Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/135/1 - 1915 - 1916 - Part 6

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

Page 1 / 10

61 They were still in day out when we got there no m.g. in pocity ap to thim epont were were I1one, an anotew, &14 in a 3rd a dogen killed besides in dugonts. They had not begn to come up wi stairs. Tombs thrown in at once & senty placed over each looking down it. Abt to hour later they began to shout "Kamesad & came up. Andwerd sent to the rear. we dag out t where blown in - one dujout had ber blown in at back 15ft below surfact) by a
62 very heavy shell. Thy were in part of y Thompson ws just to Nof Elbow an rench Barrage went on to O.F.2. ft & Endwaves were consolidatin. 3070 4th waves were. Excellied kept & they went over & took 0.9.2. Laner Patiot 55 sent out from O.1 wt repoted t O.P.E was taken. Thompson ws in O.P.1 all night. Abt dawn Germans threw over heavy boubt. From O.F 2 during boubt ferman cd be seen gaterin near Martinpuich Rd As they advanced barrage
lifter. It caused few casnaltir - shells were not drappig in t C-attare Toupson (AsM. then) wt. an O.P.1 when attack Starty. They were preparing for Catteck in O.P..O.P.2 ws not held betw. woudmill positin & Elbow Gormans of thro this enteral. 25 6271 sot out of O.P. cnto
64 open - Lewis Suns O.2 tine were them engiladin Of.1ws to deep to fire poo So aeotap fixed bayonets h Jermans (abt 100yos surrendend at away once. Att 100 were taken. Betw OP.11 I there must have on 150 dead. The L. Juns did good work. The fermans were in ho fomali by this time It wo pretty guiet during day but next evg. & whole of nextnight
65 a r. Leavy boubt as kept op lett next morning. The 215th were relieved art to momi (This wt the morning when thee cattacte in wh Tacka wo hit Jerman attemptid to attack (thy blew the whole of our commi lot up & caused a of camatties The Cattack on this End morning wo broken by artillery fire after the 28tth hat left. some of Bde mgs were there the Brd worning in Tacka's attach You
86 SB & Serp Harrison C6 D. Heale Cnon 2/S) & Cameron 3.6. arunners were very conspictons. Tn first show as Johnson way d. sunner apolof C to i for being shot in both ars Pl Lawlor, bad bef eye hit right fawbone token Cett ls broken by shell 63 Out 28his in O.P. 560 do busy behind Of1t coat reach the lines before is now doing well After fight of 28/29 fermans were out amongst 2 Doctor shell holes. They bandaged Sergt Freestone - I left him Anothw Jerman took his vation & told him hes give him about for breakfo tought him me in wext night
on 2y Foms of our took Teey on on Stretters. let in the our 5.60 work open This we reciprocal. OS twe were came out emans the a a big while flag. wf didnt fire allowe te No as to do the same They were Saxons. decerter sd A Saxons an id warked as (p2end. Bn) to1 Punsians were goun relieve them. Lapt Donisch was lyn day all in ferman were 13 of we brought in 6 abrn hd 2erd Bp. Hhis man so brought i 46 German Stell blethe the as
68 ferman. Document Leasons A carnt from ta vatele of the Somie osuser Res artrDi Lays. The firdt inestd be weakes aa small but reliable held garrson severil m. gs even if a hostill attack continuate Experty ruahen The danger of bein can be guarded agst by dispose the Supperty Groups migs of ground according to the natuor Loo close as possible behind His turdity the first cire to runk forward without waitly reinforce the first for orders, + to to dine the moment to 1) Enemy alta 1ko. have postion In th manner only bee mainteret on the Sora teneny on each occasion a truck only believed he wd completely deprived its defenders very has on rpalseda Leavy 6
69 34 first essentied for succes is to each unit sbd be echelonned in depto & have its flanks protected En the coy commander lo always establish a reverve of several groups with possible several 2p 9d. Lanin Te mose come a whoever he 2 be can nsure hav a reserve better cort be the situati. the It also ys Warrow trenches w steep wals are overy in advissble, for considerible losse arecaused owing to they a leepsry. The bust o mori of English shells is less dangerous tan their destructive Affaton 1 trencles. Hallow E. broedat m the botom, st be duy. be due Te support 2 sdas saradet a the ontline yor it
76 Ene be destroyed by the will jusr as the port trek fixe be unless is is at leart will metred be latter to be made erryplir pi 56 Comnan forts not vellge in eady or plapes. or Bn commanders of subording to on taking over a positi personaly. get into touch, we a previous garrison (of almost inportance be accurity The pont te shd report sent in cer of wht atoonce line accupig Toops also whit still dea d oy light) sottang nature O1 Found Iroops not to leave our posites until relief complete they noticed.S.ofte Somane (ays and the docament) of drench Combarder te Observatio posts sirst - ten rear tines, villares et

15
61                                                                                                                               
They were still in 
dug outs when we got 
there - no m.g. in 
positn up to then.
There were 11 in one ^ dugout, 9
in another, & 14 in a 3rd.
A dozen killed besides
in dugouts. They had
not begun to come up
stairs. Mills Bombs thrown in
at once & sentry placed 
over each looking down
it.  Abt ¼ hour later
they began to shout "Kamerad"
& came up.  And were
sent to the rear.
We dug out [shorthand - trench] where 
blown in - one dugout 
had bn blown in at back 
(15 ft below surface) by a

