Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/149/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 4

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

Page 1 / 10

32 wanted a any hand. & hand grenades as rifle posiibly send. Fraved may. Black killer wik artilley support we can teep the the Cws come position till hoie This we at 715 At 8am. the B Bn the catte cd see from HOs 7 Bde start to the There ws bomb come back Beyond fighting in 28& tos Comb this to there lett fighting continued. still wh got wron ed 13B from start ocustead direct Sanken Rdi of maken ther left thin 29 BVD made one in 29AC their lett they came under cremendous mg fire o few back. They sathy 61
33 a coy 41 set thro 4 try werein 28 29. A Mough & the 1 that to eba Ca t l wh to wd dead r Col. Denfam slates were left) had tre They follow a ta wnk Th dupontsare extenien De Sappo lind pont lie ti were tembered & la le one in support line was under itself wh disappeared down & reappeared into X labs. Hws a room digont o galleris it Marray had not twr to make survey plity Out form 0
34 doos or tan il But thy thia by Eentrances the dugonts in C has Exits ct the 20 be hi Luppo out t lie aroe wh there Ws no debris. Shose in port line had enils a rear of sapport live. Tey had o steps but were apiie wit ladders. Murray had surveyed whole of of by 18 am. The tuches very ro wide (square the Jerie bembers alw threw over 2 traverse Beli 18am 30 8 tom d opress 8
cal Co a boub fight of first order Bns wentout prepares for open warfare Reason being a Tanks broke offes 700 66 cl 211CH 539 36 Lcencourt dowa up to right had tes hed its Cimit. The 3C. alt ln on d. 8 ober Scale & ap big attacks up both from both blanks. They attacked down thi Commn in 23D oh therray say we didnot holds & up commn trench t of it eep support to Murran took 166 mey you 33 onh left The barrag not heavy plenty Hamsin but not many pe. as soonas marrian saw this be bought were all rght
31 pla. out b place telling anes Co get to right boys- plations seinging a bit booi. your 38 s then cut out head ofhis coming He we hit. not wounded poe of his rciiners I plation comds He told tem to get down Then Come till passet. the on are Hell they went. gett or gelling O a en Objoe we fall take by bombuy - not most H Ba goti are still on the were we tambed to sipht. Marray found Cipt B thereo told him make a stop. We re not making a stop. Ser aded were going on a long way get? M. told him to stop there make a block. a 1Bn offr came a it is not known if the
3. Edse the crest fienco [ has 51 Far 21 of a wln on por these 7 were as amain not attackin we short. re an forced The e Keen court cut stonglour as got ont them sater then. Those towards Hendecourt were too far Away. From the forwa the road atarra near edsee & s thick Riantourt-in windows It was crying for guens but mone here were on them 40 bock as made Germans early cattacked. We re-al &drave them 300 yds there was a fixc duly gun on the right fla t fering on parapet bomber it shot down any who puped up on 1pa &e or men, who leved parapit. Thowe con art no to keep thase Tas down. ighe Late in when were we loaig d 8 on right Mur pnd en the tn road thro 304 a on fi Serm to who got up on the trench He saya man it saw the on were 1 our men ay only ones ed No German in the open bo it 6n i
4 41 an open tihe i sho e he id had Marray at 6 scow while 5. snal fla put up ii few a ba ahead He told o men t shoot that fla down They di0 I shots hate to tel be t men 9 the ow capte into that 8 Th we Rightful 2 fire on the Open St etch behind the trenches Murray they has he estimated, 4000- &15/in 98 The idia at to time ws to retirn behind the dy were there it ws. but far to0 hot the a
bet ll had back of the Lient. Waltact went two whole fight with a bullet from the this hid les 1555 minutes 2 43 on it- to the end -are had a wixed pty of 16513 Bn bombers every bomb had on collected - & there were very few german bombs Many. Terman mys were orginally taken in arre on both trenches &C. t There were ✓ few k or capt in 15t trench 32 presoners the were sent over b Marray were shot down by permans the on way over
3 45 i
as 46

29
32
wanted as many hand
rifle & hand grenades as can
possibly send.  Feared Maj.
Black killed.  "With artillery
support we can keep the
position till the cows come
home."  This was at 7.15.
At 8a.m. the 13 Bn
HQrs cd see from the cutting
the 12 Bde starting to
come back. There ws bomb
fighting in 28B.  Beyond
this to left there ws bomb
fighting wh still continued.
Some of 13 Bn got wrong
direction from start & instead
of making Sunken Rd in
29 B & D their left they
made one in 29 A . C their
left. They came under
 tremendous m.g. fire &
 few got back. They sd they

 

