SECRET COPY NO.
Map Ref: VIMY 1/10,000
ROUVROY do

9TH CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE Operation Order No 68
By
Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg

30.4.17
INFORMATION 1. The second stage of the operation detailed in O.O. 66 will be carried out at an early date. The objective will not include the village of ACHEVILLE but will run approximately as follows:-From C.1.b.6.5 (inclusive to XIII Corps) to C.25.central to U.19.a.0.4. to T.23.b.7.3. to T.17.d.5.5 (Junction of the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions).

2. Owing to existing conditions the attack will again take place at dawn.
In accordance with orders received from H.Q. Canadian Corps, a creeping barrage will be established every morning at about dawn throughout the extent of the Canadian Corps front, with the object of deceiving the enemy. The barrage to be distributed so as to simulate an attack from the Southern Corps boundary to MERICOURT and also on the enemy’s line opposite the 4th Canadian Division.

FEINT BARRAGE 3. Feint barrages will be established on the 1st and 2nd of May in accordance with Barrage Table attached

Zero Hour on 1st of May will be 4.20 a.m.
Zero Hour on 2 of May will be 4.25 a.m.

4. Watches will be synchronized with this office one hour before zero.

H.G. Carscallen
Lieut. Col
Comdg CARSCALLEN’S GROUP
Issued at p.m.

To All Batteries

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 29 April 1917

B.E.F.

April 29^th 1917

My darling,

Just a hurried line to wish you every good wish for your birthday and many happy returns. I am afraid you won’t get this letter on the great day but I shall be thinking of you all the time.  I wish I could be with you to give you a birthday kiss or kisses.  You are 23 now – getting quite aged!  I wish I were 23 again (don’t I sound old?)

Thank you so much for the enclosed letter which I am returning. I hope you received safely the other letters I sent back a day or so ago.  I was awfully glad to get your letter of the 24^th on my return.

Three days ago I went off in charge of a billeting party of 6 officers and 20 men with 26 horses. We travelled all one day – found lovely billets for the brigade and the next day waited for the batteries to turn up which we expected would be about 4 p.m.  We waited until six p.m. when an orderly came to say the move was off and we were to return at once.  I had to see the mayor, cancel billets, get food for the horses & men, for we had relied on the brigade coming up.  That was no easy thing at that time of day.  We were ready to move off about 8.30.  I phoned through from a town we were passing through to get permission to stay the night & so save the horses & men – the horses were very tired – it was refused and we had to push on.  We did about 30 miles and arrived at 2 a.m. this morning – I got 4 hours sleep & was up at 6 a.m. to get ready to move elsewhere.  It is now 9 o’clock, and we are just off –but I simply had to stop behind to write a line to you, darling, and send you my love and all good wishes for May 1.

I hope you are well and Mrs. Cross & that Mr. Cross is enjoying his holiday.

All my love darling & kisses (Extra special ones this time if possible)

Always your own

Archie.

Just off

SECRET                                                                                 COPY NO.

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VIMY 1/10,000

9^TH CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE Operation Order No 67

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg

29.4.17

INFORMATION       1. Batteries of the Group will fire a barrage tomorrow morning on the enemy’s front system the map locations being the same as shown in Barrage Table issued with Operation Order No 66.

BARRAGES              2. At ZERO hour the group will establish a barrage in accordance with Barrage Table shown below.

ZERO                         3. ZERO hour will be 4.15 (four fifteen) a.m. April 30^th 1917.

SYNCHRONIZATION

4. Watches will be synchronized with this office one hour before zero.

BARRAGE TABLE

Battery                                    TIME                                                  BARRAGE

From   To

All 18-pdrs                  00.00  0.02      New Trench (See line 1 Barrage Table O.O. 65)

0.02    0.06      Add 100 yards

0.06    0.10      Trench (See line 3 Barrage Table O.O. 65)

0.10    0.14      Trench (See line 4 Barrage Table O.O. 65)

0.14    0.18      Add 100 yards

0.18 Onwards New Trench (See line 1 Barrage Table O.O. 65)

All 4.5 Hows.              0.00 Onwards             Similar to Barrage Table O.O. 66

RATES OF FIRE

0.00     0.18     Normal

0.18 Onwards 2 rounds gun fire

AMMUNITION

18-pdrs             “A”

H.G. Carscallen

Lieut. Col

Comdg CARSCALLEN’S GROUP

Issued at   p.m.

To all Batteries

SECRET                                                                                 COPY NO.

