Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/149/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 5

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

Page 1 / 10

47 abl whene Rose tanks Starty place t ca 13B under en5 are mosh from right went lep first ray were then the regget as lead Co found wire hear pout bett The of were bs prett well ent by artitle The lest Bn gb on abt ml te o wap we a la There b e the valle on left fircy in9 The fert ere
48 bomben here born were nettin her The seemed fet tanglein wire. Then pot hit (at same tims a tank we gaing to Bullecourt Later Thews seen coming back towards 2ly Embanknt The lank cir vall may have follow Dapi or may have got in first She caught on fire. An t out of hom t h but they fellowen the sids as if ourat lay there None Seean to fet away fermans were hold btht
This then. t seem abt d. Tank be abt we 6.6 fermans fere no There 18 Objoi Ac 13 Bn flar 4 where i but went Rose them shell see ca in between holes glit 157 watch truches Objoe obeer objes 6 2nd in the right very thick abt 800 ydopo plank they thower our b ar afterwards,
Where 50 Rose ae there to no 20 ti in te cliff com as he follow et objve and cont town He then wd e 2 Obive 29 hi A corpt pa me had bomber up Sap towards Reeneors 5 within gds aft 2 R. went hist 1ght to When Law men en shell hole right stoppe to Pot about Stop be 86 pad it atho Stops made o 3. be 8 were see b Se
51 fermans were in shell holes tryn t boud men 2 our alt rifh with K. enadis ✓ bombs in saptowds Reencourt. Abb ferms. starty 11 bon bi from right On Af we out had thy t objectibe Sr in 30 the M oby ho were Korker to 4 Bn
52 right s Pa enter 704 67 24 1566 ws 24 out there Homba from The thro to let 29 ttowards wh dead tank ws thenr t0 pt Sotidy th we penl back coptd Mills better goen 6o 26 the otraye they then bouts by288 These presoners Il wew expent bombers & ditnothing eleg. Tbu a dayout were putin on wounded priso 32 er non
53 came bock past sap near 88 with Escortin rear lat t 14 2 sent off we Ta br layen out thei soon se the tep t we 2 to 65 bo Stort use stick bs 60 S0 patina stop abt where ana ke 6218 in 1stobive bega Jerniae right from to vomb us enty our of Chalky
54 had We Sag F4 but tey se here a 20 w5 too stort we But a Cl the Court he tee End back as Combe eery 24 hort. Th & left 145 to abt fired po ta 15 towards the But Stoke also of any but Sander a the igion senf at 6 2 esd BnH 2
55 Capt. Dunworth Sifned be 15n dugont. Xe who wa cod rifl asking for boub grenades &eaa when first we sa Obyve he came from nd t objve but towards certain b m after on I we that they we les ow Vickes t 4 his have fired on be whe quiet Th ae an) Par tt bit for a matrs to to at went up at his view of affain sound o in End objvc on jist Co t ws
2 forcents Ge Reenctris from so 25835 Bulleroart an to were open. We ter able to fire on them & a good many till hit bed to ceasefire ber we daugeroud Fortage of amunn They renfd in same w we cdnt gbouto il Ou not very man of them them there. 54 reconnactic down to weat two He left. a look at & had live Stop. I Each bout it. relur quiet Exc. re w 18 The from enfitad 1 for 6o Leavy et 44 de owy Ballecoart On 60 N perce The lis yhl Sta 2 Co me lt le Bombo Eeght them. send teroto wer peoplion en 6t or 4

29     
47
Rose. Abt where tanks
starting place ws
13 Bn came under
m.g. fire - mostly from
right. Went ½ left
first; ½ way to wire
they changed ½ right
as leading coys
found wire heavy.
The front belt of wire
ws pretty well cut
by artillery
The left of Bn got
in abt mark 37 on
map.
There ws a tank
in the valley on left
firing m.gs. The

Germans were

 

