Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/236/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 3

Weather
xxx

as to the future it would be a miracle if the further advance can
come off on the 2nd day. 

Our front will then only be 6000 yards
because the flanks will be covered.

Reserve brigades will relieve first night as follows:-

Diagram - see original document

They will go for a few miles and we will 
keep on changing brigade after brigade till well we 
think they have done their share. The front will 

narrow to 4000 yards gradually. The 2nd division
will pick up the story about 5^th or 6^th October
and go on for 9 days and then 
I hope it will be finished. I am quite resolved
not to call on the 1st or 4^th divisions
and there ought not be any necessity.  The
finish will be a breaking of the weather.
We shall come up against some sort of advancing
line and we shall have to reorganise. 

19

opposite us we have the follg troops:
8

54 Division which has been out for 3 weeks.
We got 200 prisoners out of them yesterday.
They had been gassed and didn't like it. They are Prussians.
121
185 should be done
75
Yesterday there was a northward ?trend from us amounting to
3 divisions. There may be a counterattack division.
The Germans have been putting their guns steadily into the
positions shown in the maps which we captured
last year. We have of course been steadily
avoiding shooting at them.
The American infantry is to follow the tanks
before the barrage starts. 27^th American division cannot tell me
where their front line is.  I cannot start monkeying with the 
barrage. I say to the tank commander your business is to

20

get to that line at Zero where the infantry 
follow around.  & to the Infantry "follow the tanks".
There will be night bombing all night.
They The enemy must know we are coming at some
time but they don't know the time.
The German may think that this is bluff. We are 
hoping that they have American prisoners because
their wireless said yesterday that the British x were putting in the
Americans

The army commanders The order of battle xxxxx opposite us are:-
Diagram - see original document
Corps Commander is in Bohamussigny 
army at Le Cateau.
Alpine corps has just been relieved.
We think that six of these reserve divisions have gone ?overnight and this will go
tomorrow (Vivian thinks) Reserves Probable 50, 7 Res. 16 Bav. 17 Res
233, 243, Alp, 232,
Possible 5 Bav 119, 1 Res. 38, 255

21

Stopped

The distance between Amiens V/B & Le Cateau

where we now are is ½ way to the frontier.
Le Cateau is more than ½ way between us
and the frontier.
The immediately important outcome would be that the French would immediately
be able to capture St. Quentin after we have turned
the flank all day.
The first big places N of Le Cateau
and Mons & Charleroi.
There are no lines of defence nearer than Le Cateau.
If there are lines defence near Le Cat but
he has not had time to organise them.
The Americans captured 200 guns by yesterday
1st & 3rd armies 200 guns by today.
3 Corps is putting 1 Battalion on our left flank.
Rain going by - glass stopped falling - bright ?interval tomorrow.
Finish

22

Swiss Cottage. When Tommies
came up Germs ran.
Capt who got out in front
to take Germans prisoner. Got away with the seat out of his
pants.
Diagram - see original document
Tanks knocked out by guns up road.
Others tank guns by Beaurevoir Mons Mill
Diagram - see original document
20 Bn fired into from
rt and weren't cov by Estrees.
Bombed up trench.
Diagram - see original document
23

Diagram - see original document

Objve Village
Germans put down a very heavy barrage at zero
(shortly after) and this he shortened as our troops advanced
so that there we are under heavy artillery fire till 

midway from the village. Then it was much easier.
They came against heavy mg fire before 
entering the village immediately after leaving
the J.O.T.
[4 tanks were late & lost direction.
4 were late going up & came
back on time]
11 tanks to go. Germans were in the
houses. We had 500 to 600 yards to
go before reaching the village. German fired gas
24

on all approaches. They brought up extra
artillery during fight.
Pioneers had previously taken over the
front line from 138 assault brigade.
21/24 formed up on J.O. Tape
in front of Rainecourt behind
our front line. xx Just prior to zero
the Pion. battalion were withdrawn to behind
J.O.T to allow the start line of the barrage
to dilute any enemy guns in Nomansland.
Barrage was pretty heavy. Many of these guns
fired without registering and the frontage of the barrage was very
ragged.  A large number of our casualties were gassed
by these and the Boche barrage.
After getting half way in the village
there was little opposition.

25

The attacking troops were very weak
but the enemy was running in all directions.
They are all using the weakness xx of our troops as they
came out of the village he was reorganised
and came over the high ground with a large number of
m.gs and reestablished himself in close
proximity to our posts which were 
outside the village all round.  We had
2 posts in 26 central
and these were almost cut off by him.

The Pioneer Bn first time in action
had the difficult position of forming a defensive flank 
facing right. A task very difficult at any time.
They soon follow right form. This was done exceedingly 
well. Right company had an easy time but the
centre company had a difficult scrape.  And suffered
heavily.

26

The opposition came from sunken roads. 12 central
3 companies did this. 4th company did

splendid work mopping up the village and eventually 

took up a defensive position on the left on the village
joining up with the flank unit 23 battalion
in the original line.
24 & 21 Bn had very heavy
casualties and encroaching tactics of the enemy
assisted by his artillery fire (joint flank)
and in case of one gun at a range
of 300 yards on to our front posts
caused very heavy casualties.  And forced the advance
posts to withdraw to a more favourable position nearer the
village.  As our battalion had disrupted its
supporting units 18 battalion about 100 strong were
placed at the disposal of the CO 21/Pioneer
27

2 companies of the 21 (totalling 60 odd men
and 1 company Pioneers 40 men)
these were used to connect up groups and to otherwise 
reinforce the outposts. 24 battalion had 2
companies of the 27 battalion placed at the
disposal of the C.O. one of which was sent
in to strengthen the line on the northern
side of the village. The other was kept 
xx in support in the village.
About 500 prisoners been taken and a
number of civilians (about 7 or 8 been taken out more [shorthand]).
They were in rooms in the houses old women or
old men cornered.  With shells bursting
it is impossible to estimate the number of mgs captured.
The line still runs round the outskirts of the village but the
German is very close. 
There is high ground right round the village.
Sullivan killed.

28