The August Offensive

Observation Post, Volume 1, Issue 32, 24 December 1942, Page 3

The August Offensive

ARTILLERY ACTION High explosive shell was used by the 18 pdrs. for the first time on this occasion, and its effect on the wire was watched with interest. It was found, however, that low bursting shrapnel was much more effective. The 4th Battery . did a lot of shooting on the enemy’s trenches at both Lone Pine and Johnston’s Jolly; but the lack of ammunition made the work piecemeal, and the heavy overhead cover on the trenches at Lone Pine remained intact when' the infantry advanced. Hostile batteries were very active, and one of the Ist. Battery’s guns on Russell’s Top was put out of action owing to a broken buffer spring, but a new spring was rushed up from Cape Helles. The howitzer batteries (4.5 and 5 in.) were limited to a mere 30 rounds per battery on the day before the tittack, and 40 rounds only were allowed each battery on the day of attack for their fire action from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m., though this was supplemented by “ a quick rate of fire” from 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. At the former hour an “intense bombardment” by all guns was commenced, and continued until the moment of assault.

HARD FIGHTING The gunners did their utmost throughout with the hopelessly inadequate material at their disposal; more they could not do. The wire had been well cut up by the Ist. Battery, which had expended over two hundred rounds on wire cutting since morning; about one half of the Turkish troops in the enemy fire trenches at the commencement of the bombardment were killed or wounded; but the result of the shooting in 1 dealing with the massive overhead cover of the enemy’s front line trenches was so inconsiderable as to be of little use to the infantry. After crossing No Man’s Land in face of a storm of rifle and machine gun fire they found the overhead cover practically intact, and the weighty beams defied all individual efforts to remove them. ' Then came a pause while groups of the men bodily lifted the beams and then flung them■selves in among the Turks. The hand-to-hand fighting in the obscurity of these covered ways was of a bitter and desperate character, but by 6 p.m. all the garrison had been killed or . captured, and the whole of the trenches seized.

THE GUNS’ TASKS

While the attack was proceeding the Ist. Battery directed its fire on the trenches at Johnston’s Jolly, the 2nd. Battery engaging those opposite Quinn’s and Courtney’s Posts, while 4th (howitzer) Battery assisted a strong effort to neutralise the fire of enemy guns on Mortar Ridge. Enemy guns on Scrubby Knoll, Battleship Hill, Gun Ridge and at the Olive Groves were similarly made up of four 5 inch batteries, two 6 inch howitzers, the 4.7 in. gun, and the guns of the Australian Artillery. There was little abatement in hostile fire, however, and it was considered that the expenditure of ammunition by the old and worn 5 inch howitzers was not justified by results on this occasion.

TURKS COUNTER-ATTACK

From the very commencement the enemy made it quite plain that he was

determined at all costs to regain the important- work which had been wrested from him in such indomitable fashion. Within the hour the guns were called upon to assist in repelling a heavy counter-attack which swept in wave on wave, both from the north and from the south, and nearly a week elapsed before the Turks seemed willing to relinquish their efforts and accept defeat. For three days the Australians had to meet constant counter-attacks and continuous and heavy shelling and bombing, the enemy’s supply of bombs being apparently inexhaustible. During this period the Ist. Battery, in particular, and the 2nd. Battery and the 4.5 in. howitzers inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy’s reserves. Time after time the guns of the Ist. Battery swept the enemy’s ranks in a deadly enfilade as they pressed forward to the counterattack, and more than once their fire was sufficiently destructive to break an > enemy assault at z its inception. WE TASTE SUCCESS ’ The battery was under heavy fire i throughout August 6th and the followi ing night, and the gun emplacements ■ were so badly damaged that they had i to be rebuilt. During the afternoon of ; the 6th, Nos. 1 and 2 guns were temporarily out of action, owing to the des- - traction of the emplacements, and sev- ; oral men were wounded. Notwithstanding this hostile shelling the bat- ’ tery was usefully employed during the 3 night in shelling the enemy operating i against 'Lone Pine, as well as his reini forcements arriving from the direction > of Mule Valley, and at 6 a.m. it was i largely instrumental in beating back : with a heavy loss a local counter-attack I from the direction of . Mais Mais. The i enemy came on a second time, but was ■ again repulsed, the low-bursting shrapnel playing havoc in their broken ranks

as they were driven back. The Australians lost heavily in the initial attack, and they continued to suffer severely in the desperate intermittent struggles of the succeeding days. They had the satisfaction, however; of knowing that the enemy’s losses were much greater, and that in the end he was reluctantly compelled to accept defeat. (To be continued.) Censorship of films is just a case of stop, look, and less sin.