33rd Battalion AIF Routine Order No.150 33rd BATTALION A.I.F.
ROUTINE ORDER NO. 150
By
Lieutenant-Colonel LJ Morshead,
Commanding
Steenwerck, 28th December 1916
GRENADES 1419
In consequence of recent accidents which occurred in various Brigades of the Second Army during practice with live grenades the following additional precautions will be taken.
All live grenades will be thrown from behind a safety wall.
Dimensions: Wall of sandbags 6 foot high
15 foot long
with buttress of traverse 6 foot long about the centre of the wall; the front half of the buttress to be 7'6" high and the rear half to be 5 foot high. This affords some protection to the instructor.
A second sandbag wall 6 foot high should be built some 10 to 15 yards immediately in rear; behind which the remainder of the squad will sit until their turn comes to throw.
The only persons at the throwing wall itself will be the officer in charge, the thrower, and next man to throw. The thrower will be by himself on left of buttress, and the officer on right of buttress, with next man to throw sitting in the right-hand corner.
The officer in charge of the throwing practice will give a shot blast on his whistle immediately before each grenade is thrown, to ensure cover being taken by the remainder of the squad in rear.
Detonators will be kept at the front wall and will be placed in the grenade under the supervision of the instructor as each man comes up to throw.
Steel helmets always to be worn when throwing.
Each grenade will be carefully examined by an officer before the detonator is inserted.
Any doubtful ones should be returned to rail-head at once.
In the event of a blind grenade, at least one minute should elapse before it is recovered.
BOUNDS 1420
Subject to necessary military requirements no Officer or man of the 3rd Australian Division will leave the Divisional area and no Officer or man of other units in the Corps will enter the 3rd Australian Divional Area until further orders.
Billet No. 399? Rue de l'Hospice, Steenwerck is out of bounds to all troops.
Billet No. 3?? Croix du Bac Road is quarantined and placed out of bounds to all troops.
GRENADE STORES 1421
All requisitions for grenades must be made through the Battalion Bombing Officer (Lt. AH Fletcher).
BILLETS 1422
Attention is drawn to para 41 "Standing Orders for War"- Evacuation of billets. This party will consist of one Officer detailed by Battalion Headquarters and one NCO and 8 men per company.
FATIGUES 1423
The Fatigue party mentioned in RO 147, para 1414, is cancelled.
DUTIES 1424
Subaltern of the day: Lt. LCB Smith
Next for duty: Lt. WW Stockam
Regimental Orderly Corporal: Cpl. GA Cawkwell
Next for duty: Cpl. LJ Mathias
WORKING PARTIES 1425
The undermentioned working parties will be furnished daily until further notice.
Party. No required. To report. When. To whom. Furnished by.
No.4 D.A.C.
1 20 B.25.c.3.8. 8 am to Sapper. )
12 noon Chidsey. )
2. 12 H.1.b.7.7. 8 am to Cpl. )
12 noon. Hills )
3. 12 H.1.b.7.8. 8 am Cpl. )
12 noon. Harrison. ) B. Co.
4. 12 B.?6.a.3.7. 8 am Cpl. )
12 noon Mitchell. )
1 50 No. ? Huts 8 am to Cpl. Fletcher. )
2 12 " " " 12 noon Cpl. Derbyshire. )
3 12 " " " " Cpl. Roberts. ) (torn, illegible text)
4 12 " " " " Spr. Machin. )
5 12 " " " " Spr. Wilson. )
6 12 " " " " )
7 12 " " " " )
8 12 " " " ". )
1 6 Div. Sig. Standings. 8 am and Rutledge. )
2 6 Opposite Divisional 12 noon Chippendale. )
Headquarters )
3 20 Steenwerck " Cpl. Baker. ) C Co.
4 20 " Cpl. Rayner )
5 6 " Williams. )
6 2 NCOS Railhead, )
& 20 men Steenwerck 9 am S.S.O. )
Complement of Officers and NCOs must be sent with parties requiring same.
The personnel will be changed at each shift but strength of parties must be maintained.
Steps must be taken to see that these parties report at the correct time and place and any deviation from these orders must be immediately forwarded to Battalion Headquarters with full explanation. The numbers detailed will be required for each shift but the men who work from 9 am to 12 noon will not be employed on the shift from 12 noon to 4 pm.
STEENWERCK TOWN ORDERS 1426
Soldiers are forbidden to buy or accept spirits or liquors. All soldiers,except those on duty, must be in billets by 9 pm. Lights must be out by 9:30 am?
Estaminets are open to troops from 12 noon to 2 pm and from 6 to 6 pm only and soldiers may not enter them except during those hours.
(Signed) RC JONES, 2/Lieut.
Adjutant, 33rd Battalion A.I.F.
33rd Btn Australian Imperial Force War Diary