Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/136/1 - 1916 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066635
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

mas by Swalh He it. He ante Bn. ad allow we not stomach Ea wd t in or drink anythen had 04 fang hea shellin Oac day out the had had bember to tee a with phosphous bourt still barmin a When the Bn left 9 the landmark wa all n ght all day 67 where knew 6h S. bt l t
Ex it of t Can the ed the see Smoke it on the 6e night the white Suoke day Men were t te drawn from both N Fides cn the office 1 a Matth Eie 8 cha at en lt l where in dugont RedX did ra in to He Co th ewely a lt 8 i Alderson £1 out C 5 ood 9 who 2
bit woolf. W59. w. Sebh O ) our W 69 poad af te 5d. kay ett with ar Aaf4 dd dyeid aft t k $ gt ars 40 remfts were recdin Sansagy sully before angx & Pome were in Blighte 4 out Ed on were 16 Blanchar 4 not 215 H.J. rec waiss Matthews w. Mg Hey Stene 4 Lt. Swik La X a 120 you 1 Rodda th of tas tae Ma to0t Sh t de lecision er wen. 60 24 His who took park ont Came out BA HI incl withi 60 reiss were redd. week.
1635 42 from Weston Aft Omes WD 20 a youngsty yabt Denay the fattack when Sermans were Suip One lot we a in shell abt 40 hole cdnt tem reach to Te shorted bombs out for he or 0 ha came a long a poaitn the lok at reach adar decides he ci stan thet hopp He $ ado ett a a b 6 in bo
43 2 St hend an for 44 leave backto whem know a Irper him sot knocked his Eye out Hc feli fow abt amoupt into wen the doyen 12 bomb. 65S out pm nt calledo 4 Weill 70 Lodo Taks C take yeo thes 6or to San the 0 t th 60 o took tat o er it trew tid 148 pa ep a 8 te He 7 tteorg Tn) D a th a of Kus ecoven
45 one backt t l weat Bn to Carakill where the ne heler wad pit into chalk 8 Spent daysa Berteancourt good billets Trained & reorpused Out 100 Lexis Junners onl renaind who knew any thing alt 9 2 6o gunners har t trains in the 8 Aug. 22 they arrived at Buchfields
46 The Bn we abt 350 tat sto 15 ofrs. Most By WS. Chalk Pitt an + yes on angage fully They were on carrying munctions &ations to the line fatigues etc. roadmeking up mashvally to t On were notified to 30ffi0& Toomen from Br (takin from to toy were to be aled to 21Bn &assist in allect on M. Farm. The were to be in positin on lef of Guaren b midnight2
very Calle 2. Post 48 apt H. Smith Cons. we ar charge of D. Coy His Brother of 21 Bn R.G.S. Xa Gounger brother, a the of the 215t Sons Polige Inspector ofa Bendip were all kt night He had gove up previous night & reconvacted posit Cor The bo to left of 9 Bn into to hatteres V E beld by couple of posts of Mr. F 24 Bn They went on a platoon numbe as ed
at Sweth At camming NB4 6 200d a e 4 66 50 haven lost aft C men poing down stope Extension of K 7to Guarry In positin by 12 p They were to link ap with 5 not Entrencbio but b a series chelhoti 4 posts Attoct weat 4 tan 25th Aup mens before ro the hopped out in front Ther Cosct atbeas marked opposite ssoon as barrys
57 slart the ledout in Indian File &droppes mey in shellholes as went th It wt just con light 21B we out ame time I we very strongly manner. Capt Smith ot procticatly on to it& we Thot thro' the hear a few yds from it. oar men cstudien a little inh Shellhohs Slarter bombey. ermans did Fame with A private as.

16
38
it. He finally marched
out w / Bn. He wd
not allow wd men
wd in stomach to eat
or drink anything.
O.G. 1 had got
fairly heavy shelling.
One dug out there
had had to be bombed
with a phosphorous
bomb & ws still burning
when the 22 Bn left.
It was the landmark
all night and
all day long by
wh they knew where
O.G. 1 was - a guide
to messengers (runners)
 

 

39
16                                                                   
Diagram - see original document  
took charge after
he heard tt Mackay
& [[Ehrieges?]] were out
of it.

