Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/145/1 - 1916 - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066645
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

into th a L.G. leam, gitting in mont of a degont. Practically at the 10Bn gotento the wood - after the ranmay fermans-& were streeming bock up roat for 34 Dr. White moved along 7 to Gellow Cat to see how may of his C were there. Ad the dayouts wh were only just been bult had be blown in & flawes holding up trusk side hadbu cut nearly through with are axe. The concussion
12 of shells broke them in places. You cdge down 3orc Ht. of Staerease a dejonts & set ont eark D. we for sometime (one off in 1Y - right flank beavy bu heldap by very heavy ng. fire. These wg were between Lgny & Rye Y (one at mach covlve 115.) Abb 12 br atter leftflank for iy the rt flank, with came lss. Coy Then Capt Knightley took over comman During this lie Oat Lanews
13 lo yat 14 bonbarded as intimely as Vogieres (Between 384 rin.) From thes time forward food, bombs, water, F rum & Saa. came regularly tho Ctkin the back ration dun bu hit by a shell wh killed the C.R.M.S. Barboay &wd. abt 20 others me of ABn. Water used to come durin winter from Clark Dump to turk Dumpon decauville & tence carried on tins mew were put in posts to observe for the night. The enemy must have shifted mge
to 26 16 to South end of Le Barque the encouny Florenw from back of Le Bargas & abt Walt Ef 10Bn were in Wheat7 125 Bn took over fom the 10th on afternoon of Sand 25th Detached posts were placed down Suaken Road on Either Flank Early next morn abt 13 of Garrison Ws taken by Capt. Collin, & posted on Wheat E between the two cats They went in sungle file hatronbacks of heads
Cyarettes con Wantes & lifhs shing. They went in swyle fill over the top- they were suiged but it we wisty & they were getter into valle There were fermans in wheat Y but granps of men under a.C0s dealt t then - bombed them & keller them took no prisoners. Wheat y we occupin as an outpost time som fermans ran into vellege, the GBn snepery at them, close to wood
18 At 11.30 we heard to our art were to open fire. The art put a heavy barrage over LB. & Legny much to be joy of every man in 12 doges of whom were swe onI parapet watching. Har mostly shrap. Heavees blew a few houses up. When boubt began, Germans began to run like hares. oat of dujouts & cellers & thes amased Imen, who Tnipe then tries & many of these shots were
19 successful- One ferman w m.J. fell - somlbod picke gan up& ran. A sergt major pot 2 German Abl 3 P.M. bombery parties were sent out on both flanks to bomb up Matt & Rye Y. 8 Estal commns w Bus on our flanks. Both parties oct w opposition atone time There wsa by. at contoun 115 (settled by suipers) Each asceeded in J control of their Y & linking up. The Right pty had a difficulty
29 but eventually demoliched my posites t strongposts. It ws a bomb fight - Hrman Suppers & Wys also active & placed detache posts in poset at N7C8.7. & N7C8.9½. The Bnon right w0 Boyds away The End Ede were apposed to hav posts Black street - they were ry slow in 9 up the inarver my posite w first covered by a patrol of into GPm. Who toach with Td Bde about Black Cut. B ws retiend
21 at wednight on 26Bn Each night & through day the whictles of trains behind the thilloy Ridge cdbe heard. The advance by 9Bn cos 1800yds onet a poulage of 1000 yds. Throughout the fight GBn had always one coy wh had had 24 hoars in dagouts; at the finish one Coy had haw 36hours rest. The first patrol on the maze connste of Sery Malin, 4/94. W. ✓ Griffiths
22 Syt Mali - went on apold feman from point of mage for Not post. 2 followed his apts left (Srffitts. ki & 2 teight Malies & ther went along this sax Abt 7ds to where it 50 to be alt Hydo pom. Even line. They ceawlet straght over pom tere. Wir no trouble to get tro o a 70 ap to his 23 Pto BG. King, & PleH. Chartton K. Adams ws k. by man pai Drepont. A Cameron as probly k. by ust joined from L.H.) Enevy barrage when relievn in Oat Lane. H Hilton wek. abt 1po When A. toymoved out of maze to take place of Cloy in the Cord. & Bernett ws kbz a Shellin Oat Lane quickly jumpet i. The hd I ws deep. They listend I tooke down every dugont. In one - it ws not very deep a black cat flew stra ght

25

11

into the trench got him &
a L.G. team, sitting in /

mouth of / dugout. 

Practically all the 10 Bn 

got into the wood - after

the running Germans - &

were streaming back up / 

road for ¾ hr.

White moved along

trench to Yellow Cut to see

how many of his Coy 

were there. All the dugouts, 

wh were only just being

built, had bn blown 

in & frames holding up 

trench side had bn cut 

nearly through with
an axe. The concussion

 

25

12

of shells broke them 

in places. You cd go

down 3 or 4 ft of staircases

in dugouts & sit on / earth. 

