Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/228/1 - Folder - Part 15

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was mostly at the double - as fast as the men could go -

half walk, half double. On right flank they were held for

a while near Radegonde. The barages were Area barrages and

our men got to Radigonde before the barrage had lifted.

The Germans were running towards both bridges. You

could only see about 100yds. ahead owing to rain. After

passing the second line the Germans didn't fire much. They

had no time to get down and fire. Out men were potting at

them and reckoned it the best sport they had had.

In Quinconce Wood 200 Germans were taken. They

had been organised by a German Colonel. He had got together

a lot of stragglers and was forming them up to march them

off to Peronne. Two men - Ptes.Patterson and Pte.Brown

got the lot of them - they covered the Colonel with a rifle

and the German Colonel told his men to drop their rifles.

He was very surprised to find only 2 men coming on to take

the surrender, though of course he knew there were more.

These 2 men marched  the prisoners off. The Colonel marched

at the head of his men - he woudn't march in with  them.

(This was the Colonel who paid a tribute to our men at

the Prisoners cage - General Hobbs later told Battalion so).

As Bn. reached the bank of the canal, very scattered,

they were right up against the battlements. They established

touch with the flanks and reorganized - found 53 on left 

flank.

Then B.Coy. entered the town by the left bridge

with one section of Vickers guns. When first the Bn.

arrived at the moat - about 7.30 a.m. - one of the men who

had seen several Germans, whom he was chasing, ran after

them. Pte.Scobie - had just got down to the bridge when it

blew up - the Germans had run over it.

Scobie came back and reported that the bridge was

destroyed. This was before Bn. had stopped to reorganise.

The Southern Bridge did not blow up though there was

a mine on it. Lt.Macarthur,M.C., Cpl.Buckley and those with

them had been held up by our barrage at St.Radegonde; as

523

soon as that lifted they went on, and Lt.Macarthur and

Buckley and 2 others went down to reconnoitre the wooden

bridge. Macarthur went first and was shot by Machine Gun

fire from the battlements - they could see the bridge.

Buckley then went and he was shot also just starting down

towards it - sniped through the forehead. A couple more men 

were killed there.

About the same time Lt.Holder who was there with

the right flank waiting the decision what to do was

killed by a field gun firing from Peronne at about 150yds

range. This gun was on the corner of one of the buildings

about 2708.3.

The Bn. reorganised in the shelter of a bank on which

shrubs were growing, out of view. News came that right was

held up and 2 Officers had been killed.

Lt.Doddimeade wounded on way down to Radegonde,

Lieut.Patman wounded near the huts by the wood bridge.

-----

Captain Dowling, senior officer in/c firing line,

sent word to C.O. that he was entering Peronne with left

of Battalion and 2 Vickers guns.

During the halt, besides Pte. Scobie's reconnaissance,

Cpl.Hall (later V.C.) went down and reconnoitred the

approaches to the town and could see that there was not

much enemy organisation there - he wasn't fired at. He

didn't actually cross the bridge.

When left of Bn. moved off Lt.Ing of 14th M.G.Coy.

was leading. They went in Sections in single file - 10 or

15 yds. between sections. They met no resistance for the

first 50 yds. or so - only a few bits of planking were

possible - these were not on the bridge above, but were

put across the bottom of the moat, sufficient to allow

them to cross the water (which would be about 6ft deep).

These planks were first fixed by some of 54 Bn. during the

wait - after the left Coy. moved over the engineers

524

started to fix up the bridge at once. On getting into

the town a party was at once despatched to the right to

mop up the machine guns which were holding up the right 

party. Lt. Small was sent down there and several small

parties under N.C.Os. (Downing detailed the sections as

they came along) and they came on the German posts from 

the rear from amongst the houses, and the Germans put

up their hands at once. One big party was up on the

upper battlements of the big citadel in Peronne; one

party fired up at them with a burst of Lewis gun fire, and

they surrendered. Within 20 mins. the right was reported

clear and the right ½ Battalion crossed the bridge of

planks into the town.

 

XXX [ Diagram]

 

(1) was a big causeway bridge with a barricade of

old limbers, stones etc. in 53 Bn. area.

