Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/135/1 - 1915 - 1916 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066634
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

p p 51 He sot it with 38 or. the M.C. for this. Enony suffered he avily many vayonetes - & we capta abt so pris overs. or t Cas: abt. 27 w. 10 133 no. 178 The missing were dead or went thro BL. Detmbe Lnd time Bde ws in Cater in Cy it was ramny all time - no lot food wet thio all time - had to stand up all time bec cdnt sit down - simply lood payenets fixed for 23ay0 Ci Our Patrols on Ht night reciad Col walker valen up -as standig over P.S. 2 when saw some 5
1a were ws well it but stragglist volled up & interfery ferms. Open us at at 12.2 with Eng. (2 mus after Start) of arty at 1219 This ms. fire stopped the line. M.S. fire lickety went tnds as er men uayout aydownhollow being in to part o font. (M.R. 23 topped by barrage but in endt one gan went on whole + neaw stopper tw Roblt over parspet 5 52 Cermans. Others droppy ct but tl who always careed a righ on them - standing fired up & taks he got 4. here find all time & 29. Ans Wereweh 32 ay hen 15 & Nixbit here M n man of 252 Ni say 20 a 81 had to extend a little going at Cottel 28Bn. passed word to keep touch with et at all cost. bor bore off to right splette an C Coy. They had to extent a little as they went
53 Wix Secing them beary to et tried to keep them to lett a bit & got into fout Anc R Coy shd have got to but actuall (wo att 2 of C Coy Bof B2 12po)D ws still on ommn truch, wh gaided it & reached D Nix found no were in port of B but id see men checkes by some thing away to left. i. N. sohck omon C&O.J.a 5 sod here wer 2 day outs there WI dead Germans in posbof it duyouts
54 left of Commn rt facing us Went forwd strant first N of commn 200 ts abt 50 men. & lay ap under barrag abt 60 gds from end Cerman line. It ws abvays defficult to keep adecet lng over cratess Saw barrage on secon ex love left wto eash positi Mgs opened fire at att -oyds but didn't seem to be Comi this way - seimed to be firy Ehewheve N. Saw a figure come along
anty M. trench parafet i He revolver 40 fo band Not th 5u the start men of 95& C is Knon 6o for (0.P. 2 Bob have pot back. wine 4 month & in port l prson office prob wd. Vix pt back 5 0 abt 1232 over the top Had abt I wen o au there. Fares were the liff to both Mr put 1 Pom OS 5top on 160th Sidle men as he t cat of but seem fetory, abt ordered them 12.570 then went & Sott his
56 8gaigment (Field glassi revolver Stwt was D near dupont fin 7ot back Abt 6 ofthe men all right. Incongssell whole on W5 about Eng. toamwa the were ad AA7 treuch a small passe fran slitin jist a i grass corend Part Wix got back abt 4 By 6 po bew Etpls at bath be 8 up 3of Johns Dn along Comma trench where ye Groken ap past 4/1 5 t at to 6 cak When oecurie he had only man with him
with this war into Comsn H sot returning from D. ar ot 57 etew some &Sot mer (a tay Cor of 26 & got into Of & past There ws 29 marked or left (where ex bard permans down W from Comber We had Commn do 5 End 1600 be not X pt An good commn near in advanced again Tohnson till D3 wher i up as bokin down. had 40 the DTo over m to his a couple so attenp here abou there on in
58 no men the in from dead die exception fom a serst can the vt this & reported 4 had oen P to it the 24 the men from 4a recposed they had the 50 word (to so back as decided te retirement on & b ws withdaw A signatler (with plast lanp. gt into com t JCB he sh5 H.A. asking if 6 See come back records). By light of aresfiom the ohnson tee 650 de Abt trying to fet in tO bot t N8Sof him.
The Cor fe for 264 trench an Cousind some way phr time fond nde ete life this. Bn 5 Mach Samy objie were i Vi head fast wer 25 T6e packs lite me fand 26 Had to Seving to lep on gettn out 25 Shelling at 64 1a Shelely Next 59
69 at J foult There ws a 3mins from 9.15- 9.18. Dcor got out (with 5Bn) at 9.15. were in german pa t the moud the barrap lifted 34 were lyin abt 20 25 yes behin barray & had abt 60 casualties up to this time. The fermans were thy owny a heavy barrage of 59s behind. He l casatties were mo from German Carrage Thoupon wd quity way we satisfied ot barrige. followed the several. There were in fronthin dead Fermans

51                                      
15
it with 38 o.r. He got
the M.C. for this.
Enemy ws suffered heavily - 
many bayoneted - & we
captd abt 50 prisoners.
                       Off       Or.
Cas: abt        __           27    k.
                       10.         138    w.
                         1.          178.  m.                                                         
The missing were dead or
went thro Brit. Field Ambce.    
2nd time Bde ws in
later in Aug it was raining
all time - no hot food -
wet thro all time - had to
stand up all time bec.
cdnt sit down - simply  stood
w bayonets fixed for 2 days till relieved.
Our Patrols on 1st night.
Col. Walker walked up - was standing
over O.G. 2 when saw some

 

