Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/195/1 - August 1918 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066568
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

nalwal man er in thought they were firny at him. Te moment Co of over of first 2ind be ed see this; but by then. guns a be found here ws nothing to be o on straight bud done Bdier ar the ahead be reached a adnot a art such for atonde had noart had. we To be all. at started fis O German 2 tanks. on concentration 62 The left pank 3 were getting out o tank capsized This left S. Rd Sankin 6 tanks The8 had Bo
4 of SBn These worked to right 7Br tants worked right with them. They right cleared gradually All Bn port. & not one were knocked before they got into action on 7 Bn post - they may have reached actin on 88n owere near Rosieris port tanks there. Te knocker were too fast for cufy stewed of ahead lost direction & 104 6 2ight The tanks were told to to slow in order 35308 65 tes the but pace
reath too difficult for tanks bright see; no Smoke no arty oat antitant juirs least unhendered fori 41 them roar on reachin ranning due NrS. between Squares X 13 &14 Bn passed thro X 1 troops of 15 Bde. Ther thought they were on the Vanvellers Rosieres Ro wh we green line, but they were not Scauton was ag 13D9.5 he 20 b thought he ws at 4
reaching On the Ed betw Bn 14 came unde hea v. f. n fire from trenches ahead straight 2 enplede B3 X 14 (oy road to from S. outsbir Vanvellers. This wt abt 2.26 as p.m. over. Br took The lanks There had all sone. w 20 arti 0 com up thought Bdi 75 on Cine Laddig Green y a terrific 2 ohne of fine sen from the 28 where ereen aind was
Col. Herod Se saw the men take cover ahead well suickly. He ran forw HGrs on the Estat. ✓ house at the Xrd X13DG.S. At 2.40 Dm. Agos settled there post line ws on the 10ad. Herod sot up to the 20 of of the barn - he cdsee thro a hole there the ground on front the Da by the road & the germs on trenches
trenches of Tench. 81 immediately abead near the Vanvileers Rd. At first Herod thought this is covering fire from troops on guen line? The as bullets whisted he realien it ws 1ferms. In t first burst offices Capt Olonnor Cloe as badly wa The troops were just ahead of rd in any oth cover ws to work the tendency to fright. There ws to be no advance on the left 7Bn. Here as an exposed flank whwd
litchen died dw keep on getting worse. Therefore Herod decide to throw in Cloy to provide a defensive flank on 1 lep. toy came into action from nearer Kitchin to rh Cpt Olomn wod in ws badly followed fire which moveneng of this Coy but his log did splundin The left pont Coy gave coverig fire wh them kept ferm heads down fitchins 50 Ploanors Coy ti up a comparatioely few rasualties
(A fine example of the ase of covering fine). The Jermans left the left pont of 7Bn on this retired N.E mooe 7 X9 central towds up trenches working Co. cd see them - they had probly r. few casnatties This alld the left Coy to get forther ford. C got into old treches They in 15A (beyond the Arboc this was at 5. sole am The centry Coy Conginas pont Eoy now lep
18 pashed forward (after C. Coy had gove ahear we facing N) – out came under heavy fire from the Copse in 15C. I took nearly an hour before the ferms began todribbe out of this copse & the Centre toy was able to rush it getting S heavy I light & 13 & nip This WS. prisoners. a parade gid movement They engaged from prons. one pl sncake S. by
Section rashes another did I same Neds they then ins it together from 3 sides of good men But a lot were knocked out to Harris inchiding a v promising your Off who had been w On on Sallipoti, who DS killed. Harris w pl was getting right abeat very fast - the Co. remarked it to his brother the adft who ws waldhing by his side. Them the C.6 he ws saw him fall

9

& every man naturally

thought they were firing at 

him. The moment CO

got over / first rise he cd

see this; but by then /

guns cdn't be found.

There ws nothing to be

done but go on straight

ahead — the Bdier ws

xxx  cd not be reached

at once for such arty as

he had.  So we had no arty

at all.

The 8 German guns started

by concentrating on / tanks.

xxxxx  The left flank

tank capsized getting out o

/ sunken Rd.  his left 5.

