Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/273/1 - 1918 - 1937 - Part 2

14 F Coy
24/4/18  Lt Best & 12 sappers detailed for duty with 15 Bde in c/attack
26/4/18  No 3 Section & infy party (50) on Switch Reserve Line

15 F Coy   Major Greenway
5/4/18  Arrived Blangy 3 p.m.
7/4/18 No. 3 Section Moved to La Neuville to work in 15 Bde sector
Party commenced work on mine under road O 18 b 5 3
8/4/18.  Mining roads O 18b 53, O 10d 68, O 11a 51
9/4/18   Work continued in forward area by three sections.
fourth section xx on road-mining
Lts. Marnie & Gilbert reconnoitred Bouzincourt &
ascertained that 5 Divn merely holds one post 150 yds . . . of the
village & not village itself.
10th  On cancellation of projected attack, 15 F Coy resumed normal work
in Reserve Line etc.
11- 19th20th Reserve Line work continued ^also tunnelled dugouts at P 7a 10. On a/c of good visibility working parties
changed over from day to night work on 12th.
14th. Switch Reserve, ^and more S.P's commenced. Idea is to develop continuous line from these S/P's

15 F Coy
From Period 8th-19th April
Engaged in wiring front line, erecting S P's & shelters and wiring in
support line, digging traversed trench.
Front Line - wiring
Support Line - S P's & shelters
Reserve Line - wiring
Traversed Trench - 2600 yds of trench dug 3' 9" deep
Switch Line - wiring
Traversed Trench - 1000 yds dug 3' 9"
Dugouts                       )
Road Mines                 )
Dummy Bridges etc )

15 F. Coy
21-23/4/18  Work on reserve line (digging & wiring)
Take over sector N. of Somme from 11 F Coy on 21st
Dugouts for 8 Bde
Wiring in front line
23/4/18  C.T. in left bn. sector taped out.

15 F Coy
Works Report 20-26 Apr 1918
Front Line - wiring
Reserve Line - Traversed Trench 1500 yds. excavated 140 yds developed to a width of 5 ft & depth of 5' 3"
Wiring
Switch Line ^Wiring Traversed Trench
Dugouts etc

15 F Coy
25/4/18  Normal work resumed
26/4/18  Further work Res & Front line wire

1
XVIII Corps ws reld ^early on March 29 28 by Fr.
Groupement Mesple. Its arty still covering Fr.
XIX ws only corps of 5th Army now in line.
9 Aust Bde to Cachy under it
Rfts from III Corps withdrawn from line
a few days coming up to XIX Corps.
[*Former 5 Army sector
now represented by:-
Br. 5 army XIX Corps
Fr. 1 Army
Fr 3 Army
Fr 6 Army
along Oise.*]
By Mar 29 Gs had ceased to
att. Fr. 6 Army ^29 Quiet day on 3 Army
also, but Gs attd Fr. 1 Army &
drove it back & also rt of Brit 5 Army.
near Demuin.
Mar 30. Att. Finished agst Fr 6 Army.
Gs attd Fr 3rd Army. (11 Cav & XXXV Corps) & made some grd.
Fr. XXXV Corps also made a c/a & gained grd.
Fr. 6 Army held up Gs on rt but VI Corps & Gpmt Mesple
(this day became tn over by XXXVI Corps under Gen. Nollet)
Fr. apptly driven out of Moreuil but got in again
during mg of Mar 31 (town being empty)
Fr. 59 & 45 ^& 17 Divs arrd in 1 Army
& 2 Divn 8 Cav Divs. Brit arty still covering pt of Fr.
XIX Corps. G att all along line on Mar 30.
Gs took Moreuil Wood from Fr. but Can. Cav
Bde in a very fine dash retook ^most of it w help of
3 Cav Bde wh arriv later, & held on.
Imed S of Luce 50 & 20 Divs & Fr 133 Div surprised
lost but re took Little & Rifle Woods.
& got t. with Moreuil Wood.
L. bent back (as Demuin tn & Gs advd N of Luce)
Diagram – see original document
N of Luce
Diagram – see original document
Demuin held by 1 Coy of Littles
Bn. Gs drove this out
Littles Comp Bn driven back N of
xxxx Luce by Gs who turned tn Demuin
& enfild them. Driven to Hangard
Little c/ad w res. & retook most
of village
Then ords to pull out to Hangard Lines.
Little (Lt Col. W B Little) did this w diffy.
66 Div ws driven back by enfilade, & 39 Div ws involved w it.
Withdrew to Hangard - Bois de H line (in front of those places).
There 39 Div genly to N, 66 to S. C/a ws orgd by B Gen Armytage
(117 Bde) abt 1.30, to regain ridge SE of Lancer Wood. Started well
but driven back. Anor attempt later, also failed. Line
now in front of Hangard Wood.
66 Div made c/a towds Aubercourt abt 3 pm (Br. Gen Williams & mixed
body made it - got 1500^x - then driven back.) It wsnt known
tt 9 A I Bde ws to att farther N.

