Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/146/1 - 1915 - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066646
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

40 there continuous ws movement along Sunray crid o our pont & m9 t on this movement This ws this directio 6 45 & at at 10.60 watchin s with < when a sho 20 bouls from dotted Semecercle cam bon S Seclin wipes the This clean out Stop at the 80 in The of them b Bo along trench ound Fenn fall a began
dead mens feo the righs of ger were loaded & lest agst one 5ffr H Marper 27 Acog) we told off speciall to send up. S.O.S when necessary. His Seryt? ct. 7 M.19. sergt har a this of to carry or ie t t o vew a bit t He chinbed o to a high point overtee on parapet find 2nd gun at bend was an old jast below 36 posity elean in & 3od yon abt 50 yds to tef. suns got on All to the attack men bout The Who le were f Certa called Bombers l wai there Cobertson grabbed riflemen directe in of worki Coutfere the rifle pranades. a barrax of rifte, Denades ws put bekind them, but X were, throwny more t an we were doe
2 86 Ab ther shelling (4.2 5.9 fair into theY a salvo of 412 overtins a salvo feir who in the 2 17 benn men from strong lef of our r had bn as we vrought dlown & were being beail presse 15 were put over att the top The fermans were bomb in front from 2 little a sap wh showed as a mound of Carth. right (The Germans on had old sap reached 72 at alt buto w58 £ our men bomb C ye had be dreven where they 24 back 6o got out are mark Where arrows Jermans Aere taken anexpected They dith et out us with mgo rowver
our men gob into 2 & with bayonet & bow some only parried boubs & drove fermans out bot of 4 EX I this scrap) seemed t last to hour first & last te br before they went oow top Cpl. Withers went out on right agst T. The other pty ws simply acalt by the mven. After this there ws quiet for to hr. In the mean-time Robertson had got his block built in order to gtout at 11 of bombrary from EX. This we abt 204ds within back. there as desaltory born till I am. 8
19 The Germans shelled where marked all night, very bearih & Shelle when we beat at Ken back (probl to present as follown 7) Abt. Iam. there ws a lot of mo incut up by Sunray 4 havy shelling from 86ap corner to the left T.O.A. W. sentup marper &ark his up cut There ad hea bombury on right by t refe grenade beat this Thes died after at 10 mens (From) 5 di to 6.Sdam, our art redoath their efforts (consider this (dlangerous kine). Fom the Iam attack ontinc on there near ds bo ou
ti teote bertson sertie fuyt 41 varying from Aheavy showe to anoccasional boub But Robertson had the t reconnaities through all I little maze of saps (murray a him) & we knew where to putour bonbs Con By this tin ws getting weak) or the probl have sone 0.0 up this maze & half way to had also (16) Bae 14 to lost feavily on lett Murra Oal Browx? ay 656 of those who move upt down came out unhit. with daybreak (Exc from 8610 am.) the fermans shelle wery heavil but shells were put right & left of &no 0r or it very if a few Deri bit. the Fermans After 70
28 ptanes up got Kei + from 10 till dusk his places were ap direct purplanes this fire. were not th0 aske for Ne 13 Ws X relieved 7a16 Pn Coy ad m 88 4t had seffered eavit wo man evacuated fom shell shock. 617 attack is reported above. (apt 16 Bn) att 11.20 pm. 18 our Stokes mosterrs (opened our 2at N21 D85 d after the evening grandlenwerfer open wo. & enemy appeare on ling N2I.C.O. N2 d 37.He boubed as &we ed also see iei approain from Sunragy Y Down Clondi They werealis coming over open abt 502S to N.of cloude OSSiat sentapat.
Bn were raided 4 at po X on map on 2nd s. of this book & ost aging. there rest de Feb. 11 1E 25 11.26 Barrage tsperfect faie out on 30 seed. Barrag cont be stopded 5 wire we cut but atru LS ot this& it stopped at night Acoy Dwindled from 140 6 28 apt. Henry Wur Murray. ratlied his ave coyt i when Murray Shot 3 perman capte 3. ongettng into 12 Roy Barrett wither. Gt. in charge of a bombery Fectin on Extreme Eight Withers as wd. in the enes is getten out to lead attack ago g. Combers but contin trown boards & when he had had his we dressed at the Regt. aid Post he rreturn at once, carrying bombs e carried w man Cro barrag or his way to R.A.F.
Anzat May 29 915 Wrks The1 w ept captured b ct putting a ofdray on a 60 Hhefr et ap it the the turk 1 le behind The 10LHRe en i 4 it often 6 4 Ceptur 12 Bon. Th 50 A 20 4p4 t 1683 t 4 yetl 24 pas as then ll 26
87 ak3 28 came right Lon 6 of 13Bn who were holdng extreing leftof Ginns where whtn and tgn din to ther le baul te Thot back fro to to 104 it

26
13
there ws a continuous
movement along Sunray
Trench on our front & m.g
ws turned on this.
This ws movement in
this directn.

Diagram - see original document

At 10.50 Murray ws at.
X with L. Gunner watching,
when a shower of 20 bombs
came from dotted semicircle.
This wiped the bomb Sectn
at the Stop clean out
(7 of them).  The men gave
along trench.  Bombs
began to fall around L. Gunner

 

14

Wounded & dead mens
rifles & the rifles of Germans
were loaded & leant agst
trench.  One Offr Lt Marper
(A Coy) ws told off specially
to send up S.O.S. when
necessary.  His Sergt &
Cpl. & M.g. sergt had
to carry on w this if
he were hit.

