Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/225/1 - 1915 - 1918 - Part 9

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

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212 2 t t nomo 15 I and try w 39 1.7 o 8E5 or 8A 157 Ad5 Mo.S o n of 777 to go well beyond St D dia They sent Scoute out. As soon as Keel Scouls got over a bump of land E of St Tens they ren into dern ferman - nep posts. Weither Side too expecting 1 other B Elsnore & his plin hopped in ogo an offe 6ferms & 2 i/ - He found himself directly opposite a double post in a pozze
M Song wons 4.214 t nor C Yom t my 5 207 o aners 709 of 4 is troys -sos i no ophoo g ro & mp o 3 0:0 r on top of n They ran mosn - Kest Jerms past ben wogds from rd I first man wh fered suta bullit thro 1 offis shoulder + to did it. We teey had 3 wd. They had to getback As soon as possible w 00 On of8 10 men 2 guns & men of ours. They kept a live slightly aheed o10 line jirst far ene to keep 1 germ beg to out other side of. Ariccourt Rd: The after as well The Coy now had att 26, It Bn had lear
105 n 2 e 9 0 or 62p 76 y 25 3529 o 3 E 1 MtSO & Agiect Rds. Th main trouble wore ws arty five from hills - you contmove now at att. 59 behend bank had casnattis& Other logs of 55 also orders very ten recd for 55 & 55 under woods to take St Dines Wood. Wyllies Coy ws now 26 story & 1 others notvmuch Stronly Next orders were recd to 59wd relieve thim to night & ty came from (bank did so. Iswd have moved up E of L Denis & Strayghtend 23 live after clark - but we reld.
Ny A 4 799 22 now noy so r 922 M y oo 9 mnoy lnd 1004 182 I a youi 2 Sept 1 searts samy - ende better; Sept 2 was pretty fine The German 106 fase outin open wov. dangerous - severed arms & severed Cbs. K. Inglis as above. Hunt (W Coy atto to 53) attacheg as ant posts Facto Cotterill in after sept 2 in Factory reconnoityy to Collis in attack as up is eog to gall ap aft to gap W 53 on a/6 of 58 Sept 1T. Collowing behind 53. by shll King lost leg W. Home on Sept 2 Nechols wd on Sept2 Es
7 hys n ti 31 itys dys x o o 2o 2 you o t t ron hyo bcour 55 Bn. (ma Plutsbury, O Chad wiik 22NC0) Ba lay at Hervilly. Had to follow 30 am. Devn + take a posite bete Estrees & Nawroy. 14Bde in support to other two Tust W. of Villeret then met 1 for pretty thick & were held up on 1rd fr traffic. They were moving on. 1 black &o. Te traffic ts art 3 7 52 56 To so by black Rd independent to betw Estrees & Nawroy, Movey Exter this or round Bellicourt As depended in fire). From Hervilly OHis had be sent up to
t guoys sonin prory try an t o gs p5 n 3r G do o t ad a F Betco 0 (that morning). Left Hervilly abt 8. Constanty heto up b traffic. II am held up West of Villeret. May Stutibary CO.Bnwent on to w of Bellicourt & found arty conng back & heard to attack had be held up. Them Brought Bn up pom villeret to G7D, y on hill w of Bellecont. Tey reported their posite & were orders to take up posite in Ikin 2 in 684- - 54 being on et in Rope Y. Oter in rear. Here by 3.30 or 4am. the banep us & heavy jas W. of Bellicout in G Bn ad have gone. to While in Stem Y a regt
A0. o lny by h t of 32 t w p t t of americous Cprot Brgii be doyn weves) in cite lines of skermishers a fixed bayonets - who id tay rechoned thei people were is trouble & they had be cent up to help. Tey were going Ne towds the Hill in A 28C. At 6.30 pm. St resd order to go tho Bellicourt. & take a posite in te Catelet hng R. 45 BT.D. They moved Abt 10 to 7 & went be Rel Rd to Belicoust. Bellet w0 being heavify shelled so t decided to move roun Nof it tht I hire. They had ott way throt line att 63D5.6 when they read I move we vertes order to elled. At WBde adod aers an
56088 so fo t t now lining ao not ton t confermet. Bomooed back again in mc & v. dark & gas to tkin very pleaser! Tey had y- donbs - 12 of him up it in Ilive (w supplies, water Etc as tey were still carrying out longinal plan. These were got by enorous sports cuto Hindenburg line exc. the by black Rale to 1AMC material who repsed to juny down an I night- the ma who as leading him ws lying dowr. (They got back w diffy to Tkin 2 & settled down + then at 11 poe came order to attend a lonfce at k 53 Bu 49. at 11 poD lot tere at tryigto
t t 30 9 t t t ao moy my son h my mo s t tom a ays t) m tr h9 dg 10 8 t d to pn o diad map referenssin a black ayht (Brig just arrd) There as instro to 53 Bn w It. a support us to attack from 28BS D. N along1line Of tanvel + f Le Citely Systen, II ws to move in support of 53 + make good Le taliht live fromI paration to 15 Bde at 28B 6.5. 530 to clear whole line; 55 ws to occapy lil & ta pash sut L. W patrols & fai ground towds St Marte Estrees Rd This aback to begin at 6 am Confa ended & Stretsbury got back to Bn at 3.15 am. To Inforied Coy Cor
A05 1 oen nog 8n sha wroys or 11 54 oy tyons m an h S lgb SA at 430 t lookin up aerial photos they saw a track thro [ wire & decided to send I.O. to find it, & avoid Rellecoart. PR.S. Mooris MC. To. found as he went track, leading Bn at 1 head of colerin throI wire to J.O. posite in 28C.&D by 5e55an A Fomedup on tick of 6. A barrag as suppose to be down but only 2 or3 gead fired. formed up in C.T. in 4 A&B. 5B were a little later in posite. They kiched off from Dame C.T. Bn only had 2 Coys & pushed of AFB CL Each double Coy abt 90 stron

