Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/189/1 - August - September 1918 - Part 2

109
23^rd Barrage halts from + 48 to
+ 63 (15 minutes).
Final protective barrage reached at + 105.  i.e. 6.30am.
Aug 22nd.  1 hrs halt half way.
Planes in morning is at Hamel.
& more artillery on [[shorthand]] tanks.
21^st & 185 (which gave us the neck at
Herleville and which came
down from the NZ lines)
? 5 [[shorthand]]
38 division
8 divisions now under the one command.
23 Aug.  33 & 34 Bns.  On [[shorthand]] objve by 9am.
Cavalry thro to N.  Germans there
known to be fighting hard but cavalry
ws in L3 & 4 till driven back

by m.gs.  Germans started
pasting whole area (first gas into
valley, then 5.9s 20 per minute).
They opened up w many mgs
in Bray.  Germs captd some
5

109
prisoner who [[turned?]]
Diagram - see original document
Day before we heard that it was going to take place "tomorrow night"
(i.e. 21/22) and the [[pioneer?]] battalion.  It had to hold so
it gave 35 two day [[shorthand]].  35 rested one
day and on the night of 22/23 it reaches forming up
on the tape line in rear of trenches.  33 battalion then
in reserve take up the left and have tape line
with Godley group 500 yards north of divisional
[[zero?]].  34 battalion was formed up in
rear on tape line.
Artillery bombardment came down 300 yards in front
of front line because guns were xxx [[shorthand]]
and crept forward 100 yards in 4 minutes to
[[shorthand]] objective.  Had [[1?]] objective
6
 

109
Barrage rested 300 yards in front for 66
minutes.  We had to wait to allow troops in
[[cliff?]] a longer distance.  Some of them had
3000 as against 1000 yards.
We then advanced at some rate to the
green line.  [[Pioneer?]] battalion formed
Diagram - see original document
We took the chalk pit with a 4.2
in it and [[slew?]] Germans and took prisoners.
Barrage on last fight
was slow & ragged.
33 Battalion
Capt.
Tallis  }
Farleigh  }  k
Tollis.  }
Farleigh  }
Hutchings  }
Lee  }
Burke }         wd
Fant  }
Fletcher  }
Major Brodziak  }
35  Lt [[Ades?]] K.
Blakeley  }
[[McSimmes?]]  }   wd
Barlow  }
Thompson  }
7
 

109
[Sandy is now trying to mop up Bray from east.]
u 9 6 11
On green line to [[shorthand]].  3 companies front line
1 in support.
Germans knew about it and shortly put a heavy
bombardment on the whole area 5.9 4.2.
Much mg fire from Bray and high ground in front.
Our people take note quickly.
35 battalion brought patrols towards Bray which was
very much occupied.  Division wanted us to carry
out an operation in the afternoon.  We could not give
artillery support because we were too close.  This was
[[washed?]] out.  Attack was to be this morning.
Pain was against this evening attack.
We were to put down a creeping barrage
from the dawn and follow through with the 11 brigade on left
and Pioneers on right forming.
[*Hawkey. 33
much praise of Germans
move from ridge
in time it had.*]
8
 

109
About 5 English retiring  Germans defensive.
They were back and our left hand forming.
We had been in touch in Happy Valley and our flank
was left there again.
9am they got back.  JO line.
About same time I had [[shorthand]] that the whole of our line
was intact.
An officer from 34 battalion attached to the 33
went up to 27 with the [[shorthand]] times but as soon as
Germans appeared on top of the hill they went off
[[shorthand]] waited a while and saw our guns
get on to 27 central.
Germans got rifle and mg over our front
and our small arms fire was so great
that messages [[8 o'clock?]] took about [[shorthand]] of
[[manouvres?]].
A few bombs were about but most
were on JO line.
As soon as we heard we sent to 34 battalion.
When we knew it was hit we sent 34 battalion up
to Echelon [[attack?]]
9
 

