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

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. 
  
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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
5^th 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.