Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/82/1 - July 1917 - Part 7

From Duncan Maxwell
(Holmes' ADC)
 

5  56
(Diary
Contd.) The tanks. Russian [shorthand] on July 25.
Show [shorthand]
[shorthand]
———
[Diagram - see original document]
Mr Holman ^(who ws staying at Corps) came to 4^th Div. to
dinner on July 1st in Steenwerck.
The car ws sent for him next
mg. at 9 a.m. He wanted to see 
the Messines battlefield, & Gen.
Holmes intended to take him up to
Hill 63 - to have a look from
there at battlefield, walk
round near Irish [[?]].

July 2nd
 

5  57
pick up car on corduroy
track in vally, motor round
to Catacombs, where H. wd see
a NSW Bn - thence to Bde H.Q.
in Ploegsteert, & the 2
craters on rt. A programme ws
typed. Left Steenwerck abt 9.40.
went thro Le Seule & Romarin,
saw the big chart at Romarin
by road; & just 150 yards before arriving
at turn off rd to shrine they
passed an A.A.C battery
strafing some Huns. The Gen.
stopped the car and they got
out had a look. An H.E. fell
abt 50 away. Cd hear bits.
Holmes sd laughing "Come on we mustn't
run a risk w this precious Premier
- we'll run on past the Shrine
where it will be quite safe."
They drove to White Gates (specially
as the back of 63 had bn strafed
 

58
& stopped. All got out.

They were waiting by / front of
car while driver read instrns
where to go. Holmes ws
standing just in front o / car.
The G.O.C then sd: "Oh we'll
get on now," when the shell
burst right on / road. They
heard nothing till the explosion.
It looked afterwds like an
H.E. 77 - tho' a ^bit of 4.2 ws found
there later. All three went
down to it - The G.O.C ws
lying there - when turned over by
A.D.C. he ws wd in the side & ws
not quite unconscious tho'
he didn't speak. He ws
lifted into the car. This ws
at 10.20 am. He ws
driven straight down rd towds
Neuve Eglise. The Hun
was at this time strafing tt
 

5  59
road round Red Lodge with
5.9 - one had lobbed on road
just behind car.
They came to camp of an
Otago Bn. GOC ws dressed in /
car ^on the way - he was not bleeding.
Before they got to this bn - he spoke -
"Where are you taking me Maxwell?"
The RMO Otago at once came out &
sd. nothing cd be done, but got into
car & told them to drive straight
to Ambce. at Kandahar Farm
(a 3rd Divn. F. Ambce - ? 11th). Arrd
there at abt 10.32. G.O.C. ws at
once lifted out onto a stretcher
but died as he ws being carried
into the dressing room. There
ws a big hole of entrance
under left ribs in back wh
went right thro' to neck. He
did not seem to suffer any pain,
didn't know shell ws coming &
didn't know, probly, tt he ws hit.
His body was taken to 2nd
 

60  5
Aust Cas. Clearg. Stn at
Trois Arbres. Funeral
took place at 3 next day (July 3)
Gen Birdwood, Gen White, 
Maj. Basil Holmes, Gen Wisdom,
Col. Watson, Gen. Hobbes,(?.)
Col. Travers, Gen. Godley, Gen. Russell?
Gen Monash?, the 3 Brigadiers.
The bearers were Col. Watson,

Col Dowse, Maj. Fraser, Gen.
Wisdom, Col. Heritage, Maj. Lyons (3 Div. I.)
He was buried at Trois Arbres.
 

61
A clean man, an honest
and straight man he was
essentially a leader of men
and one in whom men had
confidence. By these good
qualities he had endeared
himself to everybody and he
 

5/37
this great [[?]] which is
full of brave men he
had no peer for fearlessness

& gallantry. Added to wh
of which I personally have
loss a very dear and loyal
friend
Yours
C.B.B. White

of Gen. Holmes. Not only has
the A.I.F. suffered but the
Austn. Mily Forces have
sustained a loss of which only
time can assess the magnitude.
A clean man, an honest
and straight man he was
essentially a leader of men
and one in whom men had
confidence. By these good
qualities he had endeared
himself to everybody and he