10th Battalion patch. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial
10th Battalion diary – June 1916
1916 JUNE
6 June
2130 to 2400
On the night of Tuesday 6th June the 10th Battn moved from billets … to right sector of firing line … in accordance with operation order … we suffered only one casualty – viz PRIV 2958 SEARLE of D Coy – who was wounded in the neck by indirect M.G fire … shortly after midnight our Artillery shelled the Germans …
7
Considerable Artillery activity on both sides … + parapet breached … repairs were however effected during night… D+C Coys – were subjected to rifle grenades – casualties- one man killed …
8
At 1600 enemy severely shelled our Right Coy A – considerable damage was done to parapet + several dug outs – casualties – one man slightly wounded – heavy rain set in at 2000 + continued throughout the night – making the trenches very muddy + uncomfortable.
… At about 2130 enemy shelled A Coys lines, HE + shrapnel, doing considerable damage, + breaking phone line. Capn HAMILTON wisely removed his men to flanks, away from portion of line being shelled. By 2230 he reported all well + effected repair to parapet – rain fell almost continually during the night…
9
At about 1800 the enemy heavily shelled our A + B Coy. … by 1825 enemy’s shelling was so severe I asked our Artillery to retaliate – but by 1900 the duel finished – not much damage was done – but one man killed …
10
During afternoon enemy shelled all along our front … line – one man killed – A party of 250 men from Pioneer Battn were working in no-man’s land – we furnished 3 Officers + 50 OR as a covering party – one man of party was killed…
11
At 1600 the enemy retaliated to our Artillery fire + landed a number of heavy shells in our line- doing damage to parapet + several dug outs. A large number of shells fell in Pinney Avenue + in the vicinity of Battn HQ. two men in B Coy were wounded …
12
1300 @ 1715 a heavy Artillery duel took place + altho 13. Minenwerfers dropped about 20 yds in rear of A Coy parapets doing considerable damage to dug outs only one man was slightly wounded –
13
Very wet day, trenches in a dreadfully muddy condition, the usual Artillery duel during afternoon – … a very wet + cold night
14
Quiet day … at midnight enemy shelled us heavily + our Artillery responded vigorously – the duel lasted until about 2 AM – only one man slightly wounded –
15
Fairly quiet day…
16
We had a gas alarm @ abt 0125 – but no gas came along @ 01.45 we had all clear signal
17
Lt Melville + 6 OR sent out into no mans land for purpose of ascertaining whether the report that the Germans were sending out a very large armed party in no mans land every night – the patrol returned @ 0130 + reported that they had not seen any such party
18
Our Artillery was particularly active all day, but the enemy did not respond until abt 1630 then they shelled us pretty heavily for over an hour but did very little damage. – Pioneer Battn working out in front again + we furnish 2 Officers + 50 OR as covering party … Lieut Thomas who was out with our covering party captured 2 Germans of 16th Bavarian Regt – …
19
… the patrol sent out of night of 19/20 was shelled by enemy – One Officer Lieutenant Walsh was wounded – scalp wound on top of head if he had not been wearing a stall helmet he would certainly have been killed – one other man killed and 7 wounded
During the shelling … @ 1000 several men were wounded. 2705 Priv PETER KING – gallantly rescued one wounded man under heavy shell fire.
20
Between 1300 + 1400 – heavy artillery duel – one man killed + damage done to trenches – + avenues. 2 men badly wounded – at 2230 heavily shelled our front line + our artillery responded. Parapet in C Coy sector badly breached –
22
Between 1700 + 1800 – heavy artillery duel … D Coy of 51st AIF relieved our D Coy …Two men were wounded whilst out on covering party –
23
At abt 1630 enemy shelled us very heavily … heavy thunderstorms broke over our line during the shelling making the trenches very wet + muddy …
24
@ 2245 enemy shelled our line but did very little damage
Shortly after midnight our B Coy was relieved by B Coy of 51st A.I.F.
25
Quiet day – but @ 1115 enemy shelled V.C. Avenue doing some little damage –
26
During afternoon enemy heavily shelled V.C. + PINNAY Ave. + @ about 2330 again shelled our trenches – one man in 51st + a man in A Coy killed – the shelling during night was close to BN HQs – but fortunately they did no damage
C Coy + M.G sec of 51 Bttn relieved our C Coy + MG sect + at midnight I handed over command of trenches to Col Ross 51 Bttn + proceeded to Billet W of SAILLY. – reaching there at abt 2 AM on 27th June
28
During night our A Coy + Bombers + Intelligence + Snipers were relieved by 51st Battn –
S Price Weir
Col
CO.10 AI.F
