Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/273/1 - 1918 - 1937 - Part 21

1/
H.N
V/B. 51 Bn.
Keeley.    

216 Stirling Street                                                           
Perth W.A   

24.6.35     

                                                                                  
Dr Bean,
Victoria Barracks,
Dear Sir,
Noticing your
appeal for any particulars that may help.
of the part played by the 51^st & 52^nd Bns
in the attack on Villers Bretonneux
of the night of 24^th april 1918_
I was. Sergt acting Plation Commander
of No 2 Platoon A Coy. 51^st Bn on that
night & I will try & give you my.
experiences as well as my memory serves
me & you will possibly be able is sort out
anything of interest.
It was I think about 9 AM. on
& being behind the line the
April 24^th & being behind the line the
51st Bn was on parade. Runners were
noticed making towards the Company Commanders
 & I will always remember the first words
spoken by a member of my platoon.
 

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& they were "Hullo  where have the B.-
Poms run now?"
However no imformation was given
then we were just formed up &
moved off in fighting order Kit & during
the march the C.O. called company.
Commanders forward & explained the action
that was to take place they in turn
called Platoon commanders forward & they in
their turn. explained what was to be done
to the men during the 10 minute rest each
hour.
I dont think that an action was
fought during the whole period of the
war with so little preparation.
During the most of the march a
German aeroplane was flying over head so
Fritz had plenty of notice.
We landed on the jumping off.
tape I think about 10.20 Pm about 10 minutes
late & started the attack immediately. [[?]]
instructions were. A. Coy on the left with
left flank resting on the wood we
were not to penetrate the wood But
 

3/
but Keep moving forward crossing two
sunken roads & establish ourselves on
the crest of Monument hill which was
the crest of the ridge past the second
sunken road. We also had to Keep
Villers Bretonneux on our left & not
penetrate the village but link up with
the 15^th Brigade who were attacking on
left of Villers after we had passed the
Village.
Owing to barbed wire, heavy. machine
gun fire & heavy casualties A. Company was
broken up & had to act in small parties.
Seeing that it was impossible to get through
the wire where we were I took what
was left of my platoon away to the right
where the other coys had made a break
& passed throught there & then moved back
to what should have been my correct
position but it turned out that my
small party were the only ones of A. Coy
to get through.
The germans did not wait after we
broke through the were but fell back on-to
 

4/

a line of outposts near the second
sunken road , it was here that I
made contact with a large force of Germans
my party totalled only nine. but thinking that
the rest of the Bn were moving forward
on my left, right. we drove the germans
out & held off. a counter-attack. causing
the enemy heavy casualties. I made
my headquarters in a quarry that
the English troops Northamptons I think
had also used as Hqrs as they had
left four of their wounded on stretchers
in the dugout.
It was here that the German tank
was lying it had fallen on its side when
it went over the quarrry bank. I think
that was the first german tank captured
& if you remember I tried to give you an
idea of the shape of the tank shortly after
the action.
Daylight was coming on so I
decided to send a messenger back
to fnd out what had become of the
rest of the Bn & he returned with the
 

5

information that they had stopped on the
previous rise just about on a line with
the Villers Bretonneux railway station &
as the germans were [[holding?]] positions
on my rignt & left I was forced
to abandon the position which was
within a short distance of our objective
get the English wounded back & rejoin the
rest of the Bn.
If appeared to me that the Germans
only made a faint attempt to fight back
once he started to fall back as
everything was in his favour as we had
lost over two thirds of our [[effectioes?]]
on the first wire, had our left flank
wide open & were broken up into small
parties & had no artillery support.
I think that I was the only.
Sargt to march out of the action  & Lieut
J. Z. Kitchen was the only Officer &
he was killed in reserves next morning.
I hope that some of this
may. be of some use to fit in
with you already xx have.


 

C.A. Sadlier won his V.c. in this action
but he penetrated the wood against instructions
& possibly. his action helped to break
down the germen defense.
I am sorry I could not give
a more detailed description but after the
heavy losses on the wire. breaking up in
small parties it was a bit of a mix-up &
I certainy would not have got as for forward
as I aid if I hadn't have got lost.
Yours faith fully
J. a Keeley.
1967
Sgt. J.A. KEELEY
A. Coy.
51^st BN
 

9345.

20 July 1935.

J.A.Keeley, Esq.,

216 Stirling Street,

Perth. W. Aust.

Dear Sir,

I have to thank you for your courtesy in
writing to me in connection with the operations at
Villers-Bretonneux. Your notes are most useful.
I take it from other evidence that the German
tank was south, or slightly southwest, of the Monument
orchard, that is to say, slightly to our right of the
Monument. I would be grateful if you would let me know
anything that fixes the position of the quarry.
Yours faithfully.
C. E. W. Bean
Official Historian.

 

H.N.

V/B 51 Bn.

Keeley.
214 Starling St
Perth
W.A.
30^th July. 1933
 

C.E.W.Bean.
Dear Sir,
your letter of 20^th first to hand.
With reference to the position of the German
tank. You will realize that owing to the
nature of the action & the fact that it was
night points of the compass are vague.
However I have done my best to sketch the
line of advance.
The 4^th Division never reached their
objective & the 51^st took up a position at
Ref. (4). My position was at Ref. (3)
& the tank was on its side in quarry at
Ref (1). The A.D.POST. Ref.2 was in the
quarry & it was here I sent back four
wounded the gave me to understand they
were "Northamptons" & had been abandoned
by their comrades. & this quarry had been
used as Head quarters before being driven
 

out.
made
I hope you will be able to made
some sense out of the sketch, as while
being able to describe the action it is hard
to put it on paper
yours faithfully
J.a. Keeley.
 

See Image of sketch of Monument HIll and reference points.