29     
48
bombing here - bombs
were hitting her. She

seemed to get tangled in
wire. Then got hit.
(At same time a tank 
ws going to Bullecourt
Later she ws seen coming
back towards rly
embankmt).
The tank in valley
may have followed after
or may have got in
first. She caught on
fire. Crew got out of 
her ^from top - but they fell over
the side as if burnt
& lay there. None seemed
to get away. Germans
were holding tt trench

 

A
29    
49
then. This seemed to
be abt 6am. Tank
ws abt 29A 4.6.
There were no Germans
in 1st objve on set
where 13 Bn flanks
went in but Rose
cd see them in shell
holes to right between
trenches watching 1st
objve - observing &
in the 2nd objve to
right very thick -
abt 800 yds from
our flank they showed. 
(abt ½ hr afterwards).


 

29 
50
^Where Rose ws there ws no

diffy. in 2nd wire -
as he followed commn
trench into 2nd objve.
He then moved down
2nd objve to right.
A corpl & party of
men had bombed up
sap towards Riencourt
to within 250 yds abt.
R. went to right first.
when saw men in
shell hole to right stopped.
Probly a bomb stop
ws not put it altho
2 or 3 bomb stops made
by Germans were seen.

 

29     
51
Germans were in
shell holes trying to
bomb trench. Our men
k. abt 5 with rifle
Grenades & bombs in
sap towds Riencourt.

Abt 11 Germs. started
bombing from right -
On left we only
had the 1st objective
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
we probly did not
have the 2nd objve in 23D
- 14 Bn were further to

 

29    
52
right.
Parsonage entered
1st objve abt 29 B66
C.T. ws running out
from there. They bombed
to left thro 29 B towards
tank wh ws dead by
then. Germans fought
solidly. We pushed them
back & captd 3 -
Mills bomb going better
than theirs altho outranged
by egg bombs. These prisoners
sd they were expert bombers
& did nothing else. They
were put in a dugout
- on wounded.
32 prisoners now

 

29     
53
came back past sap
near 85 with escort in
rear taken by 14 Bn.
They were sent off
but were all wiped
out by their own
m.gs as soon as
they left the trench.
We were running
short of bombs - had to 
use G. stick & egg bombs
- so put in a stop abt
where marked left
(in 1st objve).
Germans began
to bomb us from right 
of Chalky trench into our

 

29     
54
sap. We had 2 T.Ms
but they were no use
here as range ws too
short. We put in a
bomb stop & threw only
eno' to keep him
back, as bombs were
short. Then moved
TMs to left &
fired from abt 37
towards the Tank.
But Stokes Ms ran
out of ammun also.
Lt Sanders ws
w them.
Pigeon message
ws sent at 6.20am
to 15 Bn HQ coded & 

 

29    
55
signed by Capt. Dunworth 15Bn
who ws wd & in dugout.
asking for bombs, rifle
grenades & s.a.a.
When first we got in
he came from 2nd objve
towards 1st objve but
after making certain
that they werent our
own men we let
him have it w Vickers
& L.G. (when he fired on 
us) - Things were quiet
for a bit. Parsonage
went up to rt to Murray
to get his view of affairs.
Found M. in 2nd objve on
rt. M ws just coming

 

56
German reinforcents
were coming from Riencourt

to Bullecourt in 2s &3s
over open. We were
able to fire on them &
hit a good many till
we had to ceasefire - for
dangerous shortage of ammn.
They reinfd in same way
on rt - we cdnt get onto
them - not very many of
them there.

29     
57
down to reconnoitre
left. He went thro
line & had a look at
each bomb stop. &
returned to rt.
Things were quiet exc.
for m.g. enfilade from
rt & heavy bomb fighting
on ^our side of Bullecourt.
Then a fierce bomb
fight started on rt &
messages came -
Bombs needed urgently
on right, but none
were there to send them.
Then 46 or people on

 
Last edited by:
Deb ParkinsonDeb Parkinson
Last edited on:

Last updated: