Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/260/1 - 1916 - 1930 - Part 9

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can was favorite so we wrestled on.
Although a much bigger man he was
flabby & after his first efforts
he began to falter. I whipped a
flying snare on him & hardly had
his head hit the ground when one
of my boys put a bullet through him.
This took place at x-roads marked C
Daylight was breaking now & I could
see figures further back along the
road although I could not distinguish
whether Fritz or Aussie. I decided to 
find out so I left my party remain
until I found out. I had only gone 
about thirty yards I think, when I was
spotted by Fritz who was situated around
in the crater & who was at this stage
holding back Capt Cherry from this same
point. I had no cover just there
so I made a dash at them with my
revolver. Something seemed to tell me
to jump and I did for several rifles,
flashed fire. I went clean over their 
heads & on to the bottom of the crater
I rolled with one leg shattered above
the right ankle. There I lay with
one hand resting on my revolver in case 

5
they desired to finish me off.
Fritz did not wait however & in 
a few minutes Cherry & his band
were up with me. Cherry thought it
was my party that had been holding
him up but I explained to him that
the coast was clear so leaving me on
he went. Lieut Corner was also killed
just before Cherry came up to me .
In the darkness I missed Cherry at
the beginning of the stunt , but as
events turned out it was probably 
the best that could have happened.
for Cherry had a clear go from the
crater until he got through the village.
That I learned afterwards.
Just here I wish to pay a tribute to 
Fritz. A Red Cross Fritz prisoner dressed
my wound for me in the crater. The
lads then put me on a door & under
orders from Major Robinson carried 
me out. Those poor chaps paid for 
their kindly act. We had got back
to the x roads where we hopped off 
from & a when a shell sent us all
flying & three of those chaps lost 
legs as a result, the Fritz prisoner

6
being also wounded.
Well Sir, that is all I know of 
Lagnicourt. I am sorry I cannot
give you Cherry's movements in detail.
However, trusting you can make some 
use of this screed.
I remain
Yours Sincerely 
Harold H Bieske
Late Lieut 26^th Bn.
N.B. Should I have failed to make anything
clear L let me know and I will rectify matter.
H.H.B .        

Hand drawn diagram - see original document
 

4754.
16 August 1929.
H.H. Bieske, Esq., 
327, Wyman Street ,                          
Broken Hill, N.S.W.
Dear Sir, 
Many thanks for your interesting letter, which cleared 
up many points. I should be grateful if you could further 
enlighten me as to the following -
(1) I assume that the wound in your leg was caused by a hit
from a rifle bullet as you jumped?
(2) Can you remember whether the Germans lining the crater-edge
gave way immediately after you fell into the crater, 
or did they continue to fight for a short while?
(3) Was all resistance coming from the crater, or from some
of the houses roundabout?
(4) May I take it that as this stage the light was such 
that a man would not be visible for more than twenty yards
ahead?
Yours faithfully,

327 Wyman St
Broken Hill
N.S.W.
3-9-29
To
M^r C.E.W. Bean
Official Historian
Victoria Barracks
Paddington
Dear Sir
Your letter dated 16-8-29 to hand
containing your request for further
information relative to Lagnicourt & I
have pleasure in answering your questions
in their ^respective order:-
(1) Yes
(2) On discovering that I had come from
behind them they hesitated a couple of
minutes, but taking no notice of Cherry's
movements. Apparently they decided to
quit the crater & off they went. I was
left alone, but a short time may be
four or five minutes back the Germans
came having been apparently afraid
that my few men were but part of a
large force. Cherry by this time was
well up & his men disposed of the
Germans before they could climb down into

2
the crater. I saw them bayoneted from
where I was lying.
(3) So far as I can see there was no
resistance from any houses xxx between
the crater & the entrance to the village;
but at the x roads just beyond the
crater leading to the German lines the 
buildings there were strongly held.
According to my reasoning the Germans
were banking on all attack to come
from the road & consequently used
the crater as an advanced outpost;
but owing to the intervention of our
small party from their rear they
cleared out pell mell. Lucky for us
it was too dark to see our numbers.
(4) Visibility:- At the time I was shot
I doubt if a man would be visible for
more than twenty yards, although at this
stage dawn was rapidly breaking.
Certainly one could not distinguish friend
from foe for when Cherry's ^men came up about
five minutes after I was hit, they could
not distinguish my uniform & poured a
burst from the Lewis gun around me;
but beyond a few scats of rock striking

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me on the face I was not struck
with any bullets. I suppose that
crater would be about twenty feet deep.
Now in the case of the Germans defending
the crater the position would be different.
Their eyes would be on a level with the
ground & all figures silhouetted would
be visible once dawn began to break &
that is how I account for them getting
me the way they did.
I hope Sir, that these answers will be
clear to you. If not let me know ^whether if I can
give you further information.
In conclusion, I must apologise for not
replying to your letter earlier, but when I might
tell you that I am working underground
as a miner & the old ^wooden leg is not very
suitable for such a life, consequently I
get very tired & let most things go
once I get home & do at night.
I remain

Yours Faithfully
Harold H Bieske

4863.
9 September 1929.
H.H. Bieske, Esq.,
327, Wyman Street,
Broken Hill, N.S.W.
Dear Mr. Bieske,
I have to thank you for your reply, which gives me
just what I wanted. I saw the crater about midday. Lieutenant
Corner's body was lying a few yards from the south-western
edge of it, from which fact I fancy that there must have been
a preliminary rush at the crater some time before you arrived.
I am trying to get in touch with Corporal Nutt on this point,
but, even if I fail to do so, I think the account will now
be a pretty adequate one.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,

FL.4151.
xxxxxxxx
4695.
30 July 1929.
Dear Sir,

In writing the account of the battle of Lagnicourt
for Volume IV of the Official History of the War, I have
found some difficulty in describing the part played by the
26th Battalion, and especially by your company and Captain
Cherry. The records hardly mention what occurred -
(i) in the attack on the buildings at the
entrance of the village,
(ii) in the attack on the hedges,
(iii) in the attack on the crater.
Concerning the German counter-attack the records are rather
fuller.
I enclose a rough sketch of the village. If you
can remember what happened and would note down for me (on the
back of the sketch, if you prefer) your recollections of the
events as you saw them, I should be most grateful.
Yours faithfully,

C.H. Nutt, Esq., M.M.,
El Arish,
Queensland.