Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/280B/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 7

13 Fa Bde 

7.

[* 13 Fa Bde's guns had been

overhauled when the bde was out

at rest & several had been 

condemned. Consequently 13 Fa

Bde came into the line with only 16

18-pdrs and four 4.5 hows *]

17 Sept Night 16/17 very windy & wet. accompanied by
severe thunderstorm. Day improved & became warm,
9.15 carting of ammun completed
This group is Superimposed Group (under Coddy).
[* 13 & 14 a Fa Bdes and 232 Army Bde RFA) *]
18 Sept Ground very wet + muddy. More showers.
Zero hour 5.20 a.m. Btys having fired
preliminary portion, the Bde moved fwd,
Group HQ at RI4a 80 60.
Btys continued firing creeping barrage
Practically no shelling of bty posns. Tracks
"awfully muddy" & carrying of anmun fwd - 
btys very severe, partic on the 4-horse teams,
11 am. Btys moved frward.
Lt C H N Smart & Lt F A Stead FOO's
throughout day.
19 Sept 49 Bty moved fwd occuping posn in R9d 4080
Two of our "Camel" places collided & fell
20 Sept All Fa Bdes reconnoitring for forward posns.
Half of 232 Army Bde RFA, , all except one bty
of 14 Fa Bde, & 11 Bty moved forward.
9.38 pm Large hostile place shot down by one of
our planes after being picked up by searchlight.
21 Sept 49 & 50 Btys moved fwd to R5C80 65 &
R5b 4709 respectively.
232 Army Bde leaves group.
Considerable enemy bombing night 20/21.
22 Sept Left Group covering 15 Inf Bde
 

8.
13 Fa Bde

Sept 23 One Section 55 Bty moved to L24 a 80 70
to enfilade Forgans [shorthand]. Quiet day
generally. More bombing night 23/34.
Sept 24 CO. 13 Fa Bde visited 5 Div Arty HQ to attend
conference re forthcoming operation
Major E G Lister called at 46 Div HQ to
attend another conference re 46 Div opern.
Zero hour 5 am. Opern supported by
creeping barrage from this group. Both howitzer
btys fired smoke shell + the 18pdrs fired 10%
V for of smoke shell. This completely obscured
visibility [shorthand] area [shorthand] [shorthand] imposs - follow what I
going on [shorthand] OP's. The arty fire lasted
for 26 minutes & then ceased.
Ie was reported that [shorthand] had captured
Pontruet & Forgans [shorthand]. There appd [shorthand] some
doubt abt the infy's movements, rendered more
difficult by the large amt of smoke shell
fired, and altho the success signal [shorthand]
fired, [shorthand] subsequently found that [shorthand] did not
occupy Pontruet or Forgans [shorthand]. Our line [shorthand]
reported by Lt. M. C. Clark [shorthand] O.P. at
11 am to run W [shorthand] village x 6 officer did
very well [shorthand] engaging many parties [shorthand] enemy.
He shot all blys [shorthand] fired throughout better
part of day with very good observation [shorthand] 1200
yds NW of Pontruet. His information differed
[shorthand] that [shorthand] infy.  but [shorthand] found [shorthand] correct
Majr E L Beavis (actg Co 14 Fa Bse) and
 

9

13 Fa Bde
Major A. R. Leschen (113 How Bty)
reconnoitred and each found posns [shorthand] two
reinforcing bdes of arty within $3000 yds [shorthand]
Canal. These were very close [shorthand] our front line.
Two of our balloons brought down [shorthand] flames
by enemy planes, I were very active
throughout day.
 

13 Fa Bde
From
Superimposed Group (4 Div Arty)

Operation Order. 17/9/18
for attack on H. O. Line
Batteries of this group [shorthand] not reqd to participate [shorthand]
firing the Brown Protective barrage as [shorthand] move
forward on reaching [shorthand] line x
At Zero plus 72 minutes, or upon arrival at Brown
Protective Line, Btys [shorthand] group [shorthand] commence [shorthand] move
forward [shorthand] [shorthand] occupy the posns selected [shorthand] a line [shorthand] those btys
of the 10th 11th 6th & 12 Fa Bdes near rly live x Further
posss [shorthand] occupied approx[shorthand] R.3 x Each brigade [shorthand]
dispoed [shorthand] depth ask for as poss. [shorthand] [shorthand] take up
relatively similar posns [shorthand] repaid [shorthand] each other
[shorthand] [shorthand][shorthand] occupy
Upon arrival new [shorthand] posns each brigade [shorthand]
take up the barrage again [shorthand] shown at [shorthand] [shorthand] X
Full echelons [shorthand] moved fwd [shorthand] btys [shorthand] [shorthand] then continue
to dump ammun so [shorthand] each [shorthand] 300 rds per 18pdr [shorthand] 250
per how [shorthand] conclusion [shorthand] operation.
(Have not given details [shorthand] lefts or rates of fire [shorthand] these
[shorthand] already [shorthand] given [shorthand] 40 Div Arty orders]
 

