Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/280A/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 10

3rd Div Arty
Orders 21/1/18 

Should morning of zero day be foggy, Bty Cdrs while on their own
initiative "act out" smoke shell from the barrage, continuing with
smoke shell fog lift. The 2nds of smoke shell ordered under the
Protective Barrage [shorthand] to be fired whatever the state of  the weather
                                  ——————————————

Orders 21/8/18 

Dividing line between 7 FA Bde & 290 Bde RFA over the barrage as 
line joining L13 b46 50 to L9 c10 36 to L10 a 10 19.
7 FA Bde on left, 290 Bde on right. 25 yds overlap between
Bdes will be allowed [shorthand]
Ordinary harassing fire will be carried out up to zero hour by the
290 & 291 Bdes. No new posns to be fired from.
On completion of barrage harassing fire will be  cd out by barrage &
bombdt groups till zero + 320 mins.

 7 FA Bde (3 Div Arty) (Lt Col G H M King)
War diary
13/8/18 

Came ^under orders of CRA. 5 Div. Moved to vicinity of Meharicourt,
forming part of Right Group under Col. Derham 14 FA Bde.
Forward posns selected:
HQ. 7 FA Bde      F16 c77  )

25 Bty                   F15 b50  )
26   "                      F16 b64 ) but did not move beyond

27   "                      F17 a24  ) waggon lines at in V23 c & d

107  "                     F16 d66  ) as operation postponed & then cancelled.                                                                           
15/8/18  Came under orders CRA 3 Div. again
16/8/18  Moved to waggonlines in vicinity of Hamelet
20/2/Aug 20/8/18 Moved forward at 1 pm to valley in J36 a & c xxx To cover attack by 9 Inf Bde.

21/8/18 At noon arty group covering 9 AI Bde - consisting of 7 AFA Bde,
290 & 291 RFA Bdes - formed under command of Co 7 FA Bde, with HQ at
K25 d75, with GOC 9 Inf Bde. At dusk btys moved into positions -
25 Bty K22 b40        )

26   "    K22 b08 50  )

27   "    K22 b15 52    )  All complete by 11 p.m.

107 "     K24 a30 65  )

Night quiet except for 107 Bty which badly shelled - 2 killed 5 wd.

8 FA Bde (3rd Div Arty) (Lt Col W.G. Allsop)
War diary
13/8/18 At 2.30 a.m. orders recd for march of 8 FA Bde south, rendezvousing at 2 p.m. 
near Caix on Canadian Corps front for opern on Chartres.

14/8/18  7p.m. Operation cancelled & Bde withdrawn to waggonlines.

16/8/18  Withdrew to vicinity of Fouilloy.

20/8/18  Bde Cdr & bty Cdrs went fwd as far as Merecourt & selected posns in the

bend of the river just W of Etineheim. Two btys (29 & 31)

occupied posns. on N. edge of Cateau Wd & 30 & 108th abt 500^x to

the N.W. in vicinity of river bank, btys moving into action night of 20th.

Details recd of 9Inf Bde opern. Task allotted to 8 FA Bde was the bombdt

of certain valleys and recreants known to be held strongly  and which cd be enfiladed

from various bty posns

                                         ——————————————

Narrative of Events 8 FA Bde

13/8/18 At 2.30 am xxxx instructns recd from 3 Div Arty HQ that Bde Cdrs

were to be at 5 Div Arty HQ at 9.30 a.m. and that the btys, would rendezvous in

U23 d near Caix by 2 pm that day

On arrival at 5 D.A.H.Q. information recd that offensive was to be continued S. of

Amiens - Chartres (? rly). Motor car made available to take

FA Bde cdrs to Rosieres and instructns left that bty cdrs to

proceed to same place. On arrival at rendezvous bty cdrs pushed

forwards ahead, and btys having watered and fed, moved in same

direction.

On reaching Rosieres it was found that the ground  to be reconnoitred was consid.

further on, near Meharicourt, so Bde Cdrs moved on to the sugar refinery

about 500 yds E of Rosieres, & selected posns. to N. of Meharicourt.

