Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/281/1 - 1918 - 1933 - Part 13

2 Pioneer Bn War diary
31/8/18 Bridge 80' long (partially blown by enemy)
cleared and made passable H24b82 to I19a16.
1/9/18 B Coy repaired and made open for traffic, bridge over
canal at H24b28. D Coy moved to H15b20
repaired bridge at I32 & 42 and 30' span put in.
2/9/18. "B"D" Coy commenced bridge for heavy traffic at H24d69.
- removing debris of old bridge – patrolling roads E of
canal.
C Coy ^ commenced bridge at H11c76 for infy file, 70^x completed;
also 30' of bridge at H24a47.
D Coy finished repairs to repairing bridge at I32a42.
3/9/18 "D" '' finished repairs to        "     "            "      "
B " on bridge at H24d 69 - patrolling roads E of
Canal – carting material and making 2 trestles for
footbridge at H17b91.
C Coy completed bridge for infy in file H 11c76.
60 ft of bridge at H24a 47 now finished
4/9/18 B Coy completed bridge at H24d69.
Existing bridge at I19a47 strengthened to take M/T.
Repaired footbridge at I19a34.
200^x bridge built across marshy ground I19a47 to
119c33 for infy in file.
C Coy repaired bridges H12b27 & H17a50 95 for
horse tpt, also bridges. H8d93 & H15b95 70. for
infy in file. Constructed 70% of trestles and bearers
ready for bridge H24a37 and 90% of barrel
pier bridge.
D Coy making roadway from I19a 46 to I 13b13
- 700^x partially completed and ready for 

horse traffic. 

2 Pioneer Bn Report 

Mt St Quentin
Role - reconnaissance & repair & keeping open of roads &
bridges, & removal of enemy mines.
30/8/18  On aftn Aug 30 reconnaissance made of Somme Canal at I19a23
with view to constructg bridge to carry Infy. An existing bridge at this
place was found having a gap of 30ft. Party sent to repair it that evening
but found that in meantime enemy had demolished remainder of it.
[*C.duN.*]

31/8/18  Morning 31 Aug footbridge to carry infy thrown across canal at
H24d79 & old German bridge from H24a83 to I19a75
repaired for same purpose.
Marshy ground vicinity I19a75 to Halle corduroyed
& made fit for traffic. In aftn [in conjunction with Engrs]
damaged portion of above bridge further repaired & strengthened to
take M.T., Pioneers portion of work being abt 80'.
2/9/18  Morning Sept 2 old German bridge at H24d79 cleared
away and constructn of new bridge, to carry heavy traffic,
commenced, and opened for traffic of aftn 3 Sept. Length of
bridge 70ft, road clearance 12 ft, decking 12 ft
above water level, 9ft of water under bridge.
All existing footbridges in area [I19c.20, I19a24,
H17b91) strengthened & repaired and kept open for traffic.
Track at I19c34 to I19a22 constructed
over marshy ground.
Ten light trussed bridges each with span of 30'
to take infy in file constructed and held in readiness
for immed use, & later erected in various places
over Canal.
Roads  General scheme was to reconnoitre all roads up as far as
frontline and then keep patrols on main roads to
fill in shellholes as they occd so that there would be no obstruction
to traffic once ^ the roads were wanted; & to have further
parties to put in order any roads which would be used once the line
moved forward. The patrols, when enemy on this side of 

2 Pioneer Bn    2
river, had to do their work at dusk or during night, but after Halle and
Clery taken and communication by the tow path urgently reqd
patrols worked during day, repairing tow path and roads running
down to it as soon as poss after shelling finished.
Before taking of MtStQ every road leading from the
Herbecourt-Biaches road down to the river, was put in order
before those roads were reqd by traffic
A reconnaissance ^ also made by an officer and NCO before MtStQ
captd, & roads in vicinity of Halle, St Radegonde and Anvil Wd
visited to see if they reqd repairs.
As soon as poss after MtSQ captd, party put on to repair
road leading from Halle to MtStQ and on the same day
a reconn. of all roads through and around MtS.Q. made with a
view to putting them in order fwd of MtSt.Q. so that there would be no
obstructn to traffic when line moved fwd again.
Before troops crossed river around Biaches and Halle
all roads patrolled and put in order; but once our
troops had footing on other side, most attention was paid to
roads that let from the main road down twds likely
bridging places on the river and canal.
Mine craters (notably at M1Ob67) filled in.
18 surface mines located on various roads and
crossings, & were collected and destroyed. 

