Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/281/1 - 1918 - 1933 - Part 2

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7 F Coy
all of the 10th (?) and assisted the infy by locating the line
arrived at by the attacking troops. This work was much apprec by both Bdes and
eulogistic comments were recd from the brigadiers.
17/18 Aug.
On night 17/18 Lts  Lawrie & Oldham laid out tapes to mark
assembly posns for attack on early morning of 18th. This was very
successfully done, Lawrie laying over 1000 yds of tape across a
badly MG swept length of front, and Oldham laying 400 yds.
(Some 1800 yds were intended to be laid but peaceful penetration
rendered attack on part of front unnecessary)
In area W I2 c 88 a complete bathing and delousing
outfit was found, and alongside a well sinking outfit complete
with a bore 5” diameter down over 60ft but with the bar and
mine tool stuck fast in the unlined  bore.  An experienced gang of
tunnellers spent 3 days with a variety of appliances endeavouring to
lift the boring bar but without success, despite the application of a
lift of over 10 tons.

The detachment of tunnellers  attached proved very useful
indeed. 

CRE 3 Div
Extracts from CRE's
Report Aug.13 to Sept 2
9 F Coy  with trestle & pontoon waggons of the other two coys, on night of
24/25 Aug drew 9 pontoons with superstructure and dumped them on
canal at L 33a 00.  On morning 25th its four sections built a 
medium pontoon bridge 96' long at L 33c 19., light pontoon
bridge 75' long at L 33a 93, M.T. Bridge ^40’ long over lock at
L 28c 41.  MT bridge 25’ at L 22a 56, and footbridges
36’ & 28’ long at L 22a 57 over debris of demolished
bridges. (see notes of 9 F Coy work)
9 F Coy also cleared road Etinehem L 33c 19 along towpath

to L 28c 41 to L 2d 86 to L 22d 59.  This was specially
reqd to increase commun.  S'wards in case left flank of
attack failed.  11 F Coy sited Egg Line - a line to be held at
all costs if the above occurred.
3 Pioneer Bn came under orders CRE from 6 am. and
given sole work of repair and maintenance of all roads in the
div. area.  This left 10 & 11 F Coys free for other water
supply work, accommodation, reconnaissance etc. …
"C" Coy 3 Pioneer Bn attached to 9 Inf Bde to make good, for Infy 
in file on night 27/28 Aug, causeways Vaux to G 5c 69,
Farngy Mill to G 5b 85, & G 6c 64 to G 6d 68.
For attack on Curlu.
On morning 28 Aug. “C“ Coy 3 Pioneer Bn. made good 106'
of footbridge on Vaux causeway & 35’ on Farngy Mill
Causeway.  Later in day the Coy commenced replacing 36’ of
footbridge on Vaux causeway & 10 F Coy the remaining 70’
by bridges to take horse tpt.  On night 28/29 Aug “C” Coy
made  good 126’ of footbridge on G 6c causeway.
On Aug 29 C Coy 3 Pion Bn completed their 36’ of H.T. bridge
of the Vaux causeway.  10 F Coy commenced replacing the 126’
of footbridge on G 6c causeway by HT bridge.  9 F Coy
commenced replacing 4 footbridges 45’, 32’, 29’, 43’ between 
Eclusier and G 16c 86 with bridges to carry M.T.
Two footbridges 30’ and 87’ on G23b causeway made good.
Footbridge 26’ built across lock at Frise & three footbridges 

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CRE 3 Div
48’, 28’, 64’ made good on G 12d causeway
30 Aug. C Coy 3 Pioneer Bn rejoined its unit
31 Aug. 10 F Coy completed bridges on Vaux and G 6c
Causeways for horse transport; 9 F Coy Eclusier - G 16c 86
bridges for M/T.  9 F Coy commenced clearing debris
alongside one-way bridges at Feuilleres H 8d 96,
built by 2 Div. Engrs, for preparatory to building two
one-way traffic bridges 25’ & 60’ long to take M.T. so that
two way traffic to be obtained over this important crossing.
Consequent on advance of divs on each flank
conveying & cutting out our front, F Coys & Pioneer Bn
ceased line work & distributed thus -

9 F Coy to remain on bridge work, building bridge
over lock at Frise & 3 bridges on G 12d causeway,
All for M.T.
10 F Coy with 10 Inf Bde
11  . . . . . . . . . . .   11 . . . . . . . .
3 Pioneer Bn.  1 Coy with 9 Bde.
                            1   "   on roads div area
2 Coys avail. with other div work
Summary of important work during period —
Bridging: 96’ medium pontoon bridge
75’ light                              . .              . . . .
1126’ footbridge, mostly built over debris of
blown-up bridges
394’ bridge for HT.
353’      . .        . .  MT
Water Supply.  737’ wooden horse troughing made & erected
84 wells reported on of which 49 put into use.
Marking of roads, 452 notice boards made & erected 

4 Div. Engrs.
13.26Aug 1918. 13 Aug - 5 Sept 1918 (Nothing of any interest in diary)
Moved back to rest area (Longneau) 24/8/18.
13 F Coy
Aug 13/18
In Chipilly area, building dugouts & on road
reconnaissance & repair work. Reconn. of front line.
18 Aug. No 4 Section worked on bridge at K 29 d 32. 

