Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/119/1 - Photostats - Part 3

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Evening Papers seventh letter E7 

Secretary Defence Melbourne evening papers seventh letter 

words After Fricourt (break) in the German trenches
(break) A wonderful system (break) Australian War

Correspondent Bean British Headquarters France July two (break)

 

Yesterday from the opposite slope of a gentle

valley we watched Fricourt village taken (break) full point) 

This morning we walked down through the long grass across 

what two days ago was (quote) nomansland (unquote) into the ∧old German 
defences (full point) The grass has been uncut for two 

years on these slopes and this is why there springs from 

them such a growth of flowers as I have rarely seen (full

point) I think it was ∧ once a xxxxxxx wheatfield that we were walking 
through (full point) It is a garden of poppies cornflowers 

∧and mustard flowers now (break)

Half way down the slope we noticed that we were 
crossing a strange line which seemed to have been strangely 

ruled through the wheat field (full point) It was covered with 

grass but there xxxxxx was a line of baby apple trees on
each side of it (full point) It took one some seconds to realise 

that it was a road (break)

We jumped across trench after trench from our own

(full point) At the bottom of the valley we xxxxxxxxxxx 

stepped over a trench which had a wire entanglement in 
front of it (full point) It was xx the old British front
line xxxxxx full point). The space in front of it had been 

Nomansland (break)

Some of our men still lying face downwards where 

shrapnel or rifle fire had xxxxxxx ∧caught them (full point) By them
ran another old road up the valley (full point) Beyond the 

road the railway trucks were still standing as they have 

stood for two years in what once was Fricourt xxxxxxx ∧siding (full
point) In front of us The foundations of Fricourt village 

stood up a little ∧beyond against the dark shades of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fricourt wood (full point) Immediately in front of us in

front of this battered xx white xxx ash heap were the remains

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(2)
of the rusted wire which had once been the maze in front of 

the German line (break) The German defences (break)

 

We found fragments of that wire in the bottom of 

the trenches themselves (xxxxxxx semicolon) Lengths of it
were lying amongst the shattered buildings behind the lines 

(full point) The British shells and bombs must have tossed it 

about as you would toss hay with a rake (full point) xxxxxxxx
In the tumbled bricks ruins behind the lines you simply 

stepped from one crater into another (full point) xxxxxxxxx 

Into many of those craters you could have placed a fairsized 

room (full point) One big shell and two unexploded bombs x
like huge ancient cannon balls xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

lay there still half covered with rubbish (break) 

 

Through this rubbish heap xxxxxxxxxxx ∧were scattered
odd fragments of farming machinery (dash) here an old 

waggon wheel (dash) there a plough share or a xxxx portion of 

a harrow (dash) in another place some old iron press of 

which I do not know the use (full point) The rest of the village 

was like a deserted brickfield or the remains of some 

ancient mining camp (dash) I do not think there were three

fragments of wall over ten feet high left in the place (full 

point) And in and out of this debris wandered the German 

front line (break) 

 

We jumped down into those trenches where some 

shell had broken them in (full point) They were deep trenches 

and narrow such as we had in Gallipoli (full point) Back
from them led xxxxxxx narrow deep winding communication
trenches which curiously enough in the parts here we saw xxx 
them seemed to have no supports to their walls such as xxxxxx 

all trenches in the wet country further north must have (full 

point) Here and there some shell burst had broken or shaken 

them in and the bottom of them was full of fragments
xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx (break) 

 

As they were left (break) 

As we made our way along the front line we found xxxxxx 

(comma) every ten yards or so (comma) a low square timbered

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(3)
opening below the parapet (full point) It was square and timbered
(full point) A dozen wooden steps led down ∧and forwards into some
dark interior far below the parapet (xxxxxx (break) 

 

We clambered down into the first of these 

chambers (full point) It was xxxxxx exactly as its xxxxxx 

occupants had left it (full point) On the floor amongst some 

tumbled blankets and odd pieces of clothing (comma) socks
for the most part (comma) were lying xxx scattered German 

stick grenades like a grey jampot with a short handle (full 

point) The blankets had come from a series of bunks which 

almost filled up the whole dark chamber (full point) They 

were made roughly of wood (comma) in pairs one over another
(comma) and packed into every corner of the narrow space 

with as much ingenuity as the berths in an emigrant ship 

(full point) There xxxxxx were I think six of them in that 

first chamber (full point) xxxxxx  Inlet into the wall at 

the end of one set of bunks was a wooden box doing service 

for a cupboard xxxx (full point) In it was a penny novel 

(comma) a part of a gas helmet and three or four bottles of 

xxxxx a German table water (full point) At least one
of these was still full (full point) So the garrison of Fricourt 

was not as hard put to it for supplies as some of the 

German prisoners with whom I spoke the day before (full point)

