Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/118/1 - Photostats - Part 4

89              3           16  17     29
down besdie a water-tank stand outside Meaulte, near a road 
fork. Meaulite was also being shelled . The two Germens sat
at one corner of the tanks and the two Australians at the other.
Suddenly a heavy shell of ours came along and just missed th 
heads of the two Germans . It was a dud . The Germans got up 
and called to the Australians to run with them for the village 
and leave the dead doctor. They ran and got to the billet .
There they ate the doctor's dinner . The two Germans would not
eat anything  till the Australians had eaten first . They all 
slept there that nightand in the morning went on and joined
a body of about two hundred prisoners who were being marched
along the main road to Peronne .
At Peronne they were taken before an officer. He did
not ask them anything about their dispositions etc but gave 
them cigarettes and told them that the Australians had fought 
very well and caused the Germans heavy losses by machine gun 
fire.   xxxxxxxxxxxxx The 47th batn was all wiped out ,
either killed or captured (this was told them by a wounded
sergeant of the battalion in the German dressing station, not
by the German officer).
The food they got was very little --- less than the
German soldiers . Four oz of xx black bread and coffee for 
breakfast, a basin of thick soup for lunch and coffee and
remains of their bread for tea . They felt very weak after a
week of this food .
 6th. Maricourt , Peronne ( 1.30). billeted in brewery
night of 6th.
 7th burying German deadn on hill outside Peronne.
They did not work hard and did no more than drag twelve German
bodies to a shell hole from near about it . Some Tommies
also engaged on this work told them that they had been working
farther over the hill where the Germans were very thick
and were buried ten and sixteen in one hole . Large numbers
of dead there had evidently died of wounds --- their wunds had
been dressed and their clothes cut in the process, and then
they had bn left there.
8th.  Working in m.g ordnance stores . There xxxxxx  was
a whole shed full .of m.g. there.
9th. Camouflaging hydrogen gas cylinders with twigs of 
trees. Carrying wounded from dressing statn to rly. 
10th. Went out to work bt did nothing . Night marched
to Bray . Slept xXX on road outside Peronne and arrd in Bray
at 10a.m. on mng Thurs . 11th.
11th. Working on ground for new aerodrome at Cappy. Slept
night at old P. o. W compound north Bray.
12th. At aerodrome at Cappy . Shells meant for Bray were
falling short on top of Bray hill. One shell made a hole at
the end of the cage away from the sentry . They escaped thro
this at 9.30 p.m that night.  Walked back across country an
dodged Germans several times on roads between Meaulte and Albert
rly.  Got back into our lines in E15 , nearly shot by our 
own people as they did so . 
[*They crept up to the German trench & when they saw it had no wire 
rushed across it  between the sentries*]

Germans were very confident about their attack and 
spoke to the two men quite freely about it . They described
the offensive as an endeavour to separate the French and
British armies and they believed that if successful the 
British wd leave France and the French wd then give in.
They wd then establish long range guns on the coast at Calais
and elsewhere and bombard England  A big new attack had bn
planned for somewhere near Arras by an "aray of sailors"
(naval divisions) but it had had to be postponed once because
the sailors got drunk on the way xx from somewhere to rear.
[*The Germans were very nervous,  of our barrage  on the Meaulte road which
was very nasty- as was the barrage in Dernancourt . The British _^heavy shell with 
 a sensitive fuse was dangerous at 600 yards & made the 5.9 seem silly.*]

[[Fmc?]]
                                                                                                               

