Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/169/1 - September - October 1917 - Part 3

23
Diagram. See original document

Abt 4 hits on this pillbox this
evg. 7pm Oct 5 - after dark.
One shell hit edge of door
of half in wh were abt 14
runners - No one hurt but stunned
& a German flare dump outside ignited
a man ws hit inside H.Q. dugout by a
piece & a piece hit Maj. Chalmers on cheek.

49   24
The Germans put up a good bombt again abt
7pm. Oct 5 till 8.30pm & poured shells
into Zonnebeke near church, gasometer, &
the rd to Broodseinde & Thames Wood.
Abt midnight 5/6 Maj. Holmes
brought up 17 Bn to relieve.  After relief
27 Bn moved back to Anzac Ridge.
On morng night of Oct 6/7 Bn (wh had
orders to move in N of 19 Bn as
marked) took over in rly cutting from
2/6 Manchesters x H.Q. N of rly opposite Thames
Wood.  The night ws fairly quiet 

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25
as ws 7^th Oct.
At 6.30 pm Germans opened an

intense bombt. His main barrage line
ws Zonnebeke, Thames Wood, Rly.
They blew in front line in several places &
there were 40 or 50 casualties.
Gould & others thought tt this ws
/ preliminary to a big attack - durg aftn
of 7 Oct. 30 German planes had bn

flying very low over our front line &
/ germs had bn registering.  The trench
 

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26
there ws a good trench in sand.
This bombt lasted till abt 7.30pm.
Oct 7.
Abt 2am. Oct 8, Maj. Holmes 17 Bn
relieved 27^th.  They moved back to
Rly Wood where they were in tunnels
& trenches.  They spent Oct 8 in these
trenches.
9 Oct. Abt 3a.m.  27Bn ws moved to
Anzac Spur & held there in support to
5 & 6 Bdes. 

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27
At 11am.  Orders were recd to move
to the front line at the old positn of B Coy
in front of Daisy Wood.
This trench ws found to be
crowded out by portions of 6 Bde
(21 Bn had 40 men left there; 26 Bn
were there, - & strays from other Bns).
The abt 27 Bn ws heavily shelled there.
Capt Gould, 2/Lt. Jury, & 2/Lt Organ were
killed here by shells & 2/Lt Coulter ws
mortally wd & died at / dressing station. 

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Betw 15 & 20 men 14 men were killed & abt 40 wd 15 wd.
They withdrew C & D Coys to the 27 Bns
old Red line the po waiting positn in D 22 Centl.
B & A Coys still in line.
The germs kept up a continuous bombt
on front line & this to De Knoet Fm.
& Zonnebeke - steady & thin.
[The 7 Bde ws supporting during
this fighting.]
The men were very much
done.
During day & night of 9^th m.g. fire 

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29
ws coming from Dairy Wood.
(not Daisy)
Oct 10 3a.m. Reld by 49 Bn
under Col. Denton & moved
back to Ypres barracks.
Night of Oct 10 embussed for Steenvoorde; 

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30
27 Bn Casualties
                                        k                                wd.                    m.
Oct 4/6      Offr             1 (3rd)        _____       {1 6 (3rd) xx._____
                     or               24               _____       114 __________  4

7/8            {Offrs __       -                  _____        -    _____________ 
                  {or.    __        9                 _____       20  _____________

9/10           Offrs __       {3 1d of w   _____       -     _____________
                   or.     __       {7
                                       {7 d of w.    _____       15   ____________
__________________________________________________________
                                        52                              156                      4
 

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31
25 Bn.  While 25 Bn ws waiting
for the attack of Oct 4 a Lewis Gun
post in front reported tt it cd see
Germans moving in numbers.
Major Page went foward, with a
 scout (or his batman? I forget wh) & stealing
past the L.G. Post was grabbed by
15 germans.
The germans have an order
that big rewards will be given for prisoners, 
[*Wrong X
See
Book
170
p.55*] 

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32
& seeing tt he ws an officer they didnt
bayonet him but held him there.  Presently
one of our shells, not in / bombt, fell near
& scattered them.  Two remained hanging
onto Pages belt - he had a Sam Browne belt
on so they knew he ws an officer.  His pistol
ws on his lanyard but when he tried to seize
it, they held it.  Somehow he managed
to shoot one & clear himself of the other.
He got back to our lines.
He now knew there ws to be 

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a German attack - & there ws 5 mins.
to go to the British starting time.  He ws in
a dreadful dilemma, wondering whether he
ought to put up the S.O.S or to wait.
He carried / whole weight o / British
army on his shoulders for five minutes,
& waited.  Down came our barrage -
& the Germans were crushed.
(This is from Col. Slaney 27 Bn &
needs checking as to small details)
checked later - see Bk 170 p.55.