They had told me that for three of four days no water could 

be brought to them up their communication trenches owing to a
the British bombardment (break) 

 

Where they waited (break) 

I expect that the garrison of Fricourt had been 

almost entirely in those dugouts during the bombardment 

(full point) The chambers seemed to have more than one 

entrance in xxxxxx some cases and one suspects that they 

led into one another xxxxx also underground (full point) 

From the one which I have just described an underground 

passage led forward beneath the parapet xxx to a door opening 

into Nomansland (dash) you could see the daylight at the 

end of it xxxxxxxxx (break)

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(4)
The fire trench was battered in places out of 

recognition (full point) But here and there we came across 

a bay of it which the bombardment had left more or less untouched
(full point) There were the slings of cartridges 

still hanging up against the wall of the trench (full point) 

There were the two steel xxxxxx ∧plates through which they peered
out into Nomansland (comma) the slits in them half covered by 

the flap so is just to give a man room to peep through them 

(full point) There was the machine gun platform with a long 

empty belt still lying on it (full point) There was the xxx 

periscope xxxxx standing on its spike which had been stuck 

into the trench wall (full point) It looked out straight xxxx 

across Nomansland but both mirrors were gone (break) 

 

As we xxxxxxxx picked our way through the 

brick heaps there came towards us a British soldier with 

a fixed bayonet (comma) and an elderly bareheaded man (full 

point) The elderly mans hair was cut short and was grizzled 

(full point) He had not shaved for three days (full point) 

He was stout but his face had a curious grey xxxx tinge shot 

through the natural complection as it were (full point) His x 

lips were tightly compressed (full point) He looked about him

firmly enough but with xx the openeyed xxxx gaze of a wild animal

which seemed to lack all comprehension (full point) x It was 

the face of a man who was witless (full point) He wore the
uniform of a German captain (break)

 

xxxx ∧He was one of the men who had been through that
bombardment BEAN

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE

ST./MM.

Private

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS:

MILAUSTRA. VIC., LONDON"

TELEPHONE: VICTORIA 8860.

AUSTRALIAN MILITARY OFFICE,

130, HORSEFERRY ROAD.

WESTMINSTER.

LONDON, S.W.

 

June 7th., 1916,

My dear Bean,

It is needless for me to say how very grateful 

I am to you for your good offices on my account. 

 

The bunch from Cairo stick closely together, 

and it seemed hardly worth while battling against them. 

Captain Collins wrote a letter to Sellheim a few days ago 

asking whether he desired my services. In reply to that
communication Sellheim replied as follows:- 
 

 "With reference to your letter of 5/6/16, 

relative to the employment of Mr. Smart in these 

offices; I regret that, owing to re-organisation, 

it will not be necessary to continue Mr. Smart in 

this office and his services can be made available 

to you from any date you wish. 

2. I am aware of the excellent work done by Mr. 

Smart, and his experience and assistance has been 

of the greatest service to me and my Staff during 

the period he has been associated with us. 

3. May I ask you to make known to him my appreciation

of his valuable services and convey to him 

my thanks and good wishes. 

(Sgd.) V.C.M.Sellheim." 
 

 It will take me about a week to square up things

here. I will then go over to ^the High Commission at 72, Victoria Street, where 

I suppose there will be work for me.

I Scuther

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think I was in the way of some of the

men here, so they evidently came to the

 conclusion that it would be best to 

move me out. I walked around the 

show with General Sellheim on the day of 

his arrival, since when he has not looked 

upon me.  [[Around 50 -- times?]]

Yours sincerely

1-1. C. Smart

9/181      

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Secret

 

4th Australian Infantry Brigade Order No 33

Map Reference. Farm du Mouquet /5000

1. The Brigade has again been successful in unchanged objective

and now holds the line R35 & 41; R 34 d 60; R34 6. 24; B34 6

24 R 34 a.86; 65.34.13; R 33.b.61; R 33 d 28; 26 linking

up with the 12^th Div at 26.

