Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/154/1 - May 1917 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066768
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

24 Ser c attack 54 Bll reduced Pl fr had to 7 the de late. too had m 50 Parrison t poactual ( their 9 X O S WP of ta ated 6 shough Did Bn on on the left T lenon o be 3 left Bn at aue barric ammee o fer with 2 borog pl. 560 Hammen werfer wan smper after the first west with et TheGeri right pt ge the o a mostar i1 little past Lept Witcbell Of Rely tee stayed behind Idst de 8 Stick bomnbo
26 blu cep the 12 That lep onb 28 fren nt tun wt see The ti to t hig on onin in 23 Ddown ae te wh fery wer Manen fe er lso it or On this attach Stokes Cafter the £2 lis 2 left Se 6 pported bomballack wh 24 regain h0 Another 2 45 ter up reploc the to 8 bone d blown 6ote ti o Bo the left tep
27 witch l under 2s worta the moned 02 back right (Scholebild to at wort. the mennie 5 h as now va Co C from e 9 the T ble Stro pts h ex Shellholes In evide o firi tl the 54 claim Lot Cole ly tagd 8 wct One ra to ter fired 164 as these Jast people pat their head p ts as
28 wt was sere strpts th 11 318 fteed for the there £n flowen the to o S legs an were se to t0 up into air li 13 en he Stotees b 6 6 into be longst Darin night 751 o there were bi bor attacks onto mosta wh ober t Sach ti had day well 4 all ohi a backs wer successfull stopped. 2 le bear Combe
30 Robe up take th ch licl e TY ntal alltine from LF.M. were Tobe 11 Tent atteds Fla Ird of yous to Robe ton Sey as v28 Pullecourt on 16 1½ Rd. right. a day of On May fired tht till inter 3 430 et B relieve wh them a goring the grvs ch allthe i fow the io prac Tere te to ng roo 9a 1400 61500 ans t 150 300 rds wh is wnenwerfor very accurate rfe bery 4 has t huze liteg ll t0 bear a
2 33 Thae 14 id l whole 16 Cuns were ap 22nd S. Co n i a to in rea Owere kt o Embankt vt. Embanket on left 2 in 14 a 2 inC D ir fe Tea were half fectns in sls Each unde early Dano Fally earl 200 4 56 t 2
54 6o 90 lay in fet Desmond went wite right wave e hi of 24 Bon. objoe 23 c in 9 abb whereit. cros Sunken rol left. shelled ere before th ot just cnl re pop wa their Barray to be se on 12 waves bet wave 7 X 5 odd Shell. 4 a see 4 Furs be on pround 16 The Germs on th sear light a
35 Factor first from directy prob 22D t Shell ot caaset Mn fore attack 6 1st H Dag Iitt crossin line all prett it Dt crossin on beb m. a from in for 5Bde caught loos. can themn Not canner were (I comb were 1.Waves wd or were aor 2nd uby up pumbled reache it ty line when knoked abt too very They (s) waited in of is stead gi th oar follow t
36 ere giving them ta office - polb the while walches the sigual flare& to0 ever to lett fom difficult Jurma flares. Abt boydsin front Of the Vickers frr stopped in shell hote where the Ed enfilade they deep the Star hro ro abo it 30 6.4 They had 2 fun there Ed 120 figs of men in Sunkin Road The turned to beaut onfanty ps were ready to fire same of necessary a an in trnd man a
overcoat Prol a off. appear fera ridge on lep top 7d 100 600 abt 7 his wa awa Seen five arms vance ad 46 gaal pan fere as siped be cdbe ont sot hrm M. gunvers One of the neck thro Suiped we It ws fast there day light fettin moved forward. the Desmond Dicet. pave the word to move 34 up were the t infantr 37 o

24

The Germs. made this
attack just too late.
6th Bde had had men so
reduced tt garrison of left
flank C.Ts ws practically

34
25
& their own 2 TMs.
Early on mg. of 4th May
Germs. c-attd very
strongly on 3rd Bn on
left.  They had the
3rd Bn beaten on left –
came at barricade
with Flammenwerfer &
v. strong bombg pty.
Flammenwerfer man
ws sniped after the first
squirt with it – The Germans
gained the trench right up to
our mortar & cd no a
little past it.  L/Cpl
Mitchell & Pte O'Riley
stayed behind amidst
dozens of stick bombs &

 

