Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/160/1 - June 1917 - Part 6

40      67
by accident when first
going up. A shower of
shrap. fell on HQrs. Some
got behind trees. Others nipped
into shell hole & found the
Sig. Stn there. Herrings
HQ. at first ws an open
trench afterwds a Hun
grenade store of wood.
The German end of
the 47 2nd HQrs  (where Leane ws)
ws hit by abt 40 3 shells & finally 
broken by 3 in same place.
8 men were killed there
(2 Ambce men & wd men) in this.
It ws clearly a deliberate
German target. It had bn
a Bn HQrs of the Eugen
Battalion. (Otto Bn ws on
his rt & Barmen in his rear) 

68
(? the shell we heard
of in winter wh 
wd kill at 
1000 yds).
40    69
The night of 9/10 46 Bn came
in and took over 1/3 of ^Bde sector
45 Bn ws relieved.
June 10. German aeroplane
came over flying low. Heavy
shelling all day. Many
casualties.
This night 10/11 at 4am.
47 Bn ws reld. & moved into
old British frontline wh
ws pretty warm. Some were
k. here. The German ws
using a shell w an instantaneous
fuse and wh ws at / same time
a gas shell.
47 Bn had 4 Tanks - 
HMLS Lucifer, Our Emma, Rumblebelly
& 2005.  2005 stuck
below Messines after the fight. 

40    70
An Australian named
Ley (from 6 L.H.R) ran
Lucifer; 3 Scotsmen -
Williamson Our Emma, Agnew (Rumblebelly)
& Brockwell (2005).
They got up. Rumblebelly
got down Huns Walk to Owl
trench. Lucifer & Our Emma 
went to Oxygen.
2005 followed Rumblebelly
but he became lost in the 
trees by Uncanny & got
lost to view - & when next
seen ws coming back.
Our men had an 
idea tt / Tanks wd rout
the Germans out, & if they
got near them they wd
catch & bayonet them. 

71
47 Bn had 10 offrs k & 8 or 9 wd.
Capt. Davy k. at jump off waiting to start
Capt. Miller k in wood on patrol.
Lt. Goode ) just after starting under
Lt. Dixon   ) our barrage
2/Lt. Walker (Brisb.) ...missing but body found. near Owl trench
Lt. Scott. a v fine offr. going across
Ipswich Q. to 45^th when first they
got in to see what matter
was. He ws with in/c of the
forward Bn Commd Post.
(past the black line).
Temp. Capt. Salmon k by shell in Owl trench 3rd day.
Lt Campbell. k 1st day near Owl trench getting into it.

McKeon  ) hit but remained on duty.
Williams )
40       72
Rumblebelly caught fire
on Huns Walk. An offr.
got out with his Pyrene
Extinguisher & sat on top 
& extinguished it - our men
standing looking on in wonder
at his gallantry - only not
thinking of their being under
/ same m.gs.
All these 4 tanks
came back, just seeing
the troops into the trenches.
The only complaint tanks
had ws tt / men got into
their way. 
One half caste Chinaman
from Cairns acted as
runner signaller scout
L. gunner (after 1 wks self
tuition in signalling). He

73
Diagram - see original document
Pte. Shang
40       74
found a signal lamp in
the cement cottage at
Huns Walk, set up the
lamp on top of it exposed
to everything, worked it
from there by daylight
& dark (by daylight
running messages).
He went out on patrol
after snipers & got thro'
without a scratch.
Every time he came to
Bn HQ he carried some
informatn, disc, or 
paybook. Every time he
went back he carried
water or ammn. & sniped
in the intervals.

The Co. rowsed on
him with his tongue in his

40   75
cheek "You dont appear
to be doing much" he sd.
"Oh well - I'm in a bit
new to this" he sd " this
is only my second stunt."
What were you in.
Oh Bullecourt -
Oh is that all.
He ws in the 2nd line
at Bullecourt.
[Recommendatns in
this Bn were left largely
to the men - informally
asked. 2 offrs were recommended 
by the N.C.OS.]
47 Bn got / gun 77. between
Zareeba & White Spot Cottage.
The 47 Bn sent a team to get
it out (transport horses) But
some austr  N.Z. gunners were 

76
47 Bn Casualties 

Gassed 2
Total 459
Went in 783 inc. carrying
pties, details
at dump etc
Fighting units abt 580. Abt 220
came out

40       77

then using it. It ws in

a lean to at the rear of

a concrete emplacement.

(Prob. anti-tank - Natekampf

batterie). Captd by 15 Bln D Coy

47 Bn.
For carrying pties

see Bn Report.

Carrying Yukon packs.

Previously 3 men cd carry 2 boxes.

With a Yukon pack the weakest

man cd carry 1 Box -

Imlay carried 3.  Strong men

could carry 2 & run with 1.

50 were carrying. A shell

got them & k. abt 12. At

the start going up from the

forming up place in nomansland.