Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/88/1 - September 1917 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066618
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

2 ty ten 68 The ings are in positi S0 8 on Hobiie & were prepain to go ford to end oljive 1. Sawbitg few dead fermans. I Terms. didn't fight at all - thy sawout tshends up. 9t B reports to everythe to alright except for fairt heavy camattes Asays oux barrage ws trinendous The gernan barrage we never able to stop our troops to on I two ridge it ts heavn. The beaut of the slow barrage picktdway Ws tis 60 possible togo& to merch ts bad. through H. never San 10th were broken up Th this bare posite to alt 5.2050 th et iputi down r p practice barrag. The
banap wo right on the taped trag th wah yt t belliwato d This barrag The 10tn has a gaa man splentit A Message from Rogers I have just returned from a town round I whole of our country & everything is absotuled tres bon. Unfortunately tanks on I left warned t )Bosche who Sentup his P.O.S. while we were on our hopping off trench his barrage causing some casnalties, After that everything went of oplendidly, quit. a lot of enemy ((about 50] were killed in SEUKEN ROAD running ExW though centre of GLENCORSE WOOD & be attempted to oppose us a while from P.P. at about I14B88 but he was soon driven out boubed etc.
27 Toou Rde at 7NIN now GR.& 10A H.Q. are established in this post. This is also my Brigade Of nowi 114 Son went right through & found them digging in. They were not sure of their position Beigatr OHnow. This is also in 1 Battn weat y through but I located a post being duy al by Major -? of 11th at about 19C1.5. 1E about 75 y dsaheed of their 1t objective. Other posts were bein dugby NOs parties just in rear of thls so I sent him forward to dig in on the above lire. am not sure where H.O. of 11th 18. Did not see them forward. 915101512 at first advanced just abot too quictly for the farrage but later slowed down I are now, all masd
Mour6y 12 745 Have 74 Estoach 8 lep Siron in front of our barrage orgeniny again 9t just a bit disorginis but I collected anumber of parties forward - they are all right now, quite chierful I having no casualties up right in hout except tt one of our 18 pdro has consistently fired short in 1 direct ofNE Carner of Glencorse Wood. They are now getting no MG fire from eneary on the very frost time & will quite Easily take two final objectives & then will have enough men there to hold all 1 Jerman Divisions onwhole front. POLVGON WOOD cannot be recognised so such NONNE ROSSGHEN was certainly boggy but not impassable
2 72 Bote brigades on our plants are propressing well & are touch every reason now to have all confidence & everybot cheespl Bosihe puts only An occasional sell outs the Eplired untry. Still has his berrage just in our old port line & in rear! consider towe captured abt 200 in the Enverous of Glencorse Wood Am Enclosing reports from tGt Bs. J.D. Rogers Cept. 20/9/15 0745 Anp A6t10 folly is recd from 12 t From 12 Br - 12 Bn objective. 45, have samed touch on left. a pision misse).
73 2d 655 Bn 15.K say to casnalter The 54 8oor. are light. TThe wounded men of the 715 Tery tt after (Blue line the met anember of femans & t some of 7th Bn were going forward; & some were tatiet back Senclas from admen of 86or. The art thouts our ownmen at Fitsclorence Fo & the F with the SB had tell the arty to if Barray were noti sooyds the 5 drop back. A onad by proportion of wounded were het woar own shells. It 1s be a question whether the Dwets did not advance perh too & lowly for our Cuitiation troops present woment At 165 te errige o
19134. 115. omns blo lind & is lin heavy on our back etter al a H ferman presoner an of told us t the 2 fight like t divil on green will E will conster attack lin Molenhoek and Suidhoek. from sappers are deg The putting out wire. The British are sd by their observers seoor in a brestiful lin C 9 12 when he left I weys returng on 1 Gran lins & coming in fairty trely. The ran up we diffeaell a bit & they got uson that 47 every, were the shallig belio; tine wood & EGlensi
Fatgs pty we belt ap fora whl wer not A + fettury sufty forward. They yers taking Ap-wine &e s 111e 5o dyi, u will s 4 ws just dhimped ? I saw it go for wore There were a fiot many Fitz wd o71 They got on to as for rearly antory They drove us off the tape tie forward one They setter us for nearly r The monent I berregs came an pour. it plu dle doe ofe ps u te to te aher all sot ut & sellandi This fo ws 2atde collect preers. 66 i 7a. Keighley) 7 dale-wd matiew Ty La atte 11 Bn dun to tef sp ots oo his when this Dan 66 tho heas bn hit Clarke wope lift uit ans. 2K- their Dirca MM of 2n B3T
276 aremot sea ae heed ty be hin, as once a Las onces a 7 Liaison te reports to 10Bn 37 the were held up on rt asked for kelp from it ot extended across & they joined up wy them. 4.30 from Division then onlets cautteratt Dinne ont march from mooresd expect to reahe Polted in 3. pro, tine 81 3 Counterattack divisions are on the march from Moors lede. expect to reach Polyyon wood n I hour time 19B8080 110C004 Ro Coy of 715 in Positen. L2ft in wect to 10t5 Arty J.OO. reports objit gaied Dean has ordered arty, to left a
3 good listner bee e of men 227 awellanifot 9 Berg. F9 13416. 164508 &14 04 B4 02 B23 0 D4 3411 16656 D17 54 Cent DPS 2. SB D.2. 4 D213 D41 D6.0 L87at most we are 50 0r Coydabe him our barrage at the most. bend in pont N means, a the Polygow racl course just

