Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/51/1 - July 1916 - Part 2

61    10
1^st Bn 190 ^German Inf Regt ws withdrawn
on 8 July, filled up w recruits
(60 in Coy of 120 only) & sent
in agn on 12^th July
Civil inhabitants & prisoners
of war are being evacuated.
(behind German lines). Town
Mayors are being told
to erect barricades
& entanglements in villages. 

61     11
2nd Anzac. Sugar Loaf Salient
5^th Div. ordered on Frid. 7. to go into
line - Then 2 days march
from front.

Sund/Mond night July 9/ 10/11 ½ 15^th & ½ 8^th
Bde went in & part of arty.

On Tues. 11^th July rest
of 15^th & 8^th & whole 14^th went
in.

On Wed/Thurs. whole
12^th/ 13^th

Divs. In.

Friday 14^th warned of
fresh move.

Moved 15^th & part of 14^th

61    12
into new positns on 
night of Sat. 15^th. Rest
of Inf. moved on night
of Sund. 16^th (finished 3a.m.
bombt. ws to start at 4)

5^th Div Arty in new positn
on Saty night.

4^th Div Arty & British
(125 guns) partly on 15^th, partly
on 16^th.

Whole of ammn. bombs
trench stores dumped at
proper places by 4 am. on 17^th.

13
(No necessity for me to
go up before the 19^th)
61    14
5th Divn relieved 4^th (wh left
on Tues. 11^th/12^th (clear).

On Saty night Germans straffed
just S. of Trou (front held
by 58^th Bn.) a little near
Plumey Ave. All men
in area were casualties
(abt 100) & Germans left
a dead man & a Lewis
gun. Parapet badly
knocked abt. Heavy 
stuff. (Sat 15^th- night).

15
from Brigadier
Graf v. der
Schulenberg.
6^th Gd Inf. Bde.
61     16
[NB. For this area see
photo wh. Gen. Macay
mislaid & of wh he
permits me to have
reproduction].

21st Bav. Reserve Regt.
opp. this part.
German order. Hers 12^th July 1 a.m.
"To L^t. Col. Kumme
1. The 183rd. Inf Div is in
action. The 12^th Res Inf. Div.
has attacked supported by
heavy arty fire.
2. The Bde has received a
report via the 183rd Inf Div

61     17
tt / order to evacuate
Mametz Wood was given.
By orders from highest quarters
patrols are to be left in /
Northern skirts o / wood &
commn w them is to be
secured.

The barrage fire zone
requested by 1 Bde, tt goes
South of the "Grab" thro' /
wood, will be maintained
for / present . . . 

As reserve o / Army group a
bn of Reserve Inf. Regt 91, a
quite fresh unit, has arrived
at Flers. Further fresh units
will arrive this evg. on / field of battle.

61     18
[The Germans are recovering
their morale now tt they
can get food & water more
easily - all exc. the 2nd
Guard Reserve Divn wh
is having a bad time from
Bazentin & Pozieres].

We have given up High Wood.
Our airmen have bn firing
on German troops - 6
cases are quoted in /
communique.

Lt. Miller (pilot) & Lt Short
(observer) seeing tt our 

cavalry patrols were being
held up by m.g. fire,

61    19
flew over & engaged / enemy
who in order to point out
where to our cavalry where /
m.g. fire was coming from.
The enemy fire was drawn
successfully & each time
/ enemy fired at our aeroplanes
our inf. ws able to advance.
This ws repeated 6 times.
Cap^t Evans & L^t Long fired on &
scattered / remains of a
Bn who were entering Le Transloy.
etc.

61   20 
(:X: see later)
Summary of casualties in 

Diary of Oberst-Leutnant Bedall,
O.C. 16. Bavarian Regt.
Loss of Regt from July 1 - 12.
Officers 6 k.    14 w.
o.r.         126    642
                         72 m
                         5 gassed
                         16 sick
Total 800
Since 12^th we (The British) have taken prisoner
5 off. 340 o.r.

and all who have bn k &
w. since July 12. Our
bombt has greatly increased since then.

21

These are in 
Manetz &
Bazintin
Woods
61    22
Guns taken up to
July 17. noon.
( 5 - 21 cm hows
( 3 - 15    "        "
( 4 - 6" guns (taken at Liege)
4 guns calibre unknown
1 - 5.5 cm Belgian (small) gun
37. Field guns - 77 m. & 10.2 hows.
14 Automatic Rifles.
52 m.g.
30 . Minenwerfer
2 searchlights.