Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/223/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066682
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

AWM3S Official History, 1974-18 War: Records of C E W Bean, Official Historian. Diaries and Notebooks Hem number: 3DR1606/22317 Title: Notebook, 1915-7978 includes references to the 8th and 18th Battalions, 10th Light Horse Regiment, batteries of the Australian Field Artillery, Lagnicourt, Dernancourt and Gallipoll. AWMSS-3DRI606/22311
tere e e enen mne td he demne dene en ormn hrea. 300L 606 TEM 823 FWMSS DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914-1918 THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But, apart from those terms, I wish the following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every reader and writer who may use them. These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what was then in the writer’s mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep; also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so — but it does not follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when discovered. Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them. These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what their author, at the time of writing, believed. Further, he cannot, of course, vouch for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind. AUSTRELIAN WER MEMSRIAL C. E. W. BEAN. 16 Sept, 1946. ACCESS Mte TANEEEEEEEAENNMAMNN CCCTE TeCAEEEE OPEN
18 Bn. Mo Sr.Q. (adit). Bn started to move After EBde hid clean Brose. Zbys AFC. moved Hevg. Tey were to go thro' Chapter wood. as in Ciaison w (9on rt. dea we 7 Bde t effectaxm at Doingt & both to attack but sol from S. acros Priver, On ngh of 28 Aug. Bar started its advance C1 651 S obstacles. Mercancou wood Chapter wood High god ind w of Rion. Ius at I lest 1feli accurred. Tey had to reach Omnniesant
The voads were got aitont first icidet. The Coys who got tho thereanat word (wt ws tcevundergrowt) deadd to I best plan tos to go thoo absig a noise To to beep touch. Seanat dyonts were found & mg poyzees. Sngants were bouted but ao ferms met Went on. The day akes. 60 ferms surrendord to the ANC. By 1 morning to 4 Coys 729 Lenderss agn puned on 1 Bonext Flancouted (S. hom villaze) They etout in art formation at Fam. They wand thoo Claptan god without incedent. He fersts forwh sign the read
hill in 1 bead 1 Rivix where I left by got ther objoc witout fihtin & 1 germs cleared from form dron at 1 It aree o1 Chord without fightin wsg.s from high god S. of the Chord. E. sd to gens meant to make ten stand there & blow up 1Bridges at Plast mome X The rear guard of ferms put up a nasty fight. be lat as arty nos did Germsber & of the first 7 casnaltis & were k. The posts were bluded w L.g. fire while soo other rusted them. By 1po. A germ had rocapid, Pres had gone by ore riia
bridg wh blus up Cater 18 +19 got right down to 1 river - Casattie of 1818 abt a kind ofm of men who were fighty; 18519 wd have each 2 Coys) abt 250 in all, on this high god. PWalls M.C. MM. ws sneped in his fight t201 Showder. Wd. Te h ganners suffen mt In After 18Bn ws ordered to rendeyvous on I high ban t coh bordered 1E. side of Annie court Chosd Canal. Key did this. hgo taking posite on top Of bank cordent were issned & counternan for kais by omniccount
so on - (nighe 29/30) 31 ws conntermended before it came off, partly bec. at last mate the Omniccourt causeway bridy wh had bu mined, blew up. (wok hi ea has saved Rn) He godit to croaig his not in recomortee by A S.M Clask M.C. & a patiot aet to hold bid whih Io crossed. Ang30 abt gam The Bn marchen to Fenileres, & compedin fields for breakfist; then crossed I river & came along NPD At 1Wof Clery they found to high pound NE of Clery ws not cleared- 20Bn 34 Bn & 3od Div Pioneers had to do thes
