G. P. Cuttriss - Over the Top With the Third Australian Division
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G. P. Cuttriss >> Over the Top With the Third Australian Division
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[Illustration: Major-General Sir John Monash, K.C.B., V.D.
_Photo by Elliott & Fry._]
'OVER THE TOP'
WITH THE THIRD AUSTRALIAN
DIVISION
BY
G.P. CUTTRISS
WITH INTRODUCTION BY
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN MONASH,
K.C.B., V.D.
_ILLUSTRATED BY NEIL McBEATH_
London
CHARLES H. KELLY
25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
TO THE
FADELESS MEMORY OF OUR HEROIC DEAD
AND TO
THOSE WHO HAVE LOST
THIS BRIEF VOLUME OF SKETCH AND STORY
IS DEDICATED,
IN UNSTINTED ADMIRATION,
IN AFFECTIONATE SYMPATHY,
AND IN THE UNSHAKEABLE BELIEF THAT
'As sure as God's in heaven,
As sure as He stands for right,
As sure as the Hun this wrong hath done,
So surely we'll win this fight.'
PREFACE
In response to numerous requests from the 'boys,' this brief volume of
story and sketch is published. It makes no pretension to literary
merit, neither is it intended to serve as a history of the Division.
The indulgence of those who may read is earnestly solicited, in view
of the work having been prepared amidst the trying and thrilling
experiences so common to active service. The fighting history of the
Australian Forces is one long series of magnificent achievements,
beginning on that day of sacred and glorious memory, April 25, 1915.
Ever since that wonderful test of capacity and courage the Australians
have advanced from victory to victory, and have won for themselves a
splendid reputation. Details of training, raids, engagements, and
tactical features have been purposely omitted. The more serious
aspect will be written by others. In deference to Mr. Censor, names of
places and persons have been suppressed, but such omissions will not
detract from the interest of the book. 'Over the Top with the Third
Australian Division' is illustrative of that big-hearted,
devil-may-care style of the Australians, the men who can see the
brighter side of life under the most distracting circumstances and
most unpromising conditions. In the pages that follow, some incidents
of the life of the men may help to pass away a pleasant hour and serve
as a reminder of events, past and gone, but which will ever be fresh
to those whose immediate interests attach to the Third Australian
Division.
G.P. CUTTRISS.
[Illustration: The Author.
_Photo by Lafayette, Ltd._]
INTRODUCTION
At the outbreak of the World War in August, 1914, the Australian as a
soldier was an unknown quantity. It is quite true that in the previous
campaigns in the Soudan and in South Africa, Australia had been
represented, and that a sprinkling of native-born Australians had
taken service in the Imperial armies. The performances of these
pioneers of Australia in arms were creditable, and the reputation
which they had earned was full of promise. But, viewed in their proper
perspective, these contributions to Imperial Defence were no true
index of the capacity of the Australian nation to raise and maintain a
great army worthy and able in all details to take its place in a world
war, beside the armies of the great and historic civilizations of the
Old World.
No Australian, nor least of all those among them who had laboured in
times of peace to prepare the way for a great national effort,
whenever the call to action should come, ever doubted the capacity of
the nation worthily to respond; but while the magnitude and quality of
the possible effort might well have been doubted by our Imperial
authorities and our Allies, and while it was certainly regarded as
negligible by our enemies, the result in achievement has exceeded, in
a mighty degree, the most optimistic hopes even of those who knew or
thought they knew what Australia was capable of.
For, to-day, Australia has, besides its substantial contribution to
the Naval Forces of the Empire, actually in being a land army of five
divisions and two mounted divisions, fully officered, fully equipped,
and stamped with the seal of brilliantly successful performance; and
has created and maintained all the hundred and one national activities
upon which such an achievement depends.
We are still too close to the picture to realize the miracle which has
been wrought, or to understand in all their breadth the factors on
which it has depended; but, fundamentally, and overshadowing all other
factors, the result is based upon the character of the Australian
people, and upon the personality of the Australian soldier.