 51a
Wire ws well
cut but straggling &
rolled up & interfered
w men.  
Germs. opened up at 
at 12.2 with m.g. (2 mins
after start) & arty at 12.9.
This mg. fire stopped the line.
M.G. fire luckily went
over men going out fortunately as
they lay down ∧ a hollow being in tt part
of front. M.G. ws
stopped by barrage but
one gun ^ in 2nd line went on whole
time & never stopped.
(Probly firing over parapet) 

15
52                                                   
7 Germans. Others dropped
into trench but Col. who
always carried a rifle
fired on them - standing 
up & thinks he got 4.
Hand drawn diagram.
mg here fired all time
mg. here D2
wire well
cut here
5 bn go here
X Nix hit
here
German bayonetes
here by man of
25th.
Nix saw no
live Germans
in this trench
OG1.                                                                                                      
Had to extend a little going up.
Collett 28 Bn. passed word to
keep touch  with rt at all costs.
Whole Rt of bn.  bore off to right splitting
in C. Coy. (They had to extend
a little as they went)

 

15 
53                                              
Nix seeing them bearing
to rt tried to keep them to
left a bit & got into front
line.
B Coy shd have got to
B' but actually (w abt
20 of C Coy) got to
B2.
Left of D ws still on
Commn trench wh guided
itt & reached D1.
Nix found no wire in
front of B but cd see
men checked by some thing
away to left.  Flares
were going up. N. got it
by Comm trench. O.G. 1 ws
good.  There were 2 dug outs
there w 2 dead Germans
in front of it — dug outs

 

15 
54                                                     
rt & left of Commn trench
facing us.
Diagram went forwd straight
just N of commn trench [(shorthand)]
w abt 50 men.  & lay
up under barrage
abt 60 yds from 2nd
German line — It ws
always difficult to keep
a decent line over craters.
Saw barrage on second
line lift & went & tried to rush
positn.  M.gs.  M.g.s
opened fire at abt 30yds
but didnt seem to be
coming this way—seemed 
to be firing elsewhere.
N. saw a figure come along

 

15 
55                                          
trench — put m.g. onto
parapet - He fired w
revolver & got first m.g.
shot thro hand.
Only 1 of the 50 odd
men of B & C who started
for O.G. 2 is known to
have got back.  Probly
mostly k in front of wire.
5 prisoners (officially) -
prob. wd.
Nix got back to O.G. 1
abt 12.32 over the top -
Had abt 8 men w him
there.  Flares were then
going up both to rt & left
from O.G. 1.  Nix put
men as stop on both sides
but seeing he ws cut off
ordered them to retire abt
12.50 — & then went & got his

 

15 
56                                                      
Equipment (field glasses,
revolver etc)  wh was
near dugout in O.G.1
Abt 4 of the men got back
all right.
Enemys shelling whole
evg. ws about on
tramway trench.
[As they were advancing they
passed a small trench
-just a slit in / ground]
Partly covered w grass
Nix got back abt 1.45.
By 6 pm he ws at Etaples
& in bath by  8p.m.
Johnson got up
along Commn trench
past D 3   xxxx xxx xx where trench was broken up.
& as seen at D2.
When break occurred
he had only 1 man with him

 

15 
57
He got with this man into commn
trench (after returning from D2)                                               
he was  in front of O.G.
& x  got together some of
men ( w Taylor of 26th).
& got into O.G. 1 & past
it.  There ws a m.g.
on left ( where marked)
And Germans were
bombing from N & down
Commn trench.  We had
not eno' bombs to do
any good.  Kept L.g.
near D 3 in commn trench.
Johnson x  advanced again
up trench till D 3 (where it
ws broken down & you had
to go over the top).  The m.g.
hit  a couple of men
here, so attempt ws
abandoned — there being

 

15
58                                         
no men in the front
line excepting dead
(a Sergt came from the
rt & reported this, he
hd bn in O.G. 1 to
rt).
The men from the rt
reckoned they had had the 
word to go back — so
the retirement ws decided 
on & line xx ws withdrawn.
A signaller ( with flash lamp)
got into commn w 26 Bn
HQ. asking if he shd
come back.   (See 26 Bn
records)-               
By light of flares from 2nd line
Johnson cd see men wandering
abt trying to get in to O.G.1
both to N & S of him.

 

15 
59                                           
The Commn trench ran
for some way parallel to 
German front line.
Something like this.
Diagram
 25 Bn.
Aug 4/5. Much same objve.
26th were in Jumping off
trench just ahead.
Diagram 
26
Jumping off trench
27 Tramway trench
The 25th were
packed like
sardines.
Had to swing
to left on
getting out
Shelling at
6 for next
½ hr.
Next shelling
 

 

15 
60                                                    
at 9.15 p.m,
There ws a 3 mins. bombt
from 9.15 - 9.18.
got out ( with D coy 25 Bn )
att 9.15 were in German
front line trench the moment
the barrage lifted - They
were lying abt 20 to
25 yds behind barrage
& had abt 60 casualties
up to this time,  The
Germans were throwing
a heavy barrage of
5.9s behind.  The
casualties were mostly
from German barrage.
Thompson ws quite
satisfied w / way we
followed the barrage.
There were several 
dead Germans in front line.

 

 

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