Carting of ammunition started that night. The following day orders

issued postponing operation for one day; further orders that to stand fast.

The order to stand fast was the only piece information of Bde recd over 24 hours.

On morning of 15 Aug instructns issued that a guard of one man only

would be left on the posns, the remainder being withdrawn to waggonlines

From this time until noon on the 16 Aug. no further information recd

from any source until CR[A?} 3 Div came down and ordered the

withdrawal of Bde to the Fouilley area.

 

                                    ——————————————

3 D.A.C.

War diary
13/14 Aug 1918
Enemy airmen subjected Caix area to vigorous bombing on night of
13/14 Aug. Two bombs dropped midway between Nos. 1 & 2 Sections. One
of the bombs fell right alongside one of No. 2 Sectn's m/gun
emplacements – so close that one side of it was blown in by force of
explosion. A Canadian officer, & the NCO in charge of the xxxx Lewis guns
of No. 2 Sectn were standing up in the pit & were just abt to fire the
gun when the bomb fell, half burying and wounding the officer
& blowing the NCO out of the pit. The Lewis gun was destroyed & three
animals were wounded. Caix subjected to air bombing nightly.

CRA 3 Div

War diary [to be read in conjunction with extracts from attached Report on operns]
22/8/18 During attac barrage hostile retaliation not heavy, & very few
casualties sustained.
During early hours of morng 107 How Bty posn in K24 a 3065
rather heavily shelled, & a direct hit obtd on one how. killing 1 man
& wounding  4 others.
On capture of Green Line verbal orders recd
from 3 Div. that opern  would be exploited next morning. These
orders subsequently cancelled owing to enemy c/attack on 47 Div.
During afternoon & evening enemys arty moderately active.
A heavy shoot of gas & HE carried out by him on L26 and Etineheim
while Bray-Corbie road considerly harassed.
23/8/18 During morning 2 enemy aircraft brought down by L.G. fire,
One of these machines claimed by 33 Battalion. The pilot was wounded,
observer unwounded. Bright moonlight at night, and
enemy bombers active over back areas.
During night L26 & Etineheim recd considble attention from
enemy.
At 2 pm verbal orders recd  from 3 Div that an attack on Bray
would be 2 launched at 1 a.m.
At 4 a.m. verbal orders were given - 4 Arty Bdes under
command that 1 section per bty would move ^to forward posts
prev. selected, and that  350 rds per bty would be dumped at these sites
forthwith
At 9.30 am verbal orders information from 3 Div that
further attack would be launched against enemy lines, to capture
high ground E of Bray and W of [Ceylon?] Wd.  It was proposed at
first to launch C attack at 4 pm 6 after. As this necessitated
moving fwd all btys complete, verbal orders immed issued
for remg 2 sectns per bty to move fwd. At 10.30 am verbal
orders from 3 Div. that attack would not take place at 4 pm., but at
2:30 am tomorrow.
25/8/18 During day our patrols attempted to push fwd but not
successful,  for, as soon as they advanced E  of Ceylon Wd and Trigger Wd,

were heavily engaged by 77mm. guns firing over open sights
from copses in G2,3, &9 & A27. During aftn and evening our

2
CRA 3 Div.
War diary (contd)
25/8/18 btys engaged these targets. Again enemys reply to our operns
at 2.30 was very feeble and until 12 noon his fire was merely of a
light harassing nature. At this hour however a heavy barrage was put
down on our newly-won territory, while our right flank also
recd considble attention.
The Div. Trench Mortar personnel are now to be attached
to the DAC to assist in manning dumps and in the  handling of
ammun, as no use can be made of T/Ms under present
semi-mobile conditions of warfare.
26/8/18 Our arty during day engaged enemy movement on all occasions
when within range, and brought fire to bear on areas not
under observation. Partie. attentn paid to Fangay Wood &
Mill, A20, low lying ground in recreants N of the Somme in
A28.
During evening verbal orders recd from 3 Div that infy would
^in morning attack to establish line from A 29 central Northwards to
"Y"  Wood  in A 23d (incl.), while patrols of 10 Inf Bde were to
mop up the Vaix-Suzanne Peninsula

