Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/187/1 - April - July 1918 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/187/1
Title: Notebook, April - July 1918
Includes sketches, diary entries for 27-28 July
1918 and references to the 9th, 10th and 28th
Batallions and No 3 Squadron, Australian Flying
Corps. 
AWM38-3DRL606/187/1 

[*For Lt Wells
DADOS
5th Aust Divn
Photo 15 Bde Trophies

at Campn. *]
-------
Original DIARY NO. 187.
AWM38 3DRL 606 ITEM 187 [1]
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918
THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But apart from those terms, I wish the 
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistake when
discovered. Indeed he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing believed. Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind. 
16 Sept., 1946. C. E. W. BEAN

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL 
ACCESS STATUS 
OPEN
[*Sketches. (On back - Room for Museum *]

1
hand drawn diagram - refer to original 
Room in Villers /B (for Museum) 

105    2
What the German cd see from his positn at V/B.
hand drawn diagram - refer to original 
28/7/18 

105    3
From ^Germ. M.G. positn at Hedge junction:— abt 28 D 8.9.
hand drawn diagram - refer to original  

105    4
28/29 July.
29 Bn left}
32 Rt.        }
2 [[officers?]] 70 men  16 or 17 mgs
53. Have touch. 1 offr 57  20 mgs.
29 Bn  "       "
29 Bn 21 prisoners to present. 
> abt 500 yds on left 400 yds on rt.
Zero 12.30.  Dark - moon later.
In one part German line is within 75 yds. At least
one part Tackled by 29 ws str. pt.
Then 
3 mins barrage before troops left trenches. It ws a fine
barrage – v. heavy. Arty & T.M.s
A lot o / Germans bolted under / barrage before
our men left / line. 
Some waited in / trench & made a bayonet fight
232 Regt. 227R.I.R.  German reply feeble on J area
but heaviest further back. He k. some of his prisoners with shell
After 15 mins the barrage commenced firing again. 
Guns just on hill.
There is a Sap made thro to J line within

1½ hrs. By 2.30 Engrs had a Sap thro. 
[*53. 1.25 a.m.
2 plns of 30
W.G.

Germans there before
29 [[shorthand]] of 
53.
Some German officer
fought pretty hard.

German barrage fell
2 mins after
ours.
Germans join 6 wks in
[[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]]
Side step yesty
[[shorthand]]. Bailey out
trenches & carrying
Rations. *]

105
Abt 1.a.m. Germs made a C/attk
20 to 30 Germs came up valley
from Morlancourt yelling.
They trained 2 LGs on them

wh got them. 
Some offrs rallied Germs 
agst S.A 82.
One engr offr w only a 
stick took 3 prisoners. Sub had a German
revolver.
5
12.15 [[shorthand]].  Ross 57 prisoners. 
[[shorthand]]
What [[shorthand]] sd of [[shorthand]] : MM&MC.
[[shorthand]]
30 Merris.  Went up to see Neligan
sent wire. Returned went up to Meteren
w Glasgow.
6 

105
28.July. Walk thru V/B
Americans

hand drawn diagram - see original document
Hamel
TMs
& cheerful Sergt.
Arranged for uniforms
29. 29 Bn scrap.
Thro' St  Venaut.
"The Pork & Beans" (offr w [[shorthand]]
Look [[shorthand]] at - Rappel. Rifles &
bombs [[shorthand]].
v. Conservative. Ross also heard it
12.15 [[shorthand]].  Ross 57 prisoners.
[[shorthand]]
What you are [[shorthand]] sd of [[shorthand]] : MM&MC.
[[shorthand]]
30. Merris went up to see Neligan
sent wire. Returned went up to Meteren
w Glasgow.
6 

105    7

hand drawn diagram - see original document
Sketch made from Meteren with
Gen Glasgow, 3.15 p.m. July 30th 1918 - day
Merris was taken by 10 Bn. 
 

8    105 
[*1st Bn Patrols
July 11th.*]
No 2 Post: [*Gaskell G. saw a man stand up in front of him in / night
(before July 11 -
night 10/11)*]
Front ws being patrolled from dawn onwards.
Corporal went out from 3a.m. till 5. from No 2 post
There is a hedge on S. Side of rly.  The Corpl.
kept a look out from there w glasses
The pln Commdr from whom they took over had sd he thought
/ house ws occupied.  Gaskell & Corpl. went out at 3.a.m. & from
a shell hole under / hedge abt 50 yds in front
o / post threw rifle grenades around / house.
At 8 a.m. Lt Morley of No8 post told G. that
they had seen Germs. getting out o / house.
This decided G. to send a patrol out.
After Corpl came in  Sergt went out (Each had 1
man w them).  He went to / same place as Corpl.
The xxx view from No 2 Post ws bad & they cdnt see from
there.

105    9
[*so close that he thought he ws almost on him.  He told Sergt Scott
who went out but told him there ws no trace of a man.  Doubtless the
German
had got
into
one
of the
shellhole
pozzies.*]
hand drawn diagram - see original document