29
33
saw a Coy of 46th
try to get thro' the wire in
28B 5.8 to 29A -
& they thought that only 2
came back - whole
Coy dead or wd.
(Col. Denham states 8 only
were left). They had tried
to follow a tank.)]
The dugouts are
extensive.  In Support
line & front line they were
timbered & large.
One in Support line
was under trench itself
wh disappeared down
into & & reappeared
later.  It ws a roomy
dugout w galleries in
it.  Murray had not
time to make survey
complete, but found

 

29
34
no door or tunnel.
But they have besides
2 entrances in / trenches
the dugouts in C.T. had
exits into the ground
betw Support & front
line around wh there
ws no debris.  Those
in Support line had exits
in rear of Support
line.  They had not
steps but were unfinished
- with ladders.
Murray had surveyed
whole of trenches by 10 am.
The trenches were very
wide square – The German
bombers always threw over
2 traverses.
Betw. 8 a.m. & 8.30
our progress towards

 

35

It ws a bomb fight
of first order - Bns
went out prepared
for open warfare –
Reason being tt tanks
broke.

Went in:  700 offrs & men.
Cas:  560 (incl 21 offrs
539 o.r.)

29
36
Riencourt & down up
to right had reached its
limit.
There were 2 or 3 c. attacks.
but on a smaller
Scale – & up big attacks
up both trenches from both flanks.
They attacked down the
Commn trench in 23 D wh
Murray says we did not
hold, & up Commn trench
SE of it, & up support
trench to E.
Murray took 166 men in
& 33 only were left.
The barrage ws not
heavy – plenty of  Ammn
but not so many guns.
As soon as Murray saw
this he thought, we're all right.

 

37

Moved out w pln.
Commdrs in place telling
platoons – get to right boys –
your swinging a bit too close.

29
38
Then m.gs cut out head
of his column.  He was hit –
not wounded – one of his
runners, 3 platoon Commdrs.
– He told them to get down
till it passed.  Then: "Come
on men – the 16 Bn are
getting Hell" - & on they went.

On getting in line – 2nd
Objve ws mostly taken
by bombing – not many
of 16 Bn got in, most
are still in the wire.
We bombed to right.
Murray found Corpl of
16 Bn there & told him to
make a Stop.  "We're not
making a Stop, Sir" he sd,
"We're going on a long way
yet." M. told him to
stop there & make a block.
A 16 Bn offr came up &
it is not known if the

 

39

They cd see Germans
digging on / crest
E of Riencourt.
Murray had to stop /
men from firing on
these as they were
not attacking & Ammn
ws short.
The Germans reinforced
into Reincourt very very
strongly – our m.gs
got onto them, & scattered
them.  Those towards
Hendecourt were too far
away.  From the forward
trench near the road Murray
cd see Germans thick in
Reincourt – in windows.
It was crying for guns but
there were none on them.

29
40
block ws made – Germans
early c. attacked. We re-attd
& drove them 300 yds.
There was a fixed "duty" -
- gun on the right flank
firing on / parapet, &
it shot down any Germans bombers
who jumped up on / parapet
or men who lined / parapet.
There ws no arty to keep
these guns down.
Late in / fight when
we were losing ground
on right, Murray put
men in the road thro'
30A to fire on any Germans
who got up on the trench.
He says the men I saw
on top o / trench were our
men - the only ones.
No German cd live in
the open - if it had bn

 

29
41
an open fight we shd
have had it.
Murray at / end
saw a white signal flag
put up in / trench a few bays
ahead.  He told our
men: XX "shoot that flag
down." They did so in
3 shots.  Later, he told /
men - "There's only
2 things now, capture
or go into that!"  "That"
ws / frightful G. m.g.
fire on the Open Stretch
behind the trenches -
Murray says they had,
he estimated, 4000 rifles
& 15 m.gs.  The idea at
tt time ws to retire
behind the wire & dig in
there – but it ws far too
hot.

 

42

M had a hit on
back of head going
over.

Lieut. Wallack
went thro' whole
fight with a bullet
thro his leg from the
1st 5 minutes.

29
43
On rt – to the end – we
had a mixed pty of
16 & 13 Bn bombers.
Every bomb had bn
collected – & there were
very few German bombs.
Many German mgs
were originally taken –
in wire, in both trenches,
& C.Ts.  There were
v. few k. or capt. in
1st trench.
The 32 prisoners
were sent over by
Murray & were shot
down by the Germans
 on / way over.

 

44
Diagram - see original document

29
45
Diagram - see original document 

 

29
46
Diagram - see original document

 


 

Last edited by:
Transcriber 6897Transcriber 6897
Last edited on:

Last updated: