Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/140/1 - August 1916 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066640
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

12. touch with 42 sot but 73 rection, with get noc Hough It is not prob tt be sot 31 parties to 42. As none of our 90 a conected 25t fil Bo ol wr 0 The right of the 16h n do was on the wirs in pout of 91-73. The 8 at men here proble struck otherwirt also & wandered offints gernan 2s. Wadgisown batman we wed & ws turned back near tre to wire - & te next thing wta letter from him in & ermany th elt 9 R 32 into the mechanisi o I gun hit by a he ws when knockes small bomb out - went to Cuano an account gave Maj. Margotin (and completed of the Lightin had ever forgot what fy hav Mas until Fom wordto Coy. Batt pt back Margolin Co nothing ao known of A Held 59 Comb post 9 5 was as Fhown Objie Te barragroas better tere to too high. (i wo behind the BA). Germans began to get up when we were so yos fom ex on left our men were germans at 31& it nest in to begore fermans were up to12
Coy font 33 No opposely from the barrage. settled by e4e were 75 fermans in 34 Bn concentealy on held was Te15 Bn upb bombo Harwood M. S. fire on N0 barrag ther w were who 31 in to 4 Tey got te bombed towards & cs tablistin up both a killing thenselves. lot of fermans. There were points there strong degouta in sergt (now L Bradley took 31 & bomble up towards 12 took 42 Lt. Hough (swiee K) No 4 plation got in to on right of 62 towards 31442 from eo parties
34 12 pont of foied up in 12. They never reached cases (5/2 wounded walking back were caunte John red nex white flay under Bot abt 200 mornin pirsoney camalties) One aa 3 platoon of back in touch but formans were Abt 200 to attact began directo came straight hom tem & bombed of 12 we wl Some bombirg retired. up from farm. stealing with funs the two Lewis wre (them 2 per Coy to the now 3) were kept very Abt 5 Lifles tese + clean in Lapo oub te were
35 at lost The Coy action moment it X the 20 & back cuto 9 sot there boub post (5 started travering the C 2 There or be 1.30 w8 in waist we water up to the bombr in our E.a Even were sometimes To stuck at difficult to woy ye igger want sorn to the but the Mills prenades excellentthe oal were weapen exc the bayoneo From S9. Harword used german n over to see a the Farm. Hlares at night came from $59 or left hand corver & from 313 & dropped of farm our Yt Harwood right into the Brd tree back t day a
Wadge 8 ontapes abt lying As in Day ws adwo started barron mins before our up o poting tmovement But taryn 54 out a barrage-in Germans must have evacuate 52 retun to 24 and nestofi while barrage as on when we got in to t bey came back & tried to get behind us. W Ahearnewas in the sunper R) at 5/4 45 men Germans put barrage outo 54- were lost by D. Coy in going over. 37 the road above 55 on Leavies flattened out the our befove it we used. There te io no doubt in world there were our heavies Iown mmediatily in port of the GuaryWS lown them also in 6e Loys were t tine Establish the Your There 12 A 12 to 42 B H B Farm toward 237 54 take we Con we anticepty & geton of the solea a faiture at 54 to take there hr the if failed
38 77 at once them cons 29 Ww Farm towards t help C. Coy deal a d on to 29 Caneting fet 72 B As soon as they reach e they rere they to 2 abt her T mea a 4 came that Co (who printed (cormer) & were beginnng 54 had failed. bouber out on them Mar John Sent May. 12 at 29 Assest have 6 seem Co by o direction Cost the time ([ar) D cay were the Sent fover found (C) cvun back exactly where Cor
tene our abt 56 After the about refle had Quarry the an. 90. a few the to ccl firt were reported comi Margohn sent a t May for S.O.S. signal & not flares answered! The Lex Shell one de got Leavies our t in port of onto truch the the Guarty & obliterste 200do i abt said There to be were South HFrican Yuus just in posite at a Borselle. There was a minenwerfer an at the omont to tandits bombs of the Cuarry ducont 40 celtain to S Hatton Tohnstone were £t + k Maclead wd. carl Ty not get 12 bat did 6o some pobl e the left of 17 bombs toutas B360 got their Stotes mortar bombs) into the dugonts. Everyone a theowar and obombers ont bonbs bombewere (only acespon There ice had. They got to Dujonts rubbit on t X of farm heaps When our 5.6 were out momay henus the nex was out with S. 654 got to De yds of farm. A within ewan officer came out
th 41 with a watch no in d di on him at all He showed his watch ws 850 our time theirs A? sonte 10 a &fil nmtes Ten shoot The same heppene near 42
20 cases 44 Nov 18 bthe filn Dactes sheip Bevril wilk will cofe wilh coll sets e wts poper fr 3ar Dr. 28 Lt 15 Bs. down Ang H7 at Ferman C. aback agst ties C.G 2t are abt german belwee pto 12 60 34t The german Tame in one line alan interval of afr 2yds - a very well kept as far as gye eder (it Cooked like 2 m) livei all came v. quiedly St Dunworth of 15 Con. had his platoon at abt this point They had a Lewis gan wh was tned on & enpleed permans. is kille wound a lot of Germans The Jerman lie gofn awa to the right but its right ligsles out. Danworth tok his half o cloon out of about t prooners Dunwort Pot a MCC. The Germans noxe into And of tBntemporart Moghie ot 15 Bor bonbin station took wis omen 43
84 111 Stap2 Sto me shows the way a kin attacking linc bunches. this it gets in only at certain places & resul strong points nataken, fom which the fermans leaves &fire of mgs. to bear & cut of all support) can bring Caption cortaubly Clen s 19 12th Brinck Dion w at th this time on our lft 45 2 out led recotethit This line M.C.) at same time as Jacka went out. Saccesses 6-13 Ang s Every Bn an rest had mactised dday attack & repeated it by hight. we as soon as tast set by Dio Cmnd arrived it ws passed to Br Commdss at once artiout waitng for foral orders This gave Cacnce to mam points right down to avn several haurs bege Tero. () Resobt Patroll To i alter dark. ad stronger petrots e L9.1 bouts wentontents shell holes before 1t wave left. () These satrols placed torches in posite to mark flanks of Coys, in hollow cooped out behin eooke a Parth First wave tick A few kong (6 words fom a resolute leades will preven & him fom getting into their own Canad 1LMC pties or patrols went out further immediately - 100 or 150 yds 10 when concolidaty as near complti the lime wt thedont sent to T. Off. E9.

