Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/246/1 - 1916 - 1929 - Part 5

9.

While at Gow Trench Nos. 2880, 2929, and Private Crowfoot and 

another man were detailed to act as guides for an in-going and an

out-going battalion. During the afternoon they received their

orders and instructions from Mr. White, and were shown plans of the

trenches, and were also shown where to lead the outgoing battalion.

No. 2929 had a company of the 32nd Battalion to guide as far as

Miller Son Dump, and No. 2880 had a company of the same battalion

to guide to the same place. Each [[man guided his]] inserted]] company at night successfully

across that death-trap between Rose Trench and Miller Son to the

outing, and commences to make sure that the leading company was held up,

and so all the companies became held up, on the high ground.

Moments of anxiety were experienced, for the place was well under

shell-fire. There they were, companies of men in file, held up in

a dangerous place; and No. 2880 began to feel quite uneasy. It was

impossible to move either forward or backward. This was the

trying part of it, as when one could move along under fire it

appeared over so much easier. Then all doubts of shell fire were

removed by the Huns suddenly opening up with a barrage, and the

shells began to fall fast and furious around this long line of men.

As they could not advance, there was nothing to do but just wait

for a shell to drop right in amongst the crowd, not to mention the

danger of flying splinters. The "death-trap" a little way back was

getting ploughed up with shells again. It is hard to think what

might have happened had they been held up there. As No. 2880 stood

on that rising ground that night, and watched the flashing of the

Hun guns, he thought that the situation did not look too good. 

Luckily not a man was hit, and the company moved on to Miller Son,

where other guides took them on to the front line.

Here Nos. 2880 and 2929 sheltered in a deep dugout.......until

they picked up the companies coming out of the line. No. 2880

picked out his lot and started on the way back. The men were not

able to travel fast, owing to theeffects of the line conditions and

trench feet, but in course of time they were led to Moon Trench and

 

 

10.

the guide reported back.

On the 28th November the battalion moved back to Monteuben.

It was an awful trip out from the line on that occasion, as the men

were brought all the way in one night to Monteuben, and were led by

Captain Barbour. That night No. 2880 managed to roll down a steep

embankment and got a good shaking. Upon arrival at Monteuben the

men waded through mud knee-deep to the huts. (The best part of

the first night out of the trenches was generally spent round a

brazier, relating experiences and instances during the trip in).

........

On November 30 the battalion moved up to le Transloy, and the

country was frozen hard......During the trip......quite a few

incidents occurred. On the way in the troops passed a large German

dugout of such an immense size that it could accommodate a whole

battalion, and was shell-proof, and had wire bunks, three deep.

Crossing over from this a deep sap was entered which led to the

firing line. The trenches were frozen, as was also bread, meat,

and the water. Water was brought up in petrol tins, but was one

solid block of ice. The water in the men's bottles was in the 

same condition, and the corks were frozen hard into the mouths of

the bottles. Heavy frosts fell at night. No Man's Land was all

snow. A listening post was placed well out in front of the line,

but as the men had to lay out there crouched up all day they had to

be constantly relieved at night on account of the cold, ....... It

was cruel lying there all day half-frozen. The bombs had to be

turned round every half-hour during the night, or else they would

freeze hard and fast into the side of the trench. A shallow sap

ran out into the listening post. From this post it was possible to

hear the Huns talking, and one could see them; and it is a wonder 

that Fritz did not surround this lonely post as he must have known

of its existence. He had a post out also, close to the other just

mentioned, perhaps this accounted for it. He had a machinegunner

in his line who could actually play a kind of melody when firing, 

much to the tune of "lights out"........

 

11.

One night "Dad" White came along the trench. The Huns must have

had a very bad trench, as in the dim half-light they could be 

noticed standing head and shoulders above the parapet, and they were

not far away. So "Dad" gave orders for every man to get ready to

fire two rounds when he fired his revolver. He kept the men wait-

ing for that signal, but it never came off. Perhaps he had

visiions of the shells and Minnies which Fritz would hurl back in

return, and left them well alone.

A raid came off. Sergeant Worboies (afterwards killed in

action) and Private Keene (6th Regiment) were sent out as a

covering party. About midnight a barrage of flying pigs and Stokes

was fired on the Hun lines. The raid came off all right, but

unfortunately Private Keene was riddled with machine-gun bullets,

and died at the dressing station........

