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Died: 30th Marhc 1918. Killed in Action France.
30th March 1918.
9:30am: weather wet, Battalion left CACHY and marched to BOIS LE ABBE, where they
bivouaced in readiness to go forward as Counter attack troops. "B" Teams were sent to BLANGY-TRONVILLE.
Battalion moved up as support Battalion to 33rd Battalion AIF who were attacking on north side of
BOIS DE HANGARD and LANCERS WOOD. Battalion moved West and south of CACHY when approaching BOIS DE
HANGARD advanced in Artillery formation. Battalion halted just north of BOIS DE HANGARD in position
of rediness to support 33rd Battalion AIF.
6:00pm: About 6:00pm A Company 34th Battalion was detailed to go forward to report to Commanding Officer
33rd Battalion AIF who were on left flank of attack. In moving up A Company extended into 4 lines
of skirmishes and laid down with cover fire from line near 33rd Battalion Headquarters. Officer Commanding
A Company Captain: Telford Graham GILDER went forward to reconnoitre
33rd Battalion's line. B Compant 33rd Battalion was found to have suffered heavy casulties and
enermy were still holding the top of ridge. It was therfore decided to attack enermys position on
ridge.
Shortly before 8:00pm A Company 34th Battalion moved forward in two waves each of two platoons.
When 100 yardsin rear of 33rd Battalion Head Quarters the 2nd wave inclined to the left and came
up on the left of the leading wave and the whole Company attacked the ridge in one line. The enermy
were driving out of what apparently was there Picquet Line where two Machine Guns were captured.
The line extended its advance and drove the enermy out of his continuous line at the point of a
bayonet, and advanced a further 50 yards at this point 7 prisoners were captured, 4 of whom actually
went ptisoners rage.
The number of enermy casulties was estimated at 60 killed and wounded. Machine Gun fire was very
heavy from enermy lines on the left flank and was responsible for the death of
2nd Lieutenant: 1973 Reuben PARKES a very gallant officer and most of the casulties were suffered
by this company. The enemy continuous trench systme was then occupied for about 2 hours. In the
meantime patrols were sent out to the right flank to try to establish communication with the 33rd
Battalion AIF. These patrols encountered enermy posts behind our own line on this flank. Touch was
eventually gained through a patrol of the 33rd Battalion under Captain: Telford Graham GILDER.
On informantion received from Lieutenant: 916 Robert Cecil KING That it
was impossible for the 33rd Battalion to push forward on to the line which the 34th Battalion were
holding, it was decided to move back to the line which the 33rd Battalion had then dug in on about
250 yards to our rear.
We then dug in our men filling a gap of about 650 yards in the 33rd Battalion line apparently the
enemy did not discover our tactical withdrawal until sometime later at about 1:30 am, the enemy
appeared on the sky lineadvancing in extended order. This apparent counter attack was completely
broken up by our Machine Gun and Lewis Gun fire. About 3:00am "A" Company 34th Battalion were
relieved by a Survey Regiment Company then moved to CACHY. "B" Company 34th Battalion also occupied
a position in 33rd Battalion line but did no actual fighting and had no casulties.
34th Battalion War Diary
(Australian National Archives)
Under Construction 23/07/2009.
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