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

14 FA Bde  (5 Div Arty)

17/8/18 Relieved "A" Bde R.F.A. in front of Morcourt

23/8/18  xx Twelve 18 pdrs & 5 hows in action

Six 18 pdrs & one how at workshops

24/8/18  HQ & batteries withdrew independently to waggon lines

in vicinity of Hamel. On way out bombs

were dropped on 53rd ^ Bty column. Casualties 3 OR

other ranks killed & 8 wounded. Two horses

killed & 3 wounded. 3 mules killed & 2 wounded.

14 A FA Bde

Report on 23/8/18 operns.

Btys moved into posn. on 18/8/18 relieving 79 Bde RFA (17^th

Div Arty).

Locations

14 FA Bde H.Q.   Q 21a  70 20

53 Bty                   Q 18d 78 66

54   "                      R 19a  15 30

55   "                      Q 18d  17 20

114  "                      Q 18d  05 30

At 4.45 on 23/8/18 Bde took part in creeping barrage.

in support of 1^st Inf Bde. Fire ceased 6.15 a.m. & one

section^※ of 55 Bty under Lt ^ C.B. Thorne moved forward at 6.23
[*(^※ two 18 pdrs)*]

coming into action at R 13c 67 35 at 6.55am. Thorne

then proceeded to 4 Bn Advanced HQ but as Bn Cdr had not

te then arrived commun was estab with bty, which had by this time

moved into action at R 15c 80 45 picking up the

mobile section en route. Thorne then went forward and

located our front line. Many targets engaged at the request

of the Bn Cdr, all fire being observed by Thorne.

As soon as 55 Bty was in action, 114 Bty was ordered to move forward

and came into action at R 14a 90 10. The roads leading

to their new posns. were heavily shelled but the drivers

on ammun. waggons. showed great determination and ammun

supply was maintained throughout day.

At 2 pm all btys participated in creeping barrage

supporting further advance on left flank, on completn of which 153 Bty

advanced and finally came into action at R 14a 80 10.  As soon as

reports recd that 53 Bty was in action, 54 Bty moved fwd to

R 20a 60 20. All btys actively engaged till dusk.

2

14 FA Bde report

The average amount of ammun expended for day

per bty 2000 rounds.

Lt Thorne ^ (with 4 Bn?) says that, when he went to ^ advanced 4 Bn HQ at R 16d 38. 

& found that Bn cdr had not arrived, he left his signallers at this

location and himself went fwd & found out situation of 4 Bn

These dispositions were sent to Bty and were aftwds verified

by Bn cdr.

Hostile arty was very active. A section of 77's were

firing from R 5b 55. This target was immed engaged

and silenced. Other btys were firing from the direction of

M1 b 55 and M8 b 25 90.

By this time the right and left coys of the 4 Bn had reached

the exploitation line and were being troubled by

m/guns. and snipers from Lapin Wood. All were

engaged and silenced.

During the operns the enemy made good use of his MGs and arty

from our left flank. Difficulty seemed to have been experienced in

gaining ground running from K 17b 92 and R 17d 92.

Hostile MGs apparently took up posns on top of this ridge

and while tanks were advancing they were fired on by light

arty from the direction of R 5b.

Throughout morning enemy paid a lot of attention to

Robert Wood & valley running through R 16d 3 8.

High ground in R 16 a 55 was carefully watched

by the enemy and small parties moving abt in this vicinity

were continually shelled.

5 Div Arty

Extracts from Report on Operations  13-31 Aug 1918.

13 Aug.  orders recd for attack on (x 16 Aug (with object of capturing

Chaulnes) by 5 Div. in conjunction with attack by Canadians & French.

Div. Arty moved south during morning. Bty cdrs selected posns in vicinity

of Meharecourt & that night a full echelon of ammun. was dumped at the

gun posns. All preparns made to occupy posns, lines of fire

laid out & 500 rds per gun dumped. 13 FA Bde moved its guns into

action night 13/14 Aug. Operns cancelled night 14 Aug. & those

btys which had moved fwd retd to waggon lines.