The patrols got hold of the idea of dressing in white when

patrolling No Man's Landis the snow. No doubt this was copied

from Fritz. One night the patrol went out, but only clothed in 

white tunics, and as they moved along in the snow a keen observer

could only discern a line of legs moving. This was not too good

for safety. The men with No. 2880 on the post were not aware of

the change of attire of the patrol, and "Ruby" Gallagher, who was

very nervy, since his mate was killed on that stretcher-bearing 

party at Miller Son, became quite alarmed when he sighted the legs,

and thought he was gazing across at the spirit world. All night

long Fritz was firing flares. He supplied most of the light.......

The dugouts, or rather shelters, consisted of sheets of

galvanised iron which formed the roof.......They were not sufficiently

high enough to sit up in, nor long enough to lay out in, but were 

wide enough for two men to crouch in. But they were occupied by

three men,which made it awful. Truly they were a type of dugout

(as Bairnsfather puts it) in which one got out now and again for a

rest. It was not much use using them during the day, as no

blankets were carried, and the men's feet froze and caused much

pain. To keep up blood circulation it was necessary to massage

the feet rapidly, or, when it could be done, run about......Tommy

 

 

12.

cookers were issued, and Dad Easlie hit upon the idea of trying to

sleep with a burning cooker at his feet. Those little cookers were

a boon, and were issued by the Australian Comforts Fund. But they

were not too plentiful in the line, worse luck. They consisted of

small tine of solidified methylated spirits, and would boil two

dixies of water. All night it was a case of marking time to keep up

circulation,, and the men looked likea new class of Esquimaux rein-

forcements on an iceberg from Lapland, or somewhere, attired in sheep

skins and balaclava caps. As they often jokingly remarked, all that 

they wanted to complete the outfit was a set of horns and they would

be reindeers.

After standing down of a morning it was usual to keep guards 

on during the day while the men rested - or rather tried to rest.

But not so at Le Transloy. Orders used to come around that at 11

o'clock a barrage was to be held upon Fritz, and all the men had to

retire down the communication sap till the straff was over, as some

of the artillery fire was expected to fall short on account of

inferior ammunition. This was carried out, and a lot of shrapnel 

did fall short, much to the horror of Corporal Pickering. The men

lying out in No-Man's Land, who obviously could not get in from the

outpost by daylight, had to suffer it all and take pot luck. How-

ever they were not hurt. Crouching out there half-frozen and facing

their own shells was no pleasant experience for a man. But a war

was on. At another time orders came round that all men must not

sleep after two o'clock in the afternoon, as some of the "heads" were

making an inspection of the lines. Of course there was no sleep of

a night. Every man stood to on the defence xxxxx in case of a 

surprise attack by the enemy. They seemed to forget that xxxxx the

men had been standing all night, while the "heads" were well back

in deep dugouts.

During this trip in Fritz strafed with whizz-bangs and

heavier shells. As a rule the front line was usually a safe place

from the heavier gun-fire. It was the support line and the

reserves that generally caught it hot. In those days the term "in

the front line was fairly short on account of the weather conditions

 

 

 

13.

and when the night came to bring the relief party up it was a

most anxious time, and the men often wondered whether they would

be stiff enough to be "knocked" going out.

In front of Le Transloy was a gentle rising ground, having

a road lined with trees at the top, being in full view from the 

trenches, along which Hun transport were often seen moving with

British shells hurrying them. In the early mornings the boys

generally got in some shots at Hun working parties. There was

not much use for the rifle in those days, but the machine-guns

were very handy and destructive. More or less the .303

"howitzers" was out of action and choked up with mud, and _∧ No. 2880

often had to use his as a walking stick to avoid falling in the

mud. But at this time the ground was frozen, and great fogs came

came along which made the stand to much longer. ......... At

night the machine-guns on both sides were rattling away sweeping

the country' and doing damage to working parties and the troops

travelling in the open......

The relief came in good time. As usual the battalion's

luck was in, and as they moved out Jerry (as the Tommies called

the Hun) was quiet. Hurrying with all possible speed across

the "death trap", they "rode" those frozen duckboards to Needle

Dump, where dixies of hot soup awaited them. The men were

wearing long rubber boots which gripped the ice nicely, and good

progress was made. Previous to going in, the ankle boots were

stored at the dump. This is how they were "stored" : they were

placed in the universal sandbag and exposed to the frost for

four nights. The result was that they were....... as hard as iron.

On reaching Needle Dump the order was given to change to

ankle boots,  and the gumboots were to be carried out slung round

the men's necks. Most of the men had swollen and sore feet, and

to change over boots was impossible. those who did found them

as hard as iron. And then the fun commenced. The men, heavily

laden and line-weary, commenced to slip and slide on the ice.

