Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/108/1 - April - May 1918 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066553
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

(who lases had his ly borothen) Bno. one offe, f Nuttall ws in several of those fights on the wood side. o He balense of 50Bnformed (Support line att rooyds 50 r " 200 be hind the 6s a Dunny ihenigsht te ssedss had a pap & sent over & sot a e Beds. plor from 50 Bn under ht who has not be beard of 50 Bn e Claridge since but prot ol, w them here he filld a gep, amonpst, hep or on theis right ws estabd in the Hgrs Cachy Switch Hares were going up from the wood till I am. next morning asleast till Sam. M.J. fire wo coming from (wood. PISxn.
Jhey Hancoct aoin most of fire wo goin over theis heads there. The 3 ber Commdis. were pergonally endis of his Bno. Bro. Bdly yoplates then 50. Bn. 53 (when 30 Bn noved up in file, it wa woeggling in t te shelled S0 T0 file wrggling b arges. ] In post of the Eachy switch was apron wire Cachy of apron wh gauved bardeyg. was killed, here Kay Monamgent ws tog fag fom tire to see. In 1mJ, till Fan, ferms were still throning flares from (wood & fice ws coming from directe of Hangard wood. In dayught 1 Hangardex to fers, c he seen Krough 10 central (or from 10 ceult?) WES 100 Efter daylye some of firg were asembling ead o word 34 9 t attals sort a berg pan on t him f w. ig heing to in 34 to withdraw
fire on them when he sais some fors carryy a He knocked the y. 61 & the got on to the party & knockedall 3o of them. Tery yau " 30 buty bnenened teapd e 1y st on ty suies sot to m g. on to tim again. He pt his leybrokin in the heavy strek in Vattall 2S £9:4 the afternoon. There wo fairly, bat sniping all day. Abt 12. 30 C.Q. 12:30 CO. sent Hill to the line to get siteat. Halsway hae he ws hit in pai by a piece of shell. He came back & pave his regort hecd handly open his nouth & had to stop speaking at times. At this tind my dittknaw what we soing on on tle I hey took it it these people were well down thill. There uis a Coy of horcene2 word 12 bo of Devons in the Cachy switch very weak.
their -10 o ac people they cdsee. negte very seen att att 10 centl They took them for aJam. 25 Ao. 2d 10 L Commels, Somcone s0 I dout hick toe are tomniys taters tominy came back & sd he ws sniped from there. Before to a man came running back into Swith & said 1 ferms are efattacking. In each case they Cacby of were disbelion. Hower thy hed alok of ais booti seemed to be sean 25 of C.O. rangup ? Bile & tol Ken. Preanly came shiging o a llfe tales ti geras. seemed to be pallingng tn nigt. Scorlg afueds there came m f firefy m mg there. The CO rayg ap Bdle, told them they were ferms. Somcone- a S/bearer "St also came in a sd there we 1000 yes sapon rt o1 Bedfds. 1000 They shot at one planes o I ferm planes came up ? te didut fire. 42 Crty ws they put on to them. The pngs wery diging in there & walkhy
up & down on parepet. Coory ws asked by Salesbury to get his Corry. E Dickers funs ready & sworcestirs & others were told by him to dossane worc. d S. expected an attack fom here.) Denlon & f Wers togetherwhin Denton <99 D watter camely & witam & Christic, V.W. Someone asked for tanks- but before tanks cameap the flaase of truce came in to s Bedfs os sent him on to Bett Itone on 1sest wers not aae what we soung to heppe. Witham Prenly wo lonnic solout balled twod serns widul indortign E But 6.2 1 to they were 3ferms. The seris beckoned them on The tommies to tet se 23 2o Ed walched a moment & then they turned 2 N 20 300 The fers waned w a white flag. Ihey turned. The Gonnans opened fore 6 One (Tomny) yos pit Cory opined with his juno. Tnot then 3tanks an Cory up, ran accoss to the wire + took
I out into Nomousle ran up & down 1 line just behind 23 ferman line + tencame in. Most of ferns manned their trenches & 8 fired at Carto. Te larks were out terepatroling for att to mins. oudt In 1000 men were all waiting. The tanks were only senbout in to patrol. The 50Bn then got orders to they must try & push 1 ferus 401 out of the mont wood Bde asked if they co get up to the Mont. but S. told him of 50.67 C the fire tere - Im I fire wo to hagoy. ording were prensent to by 18 ).ol OC Lowain D. to get touch wet the 815 Bde Int. off to Lt Beresford There ws an orderthar 3 taples wd so thro 1E. end ofvillage tio wd go on to Mon. Ecleanit, one ws combact to hi 50 On 500 23
roBy ofte. r s take is fored to dis in. But tlstantes never turned up 1 -t Atter this te2 worthants tried to move from a support posite to set round, into I village as ordered & were and fired on very hearily by mys port near the Mont & Lork fit. Cpis toked very tie m a serman aback from thie mont. Durin afternoon; 2 After this C.O. got orders to see if he co clear Mont but deaded not to aft his Sdecited to deteginctin y t s 1 615 Bde by patrol after dark Got the left patiel yt Langsford th ugt Hale one- each patrol 15 strong. Eash patrol also had a 21 supportig patrol of 15 underan offr w a L. Juny. y15 L.9.
went down after dark thso Ivillage - found ferms there Hale is near the crossing He wrted over, ser wiha Xc un 36D. S5Bdi a little further North than they reported. 260 ws, getting a party ready to join us. Hecame 15 Bds I back to this pty & dropfed thim p ofrly thin placd two Hale posts beliven W Bdle & 1 ply westo road to te croasing as he W21 Xa 0. 2 gerans were there. patiol had pashed round between the Mont Langeto & Ivillage - found here were no germs between our left &f forly 6 &f the ame back & couucth up by sats &c left of toe bn wprily
Camalties offs k w m 14 or. 47 176 23 240. 25/26 wateen told to fill men in out these Beresford posts & colabl. a new line there consicting w 1 52nd on 2t & 5715 on les. o 2 57 Hales Pot t pte 57Bn. ws seven two Coyo of 49bn 6o more round Salisoury s. 49 o Ivillage guided by 1 15 Bole who brought them in the Nside. through 366 2 with Hale's assistetiese 2 coys under Capt. S6C Hales of 6. pushed & edald posts at Hallam Mc 49 Bn 36c posts from there 9½3 & 36D2.7. Hallambad 85 19ns between Irly & 57Bn. 875
Io Bn were to seving their flank in 1 morning w French 850 when they attacked the Mont. our barrys ws behind shans & thy stopted Our each advance entirely. Te French were not up when we started - the Irey 1503 were 150 yads behiald, late. They cameup to our line & stopped. Rest ws next to us on (nt. Thy wese 1500 yds 8 Gonaves 15003 deep but they did not go on. The French on 1 right did advance, cut the ferman in 2 10e 10 central on his flank & prished him out. Some of the Gonanes joudoes got as far as the X road by the Crucifix. The abtack got a splented w0 Gracefix sart & went wil in spite of ms fire in 10. cantral 25.15 i in 10 m la

