Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/243A/1 - 1916 - 1934 - Part 23

F.4151
xxxxx
1320.
14 August 1926.
Captain S.A. Pinkstone, M.C.,
"The Daily Express" Office,
Wagga Wagga.
Dear Pinkstone,
In writing the account of the battle of Fromelles
for the Official History, I have been unable to find very much
in the way of records of what happened in the old German front
trench during the night of July 19/20.  I understand that it
contained a few men, and was chiefly the scene of distribution
of such sandbags, grenades, etc., as came forward with carrying
parties.  I believe you were there in charge of some of
this work, and, if you could spare the time to jot down for me
a note or two comprising your recollections, I should be very
grateful for this assistance.
Your sincerely,
C. E. W. BEAN

FLEMING
see separate cover for:-
FLEMMING

"Daily Express"
Wagga
30/8/1926.
Dear Mr. Bean
In respect to your request for
information as to happenings in the
old German front line at Fromelles,
I am afraid I can't throw much light
on the matter.
As far as I can remember, my
company advanced from our support
line to our front line about 5
p.m. on July 19, & was there divided
into carrying parties, carrying bombs,
ammunition &c. to the old German
front line.  I reported to Colonel
McConaghy, who was with Colonel
Cass at a dug-out close to the old
German front line.  Colonel McConaghy
then sent me out in search
of Lieut. Matthews, who had not
been heard of & was afterwards
taken prisoner.  From then on till

the early hours of the morning, I
was in the new Australian front.
line, with Captain Gibbons, and
returned with him when he
made his counter - attack to
drive off the Germans on our
right flank.
(From then till our retirement
well after daylight, I was in the
old German front line, on the right
flank.  During that period, the old
German front line was occupied
by Australian bombers in a
continual fight with in driving
off attacking parties of the enemy.
I cannot recall names, with the
exception of Capt. Gibbons & his
wonderful counter attack across
the top of the trenches, the sight
of which will remain with me
for the rest of my days.
However, I don't think this
is the information you require,

so I have forwarded your letter
on to my brother, Capt. Norman
Pinkstone, who I believe was
in charge of carrying parties
at Fromelles.  He will forward
anything he knows to you direct.
I regret the delay in
answering your letter, but
owing to the Show & Race rush
in Wagga I have been kept
hard at it.
I believe, as you state in
your letter, that the central front
of the old German front line was
used as a distributing centre, with
fighting only on the extreme flanks.
When I retired, I jumped over the
top near the communication trench
dug by our Engineers, & its centre
of the old German line was then
clear of enemy.
I will always be willing to
give you any information I can
Sincerely yours
S A. Pinkstone

F.4151
xxxxx
1350.
2 September 1926.
Captain S.A. Pinkstone. M.C.,
"The Daily Express",
Wagga Wagga.
Dear Captain Pinkstone,
I have to thank you for your letter and also for
sending on my inquiry to your brother.
I possess practically nothing about the counter-attack
by Captain Gibbins across the top of the trenches, and
would be most grateful if you would jot down your recollection
of it.  I understood that you were engaged with some of the
bombers of the 56th Battalion on the right about that time.
Would you kindly inform me if this is correct?
Yours faithfully,
C. E. W. BEAN

25/7/15
1st Div Engineers

"Daily Express"
Wagga Wagga,
10/9/26.
Dear Capt. Bean,
In reply to your request for information
regarding the counter-attacks by Capt. Gibbons, at Fromelles,
I have sketched out the follwoing story, which I think you will
find is fairly accurate.
"On the night of July 19, I joined Capt. Gibbons
in our new front line trench, where we were engaged in strengthening
the defences.  Towards mroning word was received that the
Germans were gaining ground on the right front of the 14th Brigade.
Capt. Gibbons decided to make a counter attack, and as
things were thenquiet on our front he withdrew a number of men
and went back to the old No Man's Land, where he re-formed in
skirmishing order and moved across to the right.  He would not
allow me to accompany him.  He then counter-attacked across the
top of the trenches towards the right front.  During this attack
I believe, he was hit on the forehead by a bomb, which fell to the
ground, but he was able to escape the explosion.
I did not actually see this attack, but later,
when daylight was breaking, I saw capt. Gibbons make a second
attack in the same direction.  His head was then bandaged with a
white cloth, and he was clearly visible for a distance of thirty
to forty yards.  He went across the top of the trenches in full
view of everyone, his men scrambling closely after him. This
attack met with temporary success, and gained valuable time for
the evacuation of our wounded.  I regret that I cannot recall the
names of the officers and men who accompanied Capt Gibbons, but I

"2"
believe he placed an officer on each flank of his small force
and took the centre himself.
That attack was one of the finest that came
under my notice throughout the war.  Gibbons seemed to bear a
charmed life and did not know the meaning of the word fear.  He
wasted no words, his orders being definite and concise.
When I left Cat. Gibbons I wnet along to the
right flank of the old German front line, where I joined a party
of 56th Battalion bombers, who were holding a barricaded trench.
We threw Mills and German bombs and kept the trench clear till
instructed by Colonel McConaghy to go back to our original front
line. There was a 56th Battalion sergent with me, who did very
good work, and though I mentioned him in a report to his battalion
afterwards, I cannot remember his name.
When we received word to evacuate the German
trenches, Col. McConaghy detailed Capt. Gibbons to take charge
of a party to cover our withdrawal.  This he did, and held the
line while the wounded were being got clear.  The Gap put
through by the Engineers during the night was blocked with
wounded, and Gibbons held on till the last possible moment.  He
then made a dash across the open and regained our own papraphet,
but as he was about to jump in he was shot and killed.  I also
ran across the open, but was lucky enough to excape uninjured.
Capt. Gibbons put up a wonderful fight throughout
the night, and it can be placed to his credit that so many
of our men escaped and that we were able to get most of our
wounded clear.  I, for one, will never forget him on or that great
race across No Man's Land to safety.

"3"
I am enclosing a rough sketch of the trenches as I
recall them, and trust that this information will be of value.
Sincerely Yours,
S.A. Pinkstone

Diagram - see original document