Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/201/1 - August - December 1918 - Part 8

k.  Maj. Maudsley.
Wd:  Lt. Major
Lt. Greenwood.
Capt. McCusker R.M.O.
Lt Sandiford  wd.  R.O.D.
Diagram - see original document
In / aftrn 2 Divn were
seen working on / opp
side o / Canal in / W.
edge of Feuillacourt.  They
got to / Bap Rd but didnt
stop there - [It ws not a
Coy of 38 Bn wh ws sent up to
20 Bn
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The whole trouble of the 38
Bn came from the head o /
gully on their left.
Aug 31. 6 pm.  At 6 4.30 p.m. 38 Bn got an
order tt probly it wd be
reld tt night & tt all ranks
cd be notified of / chance,
but tt it ws not to be a piece of
definite informatn.
This Lt Robbins sent to
O.C. Coys only - & asked them
not to pass it on to / men
till it ws confirmed.
At 6 p.m. came an order
tt Bn wd attack & take
the Second objve (Bouchavesnes
Rd).  This ws to be the
J.O. Line for 11 Bde a
Bn of wh wd pass thro
tt night after / objve ws
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taken.  What Bn of 11 Bde, &
what time it wd pass thro
& attack - were unknown;
but it ws definitely stated
tt it wd be preceded by
a heavy barrage.  R. wrote out
an order to Coys & told them -.
& abt 7 p.m. they prepared
to move forwd - they were
in pretty close touch by
runner now & cd be seen
from Hqrs across / valley.
The positn of 39 wsnt known
at this time - Col. Henderson
didnt know & it ws a
great worry.
This attack ws not
actually made, owing to /
physical inability o / men
to carry it out.  This applied
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also to 40 Bn.  The men were
absolutely done.  This ws
put to Bde.  Col. Lord
confirmed this - &
the Bn remaind where it
ws w / consent o / Bde.
In / mg. 43 Bn
went thro.  The Germans
put down their shoot
first - counter preparation
on / area held by our troops.
Then our barrage went down
at 5.30.  The 11 Bde attacked
but whether they passed thro
38 Bn this Bn does not
know.  2 of the Coys of 38
Bn stayed till 7.30 a.m. before
they came out - they had
seen no troops come thro &
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wanted definite orders to
come out before they were
moved back.
When Lt F. Baxter got onto /
1st objve he did not realise
tt he ws on it owing to /
complete absence of objves.
He knew tt / Bouchavesnes
Rd was an objve - &
thought it ws / only objve &
therefore to be reached.
He found himself w only
5 men; but pushed on
& reached / road - working
from Berlin Wood towds / higher ground.
On / way he met v. heavy
m.g. oppositn & whizzbang fire.  2
guns were firing point blank
from / high ground - & by
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skillful handling of the L.Gs.
Baxter had w him they silenced
/ guns - killing / crews.  At
least 3 mgs. were met on /
way up, / crews being rushed
by this pty.  Baxters men didnt
want to go, but he sd he wd go
alone - Baxters party got
up thro Jesupol trench to near /
rd - not quite to it - the
Germs were making down
Poinsot Trench at / time
towds / canal.  While B.
ws on / forward journey
he captd 30 prisoners.
(Baxter has gone back to
Aust. w old heart trouble - the
doctor sd they cdnt understand
how he had ever bn passed
originally).  Baxter fought his way
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back, when he realised tt he
had got too far - one
o / men w him ws k.
on / way back.
In / same fight Sergt
A.V. Grinton of C Coy bombed
for 400 yds along a trench (working
w bomb bayonet & L.G.) &
helped 9 Bde to reach its objve
along a trench on / left wh
ws holding up their advance.
He ws with ^the man of 38 Bn who worked with Sergt Walters of
39 Bn. (mentioned in 39 Bn account)
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