86                                        88
Bns. one offr - Lt Nuttall (who later had his leg broken)
ws in several of those fights on the woodside.
The balance of / 50 Bn formed / support line abt 200 yds
^behind the 51 & 52.
During the night the Bedfs. had a gap & sent over & got a
pln from 50 Bn under Lt Claridge who has not bn heard of
since but is prob. still w them.  There he filled a gap amongst the Bedfs. or
on their
right.  Hqrs ws estabd in the Cachy Switch
Flares were going up from the wood till 7 a.m. next morning
at least till 5 am. M.G. fire ws coming from / wood.

 

89
McKay
Hancock also killed
86                                        90
Most of / fire ws going over their heads there. The 3 Bn Commdrs.
were personally sending off their Bns. 53rd Bde were later than 50 Bn.
(When 50 Bn moved up in file it ws wriggling in behind between the
shelled
areas.) In front of the Cachy Switch was apron wire
wh caused bunching. Kay was killed here.
Monument ws too far from there to see.
In / mg., till 5 am., Germs were still throwing flares from
/ wood & fire ws coming from / directn of Hangard Wood.  In daylight /
Germs. cd be seen NE & SW through 10 central (or from 10 centl?)
After daylight some of / Germs  were assembling east  o / wood
in 34 to withdraw. ^Nuttall got a Lewis Gun onto them & ws just beginning
to

 

86                           91
fire on them when he saw some Germs carrying a mg. He knocked them
out
& then got on to the party & knocked abt 30 of them. They ran
twds / monument.  He waited till they got on to / skyline & got the m.g.
on to them again.  He Nuttall  got his leg broken in the heavy strafe in
the afternoon.  There ws fairly, bad steady sniping all day. Abt 12. 30 C.O.
sent Hill to the line to get / situation.  Halfway there he ws hit in / jaw by a
piece of shell.  He came back & gave his report - he cd hardly
open his mouth & had to stop speaking at times.
At this time they didnt know what ws going on on / left.
They took it tt these people were well down / hill. There ws a Coy of Worces.
& 2 
of Devons in the sw Cachy switch very weak.

