Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/153/1 - April - May 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066767
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

flares) This poosibt 6s from acroplane observaton fo a me wd reed to terms. were comiey down Ema Aller Cit of Riencourt No attack can eHws seenin no C at amyrate 25 reported from 8/2 ns 4 Bn rete Ded mc at right 72 Bnunder Newland con first in & taking over from originally sup ored to have bn occupied b 2Bn Of.
10 84 4/3 54 6 & fight 80 reld Emban Rb 30 am at k on ere 4 12Bn 11 2 Cogs took over 2Bn tat in OP2 167 11 Bn can in later took over Fontag Bn in O.P.1. 2cy in AP2 The 4th & 2nd were Brs withdrawn to t Ret Emban kine Me place sheller n abt 3.30 am at they stood to At 5.30 am 00 Ma under order 1st they Bde were
ordered Kemfeo to 17 3 Bus left of to X Coy D w up first 5 09.2 function of Lap with Of. Maj. Loyd ws told that recifts were wanted SBde br on X One pt wo on rt (6 put in elieve it close B Bole Br & let up fr right ther along Floyd went saw moore he Ihe need to dirnt Extia wer He ha 12 2
not ch d did 32 t6 bo co failed fact very 15 Br Tis Do Scrap Capt Mackin i upon parspet revelver a cal bouds on parspet He shortin scr had a ap but ever them w He wiet. Ay sugt t they reliev Off right 2 on w5 done allowe to close n 10t. Bm can E1 Bn the get its t Co to Lunken Roa had Day b straght away loy had A com gone back 14 on
15 Abt fom 5 e afternoon 6a May Bn rele & e 15t B /1 The left 157 Bn at t time 4 bn 9tE to Br thio & To born to 28 k 1.9. 2nd Bey took over from 3 Bm in 2 Nothin till do k 240 abit of sheln 2doys Atter dark 9 Bn came in along OG.M sreparator 6 Combin attack towds Bullect wws orgginally to start at 10 ai but porou
46 till 34 am Ma This wet be in conjunet with Scottish 1Co to 9Bn wen Of2 for same object herews interinellent shelling Sometina fairly Leavy morth 5.9 E 9t Bn were through & succeeded Re 5 Bn relieved 43n this night 4 Bn came out 6 Sankin Rd from Novenit to Longetty There were 2 freet no ounits mor at once darm this relief 9Bm, Poneers Engineers, 4Bn. 2 Bn 8 Bn Bri 3 io carious
2 this at 260 offr L. Tonkin 2/1Sives in truk by shall pere in ast tour ddw. St Costen, 2/0 McKay 091 by shell. wd. Capt. Cook A Blackburn Cook wd at Embanks3) Finger blown off in cap by i there was very 8 little interference w ith the road in 29 A1 It does not seem have been un dir observation the it ca 4a bi feen from the Hend court Re. M. 9 A wa a lways expect. they but disnt even Suipe this a A Fom tert the Bn came back on Mas 9 relo t bobn Came to Banc N 9Ha Bazentin May 3 Retend & Buire Ma of shell sice duri barrage
33 P 19 Ap15 645 Het Ape lham PulG. were in By post we flammen werfer. c. an of ness we dressed by fernd & left with few cigaretly Wal of water in Sunken Rd. where we found be 2 night Cate He Lews $ whose C coolly who et r 26 th fired on bom ferms C fe from shoul c + standing high up bemee A Newson Eney ws all roun by this true later hit Hcar sener in anyning - & d.d w
33 4o to employind + Hammendafer it necy. to see these in ei who were on attack- no one ws let dead in road. it is doublfut flamew cised (ply. dearly it was doubts 20
21 B Erd tay 3Bn mo din abt 1m. Ird stay Bod Bn we under Bols. 70. C Beler 748pm ordered to mool in &relieve. Abt Opm. st af came down & orders go 6 hold fast abt 10 P.m. the Steaf rased & Bod Bn told carry on again one by tined th bank during this straf the others were in the Commin waitin order. to move

33 flares) This ws possibly
from aeroplane observatn
for a message ws
recd tt Germs. were
coming down Emu Alley
(rt of Riencourt)
No attack came tt ws
seen in the trench - none
at any rate ws reported
from OG2
4 Bn ws relieved
at midnight - ^ Coy of 2Bn under
Newland coming in first
& taking over front
originally supposed to have
bn occupied by 2 BN
in O.G. 1
 

 

10
 

3 4th Bombfight.
4/5 reld.
5th Rly Embark.
6th at 5.30am ordered up

 

