SECRET

(Q.99/50)

DA/24/13

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

No S.Q. /49

Headquarters

3^rd Australian Division.

1. “I” Battery R.H.A. will move by road to the Cavalry Corps on 2-3-17.
2. Strengths: – All ranks 246 – Horses 243.
3. Destination: – SEMPY. Representative will report in advance to the Mayor for Billets.
4. Route: – HAZEBROUCK – RACQUINGHEM – THEROUANNE – FAUQUEMBERGUES.
5. Billets: – Night 2^nd/3^rd HAZEBROUCK.

Representative to report to Town Major in advance.

Night 3^rd/4^th RACQUINGHEM.

Representative to report to Mayor in advance.

Night 4^th/5^th FAUQUEMBERGUES

Representative to report to Mayor in advance.

1. Ration arrangements:-

Rations for consumption March 3^rd will be carried.

“       “            “               “    4^th will be drawn at ST OMER.

“       “            “               “    5^th   “    “     “       “         “

“       “           “                “     6^th and subsequent days will be drawn under administration of Cavalry Corps.

1. Number of guns and number and nature of rounds taken, to be reported to Corps Headquarters before Column moves.
2. ACKNOWLEDGE.

(Sgd) A.M. COLLARD. Lieut-Colonel

A.Q.M.G. II A. & N.Z.A.C.

Headquarters

25^th February 1917

———————————–

DH

26F1917

C.R.A.

3^rd Australian Division.

O.C.

3^rd Divisional Train.

Forwarded for your information and action please.

(C.A.P. /E.D.)

(Sgd) C.A. PYKE, Captain.

D.A.Q.M.G. THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

SECRET.                                                                                            Move  S/554.

Right Group Left Sector Artillery.

The re-grouping of batteries of the Left Sector Artillery will take place as follows:-

Night 27/28^th Feb.

“I” R.H.A. will be relieved by the 27^th Battery 3^rd Australian Division and will move to their Wagon Lines to await orders from Second Army ”Q”.

D.175 one section will be relieved by a section of the 108^th Battery and the Section relieved will move into position at C.26.b.95.63. and there reinforce 108^th Battery in the Left Group.

31^st Battery 3^rd Australian Division will move into position at

H.12.b.1.1. 4 guns.

I.7.b.95.95. 2 guns.

and will come under the orders of C.O. Right Group.

Night 28^th Feb/1^st March.

A/175 will withdraw and move into position at

C.26.c.41.05. 4 guns.

C.27.a.10.82. 2 guns.

and will be attached to the Left Group.

D/175 one Section will be relieved by a section of 107^th Battery and will move into position at I.8.a.35.45. and remain with the Right Group.

B/175) will remain in their present positions in the Right Group.

C/175)

The two sections from 107^th & 108^th Batteries at I.8.a.6.6. which will relieve D/175 will then form a composite battery and will be called D/3 under the command of Capt W.L. Marfell.

All Reliefs will be carried out a section at a time and Groups will be informed on completion of moves ordered. Battery Commanders will make any necessary arrangements between themselves.  Reliefs will be completed by 10 p.m.  All Registers, Maps, Telephone lines, and Trench stores will be handed over to the incoming units for which receipts will be obtained and in the case of I R.H.A. the receipt will be handed in to Right Group Headquarters.

A/175 will make arrangements to hand over to O.C. 31^st Battery all Maps, Registration Books, and other Trench Stores.

31^st Battery will be responsible for the front covered by A/175 from 6 p.m. on Feb 28^th by which time the night lines and Retaliation Points should be registered.  Up to that time A/175 will hold the line.

Ammunition.

The 27^th Battery will take over the ammunition left by A/175.

All Batteries will move out with echelons full and the ammunition will be dumped at the new positions. Units will wire to H.Q. on commencement of move the amount of ammunition removed and balance remaining.

No re-arrangement of ammunition will take place among the howitzer batteries.

”I” R.H.A. will remove all 13 pdr ammunition from their pits.

Communications.

Arrangements will be made by Signalling Officers concerned to transfer all Infantry Liaison Communications from A/175 to 31^st Battery at H.12.b.1.1.  These should be in working order by 6 p.m. on February 28^th.

Acknowledge.

A.A. Laporte Payne

Lieut & Adjt

for Col.