 

their - i.e. of the
people they cd see.
86                                                          92
Abt 7 a.m. 25 Ap. people were sent seen abt 10 centl. They took them for
/ Tommies.  Someone sd I dont think those are Tommies.  Later & Tommy
came back & sd
he ws sniped from there. Before tt a man came running back into
Cachy Switch & said / Germs are c/attacking.  In each case they
were disbelieved.  However they had a look & their boots seemed to be
German
ol C.O. rang up Bde & told them.  Presently came sniping & a little later the
Germs. seemed to be pulling up a mg.  Shortly aftwds there came m.g. fire
from
there. The CO rang up Bde & told them they were Germs.  Someone - a
S/bearer -
also came in & sd there ws 1000 yds gap on / rt o / Bedfds.
They shot at our planes & 4 Germ planes came up & they didnt fire.
Arty ws then put on to them. The Germs were digging in there & walking

 

86                        93
up & down on / parapet. Corry ws asked by Salisbury to get his
8 Vickers guns ready & / Worcesters & others were told by him to do / same.
S. expected an attack from there. Denton & S were together when Denton
came up. & Witham & Christie further N.W.
Someone asked for for tanks - but before tanks came up
the a flag of truce came in to /  Bedfs. who sent him on to
Witham.  Those on / spot were not sure what ws going to happen.
Presently two Tommies got out &walked twds / Germs evidently under /
impression
tt they were (?) Germs.?British  The Germs beckoned them on. The Tommies
watched a moment & then they turned
The Germs waved w a white flag. They turned. The Germans opened fire
One (Tommy) ws hit - Cory opened with his guns. Just then 3 tanks came
up, ran across to the wire & took
[shorthand*]

 

86                                            94
out into Nomansld  ran up & down / line just behind /
German line & then came in.  Most o / Germs manned their trenches &
fired at / tanks.  The tanks were out there patrolling for abt 10 mins. Our
men were all waiting - The tanks were only sent out
to patrol. The 50 Bn then got orders tt they
must try & push / Germs
out of the Mont wood
Bde asked if they cd get up to the Mont. but S. told him of
the fire there - M.g. fire ws too heavy.  Orders were then sent to Lowden
Int. offr. & to Lt Beresford to get touch with the 15 Bde.
There ws an order that 3 tanks wd go thro / E. end o / village
- two wd go on to / Mont & clear it, one wd come back to the 50 Bn

 

86                                                                  95

50 Bn

4 offrs k.

1 missing

9 wd.
86                                                                96
& take it forwd to dig in.  But their tanks never turned up.
After this the Northants  tried to move from a support position to get
round into / village as ordered & were imd fired on very heavily
by m.g. from near the Mont & South of it. (This looked very like
a German attack from the Mont.  During afternoon.)
After this C.O. got orders to see if he cd clear /
Mont but decided not to. After this S decided to do the junction w the 15
Bde
patrol after dark.  Hale took the left patrol & Langsford the right
one - each patrol 15 strong.  Each patrol also had a
supporting patrol of 15 under an offr w a L. Gun
 

 

 

86                                                      97
Hale went down after dark thro / village - found Germs there
near the crossing in 36D.  He worked over & got touch w / 15 Bde
a little further North than they reported.
15 Bde ws getting a party ready to join us.  He came
back w this pty & dropped them N of / rly. Hale then placed two
posts between 15 Bde & / rly West o / road to the crossing as the
Germans were there.
Langsfords patrol had pushed round between the Mont
& / village - found there were no Germs between our left & / rly
& then came back & connected up by posts the left of the Bn w / rly
 

 

86                                               98
Casualties,
             offs                   or.
k             3                       47
w            7                      170
m           4                       23
               —                      —                         

               14                    240. 
               —                      —        
86                                                                99
Beresford ws then told to file men in onto these
posts & establ. a new line there connecting w / 52nd on rt & 57th on left.
Hales Post ws w / right of the 57th Bn.
[*25/26*] Salisbury ws given two Coys o / 49 Bn to move round
the Nside o / village guided by / 15 Bde who brought them in
through 36c &  with Hale's assistce these 2 coys under Capt
Hallam MC 49 Bn pushed & estabd posts at 36c
9½ 3 & 36 D2.7.  Hallam had 8 posts from there
between / rly & 57 Bn.

 

 

86                                                                             100
50 Bn were to swing their flank in / morning w / French
when they attacked the Mont.  Our barrage ws behind / Germans & they stopped
each advance entirely.  The French were not up when we started - the
French
were 150 yds behind, late.  They came up to our line & stopped.
8 Zouaves Regt ws next to us on / rt.  They were 1500 yds
deep but they did not go on.
The French on / right did advance, cut the German in
10 central on his flank & pushed him out.  Some of the Zouaves
got as far as the X road by the Crucifix. The attack got a splendid
start & went well in spite of m.g. fire in 10. central
[*Zero ^was 5.15.*]
 

 
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