1924 Oil Painting by George Bell entitled Signaller. — 1924 Oil Painting by George Bell entitled *Signaller.*

19th July 1916.

6pm, 20-minutes into the battle with just over two hours of daylight remaining.

Australian and British troops have broken into the German’s frontline. Behind them, are the successive waves of Allied infantry advancing in tow.

Facilitating the progress made by the foot soldiers, the Allied artillery begin lifting their barrage’s range from the enemy’s frontline to their rear trenches.

Bombarding shells to suppress any incoming German fighters from further trenches beyond the enemy’s frontline positions where the Australian and British troops are now fighting the German’s 6th Bavarian Reserve Division.

Back at the Allied front, the fourth wave of the Australian 15th Brigade begin their charge from the trenches, accompanied by the 59th and 60th Battalions, who are being led by Gallipoli veteran, Major Geoffrey McCrae.

Roughly 2000 men, with 60 officers included, make up the fighting force in this fourth wave. They pour over the parapets in their thousands, one after the other, almost countless due to the magnitude of moving bodies.

Private Walter “Jimmy” Downing of 57th Battalion, watches the attack unfold as detailed in the following:

"The 60th climbed on to the parapet, heavily laden, dragging with them scaling ladders, light bridges, picks, shovels and bags of bombs.

Scores of stammering German machine-guns spluttered violently, drowning the noise of the cannonade. The air was thick with bullets, swishing in a flat lattice of death. There were gaps in the lines of men - wide ones, small ones. The survivors spread across the front, keeping the line straight... The bullets skimmed lo, from knee to groin, riddling the tumbling bodies before they touched the ground. Still the line kept on.

Hundreds were mown down in the flicker of an eyelid, like great rows of teeth knocked from a comb, but still the line went on, thinning and stretching. Wounded wriggled into shell holes or were hit again. Men were cut in two by streams of bullets. And still the line went on... It was the charge of the Light Brigade once more, but more terrible, more hopeless."

Among Major McCrae’s infantry are Signallers who are responsible for military communications. Equipped with field telephones and wires, they’re tasked with informing headquarters about the battle’s progress directly from the battlefield.

Unfortunately, this well-equipped group of telecommunicators didn’t make it far into no man’s land, as they were shot down by enemy fire, falling either dead or severely wounded early on during the fourth wave’s attack.

This was an immediate setback for the Allied troops, as signallers are specially trained to operate the communications equipment whereas the common infantry soldiers weren’t. Rendering wired telecommunication channels useless.

Forcing the men to send manual messages by runners back to headquarters who had to trek back over no man’s land under enemy assault by machine gunner crews and deadly snipers.

As Major McCrae charges his way over the trenches with his men, he would only make it 75 metres into no man’s land before he’s shot through the neck and killed. He was only 26 years old. Prior to the battle, McCrae wrote in his final letter to his family the following:

"Dearest Mother, Father & Helen,

Today I lead my Battalion in an assault on the German lines and I pray to God I may come through all right and bring honour to our name. If not, I will at least have laid down my life for you and my country, which is the greatest privilege one can ask for. Farewell, dear people, the hour approacheth.

Love, Geoff"

McCrae was universally praised as a brave hero and saluted as a symbol of Australia's lost generation at war and was a talented artist.

As the fourth wave begins arriving in the German’s frontline, the Allies have the upper hand it seems as they’ve captured of the enemy’s first trench line in various parts. Signifying a breakthrough of confidence for the Australians and British troops after so many immediate fatalities.

Lt. Col. Ignatius Norris, commander of the 53rd Battalion, yells out to encourage the next charge for the enemies second line, “Come on, lads! Only another trench to take!” The Allied troops push on their attack and moved to take the next trench.

As they do so, Norris is horrifyingly shredded to pieces by unrelenting machine gun fire as he moved forward to lead the continuing charge. Men following Norris were cut down by a storm of lead as they’d attacked.

Lieutenant Harry Moffitt, Norris’s 32-year-old adjutant, sees his wounded leader fall and instantly calls upon four men to help carry Norris back to the Allied lines for medical treatment. But a moment later, Moffitt is struck by enemy bullets and falls dead, his lifeless body slumbering over Norris.

Private Leslie Croft along with other soldiers nearby, also attempt to help bring a wounded Norris back to safety, however, they’re unsuccessful as blistering machine gun fire continues to ravage around them.

Reported by his surviving men, Norris’s last words spoken were, “Here, I’m done, will somebody take my papers?”

In no man’s land between the German’s frontline and elusive second line, Allied troops push more than 300 metres into enemy territory. Many Germans take cover in shell craters while others retreat further back as the Australians and British push on and apprehend enemy prisoners. Orders are given to send the captured prisoners back to Allied lines.

A Digger [Portrait of Private Thomas Henry Herket] - by Hilda Rix Nicholas

It’s 6:45pm. Despite the brief costly progress that’s been made, the German’s second line continues to be unfound and begins to stall the Allies’ pressing dominance in the battle. Commander of the 31st Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick William Toll, goes to report later on:

"We swept on with the intention of capturing the second and third trenches in the first line system, but...no trace could be found... It now appeared evident that the information supplied as to enemy defences...was incorrect and misleading. The ground was flat, covered with fairly long grass, the trenches shown on aerial photos were nothing but ditches full of water.”

However, this is not the worst of their troubles, as unaware of the infantry’s collective progress, Allied artillery units commence firing their guns upon their own men believing to be targeting German positions.

As a result, the Allied advance turns into a complete retreat back towards their own lines, losing precious enemy territory they’ve gained controlled over.

Worsening their retreat, German artillery opens up upon no man’s land, trapping the majority of Allied units between two barrage fields. Checkmate for the Australian and British troops trapped like fish in a barrel.

The dominos start to fall and they’re falling very quickly, as the Allied attack is failing rapidly everywhere. The cover of night takes hold as daylight fades more and more.

Brigadier-General Harold "Pompey" Elliott sends out a message to headquarters regarding a lack of support is responsible in part for why the Allied attack is failing.

Major General McCay responds to Elliott’s message and sends about 500 men from the 55th Battalion over the parapets into the battle.

But the additional support in men is too late… the enemy has recaptured their frontline trench from the Allied troops as recorded in the German’s battle reports:

"The forward trench was once again in our hands - 47 unwounded and 14 wounded Englishmen were captured, as well as seven machine guns and sundry material.

A great number of wounded and dead English lay in front of our position. Bandages were ordered forward, the platoons which had been pushed out moved back into their positions...two captured machine guns were turned against the enemy."

Aerial photograph of the trench systems at Fromelles.

Battle at Fromelles Part 4: The Futility of War