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[Page 5]
[Operation Order and Extracts from Brigade Orders kept by Phillip Weston of No 2 Section of the 13th Machine Gun Company in France in 1918. This comprises primarily two sets of Orders which lack context]
Secret
13th. Australian Machine Gun Company
Operation Order
The 13th. A.I. Brigade will take Black Blue Line on Attack Day, in two stages.
1st. Stage. 50th Battalion will take Red line 3.4.c.65.45.,3.4.c.6.6.Da7.d.4., J4a.4.5. to D.27.d.8.8.
2nd. Stage. 49th. and 51st. Battalions will take Blue Line,3.4.d.4.6., J.4.b. 5.0. 06.85 to D.26.a.2.2. 49th Battn on right: 51st Battn on left.
Two Sections, 4 guns each, will go forward immediately in rear of Black Blue Line troops, and give covering fire while Infantry are consolidating.
No. 2 Section (Lieut Weston) will advance 1 Subsection in rear of left flank of 40th. Battalion. 1 Subsection immediately in rear of Right flank of 51st. Battalion, and will take up position about as follows _ Right subsection 2 guns about D.48.c.7.4.. covering ground towards and beyond D.28.central. Left subsection, 2 guns about D.28.c.4.7., to fire in direction of Retaliation Farm.
No.4 Section(Lieut. Cousins) will follow immediately in rear of Left flank of 51st. Battalion, and will take up positions about as follows – 2 guns D.28.c.1.6., and 2 guns D.27.d.6.7., to protect the left flank, and assist the troops on our left, if necessary.
Fire must be brought to bear on any enemy movement in range and on hedges, or likely sniper and M.G. positions.
Personnel and Loads will be arranged with Section Officers previously.
Gun teams will move in line of Gun Teams in file, 10 yards interval between ranks, and 20 yards interval between Gun Teams.
All troops must be in jumping off position 1 hour before Zero. Section Officers will, as soon as possible, get into touch with the Battalion with whom they are advancing, and make all necessary arrangements re forming up.
The 8 remaining guns will be deployed under Divisional