Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/227/1 - Folder - Part 8

266.
came up - but were firing on S.O.S. line in the mist.
One of the 5.9's in the Quarry north of Marceleave had a
direct hit on it.
In the main line of resistance (at about 32 D.8.2.) the
Germans put up a good fight. The line was held up. Lieut.
Gaby got through a hole in the wire. Then a man was seen.
walking along the parapet firing his revolver. 40 to 50
Germans and 4 M.G.'s surrendered. The man turned out to be
Lieut. Gaby a Tasmanian who was working in W.A. He
commanded D Coy. in this attack. The Germans chucked their
resistance in that line when the tanks came up.
Lieut. Farquharson (wounded three times before - who had
been in 10th L.H. charge at the Nek, when laying the tapes was
wounded in the neck and continued on and led his platoon to
the objective. He was sent away later.
2/Lieut. Shorrock got a D.S.O. for a similar action to
Gaby's in the same system.
Lieut. Kell, sig. officer, killed. Went out to fix the
line himself half an hour after zero.
Lieut. Patterson, killed; as liaison officer to 27th Bn.
by a shell which nearly got Col. Chalmers.
Lieuts. Farquharson,
             Flannigan - twice from main line of resistance.
              Stokes,  -                                     do.
              Hopkins - also very early in advance.
Only 24 O.R. were hit (2 killed).
Coy Commanders.
A. Lieut. Hopkins.
B. Capt. Mactaggart, D.C.M. (killed by whizzbang on
9th Aug. He was at the head of his platoon which got 14 or
15 men hit by the small shell).
C. Capt. Dunkley.
D. Lieut. Gaby.
Mactaggart was on his way to a school when he saw the
Colonel and asked to be allowed to go into the offensive.
 AUGUST 9th.  - On Aug. 9th. the Bn. moved up at 11 a.m.
28th Bn was to follow 1000 yds. behind 26th Bn. (as Bn. in
reserve). About the crucifix the Bn. was coming in artillery
formation. The G.O.C. told them to keep an eye on Vauvillers.
Out of the sky came a German Plane with 3 of ours onto
him. There was not one of our men hit, though there was this
German plane and several of ours chasing it and fighting low.
This was xxxxxxxxxxxxx  near the crucifix near Harbonnieres.
Bn. H.Q. was 1000 yds. ahead in order to keep touch
with the support Bn.
28th Bn. stayed there that day - the Germans shelled the
hospital very heavily.
On afternoon of 10th Aug. at 5 p.m. Col Currie was
called to Bde. and learned that there was an attack at dawn
next day. C.O. went up with Coy Commander to see the ground
He decided to attack with three Coys.  in front line and one
in support. The 5th Bde. however were 500 yds. behind at
this stage, and so C.O. decided to have B Coy. make a
defensive flank if necessary. Each attacking Coy. had a
frontage of 250 yds.
(Lt. Ditchbourne) B|
D| (Lt.Gaby - killed)
C| ( Captain Dunkley )
A| (Lt Loveday - killed)

267.
The numbers were very low and they went over in one
wave of two lines. They had to go 600-700 yds. to 
reach the hilltop.
They all got into position without casualties. It was
densely dark and  the C.O. realised that he was on a track not
the right road, but Framerville was in view and they reached
the big bank which they were to form under. The 5th Bde.
being behind, 23th Bn. did not have to start for 15 mins. in
order to let 5th. Bde come up. The moment the barrage
started there was a tremendous burst of M.G. fire. This
wait saved things. When the troops went over found
the Germans down in their trenches, on chap smoking a
cigarette. He said - "Oh, we not think Australians come!"
Gaby led his Coy. over to the objective. As he walked
along the parapet to see that the posts were all connected up
he was sniped through the heart. Loveday was wounded as
they were digging in - he died later. He passed his C.O.,
saying from the stretcher ' "We're winning, Sir - we're
winning."
There had not been a German in the position ahead of the 
 28th Bn. the day before - as far as could be seen - the
Germans were fresh troops who had come into the position
that night. 16 M.G.'s, 2 officers and 64 men were got in
the pot holes about 150 yds. ahead of our line and in the 
roadbank, etc.
The sniping was very hot that day - no trenches to get
into and few shellholes.
Lieut. Maskiell was wounded there.
28th Bn. was relieved by 6th Bde. Went to Bussy.
Came back to Cappy. (The 32nd Division which relieved 28th
Bn. in Amiens line brought its band up!) The advance party
officer came up - thought he was going into billets. He had
no tin hat, no gas mask, no revolver, no map. He said
there had been a mistake, he thought!
AUGUST 29th. - 28th BATTALION
The Bn. arrive at Cappy on afternoon of 28th August.
About 8.30 p.m. came word of a conference at Bde. at p 9 p.m.
C.O. went down at 9 p.m. and heard of the attack next day
5 miles away. They had to pass through 6th Bde at 7.30,
but it was not known where 6th Bde. would be - it was thought
they would have Herbecourt.
26th Bn. was on right; 28thth in centre; 27th on left;
25th in reserve.  28th Bn. attacked on a 3 Coy. front of
14400 yds.
           27th;

25th) 28th; →
           26th;
B. Capt. Macintyre ;
C. Edmonson          ;  →
A. Lt. Hardwick       ;
D. Major Glyde (reserve)\

268.
They left the big bank south of Cappy at 5.15 a.m. A 
limber was at the head of the column with all L.G.'s and
panniers. They marched past the Chateau orchard with 100
yds. betwen Coys. in column. (Word arrived that 6th Bde
had taken Herbecourt).
They formed on the road running north of Dompierre.
Left there at 7 a.m. A line of scouts first, 300 to 400
yards ahead of artillery formations - then artillery
formation.
Orders were to get ahead - no one had seen the place
before. The C.O. rode forward to where he could see
Flaucourt and he showed it to them as the passed. That
was the centre of the objective, he said.
A section of R.H.A. was attached that day. Col Currie
told the officer this morning before starting - "What if we
say you meet me at the cross-roads east of Hanncourt at 9.30".
He said "Right-Oh"! and there he was waiting for them.
6th Bde. were in the trenches south of Herbecourt -
whole Bde. moved through them exactly on time.
Flaucourt was protected by very thick wire - and by
C.O's instructions was enveloped; but no one was in it.
No opposition was struck till the ridge in front of the
river. They were held up there before Biaches wood. But
26th Bn. got on and the Germans, seeing this, began to clear
back across the bridges. In the wood 28th Bn. got 1 officer
and 24 O.R.
About 200 Germans crossed the road bridge into Peronne
and shortly afterwards these bridges went up (much to
everyone's relief - as the troops were to get round to
Doingt!) Both the Bristol bridges were blown up.
H.Q. were in the Maisonette. On the way up, while they
were lunching int he bank in N.6.B., our 6-in. shells were
falling 100 yds. behind. The C.O. rang up and told them
to lift at least two miles. The shelling shortly ceased.
The R.H.A. officer and battery afterwards came up to this
bank. The German shelling on that afternoon was pretty
active.
About 11 a.m. n 30th August Lieut. Tozer and a fine
scout named Barber (Sergt. Hugh Barber, M.M) were sent to
see if the bridges (Bristol bridges) were crossable. They
went down and Barber was actually standing on the bridge
and looking over the side (the 20 or 30 ft. on our end were
standing) when he was shot through the head. His brother
Lieut. R. Barber. was killed on November 16m 1916. at Flers).
No officers were hit that day - and not many men.
The morning of Aug. 30 the 26th Bn. was to secure a
crossing. 7th Field Coy. was to make two footbridges.
26th Bn. was to cross and swing round to Doingt and 28th to
follow and secure their right. The y bridges were both made
across the Canal, but the marshes stopped them.
(General Elliott was to relieve them. Pompey Elliott
came in and threw his bag down on the side of the Maisonette:
"Brigade H.Q. here." he said).
