Charles E.W. Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/53/1 July 1916, casualties of 24 July 1916 pt2

67
14
1 P. Capt H F Hubbe k
Lt E A Walters w
2 HQ May. T.F. Boswick w
Srg. Lt A.E. Taylor d of w.
Maj L.F.S. Mather w.
Lt L.A. Higginbotham m. 
--------------------------------
3 not in.
-----------------------------------------
Harris (3Bn) & Coy 3 times buried. 
Snipers caused most of casualties
3 Bn formed on rly
Some of 8^th wandered right thro.
M.g. on rt & German C-attack
Sxx Posts lying out. 
Howitzers
Smythe & our guns - 1.29 am.
Fellows not angry w / guns. 

67
15
July 24.
Went with Maze to G O 1 & then to Metcalfes HQ in Pozières
He had just bn hit by a stone,
from a shell.

Metcalf practically doing
work of 11^th Bn there in front line.
Coming out passed 2 Divn going in to Sausage Valley
1.20 am: Very heavy bombt
(as last 2 nights). I believe 
French attacked yesty & Brit,
Also on E front. We are to
try & clear Pozières & join up
with OG1 & 2 a little south of 
Windmill tonight.
150. guns going off - i.e. big
guns (wh we hear) at rate of
140 a minute. A German
shell occasionally on  some 
battery - fancy / shrald tear shell 

16
Prisoners on 23^rd
8 offrs 110 o.r. this 1 Aust Div
157 Regt, 27 Regt 62 Regt, 77 Regt
inc. O.C. 3rd Bn 62 Regt.
5^th & 8^th Grp 2 Bn 27 Regt 7 Divn.
taken morning 24 July. only 2 Bn in line
3rd in Res. 1st further back.
Bn lost 80 wd in 16-19 July
                                21-24 "
Some dead besides.
9^1st Regt of 2 Gd. Res. Divn ws relieved
by 157^th on July 22.
3 Bn 157 Coy ws in close support
trenches  62nd in support on their
left.
Arly concentrate behind Courcelette
C.O. 3 Bn 62 Regt sd he has lost touch
w those on either side. Cdnt estab
touch thro lack of orderlies.
CO 2 Bn 27 Regt noticed speed w wh
our mg sections brought guns into
action. No sooner trench taken than guns barraged by mgs
Successes so far largely due
to daring of aeroplanes. 
[* German flying corps largely lost prestige
"14 July, It is hardly possible to stand
the strain of this shelling"*]

67
17
6pm
5^th F amb sent to Becourt Chateau
to carry for 1 & 3 Bdes
July 25
12.25. Res. Army reports at 10.50
little movement in area Martinpuich Le Sars Le Barque.  obs & diffic.
(11.55 p.m.) Arrangements to be made for flares to be 
sent up from advd points
reached at 9 am. for aeroplanes.
1.56 am. 5 Bn reported in position
betw X5 c4.3 & X5 c9.6.
2 a.m. 1a32 -> 10^th Bn. has dug trench from
 X5 d29 to X5 d78
to depth of 3'6" with 1 ft parapet.
Being sand bagged & revetted 
3.22  1^st Bde asks for special 
arrangements for dealing w
Pozières casualties
2.52 from 1st FA Bde "Everything satisy)
3.02 1a 30  3^rd AIBdeHQ No reports yet to hand
Enemys retaliatn small.
Heavy rifle & mg fire to NE of Contalm 

18

New trench E of Courcelette.
M 25 . a5.6. to
M25  a.3.7
W of Courcelette R29 d
W of Le Sars
M21 c59 to M21 a 2.5.
& from M.15 c8.3 to M15 .d.8.6
? M15 c83
or M15 o83

67
19
3.15. 3 Bde.  No reports yet. mg fire &
rifle died down
3.20. 1^st Fa Bde says 5 Bn taken
1st objve.
Unconfirmed tt 2nd line bn
consolidated - m.g. rifle quieter
1A 30 . 3.27.  10 Bn reports from
XII B 8.9. at 3.pm : 2 Bde
took 1^st objve in 2 mins &
have swept forwd to 2nd objve.
10 Bn bombers have gone thro
strong points at X5 B2.½
All appears well in front of 10 Bn
on our right. No news yet
as to attack 3 Bde, British.
----------------------------------------
1st Bde order, 1st Bde & 8 Bn to seize rest 
of Poz to cemetery this ws(25)
Adv at 3.30. 3rd A.I. Bde will
occupy N. part of village at same time
Dividing line R34 D30 to X4 B.3
strong pts to be made at X4 B07 & cemetery.
(Cemetry by 1 Pioneers, X4B07 by 1 Field Coy)
These to go 300 yds behind 8 Bn.
2 Vicars m.g. to cemetery.
2 Vicars w 1 Field Coy 

67
20
8 Bn is in folly str. pts:
X4 a9^1/2 5,  5 m X4 a 8^1/2 4
X4 a 8^1/2 2   X 4 B ^1/2 3 & others
nearer to line of 1 Bde along
Bapaume Rd.
Arly action as detailed in
1^st Aust Div order No 37.6.
Attack will be carried out by 8 Bn.
Objective - all enemy works W of
3 Bde area of attack & E of trenches
X4d 5.4 to R34 C2.2 Excl.
Attack on frontage of 2 Corp
Each coy is 4 waves over frontage
of abt 100 yds, w right on
advanced posts facing N. R. & Left
flanks to be covered by 1 platoon each
& Lewis guns, Echeloned.
4Bn to attack all enemy trenches betw. X4 C78
X4 C59  X4 a43  X4 a46
w reliefs of bombers covered by
m.g. fire from right or E.
Reserve 3 coys 3rd Bn, who will
follow 8 Bn if required. 

