Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/180/1 - 1916 - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066796
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

10 thes 13 +Hibbs wsk in if tie Cameron frant of the Hous onthete slight depression. side X 41813 Our front tue conceted unde hel Hole 2ots 6 wh de 04 Shellers 24ih on shown map. behind ling. we miden The the mound satherd thes Bepur this ling Cam o firman tine) which the Support System made middlesen15t Bde) 31 Bn were in there. Hafew 29 Abt 3 pm. the British came thro. Tney were in the attack formation. There did not seem to be any barrage for them noticiable were not held up The Brilish they for to our till badly
& Att an hour before dusk the ferms were reported to be attacking from the S (Rentebbeck & across it just behind the spar) Blomfield cd plainly see them himself. The man were very keen for them to come on, but our articam down on SOS & no more ws seen of attack 10 15 positi a little advanced ahead of it, rather. The Curmans were not pouring in any solid fire but when te Britiote couths & Gambld who were in the font tive socity, moved up there British out to support gamble as kilee way up coutts shook hands w 4 sumble ws hit first in him fthen thro 1 head. He the hip thohead while coutls ws het oimhemuman wet odie. good bye charte another cautts went on abt then 10oyds (possibly 150. head. thot the be too ws (shot I wa abt this time the tommns through our time, came back in Your line some staying to B. W. Corner Some Sony were riddles) (I think
16 The whole time the Germans were trying to out off our advanced posts; coming out abt 5o men at a time & getting stopped w Lewis fans. In 2 or 3 cases our men used ferman gaod- they the L. gunen kenew how to work tese, & and them in place of our Tans knocked out. The shelling ws favily heavy in rear off mound. Later when Day noved to left it we sailed heavily there. in all for wer the ling echeloned 19 4 tnight hel we This posith morningX next that Sin elliot ker It was came esdt up werein Sector & shifted whong their 6 thy lept In ellloto them it ay middlesen or some sa te positn Sa look over Butish 31 ws shifted. whits then went Blonfield Lient back to D Coy then Capt Walters of H. Coy1 ws by the 5/13 by the with also 4 Elton (DCon mound & D cay were holding in this -famble A Coy= Couts. part wit their own men with had some of 5 them. of support Co. satt a secule ain posit 5 put in They were sent down that fla t
18 18 to support A coy 6 t0 ws then up Thompson (A Coy. Nov NE of Cameron at the front House Onthe after D Coy end day they to the Ceft. had been shipt reported further ws mont as 4t tt up the firms were on the spot. that far slopes & at onthe man spected. The Los attack ws ovrart opened, shart went up. then lengthene. but then Aloy Dcoy moved up. The 60 when Co 3154 were ahend. it ws moving up. Hcay were There were ahead of 60 Bn. thert. Tomnees serambling abt on had Tommic By this time the 24 on the comep on night ws Th held e went our o of 27/2
16 C.O. 13 enti burie te officers above & found Couths Htb ermenti Gamble In place where coutts we ws he only 50 70400 behind front line & ou m of relief att dusk heavy barrages were abt where BCoy was, Hibbe ws in front of a /33 close to TerkHo, when he ws shat by a ferm. off who of118/13 Cameout Luit Gamble 54 6y w Germ Off 104dd withe 540t t gamble we Same eft 1
20 21 eto Sept tattly p4 same tie as 9 Bn aye 40 0 enst 14 Solictive a varr th for aft 150 pds Idebarrage Starte creep But before this time had beel reported the germans Fom the Ridge advance Rentelbeck acrossthe 5 344 hony Becelacre. Bate I also news sent back to falley on right; & tour back breduely mackine gunver, from rearfly Ds b 10ll front hangon what you have protect your we will got. right. an The advanced post back on it to 59 tine DCor we bought across Duriy day He 26 Sept.
Jos 22 Gattacks were mad by one germent one serious ineo abrost ffom S. one in 1after from Becclaire H two feibler on later from same direction some of these aattacks came into Cameron Covert. we he canion4 wit a post all the time Thompson wenof down during 11 day w cpt & on man Sor 3 Cameon covert to pentebbecka & back 30 late in after if 26 Sept. After tee attackes ad on beaten back. Orderwere suven C0 that as soon as the Bretish seen comn doctn to were their rit our objectie lank
23 to cooperite whelp tun never along. This attack eventuated 60 did nor push to tink it wis tks wito on his right air without support. Ho pontal attack ar made by British Dairly Cate in the after the British Bn came though the E Eebeloned Coys ws 2 cata Blonfiel had a oitish under him, les t ing the nex the 274un the mist their St Bu moved up post tho a lot of fernan were in South Edge a Polygon wood idate to stong posts tac Ta
gren 24 covered it Rise 544 pasts were on the 4e 4i4 flank refused with So in rear da (wth did Saist it ws sel be seea wh sile di in Wreason of cauve is is live there). The fog ws thickto +chaft feruedus tod no trouble ws shoot Therew experienced MS from Polderhack fire redge -when th &t along shelling went most of over bes to be She B1 Bn remfd on of 26/27 but night ey 6 the remfe as very
25 weak only 60 availible ouly 2 offs reported w.80 enThee Clll i receive to reptanC we put in close support wh 5E Coy in cchelon in frear. on night of 27/20/,310 we reld by 323n & moded back to the original starting st near Bw corney as Support Bn.) at this cive Bw corner woo utterly aninhabitatle wd kelled as they tay on stretchers men were buried there o 3 anut hours ar mg o/ 28. Stencors 2 to to to wood. ihous Id these 3/9 i dumps wer madeof wedrifles endrations were salved to tee t

