10th Battalion patch. Image courtesy Australian War Memorial
10th Battalion – June 1917
June1st Ribemont
Training as per attached sylabus.
2nd
Training “A” and “B” coys. Musketry.
3rd
Training. Church parades.
4th
Training “C” and “D” coys. Musketry.
5th
Coy competitions in Drill, Bayonet Fighting Musketry.
6th
Coy competitions in Bombing, Lewis Guns, Rifle Grenades, Wiring. Result ‘D’ ‘C’ ‘A’ ‘B’.
7th
Battln Competitions as for 5th & 6th. Results 9th Bn 1st 10th Bn 2nd.
8th
Training. Bn Drill, Coy drill & specialist training.
9th
Training as for 8th
10th
Church Parades.
11th
Training as for 8th.
12th
Marched to Henencourt Bivouac. No stragglers on march
13
Divisional sports.
14
Route march to Ribemont. No stragglers.
15
Training. Musketry & specialists. ‘D’ Coy in Divisional competitions
16
Training. Bn and Coy Drill. Specialist training. ‘C’ coy. Musketry.
17
Church Parade.
18
Training. Platoon in attack
19
Training. Coy. in attack
20
Training. ‘C’ coy. (Mjr Rumball) demonstrating attack on strong point. Final of Div. coy. Competitions. ‘D’ coy. (Capt Cornish) 2nd Coy in Division
21
Gas demonstration at Div. Gas. School. All men put through cloud gas.
22
Training. Platoon attacking strong post.
23
Training. Platoon of van guard meeting strong post.
Mailly Maillet 24
Route march from Ribemont. No stragglers.
25
Advance Guard and Outposts. Training order attached.
26
Battalion in outpost defence. Training order attached.
27
Night Advance
28
Deployment and attack at dawn
29
Advance guard
30
Bn in Trench to Trench attack. Four objectives. Officers re-joining, Promotions, awards, etc.
WilderNeligan Mjr, Co 10th Bn
The Battalion diary includes a number of attachments – orders from headquarters. The following is an excerpt, to give an idea of the complexity of the orders received.
TENTH BATTALION ORDER 25
23rd June 1917
INFORMATION The enemy are holding a line BEAUMONT HAMEL – AUCHONVILLIERS – ENGLEBELMER to MAILLU WOOD (P.17.. central). He has a post dug in the line Q.10. central to Q.14.central, covering AUCHONVILLIERS. This line is held by a weak Battalion with six machine guns Our contact planes report that this is a part of a General Defensive Line running from Q.5.central to Q.14.central to P.17.D.central
The trench is incomplete and is not wired
A little movement is reported in AUCHONVILLIERS but no troops are in prepared positions on the high ground in square Q.2.A and B.
- INTENTIONS The Third Australian Infantry Brigade’s objective is to seize the high ground in square Q.2a. and B by the evening of 26th June
…
- ORDER OF BATTLE. The Battalion will be formed up in mass at Q.23.A.central at an hour to be notified. The 10th Battalion will advance in Mass to point of deployment Q.16.B.7.8. – Q.16.A.4.0.
During the march to the point of deployment A company will act as advance guard in the formation as shown on attached sketch (appendix 2X D company will detach one platoon to act as connecting files between the main body of the 10th Battalion and the right connecting files of the 11th Battalion. The two left connecting files of this platoon will overlap the two right connecting files of the 11th Battalion
On reaching the point of deployment B and C companies will form the leading wave, B company on the right, C on the left.
Dividing line between companies will be a point Q.16.B.1.4. On completion of this movement, A company will withdraw outpost line and with D company form the second wave. A on the right, D on the left B and C companies will post a light screen of scouts about 100 yards in advance of their Battle line.
…
- METHOD OF ATTACK. At zero hour the attacking troops of the 1st. Objective will move forward and on the barrage lifting from the 1st. Objective, they will rush and capture this position. The troops for the 2nd.Objective will move up through the troops for the 1st.Objective, and on the barrage lifting from the 2nd.Objective will rush and capture it. Immediately after the capture of the 2nd.Objective an outpost line with Lewis Guns must be pushed out into shell holes at least 100 yards in front of the captured trench. As time and opportunity permits this line should be consolidated.
…
- MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS. A Dressing Station will be established at Q.23.A.Central and as soon as possible as advanced Dressing Station will be established in Sunken Road in Q.O.D. The Medical Officer in conjunction with the A.D.M.S. will make all arrangements for the evacuation of the wounded.
…