It is the latter factor which, to one who has been for so long in
intimate daily contact with him, makes the closest appeal. It is from
that close association, from the knowledge born of experience of him
in every phase of his daily life, that the Australian can be
proclaimed as second to none in the world both as a soldier and as a
fighting man. For these things are not synonymous, and the first
lesson that every recruit has to learn is that they are not
synonymous; that the thing which converts a mere fighting man into a
soldier is the sense of discipline. This word 'discipline' is often
cruelly misused and misunderstood. Upon it, in its broadest and truest
sense, depends the capacity of men, in the aggregate, for successful
concerted action. It is precisely because the Australian is born with
and develops in his national life the very instinct of discipline that
he has been enabled to prove himself so successful a soldier. He obeys
constituted authority because he knows that success depends upon his
doing so, whether his activities are devoted to the interests of his
football team or his industrial organization or his regiment. He has
an infinite capacity for 'team' work. And he brings to bear upon that
work a high order of intelligence and understanding. In his other
splendid qualities, his self-reliance, his devotion to his cause and
his comrades, and his unfailing cheerfulness under hardship and
distress, he displays other manifestations of that same instinct of
discipline.
Some day cold and formal histories will record the deeds and
performances of the Australian soldiery; but it is not to them that we
shall turn for an illumination of his true character. It is to stories
such as these which follow, of his daily life, of his psychology, of
his personality, that we must look. And we shall look not in vain,
when, as in the following pages, the tale has been written down by one
of themselves, who has lived and worked among them, and who
understands them in a spirit of true sympathy and comradeship. The
Author of these sketches is himself true to his type, and an
embodiment of all that is most worthy and most admirable in the
Australian soldier.
JOHN MONASH, _Major-General_.
CONTENTS
PAGE
FROM 'THERE' TO 'HERE' 17
AUSTRALIANS--IN VARIOUS MOODS 28
SUNDAY, 'SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE' 42
SOLDIERS' SUPERSTITIONS 49
ON THE EVE OF BATTLE 59
'OVER THE TOP' 64
SHELLS: A FEW SMILES AND A CONTRAST 77
MESSINES 88
BILL THE BUGLER 95
A TRAGEDY OF THE WAR 99
RECREATION BEHIND THE LINES 108
FOR THE CAUSE OF THE EMPIRE 119
OUR HEROIC DEAD 124
THE SILVER LINING 126
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Major-General Sir John Monash, K.C.B., V.D. _Frontispiece_
PAGE
The Author _Facing_ 8
The Trip across was not as comfortable as it might have been 21
Church buildings seem to have received special attention from
enemy artillery _Facing_ 25
When you are perfectly sober and imagine you're not 26
'Where are you going, my man?' 31
The Ostrich 45
Despite good wishes from friends in the Homeland it was
difficult to keep warm 51
A silent tribute to the brave _Facing_ 54
To the Widows of France " 58
To see ourselves as others see us 81
With the aid of electric torches ... we descended to the cellar 84
'Did you hear that one, Bill?' _Facing_ 87
The Illustrator feeling happy, yet looking 'board' " 94
'She, smiling, takes the pennies' " 106
Off to the Horse Show 111
Sweet and low 114
Taff Williams, Musical Director 114
Sir Douglas Haig, G.C.B., G.C.V.O., and Sir A.J. Godley,
K.C.B., K.C.M.G., at the 2nd Anzac Horse Show 116
'Bon Soir' 140
='OVER THE TOP'=
FROM 'THERE' TO 'HERE'
Towards the end of November, 1916, our hopes of moving out from 'where
we then were' to 'where we now are' materialized to the evident
satisfaction of all. Few, if any, cared as to our probable
destination; the chief interest centred in the fact that we were to
start for the Front. The time spent Somewhere in the Motherland was by
no means wasted. Due regard had been paid to the training of the men,
who reached a standard of efficiency which earned for the Division a
reputation second to none. While in England the Third was the subject
of scorn and bitter criticism. Older Divisions could not forget, and
possibly regretted, the fact that they had had no such prolonged
training in mock trenches and in inglorious safety. However, since
leaving England the Division has lived down the scorn that was heaped
upon it, by upholding the traditions handed down by older and more
war-worn units. Recently the Division was referred to by a noted
General as one of the best equipped and most efficient units not only
amongst the Overseas Divisions but of the whole Army in France.