 89     89                                                                                         10/30 A

From B-Genl Smith  xxxxxxxxxxxxx    17/4/18 [*(Notes of F. M. Cutlack)*]
5th Bde went in night 5-6th, sth of Villers Bretonneux.
7/4/18 19th and 30th Bns attacked German (eastern) half of
Hangard wood.  Attack was by two coys and one platoon of 30th
and one coy and two platoons of 19th.
 At 4.55 attack started (a.m.) Got thro wood without
difficulty. They were held up for a while by two m.g. and a 
large number of enemy on edge of wood in 17b.  Two officers
and seven men all with bayonets got the enemy in flank.  One 
officer crawled up and shot the man at the nearest gun then
all nine rushed them. They killed a few and the rest surrendered
- - - three officers and thirty-nine men.  These prisoners
were sent in.  Our party no casualties.
The attack got 300yds beyond eastern edge of wood
but the undergrowth and grass was xxx very dense and they
cd not get a field or fire.  After they had bn out there
two hours they were ordrered back to a posn half way thro the 
wood where they had a better chance, but during the day the 
Brig. decided that it was not worth the casualties the posn
xx wd cost to hold and at night the men were withdrawn to
our original line between the two halves of the wood - - - the  1
line of the road.
Estimated enemy left three hundred dead in xxxx
Hangard wood and abt 150 south of it.  We took 3 off. 63 o.r.
prisoners and two or three m.g.
Bde came into line night of 5th with all 4 bns. in 
line.  This lasted till 9th. The 9th Bde came in ( see under).
On night 5th 30th bn had to fight its way into some of the
posts they were supposed to relieve.  At one past gave over
a lewis gun to Huns thinking they were British, then fought
the Huns killed the lot before they cd get the gun back.
On 12th 9th Bde out again and 17th and 18th Bns came
in, in that order - N to S.  11th next the French at Hangard.
-N. boundary brigade was somewhere near Monument S of Villers.
On night 13th Essex Bn(10th Essex) and French counterattacked
retook Hangard and dug in about cemetery and around Copse to
N. of Hangard.
From Col Murphy 18th Bn:
He gave me copy on one report and said he would send
me a later one. Two reports attached.
Only one man wounded got back from Cemetery  Copse
Sgt. BIshop. Saw Sgt Bishop and he said ----
In front of Cemetery Copse was a hedge and about
150 of the enemy lying along it under waterproof sheets _^asleep.  They
bayonetted or captured  x the lot. also bombed and  shot at
them. Then on about 150 yds to Copse itself.  Lt Frewin with
a part went round right of copse, Lt Roye with another party
round left. Sgt himself with remainder of the 50, about 11men,
went through the copse.  nThe copse was full of Huns also just
starting up out of sleep.  They also had all been under sheets
and tarpaulins. Shot and bombed a lot of them, impossible to
estimate how many in all for it was dark. Remaindr of Huns
ran away.  Two m.g. captured in copse and one under the hedge.
When the Sgt came out from the copse on the other side he
found the two officers and their parties already waiting for
him
This was 4 a.m. The Sgt soon afterwards was detailed
to go right and meet the French patrol. Went alone as
none of the men wd  xxxxxxxxx volunteer to go with him.
At abt 150 yrds struck a post. Called out - - - - Is that you froggy?
Men in the post opened fire on him. Saw from their heads that
they were Huns.  This was abt half way between copse and cemetery
Went back and reported to Mr Frewin.  With Frewin and 
an orderly went back to meet ammunition party in the sunken
road.  On return journey with these saw flares going up - - -
green flares--- from xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx left rear of copse
(he probably meant right rear) Frewin thought they were French
but the Sgt was sure they were German and he turned out right.

 

 

  89                                                                                                        10  31

Veered to the left and found Mr Maxwell but two hundred yards 
further on ran into heavy M.G. fire and cd not proceed .
It was about this time,  according to Col  Murphy
that the copse was surrounded. ( 6.25 am) 
Lt Roye was brought in wounded from copse, foot shot 
off by m.g. fire, but Frewin was with the others there. He

also was wounded .  
Another party endeavoured to get to the copse and  
succour the people in it but were unable to xx reach it .
Saw the lad aged 19 who shammed dead all day near crossroads 
(see Murphy's report). 
At 3 a.m. morning follg the attack he got up from his
furrow to get hom. Walked without knowing it in the wrong direction
and went about 500 or 600 yds down NML and then jumped into 
sunken road . Strange to him. Was seized by the arm by a Bosch
who called out to his mates and tried to get a spade to hit 
him with. Had ^{^} Mills bomb on his pocket but cd not pull
the pin out with his one free hand. Wrenched himself loose
and ran. Ran back along his tracks towards the poplars ( where
the cross roads are). From there walked the other way and
eventually got into our own lines.  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -      