Nos. 2880 and 2929 had a trying time, as the hard boots would not

 

 

 

14.

grip, and many a fall they had that night. No. 2929 managed to

push on ahead. Once No. 2880 came down with an awful crash right

on his back, the woodwork flew off his rifle and his steel "lid"

flew yards away, whilst the mess tin lid flew elsewhere. After

having a good swear he gathered up his kit and sat down on the 

duckboards with a "don't care if a shell does get me" feeling, and

had a few mates with him. Presently along came Dad White.

"What are you doing here", he said. No. 2880 said that he was

dead-beat and could not go any further. So Dad gave them permiss-

ion to put on the rubber boots. The effect was magical, and the

long trail to Padre Ward's soup kitchen at Waterlot Farm was soon

covered. The men felt much better after partaking of a hot drink

and a smoke. After a rest another start was made.....reached the

huts at Trones Wood...... and lay like a log till morning. But 

very thankful even for that. This was the night of the 23rd

December 1916.

Next day was spent in cleaning up, ready for the coming

inspection by the company commander. On the 6th of December the

battalion moved back to Montauben for a six weeks' spell....... The

six weeks'"spell"will ever live in the memory of those who

"enjoyed" it.  They had a job clearing the slush off the road and

laying a metal road. Nations were scarce and the chats in great

abundance, and so were the fatigues........The traffic along that

Montauban road was very busy, and on going to the line the men had

to dodge between the traffic as best we could. Christmas Day

was quiet.......While working along the line along that

road it was pitiable to see the trucks of men with labels on their

tunics starting for Blighty,  all suffering from trench feet. ......

It was amusing to see the sick parade xxxxxx come along of a morning,

and "put a tale over" on the doctor.

On the 14th of January the battalion was relieved by the 

29th,  and entrained for Fricourt. At Fricourt..... there were

baths - "Russian" baths. On the 17th January they went back to

Trones Wood......On the 18th a journey was made along the same old

 

 

15.

trail, but to another sector. This time those in high command

made things a bit too willing, and in addition to the ordinary

battle array, the men set out for the trenches carrying a duckboard

between every two men as they bogged along through the mud. Thus

the average man was heavily laden, and many dumped the boards. No.

2880 and Donniger were carrying a board, and they were getting

exhausted when suddenly they, board and all, rolled over into a

large hole, and the board was flung away. But another was picked

up. It was a moonlight night and the men were sneaking along to

the trenches carrying duckboards over a rise. It was a wonder

that Jerry did not take observation and open fire. However a 

position was taken up in a series of shellholes, not connected up,

and forming a lot of posts. It was a very simple matter to walk

over to Fritz in the dark, and not realise it till one got there.

Unfortunately a ration party did this, and when they heard Fritz

challenge, they threw down the rations and bolted back.

One night No. 2880 and sergeant ----- managed to get lost

in No Man's Land, and on finally coming in were challenged by No.

2929. the dead lying about were very numerous, and the working at

night to improve the position was hindered buy the buried bodies.

In Gusty Trench, a little to the rear, were bodies of their own

men piled up many feet high, and the ground round about lay thick

with dead - Australian dead.

When the relief came the men moved back to Gow Trench.....

At half-past eleven that night No. 2880 was doing gas guard, when

the Hun guns opened up, and a very heavy fire was laid  down behind

the lines........

On the 24th of January the battalion moved to Trones Wood, 

and on the 26th to "E" Camp. All the gear had to be man-handled,

as the mud was too heavy for the limbers. No. 2880 was on 

Colonel's fatigue, and just fancy his wrath when he had to lump

along such things as a coal scuttle, etc.

At 4.30 on morning a party had to got to Rose Trench with

Mr. Rush, who had just joined up for the first time: but he

 

 

 

16.

forgot to draw the gum-boots and so the party had to turn back 

and get them. Arriving in Rose Trench the men noticed what great

improvements had taken place since their last visit, and how strong-

ly it was revetted. One could hardly believe it was the same

place. Later the fatigue party crossed over to Miller Son dump,

 and occupied part of an immense shell-proof dugout which Fritz had

had to leave, and which would easily hold about 1,200 men, being

placed in bunks three deep. But while in there one  had to get

into bed to get out of the other fellow's road, for the place was

full of bunks and horribly crammed for room. There were several

entrances. after a day or so there the fatigue party moved to

another similar dugout lying in a sunken road, and quite handy to

the other. The fatigue was carried out in the front line, and it

was possible to get there in daylight by wading up a horrible

twisty sap called Eternal Alley, which was blown in in places and

very muddy. It was a common sight to see men wading along this

alley with only sandbags wound round their feet in place of boots.

