Monday October 14^th, 1918

Nice day. I have a nice walk over Battlefield, right of Perrone [Péronne] Road to Lezcourt ?? Walking much better.

Battlefield Walk

This seems bizarre.  Frank has enjoyed a walk over an old battlefield.  As we have established, Frank is likely to be in a hospital that was set up about ten days ago to treat the sick of the 199th Infantry Brigade in Moislains. It is possible that he is referring to Aizecourt rather than ‘Lezcourt’ (which I cannot find on any map).  In fairness, after a week of being bedridden, it must be nice to be fit enough to go for a walk.  However he is the first commentator whom I know of, to say that he had a ‘nice walk over Battlefield‘, particularly around the Somme.

Péronne

Frank mentions the road to Péronne. This town was occupied by the Germans for most of WWI.  During 1914-1918 much of the town had been destroyed º and almost 30% of the town’s inhabitants became civilian casualties of the war.¹ Péronne was liberated in early September 1918 by the Australians during their successful assault on the German stronghold on Mont St Quentin.

Mont St Quentin

By August 1918, Mont St Quentin was the last remaining stronghold of the Germans on the Somme.  From its lofty and strategic position it looked down on both the River Somme and the town of Péronne.  Under General Monash, Australian troops took, lost and regained both the stronghold and the town in heavy fighting from August 31st to September 3rd, 1918.  From there, the Germans continued their retreat to the Hindenburg Line.  The Australian efforts were much lauded:

‘The fight had … included battalions from every Australian state. British Commander General Lord Rawlinson remarked that this feat by the Australian troops under Monash’s command was the greatest of the war.‘²

A battlefield for a nice walk indeed.

9^th Battalion War Diary – 14^th October 1918 – Maurois

Training and reorganization. Capt. J Duncan is struck off the effective strength on proceeding to Base and ceasing to be attached to the 199^th Infantry Brigade HQ.

References & Further Reading

º Péronne, Somme on Wikipedia

¹ ‘Somme.  Guide to the Sites of the First World War‘

² Mont St Quentin and Péronne, Australian War Memorial

* photograph AWMEO3183, Australian War Memorial, public domain