The two Bns. went down and lined the bank. They were
withdrawn at dawn in the mist.
15th Bde. relieved there. 28th came back to trenches
south of Herbecourt on night of Aug. 30. From there on
till after Mont St. Quentin Major Mitchell of 13th A.L.H.
had command of the Bn. (attached for experience). At
Montbrehain Major Brown had command.
August 31st. - 28th Bn. crossed at Feuilleres into the
big bank at west end of Clery. Stayed there 31/1st Sept.
On Sept. 1 (Sunday) they moved to Kholm trench and
camped there night of 1/2 September.
Just after troops settled there Major Mitchell went
back on summons to Bde. H.Q., Boscourt. He returned about
1.20 a.m. and had a xxxxx conference of Coy. Commanders
till 2.30 a.m. Breakfast was ordered by him on his way back

269.
(from the cookers at the Clery bank) at 4 a.m. Bn moved
at 5.25.
Plans were for the 28th Bn. to have 2 Coys. (A and B)
supporting 26th Bn. on right and two (C and D) under Major
Mitchell supporting 27th on left.
(Major Mitchell)  C & D ||    27th |
                                                 25th | →
(Major Clyde)        A & B ||   26th |
They jumped off in artillery formation of platoons from 
Kholm trench - moved very well into a heavy barrage -
particularly heavy (all 77 and 4.2) and a lot of gas  - men
had to move in their gas helmets. The H.Q. with Major
Mitchell had only just cleared the H.Q. dugout and a 5.9 got
fair into it.
They moved up the trench through Moineville Alley past
Capt. Colpin's Aid Post (of 25th Bn.) when, near the quarry,
Lieut. Edmonson was killed and Lieut. Farquharson badly
wounded (for fifth time in war). They were supposed to be
600 yds. behind the 27th Bn. (same as with two Coys. on right
behind xx 26th). Heavy M.G. fire was coming from the north
side of the hill. They got into Plevna trench. Getting
across from Koverla trench to Tortille trench (when M.G.
fire moderated) the German caught them with 9-77's from C.30
Central as they crossed from Tortille to Brunn. The T.M.'s
with mules were coming up forward of Brunn trench about
11A.1.1. were hit by these guns. Just in the corner of
Brunn and Logus trench was a wireless (captured by 25th Bn.)
driven by a 2-seated bike.
Most of the stretcherbearers were working in the open
under white flag - and were not being hit - but a shell
got under four who went through a trench. and killed two or
three bearers and the rest wounded. A man was lying out
there also with one leg off at the knee and the other at
hip. The stretcherbearers asked Capt. Walters if it
were worth carrying him in. Walters said "No".  He saw
Capt. Harper, the doctor, later and told him of it. The
doctor went over to see him. The man asked him quite
calmly - "Is there any hope  for me?'  The doctor said "Oh,
I'll do what I can". The man (25th Bn) said again - "I
suppose there's no hope of my recovering.", The doctor said
"No - I'll just give you some morphia". The man was quite
apologetic - sorry to trouble the doctor.  He was quite
normal. He could see that the stretcherbearers were missing
him.
In Haut Allaines a platoon of 28th Bn. under Lieut.
McKee. with Sergt. Connolly, went to this village to help to
clean up a M.G. which was holding 27th Bn. before 27th could
cross to Brunn trench. Sergt Connolly with a revolver
routed out these Germans and was wounded there.
Eventually 28th Bn. coys. was settled in Brunn Alley with
27th Bn.
Later some of 28th Bn. were lent to clean part of the
trench at 11 Central, where there were Germansa at the fork
of the trench. 2/Lieut. Folley took up a platoon of about
8 men and was shot dead there during the bomb fight by
which it was cleared - the trench was shallow.
A whole Bn. of - ?Royal Sussex - from Palestine, wearing
a diamond much like our 2nd Div (??yellow and dark blue)
came across much the same track as the 27th Bn. (only later
and from the NW). The 77 batteries had been pulled out by
their teams. These troops had full packs and had done a
heavy march, and at 2 p.m. they were lining the road N & S
through 11C.

