Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/217/1 - August 1918 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066675
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

all round ti The ws setting to work systematicaly to destroy Icover. t ao now A mine went up on I Rd neer Aberalles G abt the Xrds in 15B 3.1. Holland saw try cd do hothing by going across open & anew to there were a nimber of oddmin still behind in sheller where I advance hat teft them; A he want back Io of Irly collecting add avn on way & got att 30 men & 2 LGo. Sot back E Cottlebb. rang up Bn from there & found to a second alt ack a5 being made an M KC at Lc pm. That we CoBs part of Dws
there & they were to be supporte by 21 Bn. H. moved up Galaty alley a this pty & got wd t Threpnet just at 1 start He put 7 Serpt Maj. Berteugh in charge & gave him instres to report to K. Adrisor of C Coy to take part in I second attack. It ws then taken to dressing st by a couple of runners. The ateack on Mt ws successful & this party of Dr A Coys ws in it. I went in abt 75 strong & had 39 or 40 casualties A Coy lost abt I same. It us drigzting softly most of time. The mgr fire womost aterse Hollan had ever heard in was. The serno mosth died at heir
gans in I early fighting - Every mg seened to have it crew aroud d
24 Ba Mt. S. C 14Bn toaiti crossed I river behind 23rd & pllowed them down by the river bend DC B-A They were in arty fermati after Kay or of Cerry 2 loys got into Ibeg bank above I river. The other 2 got inb 1E near I bent while waiting for news of 23.3. 23rd as put- in to mop up what 5 Bde had left behind
betw bt St A.1 P rives ta it The 5 Bde (as joing into a support posite The bank as rashes abt 11 am. (Thy were att to cross I bridg before 8.30 am. They wailed for orders there. tt Ingram went fored made a reconnaissance at Brasso Redoubt - whis pla. They knew at this time to 23 had bumped trouble more than as expected. ialeley oct this point to two sets floysi While waiting in I bank & while I ferm a stelling bridge from omeccourt) thy where I sages were working had a conference of Coylommd
when it as settled to 2 Coys up Ireary daw, wd go by, 1 Ravink, & 2 upleparm by 1 trench Brasss Redobt. They were to get to Gottlieb 4 if possible (when they got head of Brasss). Faili to they were to make some sort of posite at head of Brasso Redoubt Abt 4 pme they wount to Ravine; were there to hour Wwhile toy Commdrs had a look at ground; fat thiis stage 24 Bn as really supporty 23 wh ws explaiting Pright. Abt I so they moved (as above) ap two arms of Brasso Redoutt. D Coy (the left got into Cottlab alright withoout &t did right; but as each casualties wsseth
in the genaus put 2 shills into the 2 & a number of men were k & ad - This ws in termident shooting by 5.95 fair into 17, & this laster till 10.20. In this time the Br had lost abt S0 men - + Ke 5t5 Bdi lost come also. Thet continud A number of 5 Bde chieft of 18 Bn. 2 officers were kiln by His shelling Eat 4 Martin (B Coy & AC.T.R. Newton (ACoy) At this time the toys were more or less moxed. Before niednight they were pretty well Sti aghtened out cr
stuart. 5 A e 8 c) 3) 4 Ballock A]W Gow The rt of Aloy was S. of the rly clossing in Cottlieb I near right on the road pom Halle. When Alo got there te 23Bn were in short wither they had started to rive in. Save Yt Lates they moved out. For some time. There as no one in 12; they didn't tell h Gow that they were moving - he had told them to 24wd be occupying it. After 23 Bn had left it post from A Coy 30 were put in there. Most s1 men Iwere kept in Pottliit
It ws not- expected by the O.0s A 5 Bde ad be in sottlieb Y- & when te 24 moved in & arme under this Henvy stellfine it looked as if thins ad be prety serious w I conjation there) 24 pn The posts were put in Save Ey before med night after B rations came up. It As in this directu t 18 Bn ration sty went out into 1Boche lines by an error. The posts in Save Y were in a few holes in 12 wh 23 Bn had. made a bit right of the C.7 junction at 14B4.5 No fermans were struck or the rt by L Lows Coy Durin
day a couple of ferms had bu seem running from a Y sore way on their rt font. word came a 18Bn party had be robbed of their rations. I Say the sent out a party wh went 200 or 300 yds to the right to find Sermans whom Iration pty had run into & to get trush W 1230d Bn - it tooked t BaHgs at this time (w this pty getting involved w 1 germans) as tho 23Bn was involved a1 germans & as if they cod have all they could do in clean ay ap wist. O attactnng next day No one else in 24Bn A & night came in toach w1 ferms.

all round them.