W. ws for sometime the only 

offr in / trench - right 

flank having bn held up 

by very heavy m.g. fire.

These m.g.s were between 

Ligny & Rye trench (one at 

mark contour "115").

Abt ½ hr after left flank 

got in trench, the rt flank, with 

C. Coy, came up.

Then Capt. Knightley 

took over command. 

During this time Oat Lane ws  

 

13 

Advance to Oat

Lane on

25th.
(Sunday) 

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14

bombarded as intensely 

as Pozieres (Between 3 & 4 p.m.)

From this time forward 

food, bombs, water, & rum 

& S.a.a. came regularly tho' 

the back ration dump ∧(Turk Dump) had 

bn hit by a shell wh
killed the C.Q.M.S. Barbour

& wd. abt 20 others many 

of 11 Bn. Water used to

come during winter from 

Clark Dump to Turk
Dump on decauville, 

& thence carried in tins.

Men were put in 

posts to observe for 

the night. The enemy 

must have shifted m.gs.

 

15

Feb 26.

25

16  

to south end of Le Barque. 

Flares were coming then 

from back of Le Barque 

& abt Malt trench.  10 Bn

were in Wheat trench.

12th Bn took over 

from the 10th on afternoon

of Sund 25th.  Detached 

posts were placed down 

Sunken Road on either

flank.

Early next morning

abt 1/3 of Garrison ws 

taken by Capt. Collin,

& posted in Wheat trench

between the two Cuts.

They went in single file,

hats on backs of heads, 

 

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17

cigarettes in mouths, 

& rifles slung. They went

in single file over the

top - they were sniped, 

but it ws misty & they 

were getting into valley.

There were Germans in

Wheat trench but groups

of men under n.c.os dealt 

w them - bombed them 

& killed them - took

no prisoners.

Wheat trench ws occupied 

as an outpost line - 

some Germans ran into 

village, the 9 Bn 

sniping at them (close to wood) 

 

25

18

at 11.30 we heard 

tt our arty were to 

open fire. The arty 

put a heavy barrage 

over LeB. & Ligny, 

much to the joy of 

every man in / trench,

dozens of whom were 

sitting on / parapet 

watching. It ws mostly 

shrap.  Heavies blew a

few houses up.  When  

bombt began, Germans 

began to run like hares.

out of dugouts & cellars 

& this amused / men, 

who tried to snipe them.

Many of these shots were

 

25

19

successful - one German w

a m.g. fell - somebody 

picked gun up & ran.  A

sergt major got 2 Germans.

Abt 3p.m. bombing
parties were sent out on 

both flanks to bomb up 

Malt & Rye trenches & estab.

commns w Bns on
our flanks. Both parties
were met w opposition.

[There ws ∧at one time a m.g. at contour 

'115' (settled by snipers)].

Each succeeded in getting 

control of their trench & 

linking up. The Right
pty had a difficulty

 

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20

but eventually demolished

m.g. positns & strong posts. 

It ws a bomb fight - German

snipers & m.gs also active,

& placed detached posts

in positn at N7c8.7. 

& N7c8.9½.  The Bn on

right ws 750 yds away - 

The 2nd Bde were 

supposed to have posts

in Black street - they were 

very slow in coming up. 

The intervening positn ws

first covered by a patrol 

of 9 Bn. who got into 

touch with 2nd Bde about 

Black Cut.

Bn ws relieved

 

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21

at midnight on 26 Bn.

Each night & through 

day the whistles of
trains behind the Thilloy 

Ridge cd be heard.

The advance by 9 Bn 
ws 1800 yds over the a  

frontage of 1000 yds.
Throughout the fight 

9 Bn had always one 

coy wh had had one 24
hours in dugouts; at 

the finish one coy had
had 36 hours rest.

The first patrol
on the maze consisted 

of Sergt W.W. Malin, L/Cpl W.
Griffiths

 

22

Hand drawn diagram - see original

Sergt Malin - went out

up old German sap

from point of Maze from

our No 5 post.  2 followed
this up to left (Griffiths & King)

& 2 to right (Malins & Charlton)

went along this sap abt

50 yds to where it seemed
to be abt 50 yds from Enemy

line.  They crawled straight

over from there.  Wire ws 

no trouble to get thro - heard

nothing - & got up to his parapt 

 

25

23

Pte B.G. King, & Pte H. 

Charlton.

Lt. Adams ws k. by man 

[[?]] dugout.

Lt Cameron ws probly k. by

(just joined from L.H.)

Enemy barrage when relieving 

in Oat Lane.

Lt Hilton ws k. abt 1 pm 

when A. Coy moved out of 

Maze to take place of C Coy 

in the Chord.

Lt Barnett ws k by a 

shell in Oat Lane.

_______________________________

& quickly jumped in. The 

trench had bn a good trench.

It ws deep. They listened & 

looked down every dugout.

In one - it ws not very deep 

a black cat flew straight

 

 

 

 

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