270.
About 2 p.m. the Germans were seen dribbling back by
single men at 40 yds. interval from Cardinal Wood up towards
Darmstadt trench and the main road. The German 77's on the
hill in 18 B & D used to fire on any movement on the hill in
17 A & B.
28th Bn. was relieved on Sept. 4 by English troops.
The two Coys. on the right went up on the right of the
village, between Mont St. Quentin and St. Denis. They
started in fine style - the men were never better, nor the
barrage. They crossed the St. Denis road - there were 600
yds. behind right of 26th Bn. - but 5th Div. who had to
come south of St. Denis to xxxxxxx Darmstadt trench, were
not able to get forward.
On crossing road Major Glyde was wounded. The
26th Bn. had disappeared in the smoke and barrage. After
crossing the road they came under very heavy M.G. fire from
the brickworks and sugar factory and the tree-lined road.
Casualties were very heavy. The triangle was simply
impossible. You had either to get back or stop in a shellhole.
They got in touch with C.O. of 26th Bn. on the road
 near 16 Central, where there is a bank. Lieut Ditchbourne
was wounded there. Col. Robinson was there. The bank
could not be held so they worked along to the left and up
Koros Alley. They then formed a defensive flank as far up
as about 16B.9.7. Later they pushed out advanced posts
right to the road. Lieut. Tozer placed this post at the
head of Koros Alley on the road.
Their job was to find who was in Darmstadt trench
and let 5th Div. know.
After dark patrols were sent out and found that both
Darmstadt trench and the road to St. Denis from there were
strongly held. They worked round the copse and quarry there
and were heavily fired on.
It was not till the 4th Sept. that a patrol of 5th Div.,,
Lieut Thorburn, of 60th Bn. came after dark into Koros
trench and got touch with them east of the road. Fritz
was then in Darmstadt trench.
On night of 4th, 26th Bn. with this part of 28th, was
relieved by 22nd Bn.
Lieut Stephenson was wounded on morning of September
2 crossing the road break in Koros Alley (by fire from trees
round quarry copse on the main road.
(Aug. 29-30th. -Lieut. Boyle, 26th Bn., who joined
from Northern Territory, was with the 26th Bn. in the Aug. 29
attack. He had four brothers, New Zealanders, all previously
killed or died).
The men were never better than this day - pushing off
under a heavy German barrage. They were in good spirits
 after Aug. 8 and 9).
The 28th Bn. lent a platoon stretcherbearing to 6th Bde.
on Sept. 1st. 6th Bde. spoke highly of their work. They
were under Lieut. Stephenson).
28th Bn. came out to the Omieocourt Canal - thence to
Cappy (under Col. Currie, who had been ill).
Suddenly orders were received on September 27th. (after
American transport had gone through at night, miles and miles
of it), to go to Doingt, thence to Templeux-la-Fosse. The
troops were cheered here by Bulgaria throwing it up.  All
this by night. Thence to Hargicourt at 9.30 one morning,
arriving in afternoon. At dark 28th Bn. move up the "black"
road through Villeret. It was raining. They moved half a 
 

271.
mile forward at Bellicourt to Cabaret Farm. It was
absolutely dark - Major Mitchell and his mare found the road
for them and left them only at Bellicourt. The cookers got
up to the railway cutting north of Bellicourt. This was the
night of Oct. 1/2.
On afternoon of Oct. 2nd. the C.O. Major Brown was
called to Bde. H.Q. He had a conference with Coy. Commanders
so that they could go up and reconnoitre the ground.