The arrangements for our moving out were approximately perfect. There
was no hitch. The military machine, like the Tanks of recent fame,
over-rides or brushes to one side all obstacles. There was manifest
among all ranks an eagerness to leave nothing undone that would in any
way facilitate entraining and embarkation. The knowledge that we were
at last on our way to the 'Dinkum' thing had the effect of leading us
to take a more serious view of the situation. It is surprising,
however, how soon men become attached to a place; and though the
conditions at Lark Hill were in no sense ideal, it had been our home
for several months and we were loth to leave. Perhaps the thought
that many of us might possibly never return inspired the longing looks
that were directed towards the camp as we marched on our way to the
station. Who of those who took part in that march will forget the
cheers with which we were greeted by the residents of that
picturesquely situated village as we trudged along its winding road?
We had enjoyed their hospitality, and we appreciated their cordial
wishes for success and safety.
The task of entraining a large body of men was expertly accomplished,
and after a brief delay we were speeding in the direction of the port
of embarkation. The train journey was practically without event. The
men were disposed to be quiet. On arrival at the quay parties were
detailed to assist in putting mails and equipment aboard the
transports. Punctually at the hour advised we trooped aboard the ships
that were to convey us across the water. There was very little
accommodation for men, but they squeezed in and made the best of the
situation. The trip across was not as comfortable as it might have
been, but its duration was so brief that the discomfort was scarcely
worth serious thought. The transports cast anchor off the harbour
early the following morning, but it was not until late in the
afternoon that they were berthed alongside the wharf. Scarcely had the
transports touched the wharf-side when they commenced to disgorge
their living freight.
[Illustration: The trip across was not as comfortable as it might have
been.]
From the waterside we marched to No. 1 Rest (?) Camp, situated on the
summit of a hill on the outskirts of the town. The camp was reached
some time after darkness had settled down over the land. The weather
was most miserable. The air was charged with icy blasts, and rain fell
continuously throughout the night. The least said about our
impressions and experiences during our brief stay in that camp the
better; suffice to state that one of the most miserable memories that
can be recalled in connexion with our experiences on active service is
associated with No. 1 Rest Camp.
The following morning we marched to the main railway station and
entrained for the Front. The accommodation provided was fairly
comfortable, though the carriages (?) had been used more for carrying
mules than men. The train journey extended over thirty hours. All
along the route there were evidences of military activity denoting
extensive and effective military organization. We noted the continuous
stream of traffic on the roads, and were amused with the names chalked
on the heavy guns, which were being drawn by a style of tractor quite
new to most of us. 'No friend of Fritz' was a powerful-looking gun,
and greatly impressed us; but the sight of a number of heavier guns
thrilled us, and we involuntarily shouted 'Good old England.'
There was not a dull moment during that thirty hours' run. There was
much to interest the 'freshmen.' Eventually we reached our rail
destination, and marched to our quarters, where we arrived late at
night. That we were not far from the fighting line was very evident by
the close proximity of the artillery, which expressed itself so
emphatically that the air reverberated with its deep boom, relieved
at intervals by the staccato reports of machine-guns in action.
The troops were quartered in different places. They were as
indifferent as they were different, but any place which afforded
shelter from the rain and protection from the cold was greatly
appreciated. Despite the inconveniences within and the noises without
few had difficulty in wooing Morpheus and reposed in his embrace until
a late hour next morning.
Opportunity was afforded during the day for having a look round and
cultivating an acquaintance with the district. The country round about
is fairly level, and, despite the fact that it was just behind the
lines and under enemy observation, farming operations and business
were carried on in perfect serenity. A cinema afforded entertainment
in the evenings. The men were cheerful, and accepted the change from
the 'sham' to the real uncomplainingly, and commenced making their
billets as comfortable as circumstances would permit. Stoves were
greatly in demand, but few were available. The law in France is that
nothing shall be removed from a building without permission. Troops
were forbidden to enter houses under any pretence whatever; but very
occasionally men lost their way, and unwittingly (?) wandered into
forbidden places, and when detected by certain officials evinced great
surprise on being found therein. The Town Major on one occasion was
walking past a building, the door of which was ajar, and he observed
two men struggling with a stove half up the stairway. 'What are you
doing with that stove?' he peremptorily asked. 'Putting it back, sir,'
was the prompt reply.
