Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/278/1 - Folder - Part 2

8 Aug 1918
10th FA Bde orders
1 section 37 Bty close support of 13 Bn
1 section 38 Bty    "           "            " 14 Bn
2 sections 39 Bty  "           "            " 16 Bn
1 section 110 Bty    "           "            " 15 Bn.

8 Aug 1918
supporting

4th A I Bde
10 FA Bde report    Lt Col T.I.C.Williams
At zero plus 143 the btys pulled out of barrage —
the B.C. with advanced bty and sectn cdrs immed got touch with
repective bn. cdrs & kept touch until each bn reached its
final objective. Then rejoined bty & came directly under
10 FA Bde control.
After moving forward at zero + 143 the btys came
under heavy fire from Malard Wd. This was eventually
overcome ^ but only after heavy casualties had been inflicted on
infy, tanks & arty. 
2 officers mortally wd.
10 o/ranks killed
31 o/r wd.
At 6pm 10 Aug 10 FA Bde relieved by 7 FA Bde
Proceeded to N. of Somme to cover advance of 13 Inf Bde
on Etinheim Spur.
Daylight 11th & 12th harassing fire on Etinheim Spur
Night 12/13th Aug ^ put down creeping barrage on E. Spur under
which 13 Bde advanced & captd whole of Spur.

Supporting 13th Bn   8 Aug 1918.
37 Bty (10 FA Bde)    Capt F. J. M^cAdam
At zero + 143 the Bty advanced & came into action at
Q 7 C 38 at 7.20 a.m. Gailly not then captured.

Fired at rapid rate from this posn

After reconnaissance occupd posn at Q 8 c55 - 9 a.m.

so as to be in closer support of infy. Posn was under m/g

fire from Cerisy.

Next posn. under cover in Regina Wd - Q.20 b 99

at 1.55 pm.

Became necy to get away from Somme because heights

around Chipilly still in enemy hands, & as mist lifted

they brought heavy enfilade fire onto btys

Last posn occupied (3 pm) at Q 22 d 55.

This was a German bty posn. Registered from here,

& did observed shoots.

At zero plus 143 centre section of bty under

Lt C. S. Smith detached from bty & folld in very close

support of 13 Bn. Many times he led his sectn past

m/g nests which up till that time had not been taken

Smith says that his sectn remained with bty till it had been in action for 

some time at Gailly X-rds; then detached & folld up close infy.

Impossible to observe enemy movement owing to fog & haze.

Near Jean Wd assisted in capture of 25 Germans some of whom

were working two m/gs against our troops in the rear. These had been o/looked by the infy.

Came into action near Farmer's Wd and engaged German bty

on N. side of river just E of Chipilly. Materially assisted in silencing it.

Also fired on enemy areas where enemy were concentrating - on both sides of river.

Smith's report (cont.)
2.

Total rounds fired 200. Attack met with little opposn

from enemy arty until after Red Line was passed. Then as

visibility was fair, German gunners across river had

excellent targets - laying in many instances over open

sights.

M^cAdam's

report (continued)
When the mist lifted the Gailly X roads were made

like Hell Fire Corner.

When the

Observation during the advance was imposs, so bty

engaged likely routes of retreat - valleys, slopes, and

villages.  This promiscuous spraying of shells around

constripxxe  During operns of 8 Aug bty

expended 4000 rounds. Casualties 6 N.C.O's

& men wounded.

Supporting 15^th Bn ?? 14^th Bn in orders

8 Aug 1918

38^th Bty (10 FA Bde)  (Major H.C. de Low)

Bty moved forward at 7 a.m. - a section acting

independently under Capt. Webber in close support of

infy.

Considerable amt of enfilade fire from high ground N of Somme

All casualties in the bty from that quarter. Many favourable

targets missed because bty had definite orders not to 

fire N of Somme.

Advance of btys ^ along Somme Vy unheeded by Germans, owing to

mist, which cleared when 38 Bty were in position

near Cerisy Gailly. At the time de Low was up 

with the infy and in company with Lieut Jolly was
endeavouring to locate nest of m/gs. & several

anti-tank guns which blew out 3 tanks

& held up 15 Bn. who were then lining ^ a sunken road

running S. from Cerisy Gailly. These were finally

located in the Valley of the Somme near Chipilly. In order to

clear the crest ^ de Low had to retire a section.
[*one gun crew

wiped out.

Section Cdr,

Lt Lintott,

mortally 

wounded*]

In m/time btys, tanks, and 15 Bn heavily enfiladed

from Celestin Wd. by 2 guns laying direct. These

were spotted by remaining sectn of 38 Bty which engaged them,

but Germans had the range & silenced the section with heavy loss.

The retired section then took them on - laying direct - but was

silenced with casualties. 

[*Later withdrawn 

without loss:*]

A section was then got into action in a

"covered position" (by trees) on the Somme, We & engaged the German

guns, the first shell landing under the muzzle of one the
German guns. In this way they were silenced - but not 

before they had done considble damage.

Subsequently, took up posn. S. of Morcourt. Failure on left

rendered Farmer Wd posns untenable.

Supporting 16^th Bn

8 Aug 1918

39^th Bty (10 FA Bde)

Capt A. O. South A/Bty Cdr

Took part in barrage 4.20 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Abt 7 a.m. the bty, again having moved forward, came into

action at P.12 a 10 85, N. of Record Wood,

searching & sweeping valleys - ^ likely assembly places.

