Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/200A/1 - August - September 1918 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066576
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

at Senoegu were dealt a same way as before For example - the moment one gan ws seen a shot ws put in, one ferwan K. & they were at I same time called to see did so at once. The morale ws a lot lower than on the I an were very frighteng rem which past & asking After getting ove top they went thro grand riel woo 65 stumps & bi logs undergrowth. Abt here a mg, part 9) of our
san/ t a wef. The germ surrendered at on came rean tall Exc. One ferman who stayed behind men were that these i ferms for their arm when I rema wele But a stick boart wt medst of PaStrong ws k by this 81 Gern XX twa I man de he sew out. Strongman was altach as the 5th man 01 part mopping up pty wd The 90 in parties -as a matter facts whot 4
15 par his of thes 46 were found i wood - Galaus pty w ws going thioI middleo wood came in Imobleof wood on abt 25 ferns without arms who had run back + were heding behin I logs there ws looking at his may looked up I hilt to see a tine of red capbands peering at him over Eoq. He got down & up his revolver. Up weat a row of firm hands all together. It
sty only couses the obyews 450yds away st There as another pt abt 15 in 1 who threw al then ares as as te sais oo The objic us just on our side of Caution Iaponts. They came under heavy my. fire from lout & Grahum ot his dig pty todis there. li eprotecty digouts by from those bent along Slope
I Capt to his left Tullock, also to a libl pty of abt 4 men- ithn case wereto resto1 Coy with them All 1 time (rest of coys were coming up in little groups When praham got back be found tt & McKinley MM (MC after this) & H Nishot had arrived & an attack ws going on agst- Cantion dugont. AL. yum or of 9Bn (who get to re or DCM.G (Taylor) w. overin (dujonts to his
it as he -you advanced on it cdut see I targit unless you did tis, not Even sop down Others of UBn work round these dupouts & they ot there 3 heavy mys Light mogs 2mpofr. an auti tank gen Abt 25 germs were got out of dupont. Taytor of tother side of trench parados & on spraged into it. This rated Th nearist dived for thim. diouts
By this 1C were in posite ready to move thro. Barrage remain on the point for an hour all the mofes & m were turny onto I Germs y a Vickers wg.S ty Vickers mg. Offr wed there & Itokes mortas men From Villeret & from 1000 British line in front on 1 hill mys, were fering on our troops during th wait. The weather ws clearing & 1 Gerns cd see. Te T.M. men Cd & were ie the wp the maps out turning theme them
10Bn aftends a number of Leavy on that of soute hel Caution Dugonts were on the E slope of the knuckle. on its et poutnes on hill opposite was a by gun sticking out an dinch gan. The Quarry ws another Pooyds head of that gan et flank w This O Llefplankt just in pont Objic ws Of Caution duponts on 1less 1 first opposity
Carpeza Copse. There ws0 wfs post there holdly them up where a C.F. trench ind another trend Serft Muldoon who struck it ws k just as he to Cot Nelly took charge of section & worked from ot flank to bombs. Werther cd see 1other except I flash 61 gun. As soon as our ferman to his 2 fin d is towar it too ery ti bursts ept to draw the fire of these while a party worke
bs were fws rasked. Nelly ws the Cpl. cn/c of the section organised the attack Theor gans were holdi up Deb part of DCoy & ACoy has nopping up behied was held up also & joing them. Halahan Led bu k by a shell just before - parto light barrage wh ca H Cohin ws pla of Alor Right on 1 objic the under heavy left came in fire from villeret & the redgs opposite where the

69

The m.gs. at Fervacque
switch gas were dealt w
in / same way as before.
For example - the moment
one gun ws seen a shot ws
put in, one German k. &
they were at / same time
called to surrender. They
did so at once. (The morale
ws a lot lower than on
the Somme - they were
very frightened running
past & asking "which
way".)
After getting over /
top they went thro
Grand Priel wood -
stumps & big logs w
undergrowth. Abt here
a m.g. party (L.G.) of ours

 

