Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/195/1 - August 1918 - Part 4

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

Page 1 / 10

trenches wh were very big) They reached red time One male wo bit that the tendon behind the bough but only lightly ambalences were sent up to Butto bs 8p. &wd were char I am. be Abt 100 prisoners 4 Tms. 2 grwps 4 Amg 14 LM go &egnipment. The guns out on ro ad had to be left to the 3d Bde. They weere still (The there next morni to ere 3 71
off wd. C Station R wife address Cheshine Walla by t Lchons 7Bn had At f this Coys attd ben under H Smith (H.C pnl 8 sen. when whous This ws on an ws taken. 4 loy Ofr. K. H. Harris 4 Poole. Hamblet andeat off- & cool in 4 action & calculati . He as wd in head while leading his ple of D Cvy (the las) a He ws puton stritcher (abt 4p) & Stretities pty fired on & H Scott. Hamblet sho F this heare He as a mother to his Buries at W23 438. 4. R. B. Puribrick M.M. Eaddy DCM. Plinoriginat bn Ross. wd Capt Packins boat ale Cor hoopitg Capt Kitchin d. later). Apt OCom 4 Fowler. H Smedl do/w
15 45 4 In Cgh erdo Russell whatter Toverner two days leter Kelle An Grant or k Somers b a shell in the support area iht at Lhons itself g offrs were lost Anderson wisewould Ciith +x Co ith Coy 19C in t ad Wo the a was a fight in ine 7Bns
bell Herleville 2 support. w0 in Re Bn thro the ot cam wornied this barra orl shell bit it one of whom 4 were pty a K. had Ba ao ap to Sr it marting wood after SBn had the gone They had some from Jems fam looses gs on wood toh the mopped up. Pearce 7di up DrH Coys It ws before p ta
supper Ws cought. 2offr or to 65 i in eoppin up 8 this one super sme all do Then stumbler on him betw 6& 7om A light 26 san tro Ni corner 8 wood This a fun man ws in near positi Whing in I very thick sowth ws at Supey a ben some distance live an wd ad He even 2 at fere te cle 100 men t cassed on o
in the NE Arney of woon gullncer it On night of 25/26 S Bn ws rett be in 7on tine Posts Estabd in the sonce wa rai for d or Dron push from A Bry of 8Bde. reld ten 30k offir the were lost i 88 offre 2 here 19
Lhous 3n Co Aug 9. On SBn WS in support to 8Bn starte I am ame from behind W/B. 220 pounds & 2deosations V1 BRd to warfusee then SE. arte formation of platoons betw. Marcelcave 8 Lamotte hear weencourt on to Rd again - ourd to tnsa Gillancourt 2 pm. a incervals Heard definite ttre that Coy to be reserve 6 Br wh we to suppt BBn a in ediate attack.
4 And th0 Cyve X23 An Col arich ane along on horse 5d you will be reserve Coy 8tn Bn support Bn to be put Objee et on thec the may 23A16 29 A o0 5 A+ At W1S then B3 into broke are formati phs with 2t on et Ane Co Co nearl 1000 ier Harbon Betw Rly ling came as light 9 shellin & broke into crty formatiof plaloous
(oy commo wd do this onhis own judget No casnalties All w19520. Here met fire of a 77 Bty firng over open sights from the Crepy Wood. crest near you co see the flast of t an then had for 1shells. Our own art tI Silent. The tanks were all knocked out by hise this time suns6 some of them were burning amun going off etc. This wd be just abt Sd Vanvellers - tanks every where. It ws
for the lanks balchery some men were wd. a shell missed tha coy ands by a foot. Capt Stobie) the Rosceres Aftry Ken Vanvellers R'd they came under light m.g. fire & it became clear to bet attack ws upatead. This ws abt To this pt the 3.30 P.m. abvouce had bn without Ba went abott. EC on straight Att pm. Stobie took posite in reserve up 4 posts in old grass in

32
trenches wh were very big).
They ^all reached the red line.
One mule ws hit thro near
the tendon behind the bough
but only lightly.
Ambulances were
sent up to Bn H Q by
8pm. & the wd were cleared
by 2am.
Abt 100 prisoners
4 Tms.
2 grwhs
4 H mgs
14 LM gs.
C.C.S & equipment.
The guns out on /
road had to be left to the
3d Bde. They were still
there next mornig. (They
were 77s).
 

