Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/243A/1 - 1916 - 1934 - Part 18

Capt John Chapman was over
to Barbour, who ws forming
dumps in G. line. Came to
It was easy to wander in a 
circle in Nomansland
Diagram - see original document
& more than
one Austln setting out to return Thro
mud & wire found himself back in
G-line. ? Barbour.
Flack not
in f.I. 

F.4151.
xxxxx
1319.
14 August 1926.
F.W. Raysmith, Esq.,
"Toronto",
Lake Macquarie.
Dear Sir,
Colonel Clark tells me that at the Battle of
Fromelles you were one of a party with Lieutenants Parker and
Mitchell of the 30th Battalion which, by mistake, headed for
a part of the trench held by the enemy, and was badly cut up.
I should be greatly obliged if I could arrange to meet you
some time here, and obtain the details concerning this incident.
If you do not happen to be in Sydney in the near
future, I wonder if you would be so good as to put down a
few rough notes as to your recollections, and let me have
them?  I don't know whether the party actually entered the
German trenches but, if so, I should much value any description
of the situation in those trenches about the point where
the left of the 32nd Battalion lay.
Yours faithfully,
C. E. W. BEAN

Fle.
See separate covers for:-
FLEMING
FLEMMING
FLETCHER 

F.4151
xxxxx
1321.
14 August 1926.
Captain T.C. Barbour,
Serpentine Parade,
Vaucluse.
Dear Captain Barbour,
In writing the account of the Battle of Fromelles
for the Official History, I find there is an almost complete
absence of records concerning the position of the left flank of
the attack in the German trenches. I understand that parties
of the 30th Battalion became involved in the fighting there,
and I am wondering whether, by any chance, you may have been in
the neighbourhood, or know of someone who was? If you were
there, I should be greatly obliged if you would assist me with 
the benefit of your recollection of the situation in and around
the German communication trench, on which the left of the 32nd
rested.
Yours faithfully,
C. E. W. BEAN

FLETCHER 

[*T.C. BARBOUR
SYDNEY
ARCHITECT*]
'Greenheyes'
Village Lower Rd.
Vaucluse
17.8.26
The Official Historian
Victoria Barracks.
Sydney
Dear Mr Bean,
Your letter of the 14^th. Inst to hand 
re Fromelles engagement, and as requested
I will endeavour to write an account of the
situation of the left flank upon my arrival 
there, as far as my recollections go at this 
late date. This will be forwarded to
you in the course of a few days, as soon
as I have an opportunity of delving
into some old diaries & notes, also some
Battn papers which I have, to assist in
making the information as reliable as possible.
If you are able to get in touch with
some of the others of the 32 Bn & 31 Bn. they 
should furnish you with much valuable
information, although candidly speaking,
I fancy very few of them are now alive,
especially any of the survivors of that
show, who went through the subsequent
scraps with their units.
My part in the affair was necessarily
very small being sent over on the left flank
with only one platoon of the 30 Bn (D. Coy)
to reinforce the battered remnants of
the above units who were in a very bad way.
I recollect meeting there Capt White
and Capt Mills (of the 35^th & the 31 Bn respectively
from memory), who were heavily pressed
at the time, but both assisted me in
every way making out reports & sketches of
the situation, which were asked for by Hqrs.
Some of these sketches &c were received
at Hqrs & should be available for records, if
you could make enquiry. One report included
an estimate of the remaining strength on the
left flank, also a list of the names of the few officers 

^ left alive I could get hold of. I also recollect
meeting there ^ later on a senior officer (from memory
a Col. Coghill) who enquired from me the
nearest way back to Hqrs, as he was
returning to give first hand information
of the serious state of affairs.
I believe he returned safely and should
be able to give much assistance to you.
I will embrace in the report a curious
experience we had with this officer in
the MSS. which may be of interest to you.
Owing to the heavy casualties on
the left it essentially became a rank
& file fight, and you will no doubt be
well aware of the heroic way they
carried on in the line - near the 
block end especially.
As previously mentioned the 30 Bn
played a very small part in the show, but
nevertheless I had the pleasure of obtaining
2 M.M's for members of my platoon
(the first awards in the Bn. I believe) whose
work could not be overlooked on that occasion.
Pte. Nankivell especially doing
wonders as a runner, when badly wounded,
crawling in & delivering one of my messages
on the situation. I will look up his 
record number &c, and give you particulars
also of Pte. Anderson M.M. One cannot
speak too highly of the performances of 
the men that day in all parts of the line. The
official casualties in my platoon was 20 - small however compared with other units
The tragedy appears to be
forgotten now. I noticed on the
10^th anniversary, little mention was
made of the incident in the Press, although
I managed to get the enc. para inserted 
in the D.T. by young G. Wynne. The
figures quoted I think you will find
fairly correct. Lt. Charles Hamilton
(of the 60 Bn from memory) now a solicitor in
Melbourne, informed me the following 

day he got out of the show with only
about 20 men of his Bn. He gave me
the figures quoted which represented
the first muster, with which he
marched out with after the event. 
I must also mention in returning
to Australia at the latter end of 1919
a Miss Small who took a great interest
in the doings of the 8 Bde and the
Div. generally, intended publishing a
Book on the 5 Div.  She forwarded
me a wire which I received on the 
Transport at Melbourne, asking me
to contribute an a/c of Fromelles. 
I met her later on in Sydney &
left her some MSS. & Photos which she 
may still have. Unfortunately I did
not keep a copy. I do not think
the volume was published, but if
you could get in touch with her,
no doubt she would be able to
give you many interesting items, as
more of less the matters were fresh in 
ones mind at that date. 
Yours faithfully
T.C. Barbour
Capt. 30Bn.
ps
I am forwarding a small volume
principally from articles which
I wrote for the Daily Telegraph, which
may be of some interest to you, if you
had an opportunity to peruse same.
TCB. 

