Item 02: Leslie William Sutherland diary, 1 January-13 December 1916 - Page 107

[Page 107]

27 July, 1916 Thursday

In touch at VMM VGBA

Left early this morning & again missed the bivouac & had to get traffic through 21A one of the outposts, moved off at 0300 & passed through Katia at 0530, all clear but it wasn't long before we were in touch all along the line & we eventually drove there line back at VMM VGBA one patrol under a Sgt got right into Oghratina & were looking down the Hod before Jacks spotted them & it took them all their time to get clear, other patrols did well also, we shelled them to some time again firing about 50 rounds at different targets & works completely demolishing same. Left at 2108 for home arriving two hours later tired but happy after putting in an enjoyable day.

26 July, 1916 Friday

2nd Bde out this morning & officers patrol reported considerable activity along the whole of the enemys line & at dawn they commenced their advance on VMM-VGBM which they held at 0600. Their left had in the meantime swung round Sagia & enveloped Hill 245 which they held all day, at 1400 the Wellington Mtd rifles made a demonstration against them at VMM-VGBA & succeeded in driving them back for 1000 yds captured 16 prisoners & on the whole did real well our casualties were 3 killed 3 wounded.

Jacks has made his former line of defence very strong & will take some routing out probably his idea is to fall back on these positions should he get a push from there and Hostile planes engaged ours on two occasions, no losses.