-
- Page
23
Extracts from War Book of WW1 by A.
H. Williams
Tuesday, 14 April 2009 02:17:22 AM
"Comrades of the Great Adventure"
(Page
108- Somme)
"However, the ranks of cape-draped figures stood with backs towards the rain and
listened intently to plans for relieving the front-line troops. Captain
SMYTHE did not mince matters; in fact he
was brutally frank as to what lay before us. We always preferred the truth. He
told us of the difficulties of approach to the front line; an approach through a
sea of mud, and under direct supervision of the enemy. He warned us to expect a
merciless shelling if Fritz discovered a 'change-over' was taking place. Next
he spoke of the wastage caused by trench feet among the units who had held
waterlogged trenches of this particular sector. Drastic measures, however, were
to be taken to minimise the effects of this insidious enemy, and, moreover, we
were warned that disciplinary actin would be taken against any members of the
battalion who contacted the malady. Finally the captain informed us that we
were to hold the line for four days – this was rather unusual for the
Gueudecourt sector."
“Men,” continued
the O.C., "you have got to stick it. Stick it out no matter how hard it proves
to be. As the conditions prevailing in the front line are pretty awful you’ll
need all your determination to carry on but it has to be done. If, at the end
of two days, our losses, through privation and trench feet, are too high we’ll
be withdrawn. That will mean you are lacking in guts, and also, two more turns
in the front line."
(I wonder how this would go down with today’s soldiers – Ed).
(Page
110 - Somme)
After the death of Captain Fanning the command of A company passed to Captain
SMYTHE
(see Dorothy
Bremner’s description on Page 14). This was followed by "He’ll do me." they
said when discussing the new O.C. An officer in an Australian Battalion could
receive no greater praise. SMYTHE was
our commander for many months; a commander who ruled (Cont’d on Page 111).
(Page 111)…. us with a rod of
iron, and, in so ruling, maintained the efficiency of his company through many
trying ordeals. On active service a unit commanded by a brave strong-willed
officer is always a good one to serve in; the teamwork necessary to play the
rough, nasty game of war cannot be enforced by kid-gloved methods. Following
Captain SMYTHE’S address the
company made preparations to move up the line. Early in the
afternoon----------------
(Page
117 - Somme)
One morning,
before daylight, Captain SMYTHE was met
by the brigade major and staff captain. The men in the adjacent posts were
curious to learn what the presence of these two meant, and in their eager
discussions, a pessimistic note was distinctly noticeable. The business afoot,
however, was conned over with O.C. in the depths of headquarters dugout. It was
with a feeling somewhat approaching delight that the troops saw night change
into day while the
(Cont’d on Page 118)
(Page (118)…. pow-wow was still
in progress.
( I am including
the full story here as it is quite interesting. Ed). Acting C.S.M. Sergeant
Grimstone, becoming uneasy at the improving visibility, made bold to inform the
commander of the fact. Even this news did not hurry the two staff officers; it
was broad daylight when they finally emerged from underground.
SMYTHE told his visitors that at this
hour they would not expect to cover much of their route before a German sniper
would be harrying their footsteps. This did not in the least alarm the staff –
or so they said. Our captain and Grimstone pointed out the salient features of
the course, which led to the safety of the ridge, several hundred yards in rear
of our line.
Talking as if
they considered the job easy, the two officers were legged over the parados.
The state of the ground did not lend itself to breaking records; our crowd
suspected, too, that the staff “wallahs” had not been out for a walk for a
considerable time. Hardly were the departing ones into their stride when
“crack” came the first rifle shot. Another and another in quick succession;
then followed a short burst from a machine gun. While single shots were being
fired the runners pursued a straight course. The vicious spraying of the Maxim,
however, caused them to separate and zig-zag as they ran. Eventually, the
proximity of the thudding bullets forced them to take shelter in a small
crater. When the human target went to earth the firing ceased. Presently the
harassed pair arose, and, urged on by the missiles of the hidden marksman, made
another dash to reach the shelter of the rise. This procedure was repeated time
and again.