From Brig- Genl Rosenthal .
On 9/4/18 x 9th Bde took over from 5th and held line 
till night 12th.  Order N to S  34th, 36th , French. On 12th
enemy had strong attack and took Hangard . French on immediate
right wavered for a time but 36th told them to box on and put 
out lewis guns to help them and they dug in . That night the 
French retook the village for the second time. 
From Capt Gadd 36th Bn. i/c right flank coy.
 At 5.45 a.m. on 12th heavy barrage on Hangard and
our own forward area well mixed with smoke shell. Smoke completely
prevented view of our men 20 yds in front of posts. 
7a.m. shelling more pronounced  behind on support posns and
12 noon heavily shelled copse U29a and posts. French S.O.S. 
at 6.15 a.m.  7 a.m. smoke cleared and large numbers enemy seen 
moving obliquely across our front towards Hangard . They were
coming from U18 direction and looked like a divisional parade
--- long columns of bunches of men . At one place they were only
200 or 300 yds from our line and so close that  our line cd 
not see them all at once owing to contours . Artillery got on
to them and cut hem about severely. Lewis guns and rifles 
also. Only small parties of thirty or forty seemed to be 
left for the attack and these were driven off easily. Main 
attack was on Hangard not on our Bn.
French were driven back to west side of village .
At 8.a.m. French came a sn and asked for assistance in covering
further retirement . There was a French officer and a Sgt
interpreter . The Sgt in charge of the nearest platoon replied
XXXXx--- No tell him he's got to box on with us , We will give
them a cheer". They cheered the French on and rushed out a x
lewis gun to s. edge of copse in U29a and the French dug in 
and stopped the German advance.  Between 7 and 9.30 that same 
night French and Essex Bn retook village and out to Cemetery.

FMC.     

 ^{89            EIGHTEENTH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION                                                 102/A}

                                                                                                                                                     
Battalion Headquarters

18th. April 1918                                                                                                                                Headquarters

5th .Aust. Inf.Bde.

 -----------
I submit the following report on operation carried out by this 
Battalion at 3 a.m this morning against enemy positions in CEMETERY
COPSE and Cross roads in U.23.d.  The conclusions I have formed are 
subject to modification as a possible result of further enquiries, 
but in the main, I think they are correct.
Preliminary orders were received at 5'7 p.m. from G.O.C . - I 
returned to Battalion H.Q. and issued my instructions to Company 
Commanders , "A" and "B" Coys . who were detailing the troops . All
preliminary arrangements had been completed early in the day. The
Company Commanders left me at 6'17 p.m. Lieut . Frewin  "A" Coy., 
proceeding t.o HANGUARD to discuss final arrangements with the French.
Written orders, confirming my verbal instructions, were issued to all 
concerned at 9.p.m.
On the night of 13th / 14th. a post had been partially completed at
U.22.b.70.65. I instructed O.C. "B" Coy , to push on this fork and 
occupy it prior to Zero hour . He was also to construct a post at
U.29.b.96.15. and occupy it, prior to zero. Both these tasks were
completed as ordered , despite the darkness and the hard nature of the
soil .

