Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/106/1 - April 1918 - Part 3

24
out & 2nd Divn in this
morning. The 13th Bde goes
to the 3rd Divn to watch /
crossings of / Somme near
Corbie, Bonnay, & Neuville
The 12^th Bde goes into rest
in close support reserve - 6th7712 Bdes intine
I believe the 5th Bdehes
relieved the gth at Villers Bretonnen
Another meserably drizzling
day - probly worse for 1
men S of / Somme than for
those up here.
ThefGerman these last
few days very guilt. This
may be because,yes (we
hear yesty) Gen. Lochhas
now his reserve of 3odions
concentrated.
Our Ausths have been
holding nearly hal the Britis
baltle line. I wonder if the
 

8
 

British people will ever realise
this
Te americans have apeed-
very large spirited of them - to
put their brigades on with English
devisions. We were to have
had americans fighting to us
too; if I german offensive had
not come of an American
Devn ad shortl have arrivd
at Ans. Corps.] The inflow of
Americans, if only at 50,000
per month, must be making
a big difference to our
reserves. The ferman, I
suppose, is taking his
reserves from Russia, &
looking to 1 use of returned
presoners. - Many of them
woat be too pleased.
Duncan Maxwell has
heard to his brother ken, Co lone
 

of the 2/5 Manchesters, is alriys
I must correct my note
(Mouquet Fm. Historical note) on this
point).
Thes. Ap. 91h.
Ht Crps I heard that
Amiens wesd to have by
shelled by 1 fermans today.
Our 5th Dion advanced
its line beyond Bouzencourt.
Today 1 germ. has heavily
shelled its old lim. He seems
to have by carrying out
destructive bowbardment of
several parts of live Cately
without infy attack following.
A prisoner says he thinks he
is resting his reserves for 1
head pach & using his old
Dins to death (for examply
the DOt Res. Dion, 13th Dron, &t Dun
S Naval Dion wh were I believe
 

it You can see opposite
however.
 

hill
 

93
 

28
those used agot our 4th Dion
Our 5th Dion may be
pulledout tonight & replaced
by British troops. The idea is
to extend our Corps from N.
& hold down to Somme with
I dious in line, one in close
support, & one in reserve.
The St Dion has already 15t Bde
in this village, and Bdi behin
it, 3dd Bde at Hesselles.
aall Mactabl tells me to
our font line wh he visited
S. of the dwiens Road is duyin
on the crest where the lower
part of hill cannot be seen
probly because it ws day jast
where ferm. MP fire cdl not
reach it. (ferman orders capto,
he says, showed to they wanted
to take high ground near
Lavieville)
 

29
The German wireless tonight
show has bu read by some of
our wereless stations - it announg
a great victory near Armenticres
His inpos Ind Dion has not be
able to gain any further news of
this except to an attack apptt
started out Portuguese this ig.
we have good reserve lines
N. of the Lys, they say, & have
dions in reserve up there.
the resting after fight down
here
I wonder how Butter is
getting on to our trophies
they were at Baillenl & he
weat up to help gullett clear
them. Gallett stayed behind
at Hetre when I Corps came
down, waiting to get these things
away. The 9th Corps has taken
 

67
 

30
over there.
Coliman asked me at
Corps yeste if I had heard abt
Cullett ? The Gth Corps is not
too friendly disposed, he sd.
Houghton & thece or four other
off is oours were left there for
a week or 50, temporarily
when we came South. So fullett
went to the Camp Commandant
of the 9th Corps & asked if he
had not better allot them to
various messes.
"Good fracious!"sd the Mds
Camp Commandant, "you don't know
what an English mess is! You
cant go in there at will, any how
you have to be introduced.
gallett sd to he had not thought
it ws necessary - tree or
four 9th Cons oficers had
 

31
been up to our Headquasters
& they had all been invited
into our own mess - but
if he felt to way abt it & ad
give him a chit to say so fullet
sd he ad draw travelling expenses
& manage for himself
The camp commot. Idto
head not do that; but if
he wa give fulled
&fother offes their rations
& they could get them cooked for
themselves
Ye Gods.
Heavy firing since about
108 P.m. to night to the N.E. of as, ?vz
or 47th Dion
Still continumng – There ws
heavy fring there this iy also
Eartier in 1Evz squall
heavy fire from abb where our
Ste Dwn is - perhaps V. Bretonnenx
 

32
April 10. Te german wereless
last night spoke of a great
Victory at Armentieres. One
of our 2nt Dion wireless
stuo picked it upt transtated
it. J.H.B. ws being rung
up on some matter; & Somlone
there answered t be thought
it might be a big raid on
1 Portepuese. Some runiour
O an attack on Portupuese
ws carrent yest
This wg when 8 we
were at Lod Din HD. Young
Chowley (who used to be
their T.M. officer) rang up
from Corps Heavy Artilley
Herbeatson sicked of
phone & presently put it
down. The Bocke has got
Messives & be is near
be said
Estaires
 

87
 

33
The 3od Divn helped to
take messures - there ws
a sort of suppression in
atvosphere, possibly because
Herbertson is an Englishman
& no one wanted to say anythe
to beert him. But they must
feel it pretty rcenly
tonight it is sd tt
it is not certain to messines
to Caplo. Probly it is thought
better to wait I result of a
cattack before announcin
anythen abt it.
This is a realh serious
criticaly serious blow. Te
real danger is to German
may find he can boeak this
army when he hits a tired
division. The 4th Din laughin
say to they bet tey are up
there within a fortnight
 

tsat
 

83
story
 

I saw withau today & 34
got I story of the 52nd Bn at
Dernancourt. He told me the
of Barton, a gueensland
farmers son. Who ws wdm
1knce & since died. He had
bu wd or gassed before. While
in hospitel be came to fall in
love with a little V.A.D. narse, &
whenat he went to England
he visited her people. Her
mother turned out to be the
Countess of Sometiig. The
also
fort was very much in love
w Barton out he told her
t shewd find life on a
Gueensland farm very differend
from life she ws used to. However
she wdn't hear of letting anything of
Stand in their way, & so they
became engaged. Borton spoke to