Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/85/1 - July - August 1917 - Part 5

46
[hand drawn map]

8 Bn
4 Bn
A & B 7 Bn
6 Bn 8 Bn 6 Bn
K [trench symbol]
19 Bn
C & D Coys
 

D32 47
1 & 2 Bns betw. 9& 11 p.m.
Few hit.
A & B reld. 2nd Bn in
K. trench (part of 4th ^still near
cemetery in K [trench symbol] ahead).
C & D in trenches among
ruins S. of Bap. Rd
in Poz.
A Coy in spite of
being turned back by O.C.
5 Bn once, got there in
End.
Men were occupying
crater holes. Prac. all
Enemy 5.9s larger shells
averaged 15 to 20 per min
at one time.
Road line ws worst
Esp. Chalk pit.
 

D32 48
July 26. 7.50. Enemy
Shelling Pozieres &
all round w H.E. &
Lachrymatory.
9.30 Lt Wright
Brought in Shell shock.
Bn H.Q. of 8 & 7 Bns in
Cement House.
Found Ham & [[toaques?]]
Lived on it & bit some
away. No papers.
Our rifles & theirs some
[[?]] old.
1.50 Hamilton wd
2.45 Sather Caud wd.
pm
3.30 Lt. Hoban wd.
(lost leg since)
leaving Jess, Baston
Hill, Dr Altra,
 

D32 49
A Swift Purberick,
B. Hoad Campbell
C Simons Antony
D. Oates Harris
Kosminsky
7 p.m.  Lt Hillard went to
B Coy.
Hamilton (WE.) to C.
Coy.
Front line at this time
ws linked up
July 26.
12.10 p.m. Heavy Shelling
Men Shaken.
12.21 Est. Casualties 6 offrs.
3700 o.r.
This ws night.
Abt. 3 p.m. 4 Bn C.Os of 6 Bde
Came up. We showed
them all we cd.
 

D32 50
4.56. Evening still shelling
heavily. Our arty
replying. (cdnt hear
them).
Lt MacCutcheon
kept 1st Div Sig Coy.
kept wire going for 3
days by repairing it
himself.
Just as
Betw 4 & 6.:
Later. Germans got it
on so heavy tt our
arty, observers cdnt
observe - on a/c of
brick dust who wsa in
Cement House looking
out from old german
look out - This ws
being hit direct.
(we cdnt hear our arty);
 

D32 51

Men don't realise tt c-batty
work (days were hazy)
is helping them.
"If relieving force
intends to stay for any
length of time in this
positn (they proposed to
put in 4 Bns) recommend
tt not more than 2
be sent in 1st place."
We had bn cut off for
1½ hrs.
6.48. Enemy Consistently Shelling
all day. Imposs to
constr. adequate trenches
own to pulped nature
of ground: Those we
 

52

(6Bn HQ in Coy but
S of Bap. Rd opp
Cement H., since
destroyed). Cem H. front room
also smashed since 2 sigs killed
 

D32 53
constr^d NE of Poz
are wirped out, & men
are so dazed tt they
are incapable of digging
or fighting." (Bennnett
had sent in awful report).
Hurrey 8 Bn. had had to take
men into Orchard as
[trench symbol] wiped out. 6 Bn thought
8 had retired.
Runners came in
dazed & blown. Things
were going crook.
6 & 8 Bn Commdrs endorsed
this.
6 Officer of Heavy guns
 

D32 54
got in in hell of state.
Arty officer agreed this
as heavy bombt preparatory
to attack. He got
heavies (thro' arty
phone wh ws still
going) on to german
front [trench symbol] (MacCutcheon
came in just then shot
in arm - he finished
repairing & then came in).
6.56. Smoke & brick dust
around H.Q. So thick
tt observers cant see.
 

D32 55
Only thing (Jess told
them thro phone) is to
get on to German front
line & make it impossible
for Enemy to get thro'.
This got the guns on
to Enemys trenches.
7.40 From 2nd Bde: Men must
& will fight if necy.
All arty now turned
on in bombardnt."
10.16. No movement by officers
or men in shelled area
to retire has bn made.
Men have stuck to
 

D32 56
Crater holes & no one
will move in a rearward
directn. Messages were
Sent to enable H.Q.s
in rear to realise /
seriousness o / positn
as it is recognised tt
Poz. is / apex o /
Salient Since / opening
of our arty enemy fire
has slackened considerably
but / requirement of at
least 1 Bn to go thro
us & dig in on unbroken
ground is apparent.
 

D32 57
all ranks tt can be
Comman^d- w are
sticking bravely & hoping
tt / german infy will
advance, but in their
present conditn a
determined attack by
Enemy might succeed.
Enemy art fire has
now considerably slackened
& arty observers can
again see / front. No
Indicatn of attack
at present.
9 10.30 pm Enemys fire
became v excited when