When this barrage, what 
there ws of it, started,  /
Germ. woke up & started   
m.g. fire & arty fire. 
C.O. decided, as they
cdnt get further, to string
Bn out E & W thro / trench
line thro G.3 B, G4 A & B,
& go forwd from there in arty 
formatn & deploy at / start 
line. This worked satisfactorily 
& they were only 15 mins
late; 55 Bn were to Support 
53 Bn. 
Our own ^heavy gun barrage at / last 
moment ws cut out owing to / 
American higher Command
saying tt their people were [[still]]
in the line.  A few guns of light 
119

120

to go well beyond St D

Hand drawn diagram - see original document 

They sent Scouts out.  As

soon as these Scouts got over

a bump of land E of St

Denis they ran into enemy

German m.g. posts.  Neither

side ws expecting / other.

Lt Elsmore & his pln

hopped in & go an offr &

10 Germs & 2 mgs - He

found himself directly opposite

a double post in a pozzy.
80

 

wd take them to / J.O. line.
These guides didn't materialise 
So adjt ws sent in to find 
out what ws / matter. He 
ws informed tt no one knew / 
way. Col. had to take Bn
then himself across [[comity]]
& found tt / reference gn by
Sigs for 15 Bde Hqrs ws also
an error - 300 yds out. 
Col. had no time to correct 
this & so took them straight 
across as best he cd to / 
start line - a vile night
- dark, slippery, drizzling.
All these things so delayed / 
march tt when they reached
G 4 A 2.4 Zero had 
arrived & / barrage fell. 
119

They ran right on top of

these Germs - not more

than 100 yds from past / rd -

/ first man wh fired

put a bullet thro /

offrs shoulder & tt did it.

We They had 3 wd.

They had to get back

as soon as possible w

an offr & 10 men 2 guns & 3 wd

men of ours.  They kept

a line slightly ahead o / old

line just far eno forwd

to keep / Germ beyond

on / other side o / rd. Aziecourt

Rd.

The aftn ws well on.

The Coy now had abt 26

men.  58th Bn had / corner
81

 

53 Bn Bellicourt.
(Col Cheeseman)
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
56 53 55 54
On night of 29, 53 Bn ws
resting abt Hervilly. They were 
told to settle for / night. 

At 2am word came for
C.O.s, Confce at Col. xxxx Cheeseman's

Hqrs. 53 ws suppd to be / 
last to attack on acct o /
heavy casualties at Peronne.
At 3a.m. Gen. walked in 
& sd "You will attack at 6 am."
He gave a plan. 
The 55 Bn offered to guide 

53 to 15 Bde Hqrs. where quides 
118

o / Mt St Q & Aziect

Rds. The main trouble

now ws arty fire from

/ hills - you cdnt move

now at all.  59 behind

/ bank had casualties &

Other Coys of 55 also

Orders were then

recd for 55 & 56 under

Col xxxxxx Woods to take

St Denis wood. Wyllies Coy

ws now 26 strong & / others

not v. much stronger.