2. On the night 12/13th August the forward movement to Mouquet Farm

will be continued in co-operation with the 12 Divison on our left

Objective 13^th Bn R 30 a 86; R 34 a 38; R 33 b. 9. 6 ½ (inclusive)

Objective 14^th Bn R 33 b 9.6½ (exclusive) R 33 b. 55 on Mouquet Road

Quarry R 33 a 81 (inclusive)

3. In the meantime as much ground as possible will be made good

towards that objective the 13^th Bn. forming a defensive flank on the line

R34 b 24, R 34 a 86. 67-38 As soon as the defensive flank

has been consolidated it will be held with Lewis Guns with as

few men as possible.

4. The attack will be timed in accordance with Barrage map attached

Zero time will be night 13 August.

5. The 4^th L I M Bty and 4^th MG Coy will act as under instruction

which will be communicated to the Officers commanding these

Units.

6. Watches will be synchronised at 6pm and 9pm on 12^th August

7. Green flares will be shown by the front line at 7.30 am and 10.30am

tomorrow 13^th and [[?]] aeroplanes will fly without any lights.

8. The [[?]] for tonight will be - British, [[Eastern?]] - Australian troops - Queensland

 

J M A Durrant

Major

Brigade Major

4th Aus Inf Bde

Issue at

Copy No 1 War Diary

                 2 4th Au. Div

                 3 Labour Div

                  4 13th Bn

                  5 14th

                  6 16th

                  7 4th LTM Bty

                  8 4th MG Coy

                  9  35 Inf Bde

                  10 12th Inf Bde

                  11  13th do

                  12 15th Bn

                  13 

 

Zero time 10.30

Barrage 10.30-33

10.33-5

10.35-7

10.37 on (Mouquet

Farm line.)

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Note: ^by CEWB on xxx conversation with German Officers who were

in the action of Friday _ Saturday July 28/29.

 

One officer of the 162nd Regt was in support near the sunken

road to Courcelette. His company was hurried into the line O.G2 at

about point 58 in R.34 d. He said that our 7th brigade were not

seen at this point as they came out from the tramway into position.

The first that was seen of the left battalion of the 7th Brigade

was as it was advancing to attach after the barrage. The wire at this

point had been cut by our artillery; portions of if were still scattered

about hanging to posts and on the ground but in the opinion of this

officer it was possible to cross it.

 

When our infantry however reached thispoint the front of the 

German wire in this sector three machine guns opened on them from there

and many others from both left and right. The bombardment had not been

sufficient to bury the machine guns. The impression of this officer was

that the heavy machine gun rifle and shrapnel fire opened on our men as 

they approached the broken wire of O.G.1 drove the attacking battalions

into the craters. They thought our loss must be heavy.

 

Some of our men reached the German front trench at a point

about 97 or 26 in 34D and 35C. They were only a few and they were

bombed and captured. It was known from the prisoners that the attack

had been made by the 25th 26th and 28th battalions. The Germans had

known for two weeks (i.e. from about the date of our first attack on

Pozieres) that the Australians were in front of them.

 

An officer of the 84th Regiment, who was about the Bapaume

Road on the night of July 28/29 said that on his portion of the front

the Australians were seen coming over the hill in X5a before the 

bombardment began. Fire was at once opened upon them with machine guns and rifles. This was a cross fire and came from a number of guns. The attack in this

part never materialised.

 

This officer also said that there was no wire left in front of

his trench. It had been xxxxxxxxx blown away by artillery fire. He could not speak howee-ever of the portion of line attacked by the 28th Battalion. His men had a 

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fine target in the Australians whom they enfiladed as they rushed

the front of O.G.1, and many were seen to fall.

 

The second third and fourth waves of our troops came forward

well but took shelter in whatever cover the craters in front of OG1

afforded when they reached the front of it. There was a shallow trench

in Nomansland some way in front of O G 1 which was smashed with

artillery fire and was not occupied by the Germans. This trench they thought

might have been taken by some of our men for the German front trench.

After the first attack the British bombardment became heavy.

They noticed that it was dangerous to show themselves in the German

trench even around the mouths of the dugouts when a British aeroplane

was up. Our aeroplanes, they thought, signalled the position of any men

they saw back to the batteries and fire was immediately brought to

bear on those points. (These points may have been noted by aeroplanes

strong points). All officers say that they knew an attack must be

coming but they did not know when. Our artillery puzzled them by 

bombarding them at various times during the nights. No attack would follow

these bombardments although at first they seem to have expected this.

