Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/94/1 - November - December 1917 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066662
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Page 1 / 10

may have Lord Lansdowne H stickes one had at I back of his mind the fall of Greets & Rumania if Russia gives in dont see how we can save them - even our own Eastern for as will be in a tigh corner. 59 ask to have t it in writing wepents hardly fo I fancy they have some reeling about not t mentioning ancls wh engaged in the Somme - & Charteris is alsaid y seeng my artich of somebod & attacking his ruling It is an absurd raling anyhow. Elewhere one findo At 15t Den, the shelf anxiety Dec4 with regard is lest the peaseaigotiatin may go so far as to release German r Austran prisoners. Gen. Walker said this morning at breakfast. We can beat the fermans now on this font. But if they get To Divisions from Russea it is anothers matter and it Cooks as if they might get nearer 100 dious, & 1,500,000 released pnioners Some hinke the presoners are benng released already. They will have to love the labour of 2000000 Russian prisoner, of course
conviction The here also is & very 60 strong tt 1 men will not give a bis vote for conscription unless the Govt promises them Anstialian leave, Even if it is only 50 or 100 a monk. The British was Council has imploved Anstaler not to g on t this request saying to it wd demoralise the rest of army- if it were granted everyone wd want it They seem to get it. My consin Geoff. Bulley who is in the British field artilley in Salonica is having Sweeks leave in Austialia; & all British soldier get leeve to Britain;+ some Beach Coloneel Groops seem to get base afs 2 years to wounca or whereves they come from - our men someof them know this fac (if is is one) ? it is part of carriat talk 1 division Grater Sanay to medal or wh Berdwood has got permission from
1suitiss Goot) wh Austialia to now autoriant to strike & give to 1914 men who were at Anzac (on the lines of the British 1914 nbbon) may do sometig but will not make ap for want of leave to Australia H Cambrai where the fermans attacked on Nov. 30 as 8 in the morning they penctrated near the Toutiern hinge of the satient as much as 5000 yards They Captured Prigads olaft & the headquarter of the 29a Dwn had to Tar for all is was worth probable (germans) captaned) some pritty valuable paper amongst all these. as tbt They daim 4000 pr csoners & 60 guns. Tne difference between the haguicn on Ao5 fighof& this is probly to our line at hagnscound was far kinner; but gerans prob allacked here in much greater force.
sroodescinde (2 62 we thought 16 aksthad bn discovered. It made one meserably anxious to hear it. Bur we had heard the same at Bullicourt 20 min before 1 attack when one dnt i had learnt to our men can al act coen after such a bursage one ws not so despondent as to 1chances of the attack knowing that, before this our men in slof had attacked a a varrage had laid down on them otherwise I shd have grom it up as hopeless. We datfins our place so got back to near kit & Cat,g where y Ca were, & I was narrowly mised by as wg before we cd see sayline ascell. we of ridge – one o1 first sights, as got into a shelldde. 1 day came - was a solitary pogeon Then our Carrage winging its way wildly back opened. When the barrage increased we treaendons kept a close look out on the Skyling. Present as light The Brrage though the plaases looked grusswe like a crowd of steaming plates, place wentover to 1fore close to one anoter all up I hellside clops agn while deam streaming from them agat & Saten a shelhole the brown eart. we watched there in the tosee if the st a graen mencodbeouttes, apt them but it ws some time after to we noticed te men stope. &then in one or two parts of crest, expercally near some low fattonped structures no men at all appeared. We cdimagine the deadly mig. firg streamng from those places. Ten a few man appeared low & rune a bit to one side of them keeping next pap but ou 63 Broodeound Sawer finished the description the Batile of Oct4 (Broodsande as gulled murdock I saw it from our Shellhole in pout of Ki& as We noticed as we were wandering green patch about trying to find this shale. in the half rain & dark e a while ffaren going up from time to lime buirred, like adas fish's Eye in the mist. They asteraed for some tie they were the normal illumination fare as you see then mny night on any part off pout. Then a yetlow "brach of followed hapes Then feve ten flares bursting te scores of yenow spantled. Tis ws at 5.20 45.25 ter came down an orroy aler barrage - we cohearit, by 5.30 it us really heavy. crump cramp crumpcrimp crump - like emply biscuit tns banging down into the valley alead & onts the Glencorse heights. Of curse last page
64 (Broddesnde 3) creat for ward or to flank along it struck (e [(t) they were under fere. te they were maving aroun bales sillboxcs freely Samue We tus very hand to mak in pout of out absadai neights Paschendaale, but edut be sure t However, our we knew wh it was possession men were clearly in of all then objectives. About midday at the we left, reluctant& cage near the white Chateans forwerd of yous, we found some german prisoners. They sd they were 4th guard Deay; &to ty hadbe going to make an attack to very moming - at least the 212th Rest was & they were an support. They selt ourmen cameon very quickly; bu artilliry (one man told me) ws noting like so severe as on (somig. I think he must have by lucky being brought up a morning only, so to be only had an a our barrage upon the him. to rged to chirt 85 The 1t at were gulley 3 to 5 6 asain of or hore. At620 s like handfuls of seas - see scattred. One coy front 300 W&C 2 lost 2nk 17w No fear of submasines turks will gine isa 4 Div to Cambras 1ugud whistling message at co C 165 42 1st Dis at t wee wo to i or is & to 2. lep WAca Wintes at Hers Dum Bullicourt: Vaulx Corner. Lemper each night took up biscets cigo. & chocolaly to the other or of haquicourt- Used to take lumter to Bn Hto - get men changeng over to fill past & hand it out to them as the did so. (fre). At vaulx in 16 days got tho 10,000 cps of cocoa & biscuits & cigs (Tift). give staff away in forward and + gor any emergency - E.G. when recps came in recrctinal In rest run a no of centres: readen writing sooms & cantler. The organes atee is worked on a divi one basis with us, one man a each Bdl, a Arty, 1t rach Dir. & a Coyo man. The bus are worked largely thro padres, who ginly run the individuar centres bitl classes etc. Staff: Divt P.B.men & for forward work a cert. no. of sicked man fom rech B3de. Chocolate as wanted for Sept 20. ₤250 worte was provided (l for each man) for the attack for 20ch Den. Ireehand up to cit pt- the being an emerging sifces free.
