Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/141/1 - August 1916 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066641
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Nigh 13/14 patiol entend a strong bombiny pty. the O thought there we a 2 had Nothing happened. fortar there. Night of 14/15 pasied quarry & fot togd past it osses besikes some en shell sheck Col. Hurcombe Capt. Hancock on et in atack W.M. Fowler (who ws Capt. Hoparth yle of 14th jast apter whit on 4 Bowden in les t lost his it 1 fn (his badl Ey. Rhodes. Beresford Dryden (d dow) on Sunday Mornay shellblew his of Capt reported a prisoner. Sent Churchill Smith ENC back to prevent this shalling British hed asty knowing were shalle 2 left Stylin & S. diout wand 191 to have them Kelin futet the part be held The arty onto set Smith not did till 18 on Tt bung thmn return time old 15 ae moman a were Ou in Bn our old e ws relieved at 11 p.m. 1Ors Not waich 4E. 4 Coys loss. tele 5on 12/12 Hofarth the into sof et He sot into as to left of Im - abt 20yds fast 6lep He moved down it to left H thelet in the attack on
Hunt. 53 bit once here Regt. 8 out went 9.30 At Woyolks 6 in & Essex came trech ap X men our of Duarry right Went to sou crossed concelettes Rd - I'm ws a heap of rubble as one ceenen t at that time on ap of our barrage for Worked down that abt woyds to left (Idea we to follow apo confor Your barray Here fire seand to get into whad beour barrye. went back. You d gernar dugont (running in towds our ling). kept out of 200 a rule. Germans came up, without Bad conditi squimentin who thre a boad were K. Rest pashero prenadier can a near
wase held proble Teed the night But for not after day. There was is of gelting 20 rations wh were difficult as it was eae Hogarths Eoy. Comidr had his orders abt 10 or 10. Topm. But there Os difficult abt getting your to H &he wentoutwith vague instructions Fan from the oud runney they had be ther aft after a hour. He whirter Should head boud round his but as he ws th owing it one of 24.9 our men shophim as playing on them from the far. The day ont ond be to left of wrlaty 25 or 3oyds nex da Hogaith we het. pt 8 tovand doubling over from be wthit. when t repot Maj. Jeffies 1. Ched. Off. D.50 Smith (Churchitt M. C. 2 L Khodes Sergt mills. DCH 1 Hept Johanson Seplittanly 3 MNS the Kerr S.B) carry terr had continuall t over open (also carrying wess oing back until hit on 15
his Sey Wills aft all ffos ad 6ote charge of past 8t and held On under heavy shelling tho abt 6 men were all t remaind of his plation (on 13th V14th. It got it both days. Butet of live not till 14th felbetied) Johanson wt in part where here were no offir. + took charge when trench on 14th afteroo had be knocked in on bote sides of him. On night of 14th be ws detached to try get up te 1th Bn (ot did not, To far as 50 Bn knows go out at all to night) Maj. Jeffices At. Chimself took up stretcher farters on Afternoon of 14th F. at other times te under hay shell fire.
Capt 29 ws at 81 C. Smith he took over from Serg mills, who had taken over pos &ancock + Hoparth who were both hit - (Hancock before the show Smits influence and bravery saver I fom being lost & paink from being turned - for it was in tar air 7 fermans were in Same on his left. hades - buried tes Leent stells, arm Imashe to before they starte for Farm on 14th He went forwd. 200 agot advice 9ds &ws honensing his arm selly waue back with his plate on parspet of r tey were digny, narsing his arm. He there 1t DrsNC stayer
tw betwee rewfts tours inderect do fans S. dep k de Searehi sbre it add an & awkward back with the plation & disnt o to the rear till later. 2nd Sept 10 BnW Bde Reserve & went in 7ofr 387or B arrived at Kays 10pm. & Sot Di p in without on Casuall wh had camally F157 after som nose aas amongs last a men. went in over open (bed Thy way - gives tonprance an 70 other then Part Began work at to 40 pm Lane at 11 22
23 give coow for reseive bn. Park have practically did not exist & s retrec with tope be Capt E.J. C. Smith & DA T with andy shell pr sut dark) while fust after tooking at this on afternoon they were saiped at several Scouts hit. By An. 2wo 5/26H deep. Continuall deg work under up dead continual maderate Shrap after attack ell day long shell fire. A. Cor 85 a at 60k ap bots 6 49 Bn. St rejoest 49 A coy wt
24 to remain. ordered H. under Capt 100d) At 9.30 Blay nde ag Herbert orderd (on request of Bde) to pt. belwarn & 911 to remforce 52Bn & past ford y possible 11 am. heavy shelling of Parkt 15. Pk have filled up exc. 12 Eds at Wend t En withdrawn to Kay Y. 12 26ys of Canadian began move into Tous Cut. 12. 40. Herberd instrt connect io Canadians who were taking pout line from 91659. By me day 2/4 D Joves 32K.
4 25 wen wod. 16 Auld (t sent to fr Bloys water 5 more Loys of Canadians pi 745 to wast to e 5 alieve front ling. 50 pn. eveny agn shelling front & support lines tie only abt 60 By this were in reserve) by Hat more thro 6 barrage Octs. 49Bn pont & support times. 10 0m. consolidation 49Bns 15t objoc. This we done 75 feet. They were then distribs uged 49t Bn in font time.
26 the where O.C. & 9 sd rse were 0 le Sent to Send 22 0 th moved at 10. 30 am Box Lave 91 5 but 3 men of 000 finding only ofnto touh 52nd Bn Suer an wct S7 t told They were to to Br as reduced 52nd & 30 m ( the t Bergl. withS send wt was acting B. Coy estab. a Ave thro 55 559 where touch w5 obtaine with Conadians at &c fi (Uam. H D Jones wo R.& H. Auld Slygwounder). Lgo were placed at

