Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs personal diaries, Vol. IV. (June 30, 1918 to November 20, 1918)
Notes X June 30th 1918 At the present time in the Sector SAILLY LE SEC to DERNACOURT we (5th Aust Div) are holding as in the last. N of VILLERS BRETONNEUX to SAILLY LE SEC we are holding over 6000 yds of front liable to have to withstand the shock of a Boche Attack on a big scale. longer than we used to hold under very normal conditions before the Boche offensive & much longer than many Corps fronts or the ordinary front of 3 Divisions surely they must think a lot of the Australians. 4/7/18 (Somme near VILLERS/BRETONNEUX The horrors of War. During our advance in todays operations a Boche M. Gun nest refused to surrender so a "Tank" had perforce to walk over it & crushed everything. 9/7/18 In addition to our other worries in holding 7000 X of line- we have to assist in instructing American Officer & O.R. & are now asked to send instructors to III Corps to train their men in scouting & patrol work & take their men here to train them X We were asked on the 7/7/18 at 5 p.m. to select 13 O.R. to take part in the french 14th July celebrations men to be at Corps H.Qs at 8 am next morning. At 11 p.m. 7/7/18 the order was altered by Aust Corps. & we were ordered to double the number & send an Officer. during the morning orders were recd bringing the detachment back 1.