Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/260/1 - 1916 - 1930 - Part 24

51st. Battalion
4/4/17.
Headquarters,
13th Aus.  Inf.  Bde.
Report on operations of 2nd April, 1917. Reference Map 57c
N.W. 1/20,000.
Orders. 
Orders for the attack on morning of 2nd April were received
at 11.45 p.m. on 30th March 1917. The Battalion was then
occupying the portion of the Advance Guard line running
approximately C 8 d.2.4 - C 14.b - C. 15.a - C 15 B.8.5.
Objective.
The Battalion objective was the road running North-west
from the cross-roads at C  11  a 1.8 (inclusive) through C 10 b
and C  4  b  to C  10  a  8.6.
Order of Battle.
The 50th Battalion, A.I.F., was on the right and the 2nd
Battalion Gordon Highlanders were on the left. The dividing
lines were as follows:-
Right. The Road running through C  15 c and b, through the
North East corner of NOREUIL and along road through C.10.b.
Left. Along road from C  13  c 1.1 to C  8 c 6.0 thence along
the low ground to C  9 b.1.7 and on to about C  5  a 0.5
Artillery 
Barrage.
1st Phase. - 00 to 20 -  In front of Noreuil along line
16 a.1.6. - 15.b.9.9. - 9.d.9.4, thence along road to 9.b.3.5.
2nd Phase. - 10 to 30 - Searching village and sunken roads in 10.c.
3rd. Phase.  - 30 to 40 - 10.b.6.0 - 10.b.0.6 - 10.a.5.5.
4th Phase. - 40 to  60 - Along objective.
5th Phase.  - 60 onwards. Line parallel to objective at about
300 yards distance and across low ground in 4.c and d.

Zero.
Zero time for the attack was 5.15 a.m.
Deployment
of attack.
The Battalion was formed up for the attack along a line
marked by tracing tape running from C 8 d 9.9 to C 15 b.3.3.
The attack was made by three Companies distributed as
follows:-
Right. "A" Company in two waves of 2 lines each with 20 yards
between lines and 75 yards between waves, occupying a frontage
of 250 yards.
Centre. "B" Company and Left "D" Company each in one wave of
two lines at 20 yards distance with a frontage of 400 yards.
"C" Company was occupying the original line. Battalion
Headquarters was at C  20  d 2.8.
All troops were formed up in position at 3.40 a.m. and
were in touch with the Battalion on either flank.
History.
On the commencement of the Barrage the attacking troops
began to move forward. It took the enemy four minutes to
throw down his counter barrage, and it turned out that his
S.O.S. line was approximately along the "Jumping-off" mark, so
that practically no casualities were inflicted by his shell fire.
Enemy machine guns came into action on both flanks from the
villages of MOREUIL and LONGATTE, and from the NOREUIL-LONGATTE
Road, and caused about 80 casualities before the road was reached.
This road was organised for defence and was thinly wired along
the whole of the Battalion front.
On reaching the road one Platoon of the centre company was
detached to mop up and consolidate the line. The Left Battalion
chi chiefly through losing direction was not making good the
ground on our left of the village of LONGATTE so a strong point
was established at 0  9  b.05.60 consisting of a Bomb team, a Lewis
Gun

