Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/145/1 - 1916 - 1917 - Part 8

92

Afternoon 26th Feb.

18 Bn also tried to
get into MaltTrench
from Bapaume Rd. under
cover of bank.

25  93
Malt Trench ws attacked by 18th
at 5pm on 25th. Held up by wire. Again
during night several bomb attacks.
On 25th The 20th, going over open,
managed to get into
Coupe ^on 26th 18th made two
attempts from the Thames
for Malt Trench E
of Bap. Rd but m.g.
fire & wire held them
up.  Some got to wire
& lay down in Shellholes
all day.
26/27
Eventually tt night 12 pm
they got in through the Thames
Ditch under the wire
& thro 3rd Bde
The 18^th Bn were relievd
by 17 Bn towards morning.
They had made the whole
trench up to strong pt which 

R25/95
REPORT OF OPERATIONS AGAINST LAYTON LANE.
by 17th Battalion A.I.F.
(1). Reliefs. The 17th Battalion relieved the front company
of 19th Bat talion in the line at 9.35 p.m., and were relieved of
strong poin-ts in the vicinity of MISTY WAY and BARK TR by 4th Bn at
 [*19 reached
Layton Alley jn on
Feb 27 - but not up it*]
The 19th Battalion were not occupying strong point at
M. 6. d. 6. 5. (LAYTON LANE) - they had been driven back to junction of
LAYTON LANE with MALT TR.
(2). Operations. Capturing of LAYTON LANE from its junction
with MALT TR up to M. 5. b. 4-1/2. 2.
[*Feb
28*]
At 9.48 p.m. stoke mortars opened fire in accordance with
timetable on enemy strong points at M. 5. d. 6. 6. and at the same time a
bombing party in charge of No 661. Sgt Pearson H.J. commenced to bomb
up LAYTON TR from its junction with MALT TR.
[*98/1
1/2 nd
March*]
On encountering the strong point, party encountered strong
enemy opposition and a bomb fight ensued for 15 minutes. Eventually
the enemy v acated the strong point, leaving behind seven dead. A
[*Dense
fog
early in
morning*]
blockade was effected on the further side of the strong point.
A raiding party consisting of Lieut J. Lyons and 30 O.R.
left MALT SUPPORT at 10 p.m. and entered the enemy's trench at about
[*over
open*]
M. 5. d. 5. 9. where they divided into two bombing parties, one working
up and the other down the trench. At 10.45 p.m. junction was effected
with the bombing party working from MALT TR. This party was successful
in capturing five prisoners soon after entering trench. ^X
[* ^X Germans
heard
them
coming
and
thought
they
were
their
own
relief*]
Lieut Lyons and party then bombed up the trench and established
a strong point at M. 5. b. 4. 2.
Meanwhile the enemy attempted to counter attacks ^down Malt [trench shorthand] at a
point where communication trench enters MALT TR. at N. 5. d. 4-½. 6.
Both these attempts failed and enemy were driven off with Lewis Gun
fire. Lewis Gunners claim many enemy dead.
Casualties. Nil.
Prisoners captured. Six (6) - many enemy killed.
A party from "A" Co. then dug five strong posts on a
general line from M. 6. a. 3. 2. to M. 5. d. 5. 9., about 100 yards apart and
to hold a garrison of 9 o.R. and a Lewis Gun in right, centre and left
posts. This work was commenced about 2.30 a.m.
[*2nd March
w. thick
fog.*]
At 5.30 a.m., the enemy opened a vary intense bombardment
on our new line of strong posts and in the vicinity of our trenches.
This was followed by a bombing attack on our strong posts at M. 5. b. 4. 2.
a nd on the new post. The enemy also sent a party round the left flank
of these posts - this together with the enfilade artillery fire caused
our men in front post to retire. & 2 posts on rt of Layton Alley.
A heavy bomb fight then took place along the communication
trench (LAYTON ALLEY) and our men were eventually forced to retire to
MALT TR. after some heavy bomb attacks.
In order to obtain bombs to continue the fight, the whole
vicinity was scoured for dumps, etc., and many captured Hun bombs used.
One pris-oner captured.
At about 10.30 a.m. we got in touch with the 7th Bde in
MALT TR. on our left, and also in touch with the 4th Battalion on our
right.
At 1.30 p.m., in co-operation with the artillery and Stoke
Mortars, we recaptured enemy strong point at about M. 5. d. 5-½. 5. and
are now consolidating. Twenty five enemy dead were found in LAYTON ALLY
Our casualties. NIL.
It is intended to occupy all strong points from M. 6. a. 3. 2.
to M. 5. d. 5. 9. at dusk.
This ws done 

Lieut.- Colonel.
17th Battalion A.I.F. 

