Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/143/1 - 1915 - 1916 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066643
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

8 se 44 t f a runner Bayonet 2 from but t 5d to be in Ove time the Tunner had na 1o in (seved were kiled were being boobed out The attack bure ten taken fom th Di over cat to Bele. come divn b mare or has known at Bns went in on night Sr 50 of had one days one nght before attack tied I is cont autial 82 Ele came out I then left a t. machine gunner Dcoy voluntion who stay Sunken Ed in Dear lop of German Bayfrt Here 2 ferman. M.S ben were brought into action straf
this full orpt was Co sto He 30 shell bs fire f fro fery 9 on i were te 60 1d He te for be hole tell 16 all to came in at night elder did not Speak entusiasticall 50 him ad Col. Stane about think Elemed he he have ✓ reach the Frech 245 the shell hole had perhaps My st better reserve 4 be take 2 16 our men retirny from shell hole t Shell hole 6 He put both there the crews onhd aation - then miflo blew ap gun with a voub plead i as to destivy it) crawled out hims elf. coy Corpt Young b. works 40hours t into Womans somg white flac 8 Bn this not respected was E563 bein hit it 58a fined on much it Ba by day workin till this feet save out afte went out or Ih Capt. Eldere German bombers were comeg in sgh file along top of bank on w side of read made splended target com night up l4 were bert efles
and stopp t W ddes tru r 5t were 4t the mad & were amined fire caupious to i when our i Soer Counn bet be cen Coys were not it to 3 w fortun t this Cow 6 17 Copt riftes with sights S it a200 bt 400 84 ✓ 65 C the
12 Nor the stor white of this told attack on getting back tonight as I hear they are poing to do it again. He betts me that he is ae here a ansthn explanato t the enfantry started too lat Pert. it ws latons ofr to they aid a at 9.13 Fwust get the Bele order See 3 29 First new Elde the stick here over bo Co bor abt were There 64 t 60 bomb Each on a C right B30 when cpti reached I te < on 60 the send back lft killed Centre we post The 20 TheR capt 2 ote k tanl Ce there W one. destroyd hs didnt 56 They outy one all us at on found be in ttrench who remfored The Lery
they This was what were tinking ab t a0 they went when weloe see over German Es? 28th Saw first a few heads. then others getting quickly up lastly (when attack down in shellholes) a mig being got into position 2 as riple X D uset as b on on Extreme one as enpladed whole ths fom top ofa the traverse when pa bombe came it on our up the first half or way across 2303 or sland my were looking out expecting to see Nore 2 ferman yr Aor 100 agds out my first saw it then a terrible long way away- abt 230yds. seemed miles. soon as over crest 4 ed see Gerans plo resti abt Spa 5 for as boubs Aosh th hed 100 from pout m
22 fom or 3 2 line support him just as we gob over Start crest There ws Prac. artillery on no te. Te howitzers ^ as co firing on heir be seen Support ling 250- 300ys further back - M. g fire 65 coming from her in spite of barrage. No esplede fire from extreme right in frond of 6 Bde. We lost prett heav faing across. We had 2 bombs aprese then Lat to use ferman bout where seemd to bouils 3 por6 & 2np on et flank but wen were
23 chawd not oth le a of C on let Tere was a bay it cot Apt Elier pompr wh lined a kit, soda was cigars etc. as if water occupied at night but not be do wele digge en Off H. Olephant solidt. pour 6eft caue Co D Say wen were dying well but no connection yet [ained. He w5 50 try & get connction &an or did dit come soon after from D Co more men fo order aad A Sinclay
73 24 come right fom Soon after Terwde Starts to come up abl 914. ouch to be p 60 w at night 6Bde Engls this on flank - were make Strong point at night this flank on message 151 objective ted 20 casualt. faiit neave 7.30 10 being 30 bomber from lep send bombs bombers &2 plations possible to in En at dut find line ad of when Ex0 one Corpl. Hole
25 tot the behind D fi shell tole t on 6 The other had only M. gan dise of am one to tenet be ed ws told up t 6 Sear Most ofmen Even. So tenid ti were 80 across of ws a great stam on them. We had 2 rights by inmed a day- a little sleep snathher not hoppation & short rations conot rations brought up ow be some mismanagement deff abb getting men detaitte carry them
they were perfelf right in this thought brinch aken bouts begon to condover. 43 27 Gary acrose fon The ood had to se ws I shall holes over 70u staable pretty form. I got orders to young far 913 wh WS when barrage tims wt lift from 150 yds Aue 10gans supposed to be this Sector but saw of them of anyway lettle barrye wd too fast tnder circumstances. at abt 10.457 we were Combed back down truch losing men Sapply of bombe failed 23/600 bs we had raining short)

13
see next page X

23
14
2 messages from him by
runner from Bayonet trench.
One sd tt he ws in. but by
time the runner had crawled
in (several were killed) they were
being bombed out.

The attack ws v. hurried
being taken over from 5th Div.
by Divn - communicated to Bde,
and more or less thrown at Bns.
(went in on night of 3rd - so
had one day & one nght before
attack. Men v. tired).