(Page
119 - Somme)
Meanwhile, back
in our lines, the troops, munching bully-beef and biscuits, looked over the
parados and callously remarked about the side-show being enacted in the waste of
mud. However, the figures eventually were lost to sight in the torn ground; as
the fire from the German trenches ceased, the watchers considered that the
fugitives had safely reached their goal. But the episode was by no means
finished. During the morning Captain SMYTHE
was asked, over the telephone, the whereabouts of the two officers from
the brigade. Rather astonished by this enquiry our O.C. replied that when last
seen the gentlemen in question were in full flight, and being hastened on their
way by the enemy’s sharpshooters. Further telephonic communication passed
between the brigade, battalion and line company headquarters; uneasiness turned
to alarm when noon came without any definite news of our early morning
visitors. Brigade was most anxious that an immediate search should be made.
SMYTHE, however, was emphatic that this
would not be undertaken during daylight. The early afternoon brought tidings
which gave further grounds for disturbing suppositions. Battalion advised that
the staff captain, mud-caked, exhausted, and "all-in" had reported. Even when
thawed out and revived he could not give any definite information as to the fate
of his superior officer.
(Page
120 - Somme)
In the gloaming, a search party from A company moving in fan-shaped formation
commenced to comb the area over which the race with death had taken place. Just
on dark a hail brought the whole of the searchers to the lip of a large shell
crater. In the centre, submerged to the waist in the yellowish cloying mess
was the brigade major. It transpired in the later stages of the major’s flight
the German machine-gunner had ranged him with unpleasant accuracy.
Self-preservation drove the staff officer to dive for cover of a deep shell
hole; as his arrival therein was most hurried, the luckless officer landed with
the full weight of his body behind the leap. In escaping the bullets however he
had fallen into a treacherous slough. Like a fly in a jar of honey, the more he
struggled to extricate himself the deeper he sank. There was no alternative but
to suffer the numbing cold and hope for darkness and succour. Once discovered
willing hands and strong backs soon had the major out of the bog
(without his pants and shoes our family was told by Vern
SMYTHE. This was carried out by four men
using stretcher poles under his arms- Ed.) when he was taken with all speed
to battalion headquarters. Upon his arrival there he was the most forlorn
looking and certainly the most overweight officer on the Western Front.
From my post, this early
morning sprint and its sequel had not been seen. However eyewitnesses gave
graphic descriptions of the two officers being chased over the landscape with
the Hun machine gunners and several snipers acting as pace makers. The gusto,
although unkind with which the tale was related caused us to suspect that the
performance had been rather enjoyed by the infantry.
(Page
166 ) Early April found the 56th Battalion encamped on a
desolate bleak flat near the battered hamlet of Linguy-Thilloy, on the outskirts
of Bapaume. Two days rest was granted us to lick our wounds after the recent
battle – and then commenced a period of intensive training. Captain
SMYTHE having been wounded in the recent
stunt the command of A company passed to Lieutenant “Jock” Gordon.
(An entry on his Service Documents showed the date as
8 April 1917 – and this may be the injury referred to above – Ed.)
(Page
170 – Linguy-Thilloy)
The Author
writes of an elderly soldier, who appeared on sick parade and was accused
wrongly of being a malingerer when he was really ill and had a bad
arm. Williams had tried in vain to keep him out of the front line but this time
the soldier only wanted a couple of weeks rest and Williams asked Captain
SMYTHE’S permission to leave him behind
as a baggage guard. The soldier was indignant and then asked to be paraded to
the Captain. Williams was rather nettled at his attitude and told him to
"fall in". He carried on until the privations in that winter, his age and
the ordeal of battle resulted in him being evacuated and his war was over.
(Page
196 - Blighty)
The
Author (a sergeant) writes about being paraded in front of Captain
SMYTHE in the village of Ebblingheim and
told to proceed to England for an officer’s training school. "Sergeant", said
the captain after reading, "I am pleased this opportunity has come your way.
For a long while you have been one of my best N.C.O’s and it will give me
great pleasure to welcome you to my company as an officer."