94

25  95
was still on the Bapaume
Rd. It had bn heavily
bombed.
17 Bn stopped there.
19 Bn relieved 20 Bn
on same night in Le
Coupe Geule.
During 27 they worked
up Commn Trench (now called
Layton alley,) & East &
West along Malt.
They were in touch
with 17th late in
afternoon.
On ^day of 27 Feb. 17 Bn
occupied Malt Support
(one wd prisoner, otherwise
empty) when & estab. 

96

During 28 there ws
continual bombing in
Layton Alley & Vickers gun
in Strong point at junction
of Malt Support & Bap
Rd ws doing good work.

^x most of 2 days. "They were abt
done up, really" the brigadier
told me, "& were not fit
for further fighting attacks just then -
that is abt the truth of it."

25  97
strong point at Junctn
of Misty Way & Bap. Rd.

Night of 27/ 28/1 19 Bn attempted
to get up Layton Alley,
ineffectually.  That
night they were withdrawn
(they had bn bombing
all day^x) & relieved  by
17 Bn who took over
whole front & were
fairly fresh.
From there 17 Bn took
whole front - front being changed. 

25 98
17 Bn lost a Lewis gun during
c/attack down Layton Lane.
Lt Clifton (after strong had bn
recoccupied on night aftn of
March 2nd) went up
Layton Alley reconnoitring
w 2 men towards Grevillers
line.  When he got up some
way he saw what he
thought was an automatic
German rifle some way 50 yds
from Layton Lane in Nomansland.
He jumped over parapet
to get it.  He found it
ws the Lewis Gun - undamaged.
It looked as if a German
had bn carrying it &
dropped it there.  He picked 

25 99
it up & brought it back.
Clifton cd see top of German
wire on Grevillers Trench.
———— 

25 100
29 Bn.
At 4 a.m. on March
2nd.  29 Bn. went over.
Arty barrage and
indirect m.g. fire on Boomerang
& Atom trenches & Beam Lane.
M.T.M. & L.T.M
put up intense bombt
on objective (portion of
Sunray).
At 4.2 MTM & LTM
ceased.  Arty & m.g.
box went on till 4.20
At 4.2.  2offrs & 30
men Lt Lacy & 2/Lt Whitelaw
entered Sunray from block
at its junction w Boomerang. 

101

Diagram - see original document

25 102
Germans had wire in
trench beyond our block.
Fog ws very thick.  The
party hopped up onto
parapet & Germans bombed
them from Boomerang.
They had to get back into
trench again.  1 man ws k on parapet.
Then. The 8 men who were
to find entrance of
Boomerang & block it
went abt 50 yds up
& so be corpl. reported
back tt he cd find
no trace of it (They
were to put the Germans
block from Sunray into
Boomerang abt 40 or 50 

25 103
yds up.
Order ws gn to
carry on. They went
thro wire & mud abt
3 / 4ft deep. Boomerang
was no danger at
present to those in
Sunray but bombs
were coming from ahead.
Two leading bayonet men
& 2 leading bombers were
wounded by German
Stick bombs.
At 4.38 reported they
were meeting w a lot
of oppositn.
4.51 attack going
well.
5 a.m. advised tt 

104

Dugouts were plain
little rooms for
abt 4 men without
protectn from bombs.

25 105
objective abt 250 yds
of Sunray taken with
14 Prisoners & 1 m.g.
The crew of this ws
bombed. It ws on /
parapet out 2 of crew
were wd & 1 captd.
Passed abt ½ doz.
dugouts all of wh were
bombed & dead found
in them.  Sergt. Taylor
ws in front holding up
prisoners - bombed the
Germans. They held up
their hands & shouted Kamerad.
Advanced another
80 yds, bombing more
dugouts, abt a dozen