The Carmody Genealogist

The 38th Battalion War Diary - Vimy Ridge

The 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion attacked the enemy’s position at 5:30 a.m., April 9th, in four waves, with a total strength in the waves of 12 Officers and 550 O.R..  In addition to this there were the Commanding Officer and six other Officers at Battalion Headquarters, the R.S.M., 3 Orderly Room Clerks, 14 Signalers, 16 Runners, 5 Medical Staff in Blue Bull Tunnel.

During the day three Officers and 60 Other Ranks, specialists were ordered up from Chateau de la Haie, these taking part in subsequent operations.

Disposition on jumping off point was “A” and “D” Companies in the first wave, “A” Company in MANDORA SOUTH from VINCENT STREET exclusive, S.15.c.15.18 to OAKLEY Ave., MANDORA CENTRAL S.14.d. 0.645 inclusive:  “D” Company in MANDORA CENTRAL at OAKLEY AVE., exclusive to ERSATZ ALLEY S.14 b.75.20 MANDORA NORTH:  “C” COY in “A” Assembly trenches on the right immediately behind “A” Company, “B” Coy in “A” Assembly trenches immediately behind “D” Company.

5:30 a.m.  The Battalion jumped off at 5:30 a.m.

5:45 a.m.  Lieut. Colonel C. M. Edwards reported the Battalion as having taken its first and second objectives Retaliation not very heavy but a good deal of shrapnel.

6:05 a.m.  Lieut. Colonel C. M. Edwards reported having a Signal Station established at No. 6 crater and that front line was taken without opposition.

6:13 a.m.  Report that we had walked right through to the craters.  Everything all right on left but no report from right.  7 prisoners of 261st Regiment brought in.

6:25 a.m.  Telephone report from No. 6 crater that all objectives taken.

6:54 a.m.  Report telephoned that one of our airplanes working on our left flank flying very low.  Everything seems very good.

7:25 a.m.   Report from forward phone that we have lines staked and are proceeding with consolidation.  Cannot get information of exact line but can see picks and shovels working.  Airplanes flying very low over us.

8:25 a.m. Lieut. Crowell came in wounded reporting a great deal of sniping from our  right.  Lieut. Colonel Edwards took this information to Brigade and was wounded about 8:35 a.m. on his way over.

8:45 a.m.   At 8:45 a.m. a report came in from Capt. T.W. MacDowell by runner, timed 8:00 a.m., that he was on his objective at BABY Trench had taken two machine guns and two officers and 75 other ranks, prisoners.  Copy of this report was immediately forwarded to Brigade.

9:30 a.m. The Medical Officer visited Lieut. Colonel Edwards at Battalion Headquarters, he being still on duty although suffering a great deal of pain and ordered him out to the Dressing Station, the command of the Battalion being handed over to Major W. S. Wood.

There was no report up to this time from “A” Company on our right but a wounded man brought in the news that Captain E.C.H. Moore and Lieut. A. W. Duncan had both been killed and Lieut. D. Guthrie wounded.

10:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. report came in from Major G. Howland, by runner, timed 9:00 a.m. stating that he was at No. 5 crater, that he had seen nothing of his other two officers, and that the men were in groups, that he had a Lewis gun in No. 6 crater and a Vickers gun and a few men in No. 5 crater, and was endeavouring to collect his men but was bothered by rifle fire from his right rear.  He reported that he could see “C” Company had made their objective but that the men were scattered.  This information was phoned Brigade, and at the same time orders issued to Major Howland by return runner, to get in touch with Capt. MacDowell in BABY Trench and with “C” Company.

10:15 a.m.   At 10:15 a.m. Lieut. A. H. Pannell of “C” Company sent in report by runner that he had occupied position in front of crater No. 5 and was consolidating same but did not state map location.  Later report gave this as S.15.c.10.95 to S.15.c. 40.80.  Orders were sent to Lieut. Pannell by return of runner to connect with major Howland and Capt. MacDowell giving their locations to him.   Runners reported a great deal of sniping from our right.

11:00 a.m.  A report from Capt. MacDowell, timed 10:30 a.m. was sent in by runner stating that he could see no sign of the 78th Battalion and that the Bosche were firing with machine guns on him but that he had not been able to locate these (it subsequently turned out to be in CLAUDE Trench Junction of CLUTCH), and calling for reinforcements.  This report was forwarded to Brigade.  At the same time a Reserve Lewis Gun crew was sent up to Capt. MacDowell and Private G.J.P. Nunney, who had come in to get a wound dressed, stated he had a Lewis gun and had salved 32 pans of ammunition and volunteered, if he got a carrying party, to go out again, get the ammunition and go over to Capt. MacDowell.  All men going out to this point carried ammunition and bombs.  Major Howland was ordered to send men over to reinforce Capt. MacDowell which he did sending a Machine Gun crew and ammunition.  Three officers and specialists who were at Chateau de la Haie were ordered up at this time and on arrival reinforced Capt. MacDowell.

6:05 p.m.  At 6:05 p.m. notification was received from Brigade that two Companies of the 46th Battalion with two Companies of the 85th Battalion would reinforce our line and endeavour to connect with the 11th Brigade.  This was done and the situation cleared up on our right flank, touch being established with the 11th Brigade.  The situation remained normal throughout the night and morning of the 9th/10th save for artillery fire and machine gun fire from CLAUDE Trench.