B.M. 3^rd Aust Div Arty.

B.M. 10 Infantry Bde.

C.O. Centre Group

C.O. Left Group

I R.H.A.

A/175

B/175

C/175

D/175

31^st Battery

27^th Battery

Major Derham D.S.O.

Capt. W.L. Marfell

War Diary

File.

SECRET                                             Right Group                                                S/554

RIGHT GROUP LEFT SECTOR ARTILLERY.

The re-grouping of Batteries of the Left Sector Artillery will take place as follows:-

Night 27/28^th Feb, 1917.

“I” R.H.A. will be relieved by the 27^th Battery 3^rd Australian Division and will move to their wagon Lines to await orders from Second Army “Q”.

D/175.  One section will be relieved by a Section of the 108^th Battery and the section relieved will move into position at C.26.b.95.63. and there reinforce 108^th Battery in the Left Group.

31^st Battery 3^rd Australian Division will move into position at

H.12.b.1.1.                  4 guns

I.7.b.95.95.                  2 guns

and will come under the orders of C.O. Right Group.

Night 28^th Feb/1^st March 1917.

A/175 will withdraw and move into position at

C.26.c.41.05                4 guns

C.27.a.10.82                2 guns

and will be attached to the Left Group.

D/175.  One section will be relieved by a section of 107^th Battery and will move into position at I.8.a.35.45. and remain with the Right Group.

B/175) will remain in their present positions in the

C/175) Right Group.

The two sections from 107^th and 108^th Batteries at I.8.a.6.6. which relieve D/175 will then form a composite battery and will be called D/3 under the command of Captain W.L. MARFELL.

All Reliefs will be carried out a section at a time and Groups will be informed on completion of moves ordered. Battery Commanders will make any necessary arrangements between themselves.  Reliefs will be completed by 10 p.m.

All Registers – Maps – Telephone Lines and Trench Stores will be handed over to the incoming units for which receipts will be obtained and in the case of I/R.H.A. the receipts will be handed in to Right Group Headquarters.

A/175 will make arrangements to hand over to O.C. 31^st Battery, Registration Books, all Maps and other Trench Stores.

31^st Battery will be responsible for the front covered by A/175 from 6 p.m. on Feb 28^th by which time the night lines and Retaliation Points should be registered.  Up to that time A/175 will hold the line.

AMMUNITION.

The 27^th Battery will take over the ammunition left by A/175.

All Batteries will move out with echelons full and the ammunition will be dumped at the new positions. Units will wire to Headquarters on commencement of move the amount of ammunition removed and balance remaining.

No re-arrangement of ammunition will take place among Howitzer Batteries.

I/R.H.A. will remove all 13 pdr ammunition from their pits.

COMMUNICATIONS.

Arrangements will be made by Signalling Officers concerned to transfer all Infantry Liaison Communications from A/175 to 31^st Battery at H.12.b.1.1.  These should be in working order by 6 p.m. on February 28^th.

ACKNOWLEDGE

Signature unreadable

Lieutenant-Colonel R.F.A.

Commanding Right Group R.A.

Left Sector

25-2-17 Distribution:-

B.M. R.A. 3^rd Aus Div.

B.M. 10^th Inf Bde.

C.O. Centre Group.

C.O. Left Group.

I/R.H.A.

A/175.

B/175.

C/175.

D/175.

31^st Bty.

27^th Bty.

Major Derham D.S.O.

Capt W.L. Marfell.

War Diary.

FILE

S/556

Officer Commanding

31^st Battery

Zone allotted to you for the present is that of A/175 R.F.A.

I.22.a.70.85 to I.21.c.80.45.

You will cover the following trenches:-

Trenches in WINEDALE Locality

SALOP Gap and Locality

RUE DE BOIS Gap and Locality

WILLOW Gap.

Night lines are as follows:-

I.21.c.90.55.

I.21.d.10.80.

I.21.b.2.2.

I.21.b.53.55.

I.21.b.86.8.

I.16.c.22.13.

Companies you will support are:-

Left Battalion Right Company H.H.7.

Right Battalion Left Company H.H.4.

Right Battalion Centre Company H.H.3.

You will supply night Liaison Officer and two signallers and telephone for Left Battalion on night of March 1^st.

