Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/274/1 - 1918 - 1941 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/274/1
Title: Folder, 1918 - 1941
Covers Fighting from August to October 1918
and includes Bean's notes, cuttings, sketches,
extracts from diary of Pte J S Bartley and
correspondence.
AWM38-3DRL606/274/1
 

SOMME - PT.II - Aug. - Oct. -1918. No 274.

[* part*]

[*1^st SET.*]
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914-1918
THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But, apart from those terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true. The dairies were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so – but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered. Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing, believed.' Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that

those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All

second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.

[*AWM38*]

[*AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

ACCESS STATUS

OPEN*]

16 Sept., 1946. C. E. W. BEAN
[* 3DRL 606 ITEM 274[1]*]
 

British Offensive 1918

see

Die Revolution an der Westfront

By Herr Lewinsohn

The Army Quarterly Vol IX - article by

Col Piggott

Records presented to AWM by Col.

Ross in 1928 include —

                  { Hamel

1st Aust   { Lihons

 Div          { Proyart-Chuignes
                  { H O Live

Map showing Infy & Tank dispositions

in Aust Corps sector 18/6/18
 

1918

Books

Die Vorbereitung des deutschen Heers für 

die Grosse Schlacht in Frankreich

im Frühjahr 1918. II. 1.Gundsatge

fur deer Engelwafen, 2. Artellerie
By Oberst. Johann.
Die Politischen und Militärischen

Verantwortlichkeiten im Verlaufe

der Offensive 1918
By Bernhard Schwertfeger.
See articles in

"Overseas Digger"

Juy-Aug-Sept 1929 etc
 

[*H/N

203 Aug 1918*]

F R A N C E..
5/11/18
Dear Mr. Higginbotham,
It will be a comfort to you in the great loss you have
sustained in the loss of your son, CPl. C.S. Higginbotham, to know
that he has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for marked
bravery and dash in the battle of the 10th August.
I do not know as yet the official wording of the
description of his deeds for which he has been awarded this high
honer, but the following is the wording of the recommendation I put
in. It will give you a good idea of his gallant conduct, and will
convey all I wish to say about his bravery.
"No.5706, L/Cpl, Charles Seaton Higginbotham.
In company with one man this N.C.0. moved
forward when the Company was held up by extremely heavy Machine Gun
Fire and captured an enemy gun and killed the crew of six who held out
to the last man.
He and his companion then got the enemy Machine Gun into action and
used it against the opposing force with good effect.
During the next day he did excellent daylight
patrol work and showed great gallantry on all occasions."
I can well realize what a great loss his death
means to you and all his dear ones. He was of a particularly bright
sunny disposition and this rendered him very popular amongst his
comrades, and in the rough time which he went through with us, made
him of extraordinary value in keeping up the spirits of all with whom he
came in contact.
 

-2 -
Your son was wounded on the 23rd August and died of
wounds received on that date in the battle in which we were engaged.
You will be interested to know that a Machine Gun
captured by your son was sent to the Australian War Museum and
eventually willm, I hope reach Melbourne.
It shlould have this inscription attached to it...
"No.5706m L/Cpl C. S. Higginbotham (
  No.5338, Pte O. S. Day                            )  1 M.G. 18936
Again wishing you my deepest and sincerest sympathy
in which all your son's late comrades join me.
Believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
Staniforth Ricketson,
(Capt.)
5th Battn.
 

[* Reveille

May 1932*]
On Paris Leave: Digger Killed
To have boxed on with the 3rd Battalion and to have
come unscathed through some of the biggest fights, and
then to be killed by a shell from "Big Bertha," while he
was spending a holiday in Paris, was the fate of 2943
L/Cpl. Thomas G. Oliver (second from the left in the
front group pictured here).

