Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/181/1 - September 1917 - Part 3

26
Sept. 27 abt 10.30 am. The Stokes mortars
were turned from Cameron House where
Marshall ws on to a point across / valley
Southwds at abt 800 yds . After a while
they got 2 direct hits onto the Pillbox Fm
House there, & / Germans came running out
of it. Lt Gamble ws w / S.M.s The Germs got into
them w their 5.9 or 4.2s & they had to shelter in
the old H.Qrs.
9
27
& water, & ws warned to
prepare for c.attack at dawn.
Sent for Neale & Busey &
warned them. They sd
everything ws v quiet.
The night ws quiet
No attack at dawn.
Gen. Elliott came up abt
7 a.m. He got a number of
men forward to further
lines.
The day ws notable for
tremendously constant
shelling of the S.E. triangle
of Polygon Wood - The
Germs had v. good observation
from balloons & aeroplanes -
day ws very clear.
The 59 Bn went forward to
Eastern edge of Polygon wd
but the shelling drove them.

28
Sept 27
x Sergt Chenery did good
Work w Neale at this
time.
Sergt Cropley of A.M.C. did
fine work in the Pill box on the

S.E. straight of Riding Track
on second day under Maj.
Bullen, who did splendid work
there tt day & night w / wd.
[Bullen ws killed in a pillbox
on Tokio Spur when Bn ws  holdg

Broodseinde Ridge. The Germs were
shelling heavily & he ws trying to get
the stretchers of a wd man through
/ door when a shell killed him]
[*14/10/17*]
9
29
back a little inside / edge o
/ wood when it died down
they went forward (Lt MacDonald
& Smith) & estab. some S.Ps. on /
edge o / wood.
Maj. Kuring had come
up & done some v. useful work
Neale also did useful work in support of
(C.O. Had bn concussed by x
Col. Marshall’s assault on Cameron House.
shellbirst in Reuter [[?]])
We bent back our rt flank
X across the triangle in
consequence of a message to
support 60 Bn who had taken
Cameron H. The men stood tt
heavy shelling very well.
Sergt Facey went forward

& cleared a Pillbox (in this

mgs advance to / edge o / wood)
In E portion o / wood, &
brought back a sniper - stalked
him He had done good work /

day before also in attacking a Pillbox.

9

30

59 Bn ws reld night of 27/28
by 29 Bn- C.O. handed over to

Col Purser. There ws some

shelling during relief - but they

got out quietly without hitch.

Men marched back in small

pties independently to Shrapnel

Corner where they had hot

Cocoa arrayed by the Padre

Capt  Chaplain Nye. Nye did some

v. fine work during / next tour

on / Broodseinde Ridge (Oct 17)
59 Casualties
 

	k.	w.	m.
Offrs	4	1
o.r	(42	176	(9
	11 dow	1 [[ar?]]	11 WTM
	57	178	21

Frances ^on 26/10/17 had bn out w C.O & got into heavy shelling
on return near B.W. corner 0 badly wd - died later
MacIntosh in Stockfield's Coy K wd in 
should during / advance - died later gas poisoning
Mann wd. 26/10/17 in going forwd.

9

31

Runners.  One 59 Bn runner xx the

Somme in November started w

a mate- a runner to deliver

several messages to various Coys in

/ frontline. They were caught in

a barrage & were getting thro it

from shellhole to shell hole. In 

one of these they were blown up

& one boy  k. His mate ws

shaken - searched him , got his

message & private effects,

delivered his own & came back

& delivered the other boys as

well - He got a D.C.M.

The messages were impt.