Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/85/1 - July - August 1917 - Part 3

D32
24
3 Lewis m.gs. have bn 
allotted to each Coy.
Lt TP O’Connor
mg officer has bn
sent to you to give
advice on their employment.
(5 Bn were then in Bailiff
wood)
9.45 C& D Cogs given
outline of operatns &
tt after 5 Bn had
moved thro them
they were to move
ford & occupy trench
vacated by A3 Coys Bn
& scout reconnoitre forwd
[[common?]] trench x for xxx adv
 

D32 25
at 10pm sent to 5 Bn.
"Have allotted 3 Lewis
mgs to each of my 2 Coys
wh have bn attached to
you for tonights operatn.
Have instructed the 2OCs
Coys concerned to take
orders from and communicate
w you. Can you
let me know what time
the head of yr Bn will
be clearing the Comms
trench leading from B.Watch
Alley across Sunken Rd,
where your forming up
place will be, & what time,
roughly, you estimate
you will clear trench
 

D32      26
running from X5 C 83
to x11 a 3.8. as I
have to occupy same
No reply
10.30 Lt Hamilton arrd
at Bn H.Q. I marked
his map & explained
situatn out he cd not
reach his coy before
midnight & had no
opport. of reconnoitring
ground wh ws entirely
new to him.
July 25 
2.10 am ^(time sent) D coy reported
tt they cd now move
into the forwd. trench (vacated)
by A.B (i.e. 5 Bn & A & B
were going thro))
 

D32    27
[Thing ws times tened for 2o'c.
& it ws then 2.10].
At 5. 15 (D & C were
in positn in Sanken Rd.
trench x) got this 9 from
O.C.DCog
We got orders from
ol. Le.M. & a col
Robinson, 3 Jaf Bde.
hold a strong pt.
6
treatwed by a c-attack.
Have still 2 plations
reseive.
L2.m. asked him to
come & put whole of
D Coy in, but he
wdnt. Sent 1 plation
away carriius, left 1
 

28
took 2 in. JNS. Written
instons shd have bu
required
5.15 Regh scout reported
to (assoutt, ws a
failure owing to some of
Bn & our AFt
laing directi &
finding thmelves in
our own Como
6.45. I from D Coy.
Havebn ordereduto
the post line by Col LeM.
ates protected. Sdhe
had written orders not to
 

3
 

Fiey


H & B Coy were to take positin
as folls. At 120c. 4 ws to lead
so ma
ked towa
2 trees wh
to be their right (S.
o
Col LeM. )& foom as
marked
Bn (2 Coys) wd then
follow & take simelar posite on
their right.
B Coy 7Ba ad then
repeat operate & form in rear of AQ
Bn following in rear of 56
 

30
take any orders from
LeB
as ordered in - had
to go in out left of
Br. H Appleton
CS K. (shot.
(He still had 1 platoon
took in 3rd Plaloo
lf
At 5 to 12 instead of 7Pon
A Coy starting the 5 Bn
leading by sterte out
No aligument ws marked
in Nomansland as prome
or if one existed, as ordered,
it wo blown down).
2 Coys of 5 Bn moved
out & then 2 more. Swift
 

30
 

BV
 

31
tried toget in between but
edut. Whole 5 Bn wx
not cleat till 2.10 (assault
laid down for 2am
swif was satinn his
place when 5 Bn
moved to accutt
Barray had abread
lifes. Swift did what
he cd to keep touch
to lef of 5 Bn8
in
formd himself
fanction of O4.18
Pozieres Yt B Cos
got into Copse Avenue.
Roble Bws directy
byou officer of 3Bde
wh as making an assault
 

Br
 

across 1 Bapanne Rd.
one plation of A Coy
got in right direction
under S Sutherland)
dugin at Boyds
from OC1 at 35 a5.7.
The B Coy men who
got witt Copse Ave
were not fired on
by 3 Bde there &
foud out to oar
men were holdin
it. (no casnalties
Sakerlain at dawn
had to come back. He
6r quite 1solated.
Swift found out where
A + B were & reported
 

B3r
 

33
to L2m. who put both
Cys on carrgi
b mamm
Tuly
am. C Con repoted
t were engaged
to
boubs amain
Ca
Etc unver orders from
O.S Bn. (This
ws the last Coy.
A7.55 Folls from
Oales (D Coy) then
on St Br lef in O.G.1
where Sr Bn got in
a little S of train
under protect I sent
plations to firig time.
 

93r
 

34
orders fror Col. dele. ay
4t Datoon 15 carryig
bombs.
H E.45 Is custrd
by J.O.C. 3 Bdi (where
I was since 5 am.) to
take charge of C. Coy 6B
& what I co get together
of any fary coys &
sccepy a treth from
D.G.1 to X5 Central
to X5 C 44
18. Pozieres Y- Copse Ave
live. To repel ferman
C attack massing in
derect of windwell.
nec to c w
vason