Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/81/1 - June 1917 - Part 8

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87
o / war.  And this
kind of man doesn't
mind being kept in
prison till / end o / war.
It's what he wants -
he doesnt get killed.
There is a fair
amt of feeling amongst
Australian officers tt one
or two o / worst cases
ought to be shot.  Two
The same sort of thing
started in / Canadian
Force long ago.  Two
men were shot & it
stopped.
June 18^th.  Down with Bazley,

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76
old Boddy, & a huge carload of
record photos, maps, etc. to
Boulogne.
White tells me that the GHQ
people are not so keen on the
6th Divn as they were.  The other
day, when we asked tt the 4th
N Z Bde might be clubbed with
our two to make a new Divn, they
replied tt they were not sure
tt reinfts from Australia
wd justify this - wh means
they are thinking of breaking up
the 6 Divn
What has really happened,
White says, is that the British,
when they thought it wd be a matter
of Divisions, were relying
on the French - Now they
have not the French achievements
which they hoped for - & so
 

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89
they may not want the
Divn at all.
I arranged with White
(at my suggestion) that if I
saw Lloyd George I shd try &
put to him how much the
Australian Divisions desire
XXX to be together.
Two Frenchmen are
quarrelling in the hall
of this hotel at the top of
their voices till I can
scarcely hear myself
think - as they say.
I hope I shall get
a fortnight before I open
this diary again.  I am
going to try & spend part of it
in Oxford.

90
Germans say this is only
1st Phase of our big offensive.
NZ. [[shorthand]] 3 Divn [[shorthand]].

at 7.30 one str. pt (to S.) still held
but enemy ws retiring down Beck &
patrol w L.G. following.

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91
June 10/11
10.15 pm. Zep. over Messines.
Durg night 3RD Div. placed posts betw.
Fuz'e Cot. & avenue cottage, also
at ave cot;  near La Potterie Moat,
E edge Knoll 27 & near Douve.
N of Douve posts ax  U4c. 95.35.
near U4 Cent., U 14 A 7.2.
Trenches now 3ft 6 in deep one CT
nearly thro. Abt 100 enemy
met - mostly accounted for -
6 prisoners brought in.
Centre Bde attacked ODD trench &
Odd suppt betw a.34 a 8.2
& O 28 C . 7. O at 10.30.
At 10.30 pm left Bde Autre Div.
attacked & got Odd trench but enemy
in concrete emplacements near
34 a 9.1 has held up advance on
Owl. 7 am. enemy reported
retiring.
9.10 a.m. 13 Bde joined with 12 Bde on
right.  Odd & Odious now held without
break.  Abt 100 k: Prisoners say
enemy retiring on canal.

92
50 Bn.
2.25 a.m. 1st objve gained
/ post in 2nd.
2.50. 1st objve satisfy
Not in touch w flanks at 2.15
Left shd be in touch by now.
52 Bn offr on left thinks he
is v. near 12 Bde & will
make further efforts.
3.5. Positn better.  Bombing attack
by 12 Bde driven back at
first but arrangements being
made for anor effort to
join up.
Zepp flew low over Messines
at 10.15 pm

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93
13 Bde Reports:
10.45 p.m. held from
0 28 C 72 to 0 34 a 75.
Enemy still in bldg on extreme Rt.
left At 2.40 am. gained. touch
w right left. in 1st objve.
Posts in 2nd objve reported
to have bn driven back
w heavy casualties
___
11 Bde During night advanced
Line ws taken E of Undulating Trench
from crossing of Green Line &
Undulating support to River
Douve.  Enemy barraged black
& Green Lines & caused 50
casualties.  He has black line
well ranged.
2.11. No 1 post at Fuze Cottage
Moppers up returned after
consolidatn.

94
11/6/17
Fresh Bn. of NZ 4 Bde to go
on to help Jobson. for carrying etc
_________________________________
3 Coys went to suppt 2 Bn
_______ ↑   _______
      3                  2
1st Gd   last Regt.
The prisoner does not think
there is any chance of c/att. today.
There are lot of trenches betw. Turcoing
& Wervicq.
82 I.R. sd to be behind
1st Gd. Res. came up on evening
of June 7 to relieve 4 Bav. Divn.
[From uncertain support at 2.11 am.
[[shorthand]] at 12.30 a.m.]
____
No Germans now visible {[shorthand]].
50 cases 77 shells.
 

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1st [[shorthand]] 4 Bav [[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]] Toure. [[shorthand]] Gourette
[[shorthand]] At T [[shorthand]] 600
[[shorthand]] Doeberitz
[shorthand]]
Werving [[shorthand]] 2 & 3
Bns of 1st to [[shorthand]] 3 Bav.
2 [[shorthand]] 5 Bav.
11 Bav [[shorthand]] other Bav.
________
2 & 3 of / Gd. [[shorthand]] came [[shorthand]] Werv. after
[[shorthand]]
4 [[shorthand]] 3 [[shorthand]] 1st Bn [[shorthand]].
[[shorthand]] 3.
[[shorthand]] / Coy went in 4 [[shorthand]] ago 80 str.
& 315 attacked Now 15 left.
Last night a Corpl. sd he
had heard a message tt
/ Army group must retire
& be clear by morning.
Prob. few people now W of
Warneton line.