                                      ——————————————

Extract from message [timed
3.25p 28/8/187.   .Captd map shows second enemy line
resistance as follows:  from river to G16 a 50
G10 central G4d001 , N. swinging round Cemetery Wd.
A29 central 

CRA  3 Div
Report on operations
22x/8/18  Frontage of attack Approx 1000 yds. Covered by "barrage
Group" composing 3 bdes of F.A. (less 3 how btys) - or one
gun to 28yds.  supported by "Bombardment Group" (three
 18 pdr btys, four 4.5 howitzer btys) and 51 Bde RGA, which
directed their fire against S/Ps and trenches, keeping E.of the advancing barrage.
Immed on completn of barrage, when all objectives carried,
Bty Cdrs went fwd to select more advanced posns, while OP's were
estab shortly after zero hour on high ground to the W. of Bray, whence much enemy movement was effectively dealt with.
During aftn while 26 Bty was moving fwd heavy Germ
shellfire encountered - occasioned by c/attack on 47 Div front,
Bty subsequently withdrew to its former posn, and no fwd moves of btys
took place owing to the obscurity of the situation on the left flank.
With exceptn of desultory shelling of our fwd areas, the night
remained quiet.
23/8/18  At 4.45 a.m. on morning of 23 Aug. 18pdrs & 4.5 hows, while
cooperatg with the 1 Aus Div. S of the Somme, put down smoke
barrage on high ground known as Froissy Beacon in L35, SE. of
Bray, while Ceylon Wood  L 23, on the high ground  in L11 and L17
were bombarded with both heavy and F.A.
Throughout day guns busily engaged firing on enemy
movement, carrying out harassing fire and dispersing enemy troops
messing for attack. One concentration in L4 and L10 at 10 a.m.
completely broken up by our arty fire.
At 4.30 pm. barrage placed on Laneuville to cover
advance  patrols. Village subsequently captured without serious
opposition.
Hostile arty during night 23/24 showed little activity, his main
attention being confined to Sector S of Somme.
On after of 23 Aug orders recd and plans drawn up for
attack on Bray at 1 am on 24 Aug, under moving barrage and 
Barrage argts as follows:-
"A" Barrage.  290 & 291 Bdes RFA. Superimposed
"B"     "              7 AFA Bde - 6 guns
"C"      "             7  ..................... 12 guns

All the 4.5 hows ordered to crash down on Bray from zero to
zero plus 4, keeping 100 yds E of the 18 pdr start line & subsequently to
bombard S/Ps to the E of the town.
At 1 a.m. our arty put down barrage & carried out a bombdt
 

(2) 

CRA 3 Div
Report (contd)
While infy advanced. FOOs of all arty bdes folld closely
behind infy and engaged enemy m/gs, strongpts, & movement.
Enemies reply was feeble. His fire was for the greater part of a
harassing nature, Bray-Corbie road receiving considerable attention.
Areas L20 & 26 also subjected to heavy shelling. Our bty areas
practically free from hostile fire.
At dusk btys began to move fwd to posns previously
selected & by 12 midnight all were in action well advanced,
with 350 rds per gun dumped at these sites.
Orders were issued for capture of high ground abt
Squares L5,11, & 17.  For this attack seven 18pdr and one 4.5
how. btys placed ^by CRA 1 Div at disposal of CRA 3 Div. Front was divided into
two sectors & the disposition of brigades was as follows:-
Northern Sector.
Advancing Barrage: 290 Bde RFA, 7aBdeAFA, and
how bty of 291 Bde RtA.
Bombardment Dde 8 Fa dde (18 pdrs only)
Southern sector
Advancing Barrage 29 1st Brigade RFA.(18 Pdes only)
Flank Advancing Damage  7 18 pdr btys detailed by
CRA 1 Art Div
Bombardment guns 108 How Bty, and X How Bty
detailed by CRA 1 Div.
2/8/18 At 2.30 am on 25Aug, barrage and bombdt were opened
in support of attack. Very little opposition encountered.
Success exploited.. At s am ascertained that enemy
withdrawing to line of resistance W. of Suzanne.
In view of the  fact that mobile warfare conditns xxx now
prevailed, and in consultation with GOC's 10 & 11 Inf Bdes
verbal orders issuid to FA Bdes, as follows:-
 