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1/10,000

9^TH CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE Operation Order No 66

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Commanding

27.4.17

INFORMATION       1. The Operation detailed in O.O. 65 will now be carried out in two stages:-

FIRST STAGE

Capture and consolidation of ARLEUX and SUNKEN ROAD in T.27.d. and b. by the 1^st Canadian Division in conjunction with the attack on OPPY by the XIII Corps.  Approximate line of objective will be from B.6.d.central to T.23.d.8.2.

The 2^nd Canadian Division has been ordered to form a defensive flank from W.23.d.9.2. to connect with the Right Flank of the 3^rd Canadian Division at about T.17.d.2.5.

SECOND STAGE

Capture FRESNOY and ACHEVILLE and the line of trenches connecting them.

This stage will be carried out as soon as the wire on line can be adequately cut.

The 3^rd Canadian Division has been ordered to prolong the defensive flank from T.17.d.5.5. through T.17.a.5.2. and T.16.b.5.3. to the present front line in T.16.a.

The 7^th Canadian Infantry Brigade will on Y/Z night before zero hour improve and occupy new line T.17.d.5.5. to T.16.a. and hold it as a defensive flank during the operations.  Touch will be maintained with the 2^nd Canadian Division (5^th Canadian Infantry Brigade) about T.17.d.5.5.

ARTILLERY             2. The 1^st and 2^nd C.D.A. and Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Double Groups C.C.H.A. will directly support the operations of the 1^st and 2^nd Canadian Divisions.

The 3^rd C.D.A. and Reserve D.A. assisted by No 4 Group (Double) will carry out a simulated attack on their respective fronts.

BARRAGE                3. At Zero hour the Group will establish a barrage in support of a simulated attack in accordance with barrage table attached.

ZERO                         4. Zero Hour will be 4.25 a.m. April 28^th 1917.

SYNCHRONIZATION

5. Watches will be synchronized with this office one hour before ZERO.

H.G. Carscallen

Lieut. Col

Comdg CARSCALLEN’S GROUP

Issued at       p.m.

Copy No 2 to O.C. 32^nd Battery

3 to O.C. 33^rd Battery

4 to O.C. 39^th Battery

5 to O.C. 45^th Battery

6 to O.C. 36^th Battery

7 to O.C. 43^rd Battery

8, 9, & 10 WAR DIARY

A.A. Laporte Payne letter to Muriel 26 April 1917.

B.E.F.

France

April 26^th 1917

My own Dearest,

Thank you so very much for your two letters and the enclosed photos and letters which I am returning to you. I hope you have received my letter by now.

The photos were very good but I am very sorry that the others did not come out. I should have liked to have one of you and me together – you must tell Mrs Lowe (or may I call her ‘Tom’?) that she can’t take photos – please thank her for the photo of the baby – it is an excellent one – and he looks very fine & jolly.

I do hope your cold is better. You must get rid of it soon.  It was my fault rushing you about such a lot.

I was much amused at Mrs. Gardner’s letter what a wonderfully clever woman she must be to have known it for “months & months & months”. No wonder the dear lady hated me.  Please, what is a woman’s intuition?

The time is going fast isn’t it? the  lovely time I had at home was all too short, which was probably a good thing for you for I am sure you would have been too tired to go on at that pace.  Now we are in the midst of the move I expected to take place when I was away.  I am going forward to do the billeting for the Brigade – it is much better than travelling with the guns at a walk.

I, too, am finding it awfully difficult to settle down – but I must or things are bound to go wrong. I can hardly realise now that it was all true that glorious time – perhaps you can because you are in the same surroundings – but mine are absolutely different.  I am living now for the next leave.  I wonder when it will be and whether I shall be as nervous next time as I was when I called on you first last leave.

I hear you are sitting in the Vicarage pew again last Sunday. I am so sorry for you having to face alone all the congratulatory creatures of Finchley.  I feel an awful coward.  It is very nice being congratulated about you but unless the people are very nice I always want to say “What do you know about her or me”.

I hope you will have a really successful concert the day after tomorrow, mind you tell me all about it. I am glad Mrs Cross & mother are going together.  It will do mother good to get away for a bit from the parish.

I suppose you & Mrs Cross are alone now. You will have a quiet time recovering from last week and getting ready for your work on the land.

Is the weather still bad with you? It is very cold & dull here to-day.  The weather is cold and dull here.  Awful trouble this morning the Colonel’s horse broke loose from the stalls overnight and can’t be found.  I have dozens of men out looking for the beastly thing.  The old boy is in an awful rage – of course it is my fault!!  He will probably be as quiet as a lamb until this evening he sees his mess bill, which I have just made up.

