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THE BRIGADIER'S STORY

OF THE BATTLE OF MESSINES HOW AN OFFICER VIEWS A FIGHT (By Brigadier-General Jobson, in the Sydney Sunday "Sun.") It was a gioriuiis summer evening. We had iinisiicd our mess and were taking, a short spell in the garden of our chateau (where our headquarters were) before beginning tho work for the night. For weqks we had been preparing for the offensive, and now there were only two full days to go. But everything was practically ready. The battalions had rehearsed the attack, and had moreover held the line opposite their objectives. The approach routes had been marked down, and every company had practised the march from the billets to the assembly trenches. Every man had been fully instructed in l/is own particular task, and, moreover, had become accustomed to the special equipment, not a light one, ho had to carry. The arrangements for supplies, dumps, medical services, traffic control, salvage, tramways, prisoners, aud many other details had been completed. It remained only to give" the necessary finishing touches and to satisfy oneself that nothing had been left undone. As i passed along the garden walk, a cheery transport sergeant came up and I asked him how he was. "Quite well, sir, how are you?" was his reply. I told him I was fit aud well. "Well, now, I'm real glad-to hear that, and all the boys will be glad to hear it, too, when I tell them." He passed on to the office, and I sauntered out into the village of Nicppo to see somo of tiiose boys. l Tho streets were full of them, for the most part cheerful and in the best of spirits. Somo were

tl'. i ii;,Lig their kit, but the 'majority weio in little groups discussing very cainiiy tho prospects of the push which they knew was now very near. Tho main topic was prisoners. The recollection of the Kaiser's speech, exhorting his troops to take no prisoners, had that day been revived by Captain Bean's story of the. ill-treatment of Ufa Australians who had recently escaped, from Lillo. That story stirred ifie men intensely, and their voicss

•.vera all "No prisoners." "Do you wish me to tako prisoners, sir?" said oi;e Eergcant to me, "I have lost six brothers ia iiiia wnr, three- of them in iiw Gordous. 1 have to get some of theirs back, and some of my own, too. 1 wen , lf take any prisoners." And 1 don't think he did. His battalion took only three prisoners, and they wore A.M.O. men, while most of tho Germans, killed in its area wero found bayoneted in tho throat, the correct spot. Close by another man spoke: "I've, read the account of those two Australians from Lille. No prisoners for me." Everywhere one heard the same view. Second only to the prisoner question was tho joy that at last they would get "to holts" with the Hun. Tlio patient endurance of months of trench warfare.and "minnios" was over, aiid the man in the line was now going to get some of his own back. A lew men were settling up their private affairs. Near by, two privates, well on iu years, came along the street, arm in arm, discussing their chances of coming through the push. "Well, anyhow, Bill, we've been good pals foi years. We've ha<l lots of arguments, but we've always agreed to differ." "That be —- for a yarn. We may have had lotn of arguments, but wo'v'o never differed." '

Air Fighting. Suddenly the repose- of the 'street vanished. Everyone was on j:is feet and looking up—a Hun 'plane w.is in sight, and travel ling fast towards our observation balloon which was almost overhead. All the Archies \wiic blazing away, but still the 11 im came on. "Xhwe iney go," and out «:f the balloon fell the two observers, their parachutes quickly expanding an.l gently floating towards the Hun !'i..<s some four or live miles away. '.They came to ground safely within our own hues.) The Hun was now near.to the balloon, and'his machine-gun's staccato could be plainly hoard. The fiery streaks of is wacer bullets showed clearly some 30ft. ahead. It was a weird sight to see this chattering blackbird spouting (ire as it approached tl\c balloon. The excitement was now intense. The 'plane seemed to have a charmed iife, lor though shells were bursting close to it, none actually hit it. The balloon seemed to have no chance, and everyone waited for it to burst into flame, but the balloon stalf was alive lo the situation. Just as the Hun was getting to point-blank range, the winding engine rattled, the cable ran out, and up shot the balloon, and the 'plane, just too late, dashed underneath it. Wβ hoped the Hun would have another try, for there are few things hio/e exciting to watch than a balloon straafe. But, no, he turned for home amid a storm of shells. He never reached it. Before he got to our front lino an Archie brought him down much to our joy. Sly spare time had by tins time , ended, and I returned to my office. On the following evening the arigado major and I went up in a car lo our battle headquarters, in a dug-out in Ploegsteort Wood—about SOU yards from our front line. The drive up was not specially exciting. Our own guns were only shelling intermittently, for the main shooting for the day had ended, and the evening straafe on enemy roads had not begun. But the Hun fljas busy, and several ammunition dumps were burning as a result of his fire. Our,dumps were so numerous that it seemed scarcely possible to drop a shell without hitting one. He blew up many, but so great was our supply that wo suffered no special inconvenience. He was very good to us personally, and though the road we were on should have been shelled he left it entirely alone, devoting his attention to batteries near by, and we reached our dug-out safely. It was a large one, made specially by tlie Canadian Tunnellers. It had two entrances leading down to a long tunnel off which were seven chambers, averaging 16ft. by 14ft., and 6ft. 6m. in height. • Fitted up with bunks, tables, and chairs, lighted by electric li"ht from a special plant, and well drained, it was about as comtortablo as it could possibly be. On the surface were spli'nter-roof dug-outs, m which the signallers, runners, and cooks slept. The cooking was all done up above.

