Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/260/1 - 1916 - 1930 - Part 25

6192.
29 October 1930.
J. Wilson, Esq., D.C.M.,
201, Pell street,
Railway Town,
Broken Hill, N.S.W.
Dear Sir,
I should be grateful if you would look through the
two pages enclosed herewith, and let me know if they are in
accordance with your memory of the action at Noreuil.
I would also particularly like to know (1) whether
the instruction given you by Captain Armitage was given before
or after he had been shot, and (2) were the machine-guns of
51st Battalion used, and the bombing attacks repulsed, as
indicated in the passages sent you?
Yours faithfully,
CEWBean
C.E.W. Bean
Official Historian.
 

Noted.

H N Noreuil

2/4/17
201 Pell Street
Broken Hill
N.S Wales

Acknowledged

[[Aust?/?CWB]] 13/4/30
No. I
6/11/30
Dear Sir
I am in receipt of your
letter relating to the fight at Norieul in
which the 50th Battalion played such a great
in bringing it to a successfull finish or I
may say a victory in gaining our objecting
which at one part of advance secured to be utterly
impossible owing to the gap existing between
C. Coy of the 50th Batt & A Coy of the 50th
which were more or less trapped, & but for
the great work done on our right by No 10th
Platoon's Bombers of the 50th Batt which I
ordered to A. Coy assistance after crossing
the ridge leading to Norieul, & I may state
that Cpl. Jensen in charge of them played
a great part in bringing our advance to a
success ably assisted by Pt OConnor of the 50^th
both receiving decorations Jensen the V.C & O Connor
D.C.M. In looking through your passages
I think as far a I can recollect that it is a
very good & true description of the fight

II
at Norieul there may be a good many side
issues that were attached to it but too
numerous & perhaps trivial to mention you
have got practially the main issue of the
general fight but anything further you may
require I will always be ready & willing to give you
what I know to the best of my abilities or memory
No. l  Now regarding the orders given by Capt Armitage
the order given to me was Sgt. Wilson go to
the right & take charge & hold on, that was
given to me before he was shot, that was the last
words to me in person although after I went
to the right he sent me several messages as to
how I was doing & I sent out messages to him
to send Lewis Guns & gunners of which were
done I was not along side Capt Armitage when
he got killed I would say from 30 to 40 yards
separated us when he was shot & I think that
from the nature of the wound he received it was
almost instantaneous as it hit the steel helmet
penetrating the brain I don't think he spoke to
any one after being shot he was killed just as
we were acclaiming victory of our objecting
A Soldier & a man
 

III
No II Regarding the 51^st Battalion Lewis guns I
may say that I repeatedly called in my
messages to Capt Armitage for me. & guns
which I received I could not say from memory
how many Lewis Guns from the 51st were used
but I can definiately say they were used to steer
the last attack made on us our Lewis guns
& gunnrs were all more or less out of action
I think that as far as my memory takes
me through these anxious moments on the
right that the timely assistance of the 51st
Battalions Guns & personal & what was left of
our boy the 50th brought about the complete
check of the enemy attack I dont think we
could of checked it without Barricading the
trench as when the enemy encountered it they
were moved down by us I dont think there
was a single one got over it, thus is my
account of it all trusting this will meet
with your further reports you may have
on same I am A.I.F. No 542 Sgt. J Wilson
201 Pell St
Railway [[Loum?]]
 

(Victor)
Extracts from diary of 3790 Sgt. V. Cross, 49th Bn. (6 Coy)