They jumped off from the open behind 26th Bn. near Mint
Copse. The troops took a lot of advantage of a cable cutting
which ran parallel to the Torrens canal, and about 600 yds.
short of it. They got into the barrage there. The Germans
were very slow with their barrage. A M.G. was troubling them
from in front of Estrees. There were three Coys. only, as
the Bn. was weak. H.Q. Coy, under Lieut. Burt worked with
C Coy. (about 1 platoon strong).
xxx          c\
Lt Tozer
          A.\      B\
Capt Pugh Capt McIntyre
28th Job was to push up Beaurevoir line through 27th Bn.
and behind left flank of 26th Bn. Then swing left and form
a left flank in the Beaurevoir line as far south as near
L'Ormisset. The 28th Bn. would then push down the trench
on north side of Proyart Hill (with one tank) - this was
Tozer's job; and Pugh was to detail a platoon to go
similarly along the south side of Prospect Hill and join up
with Tozer by a line of posts over the top of the hill so as
to command the western slope of Prospect Hill - it was not
known that the Tommies were attacking, and a flank was
required towards Gouy.
It was decided by Major Brown to do this by pushing up the
Beaurevoir line. The tank didn't appear at the destination,
though one went to Bellevue.
Cotterill was killed by a shell going up about 8c.7.2.
Burt was shot dead about 8 d.1.5. trying to help 26th
Bn., away from his own party. His batman got stretcherbearers
to go up under the white flag, but his batman was
wounded in doing so - under white flag.
The Tommies came up on the left onto Prospect Hill -
which made it unnecessary for Tozer's party to go out. Also
the Beaurevoir line was not continuous. The position was
very hot indeed north of 2 Central, and Tozer's Coy. was
eventually established there (post under Lieut. Britt).
Capt. McIntryre had posts in the drain which runs across
the south side of Prospect Hill. He had some of the British
troops also under him there, when they came back. Pugh's Coy.
was with the 26th Bn. H.Q. was finally established in the
Sunken road N. of L'Ormisset in a pillbox in a trench.
Lieut. Keiller (I.O) was killed in the advance near
L'Ormisset farm. He was a very brilliant I.O. - succeeded
Maysey Hammond. (His body and Cotterill's were brought back
and buried at Hargicourt). Birt was a Tembellup lad. He
got a M.C. on Aug. 11. He had a brother who joined the
British army at the beginning of the war, being in England
on a visit - Charlie Birt - as a private and is now Lt.-Col.
C.O. of a Bn. of Border Regt., D.S.O. with 2 bars. He had
a sister in the WAACS and another running a hospital in
England).
MacIntyre this day had half a dozen German revolvers on
him. He got very close to a shell and lay up at Bn. H.Q.
bleeding from nose and mouth. He took his successor out to
his post. He shot 2 German officers: and his information

272.
was very reliable.
A reinforcement officer (permanent staff man), Scott,
was in this show - his first. He got two fingers shot away
and carried on till the line was settled. He got a M.C.
out of this fight.
Lieut. Spencer was wounded.
Lieut. Smiley was wounded.
Casualties 7 6 officers and 91 O.R. out of about 330
taken in.
MacIntyre stayed on his post and was not evacuated.
Lieut. Tozer was wounded and Lieut. Britt took over.
28th Bn. was relieved that night by a Bn of Manchester
Regt. They had been marching for a long while and had packs
up.
The German teams were xxxxxx seen taking their artillery
away at the beginning of this attack and bringing them back
later. They were bringing motor lorries close down to the 
front - and their troops were streaming down all the afternoon
into the sunken road NW of Beaurevoir .
28th Bn. came out that night to Cabaret and from there
were attached to 6th Bde. In front of Estrees.
They were relieved on night of 5/6th. by 30th, American
Division.

273
15th BATTALION
September 18 and Aug. 8
45th BATTALION
August 8
48th BATTALION
August 8
September 18
10th BATTALION
Landing (Col. Loutit)
48th BATTALION
Dernancourt
(Brown and Shepherdson)
15th BATTALION Aug 8th
From Lt. Semon I.O. 15th Bn
There was no difficulty in getting to the tapes.
They were in a brig crope of ripe wheat in which lamps were
placed to show where the flanks of each Coy were to rest..
