Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/273/1 - 1918 - 1937 - Part 19

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answered the roll call in the morning

But they reached their objective.

There was only one V.C. awarded in this

stunt to Lieutenant Cliff Sadlier. Charlie

Stokes got an extra stripe sergeant and

a D.C.M. Stokes should have got the V.C.

he was the inspiration of the whole of that

splendid action. Although Sadlier

played a splendid part as did every man

in the platoon.

It states in the digger book of Western Australia

that Lieut Sadlier led his bombers into that

post. I was one of them. and then states we

were all casualties that is not correct

many of them got through and pushed on

some like myself to be stopped by the

machine gun on the Sunken Road or

like my particular pal Harry Gallagher

to be killed on the barb wire a little further

on.

Next morning at the casualty station at

Amine's it seemed as if the whole of

the 51st were there. I remember Cliff

Sadlier coming in with his shoulder

in a sling.

[the P.S. although Stokes was recommended for the V.C.by

many ^it was said that corps headquarters recommended Sadlier to

honour the platoon as platoon commander. J.M]

7/  10/.

We were a badly broken up lot but as

fresh drafts of wounded men from this

great fighting battalion continued to

come along those of us who had

sufficient life raised three cheers for

each lot.

After this I was taken to Rouen hospital for a few

days where a Yankee sister put 13 medicated

[foments?] on my leg in one night and probably

saved it, and then to Bath war hospital for 3

months where the V.A.D. English Sisters were

like angels after the Hell at Villers Bret.

Back again to the Battalion in time to take part

in the latter engagements towards Andenberg line

And luckily got out of them none of them were a

patch on the Villers Bret Stunt.

Other survivors I know who may help you are

Captain Harburn traveller for Mills & Ware Perth

Cliff Sadlier V.C. time keeper Canning Dam W.A.

Charlie Stokes Carrier Subiaco W.A.

M Dick Hardwick education dept Parkerville W.A.

I trust this ^will be of value to you our platoon

played a very important part as we were in the

first wave to go over. And we were  badly

let down by the Tommies who did

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not take their position in the line at

the time allotted to them and the gap 

had to be filled with the 13th & 15th

Brigades. and they did the extra

work well.

I am proud to have been associated with

the 51st Battalion in the Villers Bretonneux

Stunt. Under fearful fire and their mates

falling all around them. No one ever

thought of running back.

They carried out their instructions to the

letter at a terrible cost.

It is grand to have been a mate of such men.

The 51st was a great fighting Battalion

with splendid fighting officers.

They were known as the fighting 51st

and certainly, earned the title.

I would like to know when the volume goes

to press as many things in it would deeply

interest me. There are not many of the 51st who

were in that stunt left to give you information

But I hope those who can will give it none of

us could see all. But all of us saw something.

Wishing you success Yours faithfully

J Mulqueeny J.P.

Lake Brown. W.A.

From Private A.H.Barber

51st Bn

On Monday April 22nd '18, the 51st Btn

(Lieut-Col Christy in command) arrived at

Query, on the Albert-Amiens Rd, from Corbie,

fromwhich place we had been on fatigues,

digging reserve trenches etc.

While at Corbie, 150 reinforcements arrived

on April 13th, & another detachment of re.os &

details on April 18th. This brought the strength

of the Btn up to somewhere about full strength.

A parade to re-organise after dinner on

the 22nd, 2 Lewis guns to each platoon.

A number of the reinforcements were quite young,

never heard a shot fired.

April 28th. Heavy drum fire was heard about dawn,

also occasional long range shells were

falling close to the village.

While doing Buzzer work about 10AM, a runner

brought the order to return to billets to get into

fighting order. Fritz was making a push

south of Corbie."

The Battalion moved out of the village at noon,

& marched all the afternoon. Column of route,

most of the time, but we broke down to

artillery formation on one occasion to

avoid shell fire. An enemy plane also

gave us a good deal of attention,

& machine gun fire, but as far as I

know, there were no casualties.

2

On the way we passed the R.H.Q & on another

occasion the 52nd Btn passed through us, as

we lined the sides of the road. Their Padre

at the rear with a heavy pack, & a cheery

word for everybody.

In the early evening we halted on a side road

leading away from the main road to Amiens.

Stretcher bearers were bringing the wounded back.

The Bearers were Tommies, fine big chaps.

Up on the side of the hill was a chateux, which

later was used as our dressing station.

Capt Cook (A Coy) came along the

line. "You chaps had better dig a funk hole.

No telling when we may be under shell fire."

Aussies like me werent interested, until without

warning a shell buried itself in the ground.

We assumed the upright somewhat sheepishly

(the shell was a dud) & dug funk holes.