(A Clerk) euppartin 17 Rs. Mys:- Cloy. less from Ecomner of Clery by main & Ed. 5 abtH12D86 & hopped offfrom there by Kinsetoes - along 1 gndai rd to Peronne as fer as I bend at 13B 7.2 -cat across 1 corner to 1 Corner of Parkwood - stouch rd again a followed it to theX Avenue from Halle. They stopped there for a whill, getting vito nip fire from Prope 7 just S. of1 Rd. 23Br at same time as coming theo Park wood & 1 avenaes were stopet here by this i 18Bn L.G.Cd see his ferman M.9. & got onto him & he cleareds of then want on 23 seemg them start starte along 1rd also. I get across fom 12d into Knolm Y – cating its, way tro 2 belts of wire w ctters. Then went up klolo wto le Pagul G (Justrus were to map ap Anvil wood yeas Peronne). They advant W ap gality alley & fot a mogoters - the crew a ranney away by the CT to Agran ally near 1rt. C. Coy (W llark) antafisti There ws a fill at 1 Janch w5 A grain ally they got anthe gan tere & Not 1 junver. Hhere is a House in the A of Albert & Ham Rlys to a hedge aroud it. Thereas a fea meap here - a sergt &a fe ne were sent round by A Clark. The sayt wshay upby ig fire frm Ascare farter up 1 rd & bey on to Dsigon Tohennes 4 just Hoffrd & int rly. Alot of geres cane clark lest a pty up 1 y out of orchers running bad to hest treach. Ing (next paye but one All night of 30/31 Bn camped W. of Clery. At I am they moved, and behind t Bn & reached 1 high gid W. of Conal do Nord From there. Eays went in support of 20 & 2 in suppt of A.17. 2 Coys 18Br were put into Tapbetween 17820 Bas fnbtken sill holes mostly. 24 from other I werea reserve behend heywers 17En. B a Agrain Alley. 30/1 On 1st Sept 23 Bn passed thio on rt &24 Bos on left 18 Bn came nito Radegonde Y abt 10 am.
fire ws woing from across I flat aveation punt. Abt 50 of ferns came out fom Tas if to five themselves up butI my fire pou I left us too hot to alow four ta ete Clerk wstrd partie to hangon Nof the hause while be went to o Sergt S. of it. Hebend to sert ws held upn & told him be thought it bette to withdsaw as they had only vifew & no chance of going furtes. He sent to the Npty to wildrew - had a yarn t A 23 Bn men inflorma yabt 12d. The 23 man sel they were join to stay where they were. C.3d he ad pub out of agrain block the bit of Bague E Nofthe Rd t otlet. C. put his pty tere, fist so of gottlieb in Rague Y. fired a bell of ferm n.& pts g up. On vi Nap Gabtz Aly near 1rby he next a Lewis gun post of 17Bo in the Gottleb of Junct. C. went up galty acto Ct into agram abt. 14 D76. - into Apain & found 19 Bn Ker. Hewent nearly to Rotwell 2 Agrai ws well held as fer s. as to withen 1ooyde of rly. C. returned. Then D Bonhan & cane up- from Pragal of Horins where his loy 10Ba ws. This coy te came up to just sof Tn of Totllieb & Fragal & his bs the well garrio later in Day orders were read to support 19 Bn in Agras Theymoved ap& sread I men out amoapt 1920 in Agram in 1.D. a sext & 15 men wer pet in save 7 S.0f 1rly, hoppi across it, It ws dast 2paps over Cept Kaeppel MC. ws ar injured abt Spr Sl.Ay. Lt A.W. Froine MC7 Bar. wod att 4 Dm. on Aug 31. (R.O.D. in transport lines The proportion of K.5 wd 6 ws about 4 to 1 - largely swing to snipig. Burt - blown up - abt Judy 31. badhs t Philpott - blown up but R.D.D. A good deal of shelling on after any S. The ferms fo/ into Agram Y along 1rly behind 18 Bn & when Iration pty ws guided up there perfectly correstly, abt 7Pm or Ipm they ran into 1Germs On Sept & Bn mose back to Prise.
The serpt after dark (? abt 10) reported to be tought term as working round back of him thro I hedge of hosse socitt of the ALBr of Abbert. Then flases were seen coming down the C.T. near (head of Tohannes (Gottliet well behind. C told 19 ahe ws going to witdsaw his serft & 15 men & form a chain of sentries every 10 or to yds to make a flank along save from agrain to fality. It ws into these to 1 ration pty went. loods morning Bo got I warmig to witdraw I line after tBSe had fone tro. Atter 5Bde adod, 18Bn witdres thy come aby gobliet to Brasso Redoubt & thay were tere at days & fom there to Radegonde He forms probly cane ap aousd pove tevil tod to I traet not ad& thence round I ledge & int the little CT many ut fottliel. R Bn Estrees & Montbrehai on a 27 Ba mosed from Frie to Bussn.. 2 days there Sept 29. From 1S. to Lougasesnes, On to moved to villeret Pot there Dpon. Moved 6pm same day to 1 Canal abt Requesal (S. Encrance to tunnel). Abt 10 po and at Reguesal, Had to mose abt 12pM. & reld 3Bn between the Lorked Sunken Rds just NWof Toacourt in 92 - in V. Shellow Y & Thellholes Reeched there on marnin of set2. stayed all day. English troops on our rt expected us to attack to day but we had no word of any attack to key attacked.
 