40
they cd see the glare
of it on the smoke by
night & the white
smoke by day. It
Men were withdrawn
from both sides of it
in the trench.
Of officers in O.G. 1
Maj. Matthews x (2 in c)
ws in charge (H.Q.
in dugout where Red X
man was in OG1)
He reported to  Col. Smith
at Bn H.Q. in Cemetery
Lt Alderson in O.G. 1
ws wd & came out
during day.
The offrs who came

 

40A
Lt Woolf. W.S.G ws hit
going over from Assembly
trench to O.G. 1 (in 2nd wave).
Handyside
2/Lt Kenneth wd going over
with MacKay d of w.
Commn Aug 4
2/Lt Handyside w going over
w 3 & 4 waves
Commn Aug 4
Of 11 Sergts promoted
on Aug 4, 
5 were k.
4 were w.
& 2 survived
unwd.
2/Lt Condon
lst wave or 2nd
reported missing
on going over
- never found.
200  140 reinfts were recd in Sausage
Gully before Aug 4 & some were in Blighty
within a week. 60 reifts were recd
later.

16
41
and on evg of Aug 5
were
2/Lt Blanchard R. ) just recd 
2/Lt King H.J.         ) commns
                                    on Aug 4.
Maj. Matthews L.W.
Lt. A. Skene Smith
Lt Lanyon H.I. (now Capt)
Lt. H.C. Rodda
(MacKay took charge of this
show & made the
decision to go over).
i.e. 6 offrs & abt 60 men.
Of 24 offrs who took
part only 8 came out.
incl. Bn H.Q.

 

16
42
[*1635*]
Lt /Cpl N D Weston (from "Omeo")
a youngster of abt 20.
During the c/attack when
Germans were sniping
One lot ws in a
shell hole abt 40 yds
off. 22 Cdnt reach them
w bombs.   They shouted
out for Omeo - he
came along & had a
look at the positn &
decided he cdnt reach
them by standing in
trench. He hopped up
on parados with
a bomb in hand,

 

43
shot thro head
(eye ws
actually hanging
out)

16
44
& ws leaning back to
throw when a sniper
got him & knocked his
eye out. He fell fowd
into trench amongst abt
½ dozen men; the
pin ws out o / bomb.
He called out to
O'Neill. "For Gods sake
take this bomb Serg
the pin is out" &
O N took the bomb
& threw it over the
parapet. He fainted
at once. He got
D.C.M & St George's
X of Russia for this
- & has recovered

 

16
45
& gone back to Aust.
________________
Bn went to TaraHill
where they were
shelled & had to get
into Chalk trench.
Spent 8 days a
Berteaucourt - good
billets - Trained & reorganised
Out of 100 Lewis Gunners
only 17 remained who
knew anything abt a
gun: 60 gunners had
to be trained in the 8 days.
On Aug. 22 they arrived
at Brickfields.

 

16
46
The Bn ws abt 350
strong, & abt 15 offrs. Most
of Bn ws in Chalk Pitt
& rest in Sausage Gully.
There were on carrying
munitions & rations to the
line, fatigues etc. road making
up Mash valley to E.
On 24th were notified
tt 3 offrs & 100 men
from Bn (taken from B Coy)
were to be attd, to 21 Bn
& assist in attack on
M. Farm. They
were to be in positn
on left of Quarry
by midnight 24th.

 

47
Diagram - see original document

16
48
Capt H. Smith (orig 21 Bn)
ws in charge of B. Coy.
[His Brother of 21 Bn R.G.S.,
& a younger brother, a
Pte of the 21st - sons
of a Bendigo clergyman Police Inspector -
were all k. tt night].
He had gone up previous
night & reconnoitered
positn.
The coy had to go
to left of 22 Bn into
v. shattered trench held
by couple of posts of
21 Bn & m.g.
They went in w
platoons as numbered,

 

49 
Diagram - see original document
16
50
having lost abt 6
men going down slope
extension of K trench to
Quarry. In positn
 by 12 p.m.
They were to link
up with 54 not
by entrenching but by
a series of shell hole
posts.
Attack ws at 4.45 am
[*?26th*] 25th Aug.
5 mins before
Zero they hopped out
in front. Their
positn ws to be as
marked opposite.
As soon as barrage

 

16
51
started they led out in
Indian file & dropped
men in shell holes as
they went. It ws just
coming light.
21 Bn. went out at
same time.
54 ws very strongly
manned. Capt Smith
got practically on to it &
ws shot thro the head
a few yds from it.
Our men withdrew a
little into shell holes
& started bombing.
Germans did same
with us. A private

 

 

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Ray WilsonRay Wilson
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