13 Fa Bde

Extracts from Lt Col Caddy's report on 18/9/18 attach
Zero hour 5.20 am. Creeping barrage mad ed forward
[shorthand] lifts of 100yds, the first being made after 3 mins, the
second after 2 mins more, the 3rd to 11th at 3 minutes
intervals, the 12th to 2lst inclusive at 4 mins intevals,
when the first Protective Barrage Line [shorthand] reached at
Zero + 72 (i.e. at 6.32 am) x. A pause [shorthand] [shorthand] barrage
line [shorthand] made to + 190 (i.e. to 8.30 am) x Duvay [shorthand]
pause the Btys [shorthand] superimposed group moved forward
 + occupied new positions x those of 13 Fa Bde were
Bde HQ R14b 20 70
49 Bty    RI4b 90 10
50  "        RI4 c 4510
51   "        R8 c 6000
113   "       R 14d 4040
A sbtys arrived [shorthand] new posns [shorthand] took up the
barrage & continued [shorthand] fire [shorthand] Protective Barrage line.
All btys were [shorthand] these posns [shorthand] 7.50 am.
At zero plus 190 - the creeping barrage [shorthand] resumed
until + 254, moving at rate of 100 yds each 4
mins until Second Protective Barrage line
reached x Fire continued on [shorthand] line [shorthand] 15 mins
longer ceased at Zero + 269. (i.e. at 9.49 am)
Rater of fire —
18pdrs. 3rds p.g.p.m.
4.5's      2  "    "  "  "  "
When firing on Protective Barrage Lines
1 rd per gun [shorthand] how p.min
Approx 100% of smoke, 40% HE, 50% shrapnel
by 18 pdrs.     10% smoke, 90% HE  4.5 hows
 

13 Fa Bde 18/9/18
2

Caddy's Report
After capture of Red Line Btys Superimposed Group moved fwd, 13 Fa Bde
taking up posns at.
13 Fa Bde HQ R14 b 9010
49 Bty              R9d 75 35
50                      R 4c 6000
51                       R 4c 50 30
113                     R 4a  0000
On taking up these posns, btys found old gun
pits contg many rounds of 18 pdr ammun.
which had apparently been left by btys
[shorthand] sector during the March retreat. This
amnun [shorthand] fired
Hostile arty [shorthand] active Mroathoub day. the valley [shorthand]
Q17 [shorthand] our front line as established receiving
considerable attention x The hostile barrage put
down at zero hour [shorthand] scattered [shorthand] caused only
slight casualties.
Hostile aerial activity very pronounced [shorthand] altho
fired on by AA guns, enemy aeroplanes crossed
our lines & remained over our forward area
persistently, shooting down one  [shorthand] our balloons N of
Vendelle at 3.45 p.m. Our aircraft also active.
 

Location Reports

Location Reports

From. R21/22 Sept.  Right Group  6 A Fa Bde}  (under Lt Col H E Cohen)

                                                              12   "        "   }

                                     Left Group  13 A Fa Bde}  (under Lt Col H E Caddy)

                                                            14   "        "   }

                      Superimposed Bde. 232 Army Bde RFA

                                                                         (Maj. Maclaverty)

From 10 pm night 22/23 Sept.

                                     Right Group  232 Army Bde RFA

                                                                 5       "         "       "

                                                                     (under Maj Maclaverty)

                                     Left Group  13 A Fa Bde}  (under Lt Col caddy)

                                                            14   "        "   }
Covering 46 Div
 

14th A Fa Bde
Aug 26 In afternoon HQ & btys took up position —
blys abt a mile in front [shorthand] Proyart [shorthand] HQ
on outskirts [shorthand] village
Aug 27 All guns in action. Visibiity bad. Rain
storms.
Aug 28 Bde moved forward — btys near Fontaine
Aug 29 Btys shifted up bit further
Aug 30 Btys took up posn on left of Barleux.
Sept 1 At 6 am [shorthand] conjunction with infy opern. All
Btys put down barrage & continued firing [shorthand] 
2½ hours. During after btys engaged
heights S of Mesuil with smoke shell.
Night-harassing fire
54 Bty moved forward [shorthand] mobile bty.
Sept 2 At dusk 53, 55, 114 Btys moved forward
to near Barleux
Sept 3 At 6.50 pm all btys put down bursts of
fire on Flamicourt. 16 eighteen pdrs and 5
hows [shorthand] action [shorthand] 3 guns at workshops.
Sept 4 All btys at 2.15 pm put down bursts of fire at [shorthand] 
[shorthand] [shorthand] 34 A& B. Harassing fire at night.
54 Bty rejoined, taking up posn at O 1c 3780.
Sept 5 2 pm & later bursts of fot smoke shell put down over
Chair Wd. to cover retiremt [shorthand] infy.
 

14 F.a. Bde
Locations 26/8/18

Bde HQ. R14 t 10 30
53 Bty     R 15c 80 45 ??
54   "        R 16d 40 00
55   "         R23 b 00 70
114   "        R 17d 50 00