Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/225/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066684
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

SS. Peronne (capt wyllie. D5 Bn on morning of Sept I came from Clery canal only crosnw Buscoust, te filed along to rt to Onnie court under trees; then crossed at Omniecourt over one bridge near & so to. by bank (wh ws thence crowded) & upto abt 6 Central. The P5 ws to be (last to past tro - following behind 56, round E 9 Peronne & then outs 1 high grd. Abt Can. After 56Bn 55 pashed off along 1rt line, in suigh file, & then along 1 2d tDro 7C
thence to 1 left (from abt 7c centrel) on a short cut to Frly (wh they had planeed t follow) at 14 Centl. They het Irty abt 14 A centl. - There was a vileavy barrage ontop low god & Coys lost men - went in sungle fill. Thence just oulside NE side of Hallewood to Peronne Rd. The Jerms were now firing at them to Mgs. from 1bidgs of Mt STO. (S. corner So they took what advanteg they cof cover afforded b7 I slight bank 01 rd (working Pw of it)
They wel 1 first ferm & moving back this road, Each little gronp under a while flag & they more or less covered Os. Near Duinconce bood Rd mas thro a deep over 6 Here they got cattey touch w S6Bn wh a strung along 12d ahead, &wh ws in touch w er ux The ferms had got out Mt D0 again. SS Boy then formed a defensive flank along by line in 20B 5.75o 8.S & thince to the rd where 20 it enters I wood. From here
they completely cosered flat towds nt S O. Lod Divn witedoew, reoyanin & then worked up Aro bf Systems agn & attacked Wt St Q. My co be seen clodging up thio Ihouses & were pretty firinl estabd. When this happents -of od be abt 4 Pn, 55 went out & took up a defensive flank just $ of the Mt DR Quinconce Rd. Te Rd is lined a old dump t rt yds - + 55 ws in posit att 200 yds short of it w a clear field fire to 1Rd of Wyllie went ap aftres
dark & found rt of 2 Divin Abt 15 D. L4. Their flank overlapped S5 Bo a bit. being in port of it That ws posit at night; with 53 just ahead o I camctery, then a Coy of SB, then S4 into Peronne. Septn Abt 2 am. Orders arrioe for a fresh attack, first time to lett Herews what ws t Every oe it ws off. to happen, This day objice for SP Bn ws 1 high ground in A I35 B &C from rly up to road Xin 3 of Doingt ridge.
5 ws follow 55. 2f 55 wh 53 Bn & One Coy. ws attd to them had had their attack on After of Sept 1 from Cmeleny] 55 Bn moved too. S (on el & took up lim on Rd. 55led - 1 rosd wh is as a ris Your then down outsILollow by ugar Factor 5 foled wen 55 went thro As on I previous day1 ws had excelent barrages down. Our arty ws a preparst for 4 he before zers Esch day - & 50 6 (time Jero came (gerec
us also barraging heavity. There as a berrage on to Mr St O-Quinconse RS. One phi of 55 lost most of its men, + Bn lost pretty beavily. They got down Trby bank I found outs Eer Coyo55 still there. The firor Coy of 50 had gooe over but then us v heavy nig. fire from Ramparts at NE of town. There ws a terrific. nf fire on bank & flats ahead for there. It lay onder bank for a time. Ten Capt Pinkstone's Coy (Ap) & wentov to try & suppt 55 Bn. They cdnt move on 1
wy 3 958 388 20 82 Ms gover m you ting wou 5 4 1a8.807 w t 2d 3 7 180 Ta9 M noonoyf 1407 flat other side & the had to with draw again over 1 Embankt. Lieut Inglis Ws K. Aere. The whole low ground ws also under direct & amuediate arty fire from I wooded hills due E.-at slightist movement this fire ws immediate & ws terefore direct. Cept Pinkstone wd & most of his men. ws they withdrew behind (bark & went out. The S5 Bn Ken Dent 51lif. to I Sugarfactor coh dominated (flank. B coy under Es Phillips & Elsmore did this. They foum
t 1922 t M 0ro t o n y o a o lgoe your mays lngu s w +7 germs in it – there ws direct m[fire down (back 0I Eurbanter from a mP there. At his noment 59 Bn got in behind (bank Absqfom Peronse Way. Scanlon Saw Capt Wyllie & saw how trays were. B CoySt got in touch t 2 Dwn (26Bn) just on other side o1rd. From Sugar Facty saiping tactics were ten opened on Crokin bldgs across rid we had fine cover in 1Suger Factory & they saifed 18. inoutoblss o continue down 1rdt SrI
177 t H pmo o noogor da ron H.D 362& 0 ToS m s -yous t Lss sont Key ten found to Lerft OConnor of 28 Bn hads little line out betwFrly & moat 26 Ba post ws not an touch a rest of 26. The ferms withdrew pom St Drnis Rd houses. & ther ws a gent novenet of witdrawal noticed from in the Axcicourt Rd & Dernstdt& wwde woods on hill. The fire from Ramparts had stopped. We were able to move abt v. freely & Konyto Serms wer retreating. (As a nalle of fact they had mig-posts) Wytis saw 26 & 56 &. c dicited to try & advance w0as

