Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/192/1 - 1915, 1918 - Part 6

at once sent out a

patrol under 2/Lt MacNamara

& they pushed thro Lapin

wd & found it empty

as far as 14 B.87.7

(edge of wood).   MacNamara

stayed there & sent back

word.   On night of

Aug 24/25  w C. Coy they ^∧ A Coy

occupied the line along

the Rd thro the E end of

Lapin Wood.
 There ws an tre old

French observatn tree

w ladder etc in tt wood

- & from this on Aug 25

an observer saw the

Germans in a series of

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small posts, abt 12

in each — at trench

junctions & in / trenches

in 15A & C.   Each post

had a red X man, & 

/ men were wearing no

equipment – only had

rifles.  This led to / suppositn

tt they were Rear Parties

left light to get away.
 [The day of MacNamaras

patrol, Newth went up

to the NE edge o / wood

& from there / Germs cd

be seen still strongly

holding the trenches near

Pent Pylo ... Wood in

M 8 C & D.   They cd see a 3rd Bn

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patrol pushed back by /

Germs in this trench –

the Germs lined / trench,

got 4 mgs & a TM into

action.  (A few ^odd Germs were

still in Lapin Wood at this

time).   As ^∧ the 3 offrs & a

runner were only there

patrolling they did not

tackle the post – it

being desired to occupy

/ wood later after dusk.
 By next day /

Germs had gone from tt

post N of / Gully & 3rd

Bn ws in line w 4^th Bn].
 The follg day when /

small ^rear posts o / Germans

were spotted (abt 10 a.m.)

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patrols were sent out

along the two long C Ts.

N & S from the wood to

the little wood in 15A –

?Barthomel ... Wood.   No

oppositn ws met with.
 That evg we occupied

these trenches.  The

Germs were out of touch

here.  4th Bn handed

over tt night . . .
 From there Bn came

out.   It ws also uncertain

where / Germs were N of

the valley.

(*Take in unwounded*)

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4th Bn was out

at Vawx ^∧ Morcourt & came in

again about Sept

9 or 10.   They were in

the last attempt at

Peaceful Penetration

towds / High Ground in

8 Central -
 The coy which made

this advance (A Coy)

was practically annihilated

in this fight, losing abt

60 men (gassed, H.E., m.gs.)

& came out only 29 strong.

About 6 men were taken

prisoner in this attack.

They got onto / forwd slope

of this hill.  Some o / older

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men got into a sunken

road further down / hill

to avoid / shelling.  When

the rest o / Coy came

back they were overlooked

& stayed on there by themselves

& were captd when /

Germs got round them.

Most of them were wd.
The line from which

4 Bn attacked on night

mg of Sept 18 was the

same J.O line from wh

these posts were estabd.

The Bn started from just

N of Hesbecourt, in front o /

main rd – from / gully

w / ^old arty dugouts in it.

58

The mist & / smoke

beaten down by / rain

made / morng like

night – like a heavy fog

in London.   The arty

seemed to open a minute

early in front & / Tommies

to / left.  The left flank

of 4 Bn was ^almost as far down

the N slope as the Roisel

Templeux Rd.   Directn

ws kept w / compass –

& by keeping our own guns

firing right overhead (going

over / hill top the shells

only had 12 feet of clearance)
 Templeux was to

the left of 4Bn.   The first

trouble they met was in

59

the ^(Magcon) Quarries S.W. of

Hargicourt.   There the

smoke helped.  The German

ws firing into / dark

& cdnt see his flanks —

& the 4 Bn ws able to get

right onto / guns before

they cd see them coming.

The 4th Bn kept the line

very well.   Lt Robinson

(B Coy) (A Coy had bn cut

out after the fight for 8 central).

& the few remaining men

were att^d to D Coy as a

platoon) kept  struck the rly

from Roisel to Hargicourt

after passing the Quarries —

crossed it & Then

& kept it on his right flank

59

(The Germs in / Quarries

were simply firing bursts

into / smoke.   The

4th Bn cd hear / guns

& alta knew where they

were & cd come at

them from any directn

by / sound — & attacked

them from all sides).
[The total prisoners were

500 & 52 dead were

counted on 4 Bn sector.]
The 4th Bn had to go thro

Hargicourt.   They for  It

ws light – & / Germs were

in amongst / ruins xx

all over / place.

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sniping.   These were

men who had bn

pushed back out o /

Quarries etc for there

were no prepared

defences in / village.

Several men were wd

there.   The Bn worked

thro' the gardens, hedges

& ruins & a good many

Germs were killed there

& a few captured.
 Newth ws working down

the Templeux - Hargict Rd

with two scouts ahead –

one in each gutter – & what

men he cd collect behind

him, when a dog dashed

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