Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/236/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 8

23

69
Ws abt / heaviest fight.
11^th came out abt 103 strong
12^th ----------------- 120
10^th ----------------- 260
9^th ------------------ 680
1st Bde - esp. 3rd Bn - had a very heavy time
also.
Hemingway, a magnificent officer, 
lost his foot in this attack.  

22

70
Proyart. 11 Bn. The Bn had a very bad start
because Phillips who ws acting in/c put it
within 500 yds of the J.O.T as its assembly point
- in the Sunken Rd leading down to Proyart.
This ws a rd lined w trees with no protection
where they got / benefit of all / gas & were
right on the German c/ barrage line. The
Bn lost 67 men in half an hour lying up.
They were there when the 1st Bde were fighting - 
they shd have bn abt a mile further back 

20

71 

19

72 

73

Oct 3.
Tommies in drain.
5 Bde ws in Torres canal.
They are now just W. of Bellevue
Fm.
Tommies on N of Prospect
Hill so 28 Bn pushed out
posts again.
Later in afternoon 3 or 4 counterattacks
one from Gisancourt Fm
One from Beaurevoir
Barrage - (off in Beaurevoir
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Advance 3000 yds.
At one time 1500 yds further.  Tough
fight Esp. 26 Bn. We got apparently about 500 prisoners
2.77s at Bellevue Fm.
C then Germ on rd.
C. attack from N wh reached edge of
Gouy.
7 Brit. brigade takes over from 7 Aust Bde.
25 Divn.
13 

74

7 Bde. Oct 3 to work protecting red line
left ws v. late but got to Prospect Hill
afterwards.
4 tanks didn't start old Mark 5 tanks
4 went on.  25 took Beaurevoir
26 on final objective  27 on west flank
with 28 beyond them
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
This went according to plan
and a tank got into Gousincourt Farm.
They formed back along the Sunken Road SE.
Several sources sd 5 Bde were
very average.  Counterattack abt 9.30
came straight against Bellevue Fm.
flank.  26 were weak and had to go
right flank and came back in the end to the
drain.  Germans got into the Bellevue
Fm.  Our people moved after us
12 

75

Zero at 6.30
Barrage at 6.40  100 yards in 4 minutes
[shorthand] can be helped.
24 Bn given to 5 Bde.
5 Bde v heavy fighting before Estrees.
18/19 in xxx front followed by 17 & 20 to
go thro.
When 18 & 19
Germans now in Bellevue Fm. 
Shelling not very heavy.  Rt went on.
8 Tank & 8 whippets whippets
didn't get past Beaurevoir line as they
had to follow thro with 17 & 20.
Tanks knocked out.
Got 200 prisoners 2 mgs TMs & sev. m.gs.
11

76
We attacked w tanks at 6 am.  Gds called back up yesterday because no other reserve.
NW Soucourt.  Mill Ridge
Follemprise Fm.
Estrees since.
Belg. & Brit 250 guns.
All round Cambrai.
Wervicq.
American and French prisoners 22,000
Germans rushed up to Joncourt.
Germ artillery ws moved on 29^th  captd officers sd.
Strength 1^st Bn  2nd Gd Regt. 90.
Our attack on lamp signal stn heavy casualties
Beaurevoir Fonsomme line strongly held
last night.
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Reached edge Bouy
yesterday afterwards
Americans still fighting with us
Bouy last night not clear.
We helped to get Joncourt.
German line in front of Gouy.
Oct 3.

Sept. 29.  Sent off my car (springs) Dyson with Wales
To 3rd Divn.
Belg. attack.
30  J.M says 3rd Divn  Bouy  Gouy.
5th Divn
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Not using artillery
Hobbs:  help up N of Nauroy.
Gelly:  Monash wanted frontal
attack
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
to Tunnel
broadside.
[*Unspeakable Americans
British mines in way!
Danger sign.*]
[Shorthand]:  The [[quest?]] succeeds.  J.M.
rings up agn.  May day avoided
Brit Joncourt.
Belg. in N - Men in Wervicq
Bulgaria gives in.
6

80 percent E movement yesterday none to task
20 percent W.
Guns seen going to Beau River
New person early this morning  New personnel from
rear gd - Le Catelet line Estrees
Air [shorthand] seen moving up E
of Beaurevoir line.
Blew up all bridges betw Vendleville
& Gouy  Destroyed   Only one left of 3
[shorthand].
21, 2 [shorthand], 119 were up in the day after the
battle.
[*(Beside us in
Sept. 18)*]
[*Peronne
Mt St Q
only had a few.*]
119 after last night right beside us.
54, 21 & [shorthand] of 185.
185 brigade wiped out by prisoners.
From Hindbg line
4

No. 3.
Diary 
& Drawings.
Photostat this
book please
(not shorthand)
[[?]] [shorthand] and [shorthand] had been a [shorthand]
of St Q which [shorthand] the [shorthand] of the [shorthand]
and the central battalion in 1802 and
[shorthand] in 1810 under the [shorthand] of [shorthand] Creb
& Montruvel
A canal
This canal was executed in the direction of a [[?]]
Gayant.
Book.
Photo.
Cooks
Pay office
Treloar - Dysons Pack & Ticket - Wilkins leave.
Coat &
Clothes?
High Commdr?
Gell & Dodds.
Typewr
[*Canadian Advance.  Battle Arras Sept. 2
From
A. thro'
H. line to
(Drocourt
Queant switch)
Aug 26
Drocourt Queant
to
Nord Canal
Sept 27
Nord
Canal
daily to Oct 1
(heavy day) at
Tilloy
6 Divns
agst.
them in
c/attack
Oct 9
Hand drawn diagram - see original document*]
[*236*]
W P GRIFFITH & SONS LTD.  OLD BAILEY.  E.C.4. 
30m  11/17