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[Page 71]
sent out in front to guard the remainder while they were digging the new front line. On receipt of this news the company commander ordered us to fall back about two hundred & fifty yards where we had to dig in being well down by daylight. That day the enemy aircraft were very busy hovering over our new front line positions a great deal with intimated to us that the enemy was paying us unusual attention for his airmen were taking great risks continually flying very low. The troops were also told to pack up their gear ready to move out for we were to be relieved that night this news being very much appreciated by all. However at dusk the company sergeant major came to inform us that the relief had been cancelled & instead we were to go forward to the position evacuated the previous night & dig in. This movement was carried out successfully & the boys were soon busy strengthening their positions with orders to remain as quiet as possible so as not to be detected by the enemy. Things went along very well until just before daylight when the Huns opened out with a fairly heavy bombardment which did not trouble us in any way for the shells were concentrated of the trenches we occupied the day previous two hundred & fifty yards in rear. The move that night had proved very lucky for us for it proved to the troops that the enemy's aircraft observation the day previous had been perfect for that trench was completely filled in. The bombardment was followed by a big counterattack but it did not reach our company front but still we could see line after line of the huns emerging from a big dag heap, near the river, on our left in fours marching as though on parade ground work affording good targets to our machine gunners who were soon busy mowing down the enemy in hundreds. Although our company was not faced by the attack our company machine guns played a great part from our flank which proved great assistance to "B" Company on our left.
[Image includes a hand drawn sketch showing the Australian and German positions around the village of Hermies during early to mid April 1917]