p.m., enemy aircraft dropped bombs on the 44th Battalion with no casualties inflicted. The battalion remained in a state of rest until August 19th, having received many movement orders that were cancelled as quickly as they were given. one soldier died on this day during the final stages of the Battle of Amiens.

19th August

The 44th Battalion crossed the River Somme without encountering resistance and dug in north of Chipilly. During the night some gas and explosive shells landed near the men.

22nd August

The 44th Battalion marched through Gressaire Wood to their assembly line against an intense artillery bombardment which resulted in some casualties. They then dug-in four kilometres west of Bray-sur-Somme. No.7 Platoon was hit particularly badly by whizz-bangs suffering two killed and some wounded. The artillery barrage was constant and some strafing by enemy aircraft was made. The casualties for the day were five killed, one mortally wounded and 24 wounded. 

“The approach march was through Gressaire Wood, which was reeking with enemy gas and reeking with the decomposing corpses of horses and dead Boches.” – Captain S.L. Germon.

23rd August

Private D.V. Krug was struck in the chest and killed by a piece of shrapnel from a shell that exploded 200 metres away. Battalion Headquarters and the Regimental Aid Post were hit by a barrage.

“I was awakened by being partially buried with earth, the shell getting a direct hit on the protected slope five yards away. I found that the shell had directly hit one of the dugouts and completely covered it in. Lance Corporal C.B. Sweeney got together a digging party of ambulance bearers while I attended to the casualties in the R.A.P. In digging down we found three men had been buried by this shell. One was killed outright and one died of wounds the next day and the other was alive when extracted, but had been buried from fifteen to thirty minutes under four feet of earth.” – Captain S.L. Germon

25th August

Shortly after midnight, the 44th Battalion advanced towards the northern sector of Ceylon Wood. The Germans constantly sent over gas and explosive shells resulting in six scouts being wounded. The enemy had abandoned their positions however, and the 44th Battalion captured their objective without incident. Some shells continued to land around the men but no casualties were sustained.

“The machine guns open enfilade fire and we have to crawl and there is just room to move on the stomach without being seen. One poor beggar turning over raised himself, apparently, and has been hit in the stomach. His cry for help as we move into the valley full of gas, is appalling and I feel a coward. How terrible it all is and will it never end? We put on our gas masks and move through a deserted village, taking up our positions on the other side of the valley, still wearing masks.” – D Fryer-Smith

Captain M Lewis, Lieutenant R.B. O’Carroll and Sergeant F Gillet while reconnoitring ahead of the battalion, encountered a platoon of Germans. The enemy surrendered without a fight. 

“By a lot of bluff and a little knowledge of the German language possessed by Captain Lewis, they persuaded 35 Germans to surrender, after the Germans had got in first on the draw and covered them with their rifles.” – Captain C Longmore

26th August

In the morning, the 44th Battalion came under shell fire suffering one killed and one wounded. Lieutenant J Adam who was attached with the 11th Light Trench Mortar Battery was shot and killed. In the afternoon the battalion encountered stiff enemy resistance between Billon and Vaux Woods, coming under fire from two machine guns and a field gun. After seizing their objective, the battalion came under shell fire. One soldier was killed during the advance and several others wounded. The battalion then rested until the 31st.

31st August – 2nd September

The 44th Battalion acted in only a supportive manner, however D company did see a brief but fierce fight and helped capture a force of 80 germans. Two soldiers of the battalion were killed during this time as well as at least three wounded.

3rd September

A patrol under the command of Corporal J.A. Gilbert scouted 3 kilometres of enemy territory whilst under artillery and machine gun fire. They discovered useful information.

“My cobber and I decided that these Tommies would not be alive to souveniring as they had just come from Salonica, so we followed them up (at a safe distance, of course) and fanned all the prisoners we could get. The first batch we caught up with numbered twenty-five, all done up in columns of lumps, under armed escort, and as you might say, fairly aching to be fanned. We had got about half way through the bunch, the Tommies standing by in surprise, and still not understanding what it all meant, when they burst out, “Leave a little bit for us, chum!” We showed them how to go about it, and left them the rest and then worked doggedly till about dinnertime.

Enthusiasm overcame hunger and then an accident happened. My cobber was passing a dead Fritz, who looked as if he’d been there a couple of days, so we stopped to give him the once-over. Fritz opened one eye. Poor beggar! He had been shot right through the other one, the bullet coming out the back of his head, and he had been lying in the shell hole since the morning before. So we humped him down to our aid post. 

…Altogether that day turned us in thirteen watches, three field glasses, one very small pistol, a pocket full of rings, one outsize accordion and a pocket full of the dandiest cigars possible. The officer I relieved of these took exception to me when I moistened his finger to get off a very nice ring that was fitting rather tightly. I’m sure he would have given a million Marks to have split me wide open with his sword” – Jonesy

5th – 8th September

The 44th Battalion advanced against little to no resistance. The Germans had enacted a scorched earth policy with all villages and rail lines being destroyed. Only the occasional rear-guard machine gun post was encountered in the morning hours of the 7th September. At night the front was hit heavily by a barrage of mustard gas which resulted in some wounded. Four men were killed during these days of fighting.