Completing Preparations. The Jiext clay was a comparatively quiet day; Zero had been fixed for 3.10 o'clock next morning, and we occupied ourselves in completing the final arrangements. Towards evening the remainder of the staff began to turn tip. The liaison officers from the adjoining brigades, and from the Field Artillery, and the Heavies, reported, and about 7 p.m. a divisional officer arrived with the official watch to synchronise our time. AVhen everyone concerned was satisfied, off wo went in the next brigade; but the, tunnelling officer, responsible for firing tho four mines on my front, was not quite satisfied. The exact timing of his mines with tho others on tho nine-mile front was a serious matter. To mako sure ho collected all mir watches, and asynchronised and eventually seemed quite happy. His care was justified. Between the firing of the first and last of the nineteen mines there was only a difference 1 i of three seconds. An achievement this

in synchronisation over a front of nine miles. Shortly before midnight I turned in, leaving word to bo called about 2 o'clock, as zero was ,ten minutes past three. 1 was duly called, and awoke to lind'everything going lveJl. Tho dugout buzzed with tho incessant tick-tacit of Morso and the chatter of signallers completing their final tests. Tho party for the brigade signal station to be established in the enemy lines was just leaving. The officers and men were as cheerful and light-hearted as if going off on a picnic. Before going to sleep I had been concerned about some supplies which had gone astray, and had told off a special party to got on their track. This party I now learned had found the missing supplies, and were bringing them up. No news, .however, had boon received of the battalions moving from Nioppe to tho front line; but this did not worry me much, for I had every confidence that the men would all arrive in time. And they did, but only just in time, for the march was a very arduous one. Ploegstreot Wood, through which they passed, was shelled steadily with gas and H.E. shells, and tho men wore their gas masks for two hours. The duckboard tracks over which they marched in single file were badly cut up, while a shower had made them slippery. Moreover, tho night was dark and progress difficult. So difficult that, though tho rear companies were timed to reach their assembly positions over an hour before zero, they got thero only just as the mines went up. But they got there, and went over in good style.

It was now close to zero. Being anxious to see tho mines go up, I got my tin hat and gas mask, and climbed to the surface. Just as. I reached the door a Hun gas shell landed some little distance in front of it, and I put on my mask; but I had left it too late, for I'had barely got outside when the ground shook beneath me, and 1 heard two heavy rumbles as our two pair of mines exploded. Then our machineguns began their song, ami the artillery joined in the chorus, which they kept up unabated for bis hours. The battle had begun.

At the Toicphono. I went below, and sat by tho telephone. There was nothing to do but wait. Tho staff sat, each man at his place, quiet and with littlo or nothing to say. There were two long tables in tho office, a telephone at each. The brigade major and I sat at ono table, with two clerks to take down messages;, at tho other were the staff captain and two officers, to take notes concerning tho three attacking battalions, one officer to each. Soon after zero the adjutant of one battalion, rang up in a tono-of consternation. The mines had gone off three minutes before time, and his men wero not all up. The brigade major took it calmly. He told the adjutant to look at his watch, and lie would see he had synchronised it as throe minutes slow, and not to worry. Our noxt word was from* a colonel that his men had bceu delayed on the march, and he could not say if they were in timo or not. He was also told not to worry, that they would arrive all right. And so it turned out. Our casualties on the march proved to be small, and practically all tho men wont over tho top.

