Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/121/1 - 1915 - 1916 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066622
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

13 Frout where bt M obsery seemed timber be 14 here There pase of twees we a startin yd our abt in rear o ditch rennen time. fo we towards Pare on 32t3 back Segnal to fall front live There be The X view of lef. cut Farm Bn apwith pot some of t retired us or als trees. within Came to back yds 100 of port line Co 3115 in staged consolidatio if ditch first X as the 30 were Abt an 15olati I haven no quite dear grawng left on touch this Acten 16 returd there pout line at 55 fermans 24 the
15 The right allack b por a bombery attack also one man with Stick Combo hand carrying arwful other quick them as a hecd throw This attack must ap have came a w can & blocked. was 16 right the on just as dawn to bocakin The had be fir all right heavily on port line& commns Our nomanslan This made tofet over a impossible it Supph ofbombs & ammn haw therr Cattach this WS on succeededatat lep &3 attack on our 5t We drove with Land O prenates. I These were passed al reght the The Eattack was a bomben had bu brricade attack 2 X Duby for ced the barricade atory truck from left sof preades. He ws held with our ran till Sapph up Abt 5 am. Termans out were 309ds of the witin centre Sector were of the
2 17 as fraut othes the on in had te Drayton Capt. well me along ca orders dump ws t Sapp whole t the yl to the passedup be be time to be done he This an on ettacke w lef born & or two God bat were lef. pockets mens tn & worky Co St Field The a 10t had Bn So pties our let. yds of 4 So with we be of pse shallow to too ws D wa hear. short in returement on this right ore Could seemen back on to Womansten flank Kopping shellhole- ome to some Brom ellhote without stoppiy very straight back When Drayton from o head were & trounson were there bery field abt15oyds only
18 our own arty at getting onto poritling. One 4.T R.C. shellfill into bay where Drayton &I. were & K. Emen. The clouds of dust from boubs were flying et & lef along the wolate prac. they were retire. The Jervious had to Flanks as from them o 8 on up to parspit. right retired they return toat were men Man belt of fire his Jerman pat across left our them ment thro fet hewis wt 2 w Trownson were lett tarted firi on tombo over form athere the posnt Lome of in ferman parapet. dir our men were wuany along on under parapet where ferms cdnot our cide & having afew reach them genades let throwing were They seemn to them over alright our art pet back right onto herm had dropsed parapet. 5.e45 the last men Abt 29th relieved abt 10 am pot in
2 20 thel wo fired. I am. Ab last went Straght people Most t pe wd accoss Jof i stell holes nex from shlling night Jermans were o still had m.g. Yerns think Don't - the men cn 0 of & Saga. & boub Oele Cetler Kemps flare Our blew Mine Ave. + Yon. Ave it ight at Te p ap Extenders as ot oar some at first Col. coll as fave too high it but wend arai wo Jerman patti for yas in shells phosphor 4 al night. wend w our this fringlng attack over We had £2 81 oo make aback in this
21 before Toll ws hilslight Col. over 7 fou He ws on abt of 2 pigeons Bn. Sent 7mor 715 8 1 yeous tcaneer dere in a shell hole. or5 prestion whether it 5.53 ws 15t wave actuall warte. when ct The wave started when given sipnal ws. seb D Eckesley saw fermans for back country- some in put up bit of -perh 30 in scrop neeghbourhood each mans mouth thei def 31B say aw stangie. Tie Ditch outin ths WEskersley wx in port Ditch He went Booylsalong mad. There ws 18 in water & 6in distance The col. wd twire the The bary ahead of this ditch we ahead at this time - nofault ar to find w tho it it in places $40054 posself short posselly others ad imploye 54 Dw arth
5 rean Sir. Bava 1 The Officers part in we lyt 2151 A Cmajor Captd. Dayton Bar. Thot.6 4 of 21 in penade round haverse w his hand Pee. F. ptatoon In Ectershy Weakley - Can old. Wheather R.A.J.A. man when Drmen about were Fin guaners whereu pooiti to bolt from Slanding jumped had bn fontof en in over parepet them turned rear men The al of in turn Ae kitter Fothin 4th them ran after be tween the Soulders. Then Shrapnel burst over him him - In one little &killer sape from front lime to drgonts 12 fermans dead there were of deyour. to coming out probe 3
28 ferman four by Fownson (who ws wanderin w M.9. over his shoulder standing up to Eyes in water w one of our men on plank bridyeprodda at him Eerman wd duck & then put his head up& ask for officer I told him h we am officer & sent him of rear 2 to po W5 Sergt. Davis told 5 material blockad sax 6 no matens H 4 there ed ferman up W.S told pil t fn wt length was Lewi 9 on then later prt at 35 n There were there 7 men ansovers They were very all night. were suppd. Parties Thaken them oon for tame 6 but Fermans When didnt dawn abt C. attacker at back to were sent the 415 had br given The our time in Enarethes Seltn were aylt all of bothom cittly Terewd hie 2 mostl bonbs Hada bang at minenwerfor my& a shovel before puy over at
5 355 Capt. Mills loe bet on let A wd Aro in taken + In The Ditch the 31 Bn W in mad barbed were had I t it it did not seem to have bn Speciath filled. both of £15 Lt Wilson & Gst. Forsyk were finall bombery fermans an Aft (Serge O Subwan 6 2912 same over w who had abt 2am I plations on support, has there just befove bu until hehin bay theree nt eu Then tretent. th Vext day (20 S.65 went out andr Red X Maj. Murdoch went across ungir Red X to German asked 0 there be
55 t 4 28 armistice tn C.O.3d unless Not Dun asked for it. Reply from Dron tt bes. firin we to oon and Germans were bri on our Wd I theirs eim. att into were hers 6r0 tt tn next night. We didit shoot but disnt tout. 5.bs For nights dead afe were being brought in hoss of Bn SF 680 went in 850 effectives abt Capty Robertson Ennan sharp wd. Mas. Clements dd w. Mills Pnoner Maj. Echerster wd. Capt Fisher ad. Capt therson (Cwd Me