The 8th Bn had 6 tanks.

 

10

of 8 Bn

These worked to / right

& 7 Bn tanks worked

right with them They 

cleared gradually right  off

7Bn front. & not one All

were knocked before they

got into action on 7 Bn

post — they may have 

reached actn on 8 Bn

front near Rosieres & were

knocked there.  (The tanks

were too fast for / infy

& slewed got ahead, lost

direction, & got to / right/)

The tanks were told to 

zig zag in order to slow/

pace — but the test ws

 

11

really too difficult for

tanks, bright sun; no

smoke; no arty & at

least 8 anti tank guns

unhindered firing at 

them.

On reaching / road

running due N & S between

squares X 13 & 14

xxx  7 Bn passed thro

/ troops of 15 Bde.  They 

thought they were on the 

Vauvilliers Rosieres RS

wh ws / Green line, but

they were not. Scanlon

was at 13 D 9.5 — he

thought he ws at 20 B

7.4.

 

12

On reaching the rd

betw 13 -14 7 Bn

came under v. heavy

m.g. fire from trenches

straight ahead in 

X 14 B & D (by road) & enfilade

from S. outskirts of 

Vanvillers.  This ws

at abt 2.20 p.m.

BN took cover. The tanks

had all gone. There ws

no arty.  C.O. coming 

up thought 15 Bde ws

on Green line; yet suddenly

a terrific volume of fire

opened from the rd where

/ green line was.

 

Col. Herod ran forward

& es  saw the men take

corner ahead well & 

quickly. He ran forwd

& estab. H. Qrs in the 

house at the X rd.

X 13 D 9.5   At 2.40

pm.  Hqrs settled there.

front line ws on the road.

Herod got up to the 

roof of the barn — he

cd see thro a hole here

the ground in front —

the Bn by the road,

& the Germs in trenches

 

14

— old trenches of French —

immediately ahead near

the Vauvillers Rd.

At first Herod thought

"This is covering fire from

troops on Green line."

Then as bullets whistled

he realised it ws / Germs.

In tt first burst of fire

Capt OConnor C COy

ws badly wd  The troops

were just ahead of /

rd in any old cover —

the tendency ws to work

to / right.  There ws to be

no advance on the left

of 7 Bn.  Here ws an

exposed flank wh wd

 

15

※ Kitchin died of w. 

16

keep on getting worse.

Therefore Herod decided

to throw in C Coy

to provide a defensive

flank on / left.

C Coy came into action from nearer

to / rly. Captain O'Connor Kitchin ※ 

ws badly wd in /

fire which followed / 

movement of this coy

but his coy did splendidly.

The left front Coy gave

them covering fire wh

kept Germ heads down

so tt O'Connors Kitchins Coy

got up w comparatively

few casualties.

 

17

(A fine example of the

use of covering fire).

The Germans left the

left front of 7 Bn on this

move & retired N.E

towds X 9 central —

working up trenches –

CO. cd see them – they 

had probly v. few casualties.

This alld the left Coy

(C) to get further forwd.

They got into old trenches

in 15 A (beyond the Arbre

/ Solé ) This as at 3.30 pm.

The Centre Coy (original

left front Coy) xxx  now

 

18

pushed forward (after

C.Coy had gone ahead &

ws facing N) – but

came under heavy fire

from the Copse in ^X 15 c.

It took nearly an

hour before the Germs

began to dribble out of 

this copse & the 

Centre Coy was able to 

rush it getting 3 ∧1 heavy

m.gs, & 3 light & 15

prisoners.  This ws

a parade grd movement.

They engaged from / front.

One pln sneaked S. by

 

19

section rushes – another

did / same Nwds;

then they rushed it 

together from 3 sides.

But a lot  of good men

were knocked out —–

including Lt Harris,

a v. promising young

offr who had been w /

bn on Gallipoli; who

ws killed. Harris w /

right pln was getting

ahead very fast – the C.O.

remarked it to his brother

the adjt who ws watching

by his side, Then the C.O.

saw him fall – he ws

 

 

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