Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/244/1 - 1916 - 1933 - Part 13

115
The line was laid out under the personal
supervision of the O.C. and to ensure its
correctness line tapes were run out to
each flank and the distance between
accurately measured.
Each company took a section, the whole
being divided into four equal parts lengths
On the first night an average depth of about
one fort was Manned without casualties
but the second night although adequately
protected by a covering party from the Bⁿ
work was much impeded by enemy fire
and a good many casualties sufficed.
Owing to the long¹ period of darkness being
short work could not be continued carried on more
than about 4 hours but sufficient was
done the second night to give fair cover
for the third night and after the Companies
had completed their tasks and readied
depth enough to give go fair cover half
the working parties were left in the trench
to work during day under Major Holland
the work being sufficiently advanced to enable
it to be well completed in the fourth night

                                                             4^th                                                    
 

 116
During this period communication trenches were
constructed by the first field Company of Engineers
under Lt. Col. Martyn and the whole consolidated
on a useful necessary and effective Company
off trench of sufficient frontage to accommodate
the attacking troops of the 3^rd Brigade and
with enough frontage to prevent overlapping
at the same time xxx not too distant
to prevent loss of direction.

The work of the first Pioneers at Pozieres has
never quite been appreciated as in this fight
they were extremely useful as fighting troops
to hold occupied positions.

In the attack they virtually constituted the third
line of the 3^rd Brigade moving up under the
O.C. immediately in rear of the last Infantry
Bn to O.G. 2 ^during which the Adjutant - Cap^t F. Hubber was killed The M. G. section under Lt Lester
occupying the most advanced position in the Reg't
and doing such excellent work that he gained the M.C.
At day break this Bn while consolidating O.G. 2
was constituted practically the only unit in an extended
line and was heavily counter attacked. The
 

117 

parties ceased their construction work and
seizing their rifles each th repulsed the attack
inflicting considerable loss on the Germans
Altogether in this operation the Bn suffered
serious loss three officers and forty eight men
were killed and the total casualties were
^eight officers and two hundred and eight OR more or proportionally to strength
equal or higher than any infantry battalion.
The loss of Capt Hubber was especially regrettable
as he had done brilliant work and it is worthy
of mention that the Padre Capt Harris accompanied
the Bn into action.
The work of the 4^th Pioneers under Lt Col Fewtrell
during Pozieres was also exceptionally fine the
construction by their Bn of the [[Centre?]] way right
through the debris of the village of Pozieres under
continuous fir shelling was one of the best excavation
works of the war enabling the movements of
troops towards Mouquet Farm to be undertaken
freely
The first 1^st Pozieres effort in the attack on
Mouquet Farm was equal to its work at Pozieres
Brought back suddenly after the 2^nd Div had
completed its work they were given the job

 118
of constructing Mix trench and during the
attack participated in the fighting capturing
a number of prisoners (I believe the only ones
taken).
During this operation Corporal Hauenstein a
man of great physical strength performed a [[?]]
feat. A party of men working in a shell
hole ^forward of the communication trench were struck and Hauenstein went forward
and carried more wounded men nine separate
times bringing back a wounded man to the
commcatin trench each occasion. He received the
M.C. and was afterwards promoted to Lieutenant.

 119
Pioneers at Bullecourt
About 2 oclock in the afternoon enemy shelling
from Queant became so heavy that movement
of troops from the railway embankment to
the Hindenburg line became extremely difficult
The 1^st Pioneer] Bn ^under Lt Col Armand was ordered to cut a
commutation trench the distance being about 800
yards. About 200 men only were available -
Although the enemy fire was very sustained and
accurate the scouting parties were promptly divided
into  sections parties each taking a section of the
work. The line taken took advantage of a
small fold in the ground running parallel to
the line of the trench causing the bulk of the
shells to either burst just short or over - This
party worked to such effect that in two hours
movement was possible and in four hours a
practicable trench had been completed in spite
of over 40 casualties out of the small number engaged
in the work. The work must have been under
clear observation by the Germans the whole time
and considering the obstacles of firing and the
obstruction of moving troops and ammunition parties using it
ammunition parties using it. 

 120
after the first two hours it constitutes a remarkable
feat of physical endurance and speed.
[*※*] Major              afterwards killed at Belgian
Battery Corner was mainly responsible for this work
under  Lt Col Armand.
2^nd in Command 2^nd Pioneers - He was a way up
Engineering man at Maryboro 2. - You will
get his name in gratitude lists.
He did excellent work in the Le Sars-Bapaume
Road -

121
Extract from the Perth "Sunday Times" of an interview
with Sgt. B.F. Murphy, D.C.M. & bar, 28th Bn., and.
Dunsterforce, after his return from the war.
                                - - - - - - - - - 
. . . . . . 
"What was the worst stunt you were ever in?", he was
asked.
"Pozieres, without a doubt," was the reply. On July 28,
1916, our battalion went into action 950 strong, and there
were only 300 of us left at the end of the day. It was a
murderous affair. And yet on August 5 we took both objectives
with half the strength we had on July 28, and stopped
two heavy counter-attacks with the bayonet. The fortune of
war! Bullecourt was also a bad business, and we suffered
very heavy losses, but in Flanders the casualties were not
so great." . . . . . .

122
3rd June, 1925.
Major G.L. Phillips, M.B.E.
Australian Representative, I.W.G.C.,
Branch Office No. 5 Area,
Imperial War Graves Commission,
Albert (Somme). France.
Dear Phillips,
Shortly after wiring to you I received the particulars
which you were so kind as to obtain for me as to Broodseinde
and Fromelles. They evidently crossed my wire.
You also mentioned that you would let me know the
precise map reference at which men were found beyond Mouquet Farm
and towards Thiepval, and the identifications, if any, that were
obtained of them; also the farthest Australians found in front of
Pozieres towards Courcelette, i.e. east and south-east of Pozieres
(a fair number of our men disappeared in this direction). I am
starting on the volume dealing with Pozieres, and should be glad
if you could let me have any assistance in this matter.
We are settled now at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, and
are likely to be here until the work ends.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
C.E.W. BEAN
 

GLP/AJF
VR/9/P
Branch Office, No 5 Area
IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMMISSION,
ALBERT
- - 
C. E. W. Bean Esq.,
Official Historian,
Victoria Barracks,
MELBOURNE,
Victoria, Australia.

Dear Mr. Bean,
In case the attached sheet may be of
interest to you in compiling your Official History, I
take the opportunity of forwarding the list as made
out by one of my staff and concerning certain exhumations
made of Remains on Map Sheet 57DR. 1/40,000.
With best wishes,
Yours very sincerely,
[[G. Phillips?]]
ALBERT
17th, September, 1926.