Retaliation points as follows will be registered:-

Retaliation Targets

F1. MANAGERS HOUSE.

F2. I.21.d.2.4.

F3. I.21.b.65.00.

G1. I.21.b.90. G2. I.22.a.40.45.

G3. LARGE FARM.

X   Triangle of Trenches

I.23.a.22.

Aeroplane Zone Calls are allotted as follows :- I.22.23.29.

O.C. A/175 will furnish you with all particulars of the zones allotted to you and will hand to you or your representative all Maps – Registration Books – etc. at 6 p.m. on February 28^th.

A.A. Laporte Payne

Lieut & Adjt

for Lieutenant Colonel R.F.A.

Commanding Right Group R.A.

25-2-17

SECRET

DA/24/13.

TO   H.G. 42.

I informed by note A.A.L.P.

The following has been received, and is forwarded for your information, and for communication to “I” Battery R.H.A.

“I” Battery R.H.A., attached to II ANZAC Corps, and “H” Battery R.H.A., attached Second Army Artillery School, will be transferred by road to rejoin the Cavalry Corps between 1^st and 7^th March.

Detailed instructions regarding dates of moves, route, and billeting arrangements will be issued by Second Army “Q”

(Sgd) W. Robertson, Lt. Colonel,

For M.G.G.S. Second Army.

J.M. Irwin

Captain

Staff Captain R.A.

3^rd Australian Division.

Headquarters

24-2-17

Feb 24^th 17

Dear Father

I was very pleased to receive your letter.

As you see we are still at Felixstowe, & I do not think we shall be leaving this week.

I should be very pleased with a parcel but it is no use to send anything under present conditions we do not know when we might be going but I shall be very glad to hear from you.

I went to the pictures last night we do not boast of a theatre here so there is no where else to go in the evening except the soldiers clubs there are plenty of them.

How is everything going I suppose you had a good flare up to celebrate your birthday but I can guess you did not go far beyond your Picture Palace just to drink your health?

How is Mr. & Mrs. Warman & Lilian please remember me to them.

Hoping you are all in the best of health.

With much love

From your

Devoted

Son

A.A. Laporte Payne letter 22 February 1917

B.E.F.

France.

Feb 22 1917.

Darling,

You are spoiling me horribly you know. I am getting so many letters that when the post does not bring one from you I am quite angry – not with you of course but with the post.  But you are not so generous with your kisses.  I am only to get consignments apparently on Mondays and Fridays or perhaps an odd two thrown in every now and then.  I quite realise that there must be an enormous demand for them – hence the scarcity for me.  But please try and make a few more exceptions to your rule for me!!

Now don’t you think I am horrid. If it is at all possible to misconstrue what you write I do, don’t I?  You see I should not pretend to misunderstand you if I were not so sure as I am of what you meant.

I am sure I should be very angry with you if you were orthodox as you call it. I want you to be as mad as you can.  As far as I am concerned you can be as unconventional as you like.  I much prefer it, and so do you I think.  Shouldn’t we horrify the dear ‘worthy’ people by such things as becoming more unconventional and mad.  Unfortunately you are almost as bad as I am in not writing what you want to write so perhaps after all we should not shock very many by what we write.  As for what we shall do!  I am not responsible for my actions, you know, at times.  If I got the chance I could kiss you until you could not kiss any more.  I wonder who would tire first.  But that would be most improper wouldn’t it?  I must not let my imagination run riot – or I shall be shocking you next – or are you like me, not shockable?

Last night I had a rotten time I was up to 6.20 a.m. on the telephone. You see we had a ‘little affair’ on and it is my job to see that the liaison between infantry & artillery does not break down and I had to keep in touch with an officer who was with the front line at the other end of the phone.  It is quite interesting at times when Generals & Colonels are not cursing and fuming.

All day to day I have been out visiting battery positions, O.Ps and telephone stations on a sort of tour of inspection and I did not get back till eight, very tired and covered in mud – so you see how much I need you to cheer me up with kisses. I hope you are keeping well and not pale as you were when you wrote.  I wonder if I could have bought any colour back.

We are moving in a day or two which is annoying. I hope we have fine weather for it.  our next office will probably be in a dug-out.

Goodnight.

With all my love & kisses

Ever yours

Archie

SECRET                                                                                             COPY NO 4.

