Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/183/1 - 1917 - Part 6

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

Page 1 / 10

.16 52 was tanks the be use 1 ed. They have be oean sentin abon 9fo aftera this is first time then are yoing to put tham in before 1 tfy & lefta follr? Heas exceed keen of the Afterwo as od Tankxcomara th reason of the feilere As to Ttanks were used before it ws light In the second Cubs
54 this attack on tin o to wanted our mven attack same hours byou down (t sit in p). But baffle Bent Din were all agst his. They would two attacks togiting they didnt teke to ✓ trust their men find their way by night. The 62 Dwn was to lave attected also on Apll on 4 tanks 4 near them from
55 Ballecourt- These 6 tanks desnt arrive + H X4 30 they didnt Ottack- Birdwd appealed to them but they didn't consent to attack. Ione can hardly blame them. As white sd I don't think an Exc. Australian Cd have done wohat did th
Ca near 6 bot Fres i thee are 20. indon
58 Fermies andSo pril car Doue witout art Milligaiy we affened t8 ooners Ito Teight cu play on Dennicour E & Bosit Hernices) 1a lyho art tarragt H willlyan asked nowg them toffor on w shoote ten Bont Anea along ad 57 pom Dolgnter acros the fort of Beaumitty 2Bn as in Haptinn Had fust to do an
59 assimbe 2 6/4 ft 64 t2 t tty 36 1 atain X 62 tant very tot6 hurried Latig Asond 8 104 6 li ag li my 7t Cam I Setke W of Doynies t anche 4 caning roat due t from Docnees
60 atto ent t thee This Ca 67 the shere tat 1or 27 oppositty 24 fut tast say t found werd ranents d the X at the Co there o a fron in ng room 7o i on road. The. 2 C if once wire to oe Graws the road t p + Antom l had welln 4 Sermans ene The a he X 1 pa as t
T No then leage back cong. direct at in Bry 63 so usted but comet aa all ite Lond DSHCe 4 but fadvance fiders went on NCOStaktn charge Liend Robin fept Mey checked aft 100 yds shortf Yella O.C.lef bi 57 7 tha directd ove or Will 20 fr pouet apt. fit Coy. 0 uned ts 1 o 44 hps th fought whars usi brickfield of unwd prsoners All Fam Ce u06
64 Il d 2h lant to ha tree 6 a 6t Der terson men ap Der o te ats 6 6f i 65 4 tip w tell then head a DS lie thn th teon Doop sara lip a tiblle 7a a ve reached to at
fl ts t toe atin att bothally l aro of houe B34 coulld i itt 29 26 le corl fo t had 2 ay Ewh down vy cuttn e Co both bridesof te 25 Caua 4e Loue We had scoof woord W corperof he fernans tn The return beeween th were 6 4e sit e ed bs 67

6
52
the way tanks
ought to be used",
he sd. "They have
always been sent in
after / infy. Now
This is / first time they
are going to put them in 
before / infy & let / infy
follow." He ws exceedingly 
keen. 
Afterwards ^one of the
Tanks commanders sd
tt / reason of the failure
ws tt / tanks were
used before it ws
light. 
In the second (subsequent)
 

 

53 
hand drawn image - refer to original
6
54
attack on this line
Gen White & Birdwd
wanted our men to
attack some hours 
before dawn (to silence
baffle m.gs). But /
62nd Divn were all
agst this. They wanted
/ two attacks together,
& they didn't like to
trust their men to
find their way by
night. 
The 62 Divn was to
have attacked also 
on Ap 11 on 4 tanks
reaching them from
 

 

6
55
Ballecourt. These
hand drawn image - refer to original
tanks didnt
arrive & 
so they didnt
attack. 
Birdwd appealed to them
but they didnt consent
to attack. & one can
hardly blame them. As
White sd "I don't think 
any exc. Australians
cd have done what 
they did."
 

 

56  
hand drawn image - refer to original

6
57
 hand drawn image - refer to original

 

6
58
Hermies.
2nd Bn.
9 April early. 
Done without arty.
Milligan ws offered 2
60 pdrs & / eight in wh
cd play on Demicourt
& possibly Hermies & a 
light arty barrage.
Col. Milligan asked
them to go on w normal
shooting.
Front line ws there
along rd S. from Doignies
across the front of Beaumettz.

2 Bn ws in Haplincourt.
Had first to do an
 

 

Hand drawn sketch, see original
6
59
assembly march. 

On aftn of 6th the C.O.
ws told they wd have to
do it at dawn on 7/8.
Plans had to be very 
hurried, Later postponed
to 8/9.
They marched from
Haplincourt - (had bn
holding Beugny Ytres
line). A & B came by
rly line to Sunken
rd S W of Doignies
C & D marched thro
Beaumetz to 
road due E from Doignies
to Demicourt. They
 

 

60 
This coy ws afterwds
put in front of 2.
Hand drawn image - refer to original
4 coy ws to form a 
defensive flank &
also cut off fleeing
Germans. This came
off. 

6
61
were there by 11pm
(cdnt start before
7.30pm)
not to give show
away.
Plan as opposite,
On last day Having found tt wire
ran into rd at X they
xxxxx put the rt Coy (1)
in front of (2) as there
ws no room for it on
the road. 
The rt Coy once it
got round / wire had
to cross the road &
clean up Z
Gs. had autom. rifles
as well as m.gs. 
The Germans were
met first in posts
at A. 
 

 

62
Hand drawn image - refer to original
The coy came in
from village directn at
their back

6
63
These were rushed - but
caused casualties.
Left Centre Coy lost all its
officers - but advance
went on - NCOs taking
charge (Capt Lieut Robins
k. here) They checked
abt 100 yds short of
village but O.C. left coy
saw it & got them
to move on & directed
them thro village. 
Serious oppositn first
in J 23 D agst rt Coy.
Bayonet ws used & Coy
advanced. For 1 ¼ hrs this
coy fought v. hard using
bombs - in brickfield &
got 51 unwd prisoners x
It ws not till 6am tt it
 

 

64 
It ws a difficult fight
Batman cooks
every one ws
put on carrying
ammn. Reports
were gloomy
at first but C.O.
managed to pull 
thro' without calling
on 2 coys of 4 Bn. The
rest ^had made all /
difference to /
troops - as soon
as they saw 
a Boche they 
went 
at him.

6
65
rushed rly. Germs fought
to last moment & then
threw hands up. Such
a lot tt it wd bn
butchery to kill them.
Lt Patterson ws at head
of men - & they lie there
in formation. Troops
were as on parade
- Sergts giving "up a little
on the right".
Abt. 6am rt Coy
gained its last objve
rly line & at 7am
final objve. 
Left Coy reached
its line on edge of village
 

 

66 
X under Capt Mann
(an old N.Z. all
black footballer)
little individual
scraps only
in village -
& ^Germ m.gs in houses. 

6
67
thro' fringe of houses
at 5.20 X But
hard fighting contd. in
village X, in J 29 A & B,
& along rly line through
J 29 & 30 for some 
time after. He had
a m.g. E in 25 c wh
played down rly cutting
& on both sides of line,
& some towds Canal
& wood. We had scooped
all the Germans in W corner of
village. The retiring
Gs. were caught between 
2 fires.
Each Coy as it finished 


 

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Meredith JacobsMeredith Jacobs
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