Next orders were recd

tt 59 wd relieve them tt night

& they came from / bank &

did so. 55 wd have moved

up E of St. Denis & straightened

line after dark - but ws reld.
82

 

C:  LT Eastment ws wd in aftn
attack
D:  Capt. Lindsay wd in 5pm att.
Lt Anslow k. during first 
Consolidatn near / brickwks

Lt Dent Wd in 5pm attack. 

Hqrs: Lt Shearwood. k by shellfire
going to 23rd Bn HQ abt Zero
hour. 
(H.4 k. 6. wd.)
Bn went in abt 400 strong (?,
Abt 236 casualties o.r.
(none now missing).
117
 

Sept 1 started rainy - ended

better; Sept 2 was pretty

fine.

The German 106 [[fuse?]]

out in / open ws v.

dangerous - severed arms

& severed limbs.

K. Inglis as above.

Hunt (w Coy attd to 53) attacking
some m.g. posts

Jackson Cotterill in aftn Sept 2 in

Factory reconnoitring to 

move up in evg to

fill up after xx gap
to 58
by shell

. Collis in attack

w 53 on aftn of

. . Sept 1st. following behind 53.
W. King lost leg .
Horne on Sept 2 
Nichols wd on Sept 2 
83

 

gettin thro / Cemetery near 
/ rly line.
Crank's & Weatherley's
Gun ws up betw / brickworks
& / wood amongst / huts.
Currie's gun ws taken
by him in / first rush
on Quincouce Wood. This 
gun ws blazing over open
sights. C. rushed it & sprayed
/ crew w his m.Gun. He 
got his m.g. (at / head o / 
sap running along / rly)
in / same style. 
All night S/Bs were 
out collecting wd in Nomansland
& ammn being got forward 
Lt Davies ws k digging in in
morning out by / Cemetery (C 
116
 

55Bn.  Bellicourt.

(Maj Stutsbury, Lt Chad wick
& 2 NCOs)

Bn lay at Hervilly.

Had to follow 30 Am. Divn

& take a positn betw Estrees

& Nauroy. 14 Bde in

support to other two.

Just W. of Villeret they

met / fog pretty thick &

were held up on / rd by

traffic. They were moving

on / black rd.  The traffic

ws arty.

 

53                  55

____              ____       →

____              ____

56                  54

 

To go by black Rd independently

to betw Estrees & Nauroy, moving

either thro or round Bellicourt

(as depended on fire).  From

Hervilly offrs had bn sent up to
84

 

of 53 Bn were back in / 
positn from wh they started 
at 5 p.m. B. sent a runner 
giving his positn & strength & 
ws with drawn at 1.a.m.
as there ws to be a new 
barrage next day. 
Another party x (D Coy

under Lt Waite) got into 
/ sugar factory into / big 
cement troughs; Lt Ha

Others got into the broken ground
by the rly cuttings w jxxx fork
there S. of Factory. Waite
got there into / Factory.
They came back abt 3.30 a.m.
They heard Currie's shouts 
after them. (Currie & 2 others 
also captd a m.g. just after 

115
 

find a rd route round Belicourt

(that morning).  Left Hervilly

abt 8. Constantly held up by

traffic.  11 a.m. held up

West of Villeret.  Maj Stutsbury

C.O. Bn went on to W of

Bellicourt & found arty

coming back & heard tt attack

had bn held up.  Then Brought Bn

up from Villeret to G 7D, trenches on

hill W of Bellicourt.  They reported

their positn & were ordered

to take up positn in trenches

Skin trench in G 8A - 54

being on rt in Rope trench.  Others

in rear.  There by 3.30 or 4pm.

The barrage ws v heavy just 

W. of Bellicourt in trenches Bn

wd have gone to xx.