Alter somo littlo timo a message camo from tho right company that it had gained its objective. Soon afterwards the company on its left reported taking the enemy front line, and about an hour after zero that its objective had been gained. "Have- had hot Hun coffee for breakfast. Tho barrage was beautiful," was part of this message. No word so far from the left, which had further to go. But we were not kopt long in suspense. The brigade signal station reported by the power-buzzer (field wireless) it was duly established, and we know by this that t~io left rear battalion had gained its objective, and that tho loft front battalion had probably gone through it towards the hirther objective. And so it turned out, for within the next hour news came tnatihe black line, tho final objective, had been reached. All biiitiiiions soon reported that consoliwas in progress, and that tho enojny shelling was light, being mainly on iv'o Man's Land. Ho had not yet found our now line, and indeed did iiot locate it till the next day. All was going well, and everyone was cheerful.

About 7 a.m. the front line reported that our men could seo the Now Zeafv.ndcrs with a tank east of Mcssines. This was soon confirmed by a message .vrom division that tho British on one left and the New Zealanders had taken an their objectives, and Messines was wholly ours. Our spirits, already high, rose still higher when we heard later than the Second Army had taken all its objectives. Just'about this timo I went to. tho surface to get a spell of fresh air. It was a glorious morning, and the sky was blue and

clear. The wood rang with the noiso b? machine and field guns, while overhead iTicre was a continuous scream of shells, our and theirs. None camo near uio dug-out, and . the men were washing, shaving, and breakfasting as though nothing special was on. They wero glad to hear of the army's success, but keen to know if it was true that Zeebrugge and Ostend had fallen. "Unfortunately, 1 could tell them nothing on this point. I could not stay long, and alter a few minutes' breathing fresh air somewhat tainted with Hun gas, I went bejow again.

Messages Hot and Frequent. Messages were coming in fast. Everything <;amo by telephone, with lew exceptions, when runners were used. Our lines to the front were standing well, and battalion commanders wore able to speak to.their oflicors in the new line. Nothing much happened during tho day. There wore some local counterattacks, but these- were easily dispersed by machine-gun and artillery fire. Towards evening came news of a big counter-attack on tho brigade on our left, also word that one of its battalions had fallen back to our own line. The first news was quickly confirmed, but no confirmation or otherwise of the retirement was received, and we remained in a state of uncertainty Jor some hours, when it proved to bo false. We were not much concerned. Our lino reported no sign of largo counter-at-tacks on us, and knowing the strength of our artillery, we had no doubt about the Huns being beaten off on the left, and so they were.

It was not to bo expected that wa would remain free from big counterattacks, for wo held the right flank of the whole army. ' Fully expecting one at dawn, I turned in that night about jiiidniiiht, leaving word with the Brigade Major to call me at half-past 2. I woke after a good sleep and looked at my watch. Ten minutes past 6! What about the counter-attack ? Why wasn't I wakened?" "Nothing doing, sir. Quiet night, only heavy shelling of No-Man's-Laud, and some gas shells in the wood." I could scarcely believe our good fortune, and I sat down witfl a light heart to my breakfast of bacon and eggs, after which tho Brigade Major was packed off to sloop. Photos from the Air. For tho moment lliero was nothing specially doing, and 1 had time to examine the aeroplane photos taken tho. previous' day, which had just arrived from division. They wore particularly interesting. Ono taken at II a.m.. eight hours after zero, showed our new front and support lines along a front <>f about a mile, in process of digging. In the others taken at 2.30 p.m. the new trenches were much clearer. They wore on the correct line, and moreover were apparently well dug. This.gratifying information was confirmed later

on by one of my staff, who inspected tho line and brought back a most useful plan of tho trendies. "Just been up the line, sir, every-, thing going well, the Huns man that trench at Thatched" Cottage strongly by day." This was received from tho Battalion Commander on the right about 9 a.m., and duly passed on to tho divisional headquarters. Shortly before noon orders wero received from division to put out a post at onco at Thatched Cottage. It was v certainly only 250 yards out, but the information about, it'being manned suggested the task would not be an easy one. Tho colonel concerned, however, made no demur, but carried on. At live minutes to 2 the telephone rang, and a happy voice said, "Is that you, sir? "We're there." "Where?" "There, where you told us to go." "Good." "We 'found no Huns there at all, but killed one on tho way—we had no casualties.' "That's fine, you have my congratulations." This 'good news was promptly passed on to division, who soon afterwards gave us more orders to put out that night three more posts.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19180102.2.52

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 84, 2 January 1918, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,786

THE BRIGADIER'S STORY Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 84, 2 January 1918, Page 6

THE BRIGADIER'S STORY Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 84, 2 January 1918, Page 6

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