13

Night of 13/14 patrol of 20 entered
the Quarry - a strong bombing pty.
16th had thought there ws a trench
mortar there.  Nothing happened.
Night of 14/15 passed quarry & got
50 yds past it.
Losses.
8 offrs & 478 406 men. besides some 
shell shock.
Col. Hurcombe.
Capt. Hancock,
Capt. W.M. Fowler (who ws on rt in 1st attack)
Lt Hogarth
Lt Bowden ws hit on night of 14th just after
leaving trench. (hit badly in leg & lost his rt
leg).
Lt Rhodes.
Lt. Beresford
Lt V.G. Dryden (d. of w.) on Sunday morning.
Shell blew his arm off.

14
21
reported a prisoner. Capt. J.
Churchill Smith (MC2) sent
back to prevent this shelling ;
arty knowing British had
left Skyline trench were shelling
it, & S. didnt want to have
them shelling further than the
part he held. The arty
did not get onto Smith.
They hung on till 1.15
& then retired to old line.
On morning of Aug 15 we were
in our old line. Bn ws
relieved at 11 p.m. by H.Qrs
 & 2 Coys of 4 Bn. Not much 
loss i relief.
_____________________
Hogarth ∧14/15 → on 12/13 got into the
Zig Zag trench. He got into it
just to left of M. Fm - abt 20 yds
to left. He moved down it to left.
H. ws on the left in the attack. 

 

15

 Hand drawn diagram - see original document

X ws hit once here

69th Regt.

16
21
At 9.30 Norfolks went out
just as be
& Essex came in amongst
our men, up K trench -
went to right of Quarry -
to Foun Crossed Coucelette
Rd - Fm ws a heap of rubble.
No one seen in trench at that
time on a/c of our barrage -
worked down that trench for
abt 100 yds to left (Idea
ws to follow up & conform
to our barrage). Here
seemed to get into fire,
wh wd be our barrage.X
Went back. Found german
dugout (running in towds our
line). Kept out of trench as a rule.
Germans came up, without
Equipment. in good conditn.
5 were k. Rest pushed off & one who threw a bomb
to rear. A Grenadier came 

 

17

We cd probly have held
this trench for the night. But
not after day. There was
no means of getting up
rations wh were difficult
eno' as it was.
Hogarths Coy. Commndr
had had his orders abt 10
or 10.30 pm. But there ws
a difficulty abt getting them
to H. & he went out with
vague instructions.

18
21
running out from the Farm.
After they had bn there abt
¾ hour. He whirled a
bomb round his head - & shoutd
but as he ws throwing it one of
our men shot him.  M.g.
ws playing on them from the
farm.  The dug out wd be
25 or 30 yds to left of wreckage.
Hogarth ws hit next day,
doubling over from pt 81 towards
to report when he ws hit.
__________________________________
1. D. SO. (Med. Offr. Maj. Jeffries)
2. M.Cs. (Churchill Smith.)
Lt. Rhodes.
1 DCM. Sergt Mills,
3. M.M.s L/cpl Johanson, L/cpl. Hanley,
Pte Kerr, S.b.
Their had continually to carry
over open (also carrying messages
going back) until hit on 15. 