Gun and a captured ?axim gun which was brought into action at
once.
Subsequently a Vickers Gun was brought up and posted near
there also. This post commanded the whole of the valley towards
RIENCOURT, and secured our left flank which would otherwise have
been in the air.
The main attack pushed on, the right Company passing through
the fringe of the village and through the sunken road - junction
in C  10 c where a number of prisoners were taken, almost up to
the objective (some troops actually reaching it). At this
stage the Company Commander on the right deemed it advisable to
withdraw to a shallow trench running approximately C  10  b 6.4. -
C  10  a.5.7 - C  4 C  3.1 to C  9  b.0.5 and consolidate it. The
reasons which led him to this decision were (1) The fact that
our own barrage was still on the objective, (2) Machine gun
and rifle fire from the road in C  10 d was causing numerous
casualities. (3) The objective was on the downward slope of a
hill in full view of the HINDERBURG LINE, (4) Owing to casualities
there were not enough tools to enable all the troops to dig in,
(5) The position adopted commanded all the country in front.
The remainder of the attacking line conformed, and it was
reported that we were in touch with both flanks.
Flares were lit at about 7 a.m. when called for by the 
contact aeroplane, and the observer reported that the line was
established as above.
Consolidation progressed, but at 7.30 a.m. the enemy began
to shell the right Company with H.E. and Shrapnel and continued
for several hours, killing and wounding about 30 O.R., and
putting two Lewis Guns out of action.
At 7.30 a.m. it was reported that only one Company of the
50th Battalion was on our right and that they had lost touch
with their other Companies who had not come through the village,
at the same time the left Company reported that the Gordon
Highlanders on our left were only a few stragglers who had
come on with our troops, and that their main attack was held
up at LONGATTE.
At 11.0 a.m. the shelling slackened and at 1.45 p.m. it
was reported that all shelling had ceased. At about 11.0 a.m.
telephone communication was established with the front line
and it was then possible to keep in close touch with the situation.
At 6.0 p.m. when it was known from direct observation that
the village had been taken, two platoons from the reserve
Company were sent forward to the NOREUIL-LONGATTE road and at
8.30 p.m. the remaining platoons were sent forward to the
same place.
At 3.0p.m. a Company of the 49th Battalion was attached
as Battalion Reserved, and located at C  19  b.
At aboout about 5.0 p.m. enemy troops were seen to be
massing in front of the right Battalion, and a S.O.S. Barrage
was called for by them, which dispersed the threatening attack.
At 8.1 p.m. it was reported that the enemy were forming up and
advancing in waves on the high ground to the East of NOREUIL
and a S.O.S. Barrage was again called for. Two Platoons from
Battalion Reserve were sent forward to NOREUIL-LONGATTE Road.
The enemy attack was quickly dispersed by shell fire which was
well placed and most effective.
At 8.30 p.m. a second Company of the 49th Battalion was
attached as Reserve. From 4 p.m. till 6 p.m. it had been
snowing, which made observation easy after the fall had ceased.
Consolidation proceeded during the night and a strong
line was established. The following afternoon patrols were
sent out to occupy the line of the original objective and posts
were established on the road at C  11  a 05.85 - C  4  d   8.0 and
C  4  d  3.2.
Stokes Mortars.
Two Stokes guns were attached for the operation and they
were sent forward to NOREUIL-LONGATTE Road but as no suitable
target presented itself they were ordered to return at
2.30 p.m.

Machine
Guns.
6 machine guns were attached. Two Vickers guns followed
the attacking troops, one was posted to C.9  d.8.4 and another
in the outskirts of LONGATTE until the Gordon Highlanders
cleared the village when it went back to C  15  a  1.2. The other
four guns covered the advance from the high ground in C  8  d
and C  15 a.
PRISONERS ETC.
Forty-two prisoners in all were captured, the majority of
whom belonged to the 119th and 180th Regiments, one, however,
being a Uhlan.
Four enemy machine guns were taken in all, but one (undamaged)
was given to the Left Battalion as they were short of
Lewis Guns. Besides these Trench Mortars, two "Granstanwerfor",
3 bicycles and a quantity of bombs flares etc. were taken.
Communications.
Telephonic. Prior to the attack a Battalion Forward report
sentre was established at C  15  a.2.2. At 7.30 a.m. the line
was advanced to C  9  d  7.7. and at 11.0 a.m. communication was
established with all front line Companies.
Visual. A visual signalling station was established at 
C  14  b 8.5 but no visual signalling was used by the attacking
troops as it attracted too much attention.
Runner. A runner relay post was established at the
forward telephone exchange.
Pigeons.  were not found necessary.

Medical
arrangments.
The R.A.P. was at C  20 d.1.9. which though rather far
back was in a good position, well sheltered from shell fire
and easy to find.
Dress and
Equipment.
Fighting order. The leather jerkin was worn, greatcoat
and W.P. sheet were carried folded on the back, packs and
blankets were dumped prior to the attack.
Each man carried 220 rounds of S.A.A. and 2 bombs. Bomb
teams carried a further supply of rifle grenades, hand grenades
and "P" Bombs. 16 picks and 32 shovels per Company were
carried. 24 hours rations besides the emergency were carried.
General.
There were numerous signs that the enemy had not intended
to evacuate the village of NOREUIL for some time. The wire
in front of the NOREUIL-LONGATTE road was newly laid, and there
was a dump of new mining sets in the sunken roads at C  10 c.
Action of Unit
on the flanks.
Owing to the open nature of the ground allotted to this
Battalion, the troops got ahead of the Units on both flanks.
The Battalion on the right met with considerable opposition in
NOREUIL and the situation was not cleared up till afternoon.
Two Lewis Guns were sent by the Right Company to assist them.
The Battalion on the Left lost direction altogether, and
before the barrage opened there were Gordons mixed up with our
Right Company and it was subsequently noticed that their
starting tape was laid facing NOREUIL instead of LONGATTE.
They did not clear LONGATTE until 10.0 a.m. and even then
there was a gap of 500 yards as their right flank did not come
up through the though the gap was well covered by the strong
post at C  9  b  05.60.
 