 

33
wd. (8) offrs
x wifes address 19 Station Rd
Wallasey, Cheshire
Eng
At Lihons 7 Bn had 3 1 1/2
coys attd to 8Bn 
under Lt. Smith (M.C.) 
Got this
from 8 Bn.
This ws on Aug 11 when Lihons
ws taken.
 34
Offrs:     
K. Lt. Harris
Lt Poole.
x Lt Hamblet an ideal offr - v cool in 
action & calculating offr. He ws wd
in head while leading his pln, of D coy (the last
in). He ws put on stretcher (abt 4pm) &
stretcher pty fired on &
Hamblet shot thro heart.
He ws a mother to his men.
Buried at W23A3.8.
Lt Scott
Lt R.B. Pubrick.
Lt Caddy J (DCM, M.M.)
Pte in / original bn.
Lt Ross
wd.
               {Capt Phillips lost a leg in hospital
4             {Capt Kitchen (d. later)
Coy         {Capt O Connor
Comm   {Lt Fowler
                  Lt Smedley d o w.
 

 

35

Lt Russell
Lt Whalley
Lt Taverner
two days later
Kelley   } k. on Aug 4
Grant    } by a shell
Somers} in the support 
area,
In fight at Lihons itself on
Aug 11 No offrs were lost
Anderson
Wisewould  (MC in this
Smith Coy Comdr.
(MC in this
All came thro!
The 9th Aug. was the anniversary
of 7 Bns fight in Lone Pine.

 

7Bn 36

Herliville.
7 Bn ws in support.
the Bn got thro the 4am
barrage & wormed thro
it - only one shell hit
a pty of whom 4 were
k.
Bn had to mop up
part of St Martins
wood after 5 Bn had
gone thro! They had some
losses from Germs firing
mgs in / wood wh they
mopped up. Lt Pearcey did
well mopped up (D & A Coys).
It ws 7pm before / last 

 

37
sniper ws caught.
3 Offrs & 65 or. were
got in mopping up - 
this one sniper sniped
all day. They stumbled
on him betw 6 & 7 pm.
a light rly ran thro /
NW corner o / wood. This
man was in a snug
positn near / line in
the very thick growth & ws
sniping at a bend & /
line some distance
away. He wd not
fire at men moving 
close to him.
100 men were
gassed on mg of Aug 25 

 

38
in the NE corner o / wood
& / gully near it.
On night of 25/26
5Bn ws reld by 7Bn in
line & posts estabd in the
rain some way forward.
for 5 Divn to push from.
A Bn of 8 Bde reld them
(30Bn).
4 Offrs 133 men
were lost in this
(2 offrs & 88 men
of these were gassed).

 

39
6 Bn Lihons.
(C Coy)
On Aug 9. 6 Bn ws
on support to 8 Bn.
started 8am.
Came from behind V/B.
220 rounds & 2 [[deporations?]]
V/B Rd to Warfusee then.
SE.
Arty formation of platoons
betw. Marcelcave & 
Lamotte
near Wiencourt onto
Rd again - on rd to 
Gillaucourt (2pm) in plns at intervals.
Heard definitely there that
C Coy it be reserve to xxxx
6 Bn wh ws to support
8 Bn in an immediate
attack.

 

40
Objve line thro X23 A&C
Col Ulrich came along
on horse - sd you
will be reserve Coy,
support Bn to 8th Bn
Objve - he put it on
the map thro
{ 23 A & C

{29 A&C

{F5 A&C,
At W15 B 5.7 they
broke into arty formatn
of xx plns with rt on
rly line - coy covered
nearly 1000 yds.
Betw Harbonnieres
& Rly line came under
light 5.9 shelling & broke
into arty formatn of 1/2 platoons 

 

41
(Coy commdr wd do this
on his own judgt).
No casualties till
w19&20. Here met fire
of a 77 Bty firing over
open sights from the
crest near Crepy Wood.
You co see the flash &
then had to wait
for / shells.
Our own arty ws
Silent. The tanks were
all knocked out by these
guns by this time.
Some of them were burning
ammn going off etc. This
wd be just abt S of
Vauvillers - tanks
every where. It ws
 

 

42
butchery for the tanks.
some men were wd.
a shell missed the coy
Commdr by a foot.
(Capt Stobie)
the Rosieres
After xing the Rosieres
Vauvillers Rd they came
under light m.g. fire
& it became clear tt /
attack ws getting  xx held
up ahead. This ws abt
3.30 p.m. To this pt the
advance had bn without
a halt.  C Coy Bn went
straight on.
Abt 4 p.m. Stobie took
up positn in reserve
in 4 posts of old grass
 

 
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