Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/153/1 - April - May 1917 - Part 5

52
Full a/c
with Diary.

in the Nomansland
behind the
Germans in OG 1

[Diagram]

33        53

went out & picked 
up the back end o /
stretcher. They got /
stretcher in & then
Carlson went out
4 or 5 times to 2 Divn
wd men ^left there in wire & in [[shorthand]]
- all over / place.
He ws getting in another
man from a shellhole x
when he ws hit in /
thigh. He got into
a shellhole - & then
started to crawl in
dragging the man
with him - & got him in.
He tried to crawl to / stn, refusing
a stretcher.

54
Hermies

NZ. Hermies attack
was a big success.
The success of this
was due simply to the
outwitting of the Germans
- their attention ws
directed to  3rd Bde
sector (for wh 3rd Bde
suffered).

33        55
This bomb fight ws on
a small front of 2 or 3 men
- & offr. [[?After]] offr ^& N.C.O.s were hit
helping it along - It ws
very willing & very tough
but the fight found / spirit
o / officers & N.C.O.s equal
to be of exactly / right
quality.
----
In the wiring & attempt to
flatten the O.G. trench on right
one Engr offf (? Scarf or some
such name) ws k. & several
other [[?]], & pioneers - & 
several wd. The wiring
ws finished but not the
flattening - tho Bde reported
(& thought) it was.

56
Col Moore 3rd or 4th Bns
notice tt / new German
5.9 shell wh burst into v. small
fragments resulted in large
nos. of wounded in proportion
to k. (but many d. of w.)

May 14/15
Enemy threw 5000 gas
shells (? number - how
estimated) into Noreuil
Valley when 14th Bde
were there later (abt May 15)
S.Bs & A.M.C. were gassed thro attending
to wounded with their own
gas masks pushed down
from their eyes & only
tube in mouth. They wd
run to get a wd man
his mask (as they lay there)
& omit sufficient precautions
for themselves. Abt 30
men were gassed.

33         57
2.30 am May 5
After its first tour the 2nd
Bn ws reld by 12 Bn. & moved 
to Sunken Rd & [shorthand] C. 4 c. &
C. 10. A.

Carriers were sent up
all day.
Night 
of 5/6 Bn, less carrying pties, kept
read as enemy continued
his shelling.
May 6.
7 am. on May 6 new recd tt
Germans had attacked &'
pierced line of 3rd Bde.
Bn moved forwd & head
reached Bde HQ at 7.30
when it ws found tt / attack
had bn met & defeated by
1 & 4 Bns. Bn then returned
- some casualties thro shells.

3 p.m. C.Os of 2 & 4 Bns

33        58
summoned to Bde HQ
& recd orders to relieve
3rd Bn in O.G. 2 & 1st Bn in
O.G. 1 - to prepare to extend
front Westward by bombing.
1 Coy of 9 Bn att^d to 2 Bn
3  "      "   "  "     "       "   4 Bn.
7^th Imperial Divn to attack
Bullecourt at same time.

The relief ws complete by
10.50 pm
Coy. Commdrs were assembled
at Bn HQ. & gn orders for attack.
C. Coy 9 Bn ws to move at 3.45 &
occupy O.G. 2 from 423 C. o. 4
to 422 D. 6. 4 & Southern
side of Sunken Rd Parallel
to O.G. 2 as far as 422 D 6. 3
& to establish posts (to be

59
May 7
33        60
connected later) at
422 D 8. 4, 83, 641 63,
each post consisting of 1 platoon.

Line from 423 C 90 to 
423 C. 04 ws held by
A D B & C Coys 2nd Bn in tt
order.
[Diagram]
C Coy 9 Bn ^ws assembled in 
C Coy 2 Bns line till zero.

May 7
At 3.45 (zero) operatn
ws carried out w very
little oppositn. News
at 4.56 tt objve had
bn gained.
6 a.m. News tt 9 Bn had
gained touch with 7 Divn in
O.G. 1. During day 3 Vickers

33         61
guns were put near posts,
& Stokes mortar emplaced.
Telephone ws run out &
commn trench improved.

Enemy shelled all day
causing casualties; but no
inf. assault attempted.

Night May 7/8 Relieved by
8n Bn. Rain began at
sunset. 7^th May "The men ^were physically
worn
out but in good kept in 
excellent spirits." 

33          63
In Flers church
our Lady of Victories sweet Mother Divine
Pray for thy people in this awful time,
Ask thy sweet Jesus, to thee we implore,
To cease this fierce havoc & end this cruel war.
-----
The above we found
scrawled up in Flers Church
by some Tominy - I think possibly
of the Irish Guards who had
bn throught.

33   62
[Sketch - see original scan]

R33/2

PARTICULARS RE: CAPTAIN M.L. GORDON, 2ND GORDON HIGHLANDERS.
Reported Wounded and Missing May 7th, 1917.
------
Captain Gordon was Acting 2nd. in Command of his Battalion until
within a few days before the attack, when Major K. Maitland, having
returned he stepped down, and took command of "C" Company.

It was at first decided that he should not himself take
part in the attack on BULLECOURT but he decided he would go over 
with his Company. All the Officers and men seemed much relieved
and state they were certain of success as they had Implicit
confidence in him.

The attack was launched at 4,00 A.M. from a flank, and was
most successful; first objective being reached without much
difficulty; the second objective being finally captured. The
casualties of Bn. not being excessive and a number of prisoners
being taken.

Lieut.Dobie, K.S. of "C" Company stated that he was with
Captain Gordon during the attack, and spoke to him after they had
reached their first objective shortly after 4,00 A.M. He did not
see him again, but understands he was slightly wounded in the upper
right arn, and went along the trench to the right (namely their
first objective) with a view to getting in touch with the
Australians who attacked with them on their right flank.

Pte. Woods, W. 14039 "C" Company states that he was with
Captain Gordon when he went over to the right flank to get in
touch with the Australians; the party consisting of Captain Gordon
and 4 Other Ranks. They came across a few Germans whom they
were able to drive back, and Captain Gordon rushed along the
trench; a few other Germans then advanced, getting between him
and his men. At this time Capt. Gordon was slightly wounded in the 
upper right arm, and he did not see him again. Of the rest of
the party, two of them [[?were]] killed and two wounded, Woods being
the only one that got away.

Pte. Macdonald, 9901, Maitland's Batman, went out to look
for Capt. Gordon, going down the trench as far as the Australians
but could find no trace of him. He obtained permission and
visited 6 of the Australians Field Ambulances, where he found
two brother Officers of Capt. Gordon but no trace of him; 24
hours later he again obtained permission, and searched the
whole ground in this area, but could find no trace of him.

Lance Corporal Welch, S. 13474 who was wounded, and went
through the Dressing Stations, is reported to have said "that he
saw Capt. Gordon's body in a shell hole". I am trying to get in
touch with this man.

The Battalion after taking their first objective held it
successfully, and finally reached their final objective; this
ground has been held by us, and subsequently our line has been
pushed forward to the other side of the village. The whole of
this part of the villege has remained in our hands ever since,
although the western part of the village has changed hands
several times since.
 

33     62
[Sketch - see original scan]