55. Peronne

(Capt Wyllie)

55 Bn on morning of

Sept 1 came from Clery

(crossed ^canal only at Buscourt, then

filed along to rt to Omnie'court

under / trees; then crossed

at Omnie'court over one bridge

& so to near / big bank (wh ws

crowded) & ^thence up to abt 6 central.

The 55 ws to be / last

to push thro - following

behind 56, round E of

Peronne & then onto / 
high grd.

Abt 6 am. After 56 Bn

55 pushed off along / rly

line, in single file, & 

then along / rd thro 7 c -

70

 

thence to / left (from abt

7 c Central) on a short

cut to / rly (wh they had

planned to follow) at

14 Centl.  They hit / rly

abt 14 A Centl. - there

was a v. heavy barrage

on / lef low grd &

Coys lost men - went in

single file.  Thence just outside

NE side of Halle Wood to /

Peronne Rd.

The Germs were now 

firing at them w m.gs. from

/ bldgs of Mt St Q. (S. Corner)

So they took what advantage

they cd o / cover afforded

by / slight bank o / 

rd (working SW of it).

71

 

They met / first Germ prisoners

moving back this road,

each little group under 

a white flag & they more

or less covered us.

Near Quinconce Wood 

/ Rd runs thro a deep

cutting ^over 6ft.  Here they got

touch w 56 Bn wh ws
strung along / rd ahead,

& wh ws in touch w

53. wh were hung up.

The Germs had got into

Mt St Q again.

55 Bn then formed a

defensive flank along /

rly line in 20 B 5.7 to 8.5

& thence to the rd where

it enters / wood.  From there

72

 

they completely covered / flat

towds Mt St Q.

2nd Divn withdrew, reorganised
- & then worked up thro' /

trench systems agn & attacked

Mt St Q.  They cd be seen

dodging up thro / houses &

were pretty firmly estabd.

When this happened - it

ws be abt 4pm, 55 went

out & took up a defensive

flank just E W of the Mt St Q
- Quinconce Rd.  The Rd is

lined w old dump & rly

yds - & 55 ws in

positn abt 200 yds

short of it w a clear field

of fire to / Rd.

Wyllie went up after

73

 

dark & found rt of 2 Divn

abt 15 D 7.4 5.2.  Their flank

overlapped 55 Bn a bit,

being in front of it.

That was / positn at

night; with 53 just ahead

o / Cemetery, then a Coy of
56, then 54 into Peronne.

Sept 2  Abt 2a.m. orders

arrived for a fresh attack.

There ws just time to tell

everyone what ws going

to happen, & it ws off.

This day objve for

55 Bn ws / high ground in

Q I 35 B & C from rly up

to / road Xing S of Doingt up

to / ridge.

74

 

55 ws following 53 56.

[53 Bn & one Coy ^(A) of 55 wh

ws attd to them had had

their attack on aftn of

Sept 1 from Cemetery].

56 Bn moved thro. 55

(on rly) & took up line on

Rd.  56 led - / road

is on a rise from wh

you then pass over / crest

& down into / hollow by /

rly to Sugar Factory.

55 folld when 56 went thro.