While in Skin trench a regt
85

 

He got in touch there w
Capt Downing & Col Marshall.
He sd tt / 5 pm attack
had broken down but tt /
Bn ws in / rly cuttings in
front of [[?]] J O line.
Bevan recrossed / moat
at / same place w his men
- it ws now dusk - & pushed
forwd as far as he cd to
a ditch abt 22 C 4.7 but
cdnt get any further - He
sent patrols forwd (had
12 men left) & tried to get
touch w / rest of Bn.  He
cdnt get touch but Lt Scott -
Bde M.gunner 14 M.G.  Coy -
ws scouting around & met
Bevan & told him tt / rest
114
 

of Americans (prob Bn, in

½ dozen waves) in arty fr

lines of skirmishers w fixed

bayonets - who sd they

reckoned their people were

in trouble & they had bn sent

up to help.  They were going

NE towds the Hill in A 28 C.

At 6.30pm.  55 recd order

to go thro Bellicourt & take

a positn in Le Catelet line

B . G 5 B & D.  They moved

abt 10 to 7 & went by Red

Rd to Bellicourt.  Bellct. ws

being heavily shelled so they

decided to move round N of

it thro / line.  They had

got ½ way thro / line abt

G 3 D 5.6  when they recd a

verbal order tt / move ws

cancelled.  At 15 Bde advd Hqrs
86

 

follow / moat round as
m.g. fire ws coming from
/ ramparts.  The men knew
some rough timber across /
moat (/ Germs had bn
making dugouts under /
ramparts) - Crossed /
moat, got on top o /
ramparts & followed them
around (some bits of timber
reached right across / moat
like telegraph poles - abt 25 ft)
B. pushed down / ramparts
for abt 200 yds.  He struck
inland to 28 A 20.95
& pushed across & struck
54 Bns left post facing a
big brick wall (probly
facing Flamicourt & / Stn).
113


This ws confirmed. Bn moved

back again in rain & mud

& v. dark & gas to Skin

trench - very pleased!. They had /

"donks" - 12 of them up rt in

/ line (w supplies, water etc)

as they were still carrying out

/ original plan.  These were

got by enormous efforts into

/ Hindenburg line exc.  the big

black mule w / AMC

material who refused to jump

down in / night - the man

who ws leading him ws lying

down.  (They got back w diffy

to Skin trench & settled down &

then at 11pm came new an

order to attend a Confce at

xxxxx 53 Bn Hq. at 11pm.

Got there at 1 p.m. 1a.m. trying to
87

 

were to make a dash & get
in close under / ramparts
& then work E in dead
ground of / moat & / rly
Cuttings.
Both parties went over
/ top at 5 p.m.
C Coy got to the Second
rly line (not shown on map).
They cdnt move from there owing
to m.g. fire from E end o /
ramparts & St Denis.
Lt Bevan of A Coy ^started with
65 men A, B, & a pln of 55.
He ws E of the Cemetery
when / attack ws ordered.  They
rushed straight down for
/ ramparts w / men.  He
saw it wd be impossible to
112
 

find map reference in a 

black night (Brig just arrd)

There ws instrd tt 53 Bn w

55 in support ws to attack

from 28 B & D N along / line

o / tunnel & / Le Catelet System.

55 ws to move in support

of 53 & make good Le Catelet

line from / junction w

15 Bde at 28 B 6.5. ; 53 ws

to clear whole line; 55 ws

to occupy line & later then push

out E. w patrols & gain

ground towds / St Martin

Estrees Rd.

This attack to begin at 6 am.

Confce ended & Stutsbury got

back to Bn at 3.15 a.m;

Informed Coy Commandrs
88

 

Beside / Rly embakt ws
a big factory bldg.  53 Bn
left patrols out there as long
as they thought safe & withdraw
them after midday.  There were
hundreds of Germs streaming
back over / open to / SE
Corner of Mt St Q & into
small trenches by / St Denis Rd.
Nothing ws done then
till 5 pm.  At 5 pm.
another attack ws made.
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
There ws a
trench S of /
rly embankt
as shown.
C & D Coys
were
worked
into this.
They were to attack as shown. A & B
111
 

Bn pushed off at 4.30.

Looking up aerial photos

they saw a track thro /

wire & decided to send I.O.

to find it, & avoid Bellicourt.

Lt. R.S. Morris M.C I.O. found

/ track, as he went. leading Bn at /

head o / Column thro /

wire to J.O. positn in 

A 28 C & D by 5.55am.

Formed up on tick of 6.

A barrage ws supposed

to be down but only 2 or 3

guns fired.

Formed up in C.T. in 4

A & B.  53 were a little later

in positn.  They kicked off from

same C.T.  Bn only had 2 Coys

& pushed off.

A & B

_____

C & D

_____

Each double Coy abt 90 strong.
89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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