Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/111/1 - May 1918 - Part 5

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102
Macn. saw they were Germs - dropped
into a shell hole & ran back at /
double - fired at several times - to
Reilly's post.  He told R. to send out
a strong patrol as it looked like a
c/attack, while ordering / rest o /
line to stop digging & stand to.
Reilly sent out a Sergt & 2 men.  The
Germs opened w a m.g. & wounded
all three.  One of them got back an hour 

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102
Abt 10p.m.
word ws recd tt 7th Bde wd be digging in
for 22nd on right.  At 11p.m. a body
of men - apptly abt 1 Coy - were seen abt
/centra1  / B 9.4 agst / skyline in /
moonlight standing abt.  Macn.
went out with a runner without drawing
his revolver to tell them they were too far
or else arrange to shift out himself (he had a
faint idea they might be Germs).  When
he ws within 40 or 50 yds the 2 leading
sections deployed, coming towds them. 

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102
themselves in _^forward of the objve line -
Gibson ws put in/c on left of rd &
Garton on rt.   A Coy under Be Mason
ws on right agn in touch w 22 Bn
& Gibson in touch w 24Bn on left.
24 Bn ws N of river.  Patrols were 
across this all night - up to knees
in mud but keeping touch. 

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102
he intentionally let them come past to
cut them off.  However, when / Germs
saw the sergts of 24 Bn they withdrew
as fast as they cd.  Donaldson hit
two of them on their way back along / road.
(Gawler & Mac alpine were hit
in Trenx abt 6.30am).
10p.m. A & B Coys moved out of
the Caterpiller & for 5th time in 24 hrs dug 

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102
Abt 6.30 pm.  Macn. ws in / village
going over to see Sergt Donaldson.  He met
2 Sergts of 24Bn very anxious - they sd
/ Germs were back in / village.  On visiting
Donaldson Macn. found tt a patrol & 20 men
of Germs had come up / road from
Morlancourt abt 6pm, & entered /
end houses in / village.
Donaldson cd have shot them but 

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102
He ws put out in line w Sergt Allen,
in the grass.
At this stage Lt Edwards C Coy
came up to report tt his pln ws ready
for any need - but Macn. on C.O.s
advice kept them at their original positn:
in  6B.
Lt Mason & Lt Gibson reported from
transport lines abt 3p.m.  Mason took A Coy
from Benny & Gibson reinfd B Coy. 

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102
holes in broad day light, relieving Deardan.
(Allen ws nearly kept in England last
November for being under 18, son of a
Western district farmer).  This covered /
gap between Macn.'s positn in X road
at KI B Central & the pln under under
Sergt Donaldson on NE Corner o /
village.
Another vickers gun offr came
up of 6th M.g. Coy w 2 guns, at abt 10 a.m. 

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102
Macneil:
When / Germ. shelling of the N. 2nd & /  Caterpillar
from the S. began (in Enfilade) Macn. moved
A Coy to the S. branch & B Coy to the E crossroad.
The plane came over abt 8.30 again - the
men were then well eno' dug in to resist
the shelling wh foled wh ws heavy & lasted
all day.  When the 3 Coys were being moved,
abt 8am.  Sergt Allen got out from the Xroads
& crawled thro' / grass & dug in from shell 

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had to be done he wd arrange for a
smoke barrage to be thrown to conceal
men making / line SE of village.
But it ws decided ^at a confce by / church by Bazley  & Macneil tt it ws quite
impossible to du reach this point
in any large numbers in daylight-
& L.Gs were accordingly dribbled
through the crop & dug in in shellholes
as mentioned above. 

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going & went up on / other side of / wall.
The Germs gave themselves up to some of
21 Bn & 23 Bn (2 offrs 23Bn were there).  R. ws
sure tt they had killed xxxxx x xx some men of 23rd after Germs
surrendered & so they were shot.
R. went to report to Sullivan & to
get his line out.  Lt Benny told him
tt S. had bn evacuated - B. instrd him
to take charge while he found Capt. Macneil
Bazley told Lt Benny tt if the line