Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/280A/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 6

4 Bde Callaghan
5  "   Reggall
2 Div Arty   2

Aug 29  4& 5 A FA Bdes returned to 2 Div Arty and sent into
reserve.
For 7 Bde   12.20 pm. 298 & 16 Army Bdes ^ ordered to support further advance of 7 Inf Bde
For 5 Bde   ←5 Army Bde & 4 A FA Bde      .   .    .   .   .  5 Inf Bde

128 Heavy Bty to support whole attack.
→Altered at 1.30 am 29th - to 5 Inf Bde to be supported 
by group (under Lt Col CA Callaghan) consisting of
4 & 5 A FA Bdes and 5 Army Bde RHA.
Aug 30  5 Bde.
4 Bde 6 X   4.30 a.m. 4 FA Bde ordered to push 2 btys fwd in close 
support of 5 Inf Bde attempting passage to Somme at
Feuilleres.
to 17 & 20 Bns  1.20 pm. 4 FA Bde reported 11 & 12 Btys moving fwd to cross
at Feuilleres, each bty working with abn in the line.
10 & 104 Btys moving advanced sections to H 23 c and H 23a.
5.25 pm.  4 FA Bde reports visual message from 12 Bty that it was in
action abt H 10 C 59. in close touch with 20 Bn and getting
numerous targets
5.45pm Fwd sections of 10 & 104 Btys in action at
H 23a 72 and H 23 a 36. Much good shooting
on enemy parties in I9 & I15.
4.30p.   6.10 pm Message recd that 11 Bty in action H 10 c 35 40 & 12 Bty
at H 10a 50 05. All guns in the one posn as it was not at the
time practicable to use forward sections. (Timed 4.30)
9.30 pm CRA & Bde Major attended conference at 5 Inf Bde
H.Q. at which CO's of all FA Bdes and 9 Bde RGA present.
Arrgd arty support for 5 Bde opern 31 Aug.
[*5 Bde
Confce
above 4 Bdes
& 298.
Rates 18 pdrs 2 r. pgpm
4.5 how 1 ――

2 Div Aule Arty    3
Aug 31   11a.m. 11 & 12 Bties ordd to HTB - In posn by 8.30a.m.  13 Bty go to 6 Bde.
4 A FA Bde and 16 Army Bde ordered
to support 6 Inf Bde advance & to get in touch with GOC 6 Bde
[*(4Bde from 5 to 6 A.I. Bde)*]
12.3  pm  16 Army Bde ordered to cross river and take
up posns abt I7, folld by 2 remg. btys of
4 FA Bde.
[*16 Bde to X
to I7. & rest of 4.*]
[*9 Bde for 5, 1 of Bde
then 6. Inf Bde*]
12.15  9 Bde RGA informed of general plan and asked to keep in
touch with 5 Inf Bde till 6th went there, then with 6 Bde.
To get into touch with 6 Bde at once.
1.10 pm In order to get all btys over in time it was directed that 
10th and 104th Btys should move at once and that 5  FA Bde
should be left to work with 5 Inf Bde.
[*FABde
2 for 6*]
9.30 pm Conference at 6^th Inf Bde HQ to
discuss and arrange arty fire for 6 Bde attack
in morning.  Reps of all FA Bdes present and of 
9 Bde RGA. Received their orders direct.
[*6 Bde Confce
same rates of
ammun expre*]
Sept 1   11.25 a.m.  12 Bty early to 6 Bde
It was intended to attack [?Feullaucourt] village in Mt St Q. at 1.30pm.
follg on ^ field and heavy arty bombdt, fire to be intermittent till 1 pm, then intense.
It was not poss. for HA to fire on village as it was too close to the infy.  HA there 
fired on trench systems and approaches just E of village.
[*HA on trenches E of village
11 am. Lt Mehan (4 Bde)
200 wd by mgs
mostly wd *]
9.30 pm.  CRA attended conference at 7 ^ Infy Bde HQ. Orders issued
direct to Unit Cdrs
[*7Bde Confce*] 

Aug 31
2nd Div Arty Report on Mt St Q.
Aug 31 attack (5 Bde ) Arty available
F. Arty  4 A FA Bde
5 A FA Bde
5 Army Bde RHA
298  "       "   RFA
16   I 8 "     "  RHA
H Arty 9 Bde RGA. supplemented by extra HA
bdes under arrgt with Aust Corps HA.
As in the time avail it was not practicable to arrge a regular creeping
barrage it was decided to engage selected localities, to limits of
range, the fire being adjusted and maintained accdg to the 
projected rate of advance of the infy.  HA used on same
principle, then fire placed on same areas, but
lifting earlier.
Rates of fire
18 pdrs.     2 rds  p g p m
4.5 hows   1  "     "    "  "   "
[106 fuzes used as soon as poss on the E/most for areas] 

