Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/112/1 - May 1918 - Part 8

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abt ^or before 5 pm Capt Montgomery
28 Bn came up to Maj Ellwood &
reported tt he had 116 men w
a large supply of grenades w
instrns to bomb along OG2 to
objve of 5 Bde.  He saw Ellwood &
arranged for cooperatn of
Stokes mortar wh ws placed
near Coy HQ abt 40 yds left

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5 men 150 yds up the Rienct 
C.T.  They were sniping at Germs
coming along O.G.2 & sd they hit
several.
When / German made his 
big rush in / aftn they all
got back (incl. 1 man of 18 Bn)
except one man who ws 
captd.

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& drove them back to the block
(blocks as here).
[Hand drawn diagram - see original]
Abt 10 am. Capt Ellwood went along the 
Riencourt C T & found a small pty of abt

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There ws a man of 22 Bn, 2 of
18 Bn, rest were 24 Bn.  They
estabd a block abt 50 yds
further than the C.T.
At abt 2 pm the Germ. made
a big rush, drove them past
the block & past the C.T.
Picket gathered all / men
available including 2 of 23 Bn,

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went along to the C.T. & worked
along it to OGI.  In this C T
he cd see the Germs coming along
O.G.2 to attack / party wh
he had detached to work up
OG2.  He sniped several of
these - 5 probly.  He joined / main
pty in O.G.2 & a pretty fierce
fight went on all / mg there.

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Bullecourt
May 3
When 24 Bn got in & found tt
5 Bde were not in L^t Pickett
went beyond / sunken rd up O.G.2
to right with a pty on his own
initiative.  He found abt 50 yds
along just on our side o /
first C.T. 3 Germs.  He k. 3

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L^t Munro ws an original man
of 24 Bn, left as Cpl. (not at Pozieres
but hit in front of Le Sars).
L^t Kopsen came in from 16 AASC
before Bullecourt where he ws hit.
Edgerton ws a 1^st reinft of 24 Bn.
Pozieres & Bullect
Mahoney ws an original pte &
has bn thro everything but Ypres.

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who is a crack rifle shot brought
down some - at least 10 or 12
were dead there.
When the 3 plus were withdraw
the 4^th Pln ws left to cover 21 Bn left
flank.  Abt 2 in / aftn under 2 sapping
of 6^th Field Coy they recovered the upturned
bridge & put it up opposite their centre
post (/ position originally planned).
They were relieved after dark.

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make 3 posts in the N bank 
to guard E 25 B (Egertons left flank)
while making these posts they
engaged an enemy post in /
bushes across / river & silenced
a m.g. there (some dead found there later)
With daylight they still saw Germs
amongst / trees & sniped them.
They hit at least 3.  Sergt Jock Cummings

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Col. James, seeing tt 21 Bn were
covering / front & tt the low ground
ws impossible had the 3 plns
withdrawn to the hollow behind
/ rly Bk where they lay in support
& refitted.
The 4^th Pln after Munro ws hit
ws under Sergt Collery.  He had orders,
if / bridge were not completed, to