Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/50/1 - July 1916 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/50/1
Title: Diary, July 1916
Reports conversations with Sir Nevill Smyth VC,
mentions the 4th Infantry Brigade's raid of 2-3
July 1916, the fighting at Mametz Wood and
Verdun and the difficulties of obtaining a car. 
AWM38-3DRL606/50/1

July 13-14 1916
28^th Res. Divn.
Original DIARY NO.50
AWM38 3DRL 606 ITEM 50 [ 1 ]
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918
The use of these diaries and notes is subject of conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial.  But, apart from these 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 mistakes 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

2 Anz Bks
Q.
London
Leaving 56 to be deld
to H.Q.
6   Germans in Dugouts
in Ovillers on 11^th who
had been there since 2nD 

63    50      2      July 13-14 1916
Captured order of 28 Res. Divn
4.7.16
5. "The strong points of Defence
which exist in the West South & East
edges of Pozieres must be put
into a state of defence at once so
tt / possession of this village is
assured under all circumstances."
6.  The gap between the 2nd &
3rd positions N of the line
Longueval-Bazentin must
be closed w a cross line
of trenches wh will commence
at abt the crossroads
running to Bazentin-Le-Petit, 
Pozieres, Contalmaison, 
Martinpuich.  It will
join the 3rd line South of Flers
via Hill 154, SE of Martinpuich,
& Hill 155 E of Foureaux wood.  The

3
commencement of this works
is to be put in hand at once
by / Pioneer Commander
Div Orders
1.  with refce to the improvement
of positns.
1. Work on the frontline, of a 
durable nature, is to be
undertaken, if this has not
already bn done.
Every possible means
& effort are to be used to
complete this.
2. The construction o a
second line of trenches behind
our 1^st line is to be carrd
out imd. with all the
resources at our disposal.
In the sector held by the 190^th
Regt this line will be tt wh
connects Ovillers & Contalmaison.

63    4
In / sector held by / 163 Regt the
second line referred to will
begin from Contalm. & will run
thro the middle of Mametz Wood
& aftwds in an Easterly & then 
in a Northerly direction & will
join / second line West of
rd Mametz- Bazentin-le-Petit.
Particly impt is / constrn
of a second trench in the 20th
B I Bde sector.  This must
be so constructed that it lies
on the reverse slope to tt
o / enemy.  In so far as /
present trench will not permit
/ accomdatn of supports, the
supports must be quartered
in existing suitable points
where the banking etc. will
permit o / quick constrn

5
of dugouts.  In / same
way, / many dugouts
wh still remain undamaged
will must be used not 
only for quartering troops but
also for constructing new
strong points w. the defence
o / sectors held by our troops
is assured, even when, as
/ result of enemy shell fire,
the holding of a continuous
line is rendered impossible
at certain points.  The
obstacle formed by / dugouts
grouped together in strong
points will prevent / enemy
from breaking thro', especially
if flank fire support is
assured from these groups
of dug-outs.

63     6
3. of partic. imptce for
defence is / quick bldg
in of m. gs. behind / front
defence line wh command
/ ground behind, & wh,
with flank fire, can support
each other so tt enemy
forces wh may have at
any point have temporarily
broken through may be
held up by m. g. fire
from further advance.
4. Furthermore, behind
/ front line / conversion
of villages into strong points
(see Para 2) is of greatest
importance.  Such villages
are Pozieres Contalmaison
Bazentin-le-Petit
Bazentin-le-Grand and
Longueval.

7
NB. Bois des Foureaux = High wood
Hill 155 = S. 4 d. 28.
The Cross Roads = Three Trees

63      8
July 12 Intelligce Summary Says tt
Aft 10 days [shorthand] our
troops have captured
whole of Germanys 1st
system of line on a
front of 14 ,000 yds
i.e. Front support & reserve
trenches from 2000 - 4000 yds
deep including 5 villages
several barbwired woods
& many immensely
strong redoubts.  The
capture of each of these
trenches represented an
operatn of some imptce
& / whole of them are
now in our hands).
Enemy has now only
1 more xxx divn available
as reserve on W front
21 Red Divn 

63    9
Interceptn of telephone messages:-
109^th Regt. (28^th Res.Divn) on 25/3/16
had bn ordered:
"From time to time Battalion
Commanders will have bogus
messages sent thro' the telephone
after previously advising the
regt & the artillery (not by
telephone from the front line) with the
object of ascertaining from the
Enemy's actn whether messages
are intercepted.  For instance:
'Minenwerfer in the Cemetery
at Ovilliers will open fire at
11 am!
It was ₵ _^long after this tt our men were being
picked (for knowledge of German)
IS intercepted  to intercept we use bogus names,
Buzzer is worst
________________________________________________
Our bombardment: order to III / 109 R.I.R
of 27 June 1916. "Carrying / dead back
under present conditions wd only

63    10
result in further casualties.
For this reason dead bodies will
be conveyed forwards;  the
selected places or names
will be shown on a sketch
wh will be presented to Bn. H.Qrs.
____________________________________________
The gas shells / much used by the French.
where E.g. at Estrees. When
used in large quantities
they injured men without
masks - who after walking
to prisioners' compounds (12 kil.)
died.
After 1½ hrs shelling animals
were killed (at Estrees) but
not men w masks.  It is 
doubtful if they'd have stood a much longer shelling.
 

63     11
Germans got into Trones Wood
after 6^th heavy attack.

63     12
July 13th
Sent the car back this 
morning.  Went for a ride w
young Carruthers this afternoon-
Had one or two good gallops
& thoroughly enjoyed them - tho'
I am always nervous of how
I am going to get on on horseback.
It is more of a trial to me to
get on to a horse than to go
into / trenches - well, perhaps
not in a fight like this.  The
chances are abt 30 to 100 agst
you in / _^front trenches at an active 
point. 
Seys came in this evening
after having been out to see
some gunners & his brother
near Mericourt.  He says