34
26
blew up the T.M.
That left only rt gun.
The rt gun ws keeping
a continuous fire on
Commn trench in 23 D down
wh Germs were attacking
& minenwerfer fired
on it also.  Our
Stokes then (after this attack
had failed) moved to
left & supported 3 Bn
bomb attack. wh succeeded
in regaining lost ground.
Another mortar ws
sent up to replace the
blown out one.  It took
up the left positn agn 

 

34
27
under Mitchell.
The mortar on rt moved
back to right (Scholefield
ws working the minnie)
Plenty of ammn
had now come from
rear.  During day the
2 TMs blew out 5
strong pts. (These were mainly
in shell holes & nomansland)
In evidence of firing
they claim to have got
a German Colonel, Major
& 7 o.r. with one round.
We later We fired the
round just as these
people put their heads
up & it burst among

 

28

O'R where was gun.
where were str pts.

34
29
them – & the 3 Bn aftwds
found them there.  In
blowing up some of these
strong pts legs & arms
were seen to go up into /
air –  Gs. generally run
from a stokes bomb
(they burst into long strips)
During night of 4th/5th
there were several
bombing attacks onto
wh our mortars got
each time as they had
well ranged.  All of these
attacks were successfully
stopped. They always fire
on hearing heavy bombing. 

 

30

Gray                      Roberts
 I I I                              I I I
Robertson aftwds sent
up (midday 3rd May)
to take Ch. of guns.

Scholefield & Robertson
had had some instrn
on use of German
minnies.

[ 15th LTM were at U 28
Central firing on Bullecourt
all time from Rd.  5th & 7th
L.T.M. were on right.]

34
31
On day of 5th May they
fired intermittently till
4.30 when 1st Bde TM Bty relieved
them.
The guns were firing
from the trench all the
time.  There is prac.
no cover in / road.
The guns fired 1400 to 1500
rds., & 150 - 200
minenwerfers. wh is
very accurate, being rifled.
It has a time fuze like
a 4.2 woolly bear –

 

32

6
——             5 & 7
22              ——
——             &
                      ?

34
33
6th M.G. Coy. May 3rd.

Whole 16 Guns were up.
22nd m.g. Coy ws imd. in
rear.

6 were on Rly Embankt.,
3 on Embankt to rt.
3   "         "            "   left.
2 in C4 a, & 2 in C4D.
in reserve.
Teams were in 3 half Sectns
(2 guns each) under
 ↑                   ↑                  ↑
——              ——           ——
Palling      Earle        Desmond
Each ws slightly first   

 

34
34
to go, & last to get in.

Desmond went with
right ½ of 4th wave
of 24 Bn.  & reached
objve in U 23 c 99.
abt where rly crosses
Sunken rd. & to left.
They were shelled in
nomansland just before they got
into their proper wave –
Barrage seemed to be
on ∧some waves behind 4th
wave.  They only got
an odd shell.  It seemed
to be 4.2 H.E. bursting on
ground.  The Germs threw
a searchlight on them 

 

34
35
first from.  Factory directn
prob. in 22D .
Shelling ceased abt 4
min. before attack.
Till crossing 1st Hindenbg
line all pretty rt.
On crossing 1st line,
betw trenches, a m.g. from
in front of 5 Bde caught
them & caused loss.
(1 Corpl & No 1 Gunner were
wd in wire).  Waves
were more or less
jumbled up.  2nd Hindbg
line when they reached it
ws very knocked abt.
They waited in 1st trench –
offrs steadying them &
following barrage – offrs

 

34
36
were giving them the
office – probly by their
watches – the white
Signal flares were too
difficult to tell from German
flares.
Abt 100 yds in front
of O.G. the Vickers gun
stopped in shell hole where
they cd enfilade the
deep rd from the Star
abt at 23c. 5.4. They
had 2 guns there & cd
see figs of men in
Sunken Road – They
turned to be our infantry
(guns were ready to fire
if necessary).  At same
time a man in an

 

34
37
overcoat ,( probly a
German offr.) appeared on
top of ridge on left
abt 400- 500yds
away –) waving his
arms & seeming to give
signal to advance.  He
ws sniped before gun
cd be got onto him.
One of the m. gunners
ws sniped thro neck
there.  It ws just
getting daylight – &
they moved forward.
Lieut. Desmond gave
the word to move. The
infantry were up to the

 

 

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Loretta CorbettLoretta Corbett
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