Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/165/1 - May - September 1917 - Part 6

54
45
At Noon 2/RWF with Austlns
attack from S end of Polygon Wood.
4.30 pm 5 Corps Prisoners - 300
to moment.
4.30
3 Div. report they dont hold
crest of Hill 40. Hold
Blue Line from rt to near
Stn. Where a gap. Enemy
hold Stn. Line thence along
road towds Kansas Cross
to abt. D21 Centl. where
flank thrown back as
touch not gained w Levi
Cottages. Orders to
all troops to get in touch
& arrangts in progress to
get Statn & Hill 40
 

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45
4 p.m.   10 Corps Order.   33^rd
Divn having captd 1st
objve will use every
effort to capture final objve.
& arrange co-opⁿ w
5 Aust Div.
5 p.m. from X Corps.
Rt Bde.
39 Div. 4.20: J 26 B8.2
J 27 A 0 5      J 27 A 3.5
J 27 A 35 75.  gap 100
yds - L.G. at  J 27. A 78.
Left Bde thence Red Line w
advd posts in dugouts abt J 21D 15.
Left Bn. Just west of triangulus
copse J 21 D2 .6 - J 21 D08.
G O C 118 Bde intends 
to capture rest of objve during
day.

56
45
6.10 pm
5 Aust Div MG offr reports
2 Enemy planes shot down
by mg fire in our lines.
4.5 pm 2 Army
100 Bde holds green
line Veldbock trench, thence
thro N end Shelwelt Wood.
Austrlns report large no's
of German dead & 480 prisoners
X Corps 200 prisoners
3.30 am 2 Army
4 Aust all objves gained
5 Aust also as far S
on blue line as J 10D s.5
whence back to Red Line
N of Cameron H.
Left Bde 33 Divn in Red
line & moving thro Polygon to
get Blue line w Australns
 

57
45
who will take Joist Fm
(98 Bde found 2 Coys A&SH).

6.30. 4 Div: Enemy Aeroplanes
flying v. low, one shot down.
Blue line consold with
posts in front.
7 offrs. 180 ors prisoners.
7 mgs taken.
Hostile c.attack broke down under our
barrage at 3.30
Forecast - probly ^somewhat drizzly
9 Corps abt 4.30 pm saw much
German movemt in
J 26D8.5, J 27C. men
in fighting order from SE.
They were fired on with
arty & mg.
 

58
45
7.40 4 Div. Rt Bde
still being shelled. Left
all quiet. No anxiety
yet.
8 pm. X Corps arty report
c-attack driven off
by arty fire.
8 pm. from 2 army. Heavy
attack launched agst
59 & 33 Divns S of
Polygon Wd to Tower Hamlets.
Repulsed S of Menin Rd.
N of Menin Rd Jut Fm &
Cameron House believed
taken. 5 Aust Div
now attacking Cameron
House. Attacks on 1st Anzac
Corps front repulsed
 

59
45
5 Aust Div.
7.3 pm.
59 B ('B' Bn) well dug in
in 2 lines, one NE thro
J. 10.C & one along Red Line.
29 Bn ("D' Bn) in Blue line
in depth.
31 Bn ('C' Bn) & RWF
slightly intermingled but
joining 98 Bde 150 yds
E of Red line in Southern
Corps Boundary Engaged
in attack on Cameron H.
15 Bde employing 12 German
captd mgs in defence of
their area.
 

60
45
9.15. Fighting on 5 Corps
front has bn heavy.
Obscure - BGGs inclined
to think Centre driven
back, but Rt fast.
Supports being sent to
assist centre.
(?ws this at 3.30 when our
4^th Div. ws attacked).
_________________________
9.15 GSO1 5 Div: after
visiting units. All
full of confidence.
L.Gs doing good shooting
from Top of Butte.
Glencourse track
heavily shelled.
 

61
45
12 Bn

Came up thro Chateau
Wood - not a shell there.
Rain had stopped & they
started at 1 a.m. from Halfway
House. They had to cross
Menin Rd at Hooge at
1.30 but were blocked by
27 Bn crossing their path.
             ________
Gen Plumer had ordered tt
everyone shd have a four
hours spell before going
in.
             ________
H.Q. got to J 9.C.1.5 in two
Pill box dugouts.
Lt M M Allen (Western Aust.
- there are 13 W.A. 38 Tas. 5
SA Q. - 3 S.A., 3 Vic, 2 N.S.W.)
 

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45
24 offrs were taken in.
Bn ws right under
Eny enemy barrage.
Maj WWS Johnston, AAMC
was working in the open
right under the barrage. He
had a little Air post in Jargon
trench but wd it got full & he
worked in the open.
Barrage 4.30 to 5.15.
Stopped 3 mins & recommenced
not nearly as intense
& then continued. Quickened
agn after our barrage [The
expected us at 4.30]
The Nonne Boschen
marsh had been moistened
again by / rain & ws
very heavy.
        ________
The m.g. barrage made
more noise than even the 18 pdrs
& ^must have had a very demoralising effect.
 

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45
Diary: 5^th Corps. 6.35 pm.
27^th 300 Germans still on Hill 40
& others in shell holes at stn.
6 pm. 2 army: 100 Bde
state tt 98 Bde is in Jut Farm
3.20 p.m. At 12.5 p.m.
60 Bn on line J 16a 9.6 -
J 16a 6.8. Intend to
link with 31 Bn at J 10 d 10
31 Bn holding line J 10 d 16
- J 10 d 14 & linked
up with 29 Bn at J 10 d 07.
Blue line thus ours.
__________________________
At 12.10 pm enemy were
observed dribbling over
ridge into Positn.
5 Div prisoners to date 20 offrs
488 men. 19 mgs.