68                                                                 
D37 
8.30 The mg.s are in positn
on 1st objve & were preparing
to go for d to 2nd objve.
H. saw but a few dead Germans. The
Germs. didnt fight at all - they ran out
w their hands up.
9th Bn reports tt everything
is alright except for fairly
heavy casualties.
H. says our barrage ws tremendous.
The German barrage ws never able
to stop our troops tho on / [[dwo?]]
ridge it ws heavy.
The beauty of the slow barrage
ws tt it ws possible to go easily pick away
through the bad xxxxx marshy
country. H. never saw a man
bogged. The 10th were broken up
by barrage going into positn. This barrage
dropped at abt 5.20 so they
probably were putting down
only a practice barrage. The

 

                                                           
69
D37 
barrage ws right on the taped track
knocked it abt & rather badly
This barrage ws on the track up to Bellevarde Ridge :

The 10 Bn had a good 

many -
A ^splendid Message from Rogers.
I have just returned from
a tour round / whole of our
country & everything is absolutely
tres bon. Unfortunately tanks on
/ left warned the Bosche who
sent up his S.O.S. while we were
on our hopping off trench his
barrage causing some casualties.
After that everything went off
splendidly. Quite a lot of
enemy (about 50) were killed
in SUNKEN ROAD running
E &W though centre of GLENCORSE
WOOD & he attempted to oppose
us a while from abo S.P. at
about J 14B 88 but he was
soon driven out bombed etc.
 

 

70                                                   
D37 
& now 9th & 10th H.Q
are established in this post. This
is also my Brigade OP now.
11thBn went right through &
I found them digging in. They
were not sure of their position
This is also my Brigade OP now.
11th Batn went right through
but I located a post being dug
at by Major -? of 11th at about
J 9 c 1.5. i.e about 75 yds ahead
of their 1st objective. Other posts
were being dug by NCO's parties
just in rear of this so I sent him
forward to dig in on the above
line.
Am not sure where H.Q.
of 11th is. Did not see them forward.
9th 10th 12th  at first
advanced just a bit too quickly
for the barrage but later slowed
down & are now, all massed

[*300  2nd

Bde
sent 
[[shorthand]]*]

 

71
D37 
in front of our barrage organising
again.
9th just a bit disorganised 
but I collected a number of
parties forward - they are
all right now, quite cheerful
& having no casualties up
right in front except tt one
of our 18 pdrs has consistently
fired short in / directn o / NE
Corner of Glencorse Wood. They
are now getting no MG fire
from enemy on the very front
line & will quite Easily take /
two final objectives & then
will have enough men there
to hold all / German Divisions
on / whole front.
POLYGON WOOD cannot
be recognised as such.
NONNE BOSSCHEN was
certainly boggy but not
impassable.
[* From 12 Bn
12 Bn slope
7.45 Have
7.45
gained trench
on left.
Pigeon
[[shorthand]]*]

 

 

72
D37                                                                      
Both brigades on our flanks
are progressing well & are in
touch.
Every reason now to
have all confidence & everybody
cheerful.
Bosche puts only an
occasional shell  onto the Captured
Country. Still has his barrage
just in our old front line & in
rear.
Consider tt we captured abt
200 in the environs of Glencorse
Wood.
Am enclosing reports from
10th &  9th Bns.   J.D. Rogers Capt.
0745 / 20/9/15.

