Beaten Down By Blood

by Michele Bomford

  16. 56th Battalion War Diary, September 1918, account of William Nancarrow.

  17. Bert Bishop, The Hell, the Humour and the Heartbreak: A Private’s View of World War 1, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1991, p. 224.

  18. 56th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  19. 55th Battalion War Diary, September 1918, Anonymous Account ‘The Battle of Péronne September 1-2 1918’.

  20. 59th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  21. 15th Brigade Report on Operations 1–5 September 1918.

  22. Bert Bishop, ‘Milton Memories and other Writings’ as cited in ‘Digger’, Issue 31, June 2010, p. 47; Bishop, The Hell, the Humour and the Heartbreak, p. 225.

  23. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Ernest Corey.

  24. Bishop, ‘Milton Memories and other Writings’, p. 47.

  25. Pamela Goesch, ‘The Making of a Book: The Hell, the Humour and the Heartbreak – a Private’s View of World War 1 by Bert Bishop’ in ‘Digger’, 30 March 2010, p. 20.

  26. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Alexander Ignatius O’Connor.

  27. Charles Bean, Folders, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 274, Reveille, 1 May 1932.

  28. 7th Brigade Report on Operations 2 September 1918 in 7th Brigade War Diary, September 1918.

  29. Ibid.

  30. Ibid.

  31. Ibid.

  32. 7th Brigade War Diary September 1918, Report of Lieutenant Harry.

  33. Bean, Official History, Vol. VI, p. 857.

  34. Charles Bean, Notebooks, AWM38 3DRL606/227/2, 26th Battalion.

  35. Ibid.

  36. 26th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  37. Charles Bean, Notebooks, AWM38 3DRL606/227/2, 26th Battalion.

  38. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Oscar James Lawson.

  39. Letter in possession of Jan and Des Lawson, used here with their permission.

  40. War Service Record, Oscar Lawson, NAA Series B2455 1914–1920; Jan and Des Lawson in correspondence with the author, 2009.

  41. Personal details of Oscar Lawson’s life supplied by Jan and Des Lawson in correspondence with the author, 2009.

  42. F.M. Cutlack, The Australians: Their Final Campaign 1918, Sampson Low, Marston and Co, London, 1918, p. 298; W. Dollman and H.M. Skinner, The Blue and Brown Diamond: A History of the 27th Battalion AIF 1915-1919, Lonnen and Cope, Adelaide, 1921, p. 175.

  43. Charles Bean, Notebook, AWM38 3DRL606/227/2, 28th Battalion.

  44. Dollman and Skinner, The Blue and Brown Diamond, p. 173.

  45. 26th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  46. Arnold Beolsche, Sturmflut: das Erleben des 7 Thur. Infanterie-Regiments Nr 96 im Weltkrieg, Verlag Bernhard Sporn, Zeulenroda-Thur, 1935, pp. 512–3.

  47. Bean, Official History, Vol. VI, p. 861.

  48. Dollman and Skinner, The Blue and Brown Diamond, p. 173.

  49. 2nd Australian Division Report on Operations 26/8/18-5/9/18, AWM25 519/22.

  50. 44th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  51. Henry Rawlinson, Diary, 2/9/18, 3/9/18, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR 0014 RWLN 1/11.

  52. Charles Bean, Diary 2/9/18, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 116.

  53. James Edmonds, Military Operations in France and Belgium 1918, Vol. IV, Imperial War Museum, London, 1993 (1947), p. 393.

  54. Henry Rawlinson, Diary, 3/9/18, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR 0014 RWLN 1/11.

  55. William Hawkins, Diary and Papers 1916–1968, SLV MSB 477.

  56. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  57. Ibid.

  58. John Monash, letter to W.P. Braithwaite 22/9/18, NLA MS 1884, Outward Letters, Series 1 Box 73 Folder 504.

  59. Henry Rawlinson, Diary, 5/9/18, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR 0014 RWLN 1/11.

  60. John Monash, letter to F.W. Cutlack 26/9/18, NLA MS 1884, Outward Letters, Series 1 Box 73 Folder 504.

  Chapter 7

  1. Lance Corporal Tyson Murray, Mentoring Team Alpha, Afghanistan 2010, Chris Masters, ‘A Careful War’ Part 2, Four Corners, ABC, 12 July 2010.

