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[Page 23]
On the 23rd May 1916 orders were received to pack up ready to move forward that night so all hand busied themselves for the first trip to the front line in France. It was after dark when the company started to move going along the road towards "V.C." House where we entered "V.C." Communication trench. On reaching the support line my platoon relieved a platoon of the 1st Battalion, when we were told our platoon was to act as supports to the remainder of the company who had gone right into the firing line. Our duties while in supports were to carry rations for our company from an old farm house in rear of "V.C." House where the battalion transport used to bring them just after dark, the rations having to be carried to Company Headquarters in the front line. That night whilst relieving, the 1st Battalion told us that several nights previous, the Germans had put a placard out in front of their lines saying "It is an insult to the German Army for them to have to fight the Australians who are a lot of low-down criminals, thieves & murderers". A 1st Battalion Sergeant went out the next night & brought the placard in when our interpreter answered by writing the following on the same placard. "We are all that, we are cold footed, afraid of lead & steel, come over & take our trenches", but our challenge was not answered. The troops were aroused from their slumber fore daybreak next morning for it was there I learned that all troops occupying positions in the front & support lines throughout the whole army had to Stand to Arms for half an hour before daylight until half an hour after day break & the same of an evening. The above proceedure was carried out as a safe guard for past experiences had proved it was generally at these times of the day that the enemy generally attacked. During the "stand to" on the evening of the 6th of May a bombardment started on our left, orders being received to remain at the stand to until further orders for it was learned that Fritz as using gas as well as artillery on our left. I learned latter that it was the Second Aussie Division who bore the brunt of the stunt on our left & although they suffered heavy losses they never lost any ground. During the afternoon of the 7th of may our platoon was sent forward to relieved Bo 2 platoon in the front line they moving back to the position we had occupied in supports. When our relief was completed that night I was detailed to act as one of a covering party to another party who were to do barb wiring in no mans land. The covering party were instructed to fill the magazine of their rifle with ammunition, fix their bayonets & cover the bayonets with a piece of sand bag to prevent them shining whilst out in no mans land thus preventing the party from being observed by the enemy. When both the covering & wiring parties were ready, about twelve men all told with a corporal in charge we started to move. This being my first time in no mans land I was naturally very curious. We were led out through a "sally port" (a small opening in the trench) then through the barb wire which was about thirty feet thick at this particular point. When the outside of the wire was reached the wiring party was halted & our covering party taken about another hundred yards forward where we were spread out with an interval of about twenty yards between each man being told to lie down & remain quiet. our instruction were to keep a sharp look out for any enemy movement & protect the wiring party from enemy patrols. The work had only been started a short while when we received orders to get back to the front line trench where we learned that the Welsh Fusaliers who were on our immediate right were about to give the huns a bombing. When back in the front line I was detailed as a sentry at a Sally port having to occupy this post while the Welsh carried out their stunt. The above attack proved a great success with very few casualties but I never learned