 A third post was ordered to be constructed  at approx . U.23.c.45.8
to be occupied by one officer and Platoon with Lewis gun prior to
Zero, if possible. If the enemy prevented the construction of the 
post, the locality was to be taken at Zero hour, but I impressed on
the  O. C. " B" Coy. that the post was essential and should be completed 
by Zero , unless enemy opposition was met with. The O.C.   "B" Coy.
detailed Lieut. Thompson for this work and I am satisfied that the 
instructions were clearly given to this officer.
At 12'55 a.m. ( 15th. inst. ) Capt. Cadle reported that the three 
posts had been occupied, confirming this telephone message in writing
at 1'15 a.m .   He had seen the officer( Lieut.Jones) at U.22.70.65. 
and N.C.O. at U.29.b.95.15 and was on his way to see Lieut. Thompson
when he  met a runner from this officer who reported  that he "was out 
and O.K."  On this authority Capt. Cadle sent the report to Battn.H.Q. 
 At 1'30 a.m. Capt . Cadle met Lieut. Thompson near the Cross roads in 
U.22.d.50.65. when Lieut, Thompson informed him that he had been 
forward, and had decided to wait until Zero hour before attempting to
construct the post. He could give no reason for his delay in 
carrying out the orders . Capt. Cadle ordered him forward at once and
returned to his Company H.Q. to report the matter . The wires were cut
and he could not get through for some time. The post was not constructed.
Lieut . Thompson waited until Zero hour,  and I am strongly of the 
opinion that the failure on the part of this officer was in the end 
mainly responsible for the men in the Copse being overrun. Lieut.
Thompson certainly made a brave fight against heavy odds and paid the
penalty with his life, but he did not carry out my orders.
The parties were in position at Zero - 45 as ordered , and the 
dump ordered  had been established at Copse in U.29.a.
 The Stokes mortars opened up at 3 a.m. and their fire was well 
directed. When the Copse was entered _ later, numbers of dead bosche
were seen and one light machine gun at N.W. corner of Copse was 
blown out.
The artillery barrage came down at  ero plus 10 and though
reports are varying, the officers say it was placed as arranged, and 
was good.
The party of 2. officers and 50 O.R. got to the Copse, passing
through a hedge about 150 yards on our side of  the Copse. Behind this
hedge the hun was dug in, but did not put up much of a fight.  A secon
line was encountered near the edge of the Copse and a fairly stiff 
resistance was offered. Our men got through to the far side and were
there reorganised by Lieuts. Frewin and Gascoigne-Roy and began to dig
in under machine gun fire. A patrol was sent towards the Cemetery to
gain touch with the French but  encountered the enemy about 80 yards 
 / south of

89  89                                          (2)                                                          10/A 33

South of CEMETERY COPSE and had to retire.
A carrying party, under orders sent back by Lieut. Frewin
carried S.A.A. 9000, &c and some shovels  to the Copse.
The success signal was reported about 3'22 a.m. from the Copse,
but so many different coloured flares were being fired by the enemy
that it was impossible to distinguish our own.
 At 4'20 a.m. Capt. Cadle reported that Lieut. Thompson had been
wounded and that heavy fighting was in progress at the Cross roads
U.23.a and U.23.b.  He moved forward to reconnoitre. At 4'25 a.m.
Lieut. Maxwell who was standing  by in rear of the Copse in U.29.a was
ordered forward to Copse where he found Lieut. Frewin wounded.
Lieut. Frewin has not been seen since.  Lieut. Gascoigne-Roy who was of
the party, was severely wounded in the Copse and later was evacuated
through the French.
At 4'42 a.m. Sgt De Saxe was reported that he was being strongly
counter attacked at cross roads in U.23.d.  The enemy had been
encountered in large numbers at both cross roads in U.23.c. and d. and
had previously been driven in the direction of the BOIS de HANGARD
but had reorganised in gully in U.23.b. and advanced again. Heavy
casualties were inflicted upon him but our men were driven in and the
huns swung down from cross roads at U.23.d. and  attacked our men in
the Copse.  Had the post at U.23.c. (cross roads) been established,
this attack would have possibly been broken.  As it was an attack
came from the direction of U.30.a.50.50. and the garrison practically
surrounded.
By  7 a.m. the troops were back on their own line with the exception
of the posts at U.22.b.70.65  and U. 29.b.95.15.  which are still held.
In the attack on the cross roads Lieut. Thompson's party got to 
the south of the road and entered a sunken road about 15 yards east o
a row of poplars. ( approx.U.23.c.40.35.) and found it heavily manned:
three machine guns were seen there.  Later, three stretcher bearers
counted 78 enemy dead around cross roads in U.23.c.
Our casualties definitely ascertained at 7 p.m. today are -