Monday, 2/4/17. Stand to at 5 a.m. 13 Bdge making an attack on a
big frontage. Barrage started at 5.30, and talk about shells going
over very thick. We did not have to move up. German prisoners came
in about 9 O’clock, and Fritz shelled our home. A shell lobbed in
amongst them. A lot of my platoon wounded with xxx same shell.
Company moved up into support again so had to find trenches. On my
way to the line I met nothing but dead men. After getting into
position coy had to move to the right flank. Was coming across with
platoon when machine gun opened out on us - 1 wounded. Got coy into
position.
Tuesday, 3/4/17.
All Monday stretcher-bearers were going their hardest. We had an
outpost out and it was shelled very heavy. The advance successful all
along the front, but it cost us a lot of men. Stand to at 5 a.m.
Nothing doing so we are still in support. I have more dead men here
than Pozieres. Cpl. Jensen brought in a wounded German. This road is
strewn with dead men, and Fritz had a big strong post. Received our
rations after sending a fatigue party. It has been raining since
Sunday so imagine how we lads are here with no coats or blankets.
Wednesday, 4/4/17.
No. 10 Platoon had to move up further as 49th took over the front
line. Managed to have a good sleep. Left our old place and moved furt
further down road. A lot of our lads dead just in front of Fritz
strong post. All Fritz's dugouts blown in and his men killed. Enough
rifles and bombs here to supply a batt. The Germans were 119 Reserves
Reg. and all equipment was brand new. Made another possie and had a
sleep. Raining very heavy. Major Fortescue and I went to find new
position for coy. Coy moved at 9 a.m. Received orders that C Coy were
tooxkax to make an attack. Got attack explained to us. We are to
attack at 4.30. Railway cutting. Our attack will be 700 yards on a
500 yard front. Attack in three waves.
Thursday, 5/4/17.
Moved into position at 3 a.m. and started at 4.30. Barrage very good.
Fritz spotted us and we had to lay low under heavy rifle and machine
gun fire. They charged on right flank so I soon got left moving.
Was soon in cutting and got stuck into Fritz with our bombs. A very
deep cutting so built a barricade on left flank. Fritz tried to bombs
bomb us out, but we gave him plenty of Mills. Things quiet until
daylight when cutting was swept with machine gun fire, and then we
soon found out that we were in a death trap, and to see the men
falling and hear the crys of the wounded would break your heart.
Fritz had his M.G. well hidden and we could not locate them. I saw
half our coy out of action within 30 minutes. It was just as I said,
a death trap. Well I had the pleasure to usea use a bomb and see the
damage it done. I was trying to do my best when bang, Vic was going
up in the air. It was a lovely sensation, and if death is like that
it is simply lovely. When I came roud round the first words that I
said, they told me, was "My poor mother, I will not die". I cried
like a baby because I was wounded, as I knew I would not be able to do
any more. Oh, I would have given anything not to have been wounded.
I love my Batt. and many of the lads in it. Well, I started for the
rear, but Fritz turned a machine gun on us, and Vic stopped another in
the leg. Two lads risked their lives and carried me to safety. I will
never forget them. I was operated on at Pozieres on April 5th
 

L/Cpl Wa Tourrier
22 Bn
June 16^th/21
To the Secretary, Dep^t. of Defence.
Dear Sir, I enclose printed form
(with particulars), long mislaid and just come to light, which
I trust will yet be in time for acceptance. With regard to the
"Particulars required for the Nation's Histories "and three" of interest
connected with him", I beg to submit the following concerning my son,
William Tourrier. He enlisted in July, 1915 and in the following
October left Australia for Egypt with the 13th Light Horse. In March,
1916, he arrived in France and was transferred to a machine gun
section. In or about December, 1916, he was sent to a machine gun
school to make a model of his invention, "a flash extinguisher",
afterwards (about July, 1917) submitted to the War Office, London.
In a letter from him dated December 3rd, 1916, he says? "We put in 18 days
in the trenches in last spell, 11 days of this time without a blanket or
bed, consequently very little sleep. I never knew what cold feet were
before, but mine often felt warm, they were so cold. "On April 23^rd,
1917, he write us the following:- "I am commander of a Lewis
[* DECEASED
SECTION
JUN 17 1921
RECEIVED*]
gun and team and a few days ago I had a rather exciting
time when the enemy attacked us and I and my team went forward
[*Lagiu-
court*]
and trapped the Hun; my gun accounted for from 40 to 50
Huns and two of my team were wounded and I was the envy of
all the Batt gunners." On the 3rd of May, 1917, he was wounded
at Bullecourt. He writes: - "the 22nd Batt, suffered heavily in this
encounter. I knocked a few Fritz's with my Lewis when a
sniper knocked a hole in my steel hat scraping some skin off
my head, that's all." He was awarded the Military Medal" for
 

2
conspicuous services and for bravery in the Field, after
Bullecourt. He was personally complimented by his major.
on the 23^rd 26^th September 1917, he took part in the heavy fighting around
Polygon Wood. On the 9^th October, 1917, he was picked up with
others of his team mortally wounded near Broodseinde Ridge,
Ypres sector and taken to an advanced dressing station. There was
no subsequent trace of him. - If you would kindly communicate 
with Lieut. C. J. Fulton whose address is, however,
unknown to me, further particulars may be obtained of a
laudatory nature.
Yours faithfully
Therdore J. Tourrier
240 Barker's Rd
Glenferrie

