Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/81/1 - June 1917 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066611
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

nan n n 43 cutcross Ulma Avenue I movet up in after to Schaitzer & went on from there Ded o valuable work. Straddlin empladiy 2 & sbooting at ms. Emplacements. 812 At 135 am. 12 Bde report thy an on onl - uncaur support time at 12.8 Col. Mansbridgs deports ancanny suppt Not held bec. GKDw don't hold out support. Moring - shell fire v quiet exc. short bombt at 12.20 of Alster Support. Employing no juns lighter than H.2. germ. Calloon broyil down
5 June8 6.10 0m Positu o 6 Bn reported. From 1yds E of while spot collage tence to to wire a pont of Ancanny & aadulating to Tunater a green Ane O4cB.6. many mys in trees on it of Undulating y hart Several of 1088 prisoners Res. tatin at 04B (supporting 3rd Bav. Div Smake screens seen by R.F.C. bete 5 am. & 6.30 am at V19 +20 + D 9. orobly anding movement, ( Juve 8t Midnight 6 midn t 8 wd passed 3id Di. Ofp 39 1208 Pt Ture 1.35 p.m. Capt Jarrett reported At heavies were stelling betw poul & support line at 19 d85 Report by pigion dis not arrive till 6am. St Time at pycon loft This is deleriorating to 1 morale of ourmen annot I range be lefter
8. noon Trve Bas seied 33 34 9 Bde 38 37 10 Beld. 11 Bde 44 Fresh Bde 35 36 10 Bdc. 40 39 41 11Bd. 4 aruof 6.40 pm Gavrare oped I have been wut &have got rit 8 Barticles alldan 1telegran 46
47 701 i Bde- to Canteen corne 51813 B2 a he CeuleCang fam in &B de moms 9t Wrote Tane Papers s paper article (telegra Line pretty et I believe it is awfll difficult tascertain where Gine, is upnear Hren walk. ne1015 out ith units Hiter of sd all do Den bombe 1o t at 10.30 fom Monish tells me this is Bde. Tt be os have before an i
nan an +. + 5 leave tine to clear up a pocket lefin it near Blaawfooeck I betieve 50Bn is to do it At 11pm the 34or36 to se I Bn as you patrols to try place beyon outposts Pottery 14 &c has bn This Systam shelled all d a 0.0 sd le saw 100 rremer tur it from shrapnel out tt it got amongt then a ywa a lived to 6outp cs 6 0out ton ght Hest t
went out with 49. & off. day to thatched collage Establiste Fomela not shelled itself there as it didn't dis fired on Potteries caused distanbary tre Last wight las posts were pubout pust north but endeavours of 44 Div. to get sunclar poct aud 1 of Douve failed under prob mp er fire ha left nests white retire ton Warn on Live 1000 5
part rnure 35 thatcher X 3 The per perfect f Oll gun in field andamay a house a pty of men b out 6o co bec haud it tonight in 4 8 to wa Monash Victor 38 Bn Gen to w W tis gun 1145 quieter 5t Tn in directon frmentieres to might Devn 112 take h
CE 10 00 s of I hear reason Seme Cly TThe Tla tows bas to cover the norse 58 20 2a frenabt 2on wds. June 181 Dentyoug pout line. of 13,12&11 Boggades (takin te Frets carlen) Saw doturn. marwell who has sone inagnpianly Barraz chat 5.30 we got ou and of is de crossed After Abb when we 8 a bb of wg. fire to are hour- prob. at patrols Saw Tome wen fruaning con from Oat sapport witout rifs or ket. Possible paild patiol oft8 Ea. at abt 12 pm. wact fir possibly cavalry but pists pater fan
54 cavalry. They ledthem horse along Huns wall tode &were heavily fires at. They are to pat tese posts begond 9 Bde today pure eyewash. June 12 Jen. Mon ash tion to me an attack agot te Potteries without arty wth had be ordered by Corps & had not succeeded. This is new to one - was it before the advance by patrols The Carabry Patrols tout ls ht ot establishes 8
30 tt we ow near the Thatches cotog post (im front But no other ales yet at 3oddion Gapaard The Fur. Post Brands Bde had t be with. they odle alleged ta orders for the h about 4 times yeste severy they an entirely objecting Gen last time, after 15 tey had actuale startes out This Cos Sent thro moaich t car to the C0 who ws found En rocle but wheker it ever read ast

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43

cdnt cross Ulma Avenue.

3 moved up in after to Schnitzel

& went on from there.

Did v. valuable work, straddling

& enfilading trench & shooting at m.g.

emplacements - ]

[8th

At 1.35 pm. 12 Bde report they are

on Owl - Uncanny support line.

at 12.30 Col. Mansbridge reports -

Uncanny suppt Not held bec.

4th Div dont hold Owl support.]
 

Morning - shell fire v. quiet 

- exc. short bombt. at 12.20 of

Ulster support. Employing no guns

lighter than 4.2 x

Germ. balloon brought down. 

