Arndell Neil Lewis

editor’s note: I know for a fact that a lot of the place names are incorrect! If anyone knows the correct names, please reach out and I will update them. I have done my best and have included his handwriting in some areas for reference

1916
May : Appointed Luit in A.F.A. (temporary) to date from 1^st May 1916 (Australian Field Artillery)
May – June : In command of Artillery reinforcements (Claremont) after Lieut Turner left.
June : Applied for commission in A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force)
30^th June : Transferred from Claremont to Artillery Camp Maribyrnong under Col R.P. Smith
August : Passed Officers’ examination at Maribyrnong – 3^rd out of school of 26 – 75% mark in practical and 79% in theoretical
1^st Sept : Gazetted as 2^nd Lieutenant in Australia Imperial Force
28^th Dec – 4^th Jan: on final leave to Tasmania

1917

14^th Feb: left Melbourne on R.M.S. Osterley as 2^nd Lieut in command of 260 Field Artillery reinforcements. Capt Jenks in command of ship. Col. FR Heritage O.C. troops. 2^nd Lieut Russell Clarke & 2^nd Lieut Rowan as junior officers
16^th Feb: at Adelaide
20^th Feb: at Freemantle
6^th March: at Durban
10^th March: at Cape Town
                       at Sierra Leone
11^th April: Landed in England     
                Went to Salisbury Plain
May:      Took reinforcements over to France (Boulogne) and returned via London
                Ordinance course at Woolwich
                Signalling & wireless course at Dunstable
                Gas course at Porton (Down)
10^th August: Left Salisbury for France
                In camp near Harfleur & Le Havre

Aug to 1^st Sept: Ouderdom
26^th August: Section 2. First Divisional Ammunition Column, AIF.
                Ouderdom, then at Saint-Omer and with Column up to Front several times
                (Before that for short time with B Echelon) (“B Echelon” referred to the administrative, or support, echelons, which were separate from the front-line “F Echelon” (Fighting Echelon)
                Major Harris commanding column at first, then Capt Wilkins Brig Gen Coxen CRA of division (Corps Royal Artillery)
1^st to 17^th Sept: Clarmaris Wood (Foret de Clairmarais)
29^th Sept: Dickebusch then with the 3^rd Batt at Westhoek & Anzac Ridge
6^th October: Transferred to 3^rd Battery AFA
                Capt Archer (Burnie) Comm Battery
                Lt. Col Dean C.D. 1^st Brigade
                Brig Gen Anderson C.R.A 1^st Division (Corps Royal Artillery)
                Gen. Walker G.O.C. 1^st Division (General Officer Commanding)
                Gen. Burwood G.O.C. 1^st Anzacs (General Officer Commanding)

Oct:       In Ypres Battle Oct 5^th to Nov 10
1^st Oct: Promoted to Leuit (see Comm. Gazette 14.3.18 p. 470. No 36)
14^th Nov: Resting at Neuve, Église
21^st Nov: Moved to Douh (?)

14^th Dec: Moved into Messines – had good but cold time

1918  3^rd Battery (Major Christie commanding / observation & liaison duties)
4^th Jan:  Went to Hazebrouck & then to St Omer
Feb:       Back from line for fortnight
4^th Feb: Moved in between St Sauveur & Hollebeke (Belgium)
6^th April: Moved to Amiens & march to St Leger-les-Domart
                Moved back to Amiens next day & back to Nieppe Forest
22^nd April: Moved to Pradellie
May:      5 days attending school of instruction in machine & anti air craft guns with anti-tank battery
2^nd May: From Ebblinghem to Wizernes, Army Central School. Lewis gun. In charge of party, 6 officers
& 9 other from 1^st Aust Div.
9^th May: Back to Pradelle. (There until July 9^th when he went to London on leave)
19^th July: Fortnights leave in England
1^st Aug: Returned to France
Aug:       Marched to St. Omer – train south to Amiens in Somme advance from Villers-Bretonneux

2nd Battle of Somme
2^nd Aug:               Pulled out from Pradelles to Racquinghem
4^th Aug:                Entrained Arques detrained
5^th Aug:                Hangest-sur-Somme
6^th Aug:                St Savior (Sauveur?)
7^th Aug:                Longueau
8^th Aug:                Villers-Bretonneux. Fired barrage supporting initial attack
9^th Aug:                Advanced to Harbonnieres, moved to Rosieres
10^th Aug:              Lihons
17^th Aug:              Moved back to Aubigny (four days rest)
22^nd Aug:             Moved forward via Mirecourt to Proyart
23^rd Aug:              Chassignolles
26^th Aug:              Foucaucourt-en-Santerre
27^th Aug:              Estrées
28^th Aug:              Villers-Carbonnel
29^th Aug:              Sailly-Laurette (fortnights rest)
10^th Sept:             Via Bray-sur-Somme to Suzanne
12^th Sept:             via Maricourt to Hem-Monacu
13^th Sept:             via Péronne to Tincourt (also known as Tincourt-Boucly)
14^th Sept:             Tincourt
15^th Sept:             Marquay (Dordogne)
16^th Sept:             Roisel
18^th Sept:             Hervilly
19^th Sept:             Hesbécourt
21^st Sept:             Villeret (Aisne)
30^th Sept:             Nauroy
1^st Oct:                  Hervilly (three days rest)
3^rd Oct:                 Joncourt (furthest point of our advance)
4^th Oct:                 Hervilly
6^th Oct:                 Curlu
9^th Oct:                 St. Sauveur
10^th Oct:               Airaines (for reorganisation)
(Letter written 14/10/1918)
11^th Nov:              Armistice declared
13^th-24^th Nov:    Leave (in) Paris
21^st Nov:              Picquigny, St. Sauveur to Bertaucourt (-Epourdon)
22^nd Nov:             Aubigny (-sur-Nère), Villers Bret. Proyart to Hem
23^rd Nov:              Péronne, Roisel, Bony (Aisne) to Le Catelet
24^th Nov:              to St Sauflieu
25^th Nov:              Landrecies, Cartigny
26^th Nov:              Avesnes, to Dimechaux
21^st Dec:               Solre-le-Châteaux
22^nd Dec:              Belmont to Walcourt to Mettet (Begium)
23^rd Dec:              Mettet – Biesme, Gougnies, Villers-Poterie, (Solre-le-) Châtelet, Charleroi,
Menage (?), Mons, Valenciennes, Douai Arras, Étaples, Boulogne to Paris
Paris – Amiens – Boulogne – Hazebrouck – Armentières – Lille – Tournai – Brussels –
Nivelle – Charleroi

1919

29^th Jan:               Charleroi as above to Arras, Étaples, Abbeville, Amiens to Le Havre
6^th Feb:                 London on leave
14^th Feb:              Sutton Veny (England)
27^th Feb:              Embarked “SS Anchises”
29^th April:             Arrived in Tasmania