Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/108/1 - April - May 1918 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066553
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Page 1 / 10

te supposed toctie of 3 terman Tanks at B, April 24, 1918 26th April Went to 5th Div Hgrs in Bussy Chatean meaning to go on & sle the 13th Bde. If the gent. wanted to seene & asked me to clarap, what I considered I trivat matter of who shot Rechoffen. (I said the Augzie, from my little poszy, I shot keclliifen - te men have a shyme on it abre
ane I heard of a story which was work getting. The Officers at 55 Diob Hgos had one of ferman prisoners in to tea - a nice looking boy. In 1 course of general conversated be told soddard to following Wootton Bruds & ?goodland 200W. 207 bey. Geren hean ad I tanatl ached of by 1aly ton 2076 p a 3 be (yor 2 so deried, My ame along, fold by af. Iot were fing at hat thed we os little opporite from gont les at at. e to got actils te wancte the wth munend i fouly te annui ne cnse oes au o His recals tok suscees of attack wo due o taks ol hed dimorasied iits o C e9 pat I waid ap Ann Ge 40 noved a loag 1 trudes of foont too. fy, mosth Berkshires the got into the bron & aut theot I with tps o ws in a bit of scrut. He didit say why they adnt o. Cachy Cache bg the sb it te secb. when thy saw / ys coainy, as then te CS n C1 at pand but teydropped. H sd se anth kext way on vspinity. He had 4og 142p y
Hl expressed his admirate for them. He thought they were of good. He sd tei general hed tow tim preseoasly tt aneths were bewt tythig for . Sliskes There 1 2 chatean were a no. Iss in pos of the shod. He sd their plysiges ws v vebed - thy were not mea- they were - by as spiking to much tod boodspill on their ide ws Ge blood h 2 Austrigis Ise Anto didn't get much blood spilt - the Austrians were vi fine cavaliers,! were to so fins cloties, & looked s. nice, but it was all. He had fought to them in Serbia & had seen anstrcans there. The Renssian pigiting we nothing 6 1e to this He had fought atI in to Kenssian offensin be He as a five type of man-gentlemanly. He wsr astonished at I way pruozers, were feeand took after, Noo cd he understand our people looking to Gerkan wounded, while fight as soing on. Meoftes off also yos arrod 321
They kent repeating his. They sd evenyoe on 1other side thought they C wad be, bade trand. tec heesee no mall fo a by tim
213B de When 1 Britich were d nitely ascertained to be in Village on 1 southern edge of it the 51Bnws moved to support the 52Bn on Iright flank, owing to uncertainty of Southern flank Nothing ws known abbtt flank dont relieve as we do. They 5 The French (simply formulate a barrage line 4 & form up behendit & go forward. Our line ws in 10 front of their barrage but we had to be clear of it by a stated hour. 50 We had our Bris p 152 an the 50 Bn (from abt 5 Central & moving round to Irly King East of vellage in 36C.8.3.) At I same time as 50 Bn were trying to do this we had to follow 1 line 15Bde on 1 et in 36d. Two top of 49Bn from Bois abbe were moved round by 1 main warpse Road, W. 1B. Fro the 15 Bdes right [ no 1N Souther 1515de of 42 E520 1Co 2 Sy ee )DnCC - is Cx S.B (Do8 631 1.9410 5752 50 FoeC 360 3 to 95000 S276 N IV. P515- 36d & 2o 89r 9 B3
warec VB This was started about 11pon /6 meet 52012 CC Ec x 1620 n 11pm (1351 guide at 11) Salisbury had started corder, By 12pan cry of 49th was on way and ov 18 N+ 112om, Coy of 49. I met guided by 2 am was in contact with 500 pettation on the railway. There was natroith from 50 Eam 78 150 50 remays on therulary. Fops attobe clar of Sand gone by 4an and soon ris e o27 B. by e am after the truch starled to form up and go through. 34026 491 DO Bn, wh had to advance io them, started a little before ten & ws held ap by 15 bli. C be E 620V. my fire upes 200 yes. aenh at his his wers mg 200 attestange lshs, we arre in toud wt roe 691. ar seand to be soiy old 2 49 78 or
rept large no of Iranc comngback wd. Also soe es 645 Co S 70r20 wip expitedins from Hanfard wood, sall going strang. also ig For 51 9 Hanjari reptd on line 50 Bn sd 41 Frank 50p 89 at 6.30 W. O5C8.3 Bo had no reason to think to any break betw 50 r 0 50 t had occurred 50 From then orewds edal get anythen definite abt 1 French 62 Trench Dwin reptd to they had a bo in 1 mont wood. 8.30 6y E1 1 (morocans N of aesly we stall were go aratly ox we were now inctod to make good ( ground from V6B5.0 6 830 i 2 P3104.5
ded went to be it ws a deadly moeent so s0. 50 Bn v0 sis S0C S0 is told to past out patrol wkin in coy w1 Dr. 157Bn r. 57 wentup to On to find I facts as they 9.30 Morrell & C0.C is S0p6.1 of were hard to ascertain 42 fn sd t pan at 1 mont ws not cleas, & tt 10.35 am. S7 but of 50 b wo coing back to explained 50t Lowdin He sa 30 veret in mont wod but in tacd i, uo ate line we much as before 5B Hrertehants, on sly sent of town stald to 13r. were feld up were o1 W Hank monesty kaogs m. S. tie &o ane cap t o 150 we wailirg on 1 m 50
rly to go foud when 1 To. add (Maj Forster) had Nortrgunt. Hauds 6 detaite an of r 50 or. to go kor w 1 auathers 50 or pr a little tates we got depaite word from off to the 8th &d leasson (oretly a bde) to they werent in 1 wood. But they adnt I+.(s. Zouaves know wheter ty were going to att or not. coming back from his recase decded t / condn of tis O.C yrs wdnot aliow him to carry out much more fighting A Ran we then drawn ap ttB Ble were to come to Irly line 16 F18152 in VI Br with left on rly wo alt. I wood from I west neV Sorsts. One coy to come thioup VB, sack end, w.0 ply. (Sherwor V.B 1. 6 on pant of to der clear aly tine reman fast. 13Bdey
hee the fores to take thes place in 6 51Bn (734ArD This padon attend is is t sent 2 Bois de L Abbe line. A companies to 1Cacky Switch & two to ke 3 Cachy 82, Bois CAbbe lives 51 Be is poobly 1 hardest hit. 570 They have but over 35 officers 6 P935 6.

