Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/209/1 - July - October 1918 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066585
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

in t m moy Leag lans troys pr Mong a w5 t main post containing 17 neps &2 TMs. Own to ICoavexshape of till ty Edul reach to their fire I posite where our party was. Te rest of A Coy (ah had reconminten &found out (posite) moved up hagus Ex & gradually worked up (2 till by were undly looking down Brunn 7 where Eris were colding outvery Strongly & causing serious posite to C. Coy. (H. Cocy Capt. Fletcher, 4 McLaughlan, E Graham; C Coy. Capt. G. Cromey, D Annat, 4 Ras, D [3debaki). DCoy, Capt Lennon, 2/1s Stuert, Ward, Norman) Bloy Capt. Cross, Pain, Hoge? Cadzow). BrHQ. Maj. Page, Capt. Carroll,
40 rror t t t n Go m m t FEather.) They were now in full view of Terms who were in this Y & were tooking down on them. When fire ws directed on them they began to clear outin small pties + ceased fire. At to moment a pty of abt 120 Jerms in Column of 45 began to Come W. towds this pout coming in view apt 500 yds away. two Vickers gun teams had just arrived, & tis taypt as shown to them as Ammia a/ infy wo clmost extruste. The Vichers jun coloaly fire single shots So a burst of L.J. fire as ordered when fermswerectt 350 yds away. Key broke & flet leaving a namber of wd men. (This ws from I same St.) Attention ws again turned
in wsk hims o my) w s n i ye o t g n ous ls t t i t Grags to Brunn 7 8 it as seen to jerns were still running away in smallpties & to C Coy were enveloping them on ( flat on the let. The ferns hat ceased firing entirely. C Coyws te seen Advancing & I rest of ferms att 50) currendered itout opposite. Dloy had no opportunity yet of working in. They were following up in Lagas Y C loy advanced across lopen in Excellent formati & followed so closely on I heels of Germs as ty saw to he did not make a stand in Autigine Allyy but retreated beyond (main road, thnowing away man
sro 0575 120 a as) y omno as m p go mm to ngs packs & ther kit. As (rd is Cobjoc C Coy took up a positi in Antigone Alley. A loy advence up Lagus E & turned et down a good system of E wh ferms had previously be occupying. No ferms were found ther bort thy tinked w 26Bn near corner of Roros alleg. Several German Mgs. werestill holding out betw there & Lrd but key were soon toiced to retire by fire being brought onto than Out Poses were the krast down all I saps tovots I main Rd & eventually during 1 day, pots were estatd tinkeng up with CCoy. D Coy following A magled w 26 Bn who were too weak to
To Bor came back on night of 4/5 to Mereaucourt wood. & moved on D t Eclusier Staged there till Sept 27th. At6 started by area road for Doigh E of Peronne arriving I am. 28th Sept. On nex& night 28/29 Bn marched to Templeax ta Tosse arrvig abt 9.30 pm On my of Oct 1 Bn marched to Hargicourt Arrivay medday. There we no accomnodation of any sost for 1 men. As is as prob. they wery going to move agn to night no preparate ws made. Jast before dark the men began to
hake buries. Abt 530 C.Os were sent for to Bde in some Quarries near Harfict, &verbal orders for to march to NE of Nawroy. 25 Bu being I most advanced Bu & ind behind front time - (part of area as in nomansland). They starte at 8.B0pn. & they had a long timng march the odensely black, chrizzling night, along filtty 40 a do (not plank R0) by the Black road wh we quite undis tin guestable practically it didnt cxist. This bs ought them thro Bellicons
to NE of Nawroy in G.C.D. Arrt there att 6S0 am. or 2 am. Orvey to the filth condity of road & dease black night if we most difficult to fint way over this Hindby line coustry. (The only thing wh showed Ird as conjestion of traffic horses bogged, timbers overturned, af On of Oct 2 C.Os. were sent for again to Bde, just w. of Bellecourt in Pillbox in Hind by line, & verbal custrus gn for an attack next ig. There were followd o batter orders late to night
