Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/137/1 - 1916 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/137/1
Title: Notebook, 1916
Includes references to the 26th Battalion and
Pozieres.
AWM38-3DRL606/137/1 

16 Bn
R.17 137
26^th Bn 137
Pozieres
NANOPOULOS FRERES
Rue des Soeurs N.^o 5 - ALEXANDRIE (Egypts)
Original Diary No. 137
AWM 38  3 DRL 606 ITEM 137 [1]
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918
THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But, apart from those terms, I wish the 
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be 
true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so -- but it does not 
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered. Indeed he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating what 
their author, at the time of writing, believed. Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All 
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind. 
16 Sept., 1946                                                 C. E. W. BEAN
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
 

17
26 Bn
 

A17/2
Letter found on the battlefield. [from a man of the 10^th Bn
Saturday July 23rd /16 France.
Dear Mother, Sisters, Brothers, and Auntie Kate,
As we are about to go into work, that must
be done, I want to ask you if anything should happen to me, not to
worry. You must think of all the Mothers and relatives that have x
lost ones as dear to them.
One thing you can say that you lost one doing
his little bit for a good cause.
I know you shall feel it if anything does happen
to me, but I am willing and prepared to give my life for the
cause. My health is good and my mind is clear.
Wishing you all "Good-Luck"
I am,
Your affectionate Son Brother and
Nephew,
Mick. 23.7.16.
To Mrs Elizabeth O,Connell,
Burnell Avenue,
Beulah Estate,
Adelaide,
Sth Australia,
Australia. 

17
2
Night 4/5 Aug.
2nd Anniversary of War
26 Bn. 9.15-18 Intense Bombt
Objective abt [5463 on map
Bty position
3.30pm left Tara.
La Bois - Bapaume Rd [[Dink?]]Alley
Had to be at junction of Bap Rd & 
Mac's trench by 5.15.
Heavy barrage thro
Pozieres
Part of Trench had not bn dug
from 92.
Diagram - see original document
1st 2 waves went in in file
Diagram - see original document
1st wave had to get
out in front of 2nd & connect
w 6 Bde to go forward.
That was during the 3 minutes.
Frontage 200 yds of German trench
left abt 50 yds SE of old German
Commn trench.
Trench ws eno to hide them from Germans.
Capt. J.A. Robertson sent on to 
organise last 3 waves.
Diagram - see original document

Almost impossible to get
 [*Lost some 
NCOs in
barrage.
3 waves allright
2 waves disorganised*]

17
correct line - 26^th got abt 200 yds
too far left - others however were in
touch. No mg fire from 1st trench - very

knocked abt, hardly recognisable. A few
Germ dead in it & also in commn trench
in front of it in old gun pits (some deep).
No guns there. Germans had flares up - A
few Germans were there - most ran away.
O.C. on left sd: reached jumping up place fire
v. heavy. X Officers collecting up stragglers
when bombt lifted officers jumped
I saw some Germs. leave OG 1 as our
boys came on cheering.
Offr decided to rush O.G.2 as
our 3 & other waves were disorganised.
Some hit in wire by ^our pellets but
got into O.G.2. before Germs cd put
up guns. Got 2 m.gs there with
blocks removed.
1st wave got out in good order. 2nd wave
got away well 50 yds later.
3rd wave a little late but got away
in fairly good order.
4th wave did not start well & went
 

17
out somewhat disorganised
5^th wave were scattered by arty fire
but got sent out in small parties later
(carrying pty).
2nd trench much knocked abt exc.
deep dugouts. There were Germans in
there - (one of O.G.1 ^to right dugouts - seemed to 
be on fire w bomb)
Started to dig.
Guns in valley 28d. Men walking
along Mouquet Farm Rd. Men forming up
near Courcelette. Could see blast of guns
firing in 28d.
Germans kept a barrage behind.
O.G. trenches & down commn trench & were
enfilading O.G. trenches from Thiepval.
Cd see trees round Courcelette & a
far ridge.
Lewis guns got position in front.
Patrol went out some distance under
barrage. Found nothing of enemy,
By morning abt 4.40 Germans
came in strong force on right & abt 100
got in on right into O.G. 2 & as far
as O.G.1. & ws throwing bombs.
On right O.G.2 ws prob. not taken till next morng.
 

17
Night of Aug 4/5 very heavy shelling on O.G. trenches
Morning Aug 5.
Men stood on up high in trench to shoot.
A good many Germs were left dead and
wd & shortly after abt 10 who were
left behind gave themselves up,
Our casualties during C.attack 6.
Attack came thro 35 D & C. There is
commn trench up the ^Bapaume road thro wh they
probly came.
Morning Aug 6. Abt 4.30 a few Germans showed & were
driven of fire. Shelling fairly heavy all day on
O.G. 1 & 2 & Commn trench.
There ws a Bde advanced report centre
at old ambulance dugout on N.side
of Rd where tram crosses it. Telephone
from there to Bde & relay runners.
26 Bn H.Q. just S of tram near orchard - 
2 old dugouts & ammn store there.
Signallers laid an armoured cable
thro trenches to adv. Report centre & 2 wires
D5 & D1. All three were soon broken.
Blast of shell breaks them. Then had to
rely on runners.
Sent electric search lamp to front
line with 4^th wave xx but he ws hit & lamp
 

17
cdnt be found - searched all over
nomansland for it.
Bn H.Q. w light called up front line
all night They cd see the call but
had no lamp to reply (1^st night) They
got runners down to light.
Next morning signalling officer estab
visual signalling w flags & pocket torch.
We had visual commn till we left Exc.
when shell haze ws too thick for lamp
to pierce.
Signallers had to stand ^on top of trench to send message
During one message shell lobbed in Commn
trench & k. one of troops passing, & shell shocked
signallers.
We had pigeons in front line & used
them - used 4 of them (2 messages)
Also got in touch w aeroplanes
w ground sheet - w  simple code,
Diagram - see original document
& asked for barrage. Contact aeroplanes
had marks on wings. One replied
w lamp (1^st morning) one with tooter.
Aug 6.
Came out on night of 6th.
O.C. went round front on Aug 6. morng
 

17
There ws diffy in getting wd awy. They were
in dugouts - men were looking after them.
On Sunday morning men sent down from bn
to steal xxx  stretchers if necy. No safe place
to dress men cd be found nearer than
Chalk Pit & men had to be carried
over 2000 yds.
Bearers walked straight in
across open country. They say tt as
long as they were only carrying wd &
not arms they were not shelled.
On morning of Aug 7 L. guns had not
bn relieved. Men when relieved decided
not to come this thro heavy barrage & stayed
in dugouts & commn trenches.
Abt 4am on Aug 7. Germans
got in thro O.G. 1 & 2 & our Lewis
guns opened fire & stopped them. Abt 90
prisoners were taken.
Guns were in commn trench in 34th
& got Germans who came thro O.G. 2.
They got out abt 11p.m.
No diffy whatsoever in obtaining supplies.
14 petrol tins of cold tea were sent up by
Q.M. & reached men early on Aug 5.
A splendid idea.