Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/85/1 - July - August 1917 - Part 2
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D32 10
A wh followed had oppositn.
Germans bombed heavily
from first offshoot. Capt.
Lodge pulled them together,
& tho' hit in shoulder
secured these trenches.
Some cleared into K
trench, but many killed.
One of carrying platoon hit a
German w a shovel - German
wanted to surrender.
They were keeping pace
w 4 Bn bombers. Everything
went well on time.
D ws in positn 50 yds
N of cemetery by 5 am.
C. had hard fighting
but reached orchard
shortly after 5 & dug in.
After 8 Bn (D Coy) had reached their
objve. their C.O. & Sergt. Maj. Goodwin
a Sergt, Corpl, & a bomber - went on
patrol. First they came back into
K trench & actually got in it behind I
Germans. The Germans they speak of
as abt 1000 strong. They threw their
hands up but Capt Hurrey tells me th I
8 Bn men sd -"There's too many of
them" (remark went round on
all sides) & they were fired on. Of 100
only 30 reached Capt. Hurrey. Those
in I trench seem to have bolted
or streaked across country to left -
sneaking from crater to crater -
Hurrey thinks abt 500 were k or
captured & abt 500 got away
(Prob these figures are too
large.)
The patrol then turned
Sketch map someone in 4 Bn w
L. gun ws firing on Germans
in a trench beyond Derj
who looked like surrendering
& they got back into trench
D32 12
3 offrs. of C. were k. Germans
were in trenches in village
& craters. Mostly bayonet fighting.
We captured 7 m.gs in this
advance - we were under
m.g. fire. 2 of these mgs
were used on I Germans
D Coy ws well ahead
on I Germans. 4 Bn
ws driving Germans
up - & as they streamed
Northwards D Coys m.g.
in Cemetery got them.
Some started getting out,
but meeting fire got
into trenches agn & wormed
away towards Mouquet 3.
13
& got away. (We saw British do
exactly I same at Fricourt).
The patrol then went up
K trench. Goodwin who went
first ws walking up it when
he saw a German in front of
him wit coming out of a dugout.
Cdnt say if I man saw him - but he
turned to walk quietly up I trench.
Goodwin dropped his revolver at once
& fired - I German dropped his pack
& ran on - leaving blood marks
along I trench.
The patrol went on past
I trench in front of D coy.
From Further on they cd see to their right
the ridge behind the O.G. trench -
& there in I open was a line
of scattered men. Either At first
they thought these men were ^a c. attack
-but they seemed too scattered
then they took them for arty observers.
D32 14
Left ^D Coy sent forwd a
patrol - Sergt Maj. Goodwin,
Capt Hurey Hurrey (O.C.)
& Sergt Schleon went up
xxxx open to within 100 yds
of Mouquet Farm & only
saw one German whom
they shot. They saw Germans
moving in force down OG 1
& OG 2 towards Windmill.
This ws passed to Divn
& Arty got on to the Germans. (Patrol ws
out v. quickly)
At 3pm. 6 Bn
connected up w left & rt of
15
or else (Shorthand)
men
laying cable. R34.5.4
They fired
on them at (Shorthand)
abt 1000 yds
or more.
They then went (Shorthand)
on past the
shoulder o I hill
& their trench
here petered
out & they cd Patrol got into OG
see Le Mouquet
Farm only
100 yds ahead. By I posts at 77 & 78/2
(The trench got
v. shallow - (Shorthand)
German (shorthand)
told me this too). There seemed no one
abt. The walls o I Farm had bn backed in
& I roof had fallen - more or less
entire - to I ground.
The higher authorities questioned
the accuracy of this patrol but it
certainly was an accurate report.
D32 16
8 Bn. (& dug a new line
in front of 8Bn).
Intense shelling by evening
all day hampered shelling
digging.
Str Posts R34 C 66 had to
R 34 d23
be estab. that night.
July 26 At 3am both posts
secure, latter strong.
At former point
we were bombed by
Warwicks - 4 men
were injured. Our
men withdrew as
they cdnt fire. Officer
came round & apologised.
17
A battery of ^our 18 powders on
left saw digging in D coys
advanced trench - & immediately
6 shell came - men withdrew
from trench. An artillery observer
came across & apologised.
That day Hurreys men were
fired at by Hurwicks from abt
X3 B 2.8. Our men were at ^R 34C Central.
[[?]] Patrol sd to have formed
O.G. trenches fairly well
North were empty.
Next day a patrol found
or thought it found, movement
in trenches to N of us thro wh
Goodin had moved I day before.
This day a British officer came
along commn trench from left into K
trench w bombs. & was astonished
when he saw our men. "What - Australians."
D32 18
All day heavy fire.
July 27. 3 am, Bn relieved
by 6 Aust Bde (x Bns)
Totl cas. 46
Off 4 7
o.r. 77 259 16
Missing 16 all wounded
Total now 373
4[[x]] hit still on duty
In attack many were hit
by rifle m.g. & bombs.
D32 19
VII Bn. (From Col. Jess CO.)
July 23. By 6am.
Under 3rd Bn A & B 2 Coys in Sunken Rd trench ^3 Bde
2 Coys in Black Watch Ave.
C & D under 2 Bde
H.Q. m. gunners Bailiff wood.
1 Barrage just behind
1 " " in front
12.5 in afternoon message
from Maclagan to say
Bn was allotted to him
3. Heard from Div th
allotment of C & D ws
cancelled.
July 23/24 At B Coys were
carrying for 3rd Bde.
D32 20
Monday.
July 24 morning: from 9am
till 2p.m. enemy
deluged valley w lacrymaty
& gas shells.
Had to use helmets
& goggles.
This night guns
moved up there & opened
covering 5 Bn operation.
3.10pm. Message from Bde.
A & B Coys were placed
under Le Maistre for
operation th night.
Lt M. ws to see Coy
Commanders & give
them all instns re
reconnaissance.
2 teams of regimental
bombers were to be attached
to protect left flank when
D32 21
they got in.
5.5p.m. Burrow in charge
of B Coy got shell shock
leaving 2/Lt Brown in
charge of B Coy.
Asked for Lt Hamilton
to replace (left in Albert).
5.45: sent to 5 Bn:
Cd you let me have
some knowledge o I
scheme tonight in order
th I might help Swift
(O.C. A Coy) & new commdr
of B Coy, who is likely
to come up very late.
No reply.
?Jess 7 p.m. I went personally
D34 22
to 5 Bn & found Le M.
in I middle of his order.
While there waiting for
it to be finished I
got a message from
3 Bde saying th I had
bn again attached to
3 Bde ^ wanting to
see me.
Le M. promised to send
a copy of order to me.
At Bde H.Q. the
situatn ws explained to
me. I ws told th A & B
were absolutely under
Le M's orders & to
divide Lewis guns betw
D32 23
the 2 assaulting Coys.
th C & D coys were Bde
reserve under myself,
& were not to move
without orders in writing
from G.O.C. 3 Bde
or myself & th Bn
H.Q. were to remain
where they were.
9.15pm. Folly & Swift
A Coy. During operatns
take instrns from either
Col Le M. or GOC 3 Bde.
2/Lt H Brown to carry
on with B Coy until
arrival of Lt Hamilton.
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