Sept 1
2 Div Arty Report on Mt St Q.
Sept 1 attack (6 Bde)
Arty support - same as on Aug 31.
Arrgd and coordinated
Principle of engaged selected areas to 
limits of range again used, lifts being arrgd to suit
infy advance. Coordination with 5 Div Arty
arrgd at a conference.
A temporary doubt as to the exact posn of our troops
necessitated the arty Start Line being placed
further E perhaps than was necy.
Rates of fire (same as on 31 Aug) 

2 Div Arty.  Inf war diary
Sept 2  1.55a.m.  Arrgd with 3 Div Arty to put two FA Bdes on Haut Allaines.
Fire from zero to plus 7 mins on Tortelle trench, then lift and creep 
at rate of 100 yds per 1½ mins as far E as N and S line from I5 central.
[*3 Dartg  2 Bdes on
N. Allaines*]
2. 50 It was ascertained that rates of advance of barrage of flankg divs were -
5 Div.   100 yds per 3 mins
III  Corps 100 yds per 5 mins
[*Rates of adv.
altered 2.50am.*]
Our rates were altered from those prev. arrgd -
Right lane 100 yds per 3 mins
Right Centre lane 100 yds per 4 mins
Left Centre and Centre ?Left  lanes 100 yds per 5 mins
8.50 a.m. Heavy barrage of 10.5 and 15cm hows came
down soon after zero on W slopes of Mt St Q but was now
dying down
8.55 am Report from 7 Inf Bde [timed 7.30] that infy had
moved well past J.O. line before enemy barrage
came down. Enemy bombdt W of Mt SQ. ceased 7.30.
10.15 10 Bty reported in I9C. 104 moving fwd
Got t. w 27 Bn & helped a lot.
[*10 Bty moved to 
Feuillauct.
13 Bty Lt Evans sectn with 27th at Tortille.
 "     "     "  xx[[?]] as 26
3D Bties adv to cover
line N of Aizect Rd.
& 5 Army Bde RHA
also
11 a.m. 
Lt A Mehan 5
Bde mortly wd.*]
11 am  3 AFA Bde and 14 Army Bde ordered forward to cover 
line I11d central to J1 Central.
11.55  5 Army Bde RHA ordered engage Windmill and trench in
I17 c & d with heavy fire till 1pm. in order deal 
with numerous m/gs.
[*Shellg of summit at
3.5p while to adv
down centre etc.*]
3.45 3.5  16 Army Bde reported heavy shelling on our front from
I16 central and I10 central. [6 apparently accompanied
c/attack made abt that time]

[*Diffct move of
arty. to
cover distant front*]
3.45  4 FA Bde reports 3 guns of 104 Bty in action at
I8b 14: Remaining btys on move. Progress
difficult.
16 German planes crossed lines at 5.30 pm

2 Div Arty III 2
2 Sept   4.50pm  Arty regrouped. -
7 Bdes {
4 FA Bde group   (Lt Col Callaghan)
4 & 5 A FA Bdes     }
16 Army Bde RHA  }  to cover div front.
Right Superimposed group (Lt Col A D H West)
5 Bde RHA
298 Army Bde.
Left Superimposed group (Lt Col G I Stevenson)
3 A FA Bde
14 Army Bde RFA
Sept 3   9.30 pm.  5 FA Bde reported heavy gas shelling
of I8 & 9 and I2 & 3. Ceased at 10pm
Sept 4   4 & 5 FA Bdes withdrew from action to Bray. 

2 Div Arty Report on MStQ
Sept 2 (7 Bde attack)
Arty available
same as on Aug 31 and Sept 1, with additn of
3 Army Bde A FA  } taken over from
14   "        "      RFA  } 3 Aust Div on night 
1/2 Sept.
(Locacted abt B30 & H6) →
xxx on w ^ slope of Clery ridge                                     
Conference at 7 Bde HQ 9 pm Sept 1 - CRA,
reps of all FA Bdes and OC 9 Bde RGA
Gen. infy plan discussed, arty support worked
out & communicated to units direct.
On this occasion a modificatn of the previous programme
was introduced.  A series of standing barrages
was put down by Bdes, each in its allotted lane.
All trenches and other selected targets were engaged,
fire being maintained on them till Infy
were within striking distance, when the
barrage lifted on to the next series of targets. 
Partic attentn given to Allaines and H/Allaines
and the assist of the 3 Div Arty on these villages also obtd.
H.A. fire was arrgd on same principle.
[*Been closer than 
before.*]
Barrage, as arrgd, was to rest on the start line for 7 mins and then
lift E at the average rate of 100 yds per 1½ mins, ceasing on
arrival at limits of range.  It was aftwds ascertained however that the III Corps
were "starting" from a line approx 1000 yds in advance of ours,
that their rate was to be 100 yds per 5 mins, and that the rate of advance of the
5 Aust Div. was 100 yds per 3 mins.  Our plan was therefore
modified as folls - 

