Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/85/1 - July - August 1917 - Part 6

D32    58
our heavy arty opened &
kept razing his trenches.  He sent
up red flares fw & imd.
changed to Shrapnel -
wh he poured in in
Salvos on _^valleys & Roads to S & W
of Pozieres.
He has kept this up
till abt. 9.40 10.10 but since
then his Arty fire
has slackened till it
is now v. desultory &
if relief is coming it is
comparatively safe
for them to move.  Wd
request tt we might
be inf by wire of their
time of starting. (No reply)

59
New arrangement.
'drawing, see original document'  1 Bn    1 Bn
'drawing, see original document' 
'drawing, see original document' 

D32     60
July 27.  2 a.m. A & B Coys
relieved by 22 Bn.
Moved back to Sausage
Valley.
4 a.m. Word tt
nobody ws to relieve
C & D - only 2 Bns
(ie S of Bap Rd)
4.40. C.O. left Pozieres
26 offrs 634 men
now then in Regt.
__________________
(abt 200 reinfs since
800 now in Regt)
Jess only commd his Bn for
a day.

Germans issued an order

D32     61
K.          W.        Sick
2 offrs    7          1
or.
_________________________
Aug. 10^11th. Yesterday (Aug 9¹⁰)
King visited Contai. I
had a 22 wire from Butler
wh caught me at 4 Bde
H.Q. to come at once.
Gen. Birdwood gave me a lift
-w, Gen. Napier -
[Arty believe in c-battery
work but XXXX Infy all time
want c-infantry work.  They
want to hear shells exploding
in enemys trench when they
themselves are being shelled]

62
The King looked sunburned & healthy
& spoke frankly.  I liked his manner
not a clever man but a man
of character undoubtedly - downright
& no humbug.  He has a distinct
accent The rather rough - it may
be German or Norfolk.  He has not
easy manners.  The P. of W. ws an
English boy - a little tanned but with
a perfectly clear complexion & healthy
skin.  He seemed well up in our organisation.
___________________________________________
where our troops were - In an
open car - but at a trotting
pace - much too fast for / men
properly to see him.  It was a very
very great pity tt / time cd not
be spared & it shd have bn spared.
X He ws probly thinking of Flagships Three.

D32     63
(Aug 10)
Yesty ws first wet day we
have had since being here.
One other day low clouds.
Even yesty ws only a drizzle
barely eno' to make mud.
Shelling ws less intense.
I lunched w Gen. Birdwood
at Contay after having got my
boots more or less clean & shaved.
Then borrowed a cap from
young Carruthers.  The staff waited
around the gate of the Chateau
to meet the King.  He shook
hands with everyone.  To old
Smith he sd, "I hear you were
ill in England after you saw me."
To me he sd:  "Haven't I read a
boo were you at Anzac with the
others?  I sd I was.  He sd "Didnt
I read a book which you wrote abt
it?"  I sd. "The Anzac book?  The
men wrote that, Sir."  He sd. "No not
that book - another." I sd." No Sir, not
one that I have written."  X
He motored along the road

64
Plan (Z)
The Bn fight in O.G.2 July 25.
(described earlier)

D32      65
'drawing, see original document' 
2 bayonet members during
building of final 
barricade
Cut down 
to allow us
to shoot thro.
Final
Barricade blt by 1st Pioneer
Bn under Capt
Oates.
Bayonet man.
Sentry
7 Bn
bombers
Sentry (till 5 Bn Post
took charge)
5 Bn post wh
acted as sentry.
Several barricades blt here
Oates covering _^(shorthand) of each w
his revolver.
[*Crater w
Lewis gun*]
Vickers
gun 1/1
1st Barricade built here.
(Probly by 5 Bn)
1/1 Lewis gun here
OG1

'drawing, see original document' 

66
Battle of 
Fromelles
July 1916
'drawing, see original document' 
8^th    14^th     15^th