10
13
of it, & Hibbs ws K in
front of the line. Cameron
House ws on the other
side of a slight depression.
Our front line consisted of P/Bs
& shell hole posts - many of
these shelters exist wh are not
shown on / map.
The main line ws behind
this. Behind this the mound ws a third
line (an Old German line) which
made the support system.
Middlesex, 15th Bde, 31 Bn
& a few 29 were in there.
Abt 3 pm, the British
came thro'. They were in
the attack formation. There
did not see to be any
noticeable barrage for them.
The British were not held up
badly till they got to our 

 

14
x Abt an hour before dusk the Germs
were reported to be attacking from the
S (Rentelbeek & across it just behind the Spar).
Blomfield cd plainly see them himself. The men were
very keen for them to come on, but our arty came
down on SOS & no more ws seen o / attack.
10
15
advanced positn - a little
ahead of it, rather. The Germans
were not pouring in any too solid
fire - but when the British
Coutts (Vic) & Gamble (Vic), who were in
the front line positn, moved up
to support these British. On / 
way up Gamble ws killed
(N.S.W. Vic) Coutts shook hands w
him - Gamble ws hit first in
the hip, then thro / head. He
ws hit thro / head while Coutts
ws w him - he murmured "well
- Goodbye Charlie - & died.
Coutts went on abt another 
100 yds (possibly 150) & then
he too ws shot thro' the head.
It ws abt this time the Tommies
came back through our line,
some staying in our line,
some going to B.W.Corner. X
(I think these were Middlesex)
 

 

X 16
The whole time the Germans were trying to
cut off our advanced posts; coming out abt
50 men at a time & getting stopped w Lewis
guns. In 2 or 3 cases our men used German
guns. They k The L. Gunmen knew how to
work these, & used them in place of our
guns knocked out. The shelling ws fairly
heavy in rear o / mound. Later when
D coy moved to left it ws shelled heavily
there.
X All four Coys were in the
front line echeloned to the rear,
and facing S.

10
17
This positn ws held tt night
& / next morning. X
It was here that Gen. Elliott
came up. He sd they were in
their wrong sector & shifted
them to the left. Gen Elliott
saw tt the Middlesex or some
British Bn took over the positn
whilst 31 ws shifted.
Lieut Blomfield then went
back to D Coy.
Capt Walters of A. Coy (then
with D) ws by the P/B by the
mound & also Lt Elton (D Coy).
D Coy were holding in this
part with A Coy X - Coults & Gamble
                                         D             C
had had some of their own men with
them. D.Coy had bn treated
as a sort of support coy
& put in to secure main positn
on flank. They were sent down there
 