17 Aug.  Div. marched N and relieved 17 Div Arty E of Morcourt.

18 Aug  At 10 am command of arty covering 5 Div. passed to CRA.

Grouped as follows:-

Right Group. (Lt Col H W Lloyd)

12 A FA Bde

23 Army Bde RFA

Left Group (Ltd Col H O Caddy)

13 A FA Bde

14  "    "  

16 ^ Army Bde RHA superimposed on Div front

20/21 Aug  night, arty reinforced on 5 Div front & at 10 am

21 Aug. command of all arty in div sector passed to CRA. 1 Div.

The reinforcing arty was as follows:-

1 Aust Div Arty

298 Army Bde RFA

5        "          "     RHA

The btys went into posns about 2000-2500 yds from

frontline. Several btys of 3 & 14 A FA Bdes also

moved forward.

Attack of 23 Aug

Arrgts. 500 rds per gun were dumped at bty posns.

Six 6" Newton mortars from each of the 1 & 5

MTM Bdes were emplaced immed behind front line

5 Div Arty

Extracts from Report
2

One platoon of / Pioneer Bn prepared tracks for

arty over old French trenches and wire.

The barrage rolled back to a depth of 2000 yds (approx)

reaching the protective barrage at 6.15 am. Fire ceased

at 6.30 am.

Lieut C B Thorne moved fwd at 6.23 am with a

section of 53 Bty. He occupied a posn at R 15 ?? c 67 35.

A section of 77mm firing from R 5 b55 was immed. engaged

and silenced. Other btys firing from M 1 b 55 and

M 8 b 25 90, m/guns and snipers from Lapin Wd were

successfully engaged.

The btys of each bde moved fwd so that only one

bty was out of action at any one time. Posns were occupied

in the vy E & NE of Proyart.

It was decided to continue the advance and at abt

2 p.m. orders were recd to put down barrage at 2.30.

The "Start Line" approx NW & SE from R 11 central and the final

line N & S from M 2 c 00.

Infy reported barrage as very satisfactory.

The btys, which had not moved when this attack took

place, then occupied posns in the Proyart Vy.

All btys remained actively in action till dusk.

During day an average of 2000 rds per bty expended.

24 Aug

8 pn btys of 13 & 14 FA Bdes moved out to waggon lines

& then into reserve.

26/27 Aug

5 Div Arty relieved 1 Div Arty

C.R.A 5 Div   War diary

24 Aug.  13 & 14 FA Bdes withdrawn from line.

26 Aug.  5 Div Arty HQ closed at Corbie & opened

at Q 30 C 59 at 10 a.m. Relieved

1st Div Arty HQ.

Intell Summary

26 Aug. Enemy aircraft frequently patrolled our lines

during aftn.  At 3.45 p.m. two one of our

balloons shot down by two enemy planes.

At 7.30 a plane with British markings

came from direction enemy lines & made

careful examn of battery posns in valley

runningfrom R 15. Finally disappd over

enemy lines at great height.

CRA. 5 Div.

Report

On night 26/27 Aug 5 Div. relieved 1 Div and arty

organised as follows --

Right Group  (Lt Col H W Lloyd)

12 Army Bde AFA

1 AFA Bde

2    "      "

Left Group (Lt Col H O Caddy)

13 AFA Bde

14    "       "

23 Army Bde RFA

On afternoon of Aug 26 posns were selected and that

night btys moved into action in 016, 017, 023

at average distance of 2000-3000 yds from front

line.

During day of 27 Aug enemy active with 21 cm & 15 cm

hows. Shelling came from long range.

Aug 28.  One ^ arty Bde from each group - 1st A FA Bde, & 

23 Army Bde RFA - advanced in close support of infy

13 & 14 A FA Bdes followed on, to posns in area M 16 & M 22

to cover outpost line.

Aug 29 & 30  13 & 14 FA Bdes remained in position. At 2 a.m.

on 30th btys moved forward and at dawn occupied posns in N11 

& N.17 - west of Barleux. During 29^th & 30^th t enemy

arty heavily shelled movemt and btys - had observn from

high ground to E.

