Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/149/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066649
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

21 th t fcor the were X t wer 2 the mock 8 in The it wd some officers. took our office 4 is spoke t Redx to n 4 the abt 6 sker them to 30 take in d He ferm Il i te t0 Ove 8 whon d other O in were fout worken La w d n ble 14 Bn feb boub wre alway stops
22 on lp in e 21 be b 6o. ae le his 60 ad as We ee the t t found &e dujonts of e 45 tank ot Sdirect hits & stayed 27 there in of crew were seen to get ras of this tank A recond (2) tank moy where waiked towards 2 The wo burnt there. back alon therd woved SankenRd Kedge o the Fended beside station Bo dressin day out of Te tank co road
23 Bre 24 16 14 each ii 4lys i w in live 1platoon at 136 all legi by cull in nearer They had a es yatbollow Side to t6 At en 44 Orders thro He lin found + form righe +W lencourt 6o formon W & 14
H tartes as 4 be for 16 13 e Co told to the + Eacht detail p St l p 3 111 1111 40 or ratter 111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 who 2 hid ta 133 7as we dr e ao pla cencourt be reserves. also A 1111 111 114 25
56 H as they tep 145 Cutl t te bell fire wh contd tell had obove. When Coe 7d po by Hinde tive th ta in te fire from Balle o X o lies. Ca The 16 B32 for 1st h Ladon objee. Camatlis were ay The were i two leade 20p In re i 60 out had let. 60 were fom The but 2 2 bit 4 e
413 21 ws cut. not tank stack 36 e a the l wire t No fi its el close t 7d 10 W $00 it tw ca was a 2 hole en on tre wire no o do Th has 30 Marray made fo tank the went wh it had to triied Te were. past left of the get the avy tank & got into rencut were He would round to the right of it & saw 2
4 28 D a se in the were att 10yds away The men shot the 3 gunners & closed from. (This munt have by No 1 tank). 1613 had got first as just objee to wh ad The fot th 13B2 in wh ca tht 16 B3n were att Fo behend 3ooyds the sle were- Murra d 16t et objve in the were with mys on them from road &2 in 22D & from Mill San sonces) Goued see 7 knockes sreet saps 0 in the Murray doubled
29 his me up ot orders were to support difficulties i 16Bn Maj Black ws killed first were. onedge trench e abt ds fom Tt Thot 0 thro head. were coof almost impassable into 50 the Com be bed i tirty 16 fer Te no at a not for to a com e 5Br The 14 Bn help up wa The 18 of mean of bou H13 l D Rose corpe then 13
30 to vellage 206 within 100 To Nencourt The first attackedus in this c attacked We Y tJof rifle sen beat fi the s back within boyds of village A block ws put ti there eat hs Jewars can but our block & temed 35 that we co are so placed Section 4 Straight D Rife the petup 6 helped as straight bits it we From the first impossible former over toward Mencourd They hav in the open. th Enstrus tanks did
31 not over they were T0 Keencourt out to ent Heorders were didnot the tanted Le they were were tro werecatters et). with try to within br of Murrays 12 the first Petti t over the t Objve tank was shooting startit This tank o men in and ator obgve &i Couse 4 The first shot kilend a corpl o 2men. The 6pdr. was shooting leter towards Kiencourt 7.15 Murray reported t they held 18 & part of 2nd Objie quite impossible to attact 1 village. He had 30 prisoners of 124 Regt, with

29
21
then away from
the wire.  By then
most of the wd were
in.  The Germans
took in some wd. officers.
One of our officers spoke
to a German Red X
man in the wire abt
5.30 & asked them to
take in offr wd.  The Germ.
sd "Finish Hospital"
One German Red X
man in / Sunken Rd &
another in front line were
working v. hard.
14 Bn were unable
to get in any bomb
stops. Germs. were always

 

29
22
in trench on left. They
were using egg bombs.
We used all his bombs
found in trenches &
dugouts , of every kind.
Tank 1 got 3 direct
hits & stayed there in trench.
5 of crew were seen to get
out of this tank.  A
second tank (2) moved
towards 2 where marked
& ws burnt there.  The
third moved back along
/ edge o / Sunken Rd
& ended beside the
Bn dressing station.
The Tank ws dugout of the
road.

