Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/214/1 - August - October 1918 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066810
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10 on 1st 4155 left ( On Octt. Kynoved out at S nd in rear of Muroy atilet lie. The attecte ws by a creeping barrye & by tenks afobve supporte to to very little When they attempted posite ar pash to exp on out down a v artilley shoot & checked any furthn attempt Cadvance. By nightfull they ad pod I li o Jany Estrees Rd, wh ws landst over to 2 Dwn. Reld to night
Mattn Capt. C.S. Roberts Coasnor2 apt Neale. &. apt Hoonbe 16 Parr do/w. (he ws lit by one of our own boper shels on Mg. of Oct 1 in last wense. 2/1 Curtin is DAS. Talker d.oW. (with Honty) wous did Ww Laggett. by Sheepieneas Malcheff HE Buckinghane at byon tell w0 fruregated G.B. Bower by shellfirs near malckof 2/4 L.H. Parker Wis Enetornby 6K.W. Marshell, wesoonb H. C.H. Ashman Tomby ws hit by a stell new Malah off Im Early Doyle St Aartillery Waiion offr wd (chembers wt in/ of bombing aben this ws going on near S9Bn t0 186 or K.rws.
turses Kecey.d O4Sept. Tre as patidl work in Hamst. Bde relief. this night. 59060 were to more tress. I7then found to ser were retirnn. Orders po 190 60 t withdraw were not cancelled a they sd have bn. 59+ 1 coy 60 had already mond ove Ellik rang up to try & stip them from 17 Bn Ages Nest mg. 6 am. 59En he ordered t runforc. B bo paraded ( Capt Mocdonald repused t mos. They sd te were uterly don up. The other Coys went (to Reroana,) & offes of Ploy; bu Sloy slayed. JO.C. at to see them (Ellot). He ad he ralised ma were beig wosked to dead. He had be I first me in his Bde to til a patrot into Perome Bub it us better to keep on arte tell key sdat stand ratin than lt er dig in on those hills
f Sep 24 Elit had b told of the Hindy Canal atack at of Ediers. 54 In as to haae be disi this ing-tere as ome trouble-men refu on sept is wp came orders for break up of 60. [0C set pr may Kere 160) Cast(Mix my) Smit St & told rin to hero ws to be a composits In made Ar Plys 600) 1CD(59) tbe59 Bn. th 25K TO.C. ordered contin sound & 60 were re sera to oby their own fro, but aot of mating. The 59- wild pu were advesse o J.O.C.as arched past under stanton End weo had returnd (6.0.50 27eest. Deligates from 370 52 Bus were last sight a lies. They told 50 sn to bey were succentu Omen might in kin own case lt GD.C. saw 1men tem it ws only temporary thy cod be demotilised after He told tim t an who
refuse to mare ad be disamed plased ciard. It he want con 5 who had lost their respect for b repret toky his orders. Then I time came for 1 march off Ahere was not trouth. They wore thei own colour One privance ws to te dint see why they shd be peckel out - ty had no stain; wheree 59 had repused dut J.O.L. od you are being disbar without a stain; 20 ome cd say it as bec of mis ondast. Wherea I cisbander 59 because a few 5 t a fenine prcans me it ad be a styine attachin t5 In for woes teay didn s t
o1 to to line. ere almost in too oldenions dil ws like desertin I dead thy pointed out to after Fo &on somne thy were weakes tey had tan thy then very g as a yert of poud to Fitz - they were weaker oget thay advanced. [of course oober his time.] Sit Elliot et tho Saw it I move was not vecy int5a8 from heghes Bdes saw to an orde tbe was done. autority meext be deyed Sacl JD.C lad a mart unde slaf captain men diserned & put under guard & kinr
21 57Bn. Angd Aug 9 Flanicourt. Bellicourt 60 Ba dito. Col. Ellrott ws hit on the 25 April at Anyas extending Bn -his 1gis to in 0. e White gull & he ws extending Bn across the Hill southei Shot on 1heel. He as hit on Hag.S ohen Splaking to a man in a tank ATTSSj WI. 225-SKSSO, 10000. 14S. Sir J.C. &s.

ws an operatn on / rt
(54 & 56) & left (57. 58)
On Oct 1. They moved out at 5 a.m.
& formed in rear of Nauroy
Catelet line.The attack ws
covered by a creeping barrage &
supported by tanks & / objve
ws reached w very little
oppositn. When they attempted 
to exploit / success & push
on / Germs put down a v.
heavy artillery shoot &
checked any further attempt
to advance. By nightfall they
had made good / line o /
Gouy Estrees Rd, wh ws
handed over to 2 Divn.
Reld tt night.

