Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/196/1 - August 1918 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066569
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

wgod t ats aton 1 trameay. into y struck practically ao opposite in 1wood. In the feets whihe they were eiting for bernege to life there ws fou an ot pane (of gerean Goldaten feem). some a dige of 7 Br started to play onsians there during (want went on whichI mu on ap 1othn sidde. ws faing Br bit dimple cin Tere ws of a
wood here was te neas Bedge wait uts where p. lifter it starte 6 C0 When barrig on far, side of an fully up fill if there they fam (Cank an o valler finng at dugonts i in wh ferns were. 0 hill w sids These erus were being capte for days afteriods of some of the 1st fromin for Br were waiteng here aftwds German to Pig themseles out - the ad hear them diffing odbe
no or a fathique). street S Bn wh ws very rige Opposite pom they On A top sleep indeed had to wait a few mintes fer the kight to coig up when fet came up the left went o 5its ofive aleed of line of gtr. trenches + goords short of the roard (he exct objie as finally apranged)& occupied ot Fench truches there. a comple of feran Feeto Bakery gec
risped a by 7/2-773 were found there (Jerns, beautifully camonflaged etc. fut. fit to give a back burat. acretation A couple of tare turned apt (geres by Bde T.H. with plenty of ammo. Objr ws reashed I mis after lig land down - 95 mns instead of 90. On Aton barrage ws padt whole way. Touch ws kept wit to loar (w 2o ford 4 Bnall (tie
Castalties Ast. CSullivan wd as above (d. of w. Aloy. 2d. R.O.D cominy back after Book Ex hs from Ressiy Sta as opp. B. sbgall fadoed on my of any Cneron C. Mekin god in (heavy gas boub by direct sit by gas shell (one leg amputate then other & he dof w go hes d. Te Engres were on gob and they fot thre & (w a Soppn had made a dumpi jully & brought up a list of streff within 4hr of the finish of attack FA4 were quickly up in frost lind. K. w. short period in toally & giver after grossing tere were Aer ttack stoppe E7 from S.E pount blank firing The germs must have & ooe mg. to threre. come back (as above) Barke. aterlattac Kophe own Copke Who ward across gitties wd fusbefore 6 Herris 6d) near (first od& (wood Cappe ws ad aper end of attack Ealeny font Coy B 61
biy most I gas bombe Bn fa it. port lig ws ahead [A cpt. & another were sent down two Field Bakery Germnans w By t trache n lers they had so germ o them this in sood Arty wo very ito fight; S Bu gave fet BA - ong of Capture yewrs. dlont Enjoy men naturally Te in find they were but San over top They were start how when Spirits
Eearettes all waiting for 1 Garrage (w as soon as Iburrag & malched ready. these cip. came down, they At all Cot of as usual went o like schoolboys. one young ferman handed his odn. ciarette case to one of oar. the Serman a ferm of imedately shot tho head to his revolver. Te off ws and. There bayonettes by two of our men. about this. no doubt

77
into / wood w its rt on / tramway.
They struck practically no oppositn
in / wood.  In the huts while they
were waiting for / barrage to lift
there ws found an old piano (of
some German Soldatenheim).
A digger of 7 Bn started to play
on / piano there during / wait
and / music went on while /
Bn ws going on up / other side.
There ws a bit of a dimple in /

 

78
wood near / E edge & here was the 
wait & / huts where / piano ws.
When / barrage lifted it started to go
up / hill.  ^on / far side o / main gully. Here they found /
tank
in / valley firing at dugouts in /
W side o / hill in wh Germs were.
These Germs were being captd for 2
days afterwds- some of the 1st Pioneer
Bn were waiting here afterwds for /
Germans to dig themselves out - they
cd hear them digging (they wd be

 

79
on a fatigue).  5 Bn struck no
oppositn from / ridge wh ws very
steep indeed.  On / the top they
had to wait a few minutes
for the right to come up.
When rt came up the left went
on to its objve ahead o / line of old
trenches - 200 yds short of the road
(the exact objve as finally arranged) &
occupied old French trenches there.
A couple of German Field Bakery men

 

80
were found there & 2-77s rigged up by
/ Germs, beautifully camouflaged etc. but
fit to give a back burst.
A couple of TMs were taken &
turned agst / Germs by / Bde T.Ms.
with plenty of ammun.
Objve ws reached 5 mins after /
time laid down - 95 mins instead
of 90.  On / left our barrage ws good /
whole way.  Touch ws kept with
4 Bn all / time tho lost w / rt  for a

 

81
Casualties
A Coy   Capt B Sullivan wd as above (d. of w.)
              Lt Booth wd.  R.O.D coming back after
                            24 hrs from Dressing Stn.
B       as opp.
C       Lt Cameron  slightly gased on mg of Aug 24
          Lt Mekin  wd in heavy gas bomb by direct 
                       hit by gas shell (one leg amputation
                        then the other - & he d of w.)  on
                        Aug 25 he ws wd.
The Engrs were on / job imd they got there &
had made a dump ^w a g.s. waggon in / gully & brought
up a
list of stuff within 1/2 hr of the finish of attack.  T.Ms
were quickly up in / front line. 

82
short period in / valley & just after crossing
it.  After attack stopped there were
2 77s firing point blank from S.E
& one m.g.  The Germs must have
come back to these.
K. Burke. (as above)
W. Lt Copke Kopke (who went across to B Coy ^after
attack owing to
Lt Harris wd. near / first rd & Gillies wd just before
entering / wood-)  Copke ws wd after / end of / attack
B ws rt front Coy.

 

83
In / gas bombt most of 5 Bn being
in front line ws ahead of it.
[A cpl. & another were sent down
w / two Field Bakery Germans.
By / time they reached Bn HQrs 
they had 20 Germs w them.]
Arty ws very good in this 
fight; 5 Bn gave 1st DA one of its
captured Germs.
The men naturally dont enjoy
going over the top; but they were in fine
spirits when / show started.  They were

 

84
all waiting for / barrage w cigarettes
& matches ready.  As soon as / barrage 
came down, they all lit these cigs.
(as usual) & went on like a lot of
schoolboys.
One young German handed his
cigarette case to one of our men.
A Germ. Offr immediately shot him ^the German thro /
head w his revolver.  The offr ws imd.
bayonetted by two of our men.  There is
no doubt about this.

 

T1
Duplicated
do not Photostat

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