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

61    23
July 18:^th  The part of
line wh we took last -
from Pozieres to Bazentin
Wood - ws enfliaded by
our arty & full of dead.
Diagram - see original document
Enemy is still working
on E end of his switch
trench across Sars Rd
at X4 C 74½.
The enemy made up
a Divn of scraps - Lieberts
Divn & sent it from Aisne agst Biaches,
No of 11^th Grenadiers deserted to
French.

61     24
The Germans N. of Somme
seem to have bn formed
into Army -Group Stein.
4¼ odd Battalions were
under Lt Col. Kumme
known as "Kumme's
Detachment"
Yesty (July 17) heavy shelling of
Baz. Gr. & Baz. Pelet Woods
only few whizzbangs elsewhere
Weather very heavy - 
No shelling of Fricourt or
Mametz or any back
area. ! An extraord. pause
in a great battle. 
Rain & mist (real fog) prac. ^stopped fight
 

61     25
A letter from Munich
June 27 show tt there were
really serious riots there.
"...There is little abt it in / papers.
The people ought to have
done more damage than they
did bec. the authorities
wd rather let every thing go
to rack & ruin than give
it to the "motley crowd"
as they call / people
you have no idea what a
ferment there is among /
populatn. They are only
waiting for you men to
start properly ...."
 

61    26
Army Group Stein consists
of: 26 Res. Div. )
[28 Res Div]      ) XIV Res Corps.

Gen. v. Stein
52 Div.

2 Guard Res. Div.

12 Div.

10 Bav Div.

These were in the area N. of Somme before

July 1. 

Since then 28 Res. Div has left.

& 11. Reds Div.  ]                           )

12 Res. Div.       ] VI Res. Corps  )

3 Guard Div.                                 )

183. Div.                                         )
185 Div.   ]                                      )  have joined
7 Div.       ]   IV Corps                   )
8 Div.       ]                                     )

123 Div    ]                                     )

27

See nextPage.
The 3rd Bn. 16 Bav. Regt. recd a draft of
400 men on 12th July. (A direct hit
from a m.g. section (abt 30 men) killed
15m, officer, & Vizefeldwebel, & wd. 12 others)
Lt Col. Kumme, c/o Lehr Regt (under whom
3rd Bn 16 B. Rgt. came) issued follg order on

July 13. 
1. Maj. V. Kriegshein will arrange
for / relief of his Bn by Herr v.
Tschirnhaus & will march his
relieved Bn to Flers.
Maj. v. Esebeck will also arrange
for / march o / rest of his Bn.
2. In Flers, Maj v.. Kreigshein, who
will represent me, will arrange
for the reconstructn o / Bn, the
adding of drafts, & Divn of
officers from both Battalions. 1t is to
be borne in mind tt apart from the
staff the 2nd Bn has no officers left.
3. I will remain in Bag. le Petit & continue the fight.
61   28
This makes 13 Divns. (some prob, withdrawn ).
we had 18 to start with, I believe.
3rd Guard Div is under Gen. v. Lindequist
who has also.
10. Bav Div.
2nd Guard Res Div.
183 Div.
185 Div
Besides guns destroyed by our
artillery & many guns not
brought in we now have taken (July 18)
5   8 in hows.
3   6 in hows
4   6 in guns

5   other heavy guns

37  field guns

30  trench Hows.

66  m.gs.

29
The fight of the 16^th Bav. Regt.
told by its own papers.
See last Page.
10 p.m.
July 11. Reitz left in commd of 3 Bn 16Bav. ^R.IR.
sends to ^Lt Col. Kumme O.C. Lehr Regt:
It has bn ascertained tt / line on
my left flank where recruits o / Lehr
Inf. Regt were stationed as well as in the
Kriegsheim sector as far as / salient is
absolutely unoccupied.
The trenches are completely flattened
out & nos of dead are in them; presumably
the survivors have got away. I must
reiterate my request for troops tt are of use
for fighting, since / recruits, even those of my
own regt, have completely failed.
Kumme Replied   "I hope tt we are obliged to sacrifice
ourselves here in order tt / Army Command may
prepare elsewhere a strong defensive or an offensive
to relieve pressure. This confidence must sustain us. [*Kumme*]
61    30
In the papers captured
when Kumme's HQ was taken
were several from a Vize-feldwebel

(sort of Coy Sergt Major)
who ws put in charge of
No 9 Coy 2nd Bn 16 Bav. Inf. Regt. ?
He sent at 11.45 of July 13^th to the 3^rd Bn.
"The line has been for an hour
bombarded methodically by the
enemy w heavy artillery. The
troops manning / trenches yesty
are not all in dugouts.
"The men o the 91st Res. Regt
are lying entirely without cover in
/ trench. If troops are not got
out, the men o the 91^st Res. Regt.
will have to await complete
annihilation. An amply sufficient

61      31
number of men for occupying
/ trench can be sheltered in the
dugouts.
By order of Lt Greve I have taken
over command of the 9^th Coy."
9^th Coy.
At 12 noon he reported:  tt he ws
being bombarded by all calibres
up to 28cm.  3 casualties
Coy strength 1 officer 12 m.
Beg urgently speedy relief for /
company. What remains o /
Coy is so exhausted tt in
case of an attack by / enemy
/ few totally exhausted men
cannot be counted on.
10^th 

12.30 UnterOffizier, N.C.O. & 7 men k.
"The coy has completely lost
its fighting value. The men left

61     32
are so exhausted tt they can
no longer be employed fighting.
If heavy arty fire continues
the coy will soon be entirely
exterminated. Relief for /
Coy is urgently requested.
Krober Lt. (Reserve)
9^th Coy at 1.30 reports
Yesty afternoon ws employed
by / enemy in destroying
the line. The line is, however,
still capable of defence, the
dugouts being only in parts
slightly damaged. One gallery
ws battered in. The night ws
more quiet. Towards
noon today heavy arty fire

32A    61
in similar bombt we shd have lost far more
61      33

w heavy guns began again
The troops in shelter have
suffered pretty much already.
Inf. fire very heavy when 
Reserve Regt 91 tried to attack.
Otherwise, no infantry fire,
No trace of gas.
Strength of Coy without draft
7 NCOs 60 men
Draft abt 3 NCOs 30 men
3.15 pm. Strength o / Coy is now
7 NCOs 57 men;  with draft
10 NCOs  85 men
Since no Commn trench exists
any longer from here to
the second line it is not advisable

61     34
to withdraw the Coy.
The 2nd line is, according to
statement o / men bringing
up / food, similarly shot
to pieces, is still under
heavy fire, & is without
cover.
If I shd have to go on
leading the coy I cannot
in view o / spirit o / completely
exhausted men, take any
responsibility for holding even
parts o / second trench in
case of a move back.
6 pm. 2nd Bn/ 184^th regt to
Maj. von Reitz, 3rd Bn 16 Bav. I.R