Newspaper Photograph - see original document
It was indeed a cruel twist of fortune that Oliver, who
was a native of Torquay (Eng.), after having dodged
the tons of
ironmongery
that Fritz
scattered
over the Australian

lines,
should lose
his life to a
chance shell
from a German

gun
fired from a
point 75
miles away.
Reading
from left to
right, the
members of this group, all from the 3rd Bn. A.I.F. were:
Top Row: T. Eaglesham (gassed), now living in Sydney;
—. Doyle (killed); Wally — (missing). Bottom row:
—. Robertson (killed); T. G. Oliver (killed); 5667 L/Cpl.
A. Croydon (discharged in England in Dec, 1918), and
A. Jones (killed). The photograph was taken at Meteren
after Wyschaete. Can any reader complete identification
of the group? -"Third."—

Note.
Gen Monash's explanation to Gilmour and myself of the attacks
of Aug 22 and 23.1918 -(beforehand).
There are to be 2 attacks - on Aug 22nd N. of the
Somme, on Aug. 23rd S. of it.
On Aug.22 the 3rd Corps is going to exploit as far
as we know with 2 divs, possibly more. The attack starts at
4.45 tomorrow morning. The 47th Divn is on our flank. The 3rd
Aust Divn is doing our part. We stand fast on South of the rivrr
- no barrage there nor anything else. Gellibrand has a free hand-
running his own battle in his own way (some main points being
suggested and agreed). He is holding a line parallel with the
Corbie Bray rd, joining the 47th Divn abt 500 yds N. of the rd
He has to practically pivot on a point of his front W of Bray
and swing his line round an angle of 90 degrees. For that reason
it has been decided that he shall put two of his battalions in
behind Godleys troops and when Godleys line goes forward Gellibrands

will go forward with it straight on to its objective,
avoiding the necessity for a change of direction which is
always a difficult matter in a fight.
He has therefore 2 Bns of the 9th Bde out on his left
tonight. They overlap the 47th Divn, and advance with them. There
will be 1 hrs halt abt 1/2 way. Then on to the final objve which
stops short of BRAY. The 11th Bde might be drawn in if things
go wrong. 2 Coys of 3rd Pioneers are holding the Etinhem Pen.
He will have 4 Bdes of arty - 2 3rd Divn, 2 58th Divn. There
will be no Americans in this stunt. They have all gone - they

are wanted urgently elsewhere.
It is abt on the scale of a big raid.
Exploitation: We may exploit to Suzanne, or if the left
moved forward, to the bend near Maricourt. No tanks with us,
many with the 3rd Corps. We are using a lot of smoke.
Aug 23 rd. I am taking most interest in this day. KZero
will be at 4.45 again. Attack by 2 Divns, 1st Aust Divn on left,
32nd Divn on right.
32 Div attack on a frontage of 3 Bns to capture and mop
up Herleville. (2bns left Bde with one other in support- one Bn
right Bde.) They are being specially given by me 12 tanks, and 6
Bdes of artillery, and 2 m.g. companies.
1st Aust Divn is using the 2nd Bde on right for half its fon
front and the 1st Bde on left. 3rd Bde is in reserve. Each
attacking Bd has 1 2 tanks and 3 supply tanks. 1st Divn has
9 Bdes of arty. (7 Australian and 2 British). He is using 3
coys of mg Bn on various objects and one coy in divisional
reserve. Hqrs 1st Duivn in Q 1 3 A; of 32 Divn at Bayonvillers.
The barrage will have 10 per cent smoke. There will be a halt of
15 mins by the infantry in the bottom of the Chuignolles -
-He rleville valley. The German has very few whizzbangs he
has shifted his artillery back very quickly. Glasgow may exploit
500 yards at his own discretion after half an hour. Two brigades
of the 5th Divn are in readiness to move (15th and 14th bdes)
- to move up, that is, in sympathy with Gellibrand. The barrage
goes to the end of the operation on both days. On the 23rd Aug
there will be xxxbarrage haltz at plus 48 t0 plus 63mins (15 mins)
the final protective is reached at plus 105 i.e 6.30 am.
On Aug 22nd there will be one hours halt half way. The planes
will be flying in the early morning as at Hamel, but there will
be more artillery and fewer tanks.
On Aug. 23rd the final objective has been drawn short of the
old line of-French wire which the photos show to be in good
preservation - it has been especially drawn short of that in
order not to force the division to cross it under m.g. fire. If
they can get through it afterwards in exploitation, well and
good.
Divns against us: 21st and 185th (wh gave us the knock
at Herleville and wh came down from the NZ front)
Possibly 5th Bavarian.
38th Division.
There are 8 Divns now under Aust Corps commander.
 