 

10
18
by the C.O. to support A Coy.
Thompson (A Coy) ws then up
at the front N or NE or Cameron
House.
On the 2nd day after D Coy
had been shifted to the left they
further were moved up as it ws suspected reported
on the spot that the Germs were
massing on the far slope, & an
attack ws suspected. The SOS
went up, our arty opened, short,
but then lengthened. It ws then tt
D Coy moved up. The 60th & A Coy
31st were ahead of D Coy when
it ws moving up. A Coy were
ahead of 60 Bn. There were
Tommies scrambling abt on the rt.
By this time the Tommies had
come up on the rt.
The Bn ws reld on night
of 27/28. The next mg. B. went out

 

10
19
& buried the officers mentioned
above & found Coutts Hibbs &
Gamble where mentioned.
The place where Coutts ws
ws then only 50 - 70 yds
behind front line. s
On night of relief abt
dusk heavy barrages were
put abt where D Coy was.
C.O. Hibbs was in front of a P/B
- close to Jerk Ho when he
ws shot by a Germ. Offr who
came out of / P/B. This
Germ. Offr ws shot by Lieut. Gamble.
Lt Gamble ws shot within 100 yds o /
same spot. 

 

20
Diagram. See original document
10
21
During Sept 26, A Coy held
practically same line as 59 Bn.
They first went up under
the ^protective barrage at the time of the
left for abt 150 yds.
The barrage started to
creep. But before this time
the Germans had been reported
advancing from the Ridge
across the Rentelbeek &
from 5 of Becelaere. This ws
sent back to Bde - also news
of falling back on right; & tt our
right ws being heavily machine gunned from ^rt rear flank.
Toll sent to front lines - 
hang on to what you have
got - we will protect your
right -
The advanced posts came
back on rt to 59 line. D Coy
ws brought across.
The During day of 26 Sept
 

 

10
22
4 c-attacks were made by
Germans - one serious one
almost from S. in morning,
One in / aftn from Ghele
Becelaere, & two feebler ones
later from same direction.
Some of these c-attacks came
into Cameron Covert.
We held Cameron H. with
a post all the time.
Lt Thompson went down
during / day w Cpl & one man
E of Joist Farm xxxxx xxxxx to Cameron Covert,
to Rentelbeek - & round Joist
Farm & back, late in aftn of
26 Sept. After these attacks
had bn beaten back.
Orders were given by C.O.
that as soon as the British
were seen coming down to
their objective our rt flank
 

 

10
23
ws to cooperate & help them
along. This attack never
eventuated & CO. did not
think it wise to push
on his right with  into
/ air without support.
No frontal attack ws made
by / British. Fairly late in
the aftn the British Bn came
through the x echeloned Coys
& ws cut up. Blomfield had a
lot of British under him.
On the next mg. the
Bn 27th in the mist the
31 Bn moved up their posts
thro a lot of German wire
in / South Edge of
Polygon Wood, & consolidated
strong posts, each gap being
 

 

10
24
covered by supports. These
posts were on the Blue Line
with flank refused in 
front of Jo in rear of
Joist Farm (wh did not
seem to be held - it ws
knee deep in mud - wh
is / reason o / curve in
/ line there). The fog ws
too thick to enable Germans
to shoot & no trouble ws
experienced. There ws
mg. fire from Polderhoek
& E along tt ridge - when light
grew. Most of shelling went
over.
The 31 Bn ws to be reld.
reinfd on night of 26/27 but
the reinforcing B ws very 

 

10
25
weak, only 60 available &
only 2 offrs reported w 60
men. These Col. Toll held
in reserve to replace D Coy
wh ws put in close support
to C. Coy in echelon in rear.
On night of 27/28, 31 Bn
ws reld by 32 Bn & moved
back to the original starting
pt near BW corner as
support Bn. At this time
B.W. Corner ws utterly uninhabitable
wd killed as they lay on stretchers
- 27 men were buried there on 3
quiet hours on mg of 28.
Bn H.Q. had to go to Glencorse
Wood.
In these 3 quiet hours
2 big dumps were made of
salved rifles - eno rations
were salved to keep the

 

 

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