Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/154/1 - May 1917 - Part 5

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

Page 1 / 10

59 2 they y at taken went listenay sop Sowah toads up the hout hing There were fermans still holding a coupled bays to lef of Sap at the timee, throwing bombs I took at t hour to get them out the infantry w some of 22 some of 4 LJannces tombers 2te them back pushin were did not there here. the be off Semt in possit there was. When th sap r clear Sergt Hitchcock t took common St a truck abt 200 up yds pom
& then tep to to aft 7ds 100 Short of whe it ao road the left. The l mor there a 2 The time ho not £0 had 2 te road thi yr C wh fo 7 at End tr et the Th 60 still were the To back there. waite The fins aft han till a clare were at the 1 gu Ro 51 e0 to 4 road there f2 4 tion
52 0 h ser Tnepers f th left up on road th The we guns taken 0a acco 150 22 & setup en t bays acro 20 2 road Janner a Watcher £ down per the roa for Te targets then were all the funs up Ane Hindecourt & & parties come cros Se from the NE 16 They ednots road thro 22B&. C. nor obje the road this our
53 but h0d fine t veew fow the Factor otherwise round Riencourt to They say mor no lor £2 in the Th a stopped all do not C d were be Iwere Bice held at o 30 am on may 4 wer By the withdrawn abs 2 D 3C 2 72 Section was under The Left Palling teams of NC0x4 4 men per gin - with 42 wave with
54 tho 22D 0 89 2 in as for pr He objive 6 28 en as were wd morteth wd where he noon abt Fale dux man wd 4 ws t to Lawn Frestwit ph at night 6a The Germa badt the caught than the actics barrage succeeded te there enfe the germans from abt 226 93or4t had Tuperious We cond of fire alday of Ednt at all findth get hears up
55 Afciste As M. G with down were lying last wave (already Buds ferman inposite) the there barrage came down to be I seemed all port of ta just in Hws Saken Road. how impossible to say casmathis ar fa it cansay move back of n fine into Sunken Rdfora mins of then soved few am when our out batage starte The ferm Bonbt Clle t st Start first 100 50 o £0 7d anythey adat hear ons noar our fi a litte
56 to a they later Then has a 4 stop stoppe X cam of pont line be for waiter reporty clear Dunn 12. gs the second stop d be heard very chart betw. Riend half left It was Bullect dayly mover from when tey The the second stop Palley had at Your tafe on th wayten w 4whites Signat at when with were ds of the abead bit 9 ma 2 were the n sere el of
57 stell en they ato or o tols on 2 Te rid + idg lank the tog of sit 79 0 8dyes away 6 Flef en werd 24 gulh on e away De 750 abt adl The bow p hole thatl were 44 Send 4 6 adwereto o aft hit with mad were two attengts 15t is fer Mr Pall to it tim Sergt w wel till T last th 71.30 a sm actn 5 fern lef t0 o att till
58 wx fyas 01 One feature came out wven wh wo in wathin wound heavy absoluted les anles th ad magled- ony man on his bung bit of shell rt Enbaulh reached before he famly. from wire another at 30 4 vits of metel them walked out & complait in he keled to come on aea teave others weho one corks. with a himpin (d piece of metal in his knew- tnce caprar a man his ad w9 bad wd out Docas the Sin
NBn t after Ir 22 CF 9 hodi 49 as defensive flank. Then y morning as had by as 606 7 in 54 as on Tho Garton conpass reached Applank point just of this an first attack H ws getting boubed por te road c & trench 220 on arrival ar 33 frenction ws fiv acrossbfin to stopes Witter also on y Clo there h D 22 Bn Thes ws the eft fia X

34           50

if trench ws taken they went
up the listening sap commn trench towds
front line. 
There were Germans 
still holding a couple of
bays to left of sap at 
this time, throwing bombs.
It took at ¼ hour to get them 
out – the infantry were
some of 22,  some of 24 
L. Gunners, bombers etc.
were pushing them back
here. There did not 
seem to be an offr there —
possibly there was.
When tt sap ws clear
Sergt Hitchcock took his
pty up a ∧commn trench abt 200 yds from

 

34               51

rd & then to left to 
near abt 100 yds
short of where it crosses
the road on left.
They mounted 2 guns
there –
The Infy at tt
time had not got
the road & had not
got the C.T. wh joins
the 2nd trench at / road.
They were still bombing
the Gs. back there.
The guns waited there
abt an hour till Germans
were cleared past the
C.T. at the Rd junction.

