At 7.10pm on 28 June 1917, two companies of infantry from the 18th Brigade (British 6th Division) raided the German front line in the sector occupied by 3rd ATC just south of Hill 70. The battalion history describes the evening:
"...at 7.13pm a rain storm burst over the country completely obscuring the view... At 7.20pm the rain stopped and the barrage started, and we went forward... At 8.00pm there was a terrific rainstorm and everyone stopped... the battle stopped while everyone sheltered, for while the rain lasted there was complete silence and neither side fired a shot"
A party of 3 non-commissioned officers and 18 sappers from 3rd ATC accompanied the 11th Essex in the subsequent assault on the German trenches opposite Gordon and Cameron Alleys in the Australian mining sector.
Unknown to higher command, Major Leslie Coulter, who'd just returned from leave, decided to join the raiding party, accompanied by his batsman, Sapper 1283 Francis 'Griffo' Griffin.
The German front line trench was quickly and successfully overrun, driven back to its support trenches. Once over the line, the raiding party of tunnellers broke up into three smaller units to search different locations along the German trench.
They had 30 minutes.
They discovered 3 mine shafts and 2 deep dugouts and they blew them to bits with mobile charges. Then it was time to return to the British lines, their task done.
Major Coulter turned to his men, shouting, 'Well done lads, now let's have a shot at Fritz!' and rising above the parapet to shoot at the Germans in their support trenches...
(Source: Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front)
"...at 7.13pm a rain storm burst over the country completely obscuring the view... At 7.20pm the rain stopped and the barrage started, and we went forward... At 8.00pm there was a terrific rainstorm and everyone stopped... the battle stopped while everyone sheltered, for while the rain lasted there was complete silence and neither side fired a shot"
A party of 3 non-commissioned officers and 18 sappers from 3rd ATC accompanied the 11th Essex in the subsequent assault on the German trenches opposite Gordon and Cameron Alleys in the Australian mining sector.
Unknown to higher command, Major Leslie Coulter, who'd just returned from leave, decided to join the raiding party, accompanied by his batsman, Sapper 1283 Francis 'Griffo' Griffin.
The German front line trench was quickly and successfully overrun, driven back to its support trenches. Once over the line, the raiding party of tunnellers broke up into three smaller units to search different locations along the German trench.
They had 30 minutes.
They discovered 3 mine shafts and 2 deep dugouts and they blew them to bits with mobile charges. Then it was time to return to the British lines, their task done.
Major Coulter turned to his men, shouting, 'Well done lads, now let's have a shot at Fritz!' and rising above the parapet to shoot at the Germans in their support trenches...
(Source: Crumps and Camouflets: Australian Tunnelling Companies on the Western Front)