Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 404
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 404]
and that they feel quite capable of dealing with any further attacks. Soon afterwards I was informed that the 74th Division on my left Flank had fallen back under enemy pressure, and to ensure a continuous line I had to fall back my left flank in concert with them. Later in the day the British troops on my right of 18th Division also gave way and I was again forced to fall back a flank, this time my Right, to maintain touch. At this stage the enemy pressure was very great and the situation somewhat critical. Under orders from 19th Corps my responsibility was to hold Villers Bretonneux, so I had moved up two battalions for counter attack purposes – the 34th immediately north and the 36th immediately south of the town. I should have noted that the 35th held our original front line and the 33rd were in support.
About 5 PM the enemy reached the southern outskirts of the town and the 36th Battn. was launched in counter attack. In brilliant fashion they did their job, drove the enemy back, captured 6 machine guns and 3 prisoners (the conditions making it impossible to deal with numbers of prisoners) and re-established the line. All the evening our Lecor's guns and the captured machine guns caused heavy casualties to the massing enemy and when night fell our positions remained intact. I personally went forward at dusk, saw a good deal of the line and then conferred with all C.Os., reallotted the front to three Battalions, 33rd on left, 34th in centre and 36th on Right, while the 35th was ordered to withdraw and re-organise in support. During the night I ordered an advance of about 1000 yards to resecure our old support line trenches. This was done successfully, about 50 enemy being killed and 19 prisoners taken. The casualties to the enemy are estimated conservatively at 4,000. Our casualties were as follows:-
Btns. – Officers Killed – Officers Wounded – O.R. Killed – O.R. Wounded – O.R. Missing
33 – nil – 3 – 7 – 75 – nil
34 – nil – 5 – 20 – 100 – nil
35 – 3 – 6 – 43 – 191 – 44
36 – 4 – 8 – 26 – 106 – 1
M.Gun Co. – nil – 1 – 1 – 13 – 4
ALTMB. – nil – nil – nil – nil – nil
Total – 661
Troops of 15th Australian Brigade and also 5 Aus. Brigade have arrived in this locality. Some of our Bde H Qrs. killed during the bombardment this morning, including my best horse. My second has been evacuated sick, so I am now without any animal. Villers Bretonneux sadly damaged by enemy shell fire. Called at Division at BOVE, also 9th Field Ambulance. Reached my H.Q. 3.15 AM, 5th.