86                                                                         33

( diagram with caption)

[*supposed tactic of

German Tanks at

V/B, April 24, 1918 *]

 

26th April.  went to 5th Div Hqrs in Bussy chateau

meaning to go on & see the 13th Bde. The Genl wanted

to see me & asked me to clear up, what I considered / trivial

matter of who shot Richthofen - ("I said the Auzzie, from my

little pozzy, I shot Richthofen" - the men have a rhyme on  it already)

 

 

 

86                                                                    34

[* While there I heard  of a story which was worth getting.

        The officers at 5th Divl Hqrs had one o / German prisoners

to tea - a nice looking boy. In / course of general conversation he told

Woolton Bruche & Goddard ? Goodland the following:-

 

 

86                                                                  35

 

202 Dw. 207 Regt/ Germ Lieut sd 3 Tanks attacked up by / rly ( in /

same direction.  They came along folld by inf.  Inf were fired at but there ws

v. little oppositn from / front line at all. The Ts. got astride the trenches & the

inf surrendered v. freely to them. He thought tt a gt deal o / 

success o / attack ws due to / tanks wh had demoralised / infy &

put / wind up them. The Ts moved along / trench o / front line.

He got  into the town & went thro' it with mgs &

ws in a bit of scrub. He didnt say why they cdnt go on.  Cachy

ws the objec                           Cachy

got into the scrub. when they saw /  Grs  coming at them they fired

at them but they dropped

He sd the Austlns kept coming on  vy finely      He had 4 mgs

 

[* His rgt also took

600 prisoners in /

fight, mostly

Berkshires*]

 

 

 

86                                                    36

He expressed his admiratn for them.  He thought they were vy good. He sd their

general had told them previously tt / Austlns were / best fighting tps the British had. There

were a no. of Gs in front of the chateau. He sd theor physique ws v.v. bad - they were not men - they

were ----  Gy ws spilling to much blood> All blood spilt on their side ws G. blood.

The Austrians didn't her much blood spilt  the Austrians were v. fine cavaliers, wore

v. fine clothes, & looked v. nice, but tt was all.  He had fought w them

in Serbia & had seen / Austrians there. The Russian fighting ws nothing

to this. He had fought at  ------ in the Russian offensive.