As on / previous day /

Germs had excellent barrages

down. Our arty ws a

preparatn for ½ hr before

Zero each day - & so by

/ time Zero came / Germ
75

 

ws also barraging heavily.

There ws a barrage on tt

Mt St Q - Quinconce Rd.

One pln of 55 lost most of

its men, & Bn lost pretty

heavily.  They got down

onto / rly bank & found

rear Coy of 56 still there.  The first

Coy of 56 had gone over but

there ws v. heavy m.g.

fire from Ramparts at

NE of town.  There ws

a terrific m.g. fire on

bank & flats ahead from

there.  55 lay under /

bank for a time.  Then

Capt Pinkstone's Coy (left)

went over to try & suppt

56 Bn.  They cdnt move on /

76

 

k.  Capt Jhonson M.C.
Capt Wilson MC. both during
German c/attack
up the Le
Catelet System
Lt Althouse: at 6 a.m.  First shell fired k.
him on the J.O. Line ws his
first battle
Lt Ralph MM. (on return from his raid)
wd. Lt Thomspson wd in / Le Catelet line
Lt Stinson M.C. During early
bombing attack
up Le Catelet
System
Lt Potts w. early
after / start, slightly.
At 28 Central the C.T.
ws held by / Germs - xx 2 of the
77s were captd there at
28 C. 85. 90.
Rest of this Battle is fully
gn in narrative -
122
123

flat / other side & they had

to withdraw again over

/ embankt.  Lieut Inglis

ws k. there.  The whole

low ground ws also under

direct & immediate arty

fire from / wooded hills

due E. - at slightest

movement this fire ws

immediate & ws therefore

direct.  Capt Pinkstone

ws wd & most of his men.

They withdrew behind / bank

and went out.

The 55 Bn then went

to / left to / Sugar factory

wh dominated / flank.

B Coy under Lts Phillips & 

Elsmore did this.  They found

77

 

left rt of Le Catelet line abt
300 yds across open to settle
a m.g. in some dugouts there
ws after this during further
bombing advance.
Centre & left of Bn ws on
tunnel making its way N.
Rt in Catelet line.
Lt Hills who got DSO for
his work on / Tunnel & throughout
ws on / Tunnel - but ws
forced by G. c/attack^at 10 am eventually
into / Le Catelet Line.  Hill did /
Best work here - Ralph's ws a fine incident
The terrace as A 22 Centl
ws v. heavily held w m.gs.
Casualties see next page
122 

Germs in it - there ws

direct mg fire down / back

o / embankt from a mg

there.  At this moment

59 Bn got in behind / bank

also, from Peronne way.

Scanlon saw Capt Wyllie &

saw how things were.

B Coy 55 got in touch

w 2 Dvn (26 Bn) just on

/ other side o / rd.  From /

Sugar Facty  Sniping tactics

were then opened on /

broken bldgs across / rd -

we had fine cover in / Sugar 

Factory & they sniped /

Germs out o / bldgs wh

continue down / rd to

St. D.

78

 

calibre were also to fire
& they just woke / Germs.
Directly 53 Bn passed /
start they got v. heavy m.g.
fire from Cabaret wood Fm &
/ Tunnel - & tt fire ws
supplemented by field guns over
open sights. The Germs made
a determined stand at
A 29.c 5.4 near / Camp
Signal Stn.  2 field guns were
taken there.  As soon as Bn
got out of the J. Off C.T. they
had to get into the Catelet trench
& bomb along as / fire ws so
hot.
For German C. attack up trench
w bombs see narrative.
Lieut Ralphs exploit w 3 men to
121

They then found tt Sergt O Connor

of 26 56 Bn had a little line out

betw S. rly & moat

26 Bn post ws not in

touch w rest of 26.

The Germs withdrew

from / St Denis Rd houses, -
& there ws a genl movement

of withdrawal noticed from

behind the Aziecourt Rd &

Darmstadt trench towds / woods on / hill.

The fire from Ramparts

had stopped.  We were able

to move abt v. freely

& thought / Germs were

retreating.  (As a matter

of fact they had m.g. posts).

Wyllie saw 26 & 56 & .

decided to try & advance so as

79

 

 

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