109
They had to form a defensive flank for
an officer.  They formed a defensive flank
as far as H Valley.  Joining up as
oddments with English troops who collected.
Our people collected some of them
in 8A behind us
One company another of the Londons
and a few men sent up with us. (142 brigade).
(Also 140 & 141).  Germans were now in
H/.V.  We got 8 extra mgs to cart
west to Bray as a [[hunch?]].  Ordered Pioneers
to watch the river on right.
12.30 GOC rang up to see who had tried
to get 47 division to come up but only in
today was there our officers and men who took charge
of any English troops there and formed them in
best way possible.
11 brigade [[shorthand]] ordered up to be
2 battalions on old JO trench and shell behind 47
then on left.
10
 

109
TM also were ordered to stand up and be ready
to bombard any possible launching from west
of Bray.
Several times [[shorthand]] night Germans tried [[shorthand]]
patrols and lost people.  In the afternoon
Germans attacked us same as English but our artillery
and mgs were too quick for them
(500 to 1000 yards)  Abt 4.30 to 5 pm.
16 mgs & his artillery got on to
him and he didn't reach our front line except near
chalk pit (which we held all the time) where
our people as soon as they [[shorthand]]
reinforced the English.
Germans were back in F25.
These British are stopped shorter than our lines.
About 9 Germans came at us.
He was beaten back.  Only a small barrage
which located several   a party of 30 were detailed for that
[[job?]].  Our advance took aim in flank
as it moved across.  There was no where in
our old JO stage which could have saved men.
[*10-10.2.
1050-10.52*]
[*Pioneers had word are to cross south of Bray
got bridges
[[queried?]] & mg.*]
11
 

109
CO one London regiment up on the flank came
over to 33 battalion forward HQrs which was about
1 mile from front line and Grant was there also.
We had [[indication whenever?]] by the Buzzer.
Some of our people collected at the foot
of Happy Valley a lot of [[shorthand]]
and said Germans could not pass them.  British may be on
brown line now.  Col of Londons had brigade
reserve and details 51 men.
12-47 division went to pits
near Becordel we are on hold.
Germans intended an attack on Bray
We had 3 German MW in [[action?]] which slows the German
MW firing on our men.
Abt 400 casualties.
Fighting at odd times last night.
Yesty evening it was a really big attack.
Nothing was done beside English front.  They were in valley few
marching.
13 officers 224 o.r.  Casualties 22.  384.
12
 

109
4^th division advd around 500 yds on
S left fighting in Chuignolles
{ 3 Bn Commdrs.
{ Several guns.
Herleville Wood cleaned up this afternoon 50 prisoners
15 inch gun captured by [[?]] Bn in Arcy wood.
15 guns 15 inch how.
27 Aug.
8/8/18  Our morale has been pretty well done in by the [[shorthand]] artillery fire.
No food and nothing to drink.
14.  [[shorthand]] xx aeroplanes go close.  Heavy losses
15.   [[shorthand]].  [[shorthand]] bombs guns.  The lost papers arrived from which we
learn the seriousness of the situation
W much of Eclusier.
[[Did see much of?]] Vaux Wd along river
Fontaines les Cappy.
13
 

109
Catal.
Finish catalogue, revis
Revise titles to within 3 months
& get issued.
Circs.
Circularise all units.
Arrange for insertion of notice
in orders.
Proofs.  arrange for circular to be
despatched with Proof which goes from
A.W.R.S. to unit nearest units or units
interested.
Arrange for revision of titles every 6 months
& submission to Censor.
1.  Offr to
1.  Clerk to cheque A/Rs
28 Aug
Slight opposition at Berny.
6 Bde attacked Frise 5.45.  Sniping
S end of Frise.  6.15 M.V.  Some pties of [[shorthand]] seen running E of Frise & along canal.
Germs fighting harder on high grd in N
than in S.
Rt going much faster than left.
3rd Divn to 11am.  21 or of 157 IR.
Feldwebel says orders to withdraw fighting.
At Noon French posts reached Somme canal
E of Licourt & Morchain but didn't then get
Morchain
14