 

 

44

June 8

6.10 am. Positn of 44 Bn reported:

From 100 yds E of White spot Cottage.

Thence E of wire in front of Uncanny

& undulating to Junctn w green

line U 4 C 8. 6. many mgs in

trees on rt of Undulating trench

 

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45

Several prisoners of 1st Gd

Res. taken at U 4 B.

(supporting 3rd Bav. Div).

Smoke screens seen by RFC.

betw 5 am. & 6.30 am at V 19

& 20. & D 9. probly hiding

movement. (June 8th).

 

Midnight 6/7 to midn. 7/8

wd passed 3rd Div.

Offs 39      Or 1208
 

7th June

At 7.35 p.m. Capt Jarrett reported

heavies were shelling betw front

& support line at U 9 d 85

(Report by pigeon did not arrive till

6 a.m. 8th June at pigeon loft)

This is deteriorating to / morale of

our men. Cannot / range be lifted.

 

 

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46

June 8. noon.

Tired Bns.

33 - 34        9 Bde.

38 - 37        10 Bde.

44                11 Bde.

 

Fresh.

35 - 36            9 Bde

39 ? 40          10 Bde.

41 }

42 }                 11 Bde.

43. }

 

June 9

6.40 pm. barrage suddenly

opened.

I have been writing all day

& have got rid of / telegram

& 3 articles.

 

 

47

3rd Div. Haul to date.

Offcs          or.         m.g.        Tons        7 1/3.           small guns

4                299          25           10             2                  2.

                                                            we have these

                                                                guns.

Auto Rifle 1.

________________________________________________________

 

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48

13th Bde - to Canteen corner

S 18 B 4.2.            [* B2 a. Le Seule Camp.*]

4 Bde going in.

__________________________

June 9th wrote 2 morning

paper, 1 evg paper

article, & 1 telegram.

Line pretty quiet.

I believe it is awfully

difficult to ascertain

where line is up near

Huns walk.

 

June 10th, Out with units

of 10 Bd all day - in rest billets

Tonight sudden bombt

at 10.30 pm: Gen. Monash

tells me this is 13th Bde.

They have been ordered before

 

 

49

4th Bde.

Hand drawn diagram – see original

 

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50

leaving / line to clear up

a pocket left in it near

Blaawpoortbeck. I believe

50 Bn is to do it.

At 11 p.m. the 34 or 36

Bn is going to send out

patrols to try & place 3

outposts ^beyond the Pottery

System. This has bn

shelled all day. A F. O. O 

sd he saw 100 Germs

running from it & turned

shrapnel onto them so tt it

got amongst them. Anyway,

a line of 6 outposts

is to go out tonight.

Yesty a party of 20 men

 

 

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51

with L.G. & offr. went out

by day to Thatched Cottage -

& 3 similar Established

itself there - ws not shelled

as it didnt dig - fired on

Potteries & caused disturbances

there.

Last Night 3 similar

posts were put out just north;

but endeavours of 4th Div.

to get similar posts out

N of Douve failed under

m.g. fire - probly Germs.

have left nests while

retiring on Warnaton

Line 1000 yds E.

 

 

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52

The post N. of Thatched

Cottage found a perfectly

undamaged field gun in

a house. A pty of men

is being sent out to

haul it in tonight,

Monash wants to give

38 Bn guns to Victoria,

& this gun to N.S.W.

11.45 firing much quieter.

There ws a straf in

direction of Armentieres

tonight.

N.Z. Divn came out

today. They are to take

x [shorthand] x

 

 

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53

On / ng of June 7 I hear reason

why The Planes flew low was

to cover the noise of Tanks

from abt 2 onwds.

 

June 11/12. Went round front

line of 13, 12 & 11 Brigades (taking

the Field Cashier). Saw Arthur

Maxwell who has done magnificently.

Barrage at abt 5.30 - 6

We got round end of it.

After abt when we crossed old

[shorthand] a lot of mg. fire for

an hour - prob. at patrols.

Saw some men running in

from Owl Support without

rifles or kit. Possibly

part of patrol of 48 Bn.

At abt 12 pm. much

firing - possibly Cavalry

putting out posts - fancy

 

 

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54

cavalry! - They led their

horses along Huns walk today

& were heavily fired at.

They are to put these posts

beyond 9 Bde today -

pure eyewash.

June 12. -

Gen. Monash mentioned

to me an attack agst the

Potteries without arty wh

had bn ordered by Corps &

had not succeeded. This

is new to me - was it

before the advance by

patrols?
____________

The "Cavalry Patrols"

sent out last night

established one post

 

 

 

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55

tt we know of near

the Thatched Cottage post -

(in front of it) - But no

other news yet at 3rd Divn.

The Gapaard Fm Post of

Brands Bde had to be

withdrawn they say.

Godley altered the

orders for the L.H about

4 times yesty - giving

them an entirely new objective

the last time, after they had

actually started out. This

ws sent thro Monash by

car to the C.O. who

ws found en route -

but whether it ever reached

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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