13
Front ws obscured by timber
where m.gs seemed to be. 

2
14
here. There ws a grove of trees
starting abt 50 yds in our
rear of ditch & running
towards front line. We gave
signal to fall back on Fritz
front line. There be The
Farm cut off view of left.
Some of 54 Bn got up with
us & retired w flares xxx
along trees.
Came back to within
100 yds of front line.
D Coy 31 Bn stayed in
first ditch & consolidated it.
Abt 3.30 am., as they were
quite isolated - having no
touch on left & dead ground
there - they retired to the actual
front line.
 At 3.55 the Germans c. attd

 

15
The attack from right ws
a bombing attack also -
with stick bombs - one man
carrying armful & handing
them to other as quick as
he cd throw. This attack
must have come up a
comm trench & was blocked.
  

2
16 
on the right - just as dawn
ws breaking. they had bn
firing all night heavily
on our front line & commns
& nomansland. This made
it impossible to get over a
supply of bombs & ammn.
(This ws how their c - attack
on left succeeded at abt 4.30.
We drove off attack on our rt
with M.gs & hand grenades.
These were passed along to
the right.
The c. attack was a bombing
attack. Left had bn barricaded.
Fritz forced the barricade
& got along trench from left
with grenades. He ws held 
up till our supply ran
out. Abt 5 a.m. Germans
were within 30 yds of the
centre of the sector & were

 

2
17
in on the other flank as
well. Capt Drayton had the 
dump & orders came along
tt the whole supply ws to
be passed up to the right.
This had to be done ; by time 
left ws attacked only an
odd bag or two & bombs
in mens pockets were left.
The 8th Field Coy & working
pties of 3rd Bn. had got a 
trench within 30 yds of our left.
It ws too shallow to be of use
in retirement. Shooting ws heavy
on this.
Could see men on right
flank hopping back onto Nomansland
some from shellhole to shellhole - some
going straight back without stopping.
Ahead from where Drayton
&  Trounson were there was
only abt 150 yds field of fire 

 

18
 our own arty ws
getting onto front line..
One 4.5 h.c. shell fell
into bay where Drayton
& T. were & K. 2 men.
The clouds of dust from
bombs were flying rt
& left along trench. 
  
2
19
They were prac. isolated & had
 to retire. The Germans had
m.gs on them from flanks as 
they retired - right up to parapet.
Many men were lost retiring.
German put his belt of fire
across & left our
men to get thro' to them.
Trownson w 2 Lewis guns wh
were left was started firing on
the point where bombs were going
in German parapet. Some of
our men (½ doz) were running along
under parapet where (on
our side, where Germs. cd not
reach them) & having a few
grenades left were throwing
them over. - They seemed to 
get back alright. Our arty
had dropped right onto Germ.
parapet.
Abt 5.45 the last men
got in. 29th relieved abt 10 a.m.

