Thursday 6th December 1917

Support positions between roads 12 and 13 on the Montello.

Fine and sunny but cold.

After the few days occupying the right sector, detailed orders were issued by Brig. Genl. Lambert (see 2^nd December) specifying the precise defensive schemes to be adopted by units of 69th Brigade when in the line; these included (among other elements) the following:

Front Line Trenches

These are to be held by posts. The river bed opposite the front is very broad and can be well observed from the higher ground above but sufficient posts must be kept close to the river bed by day and night to fire on any hostile patrols etc., which may attempt to cross anywhere on the front.By night, therefore, these posts may be more numerous than by day, but should always be at the minimum compatible with security. On the right flank one Lewis Gun post moves out at night to an island to enfilade our wire. It is essential that posts are not seen and located by the enemy. In al cases carefully aimed fire is to be at once opened on the enemy should he attempt to cross. By night the front trench will be continuously patrolled between the posts on the bank.

Lewis Guns

With the exception of a certain number which are retained for mobile workthese are sited to obtain cross enfilade fire in three tiers:

(a) Along our wire on the river bed.

(b) Along our wire on the platoon immediately behind the river bed.

(c) Enfilading the higher plateau on which the main road runs. Some of the guns used for this purpose are Lewis Guns, some are Vickers Guns. All guns are sited so as to bring as much to bear as possible in enfilade on their respective plateaux and to cross their fire.

(d) The Lewis Guns of the support and reserve battalions will be given position higher up the hill except such as are intended to be mobile.

Vickers Guns

Battle positions are now being prepared to enable practically the whole of the plateau on which the main road runs and the foothills behind to be brought under heavy enfilade machine gun fire. Temporary positions near the proposed battle positions are now occupied until the latter are ready. About 8 Vickers Guns will be disposed along the Brigade front. Most of these ppositions are on the flank of the low foothills and cross their fire in front of other spurs. A second tier of Vickers Guns on still higher ground will be sited near the heads of the main valleys to fire more or less directly down them but with a broad arc of fire. No Vickers Guns except those of the Brigade are allotted to the sector.

Secrecy and Surprise

It is essential if the best results are to be obtained that the positions of all Observation Posts, Lewis Guns, Vickers Guns and troops are well concealed and are unknown to the enemy. Their value rests on the power of surprise. All ranks are therefore to be warned that carelessness in approaching them, loitering, or lighting fires etc. near them or in any way disclosing their positions will be severely punished.

Snipers and Patrols

At present it is not proposed to start snipingbut arrangements must be made to enable snipers to get into the river bed near enough to the other side to pick off any sniper the enemy may attempt to send out. It is hardly necessary to point out that sniper’s posts will be useless if discovered. They may be very valuable if properly selected and prepared and if good men are selected. Night patrols must examine and cross the river and later on will be required to remain on the north bank for 24 or 48 hours to interview inhabitants and to obtain all possible information.

Infantry

The duty of the front line battalion is:

To watch the front by observers, posts and patrols as explained above and to resist and report quickly any approach of the enemy.

The first line of resistance is the river bed. Each plateau in rear forms a separate line of resistance.

Every company must have a platoon in reserve for immediate counter-attack, well hidden with good lines of approach to all parts of its company front, and must be practised in the dark in moving to meet various situations under schemes set out by company commanders. Each battalion in the front line must similarly have a company or the greater part of it free for similar movement under orders of the battalion commander and must be similarly practised in schemes under his orders.

Certain fixed infantry positions with their garrisons must be allotted to protect the lower exits of nullahs (steep, narrow valleys) especially those containing Lewis and Vickers Guns to prevent the latter being attacked by hostile infantry.

Use of Existing Trenches

The excellent trenches dug by the Italians will be very valuable for the purpose of inter-communication at all times and, in places, for defence. In many parts, however, they are so obvious as to be more suitable for dummy trenches to draw the enemy fire than for actual occupation or serious defence. The parapets are generally too thin to resist a serious bombardment. The real defence will lie in the hidden Lewis Gun and Vickers Gun positions and in the use of infantry to occupy special sections of the trenches, such as those covering small scrub valleys to protect the flanks of the Lewis Guns and Vickers Guns, and in local counter-attacks by surprise.