Certified true copy.
R Christie

NOREUIL 
VOL IV
CH VII & 223 (MS)
201 Pell Street
Railway Town,
Broken Hill,
27/5/30.
 
Compiling of A.I.F History.
C.E.A. Bean
 
Sir,
In
reference to yours of the 31/3/30 to hand
a few days ago rather delayed through
the R.S.League not notifing me that
the letter was in their possession
requesting me to give details in
connection with the D.C.M. won by
me at "Noriel" also profession &
place of birth. I may state I was
born in Aberdeen shire Scotland
26th December 1881, Enlisted from
Broken Hill N.S.W. August 1914,
sworn in at Morphettville S.Australia
& left with the original 10th Battalion
was at the landing on Gallipoli &
served with them until prior to the
evacuation when I got wounded 

2
rejoining again at Letel Kebis & was
transfered to the sister Battalion 50th
formed in Egypt, went to France with
them, was in Pozieres, Moquet-Farm,
& other engagements & it was in the
hop over to capture the town of Noriel
that the A.I.F. Authorities thought fit
to decorate me with with the D.C M
for services rendered on that occasion.
I may state that in
giving a brief account of this engagement
when the order was given on the
2nd of April 1917 to advance & take
the town of Noriel, when that was
completed to make a saving to the
right & advance to the ridge about
a thousand yards to the sunken
road. We were led by Captain
Armitage but we failed to get linked
up with A.Coy of the 50th on our right.
They encountered a very strong force
of the enemy directly in front of them
& were unable to combat them they
practically surrounded & most of
A Coy killed or taken prisoners.

3
I was in charge of the last wave or
line of C.Coy consisting of the Coy's 
bombers etc, when I saw what was
happening I immediately gave orders
for the bombers to got to the right
& fight their way through, I may
state that was when Corporal
Jensen V.C. & Corporal O'Connell D.C.M
did such splendid work in
practically saving the situation or
I may say stopped the enemy from
getting in behind us.
Corporal Jensen
was successful in bluffing the enemy
that they were surrounded by Australians
consequently, a good many surrendered
which assisted us greatly in our
advance from Noriel to where we
dug in on the ridge forming the
Bullicourt line.
I may also state
that I was in a position at the rear
being the last wave to see the
position more so than many others
but our Coy lost heavily over the

4
first ridge before reaching Noriel
principally through A Coy
encountering such  a nest of Machine
gun & stray fire of the enemy.
They got on to us with infillated
fire & thined our ranks considerably.
We had lost most of our officers
& a good many of our N.C.O. but
the rank & file seemed to grasp
the situation well & being headed
& encouraged by such a courageous
leader in Captain Armitage we
went on & got to a few yards
where we were supposed to go &
dug in & held on tenacously
with what men we had.
We just
got our position fairly well secured
when Captain Armitage a message
to Head-Quarters that we had
gained our position & was
consolidating same & then to our
sorrow the Captain who was
anxious to ascertain the strength
of the enemy was killed by a 

5
sniper. We lost a Solider & a Man
in him as his last words prior
to his death was Sgt Wilson go
to the right & hold on which I
may say without fear of contradicition.
I took charge of the Coy on the right
& fought off several bombing attacks
by the enemy & was loosing heavily.
The enemy was still getting
infillated fire on us & attacking
us from the right & there was a big
gap between us & the 52nd Battalion
on our extreme right, so I suddenly
thought that I would barricade
the trench on our right assisting
us in checking the advance &
placing Lewis Guns brought from the
51st Battalion to stem the advance.
This being successful the Lewis
Gunners suffered heavily we held on
but it was the timely assistance
given us by the 51st Battalion &
the splendid spirit of the men of
the 50th Battalion together with
Major Sayer that pulled us through 

6
I may state Sgts Spinkston & Gapp of
50th did splendid work in holding
the remainder of men of the 50th
Batt together, until Major
Seager came up on our right with
his platoon & drove the enemy back
making it safer for us & straightening
out our line i.e. linking it up
enabeling us to hold on until we
were relieved from our position by
the 51st Batt.
That is my description
of the fight at Noriel where I
gained by distinction I was
an ex South Africian soldier
went through part of the Boer
War in the South Africian
Constabulary holding the Queen's
Medal with five bars.
My calling
prior to enlisting was Locomotive
Chargeman Silverton Tramway Comp
which position I still hold.
I came from South Africa to Australia

7
in 1910.
 
I remain
Yours Sincerly
signed
No 542. Sgt James Wilson 50 Battalion
AIF
Original 10th