It is surprising with what readiness the Australian adapts himself to
whatever conditions prevail. He possesses plenty of initiative, which
is an invaluable asset on active service. Friendships were quickly
formed with the villagers, who were chiefly refugees, and much
amusement was caused as the troops sought to make use of the French
words which they had endeavoured to learn. There was scarcely any
necessity, however to try to speak French, as most of the people
understood sufficient of the English language for ordinary business
transactions. It was only when love-making was resorted to that a
knowledge of French became a vital necessity.
There was a great deal to interest the troops in this district, which
for a brief period had been occupied by the enemy. The town was
subjected to heavy shell fire almost daily. Evidences of the enemy's
brief stay and the effects of their 'frightfulness' were not lacking.
Since our occupation, the place has been reduced to a heap of ruins by
the enemy's artillery, which appears to have paid special attention to
church buildings, for many of them have been totally destroyed. Almost
immediately upon our arrival in this place certain units of the
Division occupied the trenches along the Divisional Front, and very
soon proved themselves to be just as capable as the more experienced
troops which they had relieved.
We were located in and about the town for several months, during which
time the Third Division won a name for the efficiency and daring of
its raids, and silenced for all time the gibes and criticisms of the
more war-worn comrades of the older divisions. 'Here' the Division has
comported itself precisely as it did over 'there.' In training the men
tried to do their duty. In battle they have done their duty, many of
them even unto death.
[Illustration: When you are perfectly sober, and you imagine you're
not.]
What of the future? Just the same; but with that courage and
confidence born of experience, still greater attainments may be
expected.
AUSTRALIANS--IN VARIOUS MOODS
The Australian soldier is a peculiar mixture; but for pluck in the
face of danger, patience in the grip of pain, and initiative in the
presence of the unexpected, he holds a unique place amongst men. He
has been subjected to considerable adverse criticism for seeming lack
of discipline. Kind things and other kinds of things have been freely
said to his detriment; but if every word were true, he is not to
blame. The Australian soldier, like any other soldier, is but the
product of a system, the standard or inefficiency of which it would
not be just to hold him responsible for. The majority frankly admit
that soldiering is not in their line. They would never choose it as a
profession; yet the man from 'Down Under' has given unmistakable proof
that he is as amenable to discipline as any other, and rightly led
he, as a fighting force, compares favourably with the best that any
nation has produced. His language at times is not too choice. It is
said that on occasions the outburst has been so hot that the water
carts have been consumed in flames. Be that as it may, his diction in
no sense denotes the exact state of his mind or morals. His contagious
cheerfulness has established him a firm favourite with the French
people, whose admiration and affection he will hold for all time.
An officer belonging to another part of the Empire tells a story
against himself. Arriving in a village late at night, he inquired at a
cottage as to whether a billet could be provided. Before replying the
occupant, a widow, asked whether he was an Australian or a ----. Upon
learning his regimental identity, she told him that she had no
accommodation. Somewhat vexed, he retorted, 'If I were an Australian
you would probably have found room for me.' 'Yes,' was her reply.
'Well,' the officer observed, 'I fail to understand what you see in
the Australians; they're savages.' Before closing the door the
occupant said, 'I like savages.'
The following incidents but imperfectly portray the irrepressible
humour, unexampled heroism, and splendid initiative so commendably
displayed by the Australian under the varying and trying conditions
common to modern warfare.
IMPROMPTU WIT.
The ----th Battalion had been relieved. The men had been in the lines
six days. They looked forward to a few days' spell at the back of the
trenches. On reaching the back area some of the men were detailed to
carry supplies up to the lines. Whilst so engaged they were met by a
General, who was in the habit of visiting the trenches unaccompanied.