  2. Henry Rawlinson, Papers, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR/0014/RWLN 1/12.

  3. Stanley, Bad Characters, pp. 242–3.

  4. L.V. Bartlett, Diary 8/2/18, 1/9/18, 2/9/18, MLMSS 959 and War Service Record, NAA, Series B2455 1914–1920.

  5. Will Davies, Beneath Hill 60, Random House (Vintage), Sydney, 2010, p. 133.

  6. L.L. Robson, The First AIF: A Study of its Recruitment 1914-1918, Melbourne University Press, 1970, p. 18.

  7. Headstone of Second Lieutenant Albert Napper, 19th Battalion, Péronne Communal Cemetery Extension.

  8. Robson, The First AIF, p. 44.

  9. J.G. Roberts, Papers, SLV MS 8183 Box 265/4.

  10. Ian Reece, Harold’s Diary: an Australian Digger’s Records from World War 1, self-published, 2005.

  11. John Monash, Papers, AWM 3DRL/2316, Series 5/1.

  12. Stanley, Bad Characters, pp. 190, 192.

  13. J.J. Talbot Hobbs, Papers, July 1918, AWM 3DRL/2600, 1/4.

  14. War Service Record, Albert Napper, NAA Series B2455 1914–1920.

  15. Stanley, Men of Mont St Quentin, p. 181.This cross is now on display in the Australian War Memorial.

  16. Melbourne University Magazine, War Memorial Number, July 1920, p. 140.

  17. William Hawkins, ‘The King’s Horses and Other Stories’, ‘Lou Cazaly – Runner’, 3/9/18, AWM MSS 1374.

  18. Stanley, Bad Characters, p. 216.

  19. War Service Record, Joseph Maxwell, NAA, Series B 2455 1914–1920.

  20. Maxwell, Hell’s Bells and Mademoiselles, pp. 216, 217, 219.

  21. 55th Battalion War Diary, September 1918, Anonymous Account ‘The Battle for Péronne September 1-2 1918’.

  22. Ellis, The Story of the Fifth Australian Division, pp. 348–9.

  23. Charles Bean, Notebooks, AWM38 3DRL606/226/2, 58th Battalion.

  24. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  25. 19th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  26. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  27. 27th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  28. 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  29. 6th Brigade War Diary, September 1918, 10/9/18.

  30. Frank Brewer, Papers 1917-1919, MLMSS 1536/3, accounts of German Prisoner and W.J. Denny.

  31. Frank Brewer, Papers 1917-1919, MLMSS 1536/4.

  32. Charles Rosenthal, ‘Mont St Quentin: the Diggers’ Battle’, SMH 7/9/22.

  33. Stanley, Bad Characters, p. 244.

  34. Recorded in 7th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, August 1918, Part 4.

  35. 56th Battalion War Diary, September 1918, account of William Nancarrow.

  36. ‘Gular’ is a local abbreviation for Gulargambone.

  37. War Service Record, George Mill, NAA, Series B2455 1914-1920.

  38. War Service Record, Frederick Holland, NAA Series B2455 1914-1920.

  39. Claude Sowden, Memoir, held by the author.

  40. Warren Kennedy, The Kennedy Family, 1987, copy held by the author, p. 63.

  41. Cards and Letters of Minnie Watson held by the author, postcard 11/10/17.

  42. The Coonamble Times, 14 July 1917.

  43. War Service Record, Edward Green, NAA Series B2455 1914-1920.

  44. Joan McKenzie, The Vision Splendid: The History of Coonamble Town and District, Macquarie Publications, Dubbo, 1988, p. 208.

  45. Ibid., p. 134.

  46. J.B. Cooper, History of the City of Malvern, The Specialty Press, Melbourne, 1935, available online at www.stonnington.vic.gov.au, consulted January 2011, p. 40.

  47. Lynne Strahan, Private and Public Memory: A History of the City of Malvern, available online at www.stonnington.vic.gov.au consulted January 2011, pp. 69, 53.

  48. Ibid., p. 60.

  49. Ibid., pp. 52–3.

  50. Ibid., pp 112–13.

  51. Ibid., p. 191.

  52
. Ibid., p. 159.

  53. Jean Kelshaw and Bruce Thornton, Born To Be A Soldier: War Diary of Lieutenant John Gotch Ridley MC, Baptist Historical Society of NSW, Sydney, 2010, pp. 112–13.

  54. 53rd Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  55. War Service Record, William Bottomley, NAA Series B2455 1914-1920.

  56. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for John Bowe.

  57. Strahan, Private and Public Memory, p. 56.

  58. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Monckton Bowes Kelly.

  59. Cooper, History of the City of Malvern, pp. 153–4.

  60. War Service Record, James Philipson, NAA Series B2455 1914-1920.

  61. Strahan, Private and Public Memory, pp. 71–2.

  62. George Johnston, My Brother Jack, Angus & Robertson Classics (HarperCollins), Sydney,2001 (1964), pp. 8–9.

  63. Ibid., pp. 37, 32.

  64. Cooper, History of the City of Malvern, p. 156.

  Chapter 8

  1. Robin Prior and Trevor Wilson, Command on the Western Front, pp. 309–10.

  2. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, p. 61.