They were not expecting an attack after our final bombardment -

they expected that if made at any time it would be made at dawn.

 

Many of the machines guns had been buried by this bombardment.

They were buried in the dugouts to which they had been taken. Nearly

all the machine guns seem to have been put out of action in this way.

Only a few were left, some of which were brought against our troops

xxx in the second attack. (In the previous attack the two or three

machine guns which had been buried were replaced).

 

The company of the officer of the 162nd Regt had lost 84 men

in four days by our bombardment. The regiment was to be relieved next

morning by the 84th Regt. They had plenty to eat and drink. Reliefs

and reinforcements, at any rate during action, used to be brought

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3.

into O.G2 over the top and not through communication trenches. The portion 

of OG2^immediately South of the Bapaume Road was too much battered to hold.

They could only crawl about in this part. One officer was xxxxxxxx

surprised to find that we regarded it as occupied. The Windmill had been

used as an observation post xxxxxx but it had been so battered by our

artillery that it had not lately been occupied.

 

Our men coming down K trench (West of Pozieres) are in full

view of the enemy xxx.  When asked why they were not sniped at the officer 

did not answer.

 

The enemy had noticed that we were digging a new trench in

front of their lines and xxxxxx took this as a sign that they were sure

to be attacked.

 

The first xxxxxxxxxxxxxby

The second attack.

The second attack as explained was unexpected. Our men were on

the enemy very quickly, especially just south of the Bapaume Road. An

officer in Torrs Trench (the new trench built from Munster Alley N.W

into O.G.2 by the Germans) found himself cut off by our troops getting

into his trench beyond him as well as on our side of him.

 

On the left of our 7th Brigade one or two machine guns were

brought to bear on the attack from about point 58 in R 34 D. The attack

was held up a little in front of this; but our men flowed into the trench

at about R 34 central and about R 34 point 97 and bombed their way up

the trench from both sides. They also began to come into the trench from

the rear. There were too many ^always arriving for them to be stopped. The men getting in

from the rear were some of those who had got in to the north and across in

into O G 2 or who were bombing their way from the North along the rear 

of the trench.

 

They were fine strong lads - this officer remarked.

Both O G 1 and O G 2 were held in both of these attacks.

On the night of the second attack the Germans were just relieving. An

officer of the 84th said that at about 10.30 he was marching into the

trench near the Windmill at the head of about 50 men when our bombardment opened suddenly on him. In O.G 2 the first thing he found was

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5 4.

xxx three wounded Australians. He judged that the British must be making an

attack and ordered his men to form to the right and counterattack. In

forming the right lost touch with him going he thought too far to the

North and he found himself with three men. They went over O G 2 and

dug in in a crater infrontofit between it and O G 1. Here they were

surrounded and captured.

 

The first question which the officer of the 162nd asked xxx

when he reached Brigade Headquarters was "Are you in Courcelette?"

He was told -"No, I think not; but your batteries have been seen

blowing up their ammunition". He asked at once "Were they the heavy xxx

batteries or the light ones?"

 

One officer of the 84th Regiment said that he thought neither

side would win the war. "Nobody will win it." He thought it would end in

September. Another said that Germany would fight on until she could get

a satisfactory peace.

 

They had been informed that the British immediately after

the Jutland sea battle had recalled all their ^large cruisers from the colonies

and elsewhere oversea.

 

When asked if they considered the Australians rough xxxxx

soldiers they shook their heads strongly. They were quite satisfied

with the way they had been treated. "We think that the Australian kills

everyone ^he meets while he is fighting but he treats xxxx his enemy well when

the fighting is over". One officer said that our machine guns had been

turned upon their stretcher bearers on the Bapaume Road. (This would

undoubtedly be indirect fire). He also said that he knew that the

inmates of a "Hospital" had been killed. By this he meant the most

advanced dressing station behind the front trench. The position he

described as "near Courcelette". He did not know what troops had done

this. (It may refer to the bombing of some dugout during an attack).

 

This is at present known to the Germans as the worst part

of the front in this theatre, but it is not thought to be worse than

Verdun. Vimy, Ypres, last year Champagne, Lorette are all considered

bad parts.