2 Div Arty Report
2.
Sept 2
Barrage on start line till plus 10 mins, then
lifted at an adjusted rate, faster on the right and decreasing
towards the left
Rates - Right lane  100 yds per 3 mins
Right Centre lane 100 yds, 4mins
Left Centre & Left Lanes.  100 yds per 5 mins
18 pdrs
18 pdrs zero to plus 15 mins,   3 rds pgpm
4.5 hows  "    "     "       "               2 "   "    "
18 pdrs. + 15 mins onwards     2 "    "    "
4.5 hows    "     "       "    "             1  "   "    "
At zero 2 sections moved fwd in close support of infy.
Both sections supplied by 13 Bty, one working with each of the
Centre and Left Bns.
[*4 Guns 13
Bty w 25 & 27.*]
Two Btys of 4 FA Bde, the 3 FA Bde, and the 14 Army Bde RFA
moved fwd on completn of  barrage to posns in valley in I2, I8b,
and I9.  Progress fwd was rendered very difficult owing
because only avail road was, until abt 4 pm, kept
under fairly heavy shellfire, inclg gas.  It was found
necy to dribble fwd guns and waggons one by one.
Great diffy in siting of posns because high ground in
vicinity of  Aizecourt remd in enemy hands
[*move of arty
to Feuillauct vy.
Rd under fire
therefore Dribbly fwd*]
The Group Cdr The OC 4 FA Bde (Group Cdr)
lived with whichever Inf Bde was in the line so as to
be able to cooperate closely.
 [*Gp Cdr
Lt Col Callaghan*]

4 FA Bde, (Lt Col. Callaghan)
(under 32 Div. Arty)
Aug 23. 4.45a.m. Barrage opened up well together
F.O.O.'s Lt ^ T.K. Rowan & Lt Ewen (in touch by phone)
→
6.10 am Ewen reported smoke still too thick to observe
any movemt. Barrage still heavy. Herleville.
←(5.42a.m.  Ewen reported fairly heavy enemy barrage round
Herleville. Enemy using "sneezing stuff".
6.20 Rowan reported no shelling on S half of front.
7. 38 Rowan observing from X6 C 30 70
9 am Ewen reported Herleville and xS 14 a & c being
shelled heavily with 8"
10.30 Rowan says we have not yet captured Vermandovillers trench
1.20 Ewen gave line Crucifix to S7b72 along
S7d90 to S13 b 90 10.  Posts at 40yds in front
At 10.30 Rowan said that he would make a thorough reconnaissance
and clean up the whole situation within an hours' time and would
then register the SOS lines. Nothing seen of Rowan
after 11.15am. Major St Clair went out to look for him
at 8.15, but reported at 10.30 that no trace cd be found
of him having gone there in dressing stn.  [Officially
Killed in action 23/8/18.] 

4 FA Bde diary

Aug 30    11th & 12th Bty OC's meet called 5 Bde bn cdrs at conference 8 a.m.
Sept 
Aug 31  1.20 pm Rang up 10 & 104 Btys, to move to N of River
5pm.  104 Bty moving
5.30 pm  All btys moving
8.30 Mtd orderlies sent from BHQ to get in touch with
Btys and inform them not to occupy fwd posns owing to
infy posns being obscure. Orders were
delivered but 10 & 104 Btys had already moved.
Aug    4 FA Bde report
Aug 30. 11 & 12 Btys crossed river behind after infy & occupied
posns in H4c pushed out FOOs and a line to the two Northern
bn HQ in HC5 H5 c
On night of 30/31Aug. 11 & 12 Btys ordered to maintain close
touch with Northern Infy Bns and move fwd if necy
Aug 31  After reported capture of Mt StQ 11 & 12 Btys ordered fwd.
to H7b. 10 & 104 Btys moved across river.
8.30 Bde in positton E of Clery
Sept 1  12 Bty allotted to 6 Bde
Sept 3 9.30 a.m. 10 Bty pushed fwd to I9c. Touch obtained
with left flank bn and considerable assistance given