Over the Top With the Third Australian Division

Over the Top With the Third
Australian Division

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Title: Over the Top With the Third Australian Division
Author: G. P. Cuttriss
Illustrator: Neil McBeath
Release Date: August 24, 2005 [EBook #16588]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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* * * * *
[Illustration: Major-General Sir John Monash, K.C.B., V.D. _Photo by
Elliott & Fry._]

'OVER THE TOP' WITH THE THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
BY
G.P. CUTTRISS
WITH INTRODUCTION BY MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN
MONASH, K.C.B., V.D.
ILLUSTRATED BY NEIL McBEATH
London CHARLES H. KELLY 25-35 CITY ROAD, AND 26
PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
TO THE FADELESS MEMORY OF OUR HEROIC DEAD AND TO
THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THIS BRIEF VOLUME OF SKETCH
AND STORY IS DEDICATED, IN UNSTINTED ADMIRATION, IN
AFFECTIONATE SYMPATHY, AND IN THE UNSHAKEABLE
BELIEF THAT

'As sure as God's in heaven, As sure as He stands for right, As sure as
the Hun this wrong hath done, So surely we'll win this fight.'

PREFACE
In response to numerous requests from the 'boys,' this brief volume of
story and sketch is published. It makes no pretension to literary merit,
neither is it intended to serve as a history of the Division. The

indulgence of those who may read is earnestly solicited, in view of the
work having been prepared amidst the trying and thrilling experiences
so common to active service. The fighting history of the Australian
Forces is one long series of magnificent achievements, beginning on
that day of sacred and glorious memory, April 25, 1915. Ever since that
wonderful test of capacity and courage the Australians have advanced
from victory to victory, and have won for themselves a splendid
reputation. Details of training, raids, engagements, and tactical features
have been purposely omitted. The more serious aspect will be written
by others. In deference to Mr. Censor, names of places and persons
have been suppressed, but such omissions will not detract from the
interest of the book. 'Over the Top with the Third Australian Division'
is illustrative of that big-hearted, devil-may-care style of the
Australians, the men who can see the brighter side of life under the
most distracting circumstances and most unpromising conditions. In the
pages that follow, some incidents of the life of the men may help to
pass away a pleasant hour and serve as a reminder of events, past and
gone, but which will ever be fresh to those whose immediate interests
attach to the Third Australian Division.
G.P. CUTTRISS.
[Illustration: The Author. _Photo by Lafayette, Ltd._]

INTRODUCTION
At the outbreak of the World War in August, 1914, the Australian as a
soldier was an unknown quantity. It is quite true that in the previous
campaigns in the Soudan and in South Africa, Australia had been
represented, and that a sprinkling of native-born Australians had taken
service in the Imperial armies. The performances of these pioneers of
Australia in arms were creditable, and the reputation which they had
earned was full of promise. But, viewed in their proper perspective,
these contributions to Imperial Defence were no true index of the
capacity of the Australian nation to raise and maintain a great army
worthy and able in all details to take its place in a world war, beside the

armies of the great and historic civilizations of the Old World.
No Australian, nor least of all those among them who had laboured in
times of peace to prepare the way for a great national effort, whenever
the call to action should come, ever doubted the capacity of the nation
worthily to respond; but while the magnitude and quality of the
possible effort might well have been doubted by our Imperial
authorities and our Allies, and while it was certainly regarded as
negligible by our enemies, the result in achievement has exceeded, in a
mighty degree, the most optimistic hopes even of those who knew or
thought they knew what Australia was capable of.
For, to-day, Australia has, besides its substantial contribution to the
Naval Forces of the Empire, actually in being a land army of five
divisions and two mounted divisions, fully officered, fully equipped,
and stamped with the seal of brilliantly successful performance; and
has created and maintained all the hundred and one national activities
upon which such an achievement depends.
We are still too close to the