There were also sections of the orders referring to:

Anti Aircraft Guns

Observation

Small Arms Ammunition

Artillery

Signs of Impending Attack

General Notes

Ptes. Frederick William Warner (see 25^th November) and Robert Whitaker (see 25^th November) were both appointed (unpaid) Lance Corporal.

Pte. Alfred Fishlock (see 29^th October 1917) was admitted to 69^th Field Ambulance, suffering from “I.C.T.” (inflammation of the connective tissue) to his left knee; he would be discharged to duty after five days.

Pte. William Ryan (see 29^th November) was discharged from 23^rd Divisional Rest Station and re-joined the Battalion following treatment for swollen feet.

Pte. Charles Edward Lund (see 1^st May), serving at no.10 Convalescent Depot at Ecault, south of Boulogne, departed for England on two weeks’ leave.

2Lt. Frederick Millward MC (see 8^th June), who had been severely injured during the trench raid carried out in November 1916 and had had his right leg amputated above the knee, appeared before a further Army Medical Board assembled at 2^nd Northern General Hospital, Leeds. The Board reported that, “He is quite well. The stump is now fit for an artificial limb for right leg”. It was also noted that, “It is possible that this officer may be fit for some form of military duty when he has been fitted with an artificial leg”. He was instructed to return home to await further orders.

Capt. Alfred Percy Harrison MC (see 14^th November), who was in England having been wounded on 7^th June, wrote to the War Office, from the Officers Command Depot, Victoria Drive, Eastbourne; he was clearly replying to a negative response to his application for a wound gratuity.

“In answer to your letter of 23^rd November, I have the honour to draw your attention to the following facts. My first board did not take place until nearly two months after I was wounded. By that time the wound in my foot was closed, only leaving to be seen a swollen foot and ankle. The wound was made by a bullet going through my foot, which left very small scars. These would not be so likely to impress the board as the scars left by a shrapnel wound of a less serious nature. Although I have been in hospital six months, four of which I was under special treatment for a stiff joint, my ankle is still swollen and I have not yetrecovered the full use of my foot; the big toe in particular being very stiff. In view of the above facts I beg to suggest that my case should be reconsidered by a special board”.

Pte. George Frederick Ford (see 15^th November), serving with the non-combatant Labour Corps, was formally discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit due to chronic bronchitis.

The brother of the late Lt. Arthur Halstead MC (see 25^th August), who had been killed in a bombing accident at X Corps School, wrote to the War Office regarding his late brother’s affairs;

“I am obliged for your letter of 4^th inst. and as requested I enclose herewith Probate of the Will. Re: deductions from amount due, I understand that the two items of £4 12s. 5d. and 16s. 10s. have been paid. Whilst in correspondence with the Xth Corps School of Instruction in reference to my brother’s death, I asked one of the officers to ascertain if there was anything at all owing by my brother, in particular for mess account. I was informed that there was a small amount owing for mess account, which the President of the Mess Committee wished me to allow the officers of the School to discharge, and this was done by them, covering everything to the date of death. Credit for this payment should ere now have appeared in the books in the accounts department. The officers also paid the wages due to his servant (Pte. Harry Jessop, see 6^th August), but not before the latter had put in a claim according to regulations.”

Mary Ann Green, the partner, though not the wife, of Pte. Thomas Bates (see 24^th November) wrote in reply to the latest letter from the War Office,

“I have not got any death certificates of his wife but I have got a death card if any use to you. Sir, I should like to know the reason you have reduced my pay, as I have had several paymasters and they have not stopped it as you have. He has always supported my children and will you send me the children’s birth certificates as the boy has got stopped from work.”

A payment of £5 18s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Joe Anderson (see 20^th September), who had died of wounds of 20^th September; the payment would go to his widow, Edith.