 

34                      52

Germs had snipers
on left firing up this
road.
The guns were then
taken across road
& set up in 1st & 2nd
bays of trench across the 
road – a L. gunner
watching the sniper down
/ road.
The targets for these
guns were all up on the
Hendecourt Ridge – 
parties coming across square
16 from the N E.
They cd not see the
road thro 22 B & C nor
the road thro our 2nd objve

 

 34                53

but had a fine view
otherwise from the Factory
round to Riencourt.
They saw no movement
in the factory.
They stopped all tt
day, were not c. attd.
& were reld. by Bice,
at 2.30a.m. on May 4
By then guns were
withdrawn to abt 22D
9 ½ 2  &  23 C. 2 ½3.

                       ——

The Left section was under
Lt Palling - teams of NCO & 4
men per gun - with 4th 
wave of 22nd Bn with

 

 34                                      54

O.G. 2 in U 22 D 6.3 as
objive.  He got as far 
as wire in U 28B77
where he ws mortally wd.
Palling died abt noon.
1 man ws k, & 4 wd,
& rest withdrawn to 
rly at night.
The German barrage
caught them badly (the
practice barrage) – the
infy there never succeeded;
the Germans from abt 22c.
9.3 or 4. but had superiority
of fire all day. We cdnt 
find them at all & cdnt
get heads up.

 

34                 55

 As m.g.s of left sectn
were lying down with 
22nds last wave (already
there in positn) the German
barrage came down.
It seemed all to be 
just in front of the 
Sunken Road. It ws
impossible to say how
far it ws causing casualties.
Line of gunners moved back
into Sunken Rd for a
few mins & then moved
out agn when our
barrage started.
The Germ. Bombt lulled,
ours started; & they starte
For first 100 yds or so
cdnt hear anything but
roar of our guns. A little 

 

34               56

later they began to hear
had a stop. Then went
on again & stopped
waiting for front line to be
reported clear. During
second stop the G. m.gs
cd be heard very clearly
half left betw. Rienct &
Bullect. It was daylight
when they moved from 
the second stop. The
infy had all gone. Palling
ws waiting on the 
signal – 4 white's.
When within abt 70
yds of the wire one
man a bit ahead ws
k in the wire; 3 men
& offr were wd. 

 

34         57
They stopped in / shell
holes on / ridge –  on /
edge of / ridge. They
cd see the top of / tank
∧ 70 or 80 yds away. in / wire on / left &
one in / gully on rt
abt 150 yds away.
The 4 wd were in
a shell hole bound up
by Sergt – & 4 of pty were
missing – all were k or 
hit within abt 5 mins.
Two attempts were made
to get Mr Palling in, 1st man
ws wd., Sergt got him in.
They were there till
abt 11.30 p.m. when last
two left. German ws active
till abt 9p.m.

 

34      58

One feature of / fight ws /
way in wh men came out
w heavy wounds, walking
themselves unless absolutely
mangled. One man w a
bit of shell in his lung
reached / rly embankt
from / wire before he fainted.
Another w 3 or 4 bits of metal 
in him walked out & complained
tt he felt very mean to come out
& leave others behind.
One corpl. with a lump in 
his knee ∧ (- a piece of metal in his knee) - carried a man
out & ws badly wd at
the Dressing Stn

 

34                                             59

21 Bn.

 In aftn of May 3 ws
holding C.T. 22 D 9.5 to 9.0
as defensive flank. They
had bn in morning as far 
as C.T. 60-63 in OG2.
Garton who ws on 
left flank w compass reached
point just E of this in first
attack. He ws getting bombed
from the road commn & trench
junction on arrival at ∧zero + 33
stokes mortar ws firing across him to left.
Miller (also on left)
ws close to him there.
This ws the 22 Bn's left
flank.

 

 

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