Saturday 15th June 1918

Billetted in huts at Granezza.

At 3am, as anticipated by British intelligence the previous day, the Austrians opened their attack with a fierce artillery bombardment, including gas shells. 10DWR, along with the other reserve battalions, were ordered to ‘stand to’. The intensity of the barrage waxed and waned over the following hours until, with the Austrian shelling intensifying, the Battalion was ordered to vacate the huts and to bivouac in the wooded hills around Granezza, with the ‘stand-to’ order remaining in force. At some point Pte. Albert Edward White (see 27th May) was wounded by the shelling, suffering wounds to his right arm, including a fractured ulna; he would be admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance and 39^th Casualty Clearing Station to 29^th Stationery Hospital in Cremona. During the hurried move away from Granezza Pte. John Blackburn (see 31^st May 1917) suffered a sprained ankle which would lead to his being admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 24^th Casualty Clearing Station, where he would be treated for a week before being transferred to XIV Corps Reinforcement Camp at Arquata Scrivia. The circumstances were described by L.Cpl. Harry Bailey (25248) (see 30^th May) and by Capt. James Watson Paterson (see 17^th May), commanding ‘B’ Company, who reported, “the Company was ordered to scatter on the hills at Granezza during hostile shelling. When making his way up there Pte. Blackburn suffered the injury. There was no road and it was a case of scrambling on rocks etc. which made a foothold in many cases difficult”.

As day broke there was a heavy mist which would remain in place for most of the day; it was said that, “The mist, while making it difficult for attacking troops to maintain touch and direction, favoured attack in safeguarding the early stages of the assault from rifle and machine gun fire of the defence”. Aided by the cover of the mist, a massive Austrian assault (which had not been anticipated by the British in this sector) began at 7am. For the following hours the front line, held by units of 68^th and 70^th Brigades, came under repeated attack from waves of Austrian troops. In places the Austrians were able to overrun the front lines and penetrate some distance. However, stern resistance and a series of counter-attacks would regain the line.

Among those prominent in leading the British resistance was former 10DWR officer, Maj. Robert Harwar Gill (see 19^th May 1917), now commanding 11^th Northumberland Fusiliers. His Battalion was exposed on the left flank of the Division by a successful assault of the Austrians against units of 48^th Division further left but held their position “against frontal and incessant flank attacks throughout the day. They had sustained rather more than twice the number of casualties inflicted on the remainder of their Brigade”. Gill would be awarded the DSO for his conduct: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy attack. He was in command of his battalion, which was continuously attacked throughout the day. When the enemy penetrated the division on his left, he not only organised a defensive flank extending over 600 yards, but he was the means of enabling other troops to capture a large body of the enemy by cutting off their retreat. It was greatly due to his energy and splendid disregard of personal danger that his line was held intact”.

By late afternoon the Austrian assault against 23^rd Division had faltered and failed and the British line was largely as it had been before the attack. Divisional casualties totalled eight officers and 86 other ranks killed; one officer and 48 other ranks missing; and 24 officers and 388 other ranks wounded. 10DWR, held in reserve but not called forward, had sustained no battle casualties.

It was said that in the Divisional sector “The Austrian scheme of attack, as disclosed by a captured map, was ambitious to the point of lunacy”, with wildly optimistic estimates and timings for the progress of the advance. However, the assault had, further east, succeeded in establishing Austrian units on the right bank of the Piave on and below the Montello. Over the next few days the situation in that sector looked threatening for the Allies until a combination of the arrival of Italian reinforcements and heavy rain which put the Piave into flood, lead the Austrians into disastrous defeat. In total it was estimated that the Austrian forces suffered 56,000 killed; 240,000 wounded and 24,000 taken prisoner. This catastrophe ended any further prospect of an Austrian attack.

Pte. Walter James Biddle (see 22^nd March) was admitted via 69^th Field Ambulance to 23^rd Division Rest Station, suffering from “I.C.T.” (Inflammation of the connective tissue) in his left arm and right shoulder; he would be discharged to duty after five days.   

Pte. John Richard Newell (see 6^th June), who was on attachment with the working party at Rocchetto Station, south-east of Verona, departed for England on two week’s leave; his three year-old daughter had died two weeks’ previously.

L.Cpl. Fred Riddiough (see 31^st October 1917), serving with the Brigade Light Trench Mortar Battery, began to be paid according to his rank, having previously held the appointment unpaid.

2Lt. Ernest George Costello (see 15^th December 1916), serving with the ASC, was promoted Lieutenant. 

Pte. Robert Ellis Clayton (see 12^th May), serving in France with 1^st/7^thDWR, was transferred to the Labour Corps.

Pte. Ernest Franklin (25969) (see 27^th May), who had been serving at the Regimental Depot at Halifax, was reported “absent from tattoo”; he would “surrender himself to the Military Police at Birmingham at about 10.45pm” on 19^th June. He would be ordered to be confined to barracks for ten days and to forfeit five days’ pay.

Pte. Albert Moore (see 17^th May), who had been evacuated to England a month previously, suffering from chronic bronchitis and pulmonary TB, was formally transferred to the Army Reserve Class W, to resume his civil employment.

A payment of £24 5s. 9d. was authorised, being the amount due in pay and allowances to the late Cpl. John Matthewson Richard Grieves (see 18^th April), who had been reported wounded and missing on 7^th June 1917; the payment would go to his sister, Rosina E. Grieves.