Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/240/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066601
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

were rather Shoot Col. Croshow had by nod during mortalle advance Capt F T. Roberts took over Bn having his Hyis in the Buth. Bloy day in onlsafe Buth as a sot ide Bn reserve. Aon lef C+ Dont right - tho very nexed. During I whole night c attact were warnins o coming. Both artilleries opened. Every now & then word wnd come down live took out they just her a bayonet & men wd crouch
ehen li oIshellhole. One galte ws sd to have bn chewed up by our funs just before dusk to there 4 days. Every day there were of C altack umour at times heavy boabts wd breek out The capply of rations water Fammn well very, throughout but night of Sat 291h the 53 Bor went back to Halfway House - got there Sapele stayed there a day & th came right out. Officers
K. Col Crowshaw 4 Corry D Tennings (K in bombt day before atteck Cav. find toldies tod. Cat Tohnson wce by (wod. dun inryisin Capt Ramsay, N. (afternoon y Sev 26. by suce 1 waile MC/Afternoon, Sept 26 by shell swerel H Pettifer (some dans after atack butterih High. Coner
3r0Bn. Fromelles went in night of Juty 16/17 t breastwork ty of our line, & were told tt they were to attack on ing of 174h. The men were hadid Lewisfuns, up t ammin there ws very gt conjestion in getting intoinney's Ave plas got boken up & spli & recrossed in other pties mea got in dead fagged - Some droppd down a went to s on reaching I trench Oer hebe deticle to go out I were. The in pont & cat
got in att 4 am Pties hat bee detailed to go out in pont + cat were I doing this Lt Lang ws lod. The ferman ws keeping up a lazy sort of M.J. fire The adj at att 6.30 take place abt 11 am The day wore one (Monday oorders came thro on Eethe Side little firig No news - night, & stet no definite order Tuby. 18th On Tread. Mornng heard to Iaback wd probl 54 Da be on Wedvesd 7 C y i w i 5ot derin trn Paras from
Fionter B. erepushi night Pion trucks of material along trech trainway. Cap Richardson ws wd this wigh by this my fire Early or Wed July 19 Jen. Popecame round & tot ten to get a good sleep they were going over abt cracked a phe e- p The ferm oc two. patting over some hea eceedingt dade these Hen are disturbing my walk tbesd. of a morning During 1 day side up a terred ets t by in To show how
were, the 6 Lewisguns weresent over in hhis attack in I last waot This started from I support GI ganswereon left &3on rt. T had to cross att 2oogd open under fire & then chop into our font line before an really start in Nomansto at al. During I after the Gernan fire became heavy. In up apt I paripet Abt 5pm tho 55th Bn a in I sapport line & made it very crowded. (attack ws Some of our to start at 5.45).
men started to lift duckboards out of truch acrms &Sting them trech like horizoutal bars, you easily club I parados, but then th trench ws &. wide - these made brides. Therun we issue front Coys (At B3) had two the tin hats; C+D & Lf. Section only had felt hats The ferman fire increased in intenuity at 5.30 rather confirming our fears they knew somethi whn t - ke overt aw Nomansland Caping o everywhere in showers of
dust & sand. Abt 5.45 the first wave unet ovn At diff times during after it had be arrangedto a dummy barrage she fall - & then lift – the and bont line ws to showit bayohand ceer, te bars ap ws to come back again when I ferms wd by manni their posts. This happened once o twice - the fermans pounded very hard- Abt 555 pm. the Fo wave lef I support y minulis later the 4t wave. The first thing to
th you ws shells were busting every ostly HC mgs. were playing Every where - in homanh you edsee them spart yst were & knochen bits of trees (in front of supp iu The first the to happen to the 4th wave ws thit plunged ut were in pot o Sapport trenches wh had not be properyy cut. They got over this wire-slowly - & then made for a t ahead & fo Commn it part of to frn i a an augle). It ws simply

19 

were rather short.
Col. Croshaw had bn
mortally wd during /
advance.
Capt P.T. Roberts
took over / Bn having his
Hqrs in the Butte.
B Coy dug in on / safe
side o / Butte as a sort
of Bn reserve. A on left
& C & D on / right - tho'
very mixed.
During / whole night
warnings of c. attack were
coming. Both artilleries
opened.  Every now & then
/ word wd come down / line
- look out, they're just here
- & / men wd crouch w bayonets

 