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISIONAL ARTILLERY

OPERATION ORDER NO. 10.

Reference Map: – HOUPLINES 36.N.W.2) 10,000

N.E. 1.) parts of Edition 6 (redrawn) C.

The 3^rd Australian Divisional Artillery will take over the Artillery support of the whole Divisional Front at an early date.

The arrangements will be as follows:-

LEFT GROUP.          30^th Battery.                            )

29^th Battery.                            ) Will remain

108^th Battery (2 Sections)       )

CENTRE GROUP     25^th Battery.                            )

26^th Battery.                            ) Will remain

107^th Battery (2 Sections)       )

RIGHT GROUP         Will be made up as follows.

27^th Battery – from 7^th F.A. Brigade.

31^st Battery – from 8^th         “

D/3 Battery –  from     (1 Section 107^th Bty.

(1       “      108^th Bty.

C.O. – Major F.P. Derham D.S.O.

Adjt. – Lieut T. Morell

O.O. –

Group Commanders will arrange the positions for these Batteries to cover the whole of the Group Zone, and they should also be able to cover the Subsidiary Line from these positions without moving.

Left & Centre Group Commanders will inform D.A.H.Q. of any alterations necessary in the positions of their batteries.

Major Derham will inform D.A.H.Q. of the positions to be occupied by the incoming batteries.

All extra communications necessary will be laid immediately.

On the order to carry out this scheme, the 175^th Brigade & “I” Battery R.H.A. will occupy reinforcing positions as follows:-

A/175              – 2 Sections C.26.c.41.05.) Att

1 Section   C.27.a.10.82.) Left Grp.

B/175.             – Remains in present position, Att. Right Grp.

D/175              –  1 Section remains – Att Right Grp.

1 Section reinforces 108^th Bty. at C.26.b.95.63. – Att. Left

Grp.

“I” R.H.A.      – C.27.a.60.82) Att. Centre Grp.

C.27.c.05.95)

A/287              – Remains in present position – Att. Right Grp.

ACKNOWLEDGE

W.D. Nichols

Major R.A.

B.M., R.A. 3^rd Aust Divn.

Issued at 8 p.m.

21.2.1917.

By D.R.

DISTRIBUTION

Cop No 1. War Diary.

2. File.
3. 3^rd Aust. Divn “G”.
4. Right Group.
5. Centre Group.
6. Left Group.
7. 9^th Infantry Bde.
8. 10^th “ “
9. 11^th “ “
10. Major F.P. Derham.
11. O.C. Signals.
12. Arty Signal Officer.

Letter

Feb 18^th 17

Dear Father

I guess you will be surprised to see I am still at Felixstowe after receiving my card.  Well we were ready to leave at 5 P.M. yesterday, had my kit on when it was cancelled so you can see we were nearly away.  I do not know the reason, but they say it was owing to a Naval battle the boats were sounding the syrens all the afternoon.

Well I am writing to wish you many happy returns of your Birthday.

I shall be pleased to hear from you to know that you are well, a post card will be sufficient in case I do not receive it.  I don’t know when we shall be leaving now, it may be to-morrow.

Well I think I must finish now (short & sweet) I know you don’t like long letters. Just going down to the Pavilion to hear the band.

With best wishes & good health.

Hoping you are all well.

With much love

From your devoted

Son

18.2.17

BEF

Dear Mar & Par

Just a line to let you know I am Gogging along OK.  I received the parcel from Mr Tabor and sent them a letter of thanks.  Fancy I could hardly believe Gladys was vingt anne.  It seems impossible to think she has nearly reached her majority.  Hope we shall all be at home to celebrate that occasion anyhow.  Willie also must be feeling rather an old bird in fact your humble can’t call himself a chicken altho I feel younger now than I did avant la Guerre.  The thaw has set in now and of course everywhere’s muddy.  Would liked to have heard Par’s old march.  I’m beginning to think we were always a military family.  Even in pretty Billie’s days.  I suppose everything is under Govt. control now.  We still enjoy plenty of food so don’t think the U boats have made much difference up to now.  Suppose Geo looked OK.  He will have plenty to do if he comes out here as there’s plenty to do.  Has Geo Hand been sent out yet what is his address may be able to drop across him-  Well I think this is all this time hoping you are all keeping well

Guss