Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/154/1 - May 1917 - Part 6

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60
At 3 a.m. when Gilchrist 
& Capt Brown (adjt 21 Bn)
were putting out markers 
there ws minenwerfer
barrage on them from
half right (?Sunken Rd) &
m.g. from Bullecourt.  They 
probly saw something. 
The German barrage was 
on 21 Bn waves.  21 Bn waves
were astride Rd in 28D.
The Bn formed up where 
cutting is marked but no
cutting worth mentioning 
exists.  The H.Q. ws a
miserable little hole built
w salved timber by
Jones the night of 1/2, 11^ft x 5
 

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61  
Diagram - see original document
21 Bn. Objve.
1st Phase -
Diagram-see original  document 
trenches
through 17D & 23B.
2nd Phase Trench behind
Hendect Rienct Rd.
3rd Phase - Chateau to
contour 85.
1st wave to 1st Phase.
2 & 3 to 2nd Phase.
4 ^under Jones to final objve - (Hills
Bde to supply 22 Posts
round Hendecourt &
Chateau (No 18 Post) .

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62
Heavy Barrage of heav 4.2s 
& minenwerfers caused
waves to close up &
hurry.
While markers were
being put out & during moving
up of waves onto markers
there ws heavy m.g. fire
from Bullecourt.
The 22 Bn filed up 
on left & turned wheeled
onto markers
Diagram - see original document
They caught this m.g. fire
more heavily.
The 22 Bn were ahead of 
21 Bn on starting,
The were not heard but
were apparently seen - when
 

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63
m.g. fire started.  Officers
cd be told in light of flares
showing their revolvers.
They must have had
casualties there.
The Germans seemed to
have m.g.s artillery on their own
wire bec. most of our
officer casualties occurred
there.  Jones reports tt
/ Germans registered on
their wire w arty night
before (& for several mornings
- 4 mornings running exc.
morning before we went
over - they put down the
practise Barrage).
 

64
[This only accounts
for abt 200 - 300 of Bn.
There were probly a
big proportion in shellholes
in wire on left getting
out o / way of /
Bullecourt m.g.fire.
Not one of 21 Bn's best
fights but it was
on a most difficult
flank.]
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65
The waves probly got to
their right but the left
guides for 5^th & 8^th waves
got to their right spots.
(Garton & Miller, working
by Compass).
Under Lieut Hunt
(who shot a Germ Major (in O.G.2)
& Capt. Bland the waves
were reorganised under
the barrage in front of
O.G.2 or in O.G.2 & went
over.  They went from
there in 2 waves.  Only
4 offrs were left by
then - Jennings (afterwds k
at 2nd objve) Hunt (aft. wd
twice) Bland (survivor)
Duncan (survivor).  Hunt
 

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seems to have got away
first w his wave -
wh is sd by some in it
to have bn entirely 21 Bn
wave - He got to the
2nd objve on road.  This
wave is sd to have
started 150 strong.
Bland & Duncan's wave
ws 60 strong (& were all
21 Bn).  They reached within
150 to 200 yds of 2nd objve.
They got into touch w
Capt Maxfield 21 Bn -
they sent him a message &
got a message back.
They started off in acc. w
 

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his message to prolong
Maxfields line along road
to left.  The 60 soldiers
faded to abt 25 within a
few yds of starting ^by cross fire from
C.T. in 23B & from
near chapel in 23D.
This stopped them - There
were 9 in a shell hole with
Duncan.

Hunt had bn hit with
a bomb in rt arm &
bullet in left - the bomb
in fight at X rd in 22B
7.5.  Hunt must have
lost a lot of men getting
across.  Jennings ws K
going along the rd from rt
 

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to left towards Hunt -
sniped thro head going
along asking / men how
they were.
Hunt sent a message
to say tt he ws in 2nd
objve & was sending a
"rough wave" over to
1st Phase of 21 Bn objve -
Nothing more has bn heard
of them.  He ws going after
them but cdn't at moment.
Of Hunts party there are
very few survivors.  There
are men who were
with Jennings.
The men on rt of
 

69
Hunt is at Cambridge
at 1st Eastern Genl.
& also Hardwick -
leader of 5^th wave -
ward 13.
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70
Sunken Rd with 24 Bn
were hunted out of it
by barrage of our own
guns - wh began abt
10 a.m. (?)
Blands party & a few
stragglers from Hunts pty
got in down rd & under
bank - & spent day
fighting on left in O.G. 2.
There were abt 80 then
under 2 offrs.  (Bland &
Duncan).  The left
ws then at 23 c½. 4.
We did not hold the rd.
Sgt Maj. Horsburgh ws
in charge there - He
did excellent work there.
 

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The Germans c.attd w
bombs but never got
across the rd. (Horsb.
had bn out in front on 2nd
objve. & started work in O.G.
2 aftwds).  There seem to
have bn 5 distinct bomb
attacks on left during day
but this block held.
The C.T. from there S. ws
held by 3 posts with ^2 L.Gs. -
21 Bn ws relieved
during night by 3Bn.  The
barrage ws very heavy -
They worked down / rd;
& next mg.  21 Bn numbered
130 - 170 were about.