 

23
Diagram - see original document

29
24
13 Bn
Diagram - see original document

13 Bn at Zero ws
all lying in rly cutting.
They had a trench on nearer
side to enemy at bottom. 
Diagram - see original document
At 4.45 they moved.
Orders to go thro Hindbg
line and form round
right (E & N) of Riencourt
(15 to form on W & N)

 

29
25
Diagram - see original document

At 4.45 when 16 Bn
started, 13 Bn started
as above - (750 yds
fm 16 Bn).
Coy Commdrs were
told to form in lines at
the trench.
Each Coy had to
detail a pln to mop
up in Riencourt.
These wd also be reserves.

 

29
26
As soon as they left the
cutting they came under
shell fire wh contd. till
they reached objve.
When 600 yds from 
Hindenbg line they came
under m.g. fire from
Bullecourt - causing
heave casualties.
They found 16 Bn
had taken 1st objve.
Casualties in wire
were heavy in two
leading Coys , Esp. A
- Murray reckoned he
only had 40 men left.
The front wire ws
cut a bit, but 2nd wire

 

29
27
ws not cut.
There ws a tank stack
in the wire moving slowly abt (No 1)
firing its 6 pdr gun.
quite close - 10 yds
from it - in / wire
was a German m.g.
- in a hole in / centre
o / wire, mowing
our men down - it must
have shot 30.
Murray ^had made for
the tank & went in
where it had cut /
wire.  He tried to
get past the left of the
tank & got into heavy uncut
wire - He moved round
to the right of it & saw

 

29
28
a Germ. m.g. in the
wire abt 10 yds away.
The men shot the 3 gunners
& closed gun. (This must
have bn No 1 tank).
16 Bn had got first
objve & ws tryin just
going on to 2nd when
13 Bn got there.  The
16 Bn ws caught in
wire &

From abt 300yds behind the
wire Murray cd see
16th in the wire & 1st objve
with mgs on them from road
& trenches in 22D & from Mill
(San souci). You cd see
great gaps being knocked
in the line.  Murray doubled 

 

29
29
his men up (A Coy) as
orders were to support
16 Bn if in difficulties.
Maj. Black ws killed
on edge of first wire,
abt 30 yds from trench -
Shot thro' head.  This
wire ws almost impassable
- so they moved into
Commn trenches & bombed up
them. The Germans started
a [[rot?]] and ran along
trenches for a long way.
The 15 Bn seemed to come
up & help 14 Bn in same 
way.  The 4 Bns held 900
yds of.
A mixed crew of bombers
16 & 13 under Lt Rose with
Corpl. Patten of 13 Bn bombed

 

29
30
up Commn trench to village
& got within 100 yds
of Riencourt.  The
Germans first attacked us
in this trench. We c. attacked
& got rifle grenades going
& this beat Germs back
to within 100 yds of village.
A block ws put in there.
Germans came at us
3 or 4 times; but our block
ws so placed that we cd
see up a straight section
of trench - Rifle grenades
helped us to get up these
straight bits.
From the first it ws
impossible for men to
go over towards Riencourt
in the open. They had
instrns tt if / tanks did

 

29
31
not go over they were
to cut Riencourt out.
[The orders were if
the tanks did not go
thro' / wire, they were
to try with wirecutters etc].
Within ½hr of Murrays
getting in trench the first
tank was over the 1st objve.
This tank started shooting
at our men in 2nd
objve & in Commn trench.
The first shot killed a
Corpl & 2men. The 6pdr.
was shooting later towards
Riencourt.
7.15 Murray reported tt
they held 1st & part of 2nd
Objve.  Quite impossible to
attack / village. He had 30
prisoners of 124 Regt. with 

 
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