Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/88/1 - September 1917 - Part 7

D37     58
have reported concentrations
of their camps well beyond
our gun range for some
days. Today the airmen
saw their infantry moving
up.  Some think this is
for a relief but Bennett thinks
it is quite as likely to be
for their c-attack, & tt they
suspect / show is tomorrow
or very soon.
5.30 pm. Our bombs seem to
be quickening up.
The tunnellers are continually
pumping / water out of this
dugout - during / shelling they
were out in / crater pumping,
/ only men still there.
The signallers & others have
moved off with their pigeons &
wire rolls. There is also to be

D37     59
a tank with a wireless
installation _^going up forward to a
central position. Big guns will
also go up tomorrow on tanks.
11 p.m. A report in that /
tape line has been laid.
It is raining. This is an
anxiety, as, the valley thro
wh all the 3rd Bde has to
pass is simply a marsh of
huge water filled shell holes in
wh men have to walk
very carefully round /
rims in order not to fall in.
However the hop over is at 5.40
(when it will be almost light)
& / barrage only goes, first 25 yds
then 16-17 yds, then 12½ yds
a minute. There are
German m.g emplacements
- one or two of them in cement
blockhouses - in this marsh.

D37     60
The 11^th Bn is in / line & goes
out first; the 12^th Bn goes
next & has instrns to take
the 11 Bn objve if 11 Bn fails,
the 9 & 10 Bns come last in
platoons in file. The 12 Bn
shd be passing here at 1.30;
10 Bn at 2.30; 9 Bn at
3.30 am Neligan is going to
have / morning paper taken
round in sacks & distributed
to his men when they are
in / shell holes during their
long 2 hrs wait before /
last objve.
11.45 Rogers reports tt / tape
is completely laid exc. for
50 yds at the left of 11^th Bn.
Sept 20. Thurs:
12.10 am. The rain has
stopped, but it is very muddy.

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2.10 am The 12^th Bn is passing
now - very rather late.
 2.30 all going right. Young
Cornish comes in to say tt the
10^th Bn is passing. The
28th Bn caused ½ an hours
delay, they say, by using the
track clearly marked _^out for the
3rd Bde - it is a curious thing
tt the 7^th Bde did exactly /
same at Pozieres - one
cannot help thinking that
the General Staff of the 2nd Divn,
notoriously bad, is responsible
for this. Surely it shd have bn
marked as the 3rd Bde track
was.
4.30 all 9 Bn has passed
Bennett & Hutchins asleep
in bunks beside me.

D37     62
5.15 am. The light is breaking
red in the East. A very few
white flares going - little shelling
back here. Ths Ge 
The Germans have bn
shelling the front line - but as
the flares are white I do not
think they have seen us but
they probably think it a 
good thing to shell / front
line at this time - it is
an obvious thing to do. They
have bn turning gas shell &
H.E. onto the front & our
counter batteries were turned
on 20 mins ago to neutralise
them.
The going is not bad outside.
5.20. The 2nd Bde have news
tt their men are in position.
The Germans are shelling Clapham
Junction.

D37     63
Counter batteries still on
The Germans have been
improving greatly _^of lately, one
of the roads _^not much used by them up
to / present. They Our heavy
artillery has bn ordered to leave
this religiously alone as
their c-attacking troops will
be brought up along it in
motor busses. Yesty we
turned some guns onto it.
Immediately / German
wireless sent up a demand
for "Annihilation fire on
the English."
6.8x
5.37 I went up stairs & a
red flare went up at this

D37     64
The next instant a shell burst
 in the crater 7 yards away.
As I reached the dugout
entrance my eyes & nose
were smarting. The men on
/ stairs were sneezing. I realised
it ws a gas shell.
Just then out broke our
barrage.
6.3 xxxx The men shd be in 1st objve
They will not leave it till 7.8
6.45:-
From Cable head from
Ist Div. OC Tanks going well on the right
30 prisoners coming in.
Bavarian Reserve Regiment.
15 Bav. R I R 4 Bav Res Div RIR
From 1st Divn: 2nd Divn Brigades have
both captured both their objectives.
50 prisoners coming in on left &
more on the right.
6.59. The 11^th Bn has the first
objective. Casualties slight. Forming

D37     65
up for 2nd objective. 10^th Bn
going strong.
7.7 am 2nd Bde have got their
red line.
Foster: Liaison officer with 5 Bn
(2nd Bde) reports casualties
rather heavy especially
when moving into the
forming up position.
Ferguson _∧Henwood (10 Bn) reports that
the 1st objective ws taken on /
whole line front & men already
formed up for 2nd objve.
The Big strong post in Northern
part of Glencorse wood ws
taken w ease.
7.40 Neligan, ( speaking on the
'phone, reports that the 10^th
is in 8D waiting.

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7.55. Germans 11 Bn state tt they
have mopped up abt 40
prisoners & are consolidating
/ strong point at J 14 B2 8
(in N edge of Glencorse wood)
8 a.m. 
Owing to heavy casualties
no material has reached /
front line. Can material be
pushed up, please.
8.2 2nd Bde sent in urgent
message to say arty firing
short causing casualties at
Fitzclarence Farm.
8.7 2nd Divn left _∧5th Bde captd
Blue Line.
8.10 3rd Bde has got 2nd objve.

D37     67
Germ. Shelling was on our own line in Glenc. wood
& is now on the S/P in Glenc wood from wh
we got abt 40 (shorthand) Also dugouts round abt there
Our offrs were hit from (shorthand). Henwood got in
& took charge of 10th line - everyone he cd find.
The carrg pty ws badly knocked abt
It got blown up 6 times in / enemies barrage in
wh they got mixed up.
The cas were before they got into positn
on / 1st objve they got their men well forward
Darnell &
Henwood were looking out when Henwood ws hit by
a bit of our own shell wh flew back.
Henwd got organised again before they were all started
10,11 & 9 were got right up close to the  . . . . . 
6 Bn got / 60 (shorthand)
The Germans are shelling some of their own men who are having
a [[?]] time.  Clapham Jn again very hot.