Item 01: Sir Charles Rosenthal diary, 25 September 1914-31 December 1918 - Page 413
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[Page 413]
Wednesday 24th April
This morning the Boche attacked from Hangard to the Somme. With Villers Bretonneux as a centre he succeeded in driving back troops of 8th Division to the Bois L-Abbe. At this juncture the 13th Bde. of 4th Aus Div was ordered to move to Blangy-Tronville and I was ordered to have two Battalions ready to move at shortest notices to reinforce our own line or counter attack as might be necessary. The 5th Australian Division held its ground. Later in the day a Brigade of 8th Division in counter attack succeeded in driving the Boche out of BOIS D'AQUENNE into the town, but was held up by machine gun fire from further advance. The situation till evening remained as above with some parts of the line not definitely located. I saw today at Division HQrs. an interesting graph setting out the employment in various categories of the Brigade of the Division since its arrival in France. They are as follows –
Actual Battle – 9th Bde. 55 days – 10th Bde. 10 - 11th Bde. 50
Line defence – 9th Bde. 191 days – 10th Bde. 245 - 11th Bde. 210
Rest or Reserve – 9th Bde. 250 days – 10th Bde. 240 - 11th Bde. 210
Thursday 25th April
News this morning shows that the 15th and 13th Australian Brigades have retaken Villers Bretonneux and re-established our former line. This is the third time Australian troops have saved this particular sector, and it seems a great pity that our fine men should be frittered away in retaking ground so consistently being lost by British troops.
Conference with Divisional Commander and O.C. Div. Signal Co., re transfers of men from Battalions to Sig. Service.
Inspected Transport during afternoon and arranged for horses to be exchanged with Artillery for mules. Major Blake went off to England.
Dined with Divisional Commander and "A" men this being Gallipoli day. It is hard to realise that three years have passed away since that eventful day.
I have just had compiled total list of casualties while detached from the Division and operating south of the Somme.
Battn. – Officers killed – Officers wounded – Officers gassed – O.Rs. killed – O.Rs. wounded – O.Rs. gassed – Missing
33rd – 3 – 8 – 20 – 50 – 246 – 395 – 7
34th – 1 – 7 – 1 – 33 – 181 – 27 – 17
35th – 2 – 6 – 0 – 57 – 234 – 54 – 61
36th – 7 – 3 – 4 – 36 – 164 – 60 – 3
9th AMG.Co – 0 – 1 – 4 – 2 – 15 – 58 – 3
9th ALTMB – 0 – 0 – 4 – 0 – 7 – 41 – 0
Total – 73 officers – 1750 other ranks