Officers: - 1  Died of Wounds.                               O.R.:-       7 Killed in action.

                    1 Wounded & Missing.                                         38 Wounded.

                    3 Wounded.                                                    3     33 Unaccounted for.

 

                                                                                               8  probably some in front line. Geo. F. Murphy
Lieut.- Colone
Commanding 18th Battalion, A.I.F.
Battn. H.Q.

8 p.m.                       

 

89                                 EIGHTEENTH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION     / A 34         
Battalion Headquarters
16th April, 1918

Headquarters                                                                                                                             

5th  A. I.  Brigade.  

           ------                                                                                                                                     
In continuation of my report of operation of the 15th inst.
The party at Cross Road U.23.c. held out under Sgt De Saxe until
daybreak.  Most of the enemy were asleep when our men entered the 
sunken road, and their shelters were bombed and the enemy fell back
towards  BOIS DE HANGARD.  At about 4.15 a.m. a strong force moved
down from the direction of the white house.   One officer with a
very commanding voice was heard giving orders.  Our men, originally
1 officer ( O.O.C. ) and 20 O.R. held out here until daylight when the
N.C.O. in charge found he was being surrounded by increasing odds,
withdrew his men in good order, bringing in his wounded.  It was in
this spot that 78 dead Huns were counted. It is certain that the
enemy's casualties here were particularly heavy since no count could
be made of the dead in the road itself.  The N.C.O. is of the opinion x
that he could have hung on had the post been dug in.  As it was he 
had to depend on the road for cover from machine gun fire and could
not command any approaches overland.
The party for Cross Road in U.23.d. came under heavy machine gun
fire at some 25 yards range.   The rifle section of 8 men lost
5 killed and 1 wounded and of the party - of total strength 1 Office
30 O.R. - the Officer was wounded and there were 22 other casualties
One rifleman was out all day and part of the night of the 15th
shamming dead.  He was within 15 yards of the Hun post, and states
that at daylight he counted 50  Huns come up the Sunken Road into the 
post.  Our party appears to have been discovered owing to a flare
falling into their midst.  From that on the enemy fired flares
along the ground in their direction, and subjected them to grazing
fire from 5 light machine guns.  The Lewis Gun Section were
knocked out except one man. The enemy managed to get a gun well
down on our left flank, and enfilade fire from it inflicted most of
the casualties.

The position of the party, at the copse is still obscure.   Two
officers and 50 O.R. attacked here in two waves and were followed
by the carrying party.  They appear to have met two lines of the
enemy - the first line about 200 yards on our side of Cemetery Copse
and the second about 70 yards in advance of the copse.  The carrying
party found a number of Huns shamming dead behind a hedge with two
machine guns. These Huns were mopped up.  The troops passed
through the Copse and began to dig in beyond as ordered.  Lieut.
Gascoigne-Roy was severely wounded about 4.45 a.m. and brought in
later on.  Lieut. Frewin took some of the carrying party  to assist
him. The Copse is not in view from our lines, but he appears to 
have hung on until about 6.25 a.m.  when the Hun was heard shouting
and charging.  Lieut. Frewin had been wounded severely early in the
morning but refused to leave his post.  A party tried to get
forward but were driven back by heavy machine gun fire from the
left flank.  The Hun appears to have enveloped the Copse at about 
6.20 a.m.

Of the 2 Officers and 50 O.R. the 2 Officers were wounded - one
missing - , and with the carrying party of 40 and reinforcing party
of approximately 35 our casualties here were,-

 3 O.R. Killed.

 22 O.R. Wounded.

 29 O.R.  Missing.

A board is still sitting and it is certain that 8 were killed.
I do not think that many were captured but that most of the 
missing were killed by machine gun fire, fighting to the last. 
The board has not finished taking evidence yet.
A patrol on the night of the 16th inst found the Hun strongly
dug in about 200 yards in advance of the copse.
Two guns were brought in. Lieut. Walters saw five in action ne
the Copse during the morning.   N.C.O.s with the carrying party saw
six light machine guns and two Lewis Guns knocked out apparently by

 

 

89                                                         (2)                                                                                 10/8

the Stokes Mortar bombardment.  This was confirmed by Lieut.

Maxwell, M. C., D.C.M.

Our force engaged was,-

 X   Lieut. Thompson and 20 O.R.

 X   Lieut, McLaren, M.M., and 30 O.R.

 X   Lieut. Frewin                 )

 X    Lieut. Gascoigne-Roy ) and 50 O.R.

        Lieut. Duncan and 40 O.R. as carrying party.

In addition 35 O.R. under an officer were used for counter

attack.  
Our casualties were:

Officers  X.  One D.O.W.     3 wounded (one missing).

(In addition Capt. Lowther was wounded whislt organizing

the right party.)
Other Ranks.  Three K.I.A.     One D.O.W.      35 wounded

and 31 Missing. (Of these 8 are now known to be K.I.A.)

The enemy losses were undoubtedly heavier for large numbers of

dead were seen.

Geo F Murphy

Lieut.-Col,

Commanding 18th Battalion, A.I.F. 

 

 

89                                                                                                                                        57/A 36

War Correspondents Headquarters 
France.

 30/4/18

Dearest Mother and Father,
I am writing this in the room of

one of the very hospitable American correspondents at the 

Headquarters of the British Press on my way through from one

portion of our force to the other.  It has been a very anxious

time, as you can imagine, in France, but also very interesting.

I have just spent three days with a detached part of our force-

they were good enough to put me up at the Press Chateau the 

first night after I left the cottage in which we are located

in the south (Cutlack, Wilkins the photographer and I) and

the second night I slept in the messroom of the G.O.C. of the

Australians whom I was visiting.  The third night, after a trip

round the front, which took me to the first little village that

we stayed in in France, where I found the house of my little

landlady vacated, and only the old dog there with some men of

a British regiment - as I was very late back from the line I

went up to our photographers hut.  The photographers have moved

all their gear  except their personal kit etc from there in case

of anything that might happen as it was not very far behind one 

of the  points of German attack.  But the Germans are still seven

or eight miles away and the place is a first rate little headquarters.

One of the photographers men was there, a nice

youngster from Sydney.  And there we slept and listened at night

to the enemys planes buzzing on their long journeys, in the happy

consciousness that we were as safe as in Devonshire or Yorkshire

or Sydney, for that matter.

 89                                                  2                                                                       57/35

 

I must say that I thoroughly enjoy this picnic life, if it 

were not for this senseless slaughter which we are forced

into. If only people of Germany had a mouthpiece, had the 

least voice in what their Government did, I am sure that the

whole affair could be over in a week. That is after all what

we are fighting for, and have been all through, to eliminate

that monstrous German Government from the world. If this

offensive of theirs fails, that will accomplish this object

more surely than any other means  - of that I am sure.

Well  I must off to Cutlack, for I have kept the car

away from him for three days.

With best love to you both and to the aunts and uncles

 

89                                                                                                              75/A   38 
Officers' Mess, 

Military Hospital
Bulford.   
Much love old boy - look
after yourself.  Received your
note re. arrival of pictures - Have F's
letter in my pay book.
Jock

Get a week off I think from
next Saturday. Hospital
almost empty now