2

Mar 30 (cont). 66 Div rt retd under bombt only ^(no inf att) but

line ws restored, r: fl reformed.

On rt 39 Div c/a ws holding on w diffy S of

Lancer Wood, so 61 Div sent 181 Bde (61 Div Res)

sent Bde HQ & a composite Coy to the Wood abt

4 pm & held on till C/A of 9 A I Bde came up in evg.

By noon repts to XIX Corps showed tt 66, 39 & 61 after

10 days fighting were now at end of tether.

Therefore at 12.30 ords sent thro 61 Div to 9 A I Bde to C/a &

retake Aubercourt & gnd lost N of Aubercourt.

Rosey ordd 33 Bn to do this on 3000^x front from Copse W of

Marcelcave to Aubercourt. 34 Bn to suppt 33.

12 Lancers (of 5 Cav Bde wh w 4^th Cav Bde sent to

Bois l'Abbé in mg) ordd to suppt prot. left of 9 A I Bde)

12 Lcrs went on & occd L. Wood where 183 Bde holdg w diffy.

Didnt get far, as line too extended, but estd front firmly.

& moral appce of quite fresh tps ws considerable.

N. of Marcelcave 4 Gd Div & 228 Div advd agst 16 & 1 Cav Div &

part of Carey's force. at 1pm after slow barr. folld by intensive.

Gs repulsed everywhere exc. Hamel & there thrown

out of a few trenches wh they had gained by c/a by 5 DG & engrs & prs.

4 pm att. from Warfuseé repulsed by 9 Cav Bde & ors.

XIX Corps this day ordered at 12 .20 18 Div (2 Bdes

arrd at Gentelles) to take ^over line from Luce to

Marcelcave - Cachy Rd (relg 39, 66, part 61 & Carey)

& ^at 3.45 pm 61 to take over from Cachy - Marcelc. Rd to Villers Bret

Warfuseé rd, 1 Cav Div (supptd by 16 Div tps) to hold

from this rd to Somme. Order confirmed at 5.56 pm

At 7.35 61 Div authorised to use 1 Bn of 9 A I Bde to

assist in taking over its sector. Actly this meant

tt the Aust Bn took the 61 Div sector, rest of 61 Div

being withdrawn into reserve.

30th was there a day of stray G. atts all along line of former 5^th Army

sector except on 6 Fr. Army front.

Mar 31. mg. 18 Div had rt on Hangard (where in touch

with Fr Bn prob from 29 Fr Div at Boves) &

& front E of Bois de Hangard & Lancer Wood to

Cachy - Marc. Rd 1000^x W. of Marc. From here 35 Aust

Bn (reld 33 & 34) held line to Warfusée, but relief

not complete & 2/7 Warwickshire (61 Div) & 2 Sqns

Essex Yeo. still w / Austlns in f.l.

1 Cav Div. brt up 2 Cav Bde on rt to rel 9 Cav Bde (wh went

to res. at Fouilloy. 1st Cav Bde on left in front of Hamel.

16 Bn ^tps under 1 Cav Div now held front N of Hamel Cerisy Rd.

4 & 5 Cav Bdes (2 Cav Div) in Res in Bois l'abbé.

24 Div in rear SE of Amiens held bridgeheads over Luce.

39 & 66 Divs & 61 went into reserve.