 

19
21
Sergt Mills after all his offrs wd took
charge of post 81 and held
on under heavy shelling tho' abt
6 men were all tt remained
of his platoon (on 13th & 14th -
81 got it both days.  But rt of
line not till 14th - fell behind)
Johanson ws in part
where there were no offrs. &
took charge when trench on 14th
aftnoon had bn knocked in on
both sides of him - On night of
14th he ws detached to try &
get up the 13th Bn. (wh did not,
so far as 50th Bn knows, go out
at all tt night).
Maj. Jeffries A.M.C himself
took up stretcher parties on
afternoon of 14th & at other times.
of he under hay shell fire. 

 

20
21
Capt. J.C. Smith ws at 81 -
he took over from Sergt. Smith
Mills, who had taken over
from Hancock & Hogarth
who were both hit - (Hancock
before the Show.)  Smiths
influence and bravery saved
81 from being lost & flank from
being turned - for it was in
thr air & Germans were in
same trench on his left.
Lieut Rhodes - buried 4 times
by H.G. shells, arm smashd
& broken before they started for Farm
on 14th.  He went forwd.
200 yds, agst advice ;
& ws there nursing his arm, silling
Came back with his plate
on parapet of trench they were
digging, nursing his arm. He
stayed there 1½ hrs & came 

 

21

x Abt 70 reinfts between
two tours.

+ 4 V. guns going indirect
fire near K. dump &
German shrap searching
for them made it
v. awkward

22
21
back with the platoon
& didnt go to the rear
till later.
_________________________
2nd Sept.  50 Bn ws
Bde Reserve.
Went in 17 offrs 387 o.r. x
Bn arrived at Kays
Dump at 10 p.m. & got
in without on Casualty +
after 51st (wh had 1 Casualty)
from nose
cap amongst
last 6 men.
They went in over open (best
way - gives confidence amongst
other things).
Began work at Park
Lane at 11.40 p.m. to

 

23
21
give cover for reserve bn.
Park Lane practically
did not exist & ws
retraced with tape by
Capt C.J.C. Smith & Lt A.J.
Smith (under shell fire
Int [shorthand]
just after dark) While
looking at this in afternoon
they were sniped at &
several scouts hit.  By
5 a.m. trench ws 5½ to 7 ft
deep.  Continually digging
up dead. (work under
continual moderate Shrap).
After ^attack all day long shell
fire.
A. Coy at 8. 5 a.m. took
up tools to 49 Bn.  At
request of 49th A Coy ws 

 

24
21
ordered to remain.
(A. under Capt Todd).
At 9.30 B Coy under
Maj. Herbert ordered (on
request of Bde) to pt. between
59 & 91 to reinforce 52 Bn
& push forwd if possible
11 a.m. heavy shelling of Park L.
12.15. Pk Lane filled up exc.
50 yds at N end.
Men withdrawn to Kay trench.
12.  2 Coys of Canadians began
to move into Tom's Cut.
12.40. Herbert instr. to
connect w Canadians who
were taking front line
from 91 to 59.
By midday 2/Lt D Jones & 3 men k.

 

25
21
Lt Auld & 16 men wd.
5.30  water sent to A & B Coys
7.45 pm.  2 ^more Coys of Canadians
began to move thro to
relieve front line.
7.55 p.m. enemy agn shelling
front & support lines
(By this time only abt 60
of bn were in reserve).
A. Coy.  Had to move thro
barrage betw. 49 Bn
front & support lines.
10 a.m. consolidating
49Bns 1st objve. This ws done
to 7th feet.
They were then distribd
amongst 49th Bn in front line. 

 

26
21
where O.C. 49 sd they
were of gt use.
B Coy.  Sent to 52nd Bn.
Moved at 10.30 am thro'
Box Lane - 91 - 53 ; but
only finding odd men of
52nd Bn. got into touch
with 57 Bn in Quarry.
B Coy They were told tt
52nd Bn ws reduced to
1 Sergt. & 30 men (i.e. the Coy of
52nd wh was acting with 51)
B. Coy estab. a line thro
55 to 59 where touch ws
obtained with Canadians at 5.40. p.m.
(11 a.m. Lt D Jones ws k, & Lt. Auld
slightly wounded).  L.Gs were placed at
 

 

 

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