    He ws a fine type of man - gentlemanly. He ws v astonished at / way

/ prisoners were fed and look after. Nor cd he understand our people

looking to German wounded while / fight ws going on. The other offr also ws astonished

 

 

 

 86                        / British were definitely ascertained to be in /                       37

 They kept repeating this. They sd everyone on / other side thought they 

wd be badly treated. He had had no milk for a long time.   

 

 

 86                                                   38

13 Bde

When  / British were definitely ascertained to be in /

village on / southern edge of it the 51 Bm ws moved to support the 

53 Bn on / right flank, owing to / uncertainty of / southern flank.

Nothing was known abt tt flank.

     The French  ^don't relieve as we do. They simply formulate a barrage line

& form up behind it & go forward. Our line ws in front of their barrage but we had to be clear of it

by a stated hour,

[*  a vertically sloping line sketch  with the numbers from bottom to top

9  10  4  5  6  368*]

      We had our Bns  50⇢⇡ /51/52 ∼ the 50 Bn ( from abt 5 central &

moving round to / rly Xing East o / village in 36c.8.3.)

    At / same time as 50 Bn were trying to do this we had to

follow fill / line  of the 15 Bde on / rt in 36d.  Two boys of 49Bn

from Bois l'abbe were moved round by / main Warfusee

Road, N. of V/B thro the 15 Bdes right from/ N. Southwds

 

86                                              39

( shorthand)

                   Bois l Abbe

 

 

 

86                                            40

                 Warfusee

 

This was started about 11 pm  (to meet

guides at 11)   Salisbury had started earlier. By 12 pm coy of 49th was on way and

by 2 am was in contact with 50th Battalion on the railway.  There was no [[?straff]] from

Germans on the railway.  troops had to be  clear of French zone by 4 am and soon

after that French started to form up and go through.

 

[*  shorthand in margin 

1 met guides

1.50

3.406.20 *]

        50 Bn, wh had to advance, started a little before them &  ws held up by

mg fire after 200 yds.                                              [*French at this time were

                                                                                     all seemed to be going well*]

After barrage lifted we were in touch w / French.

 

 

86                                      41

reptd large nos of French coming back wd. Also some 

6.45.    Co 51

also mg enfilading from Hangard wood , still going strong.

7.5        50 Bn sd tt / French  at 6.30  reptd on line

      Bn had no reason to think tt any break betw

[[?gr]] and 50th had occurred.

From then onwards cdnt get anything definite abt / French

 8.30      French Divn reptd tt they had a bn in / Mont Wood.

N of the rly  (Moroccans) we  still were OK apptly

8.30    We were now instrd to make good / ground from

 

P 31 D 4.5

 

  86                                          42

[* didnt want to bec it was a deadly movement & sd so.  50 Bn ws

told to push out patrol wking in Coy w / Fr & 57 Bn

 

9.30 Morrell & G.O.C.  went up to Bn to find / facts as they

          were hard to acscertain.

 

10 .35 am       Bn sd c/push at / Mont ws not clear, & tt

                      Int offr  ws coming back to explain

     [*Lowden*]  He said / Fr werent in Mont. Wood but in touch w us abt

                  & / line ws much as before

 ? Northhants , on rly south of town stated tt / Fr were held up west of /

monument by heavy m.g. fire & one coy o / 50 Bn ws waiting on*]

 

  86                                                      43

 

rly to go forwd when / Fr advd & 2 Bn Northanst (Maj Forster)

detailed an offr & 50 or to go forwd w / Austlns.

A little later  we got definite word from  liaison offr tt  the 8th

        (practly a bde)  tt they werent in / wood. But they didnt

[*Zouaves *]

       know whether they were going to att. or not.

G. O. C. coming back from his recsse  decided tt / condn of his

tps wd not allow him to carry out much more fighting.

        A Plan was then drawn up  tt / 15 Bde were to come to / rly line

[*in V B*]      Bn with left on rly wd att. / wood from / west

Foresters. One coy to come through V/B, south end N. o /  rly

[* Sherwood*] on flank of 15 Bde & clear / rly line.  13 Bde to remain fast.

 

 86                                        44

To relieve the Foresters, 51 Bn, from 34 A & D, ws to take  their place in /

Bois de L'Abbe line.  This has been altered - it is to send 2

companies to / Cachy Switch & two to the   Bois l'Abbe line

51 Bn s probly / hardest hit.

                They have lost over 35 officers.

 

 

 

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