Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/161/1 - 1916 - 1917 - Part 4

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The German wire

had not bn well

cut till last day

(June 6) This had

hampered & prevented

raid of 5/6. &

2000 MTM with

and 4.5 with 106

fuze had bn put into

it during aftn of June

6 & scouts sent out

early night 6/7 reported

^at 12.35 wire v. satisfactorily

cut.

At 12.30pm.

on June 9 Co recd

orders to take

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Thatchers Cottage -

task wh had originally

bn offere

Orders were got out

by Bn to do this leaving by

2 p.m.

20 o.r. under

2/Lt Thomas went

out at c 1.50

^I patrols got along ditch N of

Ultimo Lane ^Broken Tree Rd - other

worked along by the

Broken Tree House

Thatched Cottage Rd.

& were in by Thatcher

Cottage by 2.5 without

casualties. The

Rd Patrol found a

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sniper lying on the

rd & bayoneted him.

C.O sent out L.G.

& carrying pty with

5 picks & shovels &

water at night 2 more

L.G. teams & all sorts

of stores (by 20 carriers

with wire, ammn, food

grenades, water)

The post had lain [[?close]]

this aftn but were

seen & shelled slightly.

That night a

further party ws sent

under Sergt Crowley 

wh took the House 

on junctn of Ash Ave 

& Ultimo Reserve. They

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found a 77 here -

& 2 Germs whom they

killed. There was

plenty of ammn in

a drain. The gun

had a broken wheel

-otherwise perfect.

(sights etc were brought

in later -The gun

will be brought in).

June 10 
Throughout this

day No 2 post (last one)

ws v. quiet & did not

snipe at Uncertain

Support - but 2

enemy snipers passed

their post going towds

Uncertain Support &

had to kill them.

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During this time they

saw abt 12 different

parties of enemy,

the largest of wh ws

very abt 5, very

disorganised & demoralised

going back from the

Potterie System up the

Uncertain C.Ts.

C.O. got the 18 pdrs

onto them & also L.Gs.

& they reported that

L.Gs first, & Arty aftwds

got a certain no. of them.

They had evidently had

a hell of a time in

the Potteries & seemed 

to have no Commander

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Both posts were quiet.

N. No2 Post didnt dig

in much by day - they

had Germ. wire in front.

No 1 Post ws v. well

dug in & flanking

trench all wired so th

Germs wd have to

leave them & get out

for bombg attack-

covered by L.Gs.

a little behind & on

either flank of Thatched Cot.

Blocks were also Estab.

June 10/11.

This night the 33 Bn

was being relieved

by 35 Bn, but before

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relief had to take

Fuze Cottage & Uncertainty

Support (at the second

N) 10 D 10.56. when

they wd be relieved

(after I operatn) by 35

Bn. Fuze Co

A barrage ws

arranged. At abt

10.30 the S.O.S. went

up & heavy barrage

came down - The

barrage ws railed stopped

by request of C.O.33

Bn on his front so

th the men wd know

when our own

barrage went down at

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11p.m.

The parties were

in each case 1 offr. & 20

men with L.G. (each

party from garrison

of old posts) & 10

moppers up. These

moppers up on

completing work

had to return.

No 1 & 2 posts were

still held by balance

of garrison & men

sent up.

The moppers up 

on returning had to

guide up 35 Bn.

The No 1 New Post ws

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still under 2/Lt Thomas;

No 2 New Post by

2/Lt Clarence - Crowley

being with him.

In the fight for No 1

new post 12 Germs.

were killed. They were

in Unchained trench &

put up a bit of a

fight. The Four

runners were sent

back during the fight

to Capt Linklater

(the moppers up being

still at work). No

runner arrived -

2 strayed & got back

at 4 a.m. The other 2

were never heard of.

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Linklater ws very

disturbed at hearing

nothing & seeing the 

fighting — & went

forwd himself w

a runner. He has 

never since been

seen.

No 2 new post were

held up for a bit 

by m.g. But the

bombers went forwd

with a rush & the

m.g. team cleared up the

Uncertain C.T.s

leaving their gun.

In No 1 post after the