26
15
He withdrew a bit,
climbed onto a high point
on parapet & fired overhead.
2nd Gun was at bend
just below (86) .(an old
German m.g. positn)
& 3rd gun abt 50 yds to
left.  All 3 guns got onto
the attack.
The men of bombing
sectn who were left
called "Bombers Wanted"
^One of these Robertson grabbed 5
riflemen & directed
bombfire , himself working
the rifle grenades.
A barrage of rifle grenades
ws put behind them but
they were throwing more
bombs than we were

 

16

Diagram - see original document

This shelling (4.2 & 5.9)
was fair into the trench -
a salvo of 4.2 overhead
& then a salvo fair into
the trench.

26
17
being stronger.  Men from
left of our trench had bn
brought down, &, as we
were being heavily pressed
abt 15 were put over
the top.  The Germans
in front were bombing
from Z Y, a little
Sap wh showed as a
mound of earth.
(The Germans on right
of trench had reached old Sap
at abt T ).
Z Y ws out of
bomb range of our men
where they had bn driven
back to.  They got out
where arrows are markd.
Germans were taken
unexpectedly.  They didnt
get onto us with m.gs or
revolvers -

 

26
18
our men got into Z Y
with bayonet & bomb -
some only carried bombs -
& drove Germans out
both of Z Y & T.
This scrap seemed to
last ½ hour first & last -
¼ hr before they went over
top.
Cpl. Withers went out
on right agst T.  The other
pty ws simply a c.att. by
the men.
After this there ws
quiet for ½ hr.  In the
mean time Robertson had
got his block built
at "2 in order to get out
of bomb range from Z Y.
X This ws abt 20 yds
further back.
There ws desultory
bombing there till 3 a.m.

 

26
19
The Germans shelled
where marked all night,
very heavily - & shelled
at Y when we beat
them back (probly to
prevent us following).
Abt 3 am. there
ws a lot of movement
up by Sunray Trench &
heavy shelling from 86 up
Corner to the left.  S.O.S. ws
sent up by Marper
& arty cut this up.
There ws heavy bombing
on right but rifle grenades
beat this off.
This died after abt
10 mins.  From 5 am. to
6.30 am our arty redoubled
their efforts (considering
this / dangerous time).
From the 3 am. attack
onwds there ws heavy continuous
bombing on right,

 

20

Pte Malcolm Robertson.
Robertson ws
wd in face as
soon as fight
started

26
21
varying from a heavy shower
to an occasional bomb.
But Robertson had
reconnoitred the front,
& we knew through all / little maze of saps (Murray ws
w him) & we knew where
to put our bombs.
By this time C. Coy
ws getting weak or the
O.C. wd probly have gone
up this maze & halfway
to (16).  [The 14th had also
lost heavily on left].
Only Brown & Murray,
of those whose ^duty ws to moved up
& down trench, came out
unhit.
With daybreak
(exc. from 8 to 10 a.m.) The
Germans shelled very
heavily - but shells
were put right & left of
trench & not over it, very
few if any were hit.
After 10 a.m. the Germans

 

22

Diagram - see original document

26
23
got their planes up, &
from 10 till dusk his
planes were up directing
this fire.  Ourplanes
were not up, tho'
asked for.

The 13th A Coy ws relieved
by a 16 Bn Coy at 8 p.m.
(14th had suffered heavily).
(No man evacuated from
shell shock -)
6/7. Attack is reported above.
(agst 16 Bn)
7/8. abt 11.20 p.m. our granad
Stokes Mortars opened on
our trench at N 21 D 85½ & imd
after the enemy granatenwerfer
opend too & enemy appeared
on line N21 c. 0.5 to N 21
d 87.  He bombed us & we
cd also see enemy approaching
from Sunray Trench down Cloudy
Trench.  They were also coming over
open abt. 50 yds to N. of Cloudy
Trench.  SOS Signal ws sent up at

 

24

45 Bn were raided
at pt X on map on
2nd p. of this book
& lost a m.g. there.

For rest (15 Bde)
See Diary of Feb. 19th.
1916.

26
25
11.26.  Barrage ws perfect
& came out in 30 secs.
Barrage cdnt be stopped as
wire ws cut but a runner
ws got thro & it stopped at
midnight.

A Coy.  Dwindled from 140 to 48.
Capt. Henry Wm Murray. rallied his
men when they gave 20 yds.
Murray Shot 3 Germans (&
Captd 3. ongetting into / trench).

Cpl. Roy Barrett Withers.,  in charge
of a bombing sectn on
extreme right.
Withers ws wd. in the knee
when getting out to lead attack
agst G. bombers but continued
throwing bombs - & when he
had had his wd dressed at
the Regt. Aid Post he returned
at once, carrying bombs.
He xxx carried ^a wd man thro
barrage on his way to R.A.P.

 

26
26
Anzac.
May 29. 1915.
The 17 Turks were
captured by Capt. Herring
putting a dirty old rag
on a bayonet & held
it in front of the Sap -
& the Turks started to
come out leaving their
arms behind.
The 10 LH. Regt had
some men in Quinns
& it has often bn sd tt
they had a 10th L. Horseman
captured them.
There were 150 13Bn.
50 ^10th L. H
& 20 1st ALH (working party)

2 May.  16 Bn jumped over
yelling "Yarragabbah!"
as their password.  They

 

27

Diagram - see original document

Marks sketch
9.40 am.
Ap. 30.

26
28
came right over some
of 13 Bn. who were
holding extreme left of
Quinns.  (Where when
digging, and trying to
extend their left they
tried to (were constantly
shot in back from
Russells Top.  It ws
into this 10 yds of trench
tt they fell.

See Diary

 





 

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