The following account of our (Grand) father's role in the Battle of Fromelles has been sourced from several history books. I am particularly indebted to Corfield's book, Fromelles: Don't Forget Me Cobber, which forensically investigates and analyses the Battle of Fromelles.
Private Will Miles, who was a member of Thomas' section, also provided Charles Beans, the official Australian war historian, with a detailed account of the Battle of Fromelles after the war. Miles was the only section member to have battle experience, having fought in the Boer War. Red Cross transcripts also detail the events that led to the tragic death of Thomas' section leader, 22 year old Corporal Spooner (see here). Remembering that Thomas went into battle with the 11 men from his section, these transcripts provide valuable information as to Thomas' role and location during the different phases of the battle.
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| Cpl Spooner (Top) Pt Mile (kneeling) |
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HOP THE BAGS
At 5.54pm, the 31st and 32nd Battalions were ordered to “hop the bags”. With rifle and bayonet in hand, this first wave of soldiers scaled the trench ladders and jumped from the parapet into no man’s land. They were ordered to stay 1.8 metres a part as they scurried across the long grass towards the German's front line. A further 4 waves of soldiers from these two battalions followed at 5 minute intervals. Within a few minutes, a third of these soldiers had become casualties to German machine fire.
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| At the bottom of this aerial photograph you can see the helmets of soldiers from the 31st Battalion in a German Trench. Within 2 hours, Thomas would crossed this same stretch of No Man's Land to take cover in this German trench. |
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| Pink = German Front Line Yellow = Australian Front Line Blue = Cellar Farm Road/Mine Ave Thomas crossed No Man's Land where the word MAN'S is on this map |
At around 6.00pm the 1000lb ammonal bomb, which has been planted by tunnellers beneath the German defences, was detonated. Thomas would have heard the thunderous explosion that shook the ground and created a massive shell crater.
Shortly after 6.00pm the 31st and 32nd Battalions had reached the German front line and quickly took control of this section of the German trench. The German soldiers in these trenches were either killed, escaped or taken prisoner. The Australians went forward to search for German support trenches, however no such trenches existed. At 7.15pm, the Australians retreated back to the relative safety of the German front line, which was now occupied by the allies. Colonel Toll, the commanding officer of the 31st Battalion, sent a pigeon back with a message to "send ammunition across urgently" (Corfield, 2000, p.117)
At around 8.00pm, Thomas was ordered to move from the reserve trench to the Australian front line trench. A sunken road known as Cellar Farm Ally (see above map) was used to get to the Australian front line. However, the intersection of Cellar Road Ally and Mine Ave had been damaged by artillery fire. To proceed to the front line, Thomas climbed above this sunken road, which exposed himself to enemy machine gun fire. Many soldiers in Thomas' 29th Battalion became casualties during this dangerous manoeuvre. Around 8.00pm the German artillery destroyed a 8th Brigade’s ammunition dump which caused thick smoke and poor visibility across the battle field.
At 8.30pm the enemy launched a counterattacked to repel the 31st and 32nd Battalions from the captured German trenches. A request was made by Colonel Toll to deploy more Australian soldiers to support the 31st and 32nd Battalions position. At around 9.00pm Thomas' was ordered to "hop the bags". Facing into the sun, he launched himself from the parapet into no man's land carrying supplies of grenades for his comrades who were under German counterattack. Thomas was met with a spray of enemy machine gun fire. The German machine gunners' shot low across no man's land. Soldiers were often first shot in the legs and as they fell suffered secondary critical injuries to their upper bodies. Thomas made this short but treacherous journey across no man's land by jumping into shell holes to avoid enemy artillery and machine gun fire. Thomas past the wounded and dead; men who had suffered a different fate to Thomas on this day.
At 8.30pm the enemy launched a counterattacked to repel the 31st and 32nd Battalions from the captured German trenches. A request was made by Colonel Toll to deploy more Australian soldiers to support the 31st and 32nd Battalions position. At around 9.00pm Thomas' was ordered to "hop the bags". Facing into the sun, he launched himself from the parapet into no man's land carrying supplies of grenades for his comrades who were under German counterattack. Thomas was met with a spray of enemy machine gun fire. The German machine gunners' shot low across no man's land. Soldiers were often first shot in the legs and as they fell suffered secondary critical injuries to their upper bodies. Thomas made this short but treacherous journey across no man's land by jumping into shell holes to avoid enemy artillery and machine gun fire. Thomas past the wounded and dead; men who had suffered a different fate to Thomas on this day.
Thomas jumped into the trenches and delivered his much needed supply of grenades and ammunition to his fellow soldiers. Will Miles, a member of Thomas' section, provided a statement to the Red Cross (circa Nov 1916) in which he described the battle as 'strenuous' and that he 'crossed No Man's Land repeatedly, carrying bombs". For a period of time, Thomas and his section undertook the dangerous task of crisscrossing no man's land to supply grenades and ammunition to their comrades. Colonel Toll later wrote that two platoons from the 29th Battalion got through and were described as "a welcome and useful addition to our small garrison" (Corfield, 2000, p.117).
By late evening Thomas ceased carrying supplies and became absorbed in the attack. At 11.35pm no soldiers from the 29th Battalion were left in the Australian front line trenches. Corfield (2000) described this as a serious breach of procedure by the Commanding Officer: “Mackay sent every available man into the front line”.
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A letter written in February 1917 by Sergeant Miller of Thomas' D Company, 29th Battalion is further evidence that Thomas and the 29th Battalion played an important role in the Battle of Fromelles:
“On the 19th July last our Brigade attacked the German position at Fromelles, near Armentieres. Our battalion was in reserve and we advanced from our front line to the enemy’s front line about nine o’clock at night”.
“On the 19th July last our Brigade attacked the German position at Fromelles, near Armentieres. Our battalion was in reserve and we advanced from our front line to the enemy’s front line about nine o’clock at night”.
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| Written by Thomas' Sergeant Miller in Feb 1917 |
References
Corfield, R (2000), Don’t Forget Me, Cobber: The Battle of Fromelles, Corfield and Company, Vic.
Austin, R (2008), Black and Gold: History of the 29th Battalion, Slouchhat Pub, Vic.
Austin, R (2008), Black and Gold: History of the 29th Battalion, Slouchhat Pub, Vic.