Note.
from Maj. Pain MC.
9th Bde 23 Aug. 33 and 35 Bns were on final objve by 9am. Cavalry

through to N. Germans there known to be fighting hard, but ca
cavalry was in L3 and 4 till driven back by m.gs. Germans
started pasting whole area - first gas into valley, then 5.9s
20 per minute). They opened-up w many mgs in Bray. Germs captd
some prisoner who told them that the 3rd Divn was coming there.
"The, day before the attack we heard that it was goigng
to take place tomorrow night'. (i.e 21/22). The pioneer bn ws
put to hold the line above Etinhem which gave ius the 35th to
attack with. 35th rested one day, and on the night 22/23
moved in on the rght forming up on the tape line in rear of our
trenches. The 33Rd bn, t hen in reserve, took up the left
half of the tape line behind or rather with Godleys troops
croweded into 500 yds N. of the divisional boundarym. The
34th bn was formed up in rear on a tape line
"The artillery bombt came down 300 yds in front
of front line because guns were unregistered, and crept forwd
100 yds in 4 mins, to the brown line - our objve. At the objve
the barrage rested 300 yds in font for 56 mins. We had to wait
to allow the troops in the north to move a longer distance. Some
of them had 3 000 yds to go against our 1000.
"MWe then advanced at same rate to the brown line
the pioneer bn conforming. We took the chalk pit which was in
the territory of the troops on our right, and in it a 4.2
gun (or now) and k a number of Germans and took prisoners there.
The barrage over the last nalf of the advance was very slow ad
ragged.
"We were on the main line to time, 3 companies in
each bn in the front line and one in support. The Germans knew
abtit[?] and shortly put a heavy bombt on the whole
area - 5.9, 4.2 - much m.g from Bray, and from the high grd
in front. Our people dug in quickly. 35th Bn pushed patrols
twds Bray wh was very much occupied. Division wanted us to
carry out an operation in the afternoon. We cd not give artillery
support for this attack because we were too close - the bde
put this view strongly and the proposal was washed out. The attack
was then arranged to take, place this mg. We were to put down
a creeping barrage over the town and follow through
with the 11th Bde on the left and the pioneers conforming on hhe
rt.
About 5pm we heard that the English wesre retiring and the
Germans advancing. They were back and our left was conforming.
We had been in toulch in Happy Valley and our flank was left
there again by a further retirement. At 9 pm the English got back
to their J.O. line. Abt the same time White informed us that the
whole of our line was intact.
(In Happy Valley the British had apparently been in touchw
with our supports.)
An officer from the 34th Bn attached to the 33rd
went up to 27c to stop the Tommies. But as soon as the Germasn
appeared on top of the hill they went off. The officer waited
a while and saw our guns get on to 27 central. The Germans got
rifle and mg fire from our front and our small arms fire was
so great that messages at 8 pm spoke of shortage of ammuntn.
A few Tommies were scattered about - odd ones - but
most were on their J.O. line. As soon as we heard-, at Bde, we
sent to the 34th Bn. When we knew things were straight we
sent 34 Bn to echelom back the left flank. They had to form a
defensive flank if necessary. They formed a d fensive flank as
far as Happy Valley, joining up with oddments of English troops
who collected there. Our people collected some of them in 8A
behind us. One company comdr of the Londons, and a few men
stuck up with us (142 Bde). (The 140 and 141 Bde are in the
same divn). The Germans were now in Ha/Valley. We got 8 extra xs
M.Gs to go west of Bray as a hinge. And ordered the pioneers
to watch the river on the right - we didnt want a second Cambrai.
At 12.3 0 the G.O.C. xrang up from Divn to say he
had tried to get the 47th Divn to come up, but the only thing