Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/195/1 - August 1918 - Part 5

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

Page 1 / 10

grown trenches a little of the vanvillers aheat Rosieus Rd. Tere were also newty dug german Amun pits (uncovered still howd abt wd Tese 5 ne ws stable Positu Pm aft here till seemed unable 8Bn as i advan ec 5 the t reported doe in to No 10 pl of Cloy thrown into an 653
Deoy advance with on lef poutf Bn. Ther nr a little in port 0 a Marry wood (prob Smal in 2833 The the on the He germs hill crest on woods atternately. seen cd be reinforcen whichever tir line wh part of moveng from atacke du Boio dubre Coin the wood o 2 vce versa. 5 in seemed to be here. Tvey mantities. in P.m stoble wait at
to Canadians acro whose front hine posts were only lvel with his Sr Side of line on just ahead of rle He conot Rosier advance them et tho here a at oppositi 8 Bn Et flank of open dongeroasle w& a Ao 9.30 p. wS posite Cha <of noon begin C Coy a support up B loy to its it with ung not No did 10 p return
two Where OBn on re e Aug support forme Where be Coy 8tn Aug 11. 8 am & till Aug 10th when ran approx line 8.9 to N8455 27 D This was an old C.T.& He pont line at this abt ws 600 7ds time an ott lne a ahead abt parchd of trenches the night Durin H. Coy cameback D from the port line where they had bn helpi Br. Bey fored a sport tine very close bedind C& Bread moring operation for the
Asualties So far Coys 34. S wd. were Wight absoltily on both sides. guest early on my touch aued with D Bo on ws tage fof appeared loft Leavy A at day break but clain few hours after a Exeeyone as praying this fof stay for Am. 30 Ag preparety for attack ah had b2 an arra Early complete nyl were DC When barr open am 74S Coy
2 over 26 on went Straight into order extended opening they a T went a Establish soon lin Fo perfect atin 0 ws Coy of have tinc plus iid to 4 with pont a On 300 t6 46 ds t between li Coy H Edtind in h ws strengtei it. Four 44 15t Lin 5in second an E to Each plu & 1 to Coy Hgrs
Your wys over had often own no of en were almost Riflen pont ane with adm one Lg team per pl. L9. Amm Coyter Other heie 2 in Sa form ation Bloyweim e cn boy 200 clar Si in some what formate. Sheliy Therea 20 first at o 0dd bullets flat the open while crossay 2mns At Geromunns two to 8) they passed posts occapie by 8Bn abuost at once an intense my fire openis.
Br fer 80 1500 11 He it ws flank Joyds in the aers on Rb Cing. Fire came from pont Sides both At X28DS0 the ferman post ws quicks first way up slope, in a truch in open hal by C.s. from hip Selenced Phi Osborne, sot in m for this). So far advance soing straight on. wes still From this post mt fire doabed & camatties heavy. Two offes becaue &Neil Malgh McLachtan RC. Pashendally) was killen & 2 Hitchcock M.G. D.CM MC Merris bat wd (D. C.M. Gallipori The Bn besan advancing by short rushes with supportug
30 heav e Jonflin old & bf opin stobit Cost s 6 lett B (they do it antomatins fird sole object to shut up what is coming from ahear a splenkes example the fire-fiht to Within edge o 100 yds of wood on crest. (wood in B adva Here the bels up we definite from m.so fire by sides - worse from al et flank. The barray on good at first Dat but nowws very very 10 shells a minate their whole perhaps on wood notin like end to keep down fire. Te erg con touch with S Bnor on it
The posite as on ws in previous Sketch page. had a The ferms fire superious great CCoy in the open taken cxested what little cover ws in a daugerous posite of inprionty own t heavy casnailtiest D Coy just reaching ferman post first taken by C. EStotie signalled back but as it ws too difficult to attract attention went back & got one pl of Coy to build up lep of one pla to buit up o just as the first plu got there & opened fire (C Coy meanute

43
grown trenches a little
ahead of the Vauvillers
- Rosieres Rd. There
were also newly
dug German Ammn
pits (uncovered still).
These wd hold abt
6 men.
Positn ws stable
here till abt 9 9pm
as 8 Bn seemd unable
to advance & it
ws reported tt they
had dug inn.
No 16 pln of C Coy
ws thrown into an 
 

 