 

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62
very heavy shell.
(They were in front of [shorthand - trench])
Thompson ws just to
N of Elbow in trench.
Barrage went on to
O.G.2. Thom 1st & 2nd waves
were consolidating.  3rd &
4th waves were excellently
kept & they went over 
& took O.G.2.
Runners Patrol ws
sent out from O.G.1 wh
reported tt O.G.2 was 
taken.  Thompson ws
in O.G.1 all night.
Abt dawn Germans threw
over heavy bombt . From
O.G.2 during bombt Germans
cd be seen gathering
near Martinpuich Rd.
As they advanced barrage

 

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63
lifted. It caused few
casualties - shells were
not dropping in [shorthand - trench].
[Hand drawn sketch - see original].
German c-attack
Thompson (CSM then) ws
in O.G.1 when attack 
started.  They were 
preparing for c-attack
in O.G.1.  O.G.2 ws
not held betw. Windmill
positn & Elbow.
Germans got thro this
interval.  25th & 27th
got out of O.G.1 into

 

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64
open.  Lewis Guns
of O.G.2 line were
enfilading them.
O.G.1 ws too deep to fire
from so men got up
w fixed bayonets &
Germans (abt 100 yds
away) surrendered at
once.  Abt 100 were
taken.  Betw O.G.1 &
2 there must have bn
150 dead.  The L. Guns
did good work.  The
Germans were in
no formatn. by this time.
It ws pretty quiet during
day but next evg.
& whole of next night

 

15
65
a v. heavy bombt ws
kept up till next
morning.  The 25th
were relieved early
tt morning. (This
ws the morning when before
the c-attack in wh
Jacka ws hit).
German attempted to
C. attack (they blew the
whole of our commn
[shorthand - trenches] up & caused a lot
of casualties.)
The c. attack on this
2nd morning ws broken
by artillery fire after
the 25th had left.  Some of
Bde m.gs. were there the
3rd morning in Jacka's attack.

 

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66
Lt. Healy & Sergt Harrison
(now 2/Lt) & Cameron, s.b.s
& runners were very
conspicuous.
(In first show as Johnson
ws coming away L. gunner apologised
to him for being shot in both arms).
Pte Lawlor had left eye hit,
right jaw bone broken left
leg broken by shell - ws
out 28 hrs in O.G.1
(s.b.s so busy behind O.G.1 tt
cd nt reach the lines before)
& is now doing well.
After fight of 28/29
Germans were out amongst
shell holes. They A Doctor bandaged
Sergt Freestone - & left him.
Another German took his
ration & told him he wd
give him a bomb for breakfast
He came SBs brought him in next night.

 

15
67
They took some of our men
in on stretchers.  They let
our s.b.s work in the open -
This ws reciprocal.
After we were in O.G.2
the Germans came out
w a big white flag.  We
didnt fire - so they allowed
us to do the same.  They
were Saxons.
A Saxons are ∧ deserter is sd to have
warned us (? 22nd Bn)
tt / Prussians were going to
relieve them.
Capt Donisch was lying
in German wire all day &
ws brought in by S.B. of
23rd Bn.  This man had already
brought in 46 (it is sd) .
German shell blew them over
as they got in.

 

15
68
A German Document "Lessons
learnt from the battle of the
Somme" of the 53rd Res. (Saxon) Div.
says : "The first line shd be weakly
"held w a small but reliable
"garrison & several m.gs.,
"even if a hostile attack is
"continually expected.
"The danger of being rushed
"can be guarded agst by dispersing
"the supporting groups & m.gs
"according to the nature o / ground
"& as close as possible behind
"the first wire.  It is their duty
"to rush forward, without waiting
"for orders, & to reinforce the first
"line the moment tt / enemy attacks.
"In this manner only, have positions
"been maintained on the Somme.
"On each occasion tt / enemy
"believed he wd enter a trench
"completely deprived of its defenders, he
"has bn repulsed w very heavy losses.

 

15
69
"The first essential for
"success is tt each unit shd
"be echelonned in depth &
"have its flanks protected.  Even
"the Coy commander shd
"always establish a reserve
"of several groups with, if
"possible, several m.gs.
"The more a commander,
"wherever he may be, can
"ensure having a reserve,
"the better will be the situation."
It also says: "Narrow
"trenches w steep walls are very
"inadvisable, for considerable
"losses are caused owing to their
"collapsing. The burst o / majority
"of English shells is less dangerous
"than their destructive effect on
"/ trenches. Shallow [shorthand - trenches], broad at
"the bottom, shd must be dug.
"The support [shorthand - trench] shd not be dug
"parallel to the front line [shorthand - trench] or it

 

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70
"will be destroyed by the enemys
"fire just as the front trench
"will be, unless it is at least
"200 metres behind / latter."
Trenches to be made irregular.
Command posts not ∧ to be in villages,
on roads, or slopes.
Bn Commanders & subordinates
in taking over a positn to
get into touch ∧ personally with the previous
garrison. (Of utmost importance)
The front line shd be accurately
ascertained & report sent
at once of what is / line
occupied.
Troops also, while still
daylight, to obtaing some idea
o / nature o / ground.
Troops not to leave their
positns until relief completed.
They noticed S. of the Somme
(says and then document) tt / French
bombarded the observatn posts
first - then rear lines, villages etc.

 






 

 

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