AWM38

Official History,

1914-18 War:  Records of C E W Bean,

Official Historian.

Diaries and Notebooks

Item number:  3DRL606/223/1

Title:  Notebook, 1915 - 1918

Includes references to the 8th and 18th

Battalions, 10th Light Horse Regiment, batteries

of the Australian Field Artillery, Lagnicourt,

Dernancourt and Gallipoli.

 

AWM38-3DRL606/223/1

 

[*Feb[[?]] of
(1) Susanne & [[?]] wd
(2) Clery Copse.

Original  DIARY NO. 223.

AWM38   3DRL 606 ITEM 223 [1]

DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN

CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918

THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial.  But, apart from those terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.

These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true.  The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind.  Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when discovered.  Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.

These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing, believed.  Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded.  But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events.  The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true.  All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.

16 Sept., 1946.   C. E. W. BEAN.

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

ACCESS STATUS

OPEN

 

18 Bn Mt St.Q. (Adjt).

Bn started to move after

6 Bde had cleared Frise.

2 Coys A, & C.  moved tt evg.

They were to go thro' Chapter

Wood.  18 ws in liaison w

19 on rt.  Idea was 7

Bde to effect a xing at

Doingt & both to attack

Mt St Q from S. across / river.

On night of 28 Aug. Bn

started its advance.

Diagram - see original

3 obstacles:

Mereancourt Wood

Chapter Wood

High Grd imd w o / River.

It ws at / last / fighting occurred.

They had to reach / Omnicourt
Chord.
1

 

The woods were got without

incident.  The ^first 2 Coys who

got thro Mereanct Wood (wh

ws thick w undergrowth) decided

tt / best plan ws to go thro

making a noise so as

to keep touch.  Several

dugouts were found  & m.g.

pozzies.  Dugouts were

bombed but no Germs

met.  Went on.  The day after,

60 Germs surrendered to the

A.M.C.

Aug 29  By / morning the 4 Coys

agn formed on / Buscourt Feuilleres

Flancourt Rd (S. from village)  They

moved out in arty formation

at 5 a.m.  They went thro Chapter

Wd without incident.  The first

sign they got until on reach

2

 

/ hill in / bend o / River,

where / left Coy got their
objve without fighting -
& / Germs cleared from / farm
down at / S E corner o /
Chord without fighting -
ws m.g.s from / high grd
S. of the Chord.  Prisoners sd tt /
Germs meant to make
their stand there & blow up     
/ bridges at / last moment. 

The rear guard of Germs

put up a nasty fight. We

had no arty nor did / Germs here

& of the first 7 casualties 6 were

k.  The posts were blinded w

L.G. fire while some others

rushed them.  By 1 p.m.[[?]]

