Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/168/1 - 1915 - 1917 - Part 7

Stating men were on
German xx line, & most
active participation wd
be welcomed by all.
Reply to make arrangts
to move more to rt.
MGs were here also / [[and?]]
heavy casualties

68
48
On Oct 4:
30 to dig S.P. (2 hrs aft. zero)
50 carrying SAA
120 digging CT. (abt 4 hrs after zero).
all carrying & digging C.T.
The C.T. ws dug to
right of Knoll near 6K
Farm.
The party at the Mill
Brewsters company
(Wuhle) were on enemy
barrage line & suffered
heavily. Of the offrs
Lt AC Brewster (of Bullecourt fame)
[*Son of
Minister
at St Kilda.*]
Lt K.O.E Ethell (wd at Bullect & just died).
[*Son of
Minister
in Queensld.
Laidley*]
Lt J. Moore (only a few days
back from O.T.C.)
All killed
Lt R Gordon M.C. (Lone Pine)
(1st MC of Bn) wounded
Their pty ws in suppt
& ready to carry
 

R48/68
3/10/17.
Brewster's last message.
This shelling killed him shortly after.
He shd have got a M.C. after Bullecourt - and
wd. after this; but Smythe will not allow dead officers
even to be mentioned.

To Quill
Our barrage this morning was as usual replied to by
Fritz, who shell our trench fairly heavily.
This afternoon retaliated very heavily after our
practice barrage had nearly ceased, the result being five
casualties, two killed and three wounded.
These casualties were all from the left flank, so tonight
intend to dig more trench from on the right, which is better
ground.
This sort of thing is telling on the men's nerves and
a more active programme will be welcomed by all.

A.Brewster, Lieut.
O.C. "D" Coy.
 

69
48
No other offr. casualties
on Oct 4.
From then Bn ws used
in digging. Oct 5 dug
C.T. to front line, mule
tract from Zonnebeke Lake
to Dr Knoct Farm - this
means taping & filling in
shellholes. Bn then ws in
old front line on Zonnebekke
Spur.
Oct 6. Burying cable
from Garter Pt to Moulini
Farm, forwd of Zonnebeke
Lake. This reached Zonnebekke
Lane. It ws for advd
Bde H.Q. 5^th Bde.
 

70
48
Oct 7 still burying cable
onto Tokio Spur.
83 men were sent
out - fatigue ws great,
no trench feet. 83 were
brought up from Caestre.
 Recd 19 Bn in front line
N of Zonnebeke Broodseinde
Rd - Bn HQs at Pill box
near Dr Knoct Fm.
One coy of 19 Bn (to be
relieved by 24 Bn) ws still
in line till night of 8 Oct.
The 21 Bn were to be in
support; but on 8^th, Col.
Brazenor put shortly to
Bde tt / men were not
fit for it & ½ of front ws
 

 71
B     C     A   |
 -       -      -   |
 -       -      -   |   D
 -       -      -   |
 -       -      -   |

72
48
Relieved by 21 Bn - & met
of 250 yds fron, 23 Bn
had abt 150.
The Caestre men
arrd abt 7 am. 8 October.
23rd Bn ws North
of 21st BN.
[Diagram. See original document]
B ws to go out & Consolidate
Blue line while standing Barrage
ws on.
 

73
48
Bn formed on J O Tape
at 4.20 am & had no
casualties to zero.
Daisy & Busy Woods
on rt caused heavy
casualties w M.G. & rifle
fire. Dairy Wood ws
mopped right away.
Directn had bn lost on
getting to 1st objive but
this ws corrected during
61 mins. wait of barrage.
The rt flank ws not seen
at all at this time as
they were held up at
Daisy Wood but Bn
ws in touch w 17 Bn
on left.
 

7448
Capt. J. Noall ws
severely wd. by a Germ.
shell during advance.
Lieut. Frost ws (first time
in / line) had not gone 100
yds when ws K. by a 
shell. (Frost abt 150 yds
from JOT. N o all abt
Dairy Wood.)
On red line they
got into the old enemy
trench & lay there.
On barrage lifting
they consolidated on a
line of shellholes from 
Rhine House to abt
150 yds S.
21 Bn had a Sergt
 

75
48
& 10 men whole offrs
had ^all bn K. & who were
under the 23 Bn there.
No others were seen.
It ws decided to form
a defensive flank w left
of line on Rhine House.
This ws done. 5 S.Ps.
were swung out on a 
semicircle from Rhine.
Connection maintained
w 17 Bn & arrangements
w them to reinf. if
c.attacked.

Lt. Hinchliffe   }
Lt O'Connell    }  were all
Lt Griffin           }
up with the Rhine House
party. Hinchliffe ws in/c.
 

76
48
A Vickers Germ. of 5^th Bde
ws placed betw. rt flank
& Dairy Wood to cover
gap. 2 guns of 6 MG Coy
were placed W. of Dairy
Wood for same reason.
Of 160 men, 90 were
casualties. There were
no x casualties after
Consolidation - but it
the casualties were from
M.G. fire & 77^s.
Abt 9 am Cpl. Robertson (an original)
& G o.r. went out to
patrol Busy Wood on
own initiative. They
were on / rt flank.