Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/144/1 - 1916 - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066644
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

6 less 2 men whole part (25 men & at of on each There were all part). actofs w except thoat al capture, were t. In front of Tick at 6.20 a patrol wo captd. 2 They were mak from Till to Ligne had bn send out o find where our pasts were Night of March 2/3 ver to Ct Bn Capt. Caylon 6Bn. Cn Lieut. Hay Majheexton
From Cayler 6 Bn. A loy as on Corke Eabt NI4 C. 80 it This t) of huisenh of Rd. ts sapport lind. There. we abo 60 yds belie. sost. The bombe at this S.30 8ot out 2 abo 5. Son am. 20 W.L.G post (barage of 3men in &only m had stoped came people advance raw thro fog. Recognand the german bron beliened There were & Germans in pout folldby 170 18 Jenan & Several Anshalions. The reas party bad some 13.
14 Anshalians from or fron posts. of Onr men opened fre &Koneeran& mortal cod. andthr Aermass tringabout fat. The Antialians don oferc yetter out & gelle friend The Aushalians gump ant our t fer cvent off in fof sind a ruin we sent from past to capt taylor at t HG. a verbal tessage. taylo got mer abt S mans after ans had bife 8
15 on tre went up (same Eabl 200 d away) towards one other offrs took 2 poots abl 2 &.CO. 6 aent rlees another off took a post on te Op &a t L.Y.G. they found up in a rough in directon liee & went wh Jerus Cleaeppiand a ce of them in ad Cm on Jerms in bunch abt 150 yth from hortline cdguat see th tro the fot. as Le we not I eficient
16 fave orders for we flanking t5 werk men roime. The heard shoud ar trind rou apter ha D several obers 6 turned up & the ensbd the fer made them loss exuipment & learve rifle in or e heap get out of was Butten several the 2 on riftes Fom the rch t tm inde them through searches to who wok boubs t
Our 14 whole part totater they cantd 250 4. of l were wa th of Th took helmets & put caps at ona wd bat oneofn the an under off with the They seemd veryisatishis a be tire Ca One of the men who ws killeg had an cron. X (the one wh wortal wh in It ws as Bn po they capter They must have crosse Barly between posts without being seen Sy U.R. 2b 73r e 18
20 X 20 id at Co. bores of 1 Bde £ 6 Bm fer 29 refust be the willos the Liste opp. Post arrison uned to get into Pits By day, & Goodwins Post gun Pits covered the place night, posts were hell. gan B34 20 It ws Sergt. Clarke 9 6t Bn. who led te bombin attack on 316 November Folly in O OBen. 12 December 916 Dib Tolle Ac Bn was in Petrol & hat 3 poots there lane also gunpits & Hilt Eal Jnnator a Petrol Le. Hilt & whate Jumato had bn bound held b peiaus on reconnaissanc 2 nights carlie the man whoas lost w 1 barrage maps had come up. Petrol Lave down Dunkin Rd past santits o not noticin
20.d 1072 1112,19 D to ion Datior n ext Jeste the ar lor to Euende place ght HLayion Ct. matter in 13 than to reconnoitre place + tik whet found nt
them & was capt. by Gemaus at their balrcer Bde had deate F. Tolly wr not w. stronge held; tws why sattol of Dee. 1000 sent out C.O came to yvest morning & lo bed at pocity fom joncte of Hilt & Petrol. & soggesty H it wod be a good then 6Bn co captare at morning of 1115). Taylor suggested to perh. place we held only by night. de wd ave matter in 1.5 hands to reconnoitre place & till lim what is found out
C.owent back to t I sent him a wes in cade to he inlend to recomnoite positi personally to day at 1400 (2pJ T got another of Coxt Lieut. Bill, walked down Se ken Ro toward Fol fom Guatits. He place a L.g; in lowest gun pet to cover tim. They walked down I road & got into the strong point begond the Lesteniy Post at corner. There wI no one there. There ws a ofruninng, across. the roo at the augle tthey went to the see ben Rd.

11
Hand drawn diagram – see original
24
12
whole party less 2 men
(25 men & an offr in each
party).  These were all
captured incl offr wd except those

who were k.
______________
In front of Tick trench
at 6.20am a patrol of 
2 men ws captd.
They were making
from Till to Ligney
& had bn sent out to find
where our posts were.