? oppositn

67 
21 
1 & 2 Bns to take over trenches
left by 3 & 4 Bns. 
3.56 From 3^rd AI Bde. HQ 1a30. 5 & 7 Bns confirmed
in OGI. Pioneers moving up
to consolidate OG2
4.10 fr. 3 Bde - No confirmⁿ of 
capture by 5 Bn of OG2
4.17. 5 Bn:  At 3 am. Have captured 
2nd objve & am consolidating"
4.20. fr. 3.Bde  British Bde on right
at 3.15 reported had occupied 
[*(S.W.B)*] penetrated hostile trench but
considerable information.
5^th Bn not yet joined hands w
3 Brit. Inf. Bde.
4.51 3rd A.I. Bde : Hostile arty normal
till 9.15 pm when heavy barrage
on B.Watch ally & sap 200
yds NW. Our guns retaliated,
causing this to slacken by
10.pm. & at 10.30 condns normal 

67
22
Few gas shells. Good deal sniping.
New trenches from X5d29 to
X5d78 joining 0G1 & OG2.
4.16  1 FaBde - as 5 Bn in
objectives barrage of 34
Divn stopped.
3.45.  OC 5 Bn: Being bombed out
of OG2 - asking for reinfts.
One coy of 9 Bn who just behind
being sent up. Also asked for 
arly Barrage in front. 
(Barrages on OG2
ordered to be contin^d)
4.5   5 Bn reports nearly all officers
casualties - urgent need reinfts
Sent 1 Coy 11 Bn. & 300 bombs.
Asks for another Bn 5 to be sent
up to 3 AI Bde w bomb to bring
up bombs ammn.
Small party Brit. got into Munster
alley near X5B 4.1 

23
10am  from 3 Inf Bde.
on S side of Bapaume Rd.
Enemy c-attack ws broken
by our shell & mg fire.
Now lull. Message sent to troops
to re-occupy trenches vacated
thro shellfire.

67
24
5.5. Barrage on O.G.2 South
of train stopped as 1^st Divn
may be there.
4.35 5 Bn wants bombs.  These sent
vacating OG2.
Ordered to hold OG1 at all
costs reoccupy OG2 if possible
No news from N yet.
5.50 am. Report from 11. 12. Bns
11 Bn went toward new objve.
& caught in heavy cross mg &
[*128*] rifle fire.
12 Bn reached new line with
part of 11 Bn & started to consolidate
but came under heavy rifles mg & shrap.
Many casualties. 12 Bn urgently
need support & expect heavy c-attack
from windmill R35 C93 No reinfts
to send (3 Bde 7) till further reserve.
5.50 from 1 AI Bde message. Attack going well
300 yds trench taken from X4c &
X4a. 20 germans k & 10 capt.
(157 Regt ) Others 200 fled across country 

67
25
caught by m.g. as ran  We
capt. 2 mgs (5.50.
6 a.m. 1 AI Bde - Rt & centre pushing
on. Left going up German trench on W of
Pozières.
6.14 both 11 & 12 Bn, retired to
position held last night ?
Men worn out & shd be relieved.
Heavy casualties.
48^th Divn. 
Hostile arly died down abt 5 a.m.
Both enterprises failed to reach objive
6.50.  1^st Bde wants reserve Bn from
5 BH further up. Around BH X10A6.3.
6.25 Left of 1st AI Bdes attack
has reached X4 A2.8  In touch
w centre of attack; digging in.
FO.G. reports Inf. in advance of
cemetery.
6.40. 48 Divn. After heavy bombt.
Enemy entered our trenches near
X3 c7.9  Berks are driving enemy
steadily back - none came thro'
open
6.55  3 Bde reports - sent in 1 Coy of
his reserve. Leaves only 1 Coy.
Diffy of getting ammn & bombs thro
lack of men. 

67
26
7 a .m. 48  Divn. Germans cleared
out of our position.
7.30 Pioneers - No 1 Pty making
s.p. for 1 Bde at X4H39^1/2 ?
No 2 pty for 3 Bde waiting opporty
No 3 pty similarly waiting.
Rest making trenches, barricades
7.12 1 AI Bde  2 coys in Positn
at R34 C5.2. & X4 A9
w few casualties.
7 55. 5 Inf Bde group put at 1 Div Disposal
by Anzac. Hope able relieve
3 Bde.
8.30 1 Brit Div.  Attack by SWB
on Munster Alley failed.
Glosters working up OG2 towd Pt 41 
8.50 1 AI Bde asks: please consider
reinforcing Pozières Positn from
X10B. w m.gs & fresh troops