4 ale Canterns add not and to make Cocoater- precantion agoemate & crow Weyth colop fre t baths Mence COCO Challanvelge & Ypais 3 Rly wood coa 67 Youss Parhendaele coot $8000. Within a mile of Bonnebele we a pillbox near St Josepho Insttule just past Angao R to left. yoea had this as a HD.e0ws ust aed when Bn were gon in &out sandbags full of cigareths & matche act to be taken out & given out tt men tiso the plution & section comend is This is personedy overseen by the Guitea represcutatives on the spot The xgs gotes will be handed out bake in fo themselves ockewallets as notibook pases sweed cuneloase almang tn keninghelt is a very by youea. wt 4 by perts We took this over. There 1000 steets of writing paper were used perday Tee cinema for 2 houses of 800 men cach. This enchange ws no ginerously carried out. 12 dogen simated ruts in this area. The AA+ AMg is the autiorits who ombines the work of Compits &ynca Ie Divb Entertainments Clec. cousids of Bdiers, I repoe from Earh Bde goo ctee,& reporfom Gurca & comforts. This is an excellent ider Hoshallper cay wasion pnby ya & ase of guepsies w. Bn calours all th. The husuburras were onquelly fnanced by the YrCA- it is now militiry but managed by yuics repot. It is stipulate that the shows when must be free in Guicacin his Iconet parnes - Iall.
had this week no tici prot, on hs Day. 69 Bec 5 Wet Gelman & Mudoch at Boulogne mail 600 they th have come our to bt send Australia news of the Grook at Referendum time. Murdock yarning at for Dis Han over (fire in the Dmwviny room of to Samer Chatean (owned by an English writed by name Hight sdt I soot is now aot afaid of shiph p/4 last Sabmarnies (th1 ferms week) over 1600 tones) He says to we know, also, terms on th 1 Turks will make peace but we are not sure of otTurbish goot in strength peaceterns of agreed anying outets to Oay 44 Den has b moved to Cambras way, suddn it ws to have g stayed at Gamaa near abbeville all (winter Poorold 4t into it again.
showed was of Borde te this Councils Clipam opposio emplom 180 to set on a it Berdies own ovjectu ws (a) it lod take away too many jurge & tranport ws difficult - we canntt get away our wounded & incapacitate. I wonder how it will affect Reperendam in 1 division. H Deon they are indeatet o men ought to be geven cease to custralia, (50 or 100 a mont & Hughes mardach says, has to far as to state to taking paasing of a conscription the Bill ad do away w greates, obstict. Trat is all he c howcath say. talking of generals, Esp. Joagh, Blamy told us to at Pozues 5t Army wanted no to attack Posures 111 from the left (with our ast pank open)e) on nigh we went in. We reliew Blaiey thinks to While both te 1o a very strong determined general &to Birdwood sometimes leaves Awkward discussions to him of the protecr att Bullecourt. they all say while is his only possible successor; of all tink he is ping.
72 December 6t allday with the 3nd I tates with the 6aBnEll 11m. kittly roore of 3rd En letts mett Howedbic largely made beanes reputation by his level headed He always also, tactical skil. he were osure of a positi. visitt (sact himself – Hcane allo. Poice wiote one sammary o Pertuaten man at up in 1 trench by 1 20ac. Posieres. This was an awful spot most terrifically shelw. Moore has sent the original report to the war Muscuans Section te 6Bn gave ne an account of how they took Dicline copse oneto Canadians 1 day (acroplane amagined it say one of our men bayonet a German there - our men were alraady
bey. 4 be copse his at time where is some statement about Canadians on our left today fraternisey Wl Gernans - I heve not heard details The Canadan bthere wenot a god one. a far better one relieved it later & did it work for it. December 7th. Aniins Came from Samer to 4t Din to find out where our was & what it ws doing. Had who wnch wpress concepts an told me they had seen i Peronne today 74 s I went up at Cllbey. to told te Phelips return bad were tee mc ws

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