'Greenheyes'
Vaucluse
21.8.26
The Official Historian
Sydney.
Dear Mr Bean,
Enclosed please find
a/c of Platoon ^ of "D" Co. 30 Bn at Fromelles. When you
have had an opportunity to peruse
the enclosures (2), will you kindly
return same.
[*unimportant*]
The Miss Small I mentioned
had some very reliable reports,
including one from a Staff Officer,
embracing several pages of
foolscap, on the stunt. 
I remember this well, as she
gave me the MSS. to take home and
read, and it proved of genuine interest.
She has a very interesting collection
if you could manage to locate her.
[*Mitchell Library*] 
Just after the Fromelles show
I was appointed Intelligence Officer 30 Bn
& temporarily took over the 32^nd Bn duties as
well. The I/O of the 32 Bn who later took
over his job (I forget his name), should be 
able to furnish you with good information
regarding the 32 Bn. He appeared to be
well informed in the matter, and at the 
time gained first hand information
from the survivors.
Yours faithfully
T C Barbour
Capt. 30 BN.

[*T.C. BARBOUR
SYDNEY
ARCHITECT*]
FROMELLES  19th July 1916.
The 32nd Bn and 31st Bn (8th Bde A.I.F.) formed the

main forces in the attack on the left in the above engagement.
During the afternoon I received urgent instructions to take over
my Platoon (No 14 "D" Co 30 Bn), and reinforce the left flank,
which at that time was heavily engaged.
Being in support we quickly moved up to the old front
line at a point connecting with the Ox. ahd Bucks (English Rgmnt).
There I met Major Purser (30Bn) also Capt Street ^ of 30 BN. (later both
Col. rank). 
Major Purser was greatly distressed at the time, informing
me his Coy. ("C" of the 30 Bn) had been cut up going across on
the left where I met him, and were unable to advance far, all the
officers being K. or Wd., amongst them being Capt Wark (later
Major Wark V.C.), (transferred to 32nd Bn on recovery). On
account of the heavy firing none of the wounded could be reached
until after dark. Major Purser personally conducted me to
a position where he thought we had a better chance of getting over.
I immediately gave necessary instructions to my platoon,
and moved over the breastworks soon meeting with casualties with
rifle and M.G. fire. A shell also landed on the leading section
causing losses, amongst the casualties being Pte. Ross (my batman)
who had a limb blown off.. Several of us were stunned and
thrown into a shell hole.. On receovering we pressed forward
passing large bodies of our men K. and Wd., the latter we had
instructions not to assist, so as to avoid delay, and then entered
the German trench as directed on the left. 
Water was found some 2ft or 3ft deep in parts, and there
was no signs of the troops we expected to meet, although there
was some wounded and dead of both sides, the German casualties
predominating. I then posted my platoon with orders to
collect as much SAA as possible (including from casualties) and
make a dump in a dry spot, also to consolidate as much as possible;
this was difficult on account of the exposed nature of the trench.
I then worked along the sap ^ to the left to gain information, and
ultimately met an officer (Capt. White, (32nd Bn from memory), to
whom I reported. He was greatly relieved to hear of the arrival
of my men as he stated he was badly in need of reinforcements.
He then explained his position to me, His men had a bad
time on the left flank, but was holding on though short of 
men and ammunition. I informed him of the dump being made, and
was pleased to hear of this, and immediately made use of it, sending
up supplies, particularly to the MG crew at the block end, who
were continuously at work. His men were also consoildating,
sandbagging etc. as much as possible. 
Capt White informed me he was unable to get any connection 
on his right, and asked me to work along until I got in
touch with someone there.  Apparently the 30 Bn platoon
had entered a gap in the German line.
On returning to my men I posted them to better advantage
and worked towards the right, where firing was also going on,
with the object of establishing connection there.
After some time I came across some more members of the
32 Bn., and later, elements of the 8th Bde intermingled, occupying
a position somewhat similar to thet conditions prevailing on the 
left. I do not recollect meeting an officer up to this point,
the men informing me they were mostly casualties. I therefore
kept moving to the right and finally met an officer Capt. Mills
(from memory 31st Bn).  (Capt Mills I believe was Wd. later on 
in the engagement and Captured p.o.w. by the Germans).
This officer explained he had only a few men left
but would hold on, and up to the time of my reporting to him, he
had no connection on his left. Although very agitated on
account of the general excitement he willingly assisted me with
information on his front for reports to hdqrs. 
Returning to Capt White I informed him connection had
been established on his right, and then made out sketches and
reports with his assistance, which were despatched per runner.
Both the above officers informed me they had repeatedly asked for
reinforcements and supplies, but neither had arrived in sufficient
quantities.