Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/126/1 - 1915 - 1917 - Part 3

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Smith___C_↑_D__ Rhead
Hart_____________Gladwill
Thurlow_________Herron
(1st hit)__________

Kay _____A___B_ Bridgeman
Berriman_______McKie
Tritton__________Butler
            __________
(got in Berriman)

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They came in 2 waves
of 4 lines each.  25 yds betw
lines & 100? betw waves.
They were in extended
form also order now –
(had come up to 1st J.O.
positn in arty formatn).
Reached J.O. Positn at.
2.20 — 50 mins to wait.
Bn ws lying down hidden
from German esp. on left
where hill hid them.
The lines were splendidly
kept & both flanks in touch.
At 3.10 moved off.
Left of 49 kept touch
with 52 Bn.  Within 3 /y or 4
mins they were seen – first

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on rt & Germ. opened
w artillery.  Our barrage
ws 200 yds ahead & crept
up to 1st Objve wh ws
Green Line (Odd trench)
Despagne Fm ws on
hill edge & here m.g.
& rifle fire began.  It came
from everywhere.  Every remaining
[shorthand] exc 2 ws hit betw here
& 1st objve.  It ws abt ½
mile to go.
There ws a break
very soon after start owing
to swing off of 52 Bn.
Not _∧ much more than 100 men got to
D Coy wh ws with front line 45 Bn
lost every officer.

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Everyone tt reached / wire
probly reached / trench bec
Germs had by tt time run
or put hands up.  The
Southern Pty under Berriman
settled down first in wire.
Kay ws up w Hart.
No inf. cd be got
by H.Q. from front line
so Sig. Offr. went forwd
abt 4.30-45 & ws hit
going out.
Capt Swain ws w /
Col. at HQrs. & Lt Hallam
with left of attack.
(3 Offrs were later
brought up — Lts Atkinson,
Arque & Rice ).

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As they got forward they
got out of barrage into mgs
& snipers.

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When the 49 Bn got to the
line such Germs as
remained put their hands
up.  There ws Tritton ws
80 prisoners came thro
hands of 49 Bn.
Lt Tritton ws shot at Berriman
post - House in O27D.^x
[^xThis is evidently right
reference for Berrimans
final post - 2 Coys 51 Bn wd then
be along rd Southwards
from there at 3 am June 8]
Tritton found C. Coy held
up here a bit.  He came up
to help & ws shot by German
there.  He shot this German w
his revolver.  Berriman

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31
went on later into
the line & found it
empty by then as stated.
Germans probably came
back into it on rt
later.
That night Germs were
seen massing in 34 Central
on other side of / valley.
They were in groups
rushing up – getting
behind some cover.
Fire ws got onto them
by 12 Bde - they cd
be seen in Assault dress
w overcoats strapped on
back - coming forwd
from cover to cover in

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Casualties  367 out
of abt. 600 .587 who
went forward.  There
were 15 missing of
whom all are w. or. k.
exc. acting RSM & Runner
who went out as guides.
They got into German lines
& a 2nd Runner bolted —
these 2 were left & may be
prisoners.

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33
small parties.  The arty
came down & they went
running back in rushes.
At first it looked as
though 49 Bn rt flank
might be threatened.
On night of 9/10, 50 Bn
attacked & failed to get in.
This night 49 Bn placed
its 4 posts in Odd trench Support
in space betw 2 trenches;
& ws relieved –
_______
See over for
Noreuil. Mouquet.

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Sergt. Scott.
At Mouquet Fm. Scott
ws a bomber – big chap, then
a pte, in charge of rt flank
wh faced Courcelette – He
had a bombg post & L.G.
We had made a T head in
their Commn trench ; twice
during / night Germs tried to
creep up there but were bombed
back – Scott throwing most of
bombs ; in mg. another attack
came there & he greatly helped
to beat it back.

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Mouquet Fm.

1/2 Sept 49 Bn sent one
Coy _^& details to take over from
48 Bn. from 34 B28 to
28c. 21.
48 Bn dug J. O. trench from
28 c 6.1½ to 28 c 2 . 1.

The Offr who ws with 49
Bn bombing attack on mg.
of 3/4 ws Lieut. Stuart,
bombg officer. Scott led that
attack; Stuart came to Scott
& told him he wd have to
get some volunteers.

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Hand drawn diagram - see original

In 28B betw 42 & 57 Germs
had gun emplacements.

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The Germs were as shown,
at AA
Stuart ws going along towds
36 & then get out & bomb
N towds these Germans.
In meantime the garrison
of 66 - 95 ws going to
shoot to keep heads of
Germs. down.
Stuart, seeing a white
handk. waved, got up
on parapet to left of
66, where they were all
ready w 2 bombs each
(Scott there - every other man
bayonet).  As soon as
they were ready Scott Stuart ws
to send word to Swain
to fire while they hopped
over.  But when white

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handk. appeared Stuart
jumped up to beckon them
in & ws imd. shot thro
head.  Stuart ws k. &
order never went — runner
went to Swain tt Stuart ws
k.  Att Scott reported it
& attack ws not sent on as
it ws not advisable to
risk anor. offr. (Stuart had
told Swain tt he thought it
ws quite easy & he wd like
to go forward).
In this Mouquet attack
A & B Coys went over in 1st
wave  Hand drawn Diagram - see original

A. Coy was fought by Germs
(Over to after Noreuil)

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Hand drawn diagram - see original

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Noreuil.
Taken Ap. 1/2.
Taken over by 49 Bn on
night of 3/4.  It ws snowing.
The 50 Bn as opposite – – –
Positn of 15 Bn ws taken
on rt of 49 when they took
over & marches West
Yorks on left.
Night of 4/5  49 Bn
went up into Road.
left abt 150 yds ahead
of it, dug across the
bank at C 4 D 3.5
(where main C. T. aftwds
was).
Same night C Coy ws
under Maj Fortescue DSO MC