(Page 214 - Wytschaete – January 1918 )
Williams completed his officers course and was posted to C Company.
He wrote 'Here I found that the lack of accommodation made it necessary
for me to seek a billet in A Company’s area. Captain
SMYTHE, debonair and cheerful, allotted
me quarters in the home of the village baker.'
(Page
218 - Wyschaete)
Following discussions after Polygon Wood, Williams wrote 'The raconteurs next
praised the dapper Captain SMYTHE, A
Company’s commander'. He had charge of the battle line of the battalion, and,
in a most able manner, supervised the consolidation of the position. Cool and
brave, he was an inspiration to all. Good leaders are assessed by such
qualities. For his excellent work during the battle
SMYTHE was again decorated.
THE
GALLANT COMPANY
(Page 57
– Fromelles 14 July - 22 July 1916)
The writing
before this described some truly horrific word pictures of the battle of
Fromelles --------- Dead men, broken trench material, shattered duckboards
that tripped us as we passed, the smell of the fumes of high explosives, and the
unforgettable odour of death made this tench a place of horror. A gas alarm
passed down added to it, and we were ordered to put on our helmets. So into the
hideous, vile-smelling P.H. helmets we got. The heat of our heads soon clouded
the glasses; we floundered through the mire and debris of the shattered trench
partly blinded. Alex O’Rourke was immediately in front of me and at one place
when the trench had been blown in he, in his semi-blindness, got out in the
open, and I as blindly followed him. When we realised that we were wandering
(Cont’d on Page 58)
(Page
58)…. away from the line of advance we pulled the helmets off and risked
gas danger for the boon of being able to see where we were going. As the
company emerged into the battle line, Captain
SMYTHE of B Company, standing by, roared out to the men, "Take those damn
helmets off!" – so the gas alarm was given by somebody who mistook smoke for
gas.
(Page
112 – Somme 1 January-3 April 1917)
The
author mentioned briefly that he was to attend was to attend course at the
Fourth Army Training School at Flexicourt and that Captain
SMYTHE would also be on it.
(Page
121 –Somme – (
Dates as above)
From the crest of the ridge, our losses began. Lieutenant Reid, Leading No. 1
Platoon was one of the first to fall, and all the length of the incline was
dotted wit h men struck down as the fire became a hail of bullets. But the line
never faltered – in fact and officer of A Company was in front calling out to
the platoons to keep their dressing as they advanced. Captain
SMYTHE was at the head of his
(Cont’d on P122)
(Page 122)… company with nothing
more deadly than his walking-stick and his coolness and disregard of the bullets
that cracked around him was a wonderful example for everyman that he led.
(Page
123 Somme –
(Dates
as above) The
writer tells of Captain SMYTHE being
wounded.
Page
(184 – July August 1918) Doullens we found to be a hive of activity. This
town had been the detraining point of the other brigades of our division, and
also of the 3rd Division. We went five miles further along and
commenced to detrain at Mondicourt. Whilst this was in progress I saw Captain
SMYTHE (who was on brigade staff) and
asked him: "Where is Fritz?" "That is what a lot of people would like to know,"
he replied. "You have to march until you find him."
(Page
212
–(Dates
as above)
After an all-night struggle to avoid or make progress amid this traffic, we
reached the Daours area at daybreak, sweating and exhausted. We reported to
Captain SMYTHE, now of brigade staff, who
sent us (Cont’d on P213)
(Page 213)…. forthwith back to
our units, as “a change had been made in the plans.” Without anything to eat,
we immediately started on the return journey.
The author
continues on to tell that no one knew why they had been turned back when they
reached the units and that they must repeat the journey back to Daours. He
complained that the army had a habit of doing things like this.
(This is the end
of the excerpts from William’s books)
Please see my
following pages about my grandfather.
He was never in any battles but he was always in danger in the areas where his
ships were on patrol and our family is very proud of his long service for his
country. Information has only recently been made available on line from
the Australian War Memorial when C.E.W. Bean’s History of W.W.1 provided me with
some of the details I needed.
Page 24
|
