Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/83/1 - July - August 1917 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066613
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

19 buildeng them There are apparent 3 objectives, the front & secont Systems; & the Langunarct live 30s 4 wiles back. But tt is only to be tackled if german bterally clears out. Rosenthal talked of Brayes atenddf all. Ferberlson (who is acting as photopapher) & his assistant Maritin, Dyson, & I, are going at to kemwel o 20 mencitis & at I am. July 31. top of Mr Kenmel
4or 5 yellow flares & aged 20 East of wytschacte. dit some shrapuel abt at left of a ttack it where left is to be of men on the hilltn roud us their vo E neare australin F. 24. sheaves of whiteflares abt Hooge tlooks were arrange emttancous discharg gwtil tares Belwlln 4 &6. 6345 our tine as the hour when the German Odens expect uo toherson the Harres in the catient. l motorof in the wale
the ftees do 21 the hill to the left 3.28. Two red flares in the point of the satient onr yellow behad essman An occasional bang us of atin can fatting into the vak rich Ton bur .Ser. a e red flers in tean N of Hoose 5 Moreyellow behind onectent. thet t te to th f a Wriddump exptodis then 4 M t 175 guie
22 backs of the min on tist II coime & go of their cigarites. Most o I men uppereare anstration That ew kowlight sougp sow Herare a few Bochesver Sin 1 flashes. two or tre. 3.47 C X Abmon br mines me se Sote oppos 1007 mendols twmple of gun Anothi Nene Thy bon ares t afeartsageti More bougalfu Dust. gradue loveng everyin 3 chd cast abyat 6 umpoco. Galoo Goesuo
as like lights trindi 253. 8 a rly st The oi drume ao continuous in certin parts the gins are like t rifle flekes from a wett fitter o . A anentenen 13 Ctell M Plicenes mmneme are torkithers pmits of allack quipctian om edge of yun for pit, co pose Cares Stl whie sarient one lond drum bang every now & their prob cerman 23
4.1 24 4-10. Wot many flaresin satient - all dast. Our men may be out now ancpst count they have not seen suce the lame. of the MeninRd. Landwordebakle a Bulliant re explasion tasat te gimen rear Write Flares from oup mele f Satient Gellow & greenin plent behind the owcon to ho lastesinct 419 Fire behin G. len. Wers this tleon oy thele anthe on bursting round it 4 S1 Fr frd . byn 4.25 can see planity to wort fir on tie n
196 Brilish officers now on 1 mostle hill I faney German barrage came dower very quice .30 can see the green & darke bree hedges of the county befores fautly. 4.40 Can tackes easing tin Satien ferman flashes on honzou very thack a see line of gon flashes line of Shrays bursts will out in thes you aheard 64 Emote illoalso awayof far left -4 always together seveny fur balloans are up. 4. 50. A stare opp. satient. Ahe They came from a burning duing. Fire a good deal less- can see the horizon climly in9
26 5010. our first acroptan Ballson half en low clouds The specbators had all gone by 5 excepta few Stap officers the Anstialians in various soal parties trooped off down I hill - 1 British Ewoped away in twos & threes. Therfe Dyson, old martin the phtg I were all to renain wet away for a few minues return fou Herbertson & Dyson &on arter both asleep with their heads agst foot of broken concrete of bears-cage ower there. We had a breakfast of sardines bisenit & Chocolate, & by martio sent some, toot Bodde on. Iroad below. began to fal asleep myself w1 telscope
6 27 in my hans the trees thio it did not took real trues. I couldn't see te men or tanks on horrzous near Hooge or Hotebeke. culy pin point flashes of Shodavel & shell smoke. we decided to go to messures va Wyschaets, & coming back abt 10, to see if the air ws clearer. The day ws grey & cold, the heary smake shells wsh gernous ha poured wto messies had drifted dlon & made lattlepied near Hodebeke obscure. one had an idee to tings were not setth there - durin I day we several times noticed a white flare high up into 1sky
28 from At direction. we took (car to wytschaete near Leckham craty - & walked to wessmes, a most ter uncomfortable walk. The germous shell the place not with a systematic vant of System- Sh metodic abbence of wethod. They chased us accivetelly- with fast 4.2 shrapael wh kept on keeping pace w us or a little more. two or three times. we seeme in (distant pattern of & finally getting tebegh shellhole we had a close shave. Dyour felot. Something Slag his cheek ofbloodus vidon seight Der it We went on to pt

6
19
building them.
There are apparently
3 objectives, the front
& second systems ; & the
Langemarck line 3 or 4
miles back.  But tt is
only to be tackled if /
German literally clears
out.  Rosenthal talked of
Bruges at / end of all.
Herbertson (who is
acting as photographer) &
his assistant Martin,
Dyson, & I, are going up
to Kemmel in 20
minutes - at 1 a.m.
July 31.
2.20.
3.20 3.20 → Top of Mt Kemmel 

 

6
20
4 or 5 yellow flares & a red
East of Wylschaele.
Some shrapnel abt at left ?rt of attack
- where left ?rt is to be.
A number of men on the hilltop round us
By their voices some are Australian
3. 24: sheaves of white flares abt
Hooge a red light following. It looks
as if this simultaneous discharge of white flares were arranged.
Between 4 & 6 - (3 & 5 our time)
is the hour when the German
orders expect us. So he is on
the look out.
Fewer flares in the Salient.
A motor burring in the valley.
Some tired spectator snoring
down the hill.
One can see the dark outline of 

 

6
21
the fxxx trees down
the hill to the left.
I.
3.28. Two red flares in the point of
the Salient.  One yellow behind Messines.
An occasional bang as of a tin
can falling into the valley on our
right.
3.30. another red flare in the Salient
N of Hooge.