/ Germs had escaped, / rest

had gone by / one remaining

3

 

bridge wh blew up later.

18 & 19 got right down to /

river - casualties of 18th Bn

abt a third o / no of men

who were fighting;  18 & 19

wd have each 2 Coys,

abt 250 in all, on this

high grd.

Lt A. A. Walls M.C.   [[MM.?]] ws

sniped in this fight thro /

shoulder.  wd.

The L. gunners suffered most.

In / Aftn 18 Bn ws ordered

to rendezvous on / high bank

wh bordered / E. side o /

Omniėcourt Chord Canal.

They did this.  L.Gs taking positn

on top o / bank.

Orders were issued & countermanded

for xings by Omniėcourt &

4

 

so on - (night 29/30)  It

ws countermanded just before

it came off, partly bec. at /

last minute the Omniėcourt

Causeway bridge wh had

bn mined, blew up.  (wh

more or less saved 1 Bn).

This The grd abt xx crossing had bn reconnoitred

by Lt S.M. Clark M.C. & a patrol.

He wd have had to hold / bridge

while Bn crossed.

Aug 30   abt 9 am The Bn marched

to Feuillieres, & camped in /

fields for breakfast;  then

crossed / river & came along N side.

At / W of Clery they found tt /

high ground NE of Clery ws not

cleared - 20 Bn 34 Bn & 3rd Div

Pioneers had to do this.

5

 

5a

(Lt. Clark) supporting 17 Bn. says:-

C Coy. left from E Corner of Clery by main

Rd. to abt H12D8.6 & hopped off from

there by themselves - along / main rd

to Peronne as far as / bend at

I 13B 7.2 - cut across / corner to /

corner of Park wood - struck /

rd again & followed it to the X

Avenue from Halle.  They stopped there

for a while, getting into m.g. fire from

Prague Trench just S. of / Rd.  23 Bn at /

same time ws coming thro Park wood & /

Avenue & were stopped there by this m.g.

18 Bn L.G. cd see this German m.g. & got

onto him & he cleared.  18 then went on

along / rd - 23 seeing them start, started

also.  They 18 got across from / rd into

Kholm Trench - cutting its way thro 2 belts of

wire w cutters.  Then went up Kholm into

Galatz Alley Prague Trench.  (Instrns were to

mop up Anvil Wood near Peronne).  They advanced

N. up Galatz Alley & got a m.g. there - the

crew ws running away by the CT to Agram Alley

near / rly.  C. Coy (Lt Clark) went after them.

There ws a fight at / Junctn w Agram Alley.

They got another gun there & shot / gunner.  There is

a House in the A of "Albert & Ham Rly" w a hedge

around it.  There ws a free scrap there - a Sergt

& a few men were sent round by Lt Clark.  The  Sergt

ws hung up by m.g. fire from / Avenue further up / rd

& hung on to getAgram Johannes Trench just N of / rd.

Clark took a pty up / trench & into / rly.  A lot of Germs came

out o / orchard running back to / next trench.  Mg

(next page but one) 

 

All night of 30/31 Bn

camped W. of Clery.

At 5 am they moved,

imd behind 17 20 Bn & reached

/ high grd W. of Canal du Nord.

From there 2 Coys  went in

Support of 20 & 2 in Suppt of

19 17.

2 Coys 18 Bn were put into 

/ gap between 17 & 20 Bns (in broken

ground - shell holes mostly).  The

other 2 were in reserve behind

17 Bn.  Possibly They were in Agram Alley.

30/1.

On 1st Sept 23 Bn passed thro

on rt & 24 Bn on left.

18 Bn came into Radegonde

Trench abt  10 a.m.

6

 

6a

fire ws coming from across / flat aviation

ground.  Abt 50 of / Germs came out from

/ trench as if to give themselves up but / m.g.

fire from / left ws too hot to allow of our

taking them prisoner so L.G. was turned onto them.

