Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/149/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 6

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

Page 1 / 10

with Tabb appea bodees red prett il At e like ou loc over aery planer Aur deal more 100d l The Tember t66 Sqn of battlephan a was tclose to tee o yours ca iv h ter H sle ont ts down 59 began w retire lef or some part of 12 Bde. ebof Ballecourt our on of it end Extreme afte a Abt leave began to the it a small parties of tember out the 2t I when 2 the toh pete 3 word ws given to retire phes suigh Feid when were notice Your man from Ballecourt retur heavel shelli as at 10.11 am
wh t bor C6 61 sties on lang 12Bole ben to Se retired as Rd at 10.30 When Marran back there were abt $4 2o oner or him Fermans allround. efo Heordir co aS ob t retire when passed down by crowd the top came or 22ft o/13Bn lep last seemsnot to have ob back at all on left Boub attack wl starts aft time starbd to five The 124 were Wuntenburg Red crown a Wbeneath.
62 n 164 te& from Farty 4 at waves 4 at 4 ont had Tank S A en B 14 same os ac was Att from fere we opened whole front wt no 2 The Tank half way Stationary lost dir She across. should we right t5 in 30 f th at
63 director charnged went Straight Op mf. fire toe Our tota time stopped O.C. tank we told wp wd not wait & lasy wenton in reacbes wire As fewans Spened hearihy on the right the wire secued to have bu well on let it cat ws passable wooden stand stakes - still 2 rows o As the 16n reachy cseeI wire the both form Scoote most rear
from Reancon Entered 1s6 27 to i began bomby Clugonts o earch the st all 16Bn 60 chs 50 were sent at once. back 2nd Objee the troops folld on & lok t troops found were ancut piles on it worked sor te com in sob was th M 4 at in bor went part the Coumn a to 24a 4n 23B he WL tobe left to tanks) 64
65 to Walton pl drove fertmans right out killin othis ob 20 ferms The Sap because dear End 1oyds fom X villeg block we made endfit flanks 0 both both objees vombay bloe in Malia e were 8 aen began 6 cudfere stips C ditir were 0 e deep noce dugonts deep 40 30 20 30 the at tow the b to Deat ten dugonts C one tols a 2 one
66 series came satents the the Comn Wel At Abt 5 am 3 began bombi flanks on both pom both our boorbo ties while made ao te held out 5 Bat progress- an 5400 he boarts ft a bad or two Att Murry Aaro E fee a 16 To th made tever 5 wiks and Oofve both Comsin te Walton who Y tt In out 8. beatu had it the at pocele Thet
rearest ba 4 to Reencon l cd see tee Kien Court 42 firm be seen H6 hos both from 84 there. the At 15 Report the 30 s Sent back b ydso 60 Each other all behen th ftho t Just bet bet 6 Ir 5 8 try of 2n En ed at ob 67
68 shele b iit he The se 6 the ferma direct ls of 40 him crew Te action bad ll i We nt acct. of b stelt ga 60 2 dis 6o the failes Ann wit riles an b5 6y ferma 4 bear -nall Gra ho da towards Earder acropla ern be ert abt directly flyi theat
Mack Ih th fet Att i be decided over th ta D atta lea the fire vell ar he ab Co ed at 1M Eah a 40 right 2t be Ise 69 4 terch bullets ble top to not in on men pla

58
Taubes with
red bodies appeared
several times pretty
low (like our planes)
Our planes were over 
left a good deal more
than Taubes. There
was a sqn of battleplanes.
Men kept close to trenches
when Germs came over
It looked as if there
were strong pts on rt.
some way down.
29 59
left began to retire -
or some part of 12 Bde.
on our rt of Bullecourt.
at extreme end of it.
Abt ¼ hr afterwards
the rt began to leave
in small parties -
bombed out of the rt of
the trench. When it
looked hopeless
word ws given to
retire.
(Time when single pties
of our men were noticed
retiring from Bullecourt,
enemy heavily shelling, 
ws at 10.15a.m.)

