Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/280A/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 14

8 FA Bde (3 Div Arty)
War diary
27/8/18  Btys moved fwd to press in vicinity of A27c or G3. In action
by 4.30 p.m.  Fargny Wd bombarded during evening and was reported to be
in our possession by 11p.m.  Bde HQ estab with 9 AI Bde HQ
at L4d47.
28/8/18  8 FA Bde supported advance of infy to final objective.
Throughout day enemy movement engaged under observation.
During late aftn orders recd to move and by 6p.m. all btys were
in action and firing.
29/30 Aug  Orders recd at midnight for btys to move fwd at dawn to B28.
30/8/18  Visual signalling estab early in the day and was responsible for
transmission of valble information, more expec as the Inf Bde was
for the greater part of the day without information.
Btys active harassing m/g posns.  Early in aftn concentration of enemy
was fired on, and the old trench system, which provided a great nest for hostile
M/Gs & a serious obstacle to our advance, was shot up.
At 4.30 pm  btys began to move forward to move posns in vicinity of
B30d. These posns occupied by 8.12 p.m. tho enemy
directed large amt of fire against the btys.
From General remarks on months operations:-
Health of bde generally excellent.  Work has been heavy owing to the
enormous amt of ammun to be carted. The Horses consequently -
first on a/c of the continual work, second through the reduced ration -
are showing tendency to fall off in condition.
During the month ^on two occasions bombs have been respons. for wiping out consid. numbers
of horses.
1/9/18  Btys in posn in B30 just N of Clery.  Bde HQ in liaison with
9 Inf Bde HQ in old French dugouts in H3.
[No further entries up to 5/9/18]
Total casualties for Aug 1918. Killed 6 O.Rs. Wounded 2 officers 27 O.R. 

8 FA Bde
From "Narrative of Events".
27/8/18  10 am. orders recd from CRA to move Bde forward.
2 pm to 4.30pm.  31 Bty moved into action 3.25pm.
29 Bty moved fwd at 3.25.  30 & 108 Btys at 4.30 pm.
5.50pm - train reported to be moving SE through H3d and H9b.
Heavies informed.
8p.m.  8 FA Bde HQ estab with HQ 9 Inf Bde. L4d47.
10p.m. Enemy reported to be still in Fargny Wd. so G0C 9 Inf Bde
requested bombdt of that area and Mill from 3.30am to 4am.
by 7 & 8 FA Bdes.  Rate - 1 rd pgp.m.  .  .  .
11pm.  Fargny Wd reported to be in our possession so
bombdt cancelled.
28/8/18  Page missing
28 29 28 29/8/18  8 am to 12 noon.  Posn on / left of our front obscure. Orders
recd not to shoot W. of N & S. grid line between B26 & 27.
except in case of actually observed enemy movement.
4.15 p.m. Train seen in H6a Clery. travelling SW.
Passed to Heavies.
4.30 pm  Continuous traffic on road in H4c & d, also
large bodies of infy in I7a & b.  H.A. advised.
5.35 pm.  Orders recd to move to A27c24.
6 p.m.  All btys in action in H1a & G6 & firing.
O.C. 31 Bty. reported our men in B29.
Enemy engaged in C25.  Waggon teams moving E of Berlin
Wd.  Guns prob. in I 2670.
6.25pm.  Our troops appear to be going well in H4 & 5 a but
not yet on Hill 110.
6.30pm.  Infy scouts reported to be out at B 28b9 0 5.
6.45  Our men reported to be arriving on crest in  H4b
& patrols at end of Gland Vy. [?Alley]
6.58.  31Bty reported 8 prisoners coming down charge of
infantryman at E end of Gland Vy.
7.15 p.m.  No fire to be placed W. of N & S grid  through H6 