Clark instrd party to hang on N. of the

house while he went to / Sergt S. of it.  He heard

tt Sergt ws held up - & told him he thought

it better to withdraw as they had only v. few

men & no chance of going further.  He

sent to the N pty to withdraw - had a yarn

to a 23 Bn man in Florina Trench abt / rd.

The 23 man sd they were going to stay where

they were.  C. sd he wd pull out of Agram

& block the bit of Praque Trench N. of the Rd to

Gottlieb. C. put his pty there, just S. of

Gottlieb in Prague Trench, fired a belt of Germ.

m.g. & got / [[?]] gun up.  On going N up

Gabatz Alley near / rly he met a Lewis Gun

post of 17 Bn in the Gottlieb Trench Junctn.  C. went 

up Galatz across & thro' the C.T. into Agram

abt 14 D 7.6. - into Agram & found 19

Bn there.  He went nearly to Rothwell Trench -

Agram ws well held as far S. as to within

100 yds o / rly.  C. returned.  Then Lt Bonham w

18 Bn came up - from Praque or Florina where his Coy

ws.  This Coy then came up to just S of Jn of

Gottlieb & Prague & this ws then well garrisoned.

Later in day orders were recd to support 19 Bn in Agram.

They moved up & spread / men out amongst 19 Bn

in Agram in 14D.  A Sergt & 15 men were put in /

same trench S. of / rly, hopping across it.  It ws dusk.

(2 pages over)
 

Capt Keppe Kaeppel M.C.

ws wd injured abt 5 pm 31. Aug.

Lt A. W. Irvine MC & Bar. wd

abt 4. pm. on Aug 31.  (R.O.D. in

[[Ganiport?]] lines)

x The proportion of k. to wd

ws about 4 to 1 - largely owing

to sniping.

Lt Burt - blown up - abt

3pm Aug 31.

Lt Philpott - ^badly blown up but R.O.D.

- a good deal of shelling on aftn Aug 31.

The Germs got into Agram

Trench along / rly behind 18 Bn & when

/ ration pty ws guided up there

perfectly correctly, abt 7 pm or

8 pm they ran into / Germs.

On Sept 4 Bn moved back

to Frise.

7

 

7a

The sergt after dark (-? abt 10) reported

tt he thought / Germ. ws working round / 

back of him thro / hedge o / house South of the

"ALB" of Albert.  Then flares were seen

coming down the C.T. near / head of Johannes

Trench (Gottlieb) well behind.  C told 19 tt he

ws going to withdraw hisSergt & 15 men

& form a chain of sentries every 10 or

15 yds to make a flank along Save

Trench from Agram to Galetz.  It ws into

these tt / ration pty went.

Towds morning Bn got / warning

to withdraw / line after 5 Bde had gone

thro.  After 5 Bde advd, 18 Bn withdrew

- they came along Gottlieb to Brasso Redoubt -

& they were there all day, & from there to

Radegonde.

The Germs probly came up / avenue

from Anvil wd to / trench N o / rd &

thence round / hedge & into the little CT

running into Gottlieb. 

 

18Bn Estrees & Montbrehain.

On Aug Sept 27 Bn moved from

Frise to Bussu..  2 days there.

Sept 29.  From B. to Lougavennes.

On Sept 30 Oct 1st moved to Villeret.

Got there 2 pm.  Moved 6 pm

same day to / Canal abt

Requival (S. entrance to tunnel).

Abt 10 pm arrd at

Requival;  Had to move abt

12 p.m. & reld 31 Bn between

the Forked Sunken Rds just

NW of Joncourt  in 9 a - in

v. shallow trench & shellholes.

Reached there on morning

of Sept Oct 2.  stayed all day.

English troops on our rt

expected us to attack tt day but

we had no word of any attack

tho' they attacked.

8

 

 

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