Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/109/1 - May 1918 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066554
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

when are you going to let we have those bombs I w have indented for? Im afaid we cannot supply them, general, at present Ad the DAANY seated next to Samson. But B- it youve bloody well got to G them see - Weve got to have "en & I'm going to bloody well see We get em, stamped the Bdier. Bat, Ganeral, am apaid here are none available.- well I'm going to have em - undertain - & youve got to get em for me & get ei Quick.
strod Igenl. e out 9 17 Stanainy (cloor. The DAC MG least back in his chair as I door closed & turned to Samson A stout fellow, "he 5d- but Socially inpossible! Moyaur There is a beavy gun 6in for rather 2) behind Querrien wh bays every now & them at some ferman main road perhaps once in half an hour. we have a Sound ranging apparatus invented by an Australian from
8 Cattack says, Melbourne told 12 named Bragg – wh transforms sound waves into light waves & then works out the position & distance of any ferman ti fan So accuratel when Glasgows HArs other day ws hit be as high velocity Shell they were able to give Foench fun near by on Iely Irange of it t within I mins it ws silenced. The tunnellers tell me. tt there is a ferman order tt To accort are our sound sangig instruments to gans of long distance
are aot to fire singly Of course a number of detonations spoils calculations - it is impossible to distinguish the one gun in a barry for example. Malf 32d - Anniversary of Bullecourt. Went with Cultack to the forward Hers of 12t. Bde- in the Kly cutting this side of Bois Cabbe. The 48 On attacked at 2.2 am. They were not suspected & the ceatre got into wood, past I monument, & to 1 Chatean near 1other side of it. They were into 1 blo they before 1 germans, knew they 13
8 were attacking; & a leaison officer in 1 cellar sd 1 first be knew i an Austialian thowing down a bomb. He dodged round a battress, but he kings 1 Battalion Commander by him as killed. They took him & 1 Doctor (apstans) -mosto men there (ir out of 36 I teve ws room for nearly 500) prioner. But I flanks had bu met by a tremendous ig fere. MacDowell on I left got to I trench near other side of wood & as gig for 1 trench on 1Edge of wood when he saw fermans C.attacking on his right. He withdrew to
87 trench just inside 12dp owood & here Lawferma also gatering on his left as if to cut him off. Beig out of touch to left & right he withdrew to I near edge o twood. There he saw to there ws very beavy fighting going on on his right flank (in womansland I fancy)- & presently saw My man from there witdrawing. To he too withew. Cummanys (who fought his coy so splendidly on, when he Aft at Dirnancourt to refused to retire - disobeyed I first order go him by leane to do so) was killed; & Imley badly wounded. Or haion offw
16 French ws k; & French hacion off w us ws also killed. The arty fire ws not so heavy till afterds rtte Our contact place at 11 reported to Austialians outedxd were still i the farden west of the Caatean, & cat the Crosskds by 1 Crucifix I thence back to ot live. & termans gathering t Shellholes E of the farm as if to Cattack. The heavies were turned on. it was a wonderful feal getting back these prisoners; to the artillery leasson officer -one of the two offes out of the 22 provers - Eld an
English arty off at 12t 1dc Hars to they were always comin across these Australian Bdes. you have pulled our legs very well. besd; making us think th you have only 5 divisions - but we know better tan to- or words to teffect. He said to there were two ferman Bus in the 2000 yds attacked. Toe ad Guard Reserve Ballation of the Taeger Dion on I right; & the 20th Br on 16ff. Each had foue it three days ap at fullstrengt. They had 15 mg to each Coy (6x in all) & 2 M.G. Coys were with each Bn- of 6 gans per coy - that is 128
light & 24 heavy guns say, 1200 men wnall. This as Lease od, ws a very much stronger garrison than we expected in 2000 yds of font All I same - I think it is another case of the aselessness of small attacks As Cattack says - if 1 place ws wort pi for it ws worth attacking on a big scale He came back to Querrien I wrote a cable & brought it to Rollencourt. Here Lytton gave me a straf for having written to him as though he did not appreciate whatI Australians were doing & had done. I think my letter wh
19 ws written when I was angry over I case of Richthopn was wrong in temped but not so wrong as he thinks. Certainy bytton is seruralously sfair & generous. The Fyny lorps his agreed to Share I credit of Rich hofen with the A.I.F. They say 3 meehings were in range of him when a red maching was put down. Salwond has seen Birdwood today, I believe. I am off to B Din & his is written by roadside while Boddy puts in a new tube Two bbeautiful days - these 2airmin. CoDE t sham aerodomes. atection 1 to over it. 28. French scools (wilker) 4 cnsor e hdct Teberitip re Anwoy Precis will. Thatweft Duolds, SAsdwed

87
10
When are you going to let
me have those bombs I
have indented for?"
"I'm afraid we cannot
supply them, general, at
present," sd the DAQMG
seated next to Samson.
"But B___it you've
bloody well got to get have them
- see - We've got to have 'Em
& I'm going to bloody well
see We get 'em," stamped
the Bdier.
"But, General, I
am afraid there are none
available - - -"
"Well I'm going to have
'em - understand - & you've
got to get 'em for me & get em"
quick . .". . 