The men were suffering from trench feet and were going out for

treatment. When they struck the duckboards, the sharp wires would

cut their feet, but they had to go on.........

Water in the front line was waist deep in places and in

the foggy mornings the fatigue party used to bail the water out by

means of a long wood bailer attached to a handle. The trench was

fairly shallow, and it had to be deepened. Fritz was quite busy

sending over Minnies and pigeon bombs. When the fog lifted the men

continued to work, right under Hun observation. A pick or a 

shovel would go in the air, and a Hun sniper would have a shot at 

it. Some of the men were shot. Perhaps Fritz woke up to the fact

that there were a lot of men in the line, and quite suddenly at 2 

o'clock in the afternoon he opened up on the front line with a 

terrific bombardment.......and then he placed a creeping barrage on

the alley and followed the party on their way down to the dugout......

But this lesson did not have any effect, for a couple of days

later the men were sent up again, and Fritz laid down another

bombardment, and a very heavy one.......After that they went no

 

 

 

17.

more to bail out water.

On the 3rd February 1917 "A" company captured Sunray Trench,

and at 2 o'clock in the morning word came along to the dugout to

proceed up to the line to reinforce. And off they started up

Eternal Alley; and then by mutual assistance the men clambered over

the op and proceeded overland. Just as the top was reached a

salvo of shrapnel from Fritz burst nearly overhead and it was hard

to keep in touch with the men in front - to lose him meant disaster.

It fairly put the wind up some of the men; it had been raining and

the ground was slippery.

Hun flares were going up pretty freely and it was a case of

stopping dead"while the light was on", as movement would be

detected. A flare went up and No.2880 suddenly stopped and

commenced to slide into a shell hole full of water, and the water

was almost waist deep. The long boots soon filled up, and he

could not get out on account of being heavily loaded. The most

aggravating part was that in his overcoat there were a couple of

pairs of dry socks for a change, but they too suffered immersion.

Keith Harding, the person's son, helped him out and off he went

gain smiling, but thinking about those socks..........However Sunray

Trench was soon reached, and all but "Bess" and "Too Hoc" got in.

The last named two men magaged to get stuck hard and fast in the mud

but got out somewhere.

Why it bore the name Sunray, the writer...... cannot make out.

It was nothing but a wide and shallow trench full of sticky mud.

Part of it was occupied by the Huns who had erected a barrier in it.

In capturing it "A" Company  found only one old Hun "flare-king"

there. It appears that he had the job of firing flares all night in

order to make it appear that the trench was occupied.....The old

chap was suffering from trench feet.

Early in the morning a party went across in the fog carrying

provisions and ammunition, but they came near the Hun portion of

Sunray and the Huns fired on them. Mr. Craiger (Mad Mick of Lark 

Hill) stood up in a shellhole and had a revolver go at Fritz, but he

 

 

 

18.

soon dropped, being badly shot. Luckily he recovered.........he wanted 

to fight the whole German army.........

No. 2880 and 2929 became separated, and the former found

himself attached with Mr Rickards of "C" Company, while the latter

was with his own company. On the post with No. 2880 were Mr.

Rickards,sSandow, Bob Mather, Sid Wells, and others. Eight men were

on the post, and in a few hours there were only four left. A man

on each side of No. 2880 was hit, but he was unscathed. Fritz used

a lot of pigeons and minnies. One pigeon came right in on a post

and killed Sergeant-Major S........ and wounded these men. A few

moments before No. 2880 was talking to S.M. S-----  Then he was

consulting a trench map, and Mr. Rickards fired at a Hun that the

S.M. drew his attention to. The trip in was awful.

The relief came along in the shape of the 29th Battalion.......

Fritz played havoc with Minnies and made the trip out quite

exciting. On February 9th the map moved back to Trones Wood.

The Gueudecourt fatigue then came along. This village......was a

six-mile "trot" nightly from the huts at "E" camp to the scene of

the operation. The job to be done was to lay a track, a road about

a chain wide through country honeycombed with shellholes. This was

an arduous task, and there was much pontoon carrying and shellhole

pumping in the dark. One incident to be remembered was the first 

night. The had a sergeant with them not long over from Blighty

and a parade-ground maniac. Suddenly Fritz opened up with a

barrage (the attacked the 29th Bn.) and they came under fire.

Immediately this N.C.O. tried to form the men up as on a parade

ground whilst the bullets whistled round, but a sharp order from an

officer soon scattered the men to the shell holes for safety. All

went well till the last night, when Fritz opened up with artillery