Well, darling mine, I do wish I could have that week all over again. It seems such ages ago & ages since I saw you.  I must console myself with thoughts of you and your precious letters.  When are you going to discuss things with me.  I remember you saying that you used to do so with another man – why not me?   You know how jealous I am and how much I long to possess all of you – body, mind and soul.  I shall not be satisfied until I do.

I am writing this in my bedroom to avoid interruptions & the noise of telephones. The Colonel has just come in, and one of my search party has returned to say that the missing horse has been found – which has put him in a good temper.

I will write more this evening if I return in time. I am just off now on a ride round the batteries I am just off to ride round the batteries, which are at present scattered.  I don’t suppose I shall be back until dark.

The Boche had started shelling the place again, but he has not done much damage. The news is not very exciting yet, but I don’t suppose it will be uninteresting long.

How is the “Mountain” behaving? She seemed very nice I thought.  My servant is a treasure and he keeps my things very well indeed.

Please give my love to Mrs Cross & with all my fondest love to you darling and my kisses – though paper ones

Ever

Your own

Archie.

Message from Army Corps Commander 25 April 1917

G229

The following letter has been received from the Army Corps Commander, and in publishing it, the G.O.C. wishes to add his appreciation of the splendid work done by all ranks.

G.O.C. 51^st (Highland) Division.

I wish to express to the Division through you my congratulations on the splendid work which they have done in the recent fighting, especially on Monday 23^rd April.

Though we failed to gain all we hoped to get, it must be remembered that the enemy put forth his utmost strength against us in artillery, machine guns and fresh highly-trained troops. In spite of this, we made substantial progress and inflicted heavy losses on him.

Had it not been for the fine fighting spirit of the Division, the result might easily have been disadvantageous to us. I am proud and delighted with the Division, as they may well be themselves with the grand fight they put up; and I know that when they are rested and re-organised they will be keen to add to their reputation.

(Sgd) CHARLES FERGUSSON

Lieut General.

Commanding,

XVII Corps.

SECRET                                                                                 COPY NO.

9^TH CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE Operation Order No 65

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg

25.4.17

INFORMATION       1. The Canadian Corps has been ordered to capture and consolidate the enemy position ARLEUX-EN-GOHELLE and FRESNOY to ACHEVILLE all inclusive.

The XIII Corps on our right will be attacking GRAVELLE and OPPY in conjunction with the above operation.

The attack of the Canadian Corps will be carried out by the 1^st and 2^nd Divisions and the approximate objective will be C.1.b.3.8 – U.25.a.9.6. – Crossroads U.13.c.4.2. – U.15.a.0.0. – T.18.central.  The 3^rd Canadian Division will push forward their present line and join up with the left flank of the 2^nd Canadian Division.

The 3^rd Canadian Divisional Artillery and attached A.F.A. Brigades will co-operate by extending the rolling barrage of the 2^nd Canadian Division on our right flank by placing a concentrated standing barrage on the German front system as far to the left as the top of the Ridge at T.11.a.1.9.  The remainder of the Divisional front to be lightly barraged.

BARRAGES              2. Barrage tables and sketches will be issued later.

PREPARATION        3. In preparation for the above operation the Group will:

(a). Increase their ammunition dumps at the guns to as nearly as possible 700 rounds per 18-pdr gun and 600 rounds per 4.5 how.

(b). Thoroughly register all guns as soon as possible.

TRIAL BARRAGE.  4. Trial barrages will be practiced by batteries on the 26/27^th instant in accordance table attached.

SYNCHRONIZATION

5. Watches will be synchronised with this office one hour before zero,

Zero hour 26^th instant will be five a.m.

do   do   27^th instant will be 12 noon

H.G. Carscallen

Lieut. Col

Comdg CARSCALLEN’S GROUP

TO: All Batteries

Letter to Rev. R.M. Laporte Payne 24 April 1917

West End Hotel

Bangalore

India

April 24/17

Dear Mr. Payne,

My wife & I came out to India that we might pass a few weeks with my son & his wife at Jhelum.