20

fixed, just behind / lip
o / shell hole.  One c/attack
ws sd to have bn chewed
up by our guns just before
dusk.
53 Bn ws there 4 days.
Every day there were
rumours of c. attack &
at times heavy bombts wd
break out.
The supply of rations water
& ammn was very good
throughout.
On / night of Sat 29th
the 53 Bn went back to Halfway
House - got there safely,
stayed there a day & then
came right out.
Officers:-

 

21

k. Col Crowshaw
Lt Corry
Lt Jennings (k in bombt day
before attack). 

wd. Capt Johnson (a v. fine soldier)
(wd during / advance by
m.g bullet in right wrist)
Capt Ramsay MC. (Afternoon of
Sept 26. by shell)
Lt Waite M.C. (Afternoon, Sept 26
by shell, severely)
Lt Pettifer (some days after attack,
bullet in thigh.
----- (one more)

 

22

53rd Bn.
Fromelles.
Went in night of July 16/17 to
breastwork trenches of our line, & were
told tt they were to attack on
mg of 17th.  The men were loaded
up w ammn, Lewis Guns,
- there ws very gt congestion
in getting into Pinney's Ave -
plns got broken up & split
& re-crossed w other pties.
Men got in dead fagged - Some
dropped down & went to sleep
on reaching / trench.  Others
had bn detailed to go out
in front & cut / wire . They

 

23

got in abt 4 a.m.  Pties
had bn detailed to go out
in front & cut wire. In
doing this Lt Lang ws
wd.  The German ws keeping
up a lazy sort of m.g.
fire.
The Adjt at abt 6.30
sd tt / attack wd probly
take place abt 11 a.m.
The day wore one (Monday)
- no orders came thro' - very
little firing on either side -
No news - night, & still no
definite orders.
July. 18th. On Tuesd. morning they
heard tt / attack wd probly
be on Wednesday.  The day
ws very quiet - lazy m.g. fire
from Parapet Joe. during Tuesday

 

24

night / 5 Pioneer Bn Pioneers were pushing
trucks of material along /
trench tramway.  Capt
Richardson ws wd this night
by this m.g. fire.
Early on Wed July 19
Gen. Pope came round & told
them to get a good sleep as
they were going over abt
6 pm. & cracked a joke
or two. The Germans were
putting over some heavies
"Exceedingly rude these Huns
are - disturbing my walk
of a morning," he sd.
During / day both sides
seemed to get stirred up a
bit.
To show how new we

 

25

were, the 6 Lewis Guns
were sent over in this
attack in / last wave.
This started from / support
trench.  3 guns were on left
& 3 on rt.  They had to
cross abt 200 yds of
open under fire & then drop
into our front line before they
really started in Nomansld
at all.
During / aftn the German
fire became heavy.  Men
got up agst / parapet.
Abt 5 pm the 55th Bn
arrd (they were to support)
in / support line & made it
very crowded. (attack ws
to start at 5.45).  Some of our

 

26

men started to lift /
duckboards out o / trench
& sling them across /
trench like horizontal bars,
you cd easily climb /
parados, but then the
trench ws v. wide - these
made bridges.

The rum ws issued -
the two front Coys (A & B) had
tin hats; C & D & L.G. Section
only had felt hats.
The German fire increased
in intensity at 5.30 pm
rather confirming our fears
tt they knew something.  When
men looked over / top they
saw Nomansland leaping up
everywhere in showers of

 

27

dust & sand.
Abt 5.45 the first
wave went over.
At diff. times during /
aftn it had bn arranged tt
a dummy barrage shd
fall - & then lift - then our
front line ws to show its
bayonets & cheer, & then
/ barrage ws to come back
again when / Germs wd be

manning their posts.
This happened once or
twice - the Germans pounded
very hard -
Abt 5.55 p.m. the 3rd
wave left / Support trenches &
a few minutes later the
4th wave.  The first thing tt

 

28

struck you ws tt
shells were bursting everywhere
- mostly H.E. - &
m.gs. were playing
everywhere - in nomansland
you cd see them sparking
agst / wire & knocking
bits off / trees (in front of suppt line)
The first thing to happen
to the 4th wave ws tt it
plunged into wire in front
o / Support trenches wh
had not bn properly
cut - They got over this
wire - slowly - & then made
for a trench ahead & found
it part o / Support Commn trench
to / front line (wh ran at
an angle). It ws simply

 

 

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