Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/280A/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/280A/1
Title: Folder, August - October 1918
Contains notes by A W Bazley on the 1st, 2nd
and 3rd Division Artillery in 1918, including the
Australian Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, and
extracts from official records.
AWM38-3DRL606/280A/1. 

Hist. Notes - Artillery 1918 No. 280 (a)
Aust. H.T.M. Battery; 1918.
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 diaries 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.
16 Sept., 1946.
C. E. W. BEAN.
AWM 38
3DRL 606 ITEM 280A [1]
 

1st Div Arty Notes

 Aug/Sept Aug 23 1918 - Oct 3 1918
 

Aust Corps H.T.M Bty
8 Aug 1918
A1 gun T/M fired 4 rounds on U 13 a 8 1. 9 0
A3   "                "     10     "         "    Card Copse V 3 a
B1    "                "      3      "         "   P. l6 a. 78 48}
                                                        B 24     
                                                        P 17 a 12 12
2 other ranks wounded
attack put all mortars out of range. Do not intend
taking them forward until infy are more settled, lack
of transport chief difficulty.
Aug 11
Orders recd that bty is attached to 14th H A Bde,
to man captured German guns.
Aug 12
Lt. Newlands with centre section took over two
5.9's this morning in Q 22 d
Aug 13 It has been impossible to get ammunition for the two
5.9's. These have been abandoned, and two 42 A ^guns  have been found 
Q 16 c Borrowed two FWD cars from 14 H A Bde
& hauled these two guns & a number of rounds of ammun,
into posn at X13a 8010. Lt Newlands & centre sector
manning them
Aug 14
Lt Barron & right section took over xxx 4.2 ^hows at X 22C 3010
Newland's section got both its guns into action today, firing on
Ablaincourt village
 

HTM Bty (2
Aug 15 Both 4.2's now in good working order,.
Barron's section put its guns in action today,
firing 10 rounds on Ablaincourt
Newlands fired 30 rds from his two guns
Aug 16  ?Newland Barron fired 10rds on Ablaincourt
Aug 17 Received orders from HA. H.Q. to put 9.45 T/M's
in action along Aust Corps front between
Warfusee - Foucaucourt Road & V/Bret- Chaulnes rly

Newlands captured guns fired 100 rounds. Marchelpot
Barron's gun 63 rds. Ablaincourt
2 O/ranks wounded
Aug 18 Newlands & Barron reconnoitred for T/M posns.
Newlands selected posns X 4 c 70 90 and
R 34 C 75 05
Barron's S 20 c 25 20 & S 20 C 15 35
Two 9.45 T/M's brought from V/Bret to
X 13 A 8010 and X  22 c 30 10

Captured 4.2's fired –{ Centre section 100 yds
                                        { right           "         60 yds
Aug 19 Three T/M'S taken up to posns - on left sector
Captured ^4.2 guns fired – Centre section  80 rds
                                                   Right              "     32   "
 

HTM Bty  (3
Aug. 20. Captured guns fired —Centre section     40 rds
                                                            Right         "            30      "
Ammunition for centre section difficult to obtain
Guns at X 13 a 80 10 (Centre Section) were
ranged with balloon observer this evening.  Not
successful as balloon had to come down before
finish of series to escape being shot down by
enemy aircraft.
Aug 21 Captured xxx guns fired —
Centre section 60 rds
Right       "          20   "

——————————

Four T/M's in action. but no ammunition
at centre section guns.
Lt Barron slightly wounded but stayed
on duty.

Aug 22 Captured 4.2.'s fired —Centre section   60  rds
                                                         Right       "           30   "
Centre section ranged by balloon, obtaining
excellent shooting on  X  roads on Ablaincourt
T/M's. lack of ammunition preventing registration,
Aug 23 Infy advance on left sector causes both T/M's there to
be out of range. No notification of this attack was
given to HTM Bty.
Right section 4.2 captured gun was brought back to Centre section
position. One of these guns out of action undergoing repairs
to buffer.
 

