Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/273/1 - 1918 - 1937 - Part 18

PERTH, ..........19
5

shelling again we were, in one of his old 

trenches & he knew the exact range
he bombarded us with 9^pt 2 for nine
& a half hours, dropping them in the trench
just over & sometime a little short, one of
my best cobbers got killed there, a shell
dropped right in the centre of the trench.
you may not believe it but you could see
men, that I dont suppose said a prayer
in their live kneeling with there hands
to-gether praying for him to stop shelling,
Captain Smith our C-O got killed here
a sniper got him, they were deadly shots,
very seldom missed their man I may add
if we had not hopped over that night, the
Germans would have been in Ameins the
next day, the prisoners that we took had
six days rations with them & thus main object
was to get Ameins at all costs, I think this is
all I can tell you, I will close with saying, that
if the young men of to-day knew what we went
through in that battle, there would never be
any more wars
 

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P,S,
I have just found a paper cutting
amongst my war relicks, which will just
about bear out what I say, I would
like you to return it to me, also tell me
the name of your book when published
as I would very much like to read it
Well I will close now
hoping your book will be a good seller

I remain
your Sincerely
E Steadman
 

HN V/B.
Mulqueeny 51 Bn
Lake Brown
Western Australia
23rd June 1935
Dr C E W. Bean
Australian War Historian
Victoria Barracks
Paddington N. S. W.
Dear Sir
In the West Australian newspaper
dated June 18th there is an appeal by you
for survivors of the Villers Bretonneux
operations on April 24^th 25. 1918 of
members of the 51^st Battalion to forward
their recollections of their own and units
experience in that epic battle which
drove the Germans from their advantageous
position over looking Amiens.
Well I am forwarding my recollection from
memory & assisted by my diary written
at the time
Firstly my name is John Mulqueeny J.P.
Justice of The Peace. Lake Brown. West. Aus.
I was a member of C. company 51^st Batn
 

2

when it took part in Villers Bretonneux
operation 24^th & 25^th April 1915
Colonel R. Christy commanded the Btn
at the time. He was always ready to
participate in a fight, a great fighting
Commander. Bullocky Bob the B——
the men called him in tones of affection
They thought the world of him and would go
through hell for him. He received a bar
for his D.S.O. for this Stunt.
At the time I was no. 4016. Private J
Mulqueeny C. company. Captain Harburn
company commander. bomber in No 10.
platoon of which lieutenant Cliff K.W.
Sadlier had charge Dagnall was the
Sergeant of the platoon and Dick Hardwick
Corporal.
We marched out of Querria early on the
morning of 24^th April 1918. and marched all
day, during the afternoon a German plane
flew very low & close right over the Battalion
on the march
The whole Battalion opened rifle free on it
without effect.
 

3

We continued on until evening and dug in
in some chalky country. And thought we
were going to camp for the night.
But it was not to be so comfortable
Captain Harburn of C company addressed
his men and told us what was expected
from us, in a speech that was rather
amusing. He told us we were going over
the top that night. He said the monument
was our objective. and that nothing was to
stop us from getting there, that was our goal
(gail he pronounced it and caused a titter)
In his own words he said kill every bloody
German you see we dont want any prisoners
and God Bless you
That was characteristic of the man he was as
game a little man as was ever in the A.I.F
and did do himself what he expected his
men to do. He spared none of the enemy in
a fight. And some very brave things can
be told about Captain Billy Harburn of the
51^st Battalion. He was one of the very few
Officers who got through the Villers Bretonneux
stunt. He played a very gallant part
 

4
in that great fight. He was undoubtly a
a fighting soldier. Fritz Killed his brother Jack
at Pashendale and he had a grievance
He practically had charge of Brigade or
seemed to during the final stages of the battle
He evidently stood on some one's corns higher
up for he got rapped over the knuckles latter
on and his splendid efforts did not receive
the recognition which we all know he was
entitled to. He was an inspiration to all
and certainly should have received a
decoration for his part
We filled our water bottles looked to our iron
ration and got into fighting order
No rum was issued, we went over the top
without it, not as some people think
full of it. And I consider our success, and
coolness, was due to that fact.
Before we came to the tape we were under
heavy shell fire
Private Tom Moloney of our platoon lost his leg from
that shell fire. I believe he was the first man put out
of action. We arrive at the tape Lieutentant
Sadler said a few words He said if you hear
any noise in the wood not to get the wind up
 

5

As it would be only a few Tomies cleaning
up. I might state here before we reached
the tape we met Tomies by the hundred
going back as fast as they could saying
Jerry is cooming.
After a brief rest, on tape the order was given
to our platoon by Lieut Sadlier, and over the
top we went, every man eager to do his bit
and in splendid heart, at 10.30.PM. approx.
We had not proceeded far when flares shot
up from a wood on our left, and it was
as bright as day while they lasted
At the same time a most deadly fire opened
on us, and many of our men were killed
and wounded
Those of us not hit dropped to the ground
immediately
When the flares died out we again attempted
to advance, only to meet with further flares
and terrific machine gun fire.
These machine guns in the wood on our left
were in such a position as to enfilade
our advancing troops if we
 

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continued on to our objective the
monument as instructed.
So for the time we all lay stretched
out on the ground a yard or two apart
not daring to move
Then Charlie Stokes crept up among us
He was a corporal then in No 9. platoon
Our platoon was no 10. with lieutenant
Cliff K. Sadlier in charge. Stokes said
what are you going to do. I was laying
next to Sadlier on his right. Sadlier
replied to Stokes. we are going straight
on to our objective. Stokes said you
cannot do it. every one will be killed.
What can we do was asked? Stokes
Said collect your bombers, and go into
the wood and bomb those guns out
Sadlier then passed the word along to
us to bomb the wood and rush it
This we did; although it looked like
facing certain death. Fritz did not
expect this move, and the bombs
rattled them: and put a lot of them
out of action. But did not stop them
 

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Charlie Stokes was wonderful he killed 7
men of those gun teams himself
He is nearly 6 ft tall darkly tanned skin
Splendid muscles and a magnificent type
of Australian manhood.
The whole move was due to his initiative
and courage, and all the guns in that wood
were put out of action.
I remember a fine big Fritz with one arm up
in the air calling out Camared and the other
hand on the gun firing for all he was worth
Lieutenant xSadlier, shot him with his revolver
Sadlier got one through the shoulder but carried on
The cleaning up of that nest of xxx German
machine guns, allowed the whole of the
13^th Brigade to get through.
After the cleaning up of that post, those of us who
were able proceeded on to our objective
Further along on a sunken Road was a lone German
machine gun, and to those of us in the open he
caused no end of trouble. He got Sergeant Dagnall
of our platoon in the arm or shoulder he was able to
walk out. The same fellow from his hidden post.
got me few minutes
 

8.
latter twice He hit me with a bullet on
right arm, just above the elbow. And the
arm was useless. Then he got me on the
right knee with a bullet, and it is still
there. That stopped me from walking
I crept into a shell hole and soon had
a boot full of blood, there was other men
in it one of them helped me to get my
field dressing & iodine and bandaged me.
Charlie Stokes again who seemed to bear
a charmed life got in and stopped the
lone gunner on the Sunken Road. he was
not hit through the whole of the operations
I lay in that shell hole waiting for the
moon to get under a cloud. Hoping to
crawl back to the R.A.P. as the Battalion
had then pushed on to-wards the barb wire
entanglements. When Bill Catchpole came
along with a badly wounded hand he got
on my gammy side - and helped me
along to the R.A.P. Saying I am not
going to leave you here. It was great of him.
The 51^st Battalion went into that stunt
over 900 strong. Somewhere about 160