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

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066651
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

who had caythen hadit taken A this place (pot Dury) the some from Each kept 100 men Br for inforation. Ths 100 a good dinner. Ws given in neither of the ene amoupt them At villers did offrs tnocl your abt aget them am were in
to th ielves very nice 51 the 00t an r off who spoke to him we were told our offer to 1 german Offrs wel be ask us any dishorourable in te Weshe in f regar bir 7 a in your fom here ch They were lis. Aft go Le Ovesnon They were put into a compound
best food obellets they had a pod warm bath & dry heaten Iclothes - man collecting st Two flying offes some tom were there. Ty stayet there till they moved to Lille on 16th fatizue work in yard. Fut Whenever adraw went ty had to fall in in fours. There were jutar interpretees there ad re
Toman L14t. interpreter. He hat a good deal of swery to town Major. This seemed suspicious passed round thewordes from Dery to While mar the women now to L2 Gueanoy 7 & five them bread . Out woman have then a little bread ferman Lit aknock her in the face Little firt gan out twit breat. they smacke her
e Frene te pople triet to give them They suptied water bucket of water trew the set oaw him Apriest came out ao a toafofbread. an old lad pulled him back - the sa ward ws watchin the presoners shood End fo 1 ad when cilians ofer their food as they cdnt have them this way. treat in the
Seple loten 1 The Freven then am you I hue wd give thick- & this 0 The guards were thro vellops he taken thll they were 16 at fom. Te th ot Litle. the Lohoa whole plice wound one see the out tles to they 24 threes a pecketo
in seep o. it ouiserC goards pointed One ofI the Police on her the took t hilitare tl co sitt CD kno th glass little 21 talion it t a 5
They tere teen thos to sha fort or old under It no top Th 1 Ci 6 Police th 8 the or all 9 Colr
Coue 1105 & all austicl into aplairs 110 IS were abt 50x20, tite oi to a ploor, barick latrin in cor n no 156 nights The were I da Tmen, & a losg of breat for 2 caps of coffee fomented manghs+ tat night & one morr The Cook for a bit o take a work wdnt
They had mens e bia courtyard 100 men told the offer interrogati (he at heBaeon. t b did not know) had The windows at Litle be They only had one wash closer. be moves. were to there I do clear The guard ashad latrine water 0 a berrell

30
who had anything had it taken.
At this place (prob Durg) they
kept 100 men - some from Each
Bn for information. This 100
ws given a good dinner -
neither of these ^men were amongst
them.
At Villers difft. young offrs knocking
abt amongst them were making
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30
themselves very nice -
Therein One man in the 100 sd to an
offr. who spoke to him "we were told
by our offrs tt / German Offrs wd
never ask us any dishonourable
questn w regard to informatn
only your name & number".
They were marched from here
to Le Quesnoy - abt 9 miles.
They were put into a compound
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30
best food & billets they had -
a good warm bath & dry heating
of clothes - main collecting stn.
Two flying offrs & some Tommies
were there. They stayed there
till they moved to Lille on 16th -
only fatigue work in yard.
Whenever a drum went they had
to fall in in fours. There were
regular interpreters there & a
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Tommy L/Cpl. interpreter. He had
a good deal of swing w / Town
Major. This seemed suspicious -
the word ws passed round -
While marching from Durg to
Le Quesnoy - the women used to
try & give them bread - One woman
gave them a little bread - German hit
her in the face ^& knocked her down. Little girl ran out
they with bread. They smacked her 

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The people A Frenchman tried to give them a
bucket of water - They emptied water
& threw bucket over him.
A priest came out w a loaf of bread -
An old lady pulled him back - the
guard ws watching him.
In / end the prisoners shook
their heads when civilians offered
them food as they cdnt have
them treated in this way.
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The French people / other side
o / line wd give you anything.
The guards were very thick - & this
wd happen in going thro villages.
On 16 they were taken to Lille,
stn Lille.  Got there at 6 p.m. The
whole place seemed on holiday
out to see them. One woman
threw a packet of cigarettes to them
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30

just outside / Stn. A Sergt
got it. One o / guards pointed
her out to one of the Police
Militaire & he took the woman
away.
Lille is pretty crowded -

they only saw 2 bldgs knocked
abt & a little glass of the
station roof. There ws a
lot of activity in / rly yard.
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30
They were taken thro / streets
to some old undergrd fort or
grass covered citadel. It
ws snowing & raining. They
stopped half way round for a
rest, lighting cigarettes. The
Police Mil. knocked / cigs.
out of their mouths.
They were halted at [[?]]
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Counted into 110s & all Australians
were marched off upstairs 110
into a room abt 50 x 20, tiled
floor, barrell latrine in corner,
no covering.
They were 5 days & 6 nights
- a loaf of bread for 7 men, &
fomented mangles - & 2 cups of coffee
1 at night & one morning. The Cook
wdn't take a mark for a bit of
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bread. They had 5 mins exercise
per day in the courtyard.
(The ^100 men told the offrs interrogating
at Le Queon tt they did not know).
The windows at Lille had to
be closed. They only had one wash
there - / day they were to be moved.
The guard ^when asked by man cleaning
latrine barrell for a fresh cup of water
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