Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/202/1 - September - October 1918 - Part 8

74
mainly.  Coys opened
at once into Arty formation.
It ws quite light & /
mist had cleared byt
there ^hadbn a lot of gas in / hollow
(several men died of this later
& others were – coming thro
pockets of gas – had to 
wear helmets & march in
them – almost imd from breakfast
onwards).
A Coy under Capt Fairweather
ws leading & went dribbed forwd into
Dog trench. Hqrs ws in a shell
hole abt 100 yds W of Dog trench.
Abt ½ hr later Capt F. himself
came back & reported tt his
patrols had located m.g. nests
in Claymore Valley, and much
 

75
fire from S. Gillemont
trench. His Coy ws then
moved fowd from Dog
trench to clear up / positn
& D (Capt Collins) Coy took
its place in Dog trench.  As soon
as A Coy got out of Dog trench
it came in view o / Germs
on / crest & m.g. fire became
exceptionally heavy.  Many men
were hit.  3 tanks had bn allotted
to 38 Bn and were to have bn
picked up at / elbow o / rd
N of Gillemont – These tanks
were not seen by 38 having
bn already diverted to /
Americans.
Till 3 p.m. A Coy ws lost to
sight & news of them only came
 

76
from Americans who
dribbled back.  They sd tt our
men were out in shell holes
and had not reached S.
Gillemont trench.  Patrols had bn sent
from C Coy to find A Coy but were nearly all hit on getting
over / ridge/ [Smoke ws arranged on
Claymore Valley & a  genl
advance ordered for 3 p.m.
Capt Peters ( C. Coy) lead from
Dog trench but only got a few  yds
& met / same withering fire
as in / mg.  The positn ws
unchanged till nightfall.
At nightfall some of
A Coy came back. They sd tt
they had only got out into nomansland
abt 50 yds ahead of Dog trench
& had had to stay there.  Fairweather
had bn killed as soon as / Coy
 

77
hopped  out.  He ws within
50yds of S. Gillemont trench –
nearly into / wire – ahead
of anyone as far as is known –
He ws shot thro' / neck & 
died 10 mins later.  The officer
guiding / tanks 2/Lt Andrews
( a Tanks officer) ws w him when
he ws shot & got back tt night
& brought / news.  Lt Callan
ws also killed abt / same time
trying to rescue an American
wd man who ws calling out in
/ next shell hole.  As soon  C
cdnt stand it any longer.  He
was warned not to go but as soon
as got on top o / shellhole he ws
killed. [Some Americans were in shellholes
in front (E) of Dog trench].
(One of 38 Bn tanks had previously
 

78
got to S. Gillemont trench w /
Americans & / crew some 
of them were found lying dead
outside it.
A diversion ws arranged
to / S. (11th Bde working
round).  In / mg. S. Gillemont
trench ws found to have bn
evacuated by / Germs – &
also Claymore Valley, wh
ws / worst obstruction 38 Bn

had had ( the guns firing
largely from S. directn of S
( ? Quennet Copse & thereabouts)
Gillemont Fm also gave a
lot of trouble.  The last dead
Americans were seen in S.

Gillemont trench.
 

79
There were no dead Americans
seen in Bony.
The patrols at dawn
on Sept 30 having reported
S. Gillemont trench unoccupied
C Coy moved over to it.  There
they got touch eventually with 39 Bn.
This & the C.T.s & Support line
in this area (Claymore trench) 
were absorbed by 38 Bn.
This ws / result of an
order from Bde to clear
up A 14.  C Coy there got
5 heavy mgs & 4  hotct
Light mgs, & 4 Hotchkiss
guns, wh had bn taken by
/ Germans from / disabled
tank, were recaptured.
A post ws placed in Bony
Ave. But ws withdrawn at
 

80
dusk to Claymore trench
on Bde directions.
On evg of Sept 39, 38 Bn
xxx received orders tt Bn
wd probably be withdrawn
to make an attack at 6 a.m.
towards Vendhuille. This same
night / instrns were cancelled.
Oct 1. the advanced post in 
Bony Ave A 14 C 8 . 2 ws
reestabd & all C C oy ws
pushed along Bony Ave & 
/ rest of 38 followed into /
Hindg outpost system thus
vacated.  At 8.30 Capt Peters
pushed out his patrols as
far as Bony – reached at 9.45.
Lt G. G. Bowman ws / first aft man thro'
 

81
/ village.  They mopped up
/ village  –  shots had bn
fired from it but / Germs
cleared  –  & put their posts
on / Tunnel line  –  the
left post next to 39 Bn was
on / Tunnel just opp.
NE corner of Bony.
At 2.30 pm orders
were recd for 37 Bn to
go thro to the Knob with
left flank on Canal Tunnel
end in A 9  – facing N & NE.
THis ws done.
39 then came to
Tunnel line & 38 withdrew
to Hindly line.
On evn of2/3, 38 Bn
ws withdrawn to Ronssoy Wd.
 

82
Capt Collins ws wd on
Sept 30 during advance to
Bony.
The Padre, Chaplain Freer,
C of E.   – one of / Queensland
Bush brotherhood  – ( who had come
brand new after 3 days experience straight
into / middle of the night
attack of 10/11 Aug. & went
right into it, ) ws wd after
a days work with the R M O
in Dog trench  – he ws going towds
/ dressing stn & ws hit while
going on an ambulance down
/ road & lost an eye.
Capt G. V. Davies D.S.O, the R.M.O.(Melbourne) 
did splendid work throughout
amongst our men & / Americans
 – / only medical offr in reach  – 
a couple of hundred Americans
 

83
passed thro his post  –  in
/ front line next to Bn H.Q.  – 
The S/Bs also worked amongst
/ Americans & our own men
& were had on several occasions
whole teams wiped out by
shell & m.g. fire. They brought
in all Americans within
reach betw Dog trench & S.
Gillemont Fm.  when they
Signalling arrangements under
Lt ^T.H. Dunn got / line to / front
line Coy in Dog trench &
wherever / front line advanced.
This took practically / whole of
/ Bde news & ws kept up
continuously  –  the  linesmen did
fine work.  An American offr
108th 1 R Lt Donnacker ws attd
to C Coy / the only remaining American