on night of O4 2/3 Ba reld 20 Bn in the Estrees to Gony Senten Ad, NE of Tolemprise Im. They attacked at dawn on Oct S. In this 2d there As some jas shelling but nothing very heavy. Tolempre Im ws stelled all 1 time. so a detoin as made round it by those whe passed it & they passed in perfest Safity 25 Bn had 1 first Objve on nearly whole Bde front. It in cluded 1 Beaurevoix Line. The live here ws found to be very good to good pillboxes
The 27 Bn ws to make a flank in his 77 Bie 85 ong way. They were late. 25 Bn had to mo ap a copse in 27 Brarea [ -pt a few sifte shots came fom it but tere as no real resistence. Shortly after 1 attack, as the 25 Br were abt approaching I Beaurerow line the L.D. & Adjt standay togeter at the J.O. tin Saw a number of men ao treis rifles at 1 port & bayonets fixed come over the knuckled the 27 Bns ground & straight up the bill towds them. It was a Torny Coy, or else a Ba - under a poor ked of an aLin office th had lost direct & ws com in I wroy direction (A.B). They thought this might be a British writ being return but boydbe ws attaching. The adit swore at him an he began to Cry-Tey s he might use his eyes & pointed to our line. e ayan 5 fom his Coy up in mass jaing she right direction geran shelled them - they sent off towds the torrent.- & fire step behint tam & very thick wire. The attack ah us a peculiar one & planned a be cause thy did not know if an attack were being made on fust before ser lett - it as only foum (lifwd attack.) went very week to the Beaurevoir tine. The barrage ws good to this pt. At I Beaurevoir Line a good deal of resistance ws wet. Here 2 of the tanks wh were late at the TOT. caught them up Back at Eelusier had come word to 25 Bn ws & be brotem up. This ws delayed until After this attack. Col. Davis Saw J.O.C. told him Etethit
[he 25Bo never actuelly disobeyed 1 order to break up, as 21Bn did B), to it wihose done so. The men were probly deternind to stand by their fellows in 21 Bo. (some offis of 21Bn, To Cob Forbes litto me, addresse a metting of 19 Bn, but the officers of 19 On were at loyal.) Any way, when I report s pread, te 25 Bo paraded before its colonel ( Davis). The Regimental Sergeant Major look charge of it & brought the parahs to atation - it ws a mostcermonidg occasion. The C.O. got these round him & had a take to them. He told then to the 25th Ba had always had a great record for doing whit it wo told to s th it had to be done - it as necessary a to they edut nto get apapt 1 people is succ o Britaint Me whole AsF. ws only a fleabit onpared w1 British army - the was office had ordered thisorder had tt be Ke 2515 pon 1 arrie out. They Id: Look, Colonel, you bepn totat first has be built on esprit de Corps. We have bee lagght that I reft is every&. you have often told o to we must cacrefi Everythin for 1 honour of Eegts we have always obeyed you – and we always will obey You in everything the. But we satobey you in this jast for t reason - we wd sacrifice anytig for Brist The break up ws postpone fortunalit. Davis wanted it done then, if atall trged it on wisdon. It us done later without Anystir an 10 told to mes who as he at all. avid on t was already (ty dider have to move at att or 1t Fitles. My hand up on 1 next parat- 1 them was over] nof unanimous wish O1 Bn to go into the next fight I have I hardest job to do. There ad rither be no Bn to break up or they wd have made a record wh made it impossible to beak them up. The men fought in this perhaps, better than they ever action as ty never fought efe rents were astonishing. [ They had t advance 1200 -15007 do down a bare slope w 1 slightes? protetion - no mool than a few small bushes over ground oisible to 1 germs (whole way. The Jerms were holding a very stray & strongly wired line

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