Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/236/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066596
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

t tohepphies was 39 Tast abt daylyjor - (an2 of Tarks were fnd to daor day in glose anderneak th cliff. abt 20 of them. Some Tame fin & Lothiniers boyils went th own over of this positi [cleared. During 1small pours abt leasn Leang, Hallahan + vowles were albit by a igh spell, wh knoxked out Hallaha Philip Vowle of Kalgoorly (lan i. for killed Ctif at [Merris - not ope if the botters). Att 10am, the posite (wo bouhanded mo ao pamage all spraphel wh di garuptties to speak
40 O4 Auy6 Sipham (ws sleering fear the Kinge comds dyy out an pspated Fost. [Any man H c be got from tasndnga Pet ware rused over at ouce By found & truch a Samfle man uy trenee, 5pl t. 34 a very hear. fire as patonto late m sand parapet + bags were cut to bits- man omt gravel poyne our fourr he wss paped his hear fu from Tsp. Fostwen The pt theind a ogds tig of thpet of triuge 2 and live and upwoud
There were boub an puttiy t To truc o dix side iin 8 boulson matthes & do fore ad any. I man ws sent back & the got a tape lighter (ingarette lighter (fom Capt caronss ti the as they used (last bomph 801 od bo to got up ints 2d indram pto topking. wr a bophole. Pan abit of a post trkes Sing over mast have daied to the tahs were paripet dowa] the where he ere bot findoig in. faid at
e tarks were not our Flarbaix). but just over 1pdrapet you coee hands coming over pareet A attl wooden fbox of fun (cottow ws thrown (over) top t ps + H. S turks (were H. by ir. ws kept ad a bomp) Hag more sout gos 7 experienced. One Turk we daught in o right - out thore may have on some) on forom I dented. Hallahan is snseosed on 19/th may th etild with t have for 500 Trks. in the his ex Mes Lun wd of 42
Extremed Silt Spur fn theatfield complte et of 11Bn posite. enfipeld. Ded 43
aptr Ber do copse The mage As 9 Bn had s. trauble on objve t o Ak moved up ther over 2 1same. knd After passing te ojige & they went stay they tay out (3p aend fr 1 barr over it lif they saw as soon (as if lifte lefe of chills of som flased from tre of 424la Flare &e were poin 30 Fermadst pahnfis dwa at gute 44 Cofieres
45 stop our men them. Iper Nothen wal followed tfet Idep rifer thi thei own wh was not so fad tsyou farrage tull of the 4past te ton went apportion fleft kapt Campbell went afte fourt wch who were fetting too anned t right, to bring them beak to 1 Copss. Gakai (ten C)S(M7) wext after Hose who + were chasny 1 Fcrmns 612t. Tey wi caught & faishd thse permans, ngenon ter chught on. Paparn
behind tatl Bapaune Red. Our barrage ws ten they were in droves diving first ofter one peryan thanother whenever one wa fea. At 140 our man got out there - enng of not. hepr angtn Ay a B tu. Sery & Baggs of I cox as with paddin & a Leys aanaged a denfth to cehoet of BnJ San. here re-iw 0 gn 5o dark to see, but they were dvir of had. Thereafereds more Fenmans the ex starter to tixe. The serghst totd thtm (thy ware a long way abend of their obing & ty wal be ug
47 ty were carch played it tiy ter once this t t Lad crosed back an they Hws casy to e & they followed eoad by & Ledfe foing fou of 2d 41124 rly tie back banage &is their own that the 420p hay afent Shyap & D. E. Ws vvery feavy thro a pushes of sevee for (w gophagn ichudes) onlyone who pr. fon Shephol- w int The farrage ws fir it one H.G. Lande out Sants & 4.55 fiel &preported to 4.15 a They were baed
wh tere Belfor- He had 4 back were weleome. goue p of the pdw Hendin o The dupout plaes allayer. In I carly morning, febt 5/15 this growsed I iid 5 this dapont. paphan had 2 Gombs Me thawo [boul down & if clode on of landing.He followedd Et & & Bomy ) landing another bould but before is exploded an antonatic pistt we fired twice from of botom (of stagis & Geatham 1s pete tsd as het oy 1 first thro segond Jsha yon 49 head back a had from I stepp of1 digout tha ther t.