They had to line up by about 3.30 am. There was no fog at
this time. While lying there most of them dug a bit of
shelter in case of barrage when the 3rd Division started.
They stayed there till 6.10 am. The tanks were a bit later
the fog was a bit thick just after daylight. After Bn
moved off it came on very suddenly and so thick that after
about 300 yards you could not see even a tanks at 5 yards.
There had only come over about half a dozen shells when
3rd Division went over, and they did not fall on 15th Bn.
The Cerisy Rd made 15th Bn's right flank from their tapes
and the old front line west of Hamel onwards. This kept
them on their direction. The limbers and guns of 3rd
Division were ahead and those of 15th Div Bn were with them,
and the 15th Bn's tanks were with the Bn and kept on the
roads - these were not smashed at all by the shell fire
because of the sensitive fuses which were used. Prisoners
kept passing and a few dead Germans seemed to were passed.
Germans seemed to have no defence - just a few potholes
and M.Gs. The 3rd Division wounded who came back said
"You won't see him, 15th, youwon't catch him."
Behind the hospital at Sailly, 15th Bn began to
form up in waves. This was finished E of the hospital
The tanks moved off the road there and formed behind their
respective Coys. A small calibre field gun put in a few
shells here 1 you could not see it. The fog had lifted a
lot by then.
By the time they reached 3rd Div. about 400 yds
west of Cerisy Cemetery, the fog had pretty well lifted.
There the tanks went through 15th Bn. 15th Bn waited
there just behind 3rd Division or on their line (which was
scattered) while tanks moved through., This was just at
zero hour.
By this time Cerisy village was coming hot
machine gun fire and also from hill to south. They cou
could not tell where this fire was coming from at first but
it turned out to be from the top of the bank of the sunken
road above the Somme end just SE of Cerisy. This is a
high point and there was a German M.G. Bn in reserve here and
they had their guns up on the top of the bank. The Bn's
on the right also got a good share of this fire.
All the tanks were west with the Bn. One M.G. 
was firing from the village from a mud plaster house at the

274
2.
near end of it A tank went for it firing its gun at it
and then butted the house down and ran over it. Other
tanks went into the vuillage too. The guns in the village
put up very little fight once the infantry and tanks got
close to it - the infantry followed the tanks closely. 400
prisoners were got out of the cellars in the village and
about 400(?) of them had red cross armlets - more than
could be needed for the Rd cross Station in the village.
Just before they got to the village, a hare
started up and ran towards the village -
as it dashed towards the village something turned it and it
doubled right and ran along the front of the line. Everyone
had a shot at it and for the time no-one thought of the 
Germans - everyone was centred on the hare.  Someone shot it
through the neck and it dropped. The three Coys which had
to go through the village, - i.e., to the bridges so as to
stop anyone getting across them - they were footbridges with
one road bridge on the left - but were broken by our shellfire.
The fourth day Coy D Coy under Lt. Goss
had totake the position of the river bank SE of the village

where the M.G.s were.
The tanks had by this time all six had been directed
up the hillslope south of Cerisy towards these M.Gs. They
got on to the crest, one or two first had tried to go round
the road through the village, but when they got round the
corner it looked as if they would be jammed in between the
bank and the river so they came back and went over the hill
south of Cerisy.
On the north bank of the Somme where the London
Regt. had not got up there were a couple of field guns.
These were pulled out by their crews - and one in the village
of Chipilly (which could be clearly seen) - and opened
direct over open sights at the tanks. Therewere also a
number of Minenwerfers on the bank with the M.Gs which could
be fired like a gun at the tanks and these blazed off at
50 yards range. Between the two they knocked out every
tank except one or two which saw it was impossible and
turned.
D Coy had to withdraw under this fire to the
sunken road down the crest into Cerisy. They had lost Lt.
Shaw killed and a number of men in front of the road; the
road was still enfiladed by the two guns on the ridge in
Malard Wood (you could see all three guns) The gun at
Chipilly was within L.G. range and was silenced by our L.G.
fire from Cerisy.
