Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/150/1 - April 1917 - Part 2

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Reincourt. Our barrage came
down on some while / [trench shorthand], &
on others while marching out. It
was a heavy barrage - shrapnel
on [trench shorthand] & heavies back of village
Some men are sd to have been
hit.
The men were formed up &
marched along the road to
Villers - a few shells fell along the
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road. Villers seemed to be some
sort of HQrs. There were about 60
Uhlans with lances & flash horses -
They are stationed there. At Villers
They were searched - knives,
razors & letters had to be given
up (if the Uhlans did not rob you
before - Stewart had to turn his
pockets out before, & so did most).
The men were put in a big
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Church for the night. The
searching had bn carried out in
the yard of a headquarters -
a big residence ^on rt hand side of street going in  with front & back
garden - officers came down in
motors to have a look at them.
The searching took some hours.
They were gn a loaf of bread betw
5 men & coffee ws brought in but few
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30
got it bec they had nothing to take
it in. It ws snowing & all were wet thro.
There were 756 men when they
lined up to march round to /
church (4^th Bde & 48 Bn).
The spent night in church -
a sergt of 15 Bn with was the
interpreter - he cd speak German.
There ws one o / German offrs - a pretty
Senior man - w an iron cross
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30
who cd speak English.

Ap12. They were gn a loaf of bread to
4 men, & coffee - that had to
do till / follg morning but they
were not told so. It ws eaten
for breakfast. The first nights
bread ws very sour - but they
eat it next day.
They were told off by Bns - &
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There were French
civilians in Villers - a
few old women -
Even in / village
before this time were civs.
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called out o / church by battalions.
they each ws lnied up & counted.
& as they were counted they we
taken away under Uhlans. There
6 men (crew of tank) who
were kept there.
The officers were there 2. 13th
& 1 16th - did not seea ny
48th officers (Many of these ^man were
walking wd altho they shd never
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30
have been so. Sergt Walker 16 Bn.
had an expanding bullet in
one arm & other shot through
wrist - he marched - & so
did Sergt Police of B Coy 16 with
bullet thro' his chest. (Another
who had 4. fingers blown away).
They were marched 5 or 6
kilos. to a siding - the big offr.
who cd speak English sent them
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30
off & the Uhlans took charge from
there.
They passed little few troops or transport
the road ws fairly good - but
yoked up in ropes to a transpt
wagon & pulling - & a few
British prisoners cleaning the
roads. Some had old French civilians
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30
clothes - some in kahki - civy
caps, ect. Some had old French
blue over coats.
The prisoners were put
into cattle [shorthand], 24 into truck.
It ws a broad guage rly. They
travelled till dark. Were
shunted to a siding. Abt 11
p.m. Thos to 2 am they were
stopped. There they were
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Many o / wd had bn
taken into dugouts in
Reinct. & dressed there
 

30
taken from the train - marched
through villages & put down
cellars, gn a drink of coffee -
X Early Ap. 13 I
Abt 7 a.m. 13^th Ap they were taken
to a big residence - into a yard.
They were given there 1/3 loaf of break
& cup coffee & told it ws for /
day. They were searched
agn after breakfast. Anyone
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