Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Shetlanders on the Western Front

SANDNESS CONNECTED AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER.

George Archibald Jamieson, Service Number 7567, served with the 11th Australian Infantry Battalion. He was the son of Archibald and Lydia (nee Robinson), formerly of Millhaa, Sandness. His mother and father had emigrated to Australia, and resided at Amherst Road, West Midland, Western Australia. George was born in Australia on the 4th of August, 1887.

Prior to enlisting on the 7th of January, 1916 in Perth, George had been employed as a Clerk. He was promoted to Corporal on the 9th of May, 1916, then Sergeant on the 12th of June. On the 29th of June, he embarked from Fremantle, arriving on Plymouth on the 25th of August, 1917. On the 16th of January, he left for France via Southampton.

The 11th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. It was the first battalion recruited in Western Australia, and with the 9th, 10th and 12th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.

In March 1916, the battalion sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918, the battalion took part in bloody trench warfare. Its first major action in France was at Pozieres in the Somme valley in July. After Pozieres, the battalion manned trenches near Ypres in Flanders before returning to the Somme valley for winter.

In 1917 the battalion took part in the brief advance that followed the German Army's retreat to the Hindenburg Line. During a German counterattack at Louverval, France, in April 1917 Lieutenant Charles Pope was killed performing the deed for which he would be awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. The battalion subsequently returned to Belgium to participate in the offensive that became known as the Third Battle of Ypres.

The battalion helped to stop the German spring offensive in March and April 1918, and later that year participated in the great Allied offensive launched east of Amiens on 8 August 1918. This advance by British and empire troops was the greatest success in a single day on the Western Front, one that German General Erich Ludendorff described as "the black day of the German Army in this war".

The 11th Battalion continued operations until late September 1918. At 11 am on 11 November 1918, the guns fell silent. This armistice was followed by a peace treaty, signed at Versailles on 28 June 1919. *
George was wounded in action on the 23rd of August, 1918, and returned invalided to Britain. On the 20th, the Battalion War Diary notes that the weather was cloudy and unsettled. Commanding Officers had been at Hamel to see a demonstration of cooperation between tanks and infantry. On the 21st, orders were received for the Battalion to move to bivouacs in Cerisy area. On the 22nd, the day was spent completing battle equipment. Officers went forward to reconnoitre the Divisional front At 9pm that evening, orders were received for the Battalion to move forward in the morning to attack on the left of the Divisional front, passing through 1st Brigade.
At 2:30am on the morning of the 23rd the Battalions moved forward to take up its battle position near St Germain Wood on the left of the village of Proyart, supporting the 12th Battalion. At 4:40am, the battalion was in position, and at 4:45am, the barrage opened with the Germans promptly retaliating with a severe counter barrage which fell amongst the 11th and 12th Battalions causing a number of casualties. Lieut W.A.W Gudgeon M.C. and 2/Lt A. Ross were both wounded and in addition, 5 other ranks were killed and 26 other ranks were wounded by 5am.

At 12:45pm two companies of the 11th Battalion were instructed to go forward to follow up the advance of the 12th Battalion and rendezvous in front of Long Wood, from whence under the cover of artillery barrage at 2pm, the attack on the Blue Line was commenced. The special function of these companies was to support the attack of the 9th Battalion against the enemy positions to then change direction left along the ravine running north west assisting by flank attack the operations of the 9th Battalion who were making a frontal attack of Froissy Beacon and Ridge.
Captain E.W. Tulloch was given command of the 11th Battalion operation. Companies moved off in artillery formation. A stiff German artillery barrage was encountered which caused casualties in both companies. 'B' Company proceeded to rendezvous at Long Wood and came under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire from the direction. They then broke down into skirmishing order, proceeding by short rushes onto Long Wood.

Meanwhile, 'D' Company, 11th Battalion, working in conjunction with 'A' and 'C' Companies of the 12th Battalion, came under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, being forced to take shelter in low ground to the left front of Chuignelles, where the German fire pinned them down. At 2pm, a barrage opened on Marley Woods and heights above. Heavy cross German machine fire was encountered but old timber stack and buildings in vicinity afforded good cover. At 12.25 German machine guns were silenced by use of Lewis Gunners. At this time, 12th Battalion Companies arrived and continued their advance. The remained of 'D' Company was divided into three parties each with a Lewis Gun moving parallel one near the crest of the hill, one midway down the slow and one near the bottom of the hill and proceeded to stalk German machine gun posts. These, when engaged in front and flanks simultaneously, put up a feeble resistance. Two were captured and eight fled by the time 'D' company got near.

Parties of twenty of the Germans were driven from the railway embankment and trench by enfilade Lewis Gun fire and persistent advance. These parties with two Machine Guns on the forward slop of Froissy Beacon had been holding up the 9th Battalions advance. By this stage, 'D' Company, were exhausted. 9th Battalion pushed through them.

'B' Company, 11th Battalion in conjunction with the 9th Battalion, had formed a defensive flank on the Northern edge of Long Wood. Germans were encountered in strength. The Company advanced under cover of its Lewis Gun fire capturing the German's position and taking 35 prisoners and two machine guns. This company then turned uphill and dug in in support.

On the 18th of December, he returned to Australia. George was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.