44
advance with D Coy
on left front of Bn.
There ws a little
quarry in front of a 
small wood (proby
the one in 28B) 
The Germs whe on the
woods on the hillcrest
cd be seen alternately
reinforcing whichever
part of their line ws
attacked moving from
Bois Crepu   Aubre Coin du Bois to the wood
in F5-B & vice versa.
They seemed to be here
in quantities.
At 8p.m. Stobie went 
 

 

45
Diagram - see original

46
across to the Canadians
whose front line posts
were only level with his
line on the S. side of
rly - just ahead of
Rosieres. He cd not
get them to advance
tho there ws no
oppositn ahead & the 
rt flank of 8 Bn
ws dangerously open.
At 9.30 pm a 
change of positn ws
begun - C Coy moving
up & forming a support
line with B Coy to its rt.
No 10 ptn did not return
 

 

47
X
Where we found
reserve Coy 8Bn on
Aug. 11
Where we found support
Coy 8Bn Aug 11.

48
till 4.30 am Aug 10th.
when the line ran approx.
X27D8.9 - to X28A55
This was an old C.T. X
The front line at this
time ws abt 600 yds
ahead in an old line
of trenches abt parallel X
During the night
D & A Coys came back
from the front line where
they had bn helping
8 Bn. They formed a
suppport line very close
behind C & B ready
for the morning operation
 

 

49
Diagram - see original

50
C Coys Casualties so far
were 3k. 5 wd.
Night absolutely
quiet on both sides.
Early in mg touch
ws gained with 5Bn on 
left. A ∧ fairly heavy fog appeared
at day break but cleared
after a few hours -
Everyone ws praying
for this fog to stay.
At 7.30 am. preparations
for the attack (wh had bn
arranged early in the
night) were complete.
When barrage opened at
7.45 am. B & C Coys 
 

 

51
moved out. They
went straight into
extended or div opening
as they went. They
soon established a 
perfect line formatn
of C Coy ws one wave of 2 lines
with 4 plus in line
on a frontage of 300 yds
50 yds between lines
Coy HQrs ws in 2nd line
strengthening it. Four LGs
in 1st Line, 5 in second.
(2 to each pln & 1 to Coy Hqrs)
 

 

52
Diagram - see original

53
(Our Coys often had over
own no of L.Gs.)
Rifle men were almost 
all in front line with
one L.G. team per pln.
Other L.G. team & Coy HQrs
in 2nd Line.
B Coy ws in same formation
D Coy 200 yds in rear
in somewhat similar
formatn.
There ws no shelling &
only odd bullets at first
while crossing the open flat.
At zero minus 2 mins
(2 o 8) they passed thro
posts occupied by 8 Bn
& almost at once an
intense m.g. fire opened.
 

 

54
Diagram - see original

 

55
The rt flank ws 700yds
in the air, on Rly line.
Fire came from front &
both sides
At X28D5.0. The
first German post ws quickly
half way up slope, in a trench in the open
silenced by L.G. from hip
(Pte Osborne, got m.m. for
this). So far advance
ws still going straight on.
From this post m.g. fire
doubled & casualties
became heavy. Two offrs
McLaught Lt Neil McLachlan M.C.
(Paschendaele) was killed
& 2/Lt Hitchcock M.C. D.C.M.
badly wd (D.C.M Gallipoli MC Merris)
The Bn began advancing by
short rushes with supporting
 

 

56
 Diagram - see original

57
fire
(they do it automatically
- Their sole object to shut up
what is coming from ahead
- a splendid example of
the fire - fight) to within
100yds of the edge o the
wood on the crest. (Wood in
F5B).
Here the advance
ws definitely held up
by m.g. fire from
all sides - worse from
rt flank. The barrages
had bn good at first
but now ws very very
thin - 10 shells a minute
perhaps on the whole
wood nothing like eno
to keep down fire. They
were in touch with 5Bn on
left & B Coy on rt.
 

 

58
The positn ws as in
sketch on previous
page. The Germs had a  
great fire superiority.
C Coy in the open taking
what little cover exists
ws in a dangerous
positn of in priority owing
to heavy casualties.
D Coy just reaching German
post first taken by C.
X Stobie signalled back
but as it ws too difficult
to attract attention went
back & got one pln of D
Coy to build up left of C.
One pln to build up tt of
C just as the first pln got there
& opened fire (C Coy meanwhile






 

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