Unfortunately for our arrangements after we had been at Jhelum seven weeks, Major Burton’s regiment was sent to Loralai in Baluchistan, 52 miles from a railway station & a “restricted area”, so we could not join him there.  We proposed to return home at once but the authorities will not grant a passport to Mrs. Burton, consequently we are prisoners here for an indefinite time.  Not expecting to be away so long a period I did not bring addresses & books for reference.  I think I am in debt for pew rent & cannot remember where to send it.  I enclose cheque for 30^s/- which I think will cover till September next.  Would you kindly pass it on to the proper authority.  The climate at Bangalore in nearly perfect, rather hot in the daytime during this month & up to the middle of May, when it will be cooler again. – We are in a very comfortable hotel & cannot complain but should very much like to be able to return home in spite of a worse climate.

With kind regards to you & family in which Mrs Burton joins.

Yours sincerely

Chas R. Burton.

April 23^rd 17

Dear Father

Just received your parcel & I thank you very much; you could not have sent a better assortment.  The biscuits are very nice, also cigarettes & you can bet I shall have some cake after tea to-day.

Think of me having a chatty parade now the little devils have been keeping me busy but their doom is sealed now it will be a case of hands up I take no prisoners.  I will let you know when I want some more.

We had another short march on Saturday sleeping in huts now the weather is much warmer so taking it all round I am quite cooshie. (cushy)

How do you get on for provisions &c do you have much trouble to buy them.  I suppose you deduct your 2 oz of bread &c daily.

I had a letter from Affie yesterday, she said the trams were lit up as usual again.  Are they the same in London it must look very strange quite dazzling I should think.

Have you seen the Darvills lately I hope they are well also Mr.  & Mrs. Warman & Lilian.

Well I must finish now.  Glad you are all in the best of health pleased to say I am feeling A.1.

With much love from

Your devoted

Son

Secret                                                                                                  COPY NO.

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9^TH CANADIAN ARTILLERY BRIGADE Operation Order No 64

By

Lieut. Col. H.G. Carscallen Comdg

22.4.17

INFORMATION       1. The 5^th Division on the left of the 3^rd Canadian Division will carry out an attack on the German line from T.2.c. to SOUCHEZ RIVER.

FIRST OBJECTIVE. Enemy’s trench from T.2.c.9.2. thence along the support line of THELUS-VIMY line to FOSSE 7 (T.1.b.1.5.)

SECOND OBJECTIVE. A line from houses in T.2.d.0.5. approximately parallel to the First Objective to Trench Junction in T.1.b.5.4. thence northerly along trench to houses in T.1.b.5.9., thence to road and embankment junction in N.31.c.9.8., thence to the SOUCHEZ RIVER, including Electric Generating Station.

The 8^th Canadian Infantry Brigade will co-operate by advancing its left flank from T.5.a.5.3. to protect the right of the 5^th Division at about T.2.d.0.5.

TASKS                       2.  In view of the above operation the following tasks will be carried out by the 4.5 Howitzer batteries of the GROUP.

• 36^th Battery and 43^rd Battery.

9.30 p.m. to 9.40 p.m. on the 22^nd instant.  AVION in N.32.c. – rate of fire normal.  The 36^th Battery will take the North one third of Square and the 43^rd Bty the South two thirds.

(b) The 36^th Battery and 43^rd Battery will each fire 75 rounds into Group of houses T.2.b.2.0 before 2.00 p.m. on the 22^nd instant.

(c) During assault the 36^th and 43^rd Batteries will engage houses on main LENS-ARRAS ROAD in T.2.b. and d. within safety limits of the assaulting infantry and will also engage the MERICOURT-AVION SWITCH and houses of AVION in N.33.c.

Details will be issued later.

3. The batteries not engaged in the operation will carry out a feint attack which will take the form of a creeping barrage of all available 18-pdrs firing at normal rate. Further details of this barrage will be issued later.

NOTE: The artillery of 1^st and 2^nd Canadian Divisions will carry out a similar feint attack of their respective fronts.

4. All the batteries may be called upon to fire on enemy trenches in T.2.b. and d. and T.3.c.

5. Ammunition dump at gun positions to be increased to at least 400 rounds per gun and how. by night of 22^nd/23^rd

6. Zero hour will probably be about dawn on the 23^rd
7. Watches will be synchronized with Group Headquarters.

H.G. Carscallen

Lieut. Col

Comdg CARSCALLEN’S GROUP

Issued at     p.m.

Copy 2 to 32^nd Battery, 4 to O.C. 39^th Battery

3 to 33^rd Battery, 5 to O.C. 45^th Battery

6 to 36^th Battery, 7 to O.C. 43^rd Battery

8, 9, 10 WAR DIARY