31
Bradley took 31 but got no touch with 42.
Hough cd get no connection with 73
or 31. It is not prob. It be got
to 42. As none of our parties
were connected
Diagram - see original

Barrage used to fall
on old trench.
But on morning of 29th
Germans collecting wd.
came up to pt 42 &
down to 31 & saw where 
our trench was - our observers
tried to make them keep down
& shot one who had no band 
on his arm. After that
the barrage ws on our trench
They were safe in the 
M. Farm end of trench as 
it ws too close to Fm
to shell.

[*The right of the 16th Bn
was on the wire in part
of 91-73. The
men here probly
struck other wire
also & wandered
off into German trench.
Wadgis own batman ws wd
& ws turned back near the
wire - & the next thing ws a
letter from lines in Germany*]

32
20
into the mechanism o the gun
when he was hit by a 
small bomb & knocked
out- went to Quarry &
gave Maj. Margolin an account
of the fighting (and completely 
forgot what had ever
having seen it-).

A Coy. from word so until Maj
Margolin got back to Batt Q
nothing ws known of A Coy. 
Held 59 bomb post to 91
Rt of Objve was as shown
The barrage was better there
tho' too high - (it ws behind the
13th). Germans began to get
up when we were 30 yds from
trench x On left our men were
into Germans at 31 & its nest
(to 12) before Germans were up.

 

 

33
20
No opposition from front -
settled by barrage. The 
Germans in 73 etc were
concentrating on 13th Bn.
The 13Bn was held
up by bombs. mg
No MJ fire on Harwoods
Coy - who were there w the Barrage
They got into 42 & 31
& bombed towards 12
up both trenches, establishing
themselves, & killing a 
lot of Germans. There were
dugouts in these stray points
Sergt (now Lt) Bradley took 31
& bombed up towards 12.
Lt Hough (since K.) took 42.
No 4 platoon got in to on
night of 42 towards 73.
The two parties from 31 & 42

 

 

34
20
joined up in front of 12.
They never reached 12.
(52 wounded, walking cases,
were counted going back
under red+ white flag next
morning. (Prob abt 200
casualties.) One prisoner
got back. All 3 platoons
were in touch but Germans
began to attack. Abt 200
came straight from directn
of 12. We bombed them &
retired bombing. Some were
stealing up from farm.
The The two Lewis guns with
the Coy were  (theres 2 per coy
now 3) were kept very
clean & these & abt 5 rifles
were the only wcaping guns in

 

 


35
20
action. The Coy lost abt
20 & the moment it
got back into 91 &
bomb post (5.0) these
started traversing. The Coy
ws in by 1.30 or 2. There
ws water up to the waist 
in our trench. Even bombs
were sometimes so stuck
the trigger wouldnt work pin ws difficult to work out
but the Mills grenades
were excellent - the only
weapon exc. the bayonet.
[From 59. Harwood used
never to see a German in 
the Farm. Flares at night
came from 59 or left hand corner
of farm, & from 31, & dropped
right into our trench. Harwood
dug a trench back to the 3rd tree

 

 

36
Lt Wadge.
Diagram- see original 
As D coy ws lying in outages, abt 3
mins before our barrage started, Germans
Lt noticed movement - put flares up. 
put a barrage in outages betw 54 & 81.
Germans must have evacuated 54
retiring to 24 and west of trench whole
barrage ws on. When we got in to 54
they came back & tried to get behind us.
Lt Abearve was in the [[Surten?]]  Rd at 54.
Germans put barrage out to 54 - 45 men
were lost by D Coy in going over.