8 FA Bde (2)
Narrative of Events (contd)
and 12 central.  Does not apply along grid between B&H.
7.25 pm.  Enemy seen in B24a & b.  28 cent. [in rear of
Hill 110] shelled by enemy.
[No entry for 29 Aug]
30/8/18.  12.12a.m.  Wire received from 3DA. H.Q. ordering btys to be moved
fwd into B28.  Btys instructed & told to select posns in
B28 to cover infy who are dubbling out during night to a line N &
S. through C25 central.  No informatn at all recd of Div. on our left
but yestday aftn an Aust MG officer moved up N. of
62c Map to ascertain posn from up there.  He found two
platoons of men without officers in B17d. & a few men in
B17b, a Coy HQ in B11b & an 18 pdr bty in action
abt B8d.
5a.m.  Btys moved fwd to vicinity of B28b.
7.40a.m.  From 9 AI Bde, Runner just in with message timed

6a.m.  Infy estab on Red Line, but if they take the Green Line
without arty barrage, it will mean heavy casualties as he is
very strongly held with MGs.
8.7a.m.  M/G reported firing from our final objective.
High ground generally E of final objective also C19
central to be harassed.  Orders issued passed to 31 Bty by
lamp from Bde HQ.
9.50 a.m.  M/Gs active from C19b & d.  Ordered to be
harassed.
1.15 p.m.  4.5 hows reported to be shooting short in B29d23.
[Located later in day as "D" Bty 250 Bde RFA]
During day excellent work done by means of visual
Signalling. & commun. quickly got with btys. "Visual work
today warrants special mention".
8.15 pm.  Infy not fully estab on line of final objective
N & S line through C25.
1.15pm.  Lt. Goodchild, with 33 Bn, reports our infy
approaching crest in C27 central, and later [at 1.22 pm] 

8 FA Bde (3)
Narrative of Events [contd]
30/8/18  reported that 33 Bn had recd orders to take up line
CI5, 16, 17 central, facing N, & to hold line 17 Cent. to
23 cent. also.
2.5 p.m.  Enemy reported to be forming up in C22d.
Btys turned on.
5pm.  Infy held up by MGs in C21.  Hows. put
on to trench system in C15d & on Quarry Farm and trench
Crest.  18 pdrs  put on C21a70 N & S. line & searching
W.
Abt 4.30pm btys began to move fwd and occupied
posns in vicinity of B30d.
8.12p.m.  30 Bty reported bty in action but being
badly strafed.
[Nothing under date 31/8/18]
1/9/18  3.30 to 4a.m.  8 FA Bde harassed trenches in I 3a & b in preparatn
for  stunt at 5 a.m.  4.30 to 5am. Repeated opern.
5 a.m.  Put down barrage in conjunction with 7 & 3 A FA Bdes
& 14 Army Bde RF.A.  Infy attack on Scutari trench.
9.25 a.m.  Enemy opposn. in Feuillaucourt very strong and 2 Div.
held up.  German heavily shelling town.
9.45 a.m.  Boche reported to be in C9c altho our line runs 
down the trench in C10d - C16b - & twds the canal in C29.

Fighting appears to be strenuous.
11.25 a.m.  Enemy pulling out guns in C23b.  Heavies
informed.
12.30 pm.  SOS line: 7 FA Bde, with 14 Army Bde
superimposed, from C17a00 - C16d1020 - C22a20 -
C22c70.  8 FA Bde, with 3 A FA Bde superimposed,
C22c70 - C28b20 - I14a80.
1.55pm.  Major Rowe reports Germans observed
in trenches in I 10c.  Very little movement in rear areas. 