66 Div Arty gp. covering 61 Div (ie Austlns)

23r Bde RGS        "              "              " (2 others in Bois l'Abbé - rest in Blangy-Tronville-Glisy area. 

It had 16 guns in action (out of 25).

[*18 Div had been fighting from

Mar 21-25 & moving

ever since.*]

[*Summary:

N. of Avre XIX Corps lost

Demuin & pushed back to

to Hangard.

Gs still kept off Cachy Gentelles 

plateau & V/B the impt pts.*]
[*S of Avre

Gs were now across Avre everywhere

S. of Morcourt, & held Font-sous,

Montdidier, Catigny, Aubvillers, Sauvillers

but not Grivesnes or Mailly. Gs got into

Moreuil but appty evacd it. N ½ of

Moreuil Wood retn by Brit Cav.*]

[*3rd Bde (54)

of 18 Div arr on

evg 30th Day at Boves.

3rd Cav Div also

arrd on 30^th

S of Amiens (Sains en Arm)

Only 9 A I Bde fresh.*]

3

Mar. 31

Fr. 6 Army attd (first time since Mar 25) by

Gs at Chauny on Oise (10 miles E. of Noyon)

Agst tps of 58 Brit Div wh still there. Gs Xd Oise

on improvised pontoon in dk. & got into trenches.

Driven out in aftn by c/a. No other att.

3rd Fr. Army Fr. on left attd w ^some slight success.

1st Fr Army Gs after hard fighting 

got into Grivesnes (1 Gd Div)

Also got again into Moreuil (243 Div) but not Mailly (23 Div).

Fr. 127 Div had come up. 162 Div reld 56 in front

of Montdidier this night. 31/1

XXXVI Corps ord to rel all Brit tps at Moreuil &

Moreuil Wood with 2 Dismtd Cav Div.

59 Div came up into res. This Corps still had some Brit Arty.

This night last H A withdrawn from 3 Fr Army. H A of

XVIII Corps still with 1st Fr. Army.

Diagram - see original document

Gs on 31 still attd S. of Luce

after 1 hours v. heavy bombt

G. 243 Div at 1 pm attd Moreuil Wood

agst 8 Div & drove out 23 & pt of 24 Bdes.

2 Cav Div & 20 Div helped to check adv.

At some time 208 & 199 G. Divs attd N of

Moreuil Wood agst 20, 50, & pt of 133 Fr.

Enfiladed at 2.30 from Moreuil Wood Little &

Rifle Woods were lost. Pt of tps fell back

on bridgehead at Thennes & Domart.

At 2.30 pm. 2 Cav Div ordd 4 Cav Bde & J Bty

to move from near V/B towds Thennes to suppt

3 Cav Bde further S of Hounges.

No att N of Luce. In aftn Hangard, held 

by a Fr. Bn, was reptd lost, but this was not true.

Tps of 61 Div & 1 Cav Div w 35 Aust Bn reld. units of

Careys Force to be pulled out as soon as poss. S of

Peronne rd all reld by night of 31/1.

2.40 am on Ap. 1 Austlns came under 18 Div.

Ap. 1. Line much same as on 31 exc pract all Moreuil Wood

& ^1 mile in direction n. of it. As there was danger of

Diagram - see original document

Gs getting Xings of Luce & reaching Gentelles XIX orded

2 Cav Div to c/a on mg Ap. 1. to retake Rifle Wood.

During night 4 & 5 Cav Bdes & Can. Cav Bdes assembled

1200 dismtd men for att. at 9 am.

6 & 7 Cav Bdes put under XIX Corps on 31st & ordered to Bois de Gentelles.

Quiet day on Fr. front - Grivesnes again ^2ce attd but held - 

A good deal of Fr Arty came up to 3 & 1 Fr. Armies.

Brit Arty still w Fr. 1 Army.

2 Cav. Div's att. entirely succeeded (Can. Cav Bde ^finally taking Rifle Wood & others their objves. Cav. took 100 prisoners & 13 mgs.)

3 Cav. Div placed 7 Cav Bde as displ. of 2 Cav. Div.

Haig met Foch & Dury (5 Army HQ) & arranged tt on 1/2 Apr Fr

take over to vy S of Rifle Wood; on 2/3 Apr to Hangard inclusive.

