Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/171/1 - October 1917 - Part 2

10

37 Bn Bivouac over
Politqze Rd near
Ypres Cemetery in front
(E) of Ypres.

Diagram - see original document

51
11
37 Bn.
Oct 4. See
narrative:
Assembly positn
was abt ½ way
up the Slope beyond
the Zonnebeke.
The German line
ws a shellhole system.
The first Pillboxes
were on the Crest
o / Hill - Levi
Cottages; abt 3 normal
concrete dugouts.
The m.g. wh ws playing
seemed to stop as /
barrage was onto them.

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Two of these were then
rushed by Lieut R.J.
Smith (at / head of
a number of men)
who has since got the
M.C.
Pte McCoy got
behind / other.  A
German. offr ws outside
it.  He hopped onto
this offr w a bayonet
Some bombs were
thrown at him - he
dodged them.  They
wounded one man -
The Offr put up his
hands & someone
stopped M. from
finishing him.  The
M told the offr to

51
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help w a stretcher
to carry off the wd
man. The Offr sd
Me officer & wdnt.
M. threatend him
with / bayonet &
he ran.
Abt 30 men surrenderd
from this dugout.
McCoy got DCM(?)
37 Bn objve ws
on the forward
Slope betw. Levi
& Springfield
nearer to Levi than
S. with a creek
w some stumpy willows
well ahead of it.

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w  Maj. Story
hit imd. after
Jump off.
w  Capt Towl  hit in
the assembly
k  Capt F.G. Moule ws
hit by a bullet
from Pillbox (Levi
Cotts) during advance
& d. of w.
Lieuts Bean}
Brewer} were
hit by shellfire slightly
later in / day on
objve.
Lieut JW McDonald M.C. ws
hit by bullet from Levi
during advance.

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Lieut. L.S. Dimsey
ws hit by shell.
shortly after the
jump off.  He
died of w.

2 Offrs k.
5 _____ w.

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Oct 12.
. 37 Bn.
(See narrative)
Billeting around
Vlamertinge when
^news of attack orders recd.
on Oct 7.
On Oct 9 Preliminary
instrns.
Bn had 1st Objve in this
attack also (originally
it ws to have had the
last)
The gas ws nothing

17

Diagram - see original document

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18
like as bad as
Messines - A
heavy gas shelling
wd have made
all / diffce for
to stray from /
track ws to get
lost at once.

The assembly positn
was across Dab Trench.
The track wh led
up to / Assembly
positn was thro'
/ wire, & / wire ws
knocked abt & made
no obstacle.
Dab Trench is right on
/ crest o / ridge.  It is concret
a concreted trench)

19

He ws also at Fromelles ?Messines
- a splendid offr - also the
Bn Raid in February, &
Messines . (8 Bn; then 60 Bn)

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k.  Lieut. J. Roadknight
sniped from Augustus
Wood - he ws an old
Anzac man, in 2nd 7 Bde^x.

w.  Capt Heberle  wd
up on the Objective,
slightly by Shrap.
Capt. W.L. Atkin  wd
in advance by bullet
from Aug Wood or the left.
Capt Stubbs (wd for
3rd time (Feb & Messines)
shot thro both legs.
Another wd man held
his head above water
for an hour or he wd

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have bn drowned.
He was out near /
objve.
Lieut. A.F. Hain  ws /
first offr to send back
word tt / objve had
bn reached.  He ws
slightly wd by a shell.
Lieut . McNicol ws
wd on / objve
in / back o / head,
by Shrap
Lt A Fowler ws wd
on / Objve - burnt by
a shell & had his
arm fractured _

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Lieut L Martel -
mustard gas on
/ way up.
2/Lieut W. Duff  ws
shot thro both
wrists in / advance.
Lieut E.T. Stevens ws
to be liaison offr
w 34 Bn at their
HQrs.  He reported
to them on / morning
of 11th & returned to
bivouac.  He left
again to report in
/ aftrn & has never
been seen since. His