Most conten Unsilenced enemy m/guns could not

be located owing to fog.

About 8 a.m. Bty continued to advance, halting for

short time at Hamilton Wood. At 9 a.m. bty taken

rapidly across exposed ridge between Hamilton and

Susan Wds & moving northwards up Morcourt Vy

came into action E of Farmer Wood - Q. 22a.

Shortly after - on report coming through that 16 Bn

was held up on left by enemy m/g fire - 

Capt Smith ordered a section to be run forward

over the crest. This sections over open sights fired over

100 rounds at range of 1000 yards, & silenced m/gs. One

sing artilleryman was wounded by m/g bullet.

Section then safely run back to its former posn.

Accdg to bty cdr Drake Brockman stated that this action enabled

16 Bn ^ on left to continue advance.

From Farmer Wd bty directed fire on Chateau Wd

and Vy running SE from Morcourt and engaged a 4.2 how

on Chipilly Spur.

Bty was aftwds withdrawn to Q 22 C (?O), east of 

Susan Wd, as Farmer Wd position too exposed.  Remained

here till afternoon of Aug 10.

During operns of 8 Aug. 31 waggons of ammunition

were delivered by the bty drivers to the guns.

8 Aug 1918

110th How Bty (10 FA Bde)

(Major E K Smart)

at 6.48 a.m. - five mins. after completion of barrage -

110 How Bty moved forward. Fog still heavy but showed signs

of lifting. Pioneers saved delays by bridging trenches cutting wire.

At 7.20 two sections in posns. of observation and one

section in readiness on P 12 b central.

One section in close support of 15 Bn, Lieut Burke

being with bn cdr. This section did not fire as 15 Bn

took its objectives without difficulty.

At 8.50 two sections moved fwd to Q 15 a 58

& twenty mins. later joined by section which had

been supptg 15 Bn.

110 Bty in action by 9.30 a.m. 40 rounds fired 

into Q.18. Then bty heavily engaged by 4.2 hows

from K 33 d NE of Chipilly.  Five guns withdrawn to 

Q 15 a 08. Remaining gun was temply out of 

action - left till later. 3 killed (including

Lieut Chapman), 13 O.R. wd, 10 horses killed, & 12

horses wd, ^ 3 ammun waggons destroyed in withdrawing guns.  Some of these
casualties occd at waggon lines which were also shelled.

At 6 pm bty moved to Q 21 b 52 (final position

to cover blue line), ^ & was in touch with 16^th Bn  Stayed here till 5 pm 10 Aug.

On 9th Aug a ^ German 5.9 how. bty was put into action by

gunners of 110th. Fired some 300 rounds into Bray

during 9th & 10th.

On aftn of 9 Aug supported attack on Chipilly Spur

8 Aug 1918

11^th AFA Bde  (Lt Col C. H. Spurge)

War diary

At zero + 143 Btys moved forward

8.15 a.m.  41 Bty reported in action P17 d 36

8.30  "       42 Bty                                   Q19 c 86

111th How Bty at P5 d 73 & shelling E Morcourt Vy. At

8.45 a.m. reported troublesome enemy bty Malard Wd &

asked permission to fire on it. Refused. Enemy

←fire so destructive that O.C. 111^th took responsibility of

turning one of his sections on to enemy bty & speedily

put it out of action. After this things went more smoothly.

9 am 42 Bty reported moving fwd to come into action 

near Susan Wd

9.30 am 43 Bty in action at Q 21 c 20 40

During advance one of its guns put out of action.

10.45 41 Bty in action Q 21 c 28

12 noon 42 Bty at Q 21 c 66

10.15 am hostile 77 min bty firing reserse fire

→on valley in P 8 c. This bty shortly aftwds silenced
by 111 How Bty.

11.30 a.m. OP's reported enemy apparently blowing up
dumps near Proyart.

12.45 Chipilly & Valley running from 1634 ?? ?K34 engaged

1 pm. 18 pdrs turned on Malard Wd for 5 mins

& high spur in ? K34d.

No brigade report and ^ No battery reports in 11th FA Bde

8 Aug 1918

Supporting 

12th AI Bde

16th (Army) Brigade RHA.

War diary

6.45 a.m. btys limbered up. "U" Bty advanced,

then Chestnut Troop, then "Q" Bty. A platoon

of pioneers attached to bde to clear line of

advance - through Hamel, W. of Record

Wood to Hazel Wood.

7.15 am "U" Bty went into action E of

Tialloux Wd. & engaged enemy how Bty

firing from Reginald Wd.  One section went 

forward but unable to do any shooting owing to

poor visibility.  At this time 12 Aust

Inf Bde passed thro' 11 Bde.

8 a.m. "Q" Bty put 3 guns into action 

at P 19 a 50. Infy were then about

1200 yds in front of Green Line.

Chestnut Troop went into action at

P 18 c 00

8.15 a.m. Visibility still bad. "Q" Btys three

remaining guns came into action. Bde did

some shooting by map.

9.30 am "U" Bty advanced to 

Reginald Wd.  Chestnut Troop to Q 22 c 45.

16 Bde RHA
2

10.30 a.m. "Q" Bty advanced to Q 27 a 28

but did not fire from there as the infy

(48 Bn) did met no opposition on the right while

advancing from the Red to the Blue Line.

11.15 a.m. "Q" & "U" Btys both came into 

action in Q 22 c.  HQ in Jean Wd.

Batteries dug in & settled down.