The 2 guns in Malard Wood (on top of the ridge}
now fired at any one on the north side of the village whom
they could see, They would snipe at any single man. On t
the canal bank there was some screening by trees but in the
sunken road there was none.
Word went back to Bn and to Bde of the position
and that the north of the river was not occupied by the
British. The C.O., Major Sampson (Co.McSharry had been
killed the morning before the fight in the marshes near
Corbie - out of his tent attending to a wounded man at the
moment (a shell got this man and he ran out - the next shell
hit a tree close by about 5 feet above the ground and
killed MacSharry - he died an hour later at the dressing
station. They shell also killed the wounded man whom
he was leading away and badly wounded the adjutant. This
was in the straf laid down by the Germans attacking the
Tommies near Morlancourt) Major Sampson sent Lt. Semon
across to north of the river to get connection with the
Tommies. He took a scout and crossed the road bridge and
the other bridge - our 4th Field Coy Engineers were already
at work patching them. There was the kit of an engineer on h

275
3.
the bridge and some blood. They said that there had
been a number of Germans putting up a white flag on the
big cliff north of the Somme. They went across to
bring them in prisoners - and this man was hit by a missile
coming from further back. By then the Tommies 
started to come down and as Semon got across the Tommies
were collecting these prisoners. The Tommies by this
time should have been east of Chipilly. They should
have been east captured Chipilly before we got to Cerisy.
The officers said that they has just arrived. the
They were engaged collecting Germans and there were more
Tommies there than prisoners.
As Semon got back he saw the Tommies slowly going
forward. There was no firing. But presently he saw them
going slowly back. Our men said that as the Tommies got
forward they saw the Germans with he two guns which were
not then firing (the other in the village had been silenced
by now) The men saw the Germans clear in one direction
while the Tommies cleared in the other direction. The
guns were not fired then.
Semon told the British officers that our men
were being killed. By the time he got back the Bn on the
right was getting forward. This caused the Germans at the
steep river bank with the M.Gs. to give up heart. They
were all in their dugouts The M.Gs were all on top of the
bank - with live belts in them and xxxx lots of empties 
beside them. The guns were mostly heavies - about 20 odd
guns in all 1 and six minenwerfers. These also had been
fired and the shells were beside them. About 50 Germans
were taken in the dugouts including a very badly wounded
Bn C.O. There were also some tank men who had been 
captured from the destroyed tanks - they were released.
A battery of our Howitzers - 110th How. Bty, took
up a position about 9 A 5.5. firing over in the direction of
Mericourt. The two German guns north of the river saw it.
They opened fire on our guns at once. The first shot killed
one of our artillery officers and several men, and these
turned to engage the German guns - but before they got a
chance the Germans smothered the place with shells firing
in shell after shell. Shortly after a team of horses came
down the road galloping - hooked up the gun - the Germans
firing at them all the time and pulled the gun out; ten
minutes later a team came down again and pulled the other
gun away. This was at a stage when Semon was going
across the river to the other side.
After the Germans had cleared from those two guns
there was not trouble from there. Abut about 3 pm. the
Germans were seen to be getting down by driblets into
Chililly. Word was sent to the rear and heavy Howitzers
concentrated on the village. It was the best sight
the Bn. had seen in France -Chipilly was like a colcano of
red dust. The Germans got out running across the hill to the
back, being hurried up by our M.Gs.
That evening after dusk, 15th Bn was relieved
by 1st Bde and move round in reserve to 16th Bn along the
terraces east of Dudgeon Wood. They stayed there till
about three days and then came back north of the Somme to
Sailly Laurette. While Bn was at the Terraces near
Dugeon Wood the German planes were very active machine
gunning the roads and one man was wounded. WThe first
15th Bn had from the air. The 15th Bn got two guns in
west of Cerisy village behind the cemetery. Most of the
cellars were reinforced with concrete and garrisoned and
there was a big dressing station in the village.