Another one came over, closer to HD.Q R S,

& a cry of "stretcher bearers" went up.

First blood to Fritz.

The scout officer & scouts went forward

at dusk & returned after dark.

At 8 PM we all fell in, practically every

man. No [neuclus?] left behind this time.

Our orders were to "go forward at all

costs. Leave the mopping up to the 2nd wave."

Stan Hicks, A Coy QM came along for a last

3

word. My cobber Bill Watson said.

"What shall I bring you back Stan?'

"Bring yourself back Bill. Never mind souvenirs."

"Dont forget the tucker Stan" I remarked.

"Rightoh Barb, I'll send the tucker up if its at

all possible.

Captain Cook was giving his last words to

O'Reilly, his runner. "Stick to me O'Reilly,

but if the fire gets too hot, look after yourself."

Some time after 8 PM we moved off in file,

up past the chateau on the left, until we

were skirting a wood, also on the left.

The moon was about halfway down, & no

doubt was in the second quarter.

An occasional shell past overhead, otherwise

there was no opposition.

I should say we marched about 3 miles &

then deployed on the right to the [?top]

C.Coy were to deal with the wood on

the left, then A.Coy, the other coys no doubt

were on 'our right.'

We were now under fairly accurate shell

fire. One of the reinforcements asked rather

anxiously "if we had any artillery?"

I knew we had none, but to cheer him up

a bit, said "Yes, you wait till you

hear our barrage."

Ten oclock Zero hour. A whistle sounded,

4

XX someone said "Come on lads" & we were off.

Almost at once from the wood on our

left came a murderous machine gun

fire. C.Coy dealing with the wood

were not making the same progress

as we were, so the enemy were having

a great target at us, before engaging on

C.Coy.

Men fell in swaths, the rest of us

threw ourselves into small shell holes,

piling on top of one another but as

soon as the fire slackened the least

bit we were up & on again.

Advance at all costs & the costs were

going to be heavy. Those poor devils

of reinforcements.

Flares & Very lights soared into the

sky & we stood motionless, eyes on

the ground; on again, with nothing

to shoot at.

Presently there are shots immediately

in front, men fall, & someone called

out "Bomb the ________."

Bombs are thrown into some out-

posts & we discover we have been

boxing on with some Tommy's in

outposts. They didn't know we were

advancing, & thought we were Germans

5

who had got around behind them; we

certainly thought they were Germans.

Coming back wounded two hours later

I saw the outposts again, & wondered

how many of the dead we had accounted

for.

The fire, if at all possible, was increasing

in intensity. It was almost impossible

to make oneself heard above the sound of

those informal machine guns. How we kept

on our feet at all was a mystery.

Certainly the night saved us.

Presently we came to a trench in a

hollow. Flares were going up from a

position half left about 60 yds. From the

parapet we opened fire in the hope

of silencing a machine gun there.

Our Platoon Sgt came running

along the parapet. "Come on boys we

cant stay here" he shouted in a hoarse

voice. Up lads & at 'em, & we

fixed bayonets & charged forward, to be

halted by barb wire entanglements

about 60 yds ahead of the trench.

The machine gun half left was only

about 30 yds away.

Throwing myself down I looked

along to the right & by the light

6

of the moon& flares I could see our fellows

pouring throu a gap in the wire.

Jumping up on to one knee I started

pulling up the pickets when I stopped

one in the left shoulder; of the other two

one got it in the neck & one in the gutz.

Making my way back an hour later

I met two tanks going up, at least 2 hours

late.

Capt Cook was killed on the wire entanglements;

Lieut Jack Hitchen & Joe Barrell also.

Sgt'g Geo Smith, Monty Davis, & Geo Nash

done their last hop over.

The casualties for the battalion I believe were

400. (I also heard 700).

From what the boys told me afterwards

they reached their objective alright it

but had lost too many men to do

anything but just hang on.

C.Coy had a stiff job in dealing with machine

gun nests in the wood. The enemy manned

their guns to the last. Some died at their

posts. Lieut Haslem won his VC that

night.

9254.

4th June 1935.

 

C.W.K. Sadlier, Esq., V.C.,

c/c R.S.S.I.L.A.,

Anzac House,

Perth. W.Aust.

 

Dear Mr. Sadlier,

I am writing the story of the fighting at

Villers-Bretonneux on 24-25 April, 1918, but am hampered

by lack of information as to what was the actual course

of the fighting on the edge of Bois l'Abbe and near the

Monument. I should be most grateful if you could give

me the benefit of your recollections, as I want to do full

justice to the 51st and 50th Battalions.

Yours faithfully,

C.E.W.Bean

Official Historian.