70

came on a German post
with a m.g. The Germs
surrendered at once &
came running out all
exc. one German who
stayed behind. The
men were going thro these
Germs for their arms
when / remaining German
put a stick bomb into
/ midst of them.
Pte Strongman ws
k by this & / Germans got
away including / man
who threw / bomb. He
Strongman was attached
as the 5th man o / party.
This mopping up pty wd
go in parties - as a
matter of fact / whole

 

71

advance was by
parties of this sort.
Abt 40 Germs
were found in Gd. Priel
Wood - Grahams pty wh
ws going thro / middle o /

wood came in / middle o /
wood on abt 25 Germs
without arms who had
run back & were hiding
behind / logs there.
G. ws looking at his map
& looked up / hill to see
a line of red cap bands
peering at him over /
log. He got down & up
w his revolver. Up
went a row of German
hands all together. They 

 

72

were sent off to / rear
without an escort (the
pty only consisted of
5 & the objve ws
450 yds away still).
There ws another pty of
abt 15 in / wood who
threw away their arms
as soon as they saw
/ pty.
The objve ws just
on our side of Caution
Dugouts. They came under
heavy mg. fire from
Caution dugout & Graham
got his small pty to dig
in there at once protected
from those dugouts by /
slope. G went along

 

73
to his left & found Capt
Tulloch, also w a little
pty of abt 4 men - in
neither case were the
rest o / Coy with them.
All / time / rest o /
coys were coming up in
little groups.
When Graham got
back he found tt
Lt McKinley MM (M.C.
after this) & Lt Nicol
had arrived & an attack
ws going on agst Caution
dugout. A L-Gunner of
9 Bn (who get ws recommended
for D.C.M. Cpt Taylor) ws
covering / dugouts w his 

 

74
L. Gun - standing up
& spraying it as he
advanced on it - you
cdnt see / target unless
you did this, not even
stooping down. Others
of 11 Bn worked round
these dugouts & they
got there 3 heavy mgs
2 Light mgs. 2 m/wfrs
& an anti tank gun.
Abt 25 Germs were got
out o / dugout. Taylor
got / other side o / trench,
stood on / parados &
sprayed into it. This
separated / Germs. Those
nearest / Germs
dugouts dived for them,

 75

75

others ran up / trench.
By this time 9 & 10 Bn
were in positn ready to
move thro. Barrage remained
on the point for an hour.
All the mwfrs & mgs
were turned onto / Germs
by a Vickers m.g. section
(Vickers mg. offr wd there
& Stokes mortar men).
From Villeret & from / old
British line in front on /
hill m.gs. were firing on
our troops during the
wait. The weather ws
clearing & / Germs cd
see. The T.M. men cd
see the m.gs. & were
turning the mwfrs onto
them to silence them - some

 

76

were knocked out &
some silenced.
10 Bn aftwds got
a number of heavy guns
on that opposite hill.
[Caution Dugouts were on the
E slope of the knuckle -
on its rt front was on /
hill opposite was a
big gun sticking out -
an 8 inch gun. The
Quarry ws another 800 yds
ahead of that gun]
This ws / rt flank.
on / left flank the 1st
Objve ws just in front
of Caution dugouts.
On / left / first oppositn

 

77

ws met just after
passing Carpeza Copse. There
ws a m.g. post there holding
them up where a C.T. trench
joined another trench.
Sergt Muldoon who
struck it ws k just as he
got to / gun.
Cpl Nelly took charge
o / section & worked from
/ rt flank w bombs. Neither
cd see / other except / flash
o / gun. As soon as our
L.G. fired / German w his 2
guns wd fire towards it. We
kept our L.G. firing in bursts
so as to draw the fire of these
2 guns while a party worked

 

78

round to / flank. 2
bombs were thrown & /
post ws rushed. Nelly
ws the Cpl. in/c of the section
& organised the attack.
These guns were holding up
D C part of D Coy & A Coy
wh ws mopping up behind
was held up also & joined
them.
Halahan had bn k by
a shell just before - part o
/ light barrage wh came
down. Lt Colvin ws w
/ pln of A Coy.
Right on / objve the
left came upon under heavy
mg fire from Villeret &
the ridge opposite where the

 
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