Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/183/1 - 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066799
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

253 20 Bu Abt 5.30 am. order 15t cnforati ere had plerced we of Bn on our right. Reacher Pn 5.15 csl 20 36 back drive they be were ed to thro pict &into Laquicourt Seaken Rd a few minutes later 2 officers of Bn who had been at a past in (18 (or thereabts proble) came in & sd to their Coy had bu scapperd (They were in a Coy HO jast Chin fron ine.
Cy refrmed befor exteri Loguicoust 4 11 H Rn ws to 70 6 Boisde Vankk & make a stron point of it. One Co then extendent fror Maricont Wood t 1he Another Lagnicourt Rd. of road. oy on left The Germans were en pont of Sanken Rd. ce 28B (abl) & had m/ behind Tunken Rd. A of hagnccourt. The 20 Bn Startn tadm at abt 5.50 t6 any they advd in one live as far Sankin Rd.- formed unto then
The left company ae clear of 9Bn oter loys were supporting by this tem. 12 2 waves+ 2 on cater advanced haquicourt Ville fe Te an si Jerno were village as 20 Bn. was form on Sunken rd 9Bn crossed their port fom right to left. Toe 20 pached on thro hagnicourt. Germans didd ab were lyin a good in village gave themselves up o Pvillag ed wh back eght have got DCoy on left went y near rly. thence with
1420 posts 12 $ laken up will 127 en in 13 or 13 central. The 19 Bn were on let. The germans had a strong postin 6 C 1.6. The 20t rre took a Dickers gan probly alla to 12B &2 converted L. G0 () &IGerman m 9. TeLguns secued to be ferman Juas mill on Lewis gun plan- Losses of 20 Bn were 76 & abt 13 wdl wch 2officers
24 14 Bn. At 4.20 not warning that the ferms. were attack W D. Ayin Sankin Rdl. of Morthus CSC ordered to stand t They we in Support of 1213n Dy moved up at 530 Bloy as senbup to take place of D Coy, Doccep road. ArC Coy at 6.30 were sent to report to 12 Bn H.A Bunkin Rd. in C39. Cattack then launch of 12Bn Atoy + details
to support apt. at t0 Sir 16 on right & D. Coyon let poi his santn Rd. Lieut. Whit cocko pletion ster teateach a Caunches swing to it as germans appeared on reight flank 8 followed then tro Laguic to be orpast line Capturing at least 20 fermans (abl his own stregth). One am fo cod tr tucter him to have lunch He had a secue basket ture. Tere we a rman dressin ste where ferman Lagnicout flan tD 5ffr was. with D coy advanced ans D Rankina
41 17 20B 16 G Bo is now defence of Laguisourt. the On night of 13/14 9 Bn placed a strong post at D21 a.05- who held with 8 posts round it 45 202 H Shield k there gettin 1ptn round Gernous. This postwt insio te ferman thost line We caun in atack on it at 4. 30 a.m behind The 11 Bn wS on it so et flank wt in the air. This ws hander ovr to 12 Bn
18 By Ap. 11. 191 15 Bn attaked on left an support of 14 Bn. Oarty C 13 Assoon as word that 18 Bn hadmover, 1Bn moved in arty formation 4loys in live as above The roadin 295& Dws to be their et & that in 29A &C their lett There is some bout as to exactty where
19 fighting took place 24e 1st were wo flattened in places - to not by tanks There were mp. on it They found 14 Bn scrapping a he support from i Some of 1Bn pusher straight on to support to. they found 2ad ie of were quite ancet, but some pot thro' it, & some got in thro' the Taps. The part of fond where bey were Lighte a ancertain. some day they were in the trence leading work from 23D1½ Others say te
fighting never got so fir 2 to the left. A 104 off. came along t told then to fist down toward left 6 i made down this wa as mad as tey could. All offis who came back woundet were wact a eces before reaching first wery of just over the Ct Objoe getting across to Jud objvc. 214 2ofrs. Binnington 7 Meesingham were see in support 4 29 with a Lewisgun. the oaly message to got thro we a pigion

6
8
20 Bn
Abt 5.30 a.m. order
1st infomatn. "Germs
had pierced line of Bn
on our right." Reached
Bn 5.15 .  20th ws to
drive them back. They
were sd to be thro' 
Lagnicourt  & ∧ prob into
Sunken Rd.
A few minutes
later 2 officers of 12 Bn
who had been at a
post in C18 (or thereabts
probly) came in & sd
tt their Coy had bn
scuppered (They were in
a Coy H.Q. just behind
front line.)
 

 

9
A Coy reformed before
entering Lagnicourt
6
10
A Pln was to go to Bois de
Vaux & make a strong
point of it. One Coy
then extended from
Maricourt Wood to the
Lagnicourt Rd. Another
Coy on left of road.
The Germans were in
front of Sunken Rd in
28 B (abt) & had m.g.s
behind Sunken Rd S.W.
front  of Lagnicourt. The
20 Bn started to advance
at abt 5.50 to 6 a.m.
They advd in one
line as far as Sunken 
Rd – then formed into
 

 

11
The left company
ws clear of 9 Bn.
2 other Coys were
supporting by this
time.
 6
12
2 waves, & 5 mins
later advanced on
Lagnicourt Village. The
Germs were firing on
village.
As 20 Bn was forming
on Sunken rd 9 Bn
crossed their front from
right to left. The 20
pushed on thro'
Lagnicourt. Germans
were lying dead abt
village – a good many
gave themselves up
in / village who cd
have got right back.
D Coy on left went up
to near rly – thence with
 

 

6
13
posts thro 12 A & D
linking up with
12 & 9 Bn in C 13 A.
or 1 3 central.
The 19 Bn were
on left. The Germans had
a strong post in [[shorthand]] c 1 . 6.
The 20th retook a
Vickers gun probly attd
to 12 Bn; & 2 converted
L.Gs (?) & 1 German m.g.
The L. guns seemed to be
German guns built on
Lewis gun plan –
Losses of 20 Bn were
7 k & abt 13 wd. incl
2 officers.
 

 

6
14
9 Bn.
At 4.20 got warning that
the Germs. were attacking.
D coy in Sunken Rd. W
of Morchies C 5 c ordered
to stand to. They were
in support of 12 Bn.
D Coy moved up & at
5.30 B Coy ws sent up to take
place of D Coy, & occupy
road.

A & C Coy at 6.30 – 7
were sent to report to
12 Bn HQ (Sunken Rd
in C 89.)

C.attack then launched
A Coy & details of 12 Bn


 

 

15
A Coy Capt. Young.
C Coy remains in
support at H Q. under Lt Rankin.
6
16
on right & D coy on
left from this Sunken
Rd. Lieut. Whitcock &
1 platoon after the attack
ws launched swung to
rt as Germans appeared
on right flank &
followed them thro' Lagnict
to the outpost line,
capturing at least 20 Germans.
(abt his own strength). One
German offr wd there
invited him to have lunch.
He had a picnic basket
there. There ws a
German dressing stn in
Lagnicourt – where German
offr was. White Capt D Boylan. with
D Coy advanced across
 

 

6
17
20 Bn. 
9 Bn is now the
defence of Lagnicourt.
On night of 13/14 the
9 Bn placed a strong post
at D 2 1 a 0 5 – wh.
held with 3 German
posts round it
Hand drawn diagram – see original document
Lt Shields ws
k there getting
round Germans.
This post ws
inside the German outpost
line. We launched our
attack on it at 4.30 a.m.
The 11 Bn ws behind
on rt so rt flank ws
in the air. This ws
handed over to 12 Bn.
          

 

6
18

15 Bn.
Ap. 11. 1917.
15 Bn attacked on left
in support of 14 Bn.
 On rly 
 C  B  A  D  
As soon as word that 14
Bn had moved, 15 Bn
moved in arty formation
4 Coys in line as above.
The road in 29 B & D ws
to be their rt & that in
29 A & C their left.
There is some doubt
as to exactly where
 

 

6
19
fighting took place. The
1st wire ws flattened in
places – tho not by tanks.
There were m.gs. on it.
They found 14 Bn scrapping
in the support front trench.
Some of 15 Bn pushed
straight on to support trench.
They found 2nd line of
wire quite uncut, but
some got thro' it, & some
got in thro' the saps.
The part o / front trench
where they were fighting
is uncertain. Some
say they were in the
trench leading North from
23 D 1 . ½. Others say the
 

 

6
20
fighting never got so far
to the left. A 16th offr.
came along & told them to
push down towards left &
they made down this way
as much as they could.
All offrs who came back
wounded were wounded either
before reaching first wire or
first over the 1st objve.

getting across to 2nd objve.
2 offrs. ^2/Lts Binnington &

Missingham were seen
in fron support trench 29 B 7.9
with a Lewis Gun.
The only message tt
got thro ws a pigeon




 

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