Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/136/1 - 1916 - Part 5

16

52
(a runner) Pte Fenn of B. Coy
went right to the bomb post,
took Capt Smith under
armpits & pulled him
into a shell hole -
Smith ws dead
but pte. did not know
this & they were

able to get his
belongings.
A runner came to
Rodda & reported Smith
killed. Smith came b
R.∧ sent reports to Col. Forbes
tt they were in
positn, gave map refce.
& drew a sketch.
Got a reply:

16
53
"All O.K. Hang on
where you are unless
you get further instrns.
Our boys have done
splendidly."
Cumming got past
54 & was sniped
in the head twice.
The last Bn saw of
him -2 slightly wd
21 men sd they wd
try & get him back
to Quarry. He
ws in nomansland for 2
days - & was taken
by a German working

16
54
pty behind Mouquet F.
One L.G. was able to
do a bit of sniping
whenever movement
was seen.
33 were lost out
of B. Coy.
Shelling ws mostly
on Skyline trench &
on ground near Quarry.
They were relieved
tt night by 4^th Divn
at abt 1 am.. 4^th Bde
brought no m.gs.(14Bn).
Rodda had to do trip
back to Quarry 4
times- & 14 Bn mg. ws

16
55
brought back with him
A Coy had to be in Toms
Cut at 2 a.m.
At 6.30 or 7 am they
moved from Toms Cut to
Quarry, & another
coy ws sent from
Chalk Pit to 1st Ave.
They stayed there till
early evg of 26 Aug
when they moved up
to Quarry (C. under
Capt Lanyon).
22nd by evg of Aug 26 27
were holding left line
previously held by
21 Bn - During night

16
56
of relief 22 Bn sent
out a covering pty
& 2 L.G.s to protect
pty working on commn
trench to Pt 77.
These were all relieved

by 14 Bn & were clear
of Quarry by 3 a.m.
on Aug 27. Lost no one
going out. The continuatn
of K trench had bn v.
much improved that day
& afforded good protectn.
Abt midday on Aug 26
it began to rain &
tt ws the first expce.
they had of real mud.

Diagram - see original document

16
57
From there they went to
Sausage Gully - short rest -
Brickfields straight
away & billets in
Albert tt night.
Diagram - see original document

Casualties in first
two trips were 32 offrs
& 752 o.r. ; & 11 offrs.
k. or dofw & over 200
dead (52 in C Coy).
(All wd offrs exc.Handaside permly disabled)
(& Blanechard  are back or on way back)

58
The genuine shell shocks
were a feature of Pozieres
- each gun tt went off
affecting them.

16
59
- at Armentieres in
Bois Grenier salient
the 22nd Bn (abt
end of June after
we had bn turning the Germs.
up with raids - lost
60 men in 10 days.
4 offrs wd, 1 k. & 60 o.r.
casualties.)
During Pozieres both
times Durnford was
doing his job up on
the Chalk Pit. There
were British lying above
the Chalk Pit & Durnford
buried these with" Scottie
Lang."

59A
22 Bn. got
36 decorations
in Pozieres.
6 MC.
1 D.S.O.
27 MM.
3 D.C.M. & 1 St Georges Cross
1 Serbian Silver Medal.
All these in 
Pozieres

16
60
Flers. 6^th F. Amb.
Wounded were lying
out by the ambce.The
shells seemed to ring
the wounded round
just clearing them each
time. One fell in
the Ambce. a little
before.