(4

HTM Bty
Aug 24
German light minenwerfer put into posn at
S 20 C 15 30 & manned by HTM personnel
Captured 4.2's fired rds at Ablaincourt
Aug 25
Own 9.45 T/M ^(in right sector) fired 11 rds on German trenches and S/Ps
North of Lihons.  24 rds from ^captured m/werfer on same

same sector
4.2 how taken to new posn at X 8 b ?c 60 50  
xx those in left sector fired 40 rounds on
Ablaincourt X roads.
Aug 26
Right section fired 16 rounds from 9.45 T/M.
Captured 4. 2 hows fired 24 rds on Ablaincourt
                                               36    "     "    back areas
Aug 27 Advance left T/M's xxx out of range
Aug. 28 Two 4.2 guns & one 4.2 how moved forward
to S 9 d 15 35. still out of range. Left section is
taking these forward under Lt Newlands.
Aug 29 The three German guns moved forward to T 10 d 68, arrived
7.30 p.m.
No firing done as infy did not want it.
Aug 30 Captured guns harrassed enemy roads all day, But great
diffy in getting ammunition owing to lack of transport.
 

(5

HTM Bty

Aug 31 Right out of ammunition for the two
4.2 guns. But 160 rds brought up for 4.2 how
Sept 1 Captured guns moved forward to Misery
the 4.2 how at T 18 a 20 90    xxxxx 96 rds
the two guns at T 12 c 10 05.
The 42 how fired 96 rds, neutralising German
77 mm bty.
Recd 80 rounds for how. but none for guns.
Sept 2 4.2 how fired 195 rds on various targets
& neutralised another 77-mm bty.
Two lorry loads of ammun. for how.
Sept 3 How. fired 195 rounds.  Newlands relieved
by Lt Smyth.
Sept 4 How. fired 192 rounds. Heavy enemy
shelling & gassing during night (3/4)
Sept 5 How fired 95 rounds on back areas.
Also fired (with ground observation) on German
bty posn. Abt 3 pm ordered to cease fire
as infy then crossing Somme
[All T/Ms now collected in rest billets at
Vauvillers]
Sept 6 Guns moved forward to river bank (U 8 d 35 55
Out of action.
 

(6

HTM Bty

Sept 7. The three guns taken over river at St Christ
at 6 am.
Sept 9. Marched to Mons en Chaussee and
attached to 69 Bde RGA . In rest.
Sept xx 11 Transferred to 73 Bde. RGA
                           "                " 68 Bde RGA.
Sept 16/17th Moved Bty ordered to [[Mirrignolles?]] to work an
ammun dump of German gas shells.
sorting out various kinds of gas shell &
despatching them loading them on to trucks
for despatch to xxxx another dump (for use of
btys working captured guns).
Work often held up by lack of transport
Sept 23 80 O/ranks sent to 1st Div. Arty to
replace men going on "1914 leave"
(Strength on 20th was 3 offcrs, 93 OR)
Balance ^of unit moved to Mons en Chaussee
Sept 25 Only 1 officer and 7. O.R left as xx nucleus.
 

1 Div. Arty
1st Div attack 4.45 am 23 Aug 1918
Arty orders for attack
1st Div     Arty xxx                 }
5th "           "                            }
5th Army Bde RHA             }
16       "          "       "                 }    under Brig Gen
23      "           "       " ?RFA     }    SM Anderson
298    "           "    RFA            }

12th   "           "     AFA            }
xx 1st Aust Div MTM bde   }
Right Group  (under Lt Col H W Lloyd)
"A" Sub Group (Lt Col H W Lloyd)
12th Army Bde AFA
23rd     "         "    RFA
"B" Sub Group  (Lt Col D H Moore)
1st AFA BDE
2nd ''        "
Left Group (under Lt Col H.O. Caddy)
"C" Sub Group (Lt Col Caddy)
13 AFA Bde

14    "       "
16th Army Bde RHA
"D" Sub Group (Lt Col A H West)

5th Army Bde RHA

298     "         "    RFA.
One platoon of 1 Pioneer Bde allotted to Arty to assist btys in moving forward