53

39
The next thing tt happened was
Just abt daylight - a no of Turks were
found to have dug in close underneath
the cliff.  abt 20 of them.  Some Jam Tin & Lotbiniere
bombs were thrown over & this positn cleared.
During / small hours, abt 4 a.m.,
Leane, Hallahan & Vowles were all hit
by a single shell, wh knocked out Hallahans
m.g.  (This is ^Lt Philip Vowles of Kalgoorli ,
killed later at Merris - not one of the brothers).
At 10 a.m. the positn ws bombarded
- all shrapnel wh did no damage - no
Casualties to speak of.

 

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40
On mg. of Aug 6.  Graham ws sleeping near the line
Commdrs dugout in Tasmania Post.  Any men
tt cd be got from Tasmania Post were rushed
over at once.  They found / trench a
shambles.  The men in / trench sd tt.
a very heavy m.g. fire ws put onto the
parapet - / bags were cut to bits - / sand &
gravel poured out; & / moment a man
poked his head over he ws shot.
The pty from Tasm. Post went out
thro / tunnel - they cd find in 30 yds
of trench no one alive and unwounded - the

 

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41
Ts had bn putting bombs in.  There were only
8 bombs on our side in / trench & no
matches & no one had any.  A man ws
sent back & they got a tape lighter (cigarette
lighter, from Capt Aarons).  They used this
& as they used / last bomb they got
some more bombs in.
Pte Cocking & Pte Moran got up into
a bit of a post w a loophole.  They
must have sniped 50 Turks, sniping over /
parapet down the C.T where the Turks were
moving in.  (They were both k. in / raid at

 

50
Hand drawn diagram - see original document

42
Fleurbaix).  The Turks were not in our trench
but just over / parapet - you cd see /
hands coming over / parapet.  A little
wooden box of Gun Cotton ws thrown over /
top by us - & 5 Turks were k. by it -
(it ws kept as a bomb) & no more trouble ws
experienced.  One Turk ws caught in / trench
- there may have bn some on / right - but
none in / centre.
On 19th May Hallahan is supposed
to have got 500 Turks. in the Wheatfield with
his m.g.-  His gun ws opp. the S. end o /

 

49

43
Silt Spur on / extreme rt of 11 Bn positn & had /
Wheatfield completely enfiladed.

 

48
43A
The Copse ws Centre of 11 Bn
objve.  As 9 Bn had so much trouble on
rt, 11th moved further over & 1st Bde
did / same.
After passing 1st objve - they went straight
over it - they lay out 30 yards ahead for / barrage
to lift.  As soon as it lifted, they saw
by / light of shells & some flares from /
Centre o / village (Flares were going
up from a dugout there all night)
abt 30 Germans running away.

44
Pozieres.
Hand drawn diagram- see original document

 

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45
Nothing wd stop our men then.  They
followed these chaps right thro their own
barrage - wh ws not so bad as you
went through it - just the lull of the
lift.  Capt Campbell went after a portion
of our men who were getting too much
to / right, to bring them back to / Copse;
& Graham (then C.S.M) went after those who
were chasing / Germans to / rt.  They
caught & finished these Germans, & went
on.  Graham caught our men on /

 

46

46
Bapaume Rd.  Our barrage ws then behind them.
They were in droves diving first after one German,
then after another  whenever one wd get up.
Abt 140 of our men got out there - many of
9 Bn w them.  They wd not hear anything.
Sergt Baggs of D Coy ws with Graham & a Sergt
of 9 Bn.  They managed at length to get hold
o / men.  There ws no resistance - it ws
too dark to see, but they were over / hill.
There were no more Germans & the men started
to tire.  The Sergts told them they were a long
way ahead of their objve & they wd be cut off

 

45

47
if they stayed there.  They were easily
turned once they stopped.
It ws easy to get back as they had crossed
/ road by / hedge - & they followed /
rly line back.  Going from / rd to / rly
they had to go thro their own barrage & it
ws very heavy - Shrap & H.E. At on  They went
thro in rushes.  Seven got (w Graham included)
into one shell hole - G. ws / only one who got
out - one H.E. landed in it.  The barrage ws
field guns & 4.5s.
They were back by 2.15 am. & reported to

 

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48
Lt Belfort - He had no men there & so the 90 who
came back were welcome.
The dugout N of the Rd ws sending up
flares all night.  In / early morning, abt 5.15
they crossed / rd to this dugout.  Graham had
2 bombs.  He threw x one bomb down & it exploded
on / landing. He followed it - & from /
landing threw another bomb but before it
exploded an automatic pistol ws fired
twice from / bottom o / stairs & Graham
ws hit by / first thro / gas helmet & thro /
back o / head by / second.  Graham lay on
/ steps o / dugout - the others on top had run

 

 

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