35. More yellow behind Wyschaete.
3.
3.41 Under 10 mins. to go
Curious little lights old German lines
Small red dump explodes
Things pretty quiet
7 mins to go.
Things quiet.
Low grey streak of dawn below the
clouds. We can see the grey 

 

6
22
backs of the men on this hill & the
come & go of their cigarettes.

Most o / men up here are Australians
"Glad to see those lights going up - Shows
there are a few Boches there."
German gun flashes. - two or three
small ones.
3.47. 3 mins to go.
Things very quiet w dawn. No more
flares by [[?]]
Our mines go up.
Some opposite of Hooge one grey
A tremendous rumble of guns
Another mine

The bombt. Red & green German
flares. Like a railway stn
More frightfulness.
Dust gradually covering everything
Some incandescent.
German SOS is clearly 2 red
They are like / lights of a big city.

Dump goes.
Baloon goes up. 

 

6
23
3.53.  German red flares like lights of
a rly stn.

The oil drums are continuous in certain
parts.

The guns are like / rifle flashes
from a well filled trench.

3.57. Big smoke shells on Messines.

Smoke shells on Messines
Does he think there are tanks there

Limits of attack quite clear
from edge of gun fire
quite calm at Hill opposite
4.4. White flares [[?]] sides
Salient.
One loud drum bang every
now & then - prob German.  

 

6
24
4.10. Not many flares in the
Salient - all dust.  Our men
may be out now amongst country
they have not seen since the time
of the Menin Rd - Zandvoordebaklen
- Brilliant red explosions far at the
German rear.

White Flares from opp middle of
4.15  Salient.
Yellow & green in plenty
behind Messines.
Low grey cloud to horizon with
gun flashes on its under edge.
4.19 Fire behind G. line very red
Thro telescope our shells can be seen
bursting round it.
4. 21.  First bird - begins to sing.
4.25  Can see plainly to write
for some time now. Australians going
to their camps.  

 

6
25
mostly British officers now on [[?]]
hill.
I fancy / German barrage came down
very quickly.

4.30 can see the green & dark
tree hedges of the country below us -
faintly.
4.40 Gun flashes easing in Salient
German flashes on horizon
very thick.
can see line of gun flashes &
line of Shrap. bursts well out
on horizon ahead.
4.45 Smoke shells also away on
far left - 4 always together.
Several of our balloons are up.
4. 50.  A flare opp. Salient. others -
They came from a burning dump.
Fire a good deal less - can see
the horizon dimly.  m.g. going 

 

6
26
5 - 5.10 our first aeroplanes.
Balloon half in low clouds.
——
The spectators had all gone
by 6 except a few Staff officers
- the Australians in various
small parties trooped off down
/ hill - / British trooped
away in twos & threes.  Herbertson
Dyson, old Martin the photographer
& I were all tt remained.
At xxxx I went away for a few minutes
& on return found Herbertson & Dyson
Martin were both asleep
with their heads agst /
foot o / broken concrete of /
bears-cage tower there.  We
had a breakfast of sardines
biscuit & chocolate, &
sent some ^by Martin to old Boddy
on / road below. I
began to fall asleep
myself w / telescope 

 

6
27
in my hand - the trees
thro' it did not took real
trees.  I couldn't see either
men or tanks on / horizons
near Hooge or Hollebeke -
only pin point flashes of
shrapnel & shell smoke.
We decided to go to
Messines via Wyschaete, &,
coming back abt 10, to see
if the air ws clearer. The
day ws grey & cold, &
the heavy smoke shells wh
/ Germans had poured into
Messines had drifted
along & made / battlefield
near Hollebeke obscure.
One had an idea tt things
were not settled there - &
during / day we several
times noticed a white flare
go high up into / sky 

 

6
28
from tt direction.
We took / car to
Wytschaete near Peckham
crater - & walked to
Messines, a most tiring
uncomfortable walk.  The
Germans shell the place now
with a systematic want of
system- a methodic absence
of method.  They chased us
- accidentally - with fast 4.2
shrapnel wh kept on keeping
pace w us or a little more.
Two or three times we seemed
in / distant pattern of it;
& finally getting through
shell hole we had a very
close shave.  Dyson felt
something slap his xxxx cheek
& / blood ws running down
it _ xxx xxxx a very slight scratch.
We went on to get 

 

 

Edit this transcription

Log in Sign up

Last edited by:
Rosemary HudsonRosemary Hudson
Last edited on:

Last updated: