 In July 1916 , the 25th Battalion took part in its first major Western Front action at the Battle of Pozières , part of the Somme offensive . The battalion suffered 785 casualties between 25 July and 7 August . It was briefly transferred to a " quieter sector of the front in Belgium " before returning to action on the Somme in October . On 3 November , Towner was transferred to the Australian Machine Gun Corps and was assigned to the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion of the 2nd Australian Division , and was allotted to the 7th Brigade 's Machine Gun Company . He was commissioned as a second lieutenant fifteen days later , and assumed command of the battalion 's transport section . 