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Summary

Captain C. Longmore

Fritz was evidently feeling the effects of the August battles, and the powers that be wisely decided to push on. Therefore, for the next fortnight the Brigade advanced, took a position, consolidated, and advanced again. The Battalions of the Brigade took turn and turn about at firing line and support, and shared whatever was going equally between them. 

There were still a few casualties every day from machine gun, rifle and shell fire, because, except at Bray, Fritz never vacated any position voluntarily, and had to be pushed back every yard that he retired. On one occasion, near Suzanne on August 26, the 44th “hopped the bags” three times in the twenty-four hours. Casualties were suffered, but the objective was taken on each occasion. By the end of August, therefore, it can be realised that all ranks were feeling the effects of the strenuous part they had played since August 8. The strength of the battalion had been reduced by battle casualties, until at this period it mustered only two hundred and fifty almost physically exhausted fighting men (covering a front of 2,500 metres). 

Marching, fighting and digging along the Somme was a continuous nightmare, with most of the chief events becoming only a blur on the memory, and the outstanding feature to every individual being his own physical fatigue. 

On the 3rd September the Battalion was relieved. The Diggers were definitely informed that the rest would be for ten days at least, three weeks perhaps, and possibly one month. All hands worked hard and cheerfully that day making comfortable homes for themselves, digging their sleeping quarters in the sides of the quarry, building headquarters and cook-houses, and a very tired Battalion retired that night to blissfully dream of the long spell in store.

At midnight, orders came that the Battalion was to be ready to move at dawn. A hurried conference of officers decided to take a risk with the general rather than with the men and not disturb them until morning in the hope that the move would come off later in the day. As it happened it was 9 a.m. when the battalion had to move, and the opinions of the Diggers on the war, the Bosch, staff officers and everything in general was unprintable!

From the 5th September onwards resistance became slight and the advance went on so rapidly that it was mainly a question as to how far the physical condition of the troops would take them each day, the keeping of touch with flank and rear and the transmission of information as to the exact whereabouts of the front line troops.

Fritz now was going back as fast as he could. He was fighting a stubborn rear-guard action with machine guns and artillery; but even so, his main body was unduly hurried and harried by the rapidity, determination and persistence of the Australian advance. All descriptions of guns and transport, stores and dumps were captured, and for miles in rear of his line dumps and villages were burning and being blown up. These were thrilling moments, these!

Acts of Bravery

Sergeant C.T. Palmer on the 26th August was in command of the linesmen who were responsible for the maintenance of the lines within the battalion area. He repeatedly traced the lines whilst under heavy shell and machine gun fire. He repaired the breaks thus restoring battalion communication. He was awarded the Military Medal. It is also important to mention Private A.C. Jones (Headquarters Company) who volunteered to carry messages during the shelling while the lines were cut.

Private W. Colhoun (stretcher bearer) on the 22nd August carried wounded under heavy shell fire and was untiring in his efforts to allay the sufferings of the wounded. He was recommended for an award.

Sergeant Boland (A.Q.) At Bray and Suzanne he continually mended lines under heavy shell fire. Additionally he consistently showed a fine spirit to his men throughout the pursuit. He was recommended for an award.

Corporal J. A. Gilbert on the 3rd September took charge of a patrol that scouted 3 kilometres into enemy territory all the while under artillery and machine gun fire. He received accurate intel. He was recommended for an award by the Battalion CO.

Corporal J.P. Traynor on the 31st August showed great courage in leading his lewis gun section to the enemy flank whilst under heavy machine gun fire. This action let his company advance and capture Quarry Farm. He was recommended for an award.

Private Jones on the 22nd & 26th August was the runner for Battalion Headquarters and delivered important messages to the companies whilst under heavy artillery and machine gun fire. He was recommended for an award.

Private W. McNally (stretcher bearer) on the 3rd September in broad daylight and on his own initiative went into no man’s land to search for and rescue wounded British soldiers. He worked for 16 hours under extremely heavy enemy shelling and machine gun fire. He was recommended for an award by the Battalion CO.

Private J.W. Mills (stretcher bearer) on the 25th & 26th August worked incessantly to dress and carry wounded to safety whilst under heavy artillery fire. He was recommended for an award by the Battalion CO.

Private Noonan (stretcher bearer) on the 22nd & 26th August repeatedly went out under very heavy artillery and machine gun fire, attended wounded and brought them back. He was recommended for an award by the Battalion CO.

During the 26th August, the 44th Battalion was held up by a german post of 2 machine guns and a field gun. Corporal F Mullally, commanding the skirmishers directed accurate fire onto the guns. Private R.M. Cumming charged the field gun, shot the gunner and captured the crew. Lance Sergeant J.C. Gillam crawled around the flank of one of the German machine guns and killed the crew while Private A Caprari outflanked the other post and destroyed the machine gun.

Deaths

13th August: 1

14th-21st August: 0

22nd August: 5

23rd August: 1

24th August: 1

25th August: 1

26th August: 4

27th-30th August: 0

31st August: 1

1st September: 1

2nd-4th September: 0

5th September: 2

6th September: 0

7th September: 1

8th September: 2

Sources

Eggs-A-Cook: The story of the Forty-Fourth; War as the digger fought it, Chapter XIX, Page 113-115 by Capt C. Longmore.

The Westralian Battalion: The Unit History Of The 44th Battalion AIF, Chapter XIV, Pages 362-366, 369-374, 377-380, 383-384 by Neville Browning OAM