[*B 6824*]
CRE 5 Divn    8/9 Aug
Under CRE were  8 & 14 F Coys
2 coys, 4 Pioneer Bn
2 officers & 30 O.R. 2 Tun Coy. 
(5 Pioneer Bn and 15 F Coy under CE Aust Corps)
14 F Coy.  Two sections to work with 15 Inf Bde. Other two on
works allotted by CRE
8 F Coy.   Two sections to work with 8 Inf Bde. On section
with 14 Inf Bde in reserve.  Remaining section under CRE
14 F Coy xxxxxx ^Ten waggon loads of wiring material taken forward, wired 2000 yds of Red Line with gaps of 20 yds
every 150 yds.  Owing to MG fire imposs to
wire Red Line by day.
8 F Coy.  12 S/points taped out & work commenced.  About 450 yds of
Double apron wire erected running S from main road on
Red Line.
At Blue Line trenches found to be in compar. good order.
Series of posts estab. in this line.  700 yds approx were erected
during night 450 yds of entanglement erected.
Lt G Burrows ^(14 F Coy) & 2 sappers ^(8 F Coy) brought back from a posn 200 yds
in front of Blue Line at X 1c 54  an 11½" rly gun, two
amm ammun. trucks & two sleeping trucks to W 5 central
behind our lines.  Had to disconnect part of train which was on fire
and raise steam. This gun was subsequently got back to W 3d 28.
[*on 7 it is 2
xxx
therefore on 7 2/1
therefore on 100 2/1 x 100
XXX
XXX*] 

2.

CRE 5 Div
The tunnellers made a thorough reconnaissance of each
bde area for dugouts.
The coys of 4 Pioneers reported by 4 pm that the two
roads were completely through.
In evening of 8th they were cleared fallen trees etc
off the main road right up to front line on the left
div. boundary.
A number of light road mines removed from roads
and tracks in front of old enemy trenches by Lt A Dunn
8 F Coy.
No road craters encountered, although a few
small road mines with spring contacts were
discovered, some of which had damaged tanks and horse transport.
9 Aug  ^Wire From 8 F Coy. Engine, trucks and 9" HV gun found on
loop R 31c central.  Steam raised and train and
gun brought into W5 central.
[[?]] 

1st Div. Engrs.
Report
23/8/18. 6 p.m.
After detailing the accommodatn found in the captured area ^mostly in (R 28c) the
CRE says:-
The whole side of embankment is cut up into dugouts of all
descriptions, from splinter proof to shell proof, & the valley is capable of
holding a battalion of men.  All dugouts are dug under side of hill
& well protected from shellfire. There are ten deep dugouts timbered,
they have been gradually filled up & are out of repair.
State of bridges in div. area 24/8/18.
Q 2 b 78 Three 9' bays 27' span width of roadway

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1st Div. Engrs
24/8/18

R20
Attached to report of 25/8/18 (to 6pm 24 Aug)
R 2a 89  Trestle bridge, 5 bays, rough timber 10" x 2" decking, 12' wide 60' long.
suitable for horse transport, good condition. Surrounding valley would be boggy
in wet weather.
R 2a 89  Landing stage. 30' x 7' built of piles & planks. good condition.
L 34a 09  Girder bridge. 24' x xx 10', good condition, fit for horse transport.
Military bridge across lock 28 heavy steel rails.
L 28 c 65 25  Brick arch bridge 120' x 30' gap of 90'. On main Bray-Proyart Rd.
L 28c 70 30  Trestle bridge 120' x 3'. Except two trestles bridge totally destroyed.
Decauville bridge before demolition.
L 33a 08 Pontoon bridge 120' x 10' good condition. Take infy in fours.
L 33a 62       "              "          75' x 5'        "           "                 "      "      "  file. 
 

