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

2
Abt / same time the
rt Coy took the X roads
in 20 B with two heavy
TMs & _∧ 16 men a number of hospital
orderlies - these were not 

in action. They got well
ahead.
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hit thro / leg - but
bled to death. It ws
just as they rose for
/ assault tt he ws
hit - This pln rose
first - the others saw it
(as happens) & got up
at / same time (The
Germs cd be seen before
this getting away w
some of their m.gs.)
It ws a v. strong positn
[At / S. corner of this
little wood Herod put in
Cemetery, where abt
50 47 men were buried & a
memorial raised]
Harris himself ws carried back
by S.Bs. & buried at Bayonvillers.

22
It ws now abt 4 pm.
The guns on / rd were
still firing & beyond range.
(3000 yds away).
The advance ws continued.
The rt Coy took had taken the hospital
in X 21 C or D & at 3.35 pm
reached / road bend at
X 28 A 1.9 S.E of the
hospital & past the X rds.
They had little oppositn
- nothing like the left.
There ws. only one
large scale map per Coy.
The Rosieres Lihons Rd ws
leading the rt Coy always
further S. They were
already 700 yds S. of their

23
boundary, & 8 Bn
had swerved right
also. This meant gaps
& scanty troops on /
left. The left had also
lost heavily. The whole
aftn ws a continual
drone of m.gs. & the 
8 guns were still
shooting. The Germans
were strong in a line
of old gun positns abt
400 yds due E of the
Rd Xing E of the hospital.
The rt Coy ws in front of
this. it had already used
all rifle grenades & the 

24
only ground over wh
the usual outflanking
movements cd be made
was very open - / Germs
were in trenches.
C.O. therefore ordered
up D Coy. from abt 20
central - he cd see the rt
Coy in difficulties - at
4 pm D Coy joined B.
Lt Fowler commd. D
& took over / remnants
of B. [The _∧ Capt O Connor Commandr of B had
bn knocked early in /
actn before reaching /
hospital.] By using
rifle grenades they got
into / old gunpits - 

25
Fowler got all his
rifle grenadiers together
in a good positn -
Got in a volley & /
Coy rushed the gunpits
under it (using rifle
grenades almost as 
barrage). They took
3 mgs & 20 prisoners
here.
The Germ. retired along
trenches & we folld him
along / same trenches by
bombing. At 4.35 they
had reached in this way
(working up trenches for first
time) X rds in X 22 B1.4. 

26
This helped the centre
Coy. The enemy in the
old trenches ENE of this in
front o / centre coy, being
almost cut off, ran
over / top & the 7 Bn
shot 50, & captd 30 &
a number got away.
All Coys then pushed
forwd in this break occurring
for / red line. By 5.5
the rt flank was at X29
A.1.9 & a post ws estab
at X23 c.5.1 in an old
trench near a small tree clump.
& two or three posts betw
there & X17 c.1.3. They were 

27
now on / red line to
/ right.
For / first time we
were now able to snipe
at the batteries wh had
bn firing on / advance.
The Germs were thick in
a copse in 23A imd
in front of our posts (100 to
150 yds away - in a trench
running N & S.) Probly they were
trying to keep us off / guns.
The left Coy ws still getting it
from Germs in X 9 & 10 where
a lot of movement cd be
seen. The C.O. ordered the
left coy to make forwd to
/ red line keeping a pln 

Diagram. See original document
28
always to cover their
left flank. By abt 6
pm. they reached a line
(& estab. 2 posts) on the
NE face of a small
rise in X 16 B a little
W of the road. This ws
the red line.
At 6.30 pm Germs
c.attd the centre abt the
N of the X rd in 17 C with
abt 100 men but ws
easily dealt with by L.G.
At one time under cover
of m.g. fire / Germs tried
to get away the guns in
X 23 but the horses were
shot down & guns were
left. This ws before dark.

29
Lt H F Morison
x his brother ws k. later.
(prob: next day).
Diagram. See original document 

30
before dark touch ws
obtained w 8 Bn.
One Coy of 5 Bn
ws called on to form a defensive
flank as / Germs cd be seen
moving all / time in the
ground N. of the red line.
This Coy of 5 Bn ws sent
forwd to form a flank back
towds Vauvillers - Their
left got a little too far forwd
& Lt HC Morrison ws captd^x. /
Germs being in behind them.
But the 25 Bn came thro'
abt 8.45. The Flank of
25 Bn only got touch with
the flank on the Sunken Rd
wh kept the 5 Bn Coy in

positn till nearly dawn
- it had to attack next
day.

31
Since leaving at 8.30 am
the men had only / food
they carried w them.
(411 rations are still being officially
argued over because of
the iron rations being eaten
that day).
Abt 10 or 10.30 pm after
dark the men got a hot
meal (on wheels almost
to / front line) At 5 am. one
[* 10 Aug*] → coy ws taken from the rt flank &
placed on the left to allow 5 Bn Coy to
withdraw.
The next mg ws fine
w light mist.
3rd Bde passed thro
at 8 am. to take Blue line.
On Aug 9^th each man took

in 220 rds & 48 hrs rations.
4 ammn mules were sent
up (moving behind their Coys
- one mule getting into the