Thenceforth French to be respble for Luce Vy, Brit for V/B plateau.

Bdy to be Hangard (F) Domart (F) St Nicholas (Br) Bridget Rd at Boves (both) Sains (Fr)

Bacouel (Fr) Rly to Poix (Fr) 5 Army to come back under Haig again.

4
Accordly Night 1/2 Apr. Fr 133 Div took over to 300^x N of Rd SE from Thennes.
14 Brit Div brt up from S of Amiens to occ
for 24 hrs line of 2 Cav Div.
8 Div & 2 & 3 Cav Divs reld. also remnants of 50 & 20 Divs
reld: Inf of 8, 20 & 50 left XIX Corps but not arty.
N of Luce quiet.
24 Div still held the rear positn from Luce to Amiens - Domart Rd.
61 Div extended this posn thro' Gentelles to S edge of Bois l'abbé.

Arty of 50 & 66 Divs now 2 Gps under 18 Div.
On left (covg. 16 & 1 Cav Divs) arty of 16 & 39 Divs.
XIX Corps had now 102 heavy guns, 77 in actn.
1 April quietest day yet since 21 Mar. No
gnd lost by Allies - a little gained
2 & 3 April. No att on Fr. 3 and 6 armies exc. little att on
rt of Fr. 6 army.
Fr 1 Army - night 2/3 Ap. Gs attd betw Mailly
& Morisel & entd Morisel but Fr regaind nearly all.
On night 3/4 Fr. c/attd SE of Grivesnes, held grd gained.

Night 2/3 Fr. 29 Div reld Brit 14 Div Rifle Wood

to Hangard incldg Hangard (ie. to S of Luce R.)
Fr. 2 Dismntd Cav Div reld 133 Div north of
Moreuil.
Brit still had so FA provided FA down to N & S of Moreuil.
Covg Fr 163, 2 Dismtd, & 29 Divs.
XIX Corps: 1, 2 & 3 Cav Divs, 14, 16, 18, 24, 61 Divs 9 A I Bde.
Gs didnt att on 2 or 3 Ap. but arty fire became heavy on 3rd.
18 Div made a small att on evg 2 Ap. to get high grd.
NW of Aubercourt & gain obsv of vill & Luce Vy.
2 Coys 54 Bde & Bn of 53 Bde to att, but were seen &
shelled & att countermanded.
Careys force withdwn from / Cav Div front & ceased to exist.
14 Div went to reserve, Bois de Blangy.
Night 3/4 Apr. 14 Div reld 1 Cav & 16 Divs. 1 Cav Div
withdn N of Somme to Bussy, under Cav Corps.

16 Div to Amiens. But 6 Cav Bde. (3 Cav Div) wh had bn
lent to 1 Cav Div on 2 April remained as res. to 14 Div.
One regt at Fouilloy & ^the xx other 2 in N pt of Bois l'Abbé.
All 1 Cav Divs mgs in pos line stayed there.
Other Bdes of 3 Cav Div at Boves. 2 Cav Div came under Cav Corps.
A mg coy of 61 Div remained under 18 Div on new
rear line from Berteaucourt past Gentelles.
to Bois l'Abbe. 24 Div ws on Ap 3 gn this line
as its respblty to garrison w. Inf. (also Fr. to S.)
By mg of Apr 4 17 Bde held this, 73 Bde in Bois l'abbe
ready to cont. it to N, 73 Bde in reserve in Bois de Gentelles.
58^th Div wh had bn [[and?]] w III Corps on exts rt of offse of Mar 21,
had bn reld by Fr on Oise & ws arriving in Amiens.
The first 2 bns were lent to 18 Div & on 3/4 Ap.
6 London billeted at V/Bret & 7 Lond at Boves.
9 A I Bde had 35 in line. On night 2/3 33 sent to V/B.
in suppt. 34 & 36 near Cachy employed in digging
switch to cover Gentelles-Cachy to E.

Guns as before.
By mg of 4 Ap. line ws held by 2 Divs. 18 & 14.
16, 61, 1 & 2 Cav now withdwn from XIX Corps.
By ord of GHQ 1 April 5 Army became 4 Army. 5 ceased to exist.