CRA. 3Dw.
Report Contd
290 & 291 Bdes RFA. to remain in present posns.
7th AF Bde to advance in affiliation with the 10 inf Bde
& occupy posns E of Bray. These were taken up in the late
afternoon in L10d and L15 b &c, with HQ at L 16 c 5095
8 A Fa bde ordered to advance with 11th inf Bde and to
occupy posns in L16b & d with HQ at L14b 4065.
Exploitation, however, was not successful. Infy heavily
engaged by 77mm guns...... Decided that attack should take place
at an early hour on follg. morning. Meanwhile OPs had been
estab.. by our FaBdes on a ridge near Ceylon Wood and
many opportunity targets were engaged.
The enemys arty showed increased activity during day and
heavy shelling of Ceylon Wd and the ridge in L11 & L17. by all
calibres up to 15 cm hows. At 7 pm his fire quietened and the night
passed calmly, while our Fa Btys maintained only a light harassing
fire on roads & approaches far behind the lines in order to rest
personnel & allow freedom of movemt to our patrols.
26/8/18  Patrol activity & our line advanced along whole front
These operns were supported by our arty working in close
liason with infy. Partic. attention paid to Fangy Mill
& low lying ground and reentrants N of the Somme in A 28.
Concentrations also directed against suspected MG posns,
sniping guns, the Valley in G9b & G10 a &c & other S/Pts
holding up advance.
Enemy arty active during day. Mainly directed against Suzanne and by
leading to Maricourt, while G2c,  G4c, G8a & b, L10, LIl,
L15 & the Bray-Corbie road recd attention.
In aftn 3rd Div arty HQ moved to Etinehem.
Orders recd. that 290 & 291 RFA Bdes to be [[told?]] to 58 Div arty
on our left flank, & 250 & 251 Bdes ordered to come under CRA 3 Div
Accdly 251 Bde took over from 291 in this Div sector.
Ammunition Supply throughout period satisfactory. Considered [shorthand] with the  4 hows

allowed to limbered waggons of 18pdrs and 4.5 hows not sufficient owing to
topo. features of country and the heavy transportation DAC called upon to do after heavy
 [**This comment

is a repetition

of the comments

of OC 3 DAC

Maj AB Sandford.

Aust 

3
CRA. 3 Div
Report(Contd)
rain. Found recy in many instances to supply relays and teams
of six animals.
On night 2o/21 Aug. 6152 rd of amunnn. delivered from ARP
in Malard Wd to bty possn of 7 & 8 Fa Bdes.
Night 21/22 Aug.     3594 rds delivered
Night 25/26              8557  rds were salved from posns
vacated by 7 & 8 Fa Bdes & delivered to
ARP
Expenditured ammun.
From 12 noon 20 Aug to 12noon 26th.
50,437 round fird by Bpdrs
45hows
9149
The greatest number of guns out of action at one time was
11 18 pdrs and 2 4.5 hows.
The lowest 518pdrs & 245 hows.
Casualties sustained by 3 Divarty & RFA Bdes attached, from
12noon 20Aug to 12noon 26th.
 

                            Offers                 OR

Killed                      -                         6

Wounded              2                      28

Gassed                   -                          1

Accidentally wd.   -                         6

                                 2                        41

 

Horses. 9 killed by hostile shelling shellfire

2 accidentally injured, opened & subsequently destroyed

General Remarks  

Btys were moved fwd exceeding well and by echelon

so that arty fire always avail on the front.

 

[*3 Div 
Arty
only *]