  3. Prior and Wilson, Command on the Western Front, pp. 291–2, 310, 312.

  4. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, pp. 104, 164.

  5. Charles Bean, Folders, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 266; Ross McMullin, Pompey Elliott, Scribe, Melbourne, 2002, pp. 483–4.

  6. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  7. J.P. Harris (with Niall Barr), Amiens to the Armistice, pp. 149, 298.

  8. Chris Roberts in correspondence with the author, November 2010–January 2011.

  9. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, p. 202.

  10. 5th Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 21.

  11. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, p. 198.

  12. Terraine, To Win A War, p. 129.

  13. Paul Stevens in correspondence with the author, November 2010–January 2011.

  14. 5th Division Report on Operations 31/8-2/9.

  15. Operations Files 27/8-5/9 1918, AWM26 473/1 Fourth Army.

  16. 15th Brigade Report on Operations 1–5 September 1918.

  17. 2nd Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, messages 31/8/18.

  18. Australian Corps Heavy Artillery War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, AWM4 13/7/29.

  19. Bishop, The Hell, the Humour and the Heartbreak, p. 222.

  20. 7th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, August 1918, Part 1.

  21. 20th Battalion War Diary, August 1918, Part 2.

  22. 3rd Division War Diary, September 1918, Part 1, Report 1/9/18.

  23. T.D. Bridger, 27th Battery, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, pp. 141–2.

  24. Report on Operations 31/8/18, 33rd Battalion War Diary, August 1918, Part 1.

  25. 40th Battalion War Diary, August 1918.

  26. James Armitage, Diary, AWM PR00420.

  27. Bean, Official History, Vol. VI, p. 808.

  28. Ibid., p. 810.

  29. Australian Corps Heavy Artillery War Diary, August 1918, Part 2, Counter-battery Report 30/31 August.

  30. Frank Brewer, Papers 1917–1919, MLMSS 1536/3, accounts of Albert Edwards and Daniel Petersen.

  31. Charles Rosenthal, Diary 31/8/18, MLMSS 2739/1.

  32. Charles Bean, Notebooks, AWM 3DRL606/226/2, 20th Battalion.

  33. 5th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, August 1918, Part 1.

  34. 15th Brigade Report on Operations 1–5 September 1918.

  35. W.H.G. Guard, Notes on Cléry and Mont St Quentin 29–31 August 1918, AWM 2DRL/0879.

  36. Harvey, The Red and White Diamond, p. 278.

  37. Percy Ellesmere Smythe, Diary,1/9/18, copy held by author.

  38. 6th Brigade War Diary, September 1918.

  39. 13th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  40. 13th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, August 1918 and September 1918, Part 1.

  41. 8th Field Artillery Brigade War Diary, September 1918.

  42. Charles Bean, Folders, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 280a.

  43. 14th Brigade Report on Operations 31/8-2/9 1918.

  44. Hector Brewer, Diary 2/9/18, MLMSS 1300.

  45. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  46. 7th Brigade War Diary, September 1918.

  47. 2nd Australian Division Report on Operations 26/8/18-5/9/18, AWM25 519/22.

  48. 25th Battalion War Diary, September 1918.

  49. Durrant, Mont St Quentin, p. 90.

  50. Shelford Bidwell, Gunners at War: A Tactical Study of the Royal Artillery in the Twentieth Century, Arrow, London, 1972, p. 110; Shelford Bidwell and Dominick Graham, Fire-power: The British Army Weapons and Theories of War 1904-1945, Pen and Sword, South Yorkshire, 2004 (1982), p. 143.

  51. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, pp. 185–6.

  52. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, August 1918, Part 1.

  53. Report on Operations 31/8/18, 33rd Battalion War Diary, August 1918, Part 1.

  54. H.N. Wrigley, The Battle Below: Being the History of No 3 Squadron AFC, Errol G. Knox, Sydney, 1935, p. 111; 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  55. Wrigley, The Battle Below, p. 110.

  56. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, August 1918, Part 2.

  57. 56th Battalion War Diary, September 1918, accounts of James Bull and William Nancarrow.

  58. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  59. Ibid.

  60. James Marshall, ‘My Story of the Big War’, Diary c. 5/9/18, MLMSS 1164 Item 4.

  61. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  62. Wrigley, The Battle Below, p. 109; 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, August 1918, Part 3.

  63. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, September 1918, Part 2.

  64. Bidwell and Graham, Fire-Power, p. 103.

  65. 3rd Squadron AFC War Diary, September 1918, Part 1.