This officer, himself a young man, ever had a cheery word for the
'boys.' One of the men on duty lagged some distance behind the main
party. The expression on his face indicated that he was 'fed up.' He
was also beginning to feel the weight of the sack which he was
carrying. As he passed, the General acknowledged the reluctant turn
of his head by way of salute, and then asked, 'Where are you going, my
man?' 'In the ---- knees, sir,' was the ready and witty reply.
[Illustration:
'Where are you going, my man?'
'In the knees, sir.']
MORE CURIOUS THAN CAUTIOUS.
A man on duty in the front-line trenches displayed more curiosity than
caution and eventually paid the penalty for his mistake. In the
endeavour to ascertain what was going on across 'no man's way,' he
exposed himself to the keen observation of an enemy sniper, who
quickly trained his rifle on him and a bullet penetrated the steel
helmet of the over-curious soldier. The bullet traversed the crown of
the head and lodged in the nape of the neck. He flung his rifle to one
side and did a sprint along the duck-boards. His mates inquired the
reason of his haste. Without abating his speed he called out, 'Do you
think that I want to drop dead in that blimey mud?' As he reached the
dry duck-boards his strength gave out, and he would have fallen but
for the timely assistance from two of his mates, who lowered him
gently, then brought a stretcher on which to carry him to the R.A.P.
As they were about to start away with him, he opened his eyes, and
they inquired if he were hurt. 'Well, it does give you a bit of a
headache, you know,' he replied; 'have you got a fag?' A cigarette was
handed to him, and as they carried him away he smoked his 'fag.'
IT'S ALL IN THE GAME.
A similar instance of absolute self-forgetfulness and indomitable
spirit occurred at another part of the line. A shell burst near to our
wire and projected a tangled heap of it forward. A piece of barbed
wire encircled a man's neck. The barbs bit into the flesh. The
shoulders of his tunic were torn. The blood flowed freely from nasty
cuts in his neck and cheeks. Without altering his position he looked
out in the direction of the Hun lines and declared that if he ever got
hold of the ---- Hun who fired that ---- shell, he would drive his
---- bayonet through him. When the wire was taken from round his neck,
his face wreathed in smiles as he remarked, 'Well, I suppose it is
all in the game,' then turning to his mates he asked, 'I say, digger,
have you got a smoke?'
My Lady Nicotine is certainly a general favourite amongst the 'boys.'
They seek her solace during the critical periods of their active
service life. Unquestionably one of the most deeply appreciated issues
that the men receive is that of tobacco and cigarettes. For this extra
'ration' credit must be given to the A.C.F. and other funds which have
expended large sums of money in making available to the troops the
'pipe of peace' and the comfort of the 'fag.'
A CLEVER RUSE.
This incident is related in the strictest confidence, and solely upon
the condition that the identity of the individuals concerned will not
be disclosed. A certain officer--I dare not mention his rank, as there
are so few Generals amongst us that to even mention it would be
tantamount to disclosing his identity. Therefore, a certain officer
was on a tour of inspection. The utmost effort had been made by the
unit holding the line to have everything satisfactory. The trenches
must be kept clean and sanitary. Every precaution is adopted to
safeguard the health of the men. The officer's visit was timed just
after the issue of rum had been made. Rum is not a regular issue by
any means, but a little had been made available at that time, and was
supposed to be taken much the same as is medicine, viz., on the M.O.'s
recommendation. A few minutes before the arrival of the officer of
high rank the platoon officer observed one of his men under the
influence of drink. He learned on inquiry that the man had secured
some rum in addition to what had been issued. To get him out of the
way was his first thought. Somebody suggested that he be placed on a
stretcher and covered with a blanket. It was no sooner suggested than
acted upon. When the officer making the inspection entered the trench
two men bore the stretcher with its burden past him. He stood to one
side and saluted as he would the dead. Of course the man on the
stretcher was dead--'dead drunk.' No questions were asked, therefore
no untruths were told. The unit had the satisfaction of learning that
their lines were satisfactory; but in a certain company's orderly-room
the following morning a certain man had a most unenviable quarter of
an hour in the presence of his irate O.C.