8 FA Bde (4)
From Narrative of Events (contd)
1/9/18
(contd) Isolated traffic on roads ^in localities in rear of Moislains, o/wise
little movement.  Boche M/Gs active on our front.
Lt Parkinson estab at C28 20d41; he has been
almost at Quarry Fm, but cannot get a good
view of our front from there.  He also reports that Lt. Woods
has been fwd and located six 77mm guns, four out of action,
two fit for action, but posn is under direct observation
and M/G fire.
Capt Rees reports 2 Div retaken Mt St Q and that
150-200 Germans are retiring over Hill 115.  H.A. informed
and we also engaging.
2.15a.m.  Capt Rees reports 4.2 Bty in action at J1c44,
six guns firing.  51 Bde RGA informed & also C/Bty.
counter bty.
2.37 pm.  Major Rowe reports our troops appear to be 
squeezing enemy out of trenches in St Q^uentin Wd and are
working forward
2.50pm  Lt Warnock reports four guns firing from
I 12 central.
3.10 pm.   8 FA Bde engaged enemy moving N. in I 5d
& B30c.  Lt Warnock reports four guns and limbers
apparently bogged at I 6d54 engaged by 30 Bty
and an observed shoot carried out with 60pdrs by Lt Warnock.
Four direct hits obtd.
2/9/18.  At 5.30am. in conjunction with 2 Div., 8 FA Bde put down
barrage, starting on village of Allaines and moving in NE
direction.  2 Div. infy joined up on left with 74 Div.
on Canal thus squeezing 3 Div. out from their front.
Orders consequently issued to btys to stand fast
and only shoot on targets observed from OPs. & definitely
known to be German.
On interviewing 74 Div Cdr We were informed that 

8 FA Bde (5)
Narrative of Events (contd)
2/9/18
(contd)  attack was progressing well and that he had heard rumours
that his troops were in [[Nivilie?]].  Later in the morning the 74 Div
reported their troops to be in Opra trench . At 11am the Bty OPs
reported that enemy was in C30 and that our troops were falling
back.  Altho not supposed to be in action, our btys opened
fire on instructions from Bde HQ and inflicted casualties on
enemy.  74 Div. fell back W. of the canal.
The Btys were in action throughout day and the OPs did excellent
work.  Much information was given to the 229 Bde by 8 FA Bde
on the observation of our OP officers and as the result of their keeping in touch
with and visiting Bn HQ Cdrs in the line.
Throughout day posn on the flanks was obscure, and accdgly G0C
11 AI Bde dispersed his troops for the protectn of his front and flanks,
and during the evening definite touch was estab with both flanks and posts
estab.  Frontage for SOS was allotted to 8 & 7 A FA Bdes
in conference with 11 AI Bde Cdr.
During the 24hours of 2/9/18 the 8 FA Bde 18 pdrs
fired over 3000 rds and the 4. 5 hows 750.
In addn to the fire of our own btys the observatn obtd from our
OPs.  enabled us to direct the fire of the 51 Bde RGA on to the different
targets as they were seen.  Midinette trench in D19 was seen to be
Boche, and the Heavies were kept concentrated on them for an
hour or two during the critical period in the morning.  The value of
being in direct commun. with the heavies was emphasised once more.
Fire from the heavies was also directed on the enemy retreating in
large numbers in a NE directn along Aizecourt-Nurlee
road when out of range of the guns of our bde, and on many other 
occasions during the day.
3/9/18  Very little shooting done this day as very little movement
seen, altho all OPs vigilant and officers sent fwd to obtain
informatn.  German offrs to have gone back during night.
9pm.  Orders recd that btys not to fire until further
orders as our front was now taken over by the 74 Div which was unable to give
its exact line.
4/9/18  8 FA Bde HQ & Btys moved back to Suzanne area.
5/9/18  Btys spent day in reorganisation, cleaning up, bathing etc 

8 FA Bde (6)
Narrative of Events (contd)
5/9/18.  5.30 pm.  Orders recd that Boche retiring and that 11 Bde group was to
follow on & press his retreat, as the advance body, and that 8 FA Bde
would form part of the 9 Inf Bde group which was to move fwd in accordance with the
advance of the 11 Bde group 

