10th Battalion patch. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial
10th Battalion – September 1916
BELGIUM
Sep 1st KENORA CAMP near POPERINGHE. Training and Resting.
2nd Moved to OTTAWA CAMP in the same Area.
3rd Sunday. Training in the morning. Afternoon washing clothes etc.
4th Training
5th Training
6th Two NCOs were Commissioned 2/Lieuts. W O’BRIEN and COLBEY. Training was carried out. On this evening a concert was given by the local YMCA. FOLLIES.
7th Col S PRICE WEIR, V.D., left the Battn, on his way to England, on transfer to AUSTRALIA. Major G.E. REDBURG Senior Major assumed Command of the Battn. Training was carried out.
8th During training when instruction was being given to Bombers, one of the bombs exploded, causing 21 casualties 1 O/R killed 1 Officer and 19 O/Ranks wounded.
9th Training. Lieut (Temp Capt) A S BLACKBURN has been awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry displayed at POZIERES on 21st July. Lieut W PERRY assumed Command of ‘D’ Coy with Lieut A S BLACKBURN, V.C. evacuated sick
10 Church parade. Washing etc in afternoon
11th Training
12th Training
13th Moved forward to Reserve position, for Hill 60 Section of the line, CHATEAU BELGE… This is well into the enemy Shell lines.
15th Lectures and fatigues
16th Lectures and fatigues
17th Fatigues
18th 7 NCOs and men have been awarded the Military Medal…
19th The C.O. presented ribbons to NCOs & men awarded the Military Medal. 115 Reinforcements joined the Battn a proportion of these were men who had been sick and wounded. The Btn moved closer to the line, i.e. RAILWAY DUGOUTS, YPRES.
20th Fatigues in front line, and improving of the DUGOUTS, and walks
21st The enemy shelled our DUGOUTS, one High Explosive striking the Shelters used as an office; most of the Records with the Regt were destroyed. A typewriter which had only been in use about 3 months was completely broken up…
24th Sunday. Sent an Advance party to Front line at 5am to take over stores etc. The Bn moved into the trenches in front of the famous HILL 60 the relief taking place at night.
25th Work on the system of defence started in earnest. Every available man is employed. The enemy did not prevent work being carried out, his reply to our Artillery Shell fire was very feeble as far as the front line was concerned.
26th Work progressing
27th A mine was blown by the enemy, but no damage was done to our works although the trenches are very close together. … We annoyed the Boch during the night with rifle grenades. He retaliated but did no damage.
28th Work progressing. Our artillery opened up this afternoon. The Bn Bombers and Light Trench Mortar Battery also worked pretty vigorously with the result that the enemy used his Minenwerfen a great deal in retaliation. One of the Bn Rifle Batteries was damaged and we suffered a few casualties.
29th Work continued.
30th Lt Col J. Denton DSO relinquished command and Lt. Col G E Redburg assumed Command. The Battn is still in the front line.
Total casualties for month:
In action: 6 O/R killed; 9 O/R wounded
Bomb accident 1 O/R killed 1 Off. 19 O/R wounded
Self-inflicted wound by negligence 1 O/R
Total 7 O/R killed 1 Off. (Lieut) Howard and 29 O/R wounded
George Redburg Lieut Col
Commanding 10th Bn AIF