Anp Abt 10 follg ws recd from 12 Bn:
From 12 Bn - 12 Bn objective.
7.45, have gained touch on left.
(a pigeon message). 

 

73                                                         
2Bde.
D37 
The 6th Bn & 5th say tt casualties
5 offrs. 80 or.

are light. The wounded men
of the 7th say tt after / Blue line they
met a number of Germans who
& tt some o / 7th Bn were
going forward & some were
coming back. Similar message statements
from wd men of 8Bn. The
arty got onto our own men
at FitzClarence Fm & the
F.O.O. with the 8Bn had to
tell the arty tt if / Barrage
were not lifted 500 yds the
bn wd have to drop back. A
big proportion of wounded were
hit w our own shells. It is
a question whether the Germans barrage
did not advance perh. too
slowly for our xxxx Australian
troops.
At / present moment 
-ll. 5  the German barrage is

 

74                                                                      
D37 
heavy on our blue line & is
getting heavy on our back
areas also.
A German prisoner, an
offr, has told us tt the enemy
will "fight like / devil on / green
line", & will counter attack
from Molenhoek and Guidhoek.
The sappers are put digging
& putting out wire.
The British are sd
by their observers
J9B4.5
11B offr  12  went over in a beautiful line.
When he left
enemy were returning on / Green line & coming in
fairly freely.
The run up was difficult ? a bit & they got us on that
tape
Enemy  were then shelling betw. Glenc Wood & our line

 

 

75
D37                                                                 
Fatigue pty ws held up for a while & were not
getting supply forward.
They were taking up wire & the
11Bn were
consoldg & digging in well
wire ws just dumped & I saw it go forwd.
There were a good many
Fritz wd coming in
They got on to us for nearly ½ an hour
They drove us off the tape line forward
They got forwd They shelled us for nearly ½
an hour. The moment / barrage came
down, on they went splendidly. Had it checked &
offrs gave each other the tip & they all got up & followed it
This offr ws 2ce wd. Keighley ws collectg prisoners.
Mathews, Dale - wd
They blew up /  11 Bn dump.
Darnell sd to have bn hit when this offr left
Clarke sd to have bn hit.
2nd Div came O.K their barrage lifted with ours

 

 

76                                  
Ar [shorthand]] hit a [[shorthand]]
couple in the head & they blew him up once & a

sniper got him once got on road (north)
77                                                     

D37 
Liaison [[shorthand]] reports tt 10Bn
were held up on rt ; they
asked for help from rt ;
rt extended across & they
 joined up w them.
11.30
Message from Division 
Counter att Divns on / march from Moorslede
Moorslede
expect to reach Pol wd in 3 hrs time.

Counter attack divisions are
on the march from Moorslede -
Expect to reach Polygon wood
in 3 hour time
J 9 B 80 80
J COC 0043
Rt Coy of 7th in Positn.
Left in touch w 10th
Arty F.O.O. reports objve gained.
Divn has orders arty to lift a

 

77                                                             
D37 
good distance bec. some of men
are well out in front.
9 B 4 G.          J 9 B 4.6.         16A. 5.05
4.4.                        B 4.4                     04
3.3.                         B 2.3                      02
J 3D 43                 B 1.1                         01
          1.7.                D 1.7                16 c 56
   3 Cent.               D 1.5                        54
   3 B 1.2.                D 2.4
                                D 2.3
                                D 4.1.
                                D 6.0
i.e. at most we are
50 or 60 yds behind
our barrage at the most.
This means ‘a bend in front

of the Polygon race course just
 

Last edited by:
Deb ParkinsonDeb Parkinson
Last edited on:

Last updated: