Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/228A/1 - June - October 1917 - Part 4

29
OPERATION of 22nd Battalion, 6th Inf. Brigade, A.l.F. from 1st/10th
October, 1917.

[*R48

82

fairly defined

trench day aft.

Sept 20.*]

Preliminary instructions regarding the attack of 4.10.17 were
received from Brigade H.Q. 28.9.17., and reconnaissances were
carried out by C.O. and Officers on 3 days preceding the assault.
On the night 30th Sept/1st October, the Battn. relieved the
47th and 34th Battns A.I.F. in Support. Battn. H.Q. AT
HANNEBEKE. WOOD, J.2.s.7.4.
DISPOSITIONS.- 2 Coys. at ANZAC HOUSE, 1 Coy at ZONNEBEKE
REDOUBT, 1 Coy at MUHL E.,  1.10.17.
The positions at MUHLE were heavily shelled, the Coy there
sustaining severe Casualties.
Night 2nd/3rd October, 1917.- The Battn. relieved the 23rd
Battn. A.l.F. in Front Line on the Brigade Frontage.- Battn.
H.Q. at ANZAC HOUSE.
3.10.17.
Our Artillery caused 30 Casualties and destroyed 2 Lewis Guns
by "shorts".
4.10.17.
Afterx midnight conditions were quiet, and there was little
shelling. Jumping-off Tapes had already been laid by 6th Field
Coy Engineers. Battn. H.Q. moved to D.28.a.30.45.
By 4.10 a.m. the assaulting waves were formed up on their tapes
disposed to attack in 4 waves on a front of 4 Companies.
[* Blanchard was w

a party round / left o /

lake to keep touch with

[[?de]]. He was never

seen agn. Some of pty

returned v. shaken.

His body was found by

4th D.A.M.C

Lt Kelleway k 

Lt Blanchard k *]

At 5.35 a.m. enemy opened a heavy bombardment, and caused many
Casualties on J.0.T.
Our Barrage opened, at 6 a.m. (Zero time)
In conjunction with 8th Battn A.I.F. on our right, and 25th Battn
A.I.F. ON OUR LEFT, the Battn. advanced to the attack on the
frontage D.22.d.9.3. to D.22.d.8.3., its objective being the
RED LINE.
The advancing waves almost at once encountered the enemy in force

[* 2/Lt J.A.MacIntyre

who was directing

on the night

with compass

met / Germans,

Emptied his

revolver &

shot several

& was hit on

/ head.

Some of the

Germans

were coming

with their

rifles slung w

bayonets fixed *]

Parties with fixed Bayonets were met advancing. It soon became
evident that we had anticipated an enemy attack. Considerable
Casualties were inflicted by our Lewis Gunners firing from the
hip. From Battn. H.Q. our troops could be observed following
the barrage.
At 7.23 a.m. the Battn had captured the whole of the RED LINE,
and consolidation was in progress.
The brunt of the fighting fell upon this Battn., owing to the
assembly of enemy troops for his attack. Enemy availed themselves 
of the time our protective barrage was stationary to
withdraw such of his troops as were in advance of the BLUE LINE,
and towards the rear. The number of prisoners captured by the
Battn. is difficult to estimate, as some parties were sent to
the rear by routes outside the Brigade Boundaries. A conservative
estimate would be 200.

Mopping-up later resulted in the capture of 2 Battn. Commanders
and staff, and important maps and Orders.
The latter were sorted, and the most important sent to Brigade
H.Q. by special D.C.
During consolidation the enemy commenced a heavy bombardment,
which caused many casualties.
At 8.10 a.m. Battn. H.Q. was established at DE KNOET FARM.
Our casualties were :-

                     Officers.    O.R.

Killed.-             1.              62.

Missing.-         2.              17.

Wounded.-    3.             154.

[* Lt Speck - Shell splinter in face early in attack.

Lt Westaway - during consolidn on Red Line pm

Maj. Craig was at R.A.P near Brick Kiln Lake

abt 10am

(This had one

concrete wall

only, facing

us -  the side

towds Germs.

ws brick. All

AMC staff ws 

wd Exc. Sergt

who was badly

shaken. but

carried on, evacuated

Dr. Later the MO 21

Bn sent him back

after he had bn blown

up by another shell.

([[Cor ???]] Johnston, AMC)*]

Enemy losses were severe, as our moppers-up bombed PILL BOXES

and occupants thereof were killed.
Night of 5th/6th October, 1917.-  The Battn. was relieved by
20th Battn. A.I.F., and moved back in reserve. Battn H.Q. and
1 Coy. at HANNEBEKE WOOD. 2 Coys at ANZAC, and 1 Coy at
ZONNEBEKE REDOUBT.(Shell holes & Pillboxes)
During these operations the Battn captured the following material
14 Heavy Machine Guns.
1 Minnewerfer.
Several small Trench Mortars & Automatic Rifles.

 

30
PAGE 2. OPERATIONS of 22nd Battn., 6th Inf. Brigade, A.I.F. 1st/10th
October, 1917 (continued.)
6.10.17. Battn. still in Support with H.Q, at HANNEBEKE WOOD.
7.10.17. The Battn. in Support (H.Q. HANNEBEKE WOOD) Strength, all
Ranks, 117. Men suffering greatly from exposure and exhaustion,
and their condition was such as to cause grave doubt as
to their ability to carry on under the special circumstances,
vis., projected attack etc. Representation to this effect
was made by C.0. to G.O.C.
Battn, during the morning were on fatigue laying cables.
At 7 p.m. the Battn. moved forward to relief of 18th Battn.
A.I.F. on the frontage D.29.b.70.20. to D.23.c.70.70.
DISPOSITIONS. Front Line, 4 Officers, 53 O.R's.
                                   Support, 8       "         41     "
Relief was completed at 4 a.m., 8.10.17. The Trenches were
in an extremely bad state, owing to rain and mud.

[* R48

82

Living in shell holes

covered with w.p.

sheet. During /

day they wd

take these sheets

w them, as it ws

raining; of course

when they got back 

the place wd be 

soaked. *]
8.10.17. Orders for attack were communicated to all concerned, and the
J.O.Tapes were laid before midnight on a line about 200 yards
in rear of the front line positions. Apart from usual
artillery activity, the day was without incident.
9.10.17. The orders received required the capture end consolidation of
a line from D.29.a.00.10. to D.23.d.40.50. The plan adopted
in view of our depleted numbers was as follows :-
"C". Coy. Lieut. W. McC. BRAITHWAITE, M.C., with 44 all ranks
to advance under our barrage from the J.O.T. and re-establish 
the line from Divisional right Boundary to
D. 23. d.40.50.
No. 1 S.P. Party. Capt. W.H. BUNNING, 2 Officers, 25 O.R's,
and 1 Vickers Gun Section. This party was ordered
to advance under the barrage; and establish Post at
D. 23.d.25.30.
No. 2. S.P. Party. - Lieut. K.S. ANDERSON, 2 Officers, 25 O.R'S
and 1 Vickers Gun Section. This party was ordered to
advance in conjunction with 24th Battn on the left
and No 1 S.P. Party on the right, and establish a
post at D.23.d. 40.40.
At Zero our barrage came down and was of an unsatisfactory
nature, being feeble and inaccurate, and did not seem to
neutralize the enemy activity. A number of Casualties resulted
from " shorts".
"C" Coy (Lieut W. McC BRAITHAITE M.C.) successfully carried
out the task allotted, and succeeded in reaching their objective 
without casualties.
No. 2 S.P. Party (Lieut. K.S. ANDERSON) obtained connection
with 24th Battn. on J.O.T., but lost touch on that Unit being
held up. This party consisted of 2 Officers and 25 O.R's, &
1 Vickers Gun Section. Shortly after jumping off, 3 men were
killed by our own barrage, and 2/Lieut DOOLEY and 1 O.R.
wounded. No opposition was encountered until after passing
our original front line. About 20 yards in front of our old
line a zone of heavy Machine Gun fire was encountered, and all
the party except 8 were either killed or wounded, L ieut.
ANDERSON being shot through the leg. The party of 8 (including
the Vickers Gun and a crew of 3) pushed on and dug in
about 50 yards in front of D.23.d.40.40. About midday the
[* 2/Lt P.G. Chalmers *] V ickers Cun was blown up by shell fire, and the garrison
either killed or wounded, only a few managing to reach our
lines at dusk.
No. 1 S.P. PARTY. (Capt. W.H. BUNNING.)