27 is South Australian Bn.
The C. Coy when it came out
left a L. machine gunner X of C
D Coy who volunteered to stay

near top of Sunken Rd in
German (Bayonet trench)/ There
were 2  German. m.gs being
brought into action to straf

 

15
This was Corpl. Hull C. Coy
----
He stayed in a
shell hole 30 yds
from Germ. trench firing
on m.gs & German
bombers who were
being reinforced. He
ws in this shell hole
all day & came in
at night. Elder did not
speak so enthusiastically
about him as Col. Slane
- he xx seemed to think
he ought to have reached
the trench & not the shell
hole -

The story had perhaps
better be taken with reserve

23
16
our men retiring xx from
shell hole to shell hole. Or
He put both these m.g. gun
crews out of action - then
blew up gun with a ^Mills bomb (placed
^so as to destroy it) & crawled out himself.

Corpl. Young - ^Coy s.b., worked
40 hours, going out into Nomansld
w white flag (in 28th Bn this
was not respected 2 s.bs. being
hit - it ws not fired on much
in 27 Bn) - till b by day
& working till his feet gave
out & afterwds went out agn.
-----
From
Capt. Elder:
German bombers were
coming up in single file
along top of bank on W.
side of road - made splendid
target coming right up -
but rifles were mostly

 

 23
17
stopped w mud. Capt.
Elder tried 4 rifles -
3 were stopped with
mud - 4th the sights
were jammed & it ws
dangerous to fire at 200
when range ws abt 400
Hand drawn diagram – see original
(our mens heads showed
in trench)

Other party came up
Commn trench ^wh seemed to
be between C & D
Hand drawn diagram – see original
Coys
wh
were
not
con in touch - the sap
unfortunately being opp.
this Commn trench.

 

18
Nov. 12
I told White the story of this
attack on getting back tonight
- as I hear they are going to
do it again. He tells me
that he is sure there a another
explanatn - tt the infantry
started too late.

Perh. it ws Patons order
tt they shd start at 9.13.
I must get the Bde order &
see.

23
19
First Capt Elder knew
here ws the stick
bombs coming over.

There were abt 3
bombing bays (6 men &
& N.C.O. in each) on
right of Bayonet trench when
over went C. Coy
reached it. We captured
the bombing post on|
left & sent prisoners back.
The Centre post we killed,
The Rt post - captd 5
& k. others - captd 2
m.gs there - certainly
destroyed one.

They didnt use rifles
on us at all (only one rifle
ws found in / trench).

The Germans who reinforced

 

20
Hand drawn diagram – see original
This was what they
were thinking abt as they went
over - when shall we see
the German trench?

28th Saw first a few heads -
then others getting quickly
up - lastly (when attack
down in shellholes) a m.g being
got into position

23
21
had no rifles. they
used m.g. freely on
us - one on extreme
rt enfiladed whole
trench when from top of a
traverse when the
bombing party came
up on our rt.

The first half o / way across
Nomansland they were looking out expecting to see
/ German trench. Abt 100 yds out they first saw it -
then a terrible long way away- abt 230 yds -
seemed miles.

As soon as over crest
cd see Germans v.
plainly - rushing abt
& preparing for us
w bombs of wh they
had many. Two
m.gs & 2 or from front 

 

23
22
line & 2 or 3 from
support line just
started as we got over
crest. There ws
prac. no artillery on
us or them. Our howitzers
cd be seen firing on their

support line 250- 300 yds
further back - m.g fire
ws coming from them
in spite o / barrage.
No enfilade fire from
extreme right in front
of 6 Bde. We lost pretty
heavily going across. We
had 2 bombs apiece
& then had to use German
bombs. There seemed to
be 3 ^bombg posts & 2 mgs on
rt flank - but men were

 

23
23
not crowded in German
line as opp. other
coy on left.

There was a bay into
wh Capt Elder jumped wh
was lined w kit, soda
water bottles, cigars etc. as if
occupied at night but
not by day.

Men were digging
solidly. Offrs Lt. Oliphant
C Coy came from left
to say men were digging
well - but no connection
yet gained. He ws
going to try & get connection
& an order did come
soon after from D Coy
for more men -
A similar order had

 

23
24
come from right.

Soon after Germans
started to come up abt 9.45..
(Touch ws to be gained
w 6 Bde at night
on this flank - we engrs were
to make strong point
at night on this flank).

1st message got objective
gained; casualt. fairly
heavy. 9.30.
 

10.30 being bombed from
rt to left; send bombs
& bombers & 2 platoons
if possible w m.g.

(Cdn't find m.g. at
all when got to line
exc. one - Corpl. Hole

 

23
25
ws 30 yds behind the trench
hole in shell hole firing
on trenches. The other
m. gunner only had
one disc of ammn &
ws so tired he cd
scarcely hold up his
gun. Most o / men
were so tired tt ^even going
across [[?]] ws a great
strain on them. We had
bn in mud 2 nights &
a day - a little sleep snatched
- no hot ration & short
rations - rations cd not
be brought up owing
to some mismanagement
- diffy abt getting men
detailed to carry them.

 

26
thought they were perfectly right in this
trench when bombs began to come over.
Hand drawn diagram – see original

23
27
The ground going across
ws good - had to go
round shell holes over

stubble - pretty firm.
I got orders to jump
off at 9.13 - wh ws
time when barrage ws
to lift from 150 yds line
(10 guns supposed to be
on this sector but saw
little of them.) Anyway
barrage ws too fast
under circumstances.
____________
At abt 10.45 we
were being bombed back
down trench losing men.
Supply of bombs failed
(20 bombs we had running short)

 

 

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Ray WilsonRay Wilson
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