The Germans H ws setting to work

systematically to destroy / cover.

It ws now

A mine went up on / 

Rd near Uberalles trench abt

the X rds in [5 B 3.1.

Holland saw they cd do

nothing by going across / open

& knew tt there were a number

of odd men still behind in

shelter where / advances had

left them; so he went back.

S. of / rly collecting odd men

on / way & got abt 30 men &

2 L.Gs. got back to Gottlieb -

rang up Bn from there,

& found tt a second attack ws

being made on Mt St. Q at 1

p.m. That ws C & B & part of D

9

 

there & there were to be supported
by 21 Bn.
Lt. moved up Galaty Alley
w this pty & got wd w shrapnel
just at / start.
He put / Coy Sergt Maj. Berteugh
in charge & gave him instrns to
report to Lt. Addison of C Coy
to take part in / second attack.
He ws then taken to /
dressing stn by a couple of runners.
The attack on / hut
ws succesful & this party of
D & A Coys ws in it.
D went in abt 75 strong &
had 39 or 40 casualties.
A Coy lost abt / same.
It ws drizzling softly most
o / time. The mgs fire ws / most
intense Holland had ever heard in
/ war. The Germs mostly died at their

 

 guns in / early fighting - every
m.g. seemed to have its crew around
it.
11

 

24 Bn Mt St Q.
24 Bn ws concentrated
waiting crossed / river behind
23rd & followed them down by
the river bend
D - C →
B - A →
They were in arty formation
after Xing N of Clery.
2 Coys got into / big bank
above / river. The other 2
got into / trench near / bank
while waiting for news of 23.
23rd ws put in to mop up
what 5 Bde had left behind

12

 

betw. Mt. St Q & /. river.
The 6 Bde ^thought it ws going into a support
positn.
The bank ws reached abt
11 a.m.(They were not to cross /
bridge before 8.30 a.m.)
They waited for orders there.
Cap Lt Ingram went fowd
& made a reconnaissance
at Brasso Redoubt - w his
pln. They knew at this time
tt 23 had bumped trouble
more than ws expected.
When a dat this found the two sets
of coys m
While waiting in / bank
(& while / Germ ws shelling /
bridge from Omiecourt) they
had a conference of Coy Commdrs
13

 

when it ws settled tt 2 Coys
wd go by / Ravine ^up / rt arnd Brasso, & 2
by / trench or ^up / left arm of Brasso Redoubt.
They were to get to Gottlieb
trench if possible (when they got
to / head of Basso). Failing
tt they were to make
some sort of positn at /
head of Brasso Redoubt.

Abt 4 pm they went to
/ Ravine; were there ½ hour
while Coy Commdrs had a look
at / ground; [at this stage 24 Bn
ws really supporting 23 wh
was exploiting / right.]
Abt 5 pm they moved (as
above) up / two arms of
Brasso Redoubt. D Coy (the left
get into Gottlieb alright without
casualties; & C did / right; but as each as the right ws getting
14

 

in the Germans put 2 shells
into the trench & a number of
men were k & wd - This ws
intermittent shooting by 5.9s
fair into / trench, & this lasted
till 10.20. In this time
the Bn had lost abt 30
men - & the 5th Bde lost
some also. The dt trench contained
a number of 5 Bde chiefly
of 18 Bn.
2 officers were killed by
this shelling -
Lt ^EM. Martin (B Coy)
& Lt C.J.R Newton (A Coy).
At this time the Coys were
more or less mixed - Before
midnight they were pretty well
straightened out.
15

 

D] Lt Stewart
C] Capt Bowdan
B] Lt Baldock
A] Lt Gow

The rt of A Coy was  S. of
the rly crossing in Gottlieb
trench near right on the road
from Halle. When A Coy
got there the 23 Bn were in
Save trench. ^Lt Short ws there & they had started to give in.
Later they moved
out. For some time there
ws no one in / trench; they
didnt tell Lt Gow when that 
they were moving - he had
told them tt 24 wd be
occupying it. After 23 Bn
had left it post from A Coy
were put in there. Most o /
men C were kept in Gottlieb
16

 

[It ws not - expected by the
C.Os tt 5 Bde wd be in
Gottlieb trench - & when the 24
moved in line under this
being shellfire it looked as
if things wd be pretty
serious w / compostion there].
The 24 Bn posts were put in
Save trench before midnight after
18Bn rations came up. It
ws in this directn tt 18 Bn
ration pty went out into
/ Boche lines before an error.
The posts in Save trench were
in a few holes in / trench
wh 23 Bn had. made
a bit right of the C.T.
junction at 14B4.5.
No Germans were struck
on the rt by Lt Gows Coy. During /
17

 

 

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