11
33  2 ^12Bn Coys took over 2Bn
front in  O.G.2.
^1 Coy 11 Bn came in later &
took over 4th Bn frontage
in O.G.1.; 2 coys in O.G.2.
The 4th & 2nd Bns were
withdrawn to the
Rly  Embankment
_____↑______
2           4
This place ws shelled.
At abt 3.30 am they stood
to. At 5.30 am on May
6th, under orders of
1st Bde, they were

 

33 ordered to Reinforce  12
1 & 3 Bns in O.G. 1 & 2
to left of sap.
"C" Coy & D went up
first to O.G. 2. At 
junction of sap with 
O.G. 2 Many Lloyd ws
told that reinfts were
wanted by 3 Bde on
rt. One pln ws
put in on rt (to relieve
3Bde Bn &  let it close
up further right).
Lloyd went along & 
saw Moore, & he
sd he didn't need the
extra men. He had
 

 

13
11 Bn did not do well -
failed & came back 
very fast.
illustration - see original document
This ws a 1st BN
scrap. Capt. Mackenzie ie
upon parapet. revolver a cpl bombing
on parapet & a pte shooting.

33 had a scrap on left   14
but everything ws now
quiet. They He suggested
tt they relieved into 

O.G.2 on right. This
ws done, allowing 11 BN
to close to right; the
10th Bn came up - & 
the 4th Bn was able 
to get its Coys back
to Sunken Road.
D Coy had bn sent back
straight away. One Pln of
A coy had come up & 
gone back - 

 

 

33    15
Abt 4 p.m. same afternoon
(6th May) 4 Bn relieved
1st Bn in O.G.1.
The left of 1st Bn
at tt time had bn -----------
----------; 9th Bn ws
to go thro' & bomb to 
28 B 1.9.
2nd Bn took over
from 3 Bn in O.G.2.
Nothing till dark exc.
a bit of shelling.
After dark ^ 2 Coys  9 Bn came
in along O.G. 1. preparatory
to bombing attack towds
Bullect, wh ws
originally to start at 
10pm but ws postponed
 

 

33    16

till 3.45 a.m. (May 7)
This ws to be in conjunction
with Scottish.
1 Coy 9 Bn went to OG 2
for same object. There ws
intermittent shelling, sometimes
fairly heavy - mostly 5.9 & 4.2
9th Bn went through
& succeeded.
The 5th Bn relieved
4 Bn this night & 4 Bn
came out to Sunken
Rd from Noreuil and [[Lonyalta?]]
There were a great
no. of units moving at 
once during this relief -
9 Bn, Pioneers, Engineers,
4 Bn, 2 Bn, 8th Bn
& 5th Bn. It is curious 
 

 

17

Casualties abt 260.
2 offrs k. Lt Tonkin 2/Lt Gives

in trench by shell fire in last tour
2 d of w, Lt Costin, 2/Lt McKay
in O.G.1 by shell
2 wd. Capt. Cook  Lt Blackburn
Cook wd at Embankt (?) Fingers blown
off in sap by
 

33 tt there was very  18
little interference with
the road in 29 A. C.
It doesnt seem to have 
been under observation
tho' it cd have bn seen
from the Hendecourt Rd.
A m.g.  ws always expected
but they didnt even
snipe at this time.

From there the 4th
Bn came back on
May 9 - reld by 60 Bn.
Came to Bancourt (9 May)
(Bazentin May 13)

Ribemont (Buire 21 May)
___
piece of shell
during barrage
 

 

33   19
Ap15.
       6457          5655
Ptr F Apse & Gillham Pte. [[?]]
were in 4 Bn position
ws flammenwerfer ed
one of these ws dressed 
by Gerfms & left with
few cigarettes & bottle
of water in Sunken Rd
where we found him
2 nights later.

The Lewis gunner,
whose gun jammed & who ^coolly got it right &
then fired on surrounding
Germs w gun from
shoulder ws Lt Cpl. A
& standing high up himself the trench
P. Newson
Enemy ws all round
by this time.

He ws later hit by 
sniper in sniping - & d. of w. 
 

 

33  20
 

As to employment of
Flammenwefer it is
necy. to see these men
who were in the attack - 
the one ws left dead in the
road & it is doubtful
if flame ws used. (Lloyd
cleary doubts if it was)
 

 

33    21
3 Bn.   May 3rd.
3 Bn. moved in abt
11pm. 3rd May. 3rd Bn
ws under G.O.C. 6th Bde.
Bates 7. & 8 pm ordered

to move in & relieve.
Abt 9p.m. straf came
down & orders gn to 
hold fast - abt
10 p.m. the straf eased
& 3rd Bn told to
carry on again.
[One coy lined rly
bank during this straf -
the others were in the
commn trench waiting orders
to move up].

 

 
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Meredith JacobsMeredith Jacobs
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