 

87
11
& / Genl. went strode out
slamming / door.
The DAQMG
leant back in his chair
when as / door closed
& turned to Samson -
"A stout fellow," he
sd - "but socially -
impossible!"
The youxx
There is a heavy gun
- 6 in (or rather 2) behind
Querrien wh bays every
now & then at some
German main road -
perhaps once in half an
hour.  We have a
sound ranging apparatus
(invented by an Australian from

 

87
12                                                            
Melbourne, I am told, Cutlack says,                       
named Bragg - wh
transforms sound waves
into light waves &
then works out the position
& distance of any German
gun so accurately tt
when Glasgows H Qrs /
other day ws hit by a
Ha high velocity shell
they were able to give
/ French gun near by
on / rly / range of it
& within 11 mins it ws
silenced.  The Tunnellers tell
me tt there is a German order
tt so accurate are our
sound ranging instruments
tt guns of long distance 

 

87    
13                                  
are not to fire singly.  
Of course a number of
detonations spoils /
calculations - it is
impossible to distinguish
the one gun in a barrage
for example.
May 3rd - Anniversary
of Bullecourt.
Went with Cutlack to
the forward HQrs of 12th Bde - in
the Rly cutting this side of Bois
l'abbe.  The 48 Bn attacked at
2.2 a.m.  They were not suspected
& the centre got into / wood,
past / monument, & to /
Chateau near / other side of
it.  They were into / bldg
before / Germans ^ there knew they

 

87
14
were attacking; & a liaison
officer in / cellar sd / first
he knew ws an Australian
throwing down a bomb.  He
dodged round a buttress, but
he thinks / Battalion Commander
by him ws killed.  They
took him & / Doctor (upstairs)
& most o / men there (22
out of 36 ) there ws room
for nearly 500) prisoner.
But / flanks had bn met
by a tremendous m.g. fire -
MacDowell on / left got to
/ trench near / other side o /
wood & ws going for / trench
on / edge o / wood when
he saw Germans c.-attacking
on his right.  He withdrew to

 

87
15
/ trench just inside / edge
o / wood & here saw Germans
also gathering on his left as
if to cut him off.  Being
out of touch w left & right
he withdrew to / near edge
o / wood.  There he saw tt
there ws very heavy fighting
going on on his right flank
(in Nomansland I fancy) - &
presently saw our men from there
withdrawing.  So he too
withdrew.  Cummings (who
[*Capt.
Cumming
C.E.W.B.
1936*]
fought his coy so splendidly on /
left at Dernancourt & ^where he refused
to retire - disobeyed / first
order gn him by Leane to do so)-
was killed ; & Imlay badly
wounded.  Our liaison offr w /

 

87
16
French ws k ; & / French
liaison offr w us ws also
killed.  The arty fire ws
not so heavy till aftwds.
Our contact plane at
11 ^ or later reported tt Australians
were still ^ on / edge of x the garden
west of the Chateau, & at the
Cross Rds by / Crucifix &
thence back to / old line ;
& Germans gathering in
Shell holes E of the farm as
if to C-attack.  The heavies
were turned on.
It was a wonderful feat
getting back these prisoners ;
w the artillery liaison officer
- one of them two offrs out of
the 22 prisoners - told an

 

87
17
English arty offr at 12th Bde
HQrs tt they were always coming
across these Australian Bdes.
"You have pulled our legs
very well," he sd, "making
us think tt you have only
5 divisions - but we know
better than tt" - or words
to tt effect.
He said tt there were
two German Bns in the 2000
yds attacked.  The 2nd
Guard Reserve Battalion of the
Jaeger Divn on / right; &
the 20th Bn on / left.  Each
had gone it three days ago at
full strength.  They had 16 mgs
to each Coy (64 in all) & 2
m.g. Coys were with each Bn -
of 6 guns per Coy - that is 128

 

87
18
light & 24 heavy guns &,
say, 1200 men in all.  This,
as Leane sd, ws a very
much stronger garrison
than we expected in 2000
yds of front.
All / same - I think
it is another case of the
uselessness of small attacks.
As Cutlack says - if / place ws
worth going for it ws worth
attacking on a big scale.
We came back to Querrien -
I wrote a cable & brought it
to Rollencourt.  There Lytton
gave me a straf for having
written to him as though he
did not appreciate what /
Australians were doing & had
done.  I think my letter wh

 

87
19
ws written when I was
angry over / case of Richthofen
was wrong in temper but
not so wrong as he thinks. Certainly
Lytton is scrupulously fair & generous.
The Flying Corps has agreed
to share / credit of Richthofen
with the A.I.F.  They say 3 machines
were in range of him when
a red machine was put
down.  Salmond has seen
Birdwood today, I believe.
I am off to 1st Divn & this
is written by / roadside while
Boddy puts in a new tube.
Two beautiful ^ clear days - these.
2 airmen [[shorthand]] share
aerodromes.
attack on V/B to cover it. ?8.
[*2 [[shorthand]]
6 Bde*]
French scouts - (walkers)
Treloar:  Tip re [[shorthand]]. Censor re Murdoch.
Wilk - what - wants                   Univey Precis
Donalds to Buy [[shorthand]] [[w op?]]?
 

 
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Robyn GRobyn G
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