81

 

Capt. C.S. Roberts just after leaving C.O. at noon 29th 
Capt Neale. dow. } . K.
Capt Hornby.        }
2/Lt Parr do/w. ( he ws

hit by one of our own 60 pdr
shells on mg. of Oct 1 in last
advance.

___________________
2/Lt Curtin gassed
___________________
Lt A.J. Tucker d.of w. (with Hornby)
Wounded:
WW Leggatt. by shellfire near Malakoff
H E Buckinghame abt noon hung on till 4pm & reported.
G.B. Bower by shellfire near Malakoff
2/Lt L.H. Parker with Buckin Hornby
Lt. R.W. Marshall with Hornby.
Lt. C.H. Astiman.
Hornby ws hit by a shell
near Malakoff am early.
Lt Doyle AFA Artillery Liaison offr wd.
[Chambers ws in/c of bombing when
this ws going on near 59 Bn HQ)
186 or K. & wd.
82

 

 

Turner

Keley. 59
On 4 Sept. There ws patrol work in Flamiet.

Bde relief this night. 59 & 60 were to
move to / rear. 57 then found tt Germs

were retiring. Orders for 59 & 60 to

withdraw were not cancelled as

they shd have bn. 59 & 1 Coy 60

had already moved when Elliott
rang up to try & stop them from

57 Bn Hqrs.

Next mg. 4 am. 59 Bn ws
ordered to reinforce. B Coy
paraded (undr Capt MacDonald)
refused to move. They sd they
were utterly done up. The other
Coys went (to Peronne,) & offrs
of B Coy ; but B Coy stayed. G.O.C.
went to see them (Elliott). He sd he
realised tt / men were being worked
to death. He had bn / first man

in his Bde to take a patrol into Peronne
But it ws better to keep on working
till they cdnt stand rather than let / Germs
dig in on those hills.
83
 

 

On Evg of  Sept 24 Elliott had bn
told of the Hinby Canal attack at a
metg of Bdiers. 59 Bn ws to have bn [[dissolved?]]
this mg - there ws some trouble - men refusing to  [[?? ordered?]]
On Sept 25 evg. came orders for
break up of 60. G.O.C. sent for

Maj Kerr (60) Capt (Temp Maj) Smith
59 & told them tt there ws to be
a composite Bn made A & B Coys
(60) & C & D (59) to be 59 Bn.
On 26th G.O.C. ordered combined
parade. Found tt 60 were ready
to obey their own offrs, but not
59 - mild form of mutiny. They

were addressed by G.O.C. & at
end marched past under Scanlon
who had returned (C.O. 59)
27 Sept. Delegates from 37 & 54

Bns were last night in lines. They
told 60 Bn tt they were successful
in their own case & ^ 60 men might be -
G.O.C. saw / men & told
them it ws only temporary - 
they wd be demobilised afterwds

He told them tt any man who
84
 

 

refused to march ws be 
disarmed & placed under
guard. Tt he wdnt command men
who had lost respect for him
& refused to obey his orders. When /
time came for / march off there
ws not troble. They wore their
own colours.

One grievance ws tt they
didnt see why they shd be picked
out - they had no stain; whereas

59 had refused duty.
G.O.C. sd you are being disbanded

without a stain; No one cd say it
ws bec. of misconduct. Whereas if
I disbanded 59 because a few men
w a grievance paraded to 

me, it wd be a stigma attaching to 
Bn for ever.

The men sd they didnt
85

 

mind going into / line: some o /
older men were almost in tears
sd it ws like deserting. / dead.
They pointed out tt after Fromeller

& on / Somme they were weaker
than they them were. They had
never gn up a yard of ground to

Fritz - they were weaker & yet

they advanced. [of course so they wd
this time.} But Elliott wd tho' he
saw tt / move was not necy in 15 or 8
Bdes saw tt an order coming from higher
authority must be obeyed or / force was done.
G.O.C. had a guard ^ if needed under / Staff
Captain^ standing by, & wd have put had / 
men disarmed & put under
guard, & then resigned.
___/_______________/_____
86
 

 

F/ 214
27 Bn. Aug 8
Aug 9.

Flamicourt:
Bellicourt
60 Bn 

(ditto.)
______________________

[* Typed 357 - 374*]
Col. Elliott ws hit on tt 25 April
at Geryae extendy 1 Bn - his

Hqrs w in
White Gully 
& he ws extending Bn

across the hill southwds.

Shot on / heel.
No. 3.

____________________
He ws hit on Staf. 8 when
speaking to a man in a 
tank.

(17735) Wt. 2295 - SK550. 100000. i/18. Sir J. C.& S.

 

 


 



 

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