Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/159/1 - June 1917 - Part 8

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95
Betw 6 & 7pm.  On June 7
2 pties of germs abt 6 in each
were due east of Barn abt
200 yds down slope.
As soon as they were
noticed word came from left
tt enemy were massing
on left of 37 Bn.  One of
Sergt Mackays 2 guns opened
fire on these 2 parties abt
¼hr before the Arty.
They were not in a trench.  There
ws a rise in front - Germs were
trying to keep under cover.
Arty got onto them well,
obliquely & if any attack ws
intended it fell thro'.

There ws at Armentieres
a fable about the "Caretaker"

96

No 1 Section: 34 went. & 2 offrs.
Came out.  1 N.C.O. 5 o.r.
(This ^Section encl. Fraser & Youlden)
& 3 NCOs.

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97
who used to light / very
lights. Some say tt one
night he lost his
wooden leg - some say
he had his lights
on a string.
Out of 159 (6offrs 153 or)
           k.     w.     m.
Offrs   -     40     4-
or        8     40     5
4 offrs out of 6. wd. Fraser.
Youlden on way up.
Tyzack blown up, knocked
out, buried - sent away
from
Mackay near Hyde Pk
Corner aftn on 9th
Potter still there w guns in
Reserve.

Diagram - see original document

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98
Diagram - see original document

52 & 50 Bn. Night of June 10/11
Diagram - see original document

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99
The 43rd Bn on night of 10/11
when lining up for advance at 11 pm
came under barrage laid down
by Germs for 13th Bde show at 10.30
& suffered a good deal of confusion.
However - its line got dug -
nearly to / river - & curled round
a knoll above River.

Diagram - see original document

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100
4[[?]]
52 Bn. Attack. June 10/11.
Arthur put tape out this mg.
2 Coys guided in wrong.
Only 2 got off tape.
Wire ws practly uncut where Arthur ws; Gs met them w bombs
in the wire.  Few men came into trench.
50 Bn got in on left. & 52 drifted
men in thro them.
[*HQrs.*]
Offr laying tape ws cracked.  Lt Rogers.
It ws 1 hr too soon.
Arthur had to do it on
hands & knees. & ws sniped
3 times under
flares.
Barrage ws in before 52 ws in
50 just beat it.  It came down at
same time.
Arthur was senior officer.

R39/2
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
G.518.
6-6-17.
COPY. 6-6-17.
2nd ANZAC.
NEW ZEALAND Division.
57th Division.
C. R. A.
O.C. Defensive Battalions.
Raiding parties as detailed in Operation
Order No. 40 achieved following results.  43rd Bn. 11th Bde.
who entered at U.15.a.50.75. bombed 3 dugouts thereby killing 6
of the enemy.  30 of the enemy were fired at while retreating over
the top from front line to support line, casualties were inflicted
by this fire.  Raiders penetrated 50 yards beyond firing line.
Trenches in bad repair but dugouts good.  No casualties incurred
so far as known.
42nd Battalion, 11th Bde., who entered
at U.15.a.96.50. obtained shoulder straps as identification
9th Bavarian (normal).  Enemy would not fight.  As our men cheered
on entering enemy dropped their rifles and some hundred of them
ran, followed by our men for 100 yards, who drove them back into
our barrage.  The movement was made overland.  Raiders fired
average of 15 rounds each with good effect.  On their way back
they counted 10 corpses killed by rifle and bayonet.  Wire was
no obstacle - trenches practically non-existent - no dugouts -
enemy holding shell holes.  Our casualties one man slightly
wounded.  Enemy barraged NO MAN'S LAND 11 minutes after ZERO.
By then our men were beyond his barrage.  Enemy employed no machine
gun fire on 11th Brigade.
33rd Battalion, 9th Bde., who attempted
to enter at U.15.b.48.48 were unable to do so owing to uncut
wire and activity of the enemy.  Casualties 2 O.R. killed,  8 O.R.
wounded so far as known.
37th Battalion, 10th Bde., were unsuccessful.
Enemy 'plane flying low dropped red
light over them while in our trenches and they came under hostile
artillery fire before ZERO hour
40th Battalion, 10th Bde., met with heavy
hostile artillery action before leaving our trenches and effected
nothing.
Our aeroplane report that enemy trenches
were pretty full is confirmed, but the enemy put up a poor fight
seeing that each of our teams only consisted of 1 officer and 20
other ranks.
There appears to have been hostile artillery
action on our trenches from ZERO minue 15 to ZERO minus 5
in the case of the 10th Brigade.  The further action by the enemy's
guns was directed against NO MAN'S LAND at plus 12 as stated
above.
(Sgd) G.H.JACKSON. Lieut-Col.
General Staff.
1.20 a.m.

R39/2

R39/2
HEADQUARTERS
No. G6/40
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
Divisional Headquarters,
6th June, 1917.
9th Aust. Inf. Bde.
10th  -do-
11th   -do-
Capt. Bean.
The attached copy of signal message sent at 1.20 a.m.
this morning to 2nd ANZAC, and repeated to New Zealand and 57th
Divisions, C.R.A. and O.C. Defensive Battalions, is forwarded
for your information.
C.H. Jackson
Lieut-Colonel.
General Staff.
T.C.
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