Night of March 2/3 handed
over to 8th Bn
Capt. Taylor 6 Bn.
Lieut. Hay 5 Bn
Maj Luxton C.O.
 

 

From Taylor

24
13

6 Bn. A coy ws in Post
trench abt NI4 C. 80 to rt

(E) of  Luisenhof Rd.  This
ws support line. There
ws abt 60 yds below

Post.   The bombt at
5.30 got only this trench

Abt 6.30 am some 

3 men in post W..L.G. (barrage

had stopped & only m.g.
saw some people advancing

thro fog.  Recognised

the German iron helmet.

There were 4 Germans 

in front folld by 17 or 18 

Germans and several 

Australians.  The 

rear party had some

 

24
14
Australians from one 

of front posts.

Our men opened fire

& k one German & 

mortally wd another.

Germans turned about

& fled.  The Australians

yelled out - "dont fire"

& yelled "friend".

The Australians jumped 

into our trench & Germans

went off in fog.

Imd' a runner

ws sent from post to 

Capt Taylor at bn

H.Q. - a verbal 

message.

Taylor got message

abt 5 mins after 

Germans bn fired

 

24
15
on - went up trench 

(same trench abt 200 yds

away) towards one

of other offrs-

took 2 posts abt

6 men & 2 ncos -
Another Offr ^Forbes took a 

post on the left, & a

xxxx L.M.G. - they

formed up on a rough

line & went in direction

on wh Germs disappeared.

4 of them in advance 

came on Germs in a

bunch abt 150 yds

from front line trench

cd just see them

through the fog.  As

it was not sufficient

 

24 
16

we gave orders for

flanking men to work 

round.  The Germans

heard shout & 

turned round - threw

up their hands.

Several others had 

turned up & they

rushed the Germans.

Made them toss off

equipment & leave

rifles in one heap 

& get out of way

this putting several

men on rifles.  Formed

them up - & marched

them through.  2 men 

who searched them & 

took bombs off them
 

 

17

Our whole party totalled

14  they captd 20 & K 2 

(2 of the 20 were wd)

They took off their

helmets & put on

caps at once.

 

24
18
They had one offr ^wd & 

an under offr with 

them.  They seemed 

very satisfied at 

being captured.

One of the men

who ws killed had

an iron X (the one 

who ws mortally wd)

It was a 59 Bn post 

they captured.

They must have 

crossed Barley Trench

between posts without

being seen.  They 

were 93rd R.I.R.

 

19

Hand drawn diagram – see original
 

The willows were just

opp the listening Post.

Garrison used to get into gun

Pits bB day & Goodwins Post &

Gun pits covered the place.  By

night posts were held. 
 

24
20

It was Srgt Clarke of 

6th Bn who let the

bombing attack on Fritz

Folly in November by 6 Bn.
______________________________

12 December  1916 Fritz Folly

A coy 6 Bn was in Petrol

lane & had 3 posts there,

also gunpits & Hilt Trench at

Junctn & Petrol Lane.

Junctn of Hilt & Whale

had bn found held by

Germans on reconnaissances

2 night earlier.

The man who ws 

lost w / barrage  maps

had come up Petrol Lane,

down Sunken Rd past

Gunpits, not noticing

 

Hand drawn diagram – see original

 

24
21

them & was captd

by German at their barrier.

Bde had idea tt 

F. Folly ws not v strongly

held; it ws why patrol 

of Dec 10 ws sent out.

C.O. came to trench next

morning & looked at

position from junctn of

Hilt & Petrol & suggested

tt it wd be a good thing 

if 6 Bn cd capture it

(morning of 11th) Taylor

suggested tt perh. place

was held only by night.

C.O. said he wd leave

matter in T's hands

to reconnoitre place & tell

him what was found out

 

24
22

C.O. went back to Bn.

T. sent him a message

in code tt he intended

to reconnoitre position

personally tt day at

14.00 (2pm)

T. got another offr. Capt

Lieut Bill, walked down /

Sunken Rd towards Folly 

from GunPits.  He placed

a L.G. in lowest gunpit

to cover them.  They 

walked down / road & 

got into the strong point

beyond the Listening Post 

at corner.  There ws

no one there.  There was a 

trench running across the road

at the angle.  xxx They 

went to the Sunken Rd &
Hand drawn diagram – see original

 
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Ray WilsonRay Wilson
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