8 FA Bde
From "Points..... brought out during recent Fighting"
The pushing fwd of sectns or single guns, which bdes are continually urged to
do in pursuit of the retreating enemy, is not considered. . . to be advisable.
In first place commun. to the main bty posns or to Bde HQ is practically
imposs to establish, mainly on a/c of the necessity to conserve stocks of
wire.  This necessitates the section or gun being used as a
sniping unit estab in a covered or semi covered posn &
voice-controlled.  In the second place it has been found daily in the late
advance that each and every point from our observation cd be obtd
was well and truly strafed and the placing of a gun in posns from which it could be
controlled was inadvisable as cas to both men and horses was sure to
result.
[.... Casualties to horses must be kept at a minimum unless fresh
supplies are immed available.  In the advance from 27 Aug to 2 Sept
the horses showed signs of the heavy and constant work, & on 30 Aug
8 FA Bde was carrying 42 non-effective horses out of a total
strength of 649.]
8 FA Bde adopted the policy of placing the btys well forward
in each advance and never allowing any of the guns at any time to get out of
range, that is, when the range approached 5000 yds orders
were immed issued for occupatn of more forward posns to be
carried out bty by bty or by sections.  These forward
posns were always selected close behind the advancing
infy, on two occasions opening fire at abt 1200 yds range
Thus the btys were able to occupy one posn for a longer time
& the whole advance was effected with a minimum number of
moves . . .
Communications, ^within the Bde during the advance were good considering the materials,
wire etc. available.  All lines were through promptly and held well.
During the whole time visual stations were maintained and turned out
gratifying results.  Many messages transmitted by lamp & contrary to
what was expected, the information was not too late to be made use of
effectively.
The value of the C.W. wireless sets was demonstrated at one time during the advance 

8 FA Bde (2)
From "Points brought out. . . ."
When the 8 FA Bde set was the only means of communicatn
between 8 FA Bde & the Inf Bde at one end and Div. & Div Arty
HQ on the other end.
Passing from the question of forward communicatns, the
recent operns conclusively showed necessity for a direct line
to Div Arty HQ from ^Arty Bdes, since the Infy lines, through
Division, which arty bdes have to use, were at all times
in constant use by the infy concerned, and so not available for the
passage of urgent arty messages.

One of the greatest difficulties which had to be faced was the incorrect & very
often absolute absence of information as to the situation and operns
of the flank divns.  Several times the GOC of the Inf Bde which 8 FA Bde
covered, had to send patrols of both his own men & light
horse, two or three miles N of the actual front covered by the Bde 

3 DAC
From "Review of work. . . . .  Aug 1918".
47952 rounds of 18 pdr shell & 11991 of 4.5 how.
Ammun. carried to Bty waggon lines and gun positions.  Besides this
several thousand rounds were salved from old bty posns and 
transported to new posns.
The equipment stood the test of the operations well.  It is worthy of
note that the Aust pattern GS waggons which were brought from Aust by this
unit have during the past two years been employed continuously in the transporting of
ammun. and material, and their durability has been proved beyond all
shadow of doubt.  The main drawback attached to these
waggons is the xx insufficiency of lock, and the difficulty of obtg
duplicate parts.  The harness of the unit  is also of Aust pattern

and has proved highly satisfactory.
On night 10/11 Aug, actg under orders of "Q "branch 3Div, the O.C.
SAA Sectn of 3 DAC despatched 500 Stokes bombs to a posn. S. of
Proyart.  Two limbered waggons under Sgt Reid M.C. were
used xx to convey the bombs.  Abt 9.30 p.m. the 10 Inf Bde
preceded by tanks passed the teams & an enemy aeroplane
apparently observed the column and bombed & M/gunned it
with the result that one man was wounded, and 4 animals
killed and one wounded. The waggons were ditched & abandoned
temporarily but were aftwds recovered & ammunition
delivered.
The CO. of the SAA Section ^(Capt M.M.S Young), in report dated 29/8/18 says:-
In connection with the operations 3,000,000 rounds of SAA,
30000 grenades, 6500 Stokes shells besides the required
rockets-flares were delivered to Brigades, Battalions, &
MG Bn. frequently to very advanced posns necessitating
long trips under trying conditions.  The main difficulties
encountered were congested roads and untrained guides.
The former were overcome by doing as much work in day time