 P

60
When we left we
hadn't a bomb left.
29 61
12 Bde in large pties
retired to Sunken
Rd at 10.35a.m.
When Murray came
back there were abt
20 men w him & /
Germans all round.
The order came from
ob to retire & ws
passed down - when
big crowd of men
came over the top
Left of 13 Bn left last
& seems not to have 
got back at all.
Bomb attack on left
started abt time we
started to fire.
The 124 were Wurttenburger
Red crown w W beneath.

 

29 62
16 Bn.
Started from Sunken Rd in
4 waves at 4.45
Tanks had gone at 4.30

Diagram - see original
same as 14 Bn on left.
Abt ½ way across
fire ws opened from
whole front.
The Tank - no 2 - ws
stationary half way
across. She lost direction
to right - ws shouted at. 

 

29 63
changed directn  &

went straight. Opened
m.g. fire. Ws told Stopped. Our
line stopped. O.C. tank
ws told infy wd not
wait - & infy went on.
As infy reached wire
Germans opened up
heavily. On the right
the wire seemed to have
bn well cut, on left it
ws passable. Wooden
stakes - still standing.
2 rows of wire.
As the 16 Bn reached

wire they cd see Germans
scooting from both trenches -
mostly rear trench - &

 

29 64
from Riencourt.
Entered 1st trench. Men
began bombg dugouts &
searching for prisoners. The
16Bn got abt 60 prisoners who
were sent back at once. 
2nd Objve - the troops
folld on & took it. Troops
found wire uncut - piled
on it - worked round
Commn trench & got in tt
way.
Moment they got in, 

a bombing party went
up the long Commn
trenches in 24a (tt in 23B
ws to be left to Tanks)

 

29 65
Lt Walton & pty drove Germans
right out of this killing prob.
20 Germs. The sap became
a dead end 150 yds from
village. A block ws made
near / end of it.
On both flanks in
both objves. bombing blocks
were made & manned &
men began to cut firesteps
trenches were in good condition -
no cement. Very deep
dugouts - 30-40ft deep
([shorthand] 20. 30 [shorthand])
At the bottom the
dugouts went into tunnels
communicating one
w / other - In one 

 

29 66
series they came out into
the Commn trench. x
Walton At abt 6 a.m.
Germs. began bombing
from both flanks in both
lines. While our bombs
held out he made no
progress. But whenever
bombs ran short he wd
get a bay or two.
Abt 6.15 Capt Murray of
13Bn. & a 16 Bn Officer ^Capt Aaron -
made a survey of the
2nd Objve - both flanks
& the long Commn trench. x
In tt trench ws Walton who
had beaten Germs. out of
it.
That positn ws the

 

29 67
nearest tt anyone had
ever bn to Riencourt.
They cd see men moving
in Riencourt. Men cd
be seen firing (flashes)
both from ground & houses
there.
At the main line at
6.30 the 1st Report ws
sent back by 3 runners
each 60 yds or so
behind / other. All 3
got through. Also
Just before this one
of our tank ws betw.
1st & 2nd objve trying
to get across 2nd objve 

 

29 68
& ws heavily shelled by
the Germans. The Germans
got 4 or 5 direct hits on
him & put him out of
action. The crew got
out of it - we had to leave
part of trench on acct of 
shelling.
Our bombs gradually
failed - the men loaded
German rifles with G. ammun
- used German bombs. 
Germans gradually beat
them towards / centre.
Earlier
[The German aeroplanes
abt 7a.m. were busy
flying very low & directly
overhead.] 

 

29 69
The attack ws entirely
thro trenches - there ws
a rain of m.g. bullets
on parapet.
Abt 9am. it ws
decided to be impossible
to charge over / top
& attack w bayonets
owing to the heavy m.g.
fire - village being not
under arty fire.
Germans were seen
coming from abt 24B
& he seemed to lay
a T.M gun alxx on
right - with 4 or 5 men.
It seemed to be placed

 
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