2 Officers, 24 O.R's 22nd Battn.

1        "           6     "     6th M.G. Coy.

This party advanced to the assault in 2 sections, leaving the
Vickers detachment a short distance in rear ready to come on
when the position was taken. No opposition or hostile fire
was encountered until 50 yards over our original front line,
when a Machine Gun opened from a hostile strong post at
D.23.d.35.20., and the enemy opened rifle fire. About half a
dozen casualties resulted, and the party deployed into line.
The advance was continued under this fire by bounds from

shellhole to shell-hole, under cover of Rifle Grenades. The party
then dug in at D.23.d.35.30. near a hedge. Whilst digging in
4 men were killed by enemy snipers. Lt. A. SKEK-SMITH M.C.?
22nd Battn.. and Lt. J. CAMPBELL, 6th M.G.Coy were killed
[* Skene Smith was 

sniped while digging

in & k. by shell later

while on stretcher

waiting to be

evacuated *] 

[*31*]

PAGE 3. OPERATIONS of 22nd Battn A.I.F., 1st/10th October 1917 (contd)

[*R42/
82*]

by hostile rifle fire at this time. The Vickers Gun and its
crew, for some reason still to be ascertained, did not advance
to its position in this post. By 7 a.m. the post was well
dug in, and the garrison numbered 1 Officer (Capt BUNNING)
and 18 O.R's, with 2 Lewis Guns. Rifles and Lewis Guns were
cleaned in readiness for the counter-attack. A small bombing
party of about 6 attempted to rush the post at 9 a.m., but was
beaten off, leaving 2 killed. A few wounded crawled back to
the enemy post. About 10.30 a.m. a party about 15 strong
with a Machine Gun attempted an attack, but were beaten off.
About 5 returned to their post. Sniping and shell-fire caused
a few more casualties. Attempts to gain connection with other
posts failed, owing to the isolated position of this post,
and shortly after dark parties of the enemy were observed
working round both flanks. This was checked as far as possible

by our Snipers, but the position of flares later indicated
that the enemy was in rear of the post. At 10 p.m. it became
apparent that the position was untenable, and Capt. BUNNING
decided to extricate his post from this place. This operation
was accomplished with difficulty, and it was 10.30 p.m. before
the 14 survivors of this party had regained our line.

At midnight the 49th Battn, arrived, and relief was completed
by 4 a.m.
The Battn. then returned to Support Trenches on old Red Line,
BROODSEINDE RIDGE.
Our Casualties were-

                      Officers, O.R's.
Killed.                 1.         11.
Missing.                         9.
Wounded.        4.        31.
TOTAL CASUALTIES, 1st/10th October, 1917.-
Killed.                 2.        73.

Missing.             2.        26.

Wounded.        7.        185.

                            11.       284.

Lt. G.0. Gregg - k. during holding line abt Sept.16.1917
Lt. Thwaites - (wd. by ^shell going up on on 21 Sept.)

in/c of advance party near Anzac.)

severely
Lt H.H. de Bourbel (wd Sept. 23 by shell in supports on Anzac)

Lieut.-Colonel,
C.O., 22nd Battn., A.I.F.

11.10.17