Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/81/1 - June 1917 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/81/1
Title:  Diary, June 1917
Includes references to Messines, the 6th
Division and Lord Allenby.

(Barcode)
AWM38-3DRL606/81/1

Original   DIARY No. 81
AWM38   3DRL  606  ITEM  81 [1]
[*Messines
DIARY 1
81 
June 4 -
June 19
81   19*]
The use of these diaries and notes is subject of conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial.  but, apart from these terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true.  The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind.  Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered.  Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing, believed.  further, he cannot of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded.  But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events.  The contest falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that 
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.
16 Sept, 1946  C. E. W. BEAN
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
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AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
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Planes flew low to
cover (shorthand)
76 Cover
Messines
DIARY   1
81 
June 4 -
June 19
81   19

1A
Saw Arthur Maxwell, who, I
am sorry to say, is back with
his company.  This promotion
for him, but it means he
goes over;  on the left of the Corps
this Coy will be.  Duncan (now
A.D.C. to Genl Holmes)
tried very hard to be allowed
to go also but failed when
Glasgow ws asked he
refused.  I suspect Arthur
spoke to Glasgow.
Arthur ws going up in
a balloon yesty to see
his country.  The balloon maj
(trying to put him off) told him he
could go up at 8pm (when
[*the balloons are genrly attacked) & this
made Arthur
very angry - he
thought they imagined
they wd frighten
him.*]

76    2
June 4 (cont) Dined w Gen Holmes
4^th Aust Div. in Bailleul.
Hirst of Australian heavies was
there.  He tells me he thinks
tt / Germans have taken
back most of their guns
exc. a few hows from
the district behind Messines,
& are merely relying on
long range gun fire & fire from
/ flanks - not leaving their
guns to be captd.  The
majority of their hows.
he thinks are back out
of range of our heavies,
& our infy will not come
within range of them till /
actual advance.
Gen. Godley told me afterwds
tt a strafe wd take place
tomorrow of the Quesnoy
guns - We are wending

76    3
in to Armentieres tonight
2 - 12in, & I think he sd
2 batteries of 8 in & 3 of 6 in
& will have a special 'plane
tomorrow to locate the guns
for us.
Hirst thinks we have
located 110 _^charged batteries (not new
batteries, as the army thinks,
but _^old batteries in new
positns).
Godley told me tt yestys
straf ws meant to make /
German disclose his
dispositions.
June 5 Tuesday.  Hirst of
the Australian Heavies
took me round with 
Baldwin who arrived yesty.

4
Tell Simonson
abt Dinner.

76    5
We went all through Jas,
Heath & U trenches - the
U trench being an undergrd.
sap - or rather camouflaged -
between the two - broken in by
recent heavy shelling in
several places.  We went along
the undergro subsidiary line & out by
the Rosenberg Observation
Posts.  Here Baldwin & I
found a position which
will suit us excellently.
Went back to lunch with
Hirst who then told us there
was an army barrage on
at 3 - so we all went
back & Baldwin, from our
trench, got an admirable
film photo of the bombardment,
only beginning a minute
or two too late, unfortunately.
However, it was very good.

76    6
Hirst saw what he thought
were some Germans at
Petit Douve - and one of
our shells burst on them.
They were really some N.Z.
raiders - who failed "owing
to strong opposition."  The
9^th Corps in a raid at /
same time got 75 prisoners.
I saw old Larkin of the
Signallers.  He is to go over
to Messines with the Heavy
Arty wire.  I hope he
gets through;  he is wrapped
up in his mother - & a
tremendously courageous chap.
He had an idea tt the show
ws tomorrow.  But I believe
today is X day;  Tomorrow
Y day - (there may be several

76    7
Y days - - - & then Z day.)
The Germans were
giving the 3rd Aust. Div Arty
a very heavy hammering
today.  Wherever you looked,
S. of Hill 63, you cd see
smoking farms or hedges
where batteries were being 
shelled.
'drawing - see original document'
Five or 6 times I saw a
dump go up
'drawing - see original document'

76    8
in a huge column of
roan coloured smoke
All old Grimwades gas shell, I believe,
has gone up.  In the morning a
German 'plane dropped a
bomb on some trucks
near Messines.  One
caught fire.  Ross says
tt a few buckets wd have
put it out - But it ws
allowed to spread - & in
one huge explosion up
went 80,000 charges
of cordite, so they say -
3 trucks full!
I never saw so
many explosions in
one day.  I believe
tt the dry camouflage

76    9
of raphia & rushes
may be responsible in
part. 
Went to dinner
with Gen. Godley.
Can hear a 'plane
flying over under /
full moon as I write.
It is slightly misty -
a change in the bitter to
glorious hot weather o / 
last month.
We had two close shaves
with the car on the road
today - just missed a
shell going this morning &
another this afternoon.