(2) was an old stone bridge blown up earlier in the

war, rebuilt in wood by British, re-blown, and rebuilt

by Germans and now blown again.

(3) was just duckboards.

 

The Bn. then worked through the houses to the S.E.

side of the town. They found Germans sometimes in the

cellars, sometimes in the rooms. Just to start with

they fired from the upper windows - mostly distant shots.

Once we got to close fighting they threw it in. The right

half Bn. worked along the V/Carbonnel Road and as far as

the railway bridge beyond it. There they got touch with.

the 15th Brigade - Lt.W.L.Agnew was with this party.

(Lt.Harvey was in charge of A.Coy. and Agnes in

charge of C after Macarthur's death). In the houses there

they captured over 100 prisoners. The Germans were mostly

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prisoners who had run away from in front of the attack -

they were sitting down and waiting for orders.

When we got down to the bank opposit Flarnicourt

a large number of Germans was notied, marching, under an

Officer in column of route, retiring through the railway

yard towards the station (N.Eastwards). Our Lewis gunners

and Vickers Guns got into them and swept them down and

scattered them in all directions.

At the railway station was a 77 gun which went on

firing all day till it was removed at dusk. We silenced

it with snipers at times.

Several patrols as soon as they arrived at the

swamp tried to cross the causeway to Flarnicourt - but the

Germans held the railway station very strongly with

machine guns, and it was impossible to cross it. The first

attempt was just at the time when our Lewis gunners got

into the German party. The German machine gunners could

fire right from Flarnicourt Station up to the Square.

In the street next to S.W. of the railway street,

a Sergt. Bartier with a mopping up party looked into a

house and found a German officer and a party of about

20 men, with mugs of coffee poured out before them.

The Officer asked if he could finish his coffee and

invited the sergeant to join- which he did. The Germans

were then marched off. Our men finished their coffee.

The 54 Bn. had had no breakfast owing to the rush

with which they had pushed off from the rendezvous.

Patrols were sent along the N.E. end of the town and

cleared the houses on the S. side of the main road there.

But Capt. Downing and Capt. Mitchell decided not to occupy

the N. part of the town as they only had 120 men altogether

for over a mile of front and the whole town - they

started with about240 but half were by this time hit.

They then made their line (1) Post on S.E. end of

causeway from Quinconce.

(2) In centre of town where this cross road ran into

 

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it (Capt.Wilkins took a photo of this).

(3) At the far S.E. corner of the same street.

(These at night went down to the Flarnicourt causeway to

prevent a crossing.

(4) Another 300 yds. S.W. down the bank of the swamp.

(5) At the first Bristol Bridge.

(6) At the Railway Bridge.

These posts were established after Bn. had reorganised

and remnants of A. & D. Coys. had been withdrawn under

Lt.Harvey and Lt.MacGregor for a sleep near the cemetery

by Quinconce. (About 50 men were now garrisoning Peronne

C20,B30-)

There was no attempt at counter-attack. The Germans

filtered into the N.E. end of the town during the night

and were seen fixing up Machine guns there during afternoon

about 5 p.m.

Sept.2. There was another operation next day carried

out by 58 Bn. assisted by A.Coy, 54th Bn. in which the

remainder of the town was cleared and occupied.

Our barrage for this attack blew out part of A. Coy

before they got into the fight, and wounded part of a post

in the town and inflicted a number of casualties on 58th Bn.

coming through the town from direction of Bristol Bridge.

Cpl. Hall carried out a badly wounded man through this

barrage and got him attended to and then went back to his

post. 

About 100 prisoners were taken out of the N.E. end of

the town. 4 machine guns with machine gunners and some

m/wfrs. There was not heavy fighting this day.

The further island of town (generally known as the 

Ramparts) was cleared also by 54th Bn. and a man was killed

up there. Cpl. Hall had this patrol; but the Germans got

back into it again. That is the part they got back into

(as mentioned above).

(That must explain how Mann, 56th Bn. was able to get

to the position which he reached first morning).

