Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/274/1 - 1918 - 1941 - Part 4

Reveille June 1935

The Proyart Gun

The 3rd Battalion History, recently published, gives

the credit to 5208, Pte. J. N. Doughty as being the first

Digger to reach the mammoth gun near Proyart, which

had been destroyed by the enemy just previous to the

arrival of the Australians, during the August (1918)

offensive.

That statement about Doughty is incorrect. I was the first man

to reach the gun, and received a stab in the arm - the scar I still

carry - from a German officer who was hiding in one of the little

rooms adjacent to the gun. Doughty came along after I had despatched

this German.

When we came out of the stunt, Capt. Bean called on the Bn., and

its C.O. (Col. Moore) sent for me and told me that as the Bn. on

our right had claimed the gun he wanted me to give Capt. bean my

impressions of the stunt.

I did not mind so much my name being omitted from the Honour

Roll - I received the M.M. at Proyart - but I still claim to be the first

Digger to reach the gun. - J. T. CONMEE, c/o. J. D. Crawford, Moss

Vale (N.S.W.).

 

[*This is Pat Kinchington's brother

(served as Conmee) *]

 

 

Vol XII plate. 531

Lt. S. O. Mitchell 1 Bn.

says that reference to capture by 3rd Bn

of German xx 14 inch naval gun at Proyart

on 23 Aug 1918 is incorrect.

This platoon (No. 5 of " B"  Coy) was the

first to reach it, the 3rd Bn leapfrogging

through xx his bn abt half an hour

later

 

1935

475, Forest Rd

Penshurst, 

NSW.

 

1

Hand drawn map - see original document

Depicts:

chiugnottes

5th Bn obj. Plateau wood

6th Bn objective

St Martins wood

J's Coy (final posn)

8 Bn objve (in support) A

7th Btn - Proyart

8th Bn

8 Bn Chiignottes

[* Capt Joyset's fight

at Chiugnottes.

As the records are

quite wrong I got

J. to tell me of this fight

in detail. He won

the V.C. by this action.

C.E.W.B. *]

2

Hand drawn sketch - see original document

British Rail Line

 

3

J at A (abt to dig in) saw 5 Bn coming back (attracted by lot of firing from

that direction). to L. of E.West Rd (Peronne Rd). J went across

w batman (Newman) - AS he moved the 8 Bn saw him. Said

to his CSM tt he ws just going forward - going up to see

what ws happening. At Copse he found a lot of Gs w arms

who hadn't surrendered - not then fighting. At Sunken Rd

a Coy of 6 Bn under a new offr were sitting down inst.

of getting on to objve. They had lost all their senior offrs

The 6th seemed to be on their objve on rt, but not left.

This showed why rt of 5 ws coming back. J "kicked them

over" There ws 300 yds of flat to cross. Offr sd "how

 

 

4

shall I go." J. sd "anyhow! - by rushes of 25 yds."

There ws a gallant sergt. of 6th doing all he could.

He sd- " go on - you've got to get over." J. had no

intention of going on - they began to get into bullets

& then ran. They disappeared into the gorge &

didn't come up | other side. J. sd: Look here

Newman, we'll have to go on & ginger them up again.

He cd then see tt | Gs were sending up rifles along | rd

& holding Plateau Wood & | steep bank in front

of it. A m.g. had held up | left of 6 & scuttled

 

5

their other offrs. J. went forward w batman & a 

tank appeared going up. Everything opened on it

& J & N turned to rt, found an old French trench wh

led them into the steep valley. They got into dead ground

There ws terrific fire from Plat Wd. In hollow J. found

2 Scotsmen in kilts (from the rt Divn). 6th had stopped

higher on rt, in cover. J got ½ way across gorge 

- m.g. fire from l. ws terrific (Newman had by then bn

wd in neck w shrap). while he ws there deliberating up

the gorge from rt came M.Gun (of Js Coy) w 15 men of

 

6

m.gs pln. [while J ws waiting he had heard a

L.G. on rt blazing away when suddenly it ceased

& at same time G. fire ceased. The Austlns were 

yelling out "We've got him!" M.G's pln L.Gr. had

got up & had shot the G. mgr. Joynt joined M.G. &

the 15 men - & they went across the road Northwards.

Under | edge o | bank ws a G C.C.S. w 2 Doctors

who cd speak Engl. They sd they wd stay there & look

after | Austln wd as well as their own. Abt 50

Gs were sent back from here. They then went forwd

 

 

7

& found more resistance coming from Plateau wood.

Realising this, J went back for left of 6 Bn, & met

Capt H.F. Darby on the E-W Road. J. sd to D. "If

you take these men up on S. of Rd from summit & bring fire to bear

on the Plateau Wood, I will work round w M.G.

& the 15 men & rush | wood from the N.W. Later

J. heard firing (D. ws keen & went off in fine style -

J. sd "dont open fire for a quarter of an hour so as to give us time to get there; then

fire like blazes, & stop suddenly & we'll rush them."

Going round N.W. corner w McGwin, J found

 

 

8

an old trench (also the G. M-gunner dead beside his

gun w a great pile of ammun & one m.gr K earlier). Along | trench were many deep

dugouts & G. prisrs in them all, who put up

no fight. At this time M.G., Joyut & another were

 going up the trench alone having left | rest behind.

They reached one dugout - cd hear Gs down there - shouted

to them but they wdnt come up. Had none of own 

bombs but took some G. bombs wh were lying abt

& threw a number down - but not one went off.

They were wondering abt the reason when they heard