2 Pioneer Bn
Mt StQ operns.
B Coy under Lt. F S Lodge did work on
bridge H27d79.
Opened for traffic in 16 hours. & finally completed
in 19½hrs. Material obtd from dump 200-400 yds

from xxx site & carried to bridge by working party.
Bridge at H17b91 constructed by C Coy for infy
in file. Largely used and found safe and reliable.
Bridge at H24a25 constructed by C Coy
under Capt. Ahlston. Designed to carry infy in
file.
Bridge in continuation of H24a 25 constructed by
C Coy over gap of  90' with spans of 30' supported by
barrel floats.  Barrels held together by in pairs by
9" x 3" mining sets with roadbearers of split trees
(approx 3" on centre of half round), with 5' between
ends of each pair of barrels.
Bridge constructed by C Coy over swamp of 90'
with 3 spans as above & same method of floats.
24 men employed for 20 hours. 

3rd Pioneer Bn
wardiary
22/8/18  This was the first offensive action ^ (as infy) of bn since arrival in France.
In early Posts established by bn and a number of prisoners captd.
Advance was but a small one, on the flank. Heavy enemy
shelling, casualties rather heavy. Patrols endeavoured to push
into Bray but had to withdraw on a/c M/G fire.
23/24/Aug.  After attack by 1 Div. 3 P.Bn pushed fwd patrols
across canal, by using boats left behind Germans, & the
men waded through the swampy country immed in front of them
locating enemy m/gs.
(see ^ extracts from Report for this & subsequent days) 

3 Pioneer Bn
Report 
Evening 20 Aug 3 Pioneer Bn relieved 35 Bn in line, from approx
Xroads in abt L20b2-3 to L33a1-4. Two coys in line with 2 support.
Night 22 Aug the bn ordered to attack in conjunction with 9 Bde
Took up posn from approx LI5C5-8 running S and parallel with the front of the
village, to L21a3-8, thence along track running along river,
through L21a & C & L27a & C.
From two hours prior to commencement of opern, very heavy
German shelling of support area and as far back as W edge of Etinehem.
During advance considble oppositn met by Left flank coy.-
xx On reaching objective got touch with 35 Bn on left and dug in on
line abt 200 yds in front of village. This coy had heavy
casualties. Captured over 30 prisoners.  During day harassed by
enemy M/G & sniper posts on edge of village.
Right Coy advanced its posts to the track along river - L21a&c
L27a&c & pushed fwd patrols across swamp land
to the S of the village of La Neuville, but found whole area strongly
held. & were forced to retire to outpost tine.
Just after midday 23 Aug right coy noticed considble
retiremt of enemy to the S of the Somme. In neighbourhood Froissy Beacon.
This immed reported to 9 Bde HQ and patrols with L. Guns ordered to be
sent out at abt 2.30 pm. These pushed fwd as far as main road
in L28a&c where LG's got into action causing casualties to
enemy.
At 3.30 Bn recd instructns from 9Bde to occupy La Neuville
and area between main canal and Somme R. running just S of Bray.
Remainder of right coy immed pushed fwd, crossing river in boats
and a sectn was detailed to put footbridge across at abt L27e3-8
& L33a3-3. This coy had orders to occupy whole of area in L27b & d,
L28ac & d, to the N. of the main canal. Opern cd out with very slight opposition
from enemy.
Another coy had orders to cross immed. & deploy to their left,
attacking and mopping up La Neuville, Mopping up of the village.
after which they were to send out patrols along track from L22a central to see if it was
poss to get round rear of Bray
Mopping up of the village and occupn of this territory accomplished by 8 p.m.
Five Germans captured. 

2
3 Pioneer Bn.
Report
contd.
Found that the rear of the village strongly held by M/guns & snipers.
9 pm patrols withdrawn S of the line running E and W of
L21 & 22 central, as the village of Bray was to be bombarded by H.A.
At 1 pm. am on 24 Aug. Bray attacked by 10Bde.
Left coy of 3 Pioneer Bn withdrawn to a line S of the grid line
running E & W of L21 & L22 centr L.14 & L.21
24 Aug. 3 Pioneer Bn withdrawn from line, & next day
employed on roads from Etinehem foreward through Bray.
On Aug 26 got far forward as gnd line running N & S,
between L11 & L12 and L23 & 24.
From 26 to 30 Aug Bn employed on road works Etinehem to
E of Clery.  Roads as a whole found to be in excellent condition
and on the main MT road which follows course of river, repair metal was
found along the whole length. Chief work filling in shellholes,
clearing off debris trees & dead horses.
On night Aug 29 26 one coy attached to 9 Bde to make
bridges for the Infy to pass over the Somme in the loop between Vaux
and Clery.  Starting in early morning of 27^th this coy repaired and
completed two H.T. briges at Vaux, & ^ constructed footbridges at Vaux &
Fargray Mill & S of Curlu.
An officer and one man ^ from this coy on reconn. work found and disconnected
two leads to wire on the bridges near Vaux before the attack
commenced, thus saving them from being blown up. 