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In this second operation Lt. Adams was wounded on

Sept.2nd, Lt.Small was wounded in clearing the S.E. part

of the town on Sept.1st, Capt.Mitchell was wounded at the

cross-roads in the centre of the town by a machine gun

bullet from the railway station on first morning about

11a.m. Some Germans could be seen filtering back into the

town and a machine gun was to be fixed up to deal with

them. Downing and Mitchell had just been arranging this.

These Germans got back only into the Ramparts end of the

town - and not into the main town. (The Germans came back

about mid-day - not as stated above, later).

In the night a Warrant Officer of Ordnance attached

to Bridge from D.A.D.O.S. and 2 men bicycled into the

town with gas helmets for 53Bn. They showed a light on

the Flarnicourt river front, having lost their way -

and got a burst of machine gun fire. One of our posts

halted them on the embankment. It was very quiet indeed

that night - till next day.

15th Brigade retired 54 on night of 2nd.

Another 77 was taken in the road about 27D 2.7.

The gunners were lying dead by it, killed by machine gun

fire from our men. The gun had been recently fired.

Battalion was about 110 strong on coming out - lost

about 130.

Battalion picked up a dog on the way in - he attached

himself to the Coy; and came with them to the moat - a big

French dog. He was running up and down amongst the bullets.

He was missed later. He couldn't make out the bullets. The

C.O. claimed about 600 prisoners and 60 odd machine guns.

Receipts were obtained for 59 machine guns.

The hardest part of the fight was getting through the

wire.

528

54th Battalion, BELLICOURT. Sept. 29th.

Capt. BENSON.

Battalion got as far as G8D6.7 on Black Road when

fog lifted. Road was crowded - transport on road - Bn. on

side of Road. Tanks a bit to N. going same way. First came

A.T. fire from Nauroy and N. of it and a little machine

gun. Then after a few sounds of A.T. (which came fair into

them) a battery of 4.2s got into the area. Lt. Toomey was

hit and died of wounds. Capt. Shaw wounded, Lt.Gilligan

wounded, Sergt. Major Redding killed, and about 51 men hit.

This caused Bn. to scatter and get into the trenches

of front Hindenburg Line. The 54th Bn. was in reserve

to 14th Brigade which was in reserve to Division. This

firing was quite unexpected - the reports all were that the

villages were cleared and the Yanks going on well - Lewis 

gunners were with transport and Battalion in fours.

54th Bn. sideslipped them into the trench on S. side

of Black Road and waited there for 2 days.

Oct. 1st. On morning of Oct.1 about 2 a.m. Coy.

Commanders were summoned and operation explained. 2 Tanks

attached. 54th Bn. was to pick up guides at the last

house on the Bellicourt Nauroy Road, in Bellicourt. Bn.

left at 4 a.m. for Jumping off but guides were not there.

It was raining and very cold. They then went to 29th Bn.

Headquarters who produced 2 runners and an I.O. who took

Battalion along Bellicourt-Nauroy Rod to where the C.T.

crosses it. There pack mules were and picks and shovels

were issued to the men. Battalion started to Nauroy.

 

XXX [Diagram]

 

A. & C. were to lead half-way to Nauroy, over the top

communication was broken half way down C.Coy, which put

the two last Coys off - the Bn. was hastening to get to

zero and the weather was very bad.

529

The I.O. lined them up on a road in Nauroy. This

road faced the wrong way. The whole of A. and half C. got

lined up there when the barrage dropped - rest out of touch,

no sign of 56. There was a big gap on the left to 15th

Brigade.

60 A.Coy. )

                  ) 77 men

17 C.Coy.  )

was all that were there when barrage dropped. They took over

56 Battalion's sector as well as their own and barrage

dropped short into Nauroy. When it lifted they followed it

and met no machine gun, no opposition.

They had gone about 250 yds. when 56 Bn. came up in

column of route on to the field. They marched past 54,

shook out, and squeezed 54 in. 54th's other Coys. came on with

them. Benson asked Vine Hall to come in on the left in the

front line. Battalion was disorganised by all this but reorganised

on final objective. Here they got on to their proper

sectors. 56th Bn. went on to Estrees where Capt. Benson had a

consultation with Lt.Watt and it was decided to push on

and see what could be gained. Watt pushed on. A.Coy. 54th

went along to occupy the Sunken Road on Watt's left to

Folemprise Farm. All A.Coy went there, and 2 platoons of C.Coy

just forward on the crest.

D. & B. and 2 platoons of C. were on the reverse slope

consolidatory.

15th Brigade didn't come up on left for some reason.

54th had these Coys. in support as a defensive flank. There

they joined on reverse slope with 15th Brigade on main

objective. When 56th withdrew Benson withdrew his 1½ companies

also to main objective.

56th went forward again later. This time Benson didn't

send his Company down again as his Coy. would have to go

straight down to N. end of village in view of the Germans

who by now had pulled themselves together and were playing with

machine guns and putting in counter preparation. A defensive

flank was put in from left of 56 back to 15th Brigade which 

530

was still on the main objective.

A divisional order came up then to push on. Capt.

Benson was in a quandary what to do when Colonel Marshall

came up and went to see 56th Bn. and came back and confirmed

Benson's arrangements and told him to stay.

The 54th was in a much shelled area, but had few

casualties. They dug in where they were. After 1½ hrs. German

shoot ended, except where he saw movement.

About dusk, after sunset, 54th Bn. shifted to the

sunken road in A24D at the head of Soult Valley - and a bit

ahead of it - making the front line. They were in touch on

both flanks with the front line (Vine Hall's 2 Coys. in front

and Benson's in support). They dug special trenches there and 

stayed till morning of Oct. 2nd when 2nd Division passed through.

54th came out along red route to positions of night

of Sept. 29th and following days.

 

54th Battalion, Villers-Bretonneux.

Colonel Holland.

There was a road which about bisected the sector of

54th Battalion. German attack seemed to be bounded by this

road (the Warfusee Fouilloy Road). 54th Bn; had 2 posts in

19B and 2 in 13D. These were platoon posts. The German barrage

in the morning seemed to be on the area S. of this road.

24 A6.4 was Battalion Headquarters near the 2 trees.

The posts were echeloned about 19 B 8.8 and 8.4 C.O.

had been round the posts that night and had come back and

was just reporting all quiet when downcame the German barrage.

The Germans came on about 1½ (?) hrs. later but were

heavily fired on from our posts which held. The Germans

seemed to come on with their right on the road - pretty thick.

They seemed, when stopped, to swerve to the right into the

gap which was made by the Kings Royal Rifles swinging back on

the right.

Col.Holland moved his supports and reserves up on

531

right to cover the flank thus formed. The British had a

line of odd parts bent straight back and roamed to the

right but the Germans never actually got Hill 104 itself.

56th Bn. came and formed a continuation from 54th

Battalions right flank to the Cachy Road which went under

the railway.

Lt.Harvey was the platoon commander in charge of

right post.

55th Bn. which was dug in to the banks in front

of Hamelet and two Companies to move if needed.

 

55th. PERONNE.

Capt. WYLLIE.

55th Bn. on morning of Sept. 1st came from Clery

(crossed canal only at Buscourt, then filed along to right

to Orniecourt under the trees; then crossed at Omniecourt

over one bridge and so to near the big bank (which was

crowded) and thence up to about 6 central.

The 55th was to be the last to push through -

followingbehind 56th, round E. of Peronne and then on to

the high ground.

After 56th Bn. 55th pushed off along the railway

line, in single file, and then along the road through 7 C.

thence to the left (from about 7 C central) on a short cut

to the railway (which they had planned to follow) at 14

Central. They hit the railway about 14A central. There wasa

very heavy barrage on the low ground and Coys. lost men -

went in single file. Thence just outside N.E. side. of

Halle Wood to the Peronne Road.

The Germans were now firing at them with machine

gunds from the buildings of Mt.St.Quentin (S.corner) so they

took what advantage they could of the cover afforded by

the slight bank of the road (working S.W. of it). They met

the first German prisoners moving back this road, each little

group under a white flag and they more or less covered us.