  66. Wrigley, The Battle Below, p. 112.

  67. Australian Corps Heavy Artillery War Diary, September 1918, Part 2, AWM4 13/7/30.

  Chapter 9

  1. Bidwell, Gunners at War, p. 37.

  2. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, p. 179.

  3. 7th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, August 1918.

  4. Herbert Bailey, Diary, AWM PR90/018.

  5. 15th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, August 1918, Part 2.

  6. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Thomas Midelton.

  7. 15th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, September 1918, Part 2.

  8. 15th Brigade Report on Operations 1–5 September 1918.

  9. 5th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, August 1918.

  10. Chatto, The Seventh Company Field Engineers, pp. 177–8.

  11. 7th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, September 1918.

  12. Chatto, The Seventh Company Field Engineers, p. 183.

  13. 14th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, September 1918.

  14. Charles Bean/Arthur Hall Correspondence 1941, AWM PR87/085.

  15. 14th Field Company Australian Engineers War Diary, September 1918.

  16. Henry Rawlinson, Diary, 5/9/18, 6/9/18, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR 0014 RWLN 1/11.

  17. Herbert Bailey, Diary, AWM PR90/018.

  18. Bidwell, Gunners at War, p. 47.

  19. Charles Bean, Folders, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 281.

  20. 5th Brigade Report on Operations 27/8-31/8 1918.

  21. 2nd Australian Division Report on Operations 26/8/18-5/9/18, AWM25 519/22.

  22. 6th Brigade Report on Operations 31/8-4/9 1918.

  23. Charles Bean, Folders, AWM38 3DRL606 Item 274.

  24. 6th Brigade Report on Operations 31/8-4/9 1918.

  25. 7th Brigade Report on Operations 2/9/18.

  26. 5th Australian Divisional Signal Company Report on Operations 31/8-3/9 1918.

  27. 5th Australian Division Report on
Operations 31/8/18-2/9/18.

  28. 54th Battalion Report on Operations 1–2 September 1918.

  29. 14th Brigade War Diary, September 1918, Messages 2/9/18.

  30. 5th Australian Divisional Signal Company War Diary, September 1918.

  31. Ibid.

  32. Ibid.

  33. 33rd Battalion Report on Operations 31/8/18.

  34. 3rd Australian Divisional Signal Company War Diary, September 1918.

  Chapter 10

  1. Pedersen, Monash as Military Commander, p. 125.

  2. John Monash, Letter to Joseph Cook 2/9/18, NLA MS 1884, Outward Letters Series 1 Box 73 Folder 504.

  3. Monash, Australian Victories in France in 1918, p. 165.

  4. John Monash, The Melbourne Age, 24 February 1919.

  5. 5th Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 13.

  6. 7th Brigade War Diary, August 1918.

  7. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7; Herbert Bailey AWM PR90/018.

  8. Operations Files 27/8-5/9 1918 AWM26 489/1 and 492/6 Australian Corps.

  9. Herbert Bailey AWM PR90/018.

  10. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  11. Hector Brewer, Diary 29/8/18, MLMSS 1300 Item 6.

  12. Norman Nicolson, Diary, AWM 3DRL/2715 Part 7.

  13. Henry Rawlinson, Diary, 25/8/18, 26/8/18, 30/8/18, Churchill Archives Centre, GBR 0014 RWLN 1/11.

  14. John Monash, Papers, AWM 3DRL/2316 Series 4/1 Inward Wires 26/8/18-8/9/18.

  15. Travers, How the War was Won, p. 116.

  16. 2nd Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, Messages 31/8/18.

  17. 19th Battalion War Diary, August 1918.

  18. 18th Battalion War Diary, August 1918.

  19. Bean, Notebooks, AWM 3DRL606/226/2, 20th Battalion.

  20. 6th Brigade Report on Operations 31 August–4 September 1918.

  21. 2nd Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, Messages 31/8/18.

  22. Ibid.

  23. Ibid.

  24. Bean, Notebooks, AWM 3DRL606/226/2, account of Forbes.

  25. AWM Honours and Awards Database, citation for Leslie Fussell.

  26. Bean, Notebooks, AWM 3DRL606/228/2, 24th Battalion.

  27. J.J. Talbot Hobbs, Diary, May–November 1918, 30/8/18, AWM PR82/153 Item 4.

  28. 2nd Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, Messages 31/8/18.

  29. Bean, Diary 1/9/18, AWM 3DRL606 Item 116.

  30. H.E. Elliott, Diary 31/8/18, AWM 2DRL/0513.

  31. 19th Battalion War Diary, August 1918.

  32. 2nd Division War Diary, August 1918, Part 1, Messages 31/8/18.