3 Pioneer Bn
Report by Lt Col. Sanday 24/8/18
Rev Re LaNeuville & peninsula.
I have now made a reconn and find whole of this country is isolated
and has no bridge beyond a tempy footbridge at L33a22 which we have
erected, and by a footbridge over the lock in L28C42. All
other bridges have been blown up, and the job has been well done. . . .
Rly bridge on L28c630 is completely blown away and the brick
pier abutments badly damaged. Nothing cd be done here
without proper material, but a tempy bridge cd be quickly
put over lock at L28c42.
Rly bridge at N end L21b6565 cd be quickly repaired
and is not a big job but the road bridge at L21b5565 not
repairable.
There are three bridges on road running from L22a, also
blown.
Large & Valuable dump along rly siding in L33b consisting of
coal, thousands of H-iron girders, mining sets, duckboards,
faseines, timber, barbed wire, corrugated & cupola iron etc.
26/8/18 Report
Railway & road bridge over Somme Canal L28C73.
Completely demolished. Originally brick structure, consisting of an
elliptical arch. This apparently was prev. demolished, and
subsequently six rolled steel joists 24" x 12" x 5/8" (Web)
were placed over a clear span of 54' using the brick arch as
abutments. These abutments however have been since mined, and are practically
beyond repair.  In the The rolled steel joists have been blown on the N end
and are in good conditn for lengths averaging between 36-50 ft
Road bridge L21b58 has been completely demolished. Originally
steel structure with brick abutments. Clear span between
abutments, 69'. Complete structure reqd.
Railway bridge 621b67. Partly demolished. Brick
abutments at each end in fair conditn. On S side, one span of 20'6"
nearly complete & consists of two 24' x 7½" x ½" rolled steel 

2
joists resting on brick abutments. and timber timber pier.
Remainder destroyed. 

4 Pioneer Bn
Nil 22Aug/5 Sept 1918.
5th Pioneer Bn
CO's report for Aug. 1918
The Bn was engaged for 3 days in broad gauge rly work under
1st Canadian Railway Coy.  First time 5 Pioneer Bn had u/taken work of this
nature & men showed themselves "remarkably adaptable". Rate of
work fast & compared favourably with that carried out by
Canadian coys.  Converted double track into single track and made siding
1200 yds long.  Between P3a00 and P12 central.
The crossing of the Somme necessitated large amt of material
- 5^th Pioneers supplied most of the carrying parties.
Most of work during month on clearing & repairing roads.  Time limits
given in all cases and worthy of note that the jobs were always finished
well ahead of time.
Two large craters filled in near Estrees in M29
Main Road from V/B to V/Carbonnel repaired & cleared.
Twds end of month road cleared & repaired to R29c. Lot of time xxx
spent on La Flaque corner, which was badly knocked about.
On 28 Aug main road cleared to M26d.
"     29     "       .      -     .      -    .      to Balloy en Sauterre
"     30      .       .      -     .     -    .        "  N25.
At no time was traffic held up on this road. and except for an hour or two it has been
fit for double traffic. Also kept in repair. From point
Bn commenced work on it to finishing point - 32 kilometres.
Also repaired & maintained roads around Morcourt & Proyart.
Transported bridging material to Somme & after unloading it, handed it over to
engineers. On one occasion C Coy handled 16 G.S. waggon loads of material
across river ^ in 09b & then took it to a point 500 yds. North & handed it to Engrs.
A Coy after transporting material from Flaucourt to O3 b, carried it
to river & assisted engineers to lay bridge track. 

2
5 Pioneer Bn
CO's Aug. report (contd)
"A" Coy Dug 400 yds sap from P R? 8d 63 to P R? 9c41.
D Coy at {P R?9b converted 360 yds of drain into CT's
Messages & Sigs
5/9/18. 6.25pm. To CRE 5 Div from 5 Pioneer Bn.
Main road in Peronne has been cleared of debris and is in good order.
Road beyond also good.  A good approach has been made to both
sides of bridge in I33d49.