On the morning of the (April) 10th I inspected our posts.

4:25 p.m.  Brigade ordered us to collect our most disorganized Company and bring it into Blue Bull Tunnel for rest and reorganization.  This was done and “A” Company brought in.  Two Officers of “A” Company who had been brought up with the reinforcements from Chateau de la Haie were put in charge.

5:30 p.m.  New dispositions were ordered by Brigade making this Battalion responsible for CYRUS Trench from the Junction of CLUTCH to the Junction of CYRUS and CLUCK and for No. 6 crater.  “C” Company moved over here to strengthen this line, the 46th Battalion becoming responsible for crater No. 5 and posts in front.

Situation during the night was normal and on Wednesday morning the 11th I inspected our new dispositions and found all posts as ordered. Situation again throughout the day was normal with the exception of machine gun fire from junction of CLAUDE and CLUCK, and remained so throughout the night.

A party of Bosche were seen on the morning of the 12th trying to get away at daylight but were driven back by our Lewis gun fire, casualties being inflicted on them.

The afternoon of the 12th instant about 4 p.m. our Stokes guns fired on CLAUDE trench and a bombing party of the 73rd Battalion were supposed to attack under cover of this barrage, along CLAUDE trench from the north. It was reported that our men had been seen in CLAUDE trench at S.15 a.85.80 but this proved on investigation to be incorrect. A patrol was ordered out to investigate, but were fired upon. At 8 p.m. a message was received from Brigade that the Bosche intended counter attacking so “A” and “D” Companies were ordered up from Blue Bull Tunnel to reinforce our position. The counter attack did not materialize, the situation remaining normal throughout the night except for very heavy artillery fire by us and that fires were seen in a north easterly direction behind the enemy’s lines.

At 5:45 a.m. 13th I was advised of a series of explosions behind the enemy’s lines. Brigade was immediately advised of this and at the same time a patrol was ordered to be sent forward to try and ascertain the cause. They reported that owing to our artillery fire they could not get forward.

At 6:30 a.m. I was advised that our men had occupied CLAUDE trench, shortly after this was confirmed by Brigade stating that 72nd occupied CLAUDE trench. A patrol was ordered to be pushed northward along CLUCK trench to connect with the 72nd also another patrol to push along CLUCK forward in a north easterly direction. Colonel Clarke O. C. 72nd Battalion came along and got a patrol with Lewis gun from us and pushed forward to a point where CYANIDE and CLUCK trenches meet at S.15 b.8 ½. 9, patrols of the 38th and 78th Battalions also entered CYCLIST and BAMF trenches and established posts there, all these patrols being covered by strong supporting bodies. About 10 a.m. our patrols in conjunction with patrols of the 72nd and 78th Battalions entered GIVENCHY. Patrols were then pushed by us to the south of GIVENCHY and by the 72nd through the northern part of it and along to the VIMY/ANGRES line which they reached about 12:30 p.m. About 1 p.m. I received an urgent message from Colonel Clarke for support on his right so brought up the covering parties arriving at S.10.d.8.6 about 1:30 p.m. where we established joint Battalion Headquarters, the 72nd Battalion taking over the line from this point to the north and we taking it over from the south for about 800 yards establishing strong points along the same. Our right was still not connected up the the 78th were covering it from the rear and later the 11th Brigade advanced along this line. Communication was kept up by telephone with the front line throughout and on the advance to GIVENCHY lines were run to that point.

CARRYING PARTIES. - Tump line party consisting of one officer and 52 other ranks were used in connection with the bringing up of rations and acting as stretcher bearers, also a carrying party of 16 men for the 12th Machine Gun Company for bringing up ammunition. Carrying parties were detailed from reinforcements sent up and from stragglers of ours who had got mixed with other Battalions and reported to Headquarters and ration parties were sent in from the line. Ammunication was sent up and dumps established along our new line CYRUS and BABY trenches and No. 6 crater. Ammunition sent up amounted to : -

S.A.A. - 175,000 rounds
No. 5 Mills bombs - 900
No. 23 Mills bombs - 350
Red. S.O.S -84
White Very Lights - 500

Strength taking part in operations covering this period was as follows: -

Casualties during the period April 9th to 13th were: -
Officers killed - 4, Other ranks killed - 54, Officers wounded - 9, other ranks wounded - 214, Officers missing - 0, other ranks missing - 44 for a total of 325.

Material Captured

5 tons of perdite, 1 heavy trench mortar 1W No. 1729, 2 light trench mortar which was placed on dump in ZOUAVE VALLEY, 4 machine guns, 1 ½ Dozen S.W.W. discs with tape, 100 German rifles, 11, 500 S.A.A. in belts, 2 dozen rifle grenades, 4 spare barrels for machine guns, 1 sap winch, 1 sap barrel, 6 coils cable, 26 stick bombs and 3 telephone sets.

I have the Honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant

Signed Major Wood O.C. 38thy Canadian Infantry Battalion 

 The Carmody Genealogist

The 38th Battalion War Diary - Vimy Ridge