BASE [[?]]
JUN 17 1921
RECEIVED
 

H N /Germ Withdrawal 1917
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES.-3RD MILITARY DISTRICT.
(Address) DRILL HALL, SURREY HILLS.
(Date) 3rd November 1930.
In Reply Please Quote
No............................................
To Captain, C.E.W. BEAN.
Dear Sir.
Your letter dated 29th October to hand,
Information required in connection
with Light Horse, at BEAUMETZ.
The Light Horse referred to were
reinforcements, who had volunteered to join up with the
Infantry.
The 13th L. H. did not get a chance in
getting far forward, on the afternoon after the German
Counter Attack, a section rode along in rear of our front
line from Velue Wood to Bapume Road. A Troop reported to
me but were not in the picture when the fight was on.
I made a slight mistake in my letter,
"BEx "B" Coy under Captain Booth was in Beaumetz, and
"A" under Capt, Bennett in front of Velue Wood, I had
transposed "A" for "B".

Yours Sincerely
Joe Arthur
 

Extracts from diary of 3790 Sgt. V. Cross, 49th 3n. (6 Coy)
Monday, 2/4/17.Stand to at 5 a.m. 13 Bdge making an attack on a
big frontage. Barrage started at 5.30, and talk about shells going
over very thick, We did not have to move up. German prisoners came
in about 9 o'clock, and Fritz shelled our home. A shell lobbed in
amongst them. A lot of my platoon wounded with xxx same shell.
Company moved up into support again so had to find trenches. On my
way to the line I met nothing but dead men. After getting into
position coy had to move to the right flank. Was coming across with
platoon when machine gun opened out on us - 1 wounded. Got coy into
position.
Tuesday 3/4/17.
All Monday stretcher-bearers were going their hardest. We had an
outpost out and it was shelled very heavy. The advance successful all
along the front, but it cost us a lot of men. Stand to at 5 a.m.
Nothing doing so we are still in support. I have more dead men here
than Pozieres. Col. Jensen brought in a wounded German. This road is
strewn with dead men, and Fritz had a big strong post. Received our
rations after sending a fatigue party. It has bean raining since
Sunday so imagine how we lads are here with no coats or blankets.
Wednesday, 4/4/17.
No. 10 Platoon had to move up further as 49th took ever the front
line. Managed to have a good sleep. Left our old place and move furt
further down road. A lot of our lads dead just in front of Fritz
strong post. All Fritz's dugouts blown in and his men killed. Enough
rifles and bombs here to supply a batt. The Germans were 119 Reserves
Reg. and all equipment was brand new. Made another possie and had a
sleep. Raining very heavy. Major Fortescue and I went to find new
position for coy. Coy moved at 9 a.m. Received orders that C Coy were
toxxkxx to make an attack. Got attack explained to us. We are to
attack at 4.30. Railway cutting. Our attack will be 700 yards on a
500 yards front. Attack in three waves.
Thursday. 5/4/17.
Moved into position at 3 a.m. and started at 4.30. Barrage very good.
Fritz spotted us and we had to lay low under heavy rifle and machine
gun fire. They charged on right flank so I soon got left moving.
Was soon in cutting and got stuck into Fritz with our bombs. A very
deep cutting so built a barricade on left flank. Fritz tried to bombs
bomb us out, but we gave him plenty of Mills. Things quiet until
daylight when cutting was swept with machine gun fire, and than we
soon found out that we were in a death trap, and to see the men
falling and hear the crys of the wounded would break your heart.
Fritz had his M.G. well hidden and we could not locate them. I saw
half our coy out of action within 30 minutes. It was just as I said,
a death trap. Well I had the pleasure to xxxx use a bomb and see the
damage it done. I was trying to do my best when bang, Vic was going
up in the air. It was a lovely sensation, and 1f death is like that
it is simply lovely. When I came xxxx round the first words that I
said, they told me, was "My poor mother, I will not die". I cried
like a baby because I was wounded, as I knew I would not be able to do
any more. Oh, I would have given anything not to have been wounded.
I love my Batt. and many of the lads in it. Well, I started for the
rear, but Fritz turned a machine gun on us, and Vic stopped another in
the leg. Two lads risked their lives and carried me to safety. I will
never forget them. I was operated on at Pozieres on April 5th