37
20
On the road above 55 & 
our heavies flattened out the
trench before it ws used. [There
is no doubt in world tt
there were our heavies-
Our own trench immediately
in part of the Quarry ws
blown in by them also). 
C & D coys were to
establish a line 54 - 77-
12. There they wd join
B & A (B Farm, A 12 to 42 &
towards 73).
D Coy ws for to take 54
& get on to 77. We anticipated
a failure at 54 & the idea
ws, if they failed there to take

 

 


38

20
them across at once to 77
towards 29 (NW Farm) to
help C Coy.
C Coy had to deal w 
29 (assisting B) & get on to 12.
As soon as they reached 12
they were to dig 12, 77.
In abt 1/4 hr a message
came that D Coy ( who got into
beginning of 54 (corner) & were
bombed out) had failed. 
Maj Margolin sent them on
to assist at 29 - 12.
C Coy seem to have
lost direction & by 
the time (1 hr) D Coy were
sent over they found C coming
back. Exactly where C Coy

 

 

39

After the show our line abt
the Quarry had about 5 rifles
tt cd fire & a few m.gs. The
Germans were reported coming
out - Maj Margolin sent up
5 flares for S.O.S. signal & not
one shell answered. The next
day th our heavies got
onto the trench in front of
the Quarry
& obliterated 
Diagram - see original document
abt 200 yds of it.
There were said to be South
African Savs just in position at
La Boiselle. There was a 
Mivenwerfer in 54 wh used
to land its bombs at the mouth
of the Quarry dugout.

40
20
got to is uncertain.
Lts Johnstone & Hutton were 
K & MacLeod wd. early. They
did not get to 12 but
probly some way to the
left of it.
B Coy got their bombs (butan
Stokes Mortar bombs) into the
dugouts. Everyone ws throwing
bombs inst of bombers only.
These bombs were only weapon
the men had. They got to Duponts
on E & N of farm rubbish
heaps. 
When our s. bs were out
the next morning Linus
was out with s.bs & got to 
within 30 yds of farm. A
German officer came out

 

 



41
20
with a watch & no mud
or dirt on him at all. He
showed his watch-it
ws 8.50 our time 9.50
theirs He pointed to 10am
& sd "Ten minutes - shoot"
The same happened near 42.
CEB 

 

 

42
294 cases
betw Nov 18 & Dec 28.
Milk
Dates,
Sheepskins
Bovril,
       {Milk,
Tsp {Coffee & Milk
        {Cocoa & Milk
Sweets
Cards.
matches.
papers.
sardines.


43
20
15 Bn
Aug 7 at dawn. German
c. attack agst O.G. lines.
German rt ws abt between
pts 12 & 60 in 34ts.
The Germans came in one 
line at an interval of abt
2 yds - a very well kept
line ∧ as far as eye cd see (it looked like 2 miles) It all came v quickly.
Lt Dunworth of 15 BN had his
platoon at abt this point.
They had a Lewis Gun
wh was turned on & enfiladed
Germans. This killed & wounded
a lot of Germans. The
German line got in away
to the right, but its right
fizzles out. Dunworth took
his half platoon out & 
got about 4 prisoners.
Dunworth got a M.C.
The Germans hike into line
of 14 Bn temporarily. McGhie got
of 15 Bn bombing platoon took his men

 

 


44

Diagram - see original 
(This shows the way a thin attacking line bunches.
The result is it gets in only at certain places &
leaves strong points untaken, from which the Germans
can bring a Xfire of m.gs. to bear & cut off all support)
Caption written by C. EW B 19-71
The 12th British Divn ws at
this time on our left.

45
20
out & helped reestablish this
line (M.C.) at same time as
Jacka went out.
5 accesses 6-13 Aug.
(1) Every Bn in rest had inactised 
a day attack repeated it at night.
(2) Whenever As soon as task set by
Dist Commdr arrived it ws passed to Bn
Commdrs at once without waiting for
formal orders. This gave COs a chance to get
main points right down to area several
hours before zero.
(3) Resolute Patrolling of outages imd
after dark.
(4) Stagger patrols w L.G. & bombs
went out into shell holes before 1st wave left.
(5) These patrols placed torches
in position to mark flanks of coys, in
hollow scooped out, behind scooped up
earth.
(6) First wave thick. A few strong
words from a resolute leader will
prevent them from getting into their own
barrage.
(7) LMG pties or patrols went out
further immediately- 100 or 150 yds.
(8) When consolidation ws nearing completion
the line ws thinned out & sent to J. off trench.


 
 






 

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