1st F. Coy.
23 Aug 1918
1st F.Coy. attached to 1st Inf Bde for operation. It carried out follg. tasks:-
(a) taped off forming up line for whole brigade front. This was done on night
preceding attack, by Capt. Stevenson actg O.C. of coy.
(b) constructed & wired S/P close to the final objective line R 24a 00.
The attacking infy being held up at R 22, the engineer section (No 4)
under Lt. Peterson passed round the flank of the opposition and arriving on the site
fixed for S/P taped it off and were then ready for the infy to commence digging in
on arrival of the latter. The S/P was constructed for 2 platoons and wired,
the work being completed in 5 hours after Zero.
While part of the section was engaged in the S/P the remainder
established posts in the objective line. These were completed in M 19
and M 13d.
The Section retd to Coy HQ at midnight. It had worked with the 4th
Bn. throughout.
Lt F.T. Peterson was the section officer, and Sgt. T.Austin the
section sgt. throughout the operation.
(c) constructed dugouts for bn. HQ at R 9d. Three splinter proof dugouts
were erected immed. attack reached objective. A bldg was also prepared
as an outpost, and reconnaissance made of water supply on left Bde front.
Lt. A.R. Wright ^in charge of section and Sgt. F. Wicks. It worked with 1st Bn.
Dugouts constructed for 3 Bn H.Q. at R 16d 76 by No. 2 Section under
Lt. G K. Kerslake, with Sgt. T.B. Oakes as section sgt. In addition
this section reconnoitred the country captured in the bde advance
& reported on water supply, enemy dumps, heavy & light rlys, rolling
stock & track, & dugouts. Generally all were found undamaged.
Three sappers wounded during this work.
(d) consolidation work on night of 23rd - Digging three posts at R 12,
M. 7c 50, & M. 7d 50, and 60 yds of frontline trench in M 7.
This work was done by No. 3 Section under Lt S. McConnal with Sgt A J Stock
as section sgt.
(e) reported on bridges between K 30 and L 34.
Three supply tanks followed the attack, each carrying the follg. material
xx  

Grenades (27)       5 boxes             Sandbags 2 bales
        "          (36)      10   "                    French wire 10 bundles
SAA.                       10   "                     Screw pickets (long)   100
M.G. Ammun.      20   "                         "           "         (short) 100
Stokes                   75 rds                  Concertina Barbed Wire  50 coils
Petrol tins filled  50
SOS                        1 box
Shovels                  100
Picks                         50
[*Each tank made
two trips.
Two sappers went
forward in the tanks
& took charge of the
dumps so formed.*]

2 F Coy.
23/8/18.  No. 1 Section in reserve at Q 24c 12 & to load tanks & waggons & guide
tanks to R 29b & c. & unload at Section RE dumps.
No. 2 Section to consolidate & wire from road at R 30c 25 to
R 36a 4.0.
No 3 Section from road at R 30c 25 to R 24a 20.
No 4   "    to make reconnaissance of captured area.
As soon as final objective reached by infy Nos 2 & 3 sections
proceeded to their allotted tasks. No 2 section however was unable
to get on to their job, the fighting still going on near there, & the
enemy shellfire being very heavy.  It was not until 6 pm. that they were able to 

approach the job. Each of the ^two sections engaged in consolidating had
a party of 50 infy attached to them - 7 Bn working with No 2 Section,
8 Bn with No. 3. Lt Collins (No 3 Section) wounded but remained
on duty.
During the day No. 2 Section engaged in reconnaissance work &
carrying water, bombs, & ammunition from a tank dump at
R 29c 48 to front line posts. At 6 pm they commenced
wiring & were reinforced by party from No 1 Section.
During night enemy put over fair amt of gas, but wiring was
carried on.
12 OR's wounded during day. 1 evacuated.
Coy. transport was engaged in this stunt in carrying material
to forward dumps, this being a new departure. One pontoon
waggon destroyed by s/fire.
24/8/18.  Work carried on. Nos. 1,2,3 Sections wiring, No 4 Section
making gasproof doors, putting wells in order, erecting signboards,
salvaging etc. Wiring was carried out at night, parties having
great diffy in getting materials on to jobs on a/c of heavy gas & HE fire.
25/8/18. Wiring resumed again at night, & the line of wire running from N.S
div. boundary completed.
26/8/18 Relieved by 14 F COy.
Accdg to orders of 2 F Coy, Nos. 2 & 3 Sections would form up on Brown Line behind 
to support bns.
The follg. material was to be taken forward by tanks & GS waggons on
22/8/18 from Mather dump, to be at Q 29a 88 as early as possible on 22nd.
800 coils barbed wire. 100 coils concertina. 250 picks 2000 sandbags
1300 long screw pickets. 2600 short screw pickets. 750 shovels.
40 tracing tapes. Notice boards. Paint.
Tanks will take forward part stores on 22nd. Transport will take fwd balance
to four RE section dumps on night of 22nd.