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

D32
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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 Coys given
outline of operatns &
tt after 5 Bn had
moved thro them
they were to move
for^d & occupy trenches
vacated by A & B Coys 7 Bn
& scout reconnoitre forwd
commn trenches. for xxx adv
 

D32
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Abt 10 p.m. sent to 5 Bn.
"Have allotted 3 Lewis
m.gs to each of my 2 Coys
wh have bn attached to
you for tonights operatn.
Have instructed the 2 O Cs
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 Commn
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 X 11 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 / forwd. trenches (vacated
by A, B (i.e. 5 Bn & A & B
were going thro')) 

D32
27
[Thing ws timed for 2 o'c.
& it ws then 2.10].
At 5. 15 (D & C were
in positn in Sunken Rd
trench.) Got this [[shorthand]] from
O.C. D Coy.
"We got orders from
Col. Le.M. & a Col.
Robinson, 3 Inf Bde.
to hold a strong pt.
threatened by a c-attack.
Have still 2 platoons
in reserve."
Le M. asked him to
come & put whole of
D Coy in, but he
wdnt. Sent 1 platoon
away carrying, left 1, &
 

D32
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took 2 in. [NB. Written
instrns shd have bn
required].
5.15 Regt.l scout reported
tt \ assault ws a
failure owing to some of
5 Bn & our A & B

Coys losing direction & 
finding themselves in
our own commun
trenches.
6.45. [[shorthand]] from D Coy.
"Have bn ordered into
the front line by Col Le M."
Oates protested. Sd he
had written orders not to
 

29
Hand drawn diagram – see original

A & B Coy were to take positn
as folls. At 12 o'c. A ws to lead
as marked toward 2 trees wh
were to be their right (Swift & Brown
shown by Col Le M.) & form as
marked. 5 Bn (2 Coys) wd then
follow & take similar positn on
their right.
B Coy 7 Bn wd then
repeat operatn & form in rear of A [[?]]
rest of 5 Bn following in rear of 5 Bn.
 

D32
30
take any orders from
Le M.
Ws ordered in - had
to go in onto left of
5 Bn. L^t Appleton
ws k. (shot).
(He still had 1 platoon)
Took in 3rd Platoon
himself.
_______________________________
At 5 to 12 instead of 7 Bn
A Coy starting the 5 Bn
leading Coy started out.
No alignment ws marked
in Nomansland as promised
(or if one existed, as ordered,
it ws blown down).
2 Coys of 5 Bn moved
out & then 2 more. Swift
 

D32
31
tried to get in between but
cdnt. Whole 5 Bn ws
not clear till 2.10 (assault
laid down for 2 am.)
Swift was out in his
place when 5 Bn
moved to assault.
Barrage had already
lifted. Swift did what
he cd to keep touch
w left of 5 Bn &
found himself in
junction of O.G. 1 &
Pozieres trench. B Coy
got into Copse Avenue.
Probly B ws directed
by an officer o / 3 Bde
wh ws making an assault
 

D32
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across / Bapaume Rd.
One platoon of A Coy
got in right direction
under Lt Sutherland) &
dug in at 30 yds
from O G 1 at 35 a 5.7.
The B Coy men who
got into xxx Copse Ave
were not fired on
by 3 Bde there &
found out tt  our
own men were holding
it. (no casualties)
Sutherland at dawn
had to come back. He
ws quite isolated.
Swift found out where
A & B were & reported
 

D32
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to Le M. who put both
Coys on carrying
bombs & ammun.
July 25
7 am. C. Coy reported
tt they were engaged
carrying bombs ammn
etc under orders from
C.O. 5 Bn. (This
ws the last Coy.)
At 7.55 Follg from
Oales (D Coy) then
on 5 Bn left in O.G.1
where 5 Bn got in
a little S of tram.
"Under protest I sent
3 platoons to the firing line.
 

D32
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orders from Col. Le. M. My
4th platoon is carrying
bombs."
At 8.45 I ws instrd.
by G.O.C. 3 Bde (where
I was since 5 a.m.) to
take charge of C. Coy 6 Bn
& what I cd get together
of any of my coys &
occupy a trench from
O.G.1 to X5 Central
to X5 C 44
(ie. Pozieres trench - Copse Ave
line.) To repel German
C. attack massing in
directn of windmill.
If nec. to go in w /
bayonet.