Oliver Woodward and the “Red House” 1st Australian Tunnelling Company.

[Doug504]

I’ve been looking into the activities of the tunneling companies around Hill 60 and came across this account of the events of “The Red House” depicted in the film Beneath Hill 60. The article featured in The Northern Star, New South Wales, 24th August 1916. In it Woodward describes in his own words the events of that evening. Some slight difference from the commonly accepted version, i.e. Woodward was sent out to destroy the House as it was thought to be being used as a site of mining activity for the Germans. Only on arriving did he find it had been used previously as a machine gun post.

 

Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954), Thursday 24 August 1916, page 2

A THRILLING ADVENTURE

TRIP ACROSS "NO MAN'S LAND."

HOW LIEUT. WOODWARD WON THE MILITARY CROSS.

Lieut. Oliver Woodward, who was recently awarded the Military Cross for bravery in France, gives a description of the operation which won him this honour in a letter to his mother, which we have been permitted to peruse. It will be remembered that the lieutenant is a nephew of Mr. Cavanough, sen. Of  Goonellabah, and accompanied Professor David's Mining Corps from Australia. "We visited the general of our division," he says, "and there Capt. Henry heard that a report had been sent in that the German was thought to be carrying on mining operations from a house, or rather the remains of a house, situated in 'no man's land,' about 40 yards from his trenches and 180 yards from ours. The captain was ordered to supply an officer and two men to accompany an infantry officer and two men, and to patrol out and investigate. The infantry portion of the patrol were to be our guides find conduct us to the house, where we were to investigate and finally demolish the remains of the building.

Captain Henry paid me the compliment of selecting me to carry out the work. I took with me Sergt. Fraser and Sapper Morris. I prepared a charge of 65 lbs. of ammonal, which is the highest modern explosive, did it up with rubber bags and put in two leads, one for electrical detonation and the other, an ordinary safety fuse. The idea was to carry over the charge and after investigation of the building fire the charge from our own trenches on returning. All very well in theory, but difficult in practical accomplishment. Well, I will try to give you a description of the work. The two regiments round the sector were acquainted by general order that we were going out, and consequently the movement of we six men were the centre of attention of a thousand odd men. They brought up all their machine guns and the infantry 'stood to,' ready to open fire the instant we exploded the charge.' At 12 mid-night, after a farewell handshake with the other officers, we silently crept over the parapet and soon were on our own side of our barbed wire entanglements. From then on the
risk was very great, as the Hun was constantly sending up illuminating glares and star shells, which make 'no man's land' as bright as day. Our first big job was to get through our own barbed wire entanglements and get our charge, and electrical leads through. This took time, as we were in a very exposed place and had to lie flat an soon as a flare commenced—then it was a case of down, barbed wire or not. Fortunately a flare is like a rocket, which bursts high up and comes floating slowly to the ground. That gives you time to anticipate them and be down and quiet. After getting through our entanglements we had a much easier task, as we then had the protection of grass etc. However, right across we would just move, yard by yard, dragging ourselves along, and laying quiet when the flares were up. We had several exciting moments, as once a machine gun opened up after a flare; and the bullets went ping-ping over our heads. Evidently it was just indiscriminate firing, but we thought that, we had been discovered. Again, three flares, one after the other, fell almost on top of us. By slow movements we eventually got within 20 yards of the house, about three-quarters of an hour after we had left our trenches. Then came the exciting time. Lieut Milne, the infantry officer, of the 11th Queen's, and I went slowly on, leaving the men in the cover of a shell hole. We crept on inch by inch, with every nerve and muscle, at its topmost key, and though at times the suspense was great, we felt that is was glorious work. After about half an hour's slowly moving and listening we got into the remains of the old building, and when the flares went up we could see right on to the German trenches, which were only about 40 yards distant. Then came the strain. A false step and a loose brick would mean a machine gun and bombs on to the place. After about a quarter of an hours inspection we came to the conclusion that the place was deserted, though between the flares we could see where the Hun had used it as a machine gun emplacement. We then went back and got our charge and placed it in the cellar of the  building, a mere detail in description, but in accomplishment about as nerve-racking a task as a man could have. By this time it was raining and  so made, matters better for us. After leaving the charge we proceeded to return, I following back the electric cables to see if they were right. Judge of my consternation when on reaching the halfway mark I discovered that the wires had broken. I then left one man holding the ends from the charge, and, being unable to find the stray ends, had to return right to our trenches, obtain some fresh wire, and refollow the stray ends from our trenches. This was not so bad, as we were soon were lying on the broad of our backs in the middle of no man's land splicing the leads. This accomplished, I continued to follow the leads towards our trenches and again received a shock to find free ends of. Wire about 40 yards from our trenches. They had run short so once again I had to return, and not being able to get sufficient cable to carry the leads to our trenches decided to carry out the exploder to the end of the wire and fire the charge from out in no man's land. We soon had our electric circuit complete, and then Lieut. Milner and I sent the men and sergeants over into the trenches and were soon ready to press the button. We congratulated ourselves that with such a charge the Hun would get a shock which would give us about half a minute to cover 40 yards of wire entanglements before he recovered from the consternation and reopened fire. Where we were to enter our trenches the infantry were not allowed to fire. Then Lieut. Milner got half way on our known track through the wire entanglements to act as a guide. When all was ready I pushed the button. There was a terrific report, and we flew for our trenches. We fortunately managed to get safely through our entanglements, but not -before our clothes were almost stripped from our backs and our legs and arms were a mass of bleeding scratches. 

Of course as soon as the charge exploded it was Bedlam let loose. Our men opened out immediately, and the Hun soon joined. We managed to reach our parapet and throw ourselves into the trenches just as the Hun opened out and we were soon two breathless and torn men being welcomed and congratulated by officers and men alike. Then the Hun went for retaliation and hurled over all sorts of missiles but he got more than he gave. The strife which we were instrumental in starting lasted until daylight and then we were able to see that the house that was was no more. Consequently it turned out a successful outing and removed a building which was a menace to us. Of course I  know that you will be anxious about such outings, but they are few and far between for tunnelling officers. This was a most unusual occasion, and coming.as it did in the eye of the general of the division I think I was lucky to be given the chance. Again, it was a duty, and I was determined that by some means that house was going to go and go it did. I have had my chance and it was reckoned by all to be a  critical undertaking and I am pleased for your sakes that I made good. Personally I never enjoyed an outing better. There was that indescribable feeling which the effort brought out, and it was a great feeling to throw oneself flat on to a nest of Scottish thistles, burrs or any other odds or ends. We got to bed about 5am and very ready we were for it, as we were wet through and had a most strenuous time. An ordinary patrol is seldom more than an hour out in no mans land, we were two and a half hours.

 

The original article can be viewed at;

 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92967044

 

Doug

 

 

[17107BM]

Well done.

And thanks for posting.

 

G.K.

[mebu]

Just shows what some blokes did. 

 

Can't imagine myself doing it - or would I? Will never know.

 

Peter