During the advance a 4 gun bty of 60 pdrs was placed

under immed command of CRA 5 Div for a short

2

C.R.A  5 Div. Report

period. Bty proved very useful in engaging long range

opportunity targets reported by Infy and Bty observers

5 Div Arty HQ estab at Fay (M 23 central).

Ammunition supply worked smoothly.

Throughout the whole period enemy bombing

planes very active at night. More casualties in horses 

caused through bombing than through shell fire.

Owing to continued movement from place to place

arty bdes had little rest. On 23 Aug btys marched

back abt 10 miles, stayed there a day, & then marched

in again. Instead of being fresh, the men & horses

were more tired on going back into line than when they left. 

Arty under CRA 5 Div   27/8/18    12 noon

Right Group (Lt Col H W Lloyd)      Q 24 a 38 18

12 Army Bde A FA HQ    Q 24 a 3818 (Lt Col H W Lloyd)

45 Bty                                 R 26 b 57.18

46                                        R 26 b 18.98

47                                         R 26 a 92 02

112                                         R 27 b 22 68

1 A FA Bde HQ                   Q 24 d 45  (Lt Col. J C Selmer)

1 Bty                                      R 21 c 25 60

2   "                                        R 16 d 10 20

3   "                                        R 26 b 88 56

101   "                                     R 27 a 94 23

2 A FA Bde HQ                   R 25 d 70 40 (Lt Col D H Moore)

4 Bty                                     R 25 b 60 18

5   "                                         R 33 a 06 55

6   "                                         R 27 b 83 74

102  "                                      R 27 b 65 72

Left Group  (Lt Col H O Caddy)   R 14 b 6010

13 A FA Bde  HQ                 R 14 b 60 10 (Lt Col HO Caddy)

49 Bty                                    R 16 d 80 60

50   "                                       R 17 c 30 65

51    "                                       R 15 b 10 50

113    "                                      R 15 b 20 10

14 A FA Bde HQ                   R 14 b 10 30 (Lt Col F P Derham)

53 Bty                                     R 15 c 36

54   "                                       R 16 d 40 00

55    "                                       R 23 b 00 70

114   "                                       R 17 d 55 00

23 Army Bde RFA HQ        R 19 b 75 60 (Lt Col Ballingall)

107 Bty                                   R 27 c 20 30

108   "                                      R 21 d 59 08

D/23 "                                      R 21 d 54

5 Div Arty. Intell. Summary

27/8/18. S/Points in M 20 b & M 20 central destroyed during Infy

advance. At 1 p.m. organised shoot in conjunction

with heavies was carried out on Foucaucourt. Shoot lasted 30 mins

and was very effective. At 2.5 p.m. a light barrage was put down

along line M 21 central to M 27 central while Infy entered

Foucaucourt.

At 2.12 very fairly heavy barrage laid down by enemy

on M 21, M 27 in response to our fire

1/9/18  Movement of enemy transport & troops still very active.

Our guns have been engaging these targets, with observation, all day.

From 11 am to 3p.m. smoke screen laid down O 6 c to

O 11 c to assist bridging operations. Its effectiveness

was marred by weather conditions.

Between 5 & 6 pm btys engaged on barrage work supporting infy

attack. 600 rds expended in searching Chair Wood

& Cardinal Wood.

Hostile arty fairly active on front line but shelling of

back areas decreased.

Big explosion heard in vicinity of Peronne 10.20 a.m.

Three enemy balloons up during morning.

2/9/18. Movement of enemy transport & troops continues abnormal.

At 5.30 a.m. barrage opened on selected s/points in and abt 

Peronne in support of attack. Barrage continued for 2 hours.
During day 100 rds gas shell fired into btys in N 5 & N 11

Chair & Cardinal Woods subjected to bursts of fire at intervals. 

Hostile arty fairly active on frontline. During morning 300 rds

of HE and gas on area surrounding Barleux.

3/9/18  10 Enemy aircraft patrolled our line during evening of 3rd.