Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/155/1 - 1915 - 1917 - Part 5

35   49
They seemed to be moving
down the trench from N.
There were abt ½ dozen. They
were 18 Bn. This ws just
after daylight.  At this 
moment our men were 
bombing up O.G.2 from
29 Rd.
Capt Parkes then sent
D back to see if he cd
find 5 Bde in OG2.
He went to OG2 &
found 24Bn 23Bn
& 5 Bde bombing up
this trench.  They had a
heavy bombfight up
to within abt 2 bays
of C.T.  When D ws
wd. with a bomb.  He
came back & reported to
Maj. Trew abt in wire in
29 Rd Bank & went to rear.

35   50
At this time Stokes Mortar
bombs were coming
from right onto the bank
of the 29 Rd ( ? 5ALTMB)

Abt daybreak shortly
after arriving at Star
Pascoe saw men in CT
to rt of Star. Cdnt be sure
if 5 Bde or Germs. Fethers
After Dixon went back Pascoe
(in Sunken Rd leading to C.T.)
& Brewster saw 3 men in C.T.
Brewster spoke to them. They
were probly 19 Bn. They sd they
were left flanking pty & had
lost their bn (probly came up rd)
They went off down the trench towds
O.G.2.
This was last seen of 
5 Bde up there.

35   51
Abt when Capt Pascoe
saw Germs in CT thro
24D bombs started very
severely in OG2 abt
junctn of ctre nearer CT
Germs were gaining ground.
The defence ws making
back twds O.G1 & Sunken
Rd.  Germs were then
bombg towds Sunken
Rd.  Pascoe got 12
men of 23 Bn & Estab
a block just where trench
crossed 29 Rd in Rd & trench.  The
Germs were then One
traverse away & bombs
falling in trench across Rd.
P sent to Stokes.  At
this moment Stokes
ws set up in OG 2
just W of Rd & opened
fire up OG2.  The Stokes

52

This Stokes
only had 10
rounds at
this time &
ws / only
Stokes
He ws brt from
OG 1 near Rd

35   53
Mortar fired almost straight
in air & bombs fell abt
50 yds back (6 LTM)
& Germs ran back.
5Bde were organised
again & Cpl. called for
volunteers to bomb Germans
back up OG2.  He got 6
volunteers 5 Bde &
started in.
Abt same time as
block estab in OG2 on
Rd Germ had started
bombg in OG1 towds
Sunken Rd.  Same thing
happened - block in rd,
Germs held off without
Stokes by 2 rifle grenades
& Mills grenade.
Pascoe then went
up 29 Rd, met Parkes

35   54
near Star . Our 'plane
came over.  They tried to
light ground flares but they
were wet.  Then tried to
attract them by waving
arty flags.
Pascoe saw observer
look over & sd "Its All right
Parkes - they've spotted us"
Plane flew back over our
lines.

The Germs now
left the loop line alone tho
shooting onto 29 Rd viciously.
Abt 11 am our own barrage
came back without notice.
Fethers himself had lit 3
contact flares while
the planes were over.
Our barrage ws mostly

55
Sterret}
Raltray} hit early
Roxburgh}
Galbraith
Smith k in O.G.2
in aftn (he ws
sent up later
Ethell also
sent up later & wd.
Maxfield k 24
Bland  21
k. m.g. offr (whose crew came
up magnificently aftr
Loop taken, w 3 men,
running from shellhole to
shellhole, under heavy
m.g. bursts from gun in
Rienct whenever they
appeared.  They mounted
gun on Loop line.)
McSweeney - w. badly by m.g. from
Rienct standing by Star
talking to men in shell hole.
Brewster - bombed up CT Nwds
agst oppositn a little way abt 11 am.
got back down rd.
Maddrel - w Brewster.
Parkes x x
Pascoe
Fethers
Kinsman k. later
in O.G.2 by sniper.

35   56
Shrapnel.  (Maxfield
ws in centre of rt shaft
of boomerang.  There
ws no one on the
N shaft of boomerang
beyond apex owing to
m g from right exactly
enfilading it.
On our arty shortening
Pascoe reported to Trew
in wire - in meanwhile
Capt the men had
started to dribble back
along Sunken Rd.
Fethers ws at the Star, manning
bank of Rd to Sans Souci.
Brewster ws on Rienct Rd in
Sap on N side of it w block -
Commn never down CT to OG2,
F. gave Brewster order to
retire after Loop ws pretty well

35   57
clear.  He then retired
down rd & Brewster b
followed.  Sticking closely
to the bank there ws some
cover.
Observers reported
Germs massing on
rt in OG 1 & 2 for
C-attack - & some
did come across open
from Eastern C.T.
Bn   Trew formed
defensive flank along
bank of 29 Rd.
Trew ws wd later
in hand as he had telephone
receiver to his ear &
Parkes took over.
Abt the time the Bn
came out the bank ws
lined for C-attack from
right.

35   58
Certain 6 Germ. prisoners
were going up valley
towds Rly Embankt
during dv afternoon or
at midday.  German mg
at Rienct opened
every time they ducked
from shell holes.  They
got in allright.

At daybreak Germ
flares were noticed
in Bullecourt & in
OG 1 or 2 near 5 Bde.
Fethers & Pascoe on
Star at tt moment when
barrage went on.  F. wonderd
why they didnt go.  It ws
obviously impossible . Pascoe
sd to F tt it ws clear they
cdnt go on - they had no
touch on left or rt.

59

drain  2½ - 3ft wide on near side

of Embank.  No rails.

Impt.  Rd ws in a slight
cutting.
All Say
MG ws on Embankt. No one
ws on rd.

35   60
Maxfield sd when
reached Loop to Fethers
"We've got to dig in here
Fethers - (he came over on
left flank) so get the
fellows to work" - wh
looks as if he saw
advance ws impossible.
At moment they reached
Loop it ws clear tt
something ws wrong
as both flanks in
/ aim.

Acc. to Fethers.
The S Embank when F. reached
it ws not more than 3 ft
high on left.  But by time
they finished it ws much
deeper in places.

35   61
From Lt Greig .To 22nd Bn.
Message recd from Capt Maxfield 24
Btn states. " No sign of 22nd
Bn for 400 y to our left.
No sign of 5th Bde either.  No
Carrying parties arrived here.
Want SAA & bombs badly".
Have sent message on to
24 Bn & sending on Ammn.
Guy O. Greig
Lieut.
Capt Maxfield is
holding a positn G200x in
advance of 1st Objve.
G.O.G.
At this time M. ws wd.

The Ammn cd not be collected.
Not a round.  G went along
himself.  This wd be abt 9 a.m.

[Lloyd speaking to Maxfield on
'phone told him to try & get