Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/197/1 - April - May 1918 - Part 2

9
be seen getting away 
w their guns. (It ws
now quite light). M.g.
fire also came from the
front from the Sunken Rd
betw Lagnict & Noreuil.
C Coy came right down
to that Sunken Rd, the rt
keeping N of the Vaulx Lagnict
road all I time. They had
a few casualties. When
they got to / Sunken Rd
from Noreuil to Lagnict
they were comparatively

10
safe. The Germs had bn
seen running back over
/ crest - also into / village.
Bn had bn there abt
1/2 hr when they found th /
Germs were working up
on their left flank. Lewis gun
teams were sent up &
made a strong post up
on / crest on^in / Sunken Rd.
The Coy Commdr, having
this post establd ws
going to make a frontal
attack on Lagnict straight

11
down the main Rd into
Lagnict from Noreuil &
Vaulx.
The ^last men were just
abt to move off (Anderson
ws to bring up / rear) when
the xx men ahead who
had run into direct m.g.
fire directly down / road
began to come back. They
had seen / Germs rushing
m.gs. from the village &
putting them up in positions
where they cd fire clear

 12
down / road. The fact of
the road branching into
a Y saved them - it ws not
dead straight. Several were k.
some others wd & they
came back by crawling along
/ road under / bank in 
/ mud. The C.O. led off w his
Sergt Major. In going down
/ road they met an unarmed
German sauntering up / rd
as if to meet them. He
ws lost in thought & only
saw them when 20 yds away.
When he saw then he turned
& ran - the C.O. emptied his

13
revolver at him but missed.
The Sergt M. grabbed a rifle
from / nearest man & ran
after him fuming & after / third
shot killed him. They were going
in single file down / road.
Till then no Germs had bn seen
in / village -possibly 
the shots roused them.
Probly they ^C.O. didnt know expect / village
to be occupied. The Sergt M.
rushed up to / man he had
killed & took all papers
from him. The Germs must
have bn flabbergasted at
the attack coming so quietly
& from this direction.

14
C Coy returned to /
Sunken Noveuil Lagnict Rd &
dug in till further orders or
till some further plan of 
attack were evolved.
They were digging in when
a runner came to OC. Coy
from Bn Hqrs th they were
to fall back. ^Afterwards it ws known that D Coy on /
rt had had severe casualties
-they had no cover & came
under heavy mg. fire - &
had to fall back so possibly
this is why C Coy also

15
had to fall back. It ws
now betw 9am & 10am.
Fortunately by this time a
little fine snow ws falling.
The men were sent off by
2s - scattered - mostly
up / sunken Rd wh ws
open to M.g. fire but / snow
to obscure / movement.
The Germs shot at them but
none were hit. Gilchrist
ws up here in / Sunken Rd then-
standing up on / bank,
wanting to know what /
retirement ws for - & very
angry. The Adjt. of 23^rd Bn,
Evans, had bn k. abt this

16
time by a sniper or mg.
D Coy had sent a report &
he ws going up to see
them w a runner when
he ws shot by a sniper -
near ^Bn H Qrs was in 
the Sunken Rd to Lagnict
from Vaulx/ll near Vaulx/V.
Evans was well up in 22D
or thereabts.
A & B Coys had evidently
bn held up; & C Coy Commds
ws (who reported back to Bn
HQ) ws told to support
A & B by pushing straight
towds Noreuil. The orders

17
to Anderson (who ws
last to get back) were to
lead across the Coy
towds Noreuil. They
didnt know how strongly
Noreuil was held or what ws
doing there; but tt they
had to help / other Coys
in / attack on it. C.
Coy moved down /
forward slope well
looking towards Noreuil
(in 15 A or B, 16 C). They
were under m.g. fire
from the NW corner of Noreuil

18
& from / high ground in 17
(N of Laquiet), all they the
way. They got touch with /
the Coy of 23 Bn on their 
left & lay down behind
/ ^many small manure heaps
scattered on the slope (near /
crest.)
-here / Germs began to
get onto them W 42
& 77s (shrap & L.E.)
the O.C. Coy & 2 other offrs
went forwd & made
a reconnaissance
running forward & then