 

2
20
Abt 11 a.m. last shell ws fired.
Most people went straight
across nomansland. A few wd.
got in from shell holes next
night. Germans were shelling
nomansland still. 
Dont think Germs had m.g 
or men in nomansland. One of
our flare ^& s.a.a bomb dumps betw. cellar
Fm. Ave & Mine Ave. blew
up abt 9 pm. (Thought it
ws some of our gas cylinders
at first - Col. Toll gave gas
alarm - but it went too high
for gas. German ws putting
phosphorous shells in nomansland
all night & wind ws
bringing this over our attack.
(We had xxxx no gas or
smoke in this attack).

 

2
21
Col. Toll ws hit slightly before
going over - He ws on rt of
Bn.  Sent of 2 pigeons abt
8pm 7 pm or 7.15. Pigeons w carrier were
in a shell hole.
Question whether it ws 5.55 or 6
when 1st wave actually started.
The wave started when timed
signal ws given. 
Lt Eckersley saw Germans scaling
for back country - some in trench
put up bit of scrap - perh 30 in
each man's neighbourhood. 
31 Bn say their chief trouble
ws w / Fme. Delanque.
Lt Eckersley ws out in the Ditch
in front.
He went 300yds along Ditch.
There ws 18 in water & 6 in mud.
The Col. ws twice the distance
ahead of this ditch - The barrage
ws ahead at this time - no fault
to find w it tho' it ws
possibly short in places (4th & 5th
5th Div arty ws employed, possibly others. 

 

2
22
The 6th Bavarian Div.
ws in front (?) - Officers
captd. (Major of 21st Regt.)
Lt of 21 Bav. shot. by Drayton
round traverse, w grenade in
his hand.
In Eckersleys platoon Pte P.
Wheatley Weakley - (an old
R.A.G.A. man) when German
m. gunners were about
to bolt from positn whereupon
last bn standing jumped
in over parapet in front of
them.  The rear men turned
(of abt 7) He killed 3 in turn,
then ran after 4th & got him
between the shoulders. Then
shrapnel burst over him
& killed him - In one little
sap from front line to dugouts
there were 12 Germans dead
- probly K. coming out of dugout.

 

23 
Hand drawn diagram  - see original 
German found
by Trownson
(who ws)
wandering
w m.g over
his shoulder)
standing up to 
eyes in water
w one of
our men 
on plank
bridge prodding
at him -
German wd
duck & then
put his head
up & ask
for "Officer"
T - told him he
ws an Officer
& sent him off
to rear.  
  
2
24
Sergt. Davies ws told to put get
material to blockade sap.
He sd there ws no material.
Ws told to pile up Germans
lengthways.  Lewis gun ws
put on them later
There were xxxx abt 35
prisoners, big men, there
all night.  They were very
shaken.  Parties were suppsd
to come over for them
but didnt.  Then Germans
c.attacked at dawn (abt
4.15) they were sent back to
our line.  They had bn given
cigarettes & were sitting in
bottom of trench all night.
There ws v. little rifle fire -
mostly bombs.
Had a bang at minenwerfer
& at m.g w shovel before going over

 

2
25
Capt. Mills O. C."D" Coy 
ws on left.  He ws wd.
in arm & taken prisoner. 
The Ditch the 31 Bn ws
in had mud & barbed wire
in it - it did not seem
to have bn specially filled.
Lt Wilson & Cpl Forsyth ^both of 31st were
finally bombing Germans on
left - (Sergt O'Sullivan of 29th
who had come over w
2 platoons in support ^abt 2 pm. had
bn there just before)
until bay behind them ws
empty - Then they retired.   
Next day (20th) s.bs
went out  under Red X.
Major Murdock went across
under Red X to German
C.O. & asked if there cd be

 

2
26 
an armistice.  C. O. sd 
not unless Divn. asked  
for it.  Reply from Divn 
ws tt firing ws to go on 
ind. (Germans were 
bringing in our wd & theirs 
into Germ. trenches at t 
Others were brought in 
next night. ) 
We didnt shoot but 
s.bs didnt go out. 
For nights after dead 
were being brought in. 
Loss of 31 Bn 680 
(went in abt 860 effectives). 
 For Capt G Robertson missing 
 Sharp wd. 
 Maj. Clements d of w. 
 Mills  Prisoner 
 Maj Eckersley wd 
 Capt Fisher  wd. 
 Capt McPherson (C.) wd.  
 

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Loretta CorbettLoretta Corbett
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