Charles E.W. Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/54/1 July August 1916 pt12

137
AUG 7-1916
Hand drawn sketch - see original

9  AUG 7-1916    138
few patrols - At 4a.m. Sergt Twining & his
patrol beyond the Windmill  xxxx (10 men)
reported tt / Germans were coming back
up the hill (our patrols can see over /
crest). They were in a line & seemed to
be forming it up just beyond / crest.
Twining only had 5 of his 10 men
still unwounded. He had bn given a
confidential map by Col. Leane who
told him it must be swallowed or
burnt _^rather than captured - and he decided to burn it
& did so. He got a good fire on /
Germans - they were a bit to the North
of the Windmill.
His The patrols retired into
OG1 according to order. The Germans
got into part of this trench - & cut
[*R.C. Carter - M.P.*]
off Capt Hartley (who ws wd) & some of
his men. They wd certainly have
taken them prisoner but some of had xxx done
so The 14^th under Jacka & some of /
48^th from further round / trench charged
& released the men & captured /
Germans. (The 48^th ws / old 16^th)
Jacka ws not killed but ws 
wounded in 3 places. I believe he
gave his men great heart - "Now
then boys - come & go for them".
Dunworth of 15 Bn. took out a

139
AUG 7/8 1916

[*What must it be for the poor chaps spending their nights in / wretched 
ditches up there where /
shells are crashing all night 
alongside of them! Those are
/ men who shd have / praises.
This last night there was
a fierce cannonade
S & E of us. The
British got into
Gillemont or Ginchy -
Gillemont I think; & 
/ French got on also.
The firing has lasted 
fiercely all this morning.*]
AUG 7/8 1916

Aug 8. Last night a battery of
5 - 9 guns put a barrage on
the road past our corner o / wood.
All night long big shells Crashed 
in around the corner and sent
splinters & stones chipping thro the wood &
far beyond our trench. Some bits fell on
/ roof. Ey Every minute all thro' /
dark there ws a crash somewhere near
& I ws really very frightened - you cant
help thinking / next will crash onto you.
Yet next morning when I went out to 
look I cdnt find a single crater. There
ws not, I think, a single new hole in
our sackcloth shelter where we have our
mess. One corporal on a byke ws found dead,
& one horse - I believe - & traffic ws held up
exc. ambulances. They fired 300 shells I shd
say; but altho I wd have thought / ground
outside must be pitted, I dont believe more
then 4 shells (if so many) fell within 100 yards of us.

9   AUG 7 - 1916   140
party into Nomansland & 
caught the Germans in flank &
rear.
The number of Germans were 16
& are in front of / wire. Many
others were taken prisoner - prob. 
abt 100 or more.
Twining at 10a.m. asked Leane
if he cd be relieved - as he only
had 2 men left - all / others were k
or w. As Twining himself ws w. 
Leane withdrew the post.
——
2nd Bn & 2 Coys of 3 Bn. xxxx of German
63rd Regt attacked - in one line.
A Sergt xx ws on right wing & got m.g. fire
from front & flank. They crossed
a trench shot to bits. (No mans land
(from trench W of Courcelette took 15 mins
to cross - i.e. abt ¾ mile).
He lay in a hole till xxxx. English
came upon them.
They had bn in rest at ? Nauroy 4 days.
& Essarts (near Gommecourt)
& were brought down in buses
to Courseletes  These were not 
the troops brt to Courselettes in
buses, but marched from Courcelle
to Ligny - rested - & marched into

9    AUG 7 - 1916    141
line. One man sd they formed up
in Courcelette Rd^x (where there are 
dugouts) - made way thro 
wire of their front trench - wh ws
[*^XBrinds Rd*] shot away only in places,
reformed - in single line in close
order & were told to come ½ left
(i.e. almost parallel to our front). Got bombs 
in bottom rd
(where there
had been
arty by
the shell cases)

Hand drawn sketch - see original

He got detached w 
4 others - Found one
of our m.gs. firing at
wh fired at them almost
as soon as they left their trench. He
got within a few yards of it. He then
saw abt 5 Germans coming back
in charge of abt 20 English prisoners.
He told them they were going in 
wrong direction. He then saw
people in trench waving a cloth at
them bec. they cdnt be shot at as
they had / Eng. prisoners there. The
Eng. hopped out o / trench &
got completely round them & the

142
AUG 8 - 1916
Aug 8.
26 Bn man ws brought in today
from beyond O.G.2. R34 Central.

(I was at Brand's HQ., xxxxx Sausage Valley, during
this attack. C.E.W.B. Aug 20 1917)

AUG 8/9 1916
10.40. Message from 15th. Little bombing & m.g.
fire on front - Shelling has decreased.

9   AUG 7 - 1916    143
9
Germans surrendered & Brit.
prisoners released.
——
Dare reports tt
During c. attack at dawn on 7 Aug.
L^t F Appleton & L^t H.S. Dobbie did well.
Dobbie ws on left of 2/Lt Jacka. attack
came from NE & 48 Bn had to retire.
Section held by Jacka & Dobbie had to 
swing right flank back from R34C60
-R34D48 to R34C60 - R34D26.
Jacka & Dobbie mounted their
Lewis guns & met the c-attack -
Dobbie led a bombing party.
Maj. Furhmann seeing his rt
fall back supported his line w one
platoon under 2/L^t Appleton & w this
support the 3 platoons charged 
& took many prisoners. All 3
offrs were wd. Leane states tt they
saved their situation.
——
Attack 8/9 Aug.
Operation order No 30/4 Aust Inf Bde.
Object: Pushing towards Mouquet Farm.
Objve: Front R34b2.4 - R34b.04.
R34a74 - R34a53-12. R33d99-89
X2^nd Div. The Suffolk Bn (35 Dale. 12 Divn) will
cooperate by seizing R33D78 & thence to 89 (Excl.)
Dividing line between Suffolk Bn & 15 Bn
will be the road R33d95 to 89. Suffolk Bn

will be allowed R33d95 - 45 to assemble troops.

144   AUG8/9 1916
11.6 pm.
16 Bn says: A Coy. in support; of 15 Bn. D Coy in readiness
in First avenue.

9   AUG 8/9 1916     1459
Main attack by 15 Bn with one Coy of 16 Bn
in reserve from R34a91 to R33d95
apt R34a74 - R33d89.
At same time a defensive flank will
be secured formed on line R34b24 -
R34a74 - 14^th Bn connecting up from
R34.b41 to R 34b24. L^t Col J Cannan
C.B. to command operation.
Zero Time 9.20.
First wave to move as close under
barrage - & rush trench / moment it lifts.
As soon as line has bn secured it
will be consold. & held by as tightly
as possible - Lewis guns being pushed forwd.
4 additional L. guns to be supplied by
16 Battln.
Strong pts. to be estab. near R34b24
between there & R34a74-53, Prob. on
or near Rd at R34a12 & R33d89
& suitable intermediate places.
Rt flank R34b24 will be thrown
back to connect with OG 2 at abt R34b41
Patrols to be pushed forwd to
seize if possible R34a65 and
R34a43 & 34 as the barrage lifts.
Bomb parties to be ready if necy.
to bomb up trench from R34a53 to
43 & 34 & up trench running NW. from
near R34a12.
MTMs to cooperate aqst R33d89 &
trench from R34a91 to 53.

146
AUG 8/9 1916
11.30 F.O.O. reports
Bns in O.G.2 _^(14 & 15) were able to get
tinned fruit & canteen stuff in front
line at midday today. (900 fr. worth
of stuff.) 3 cases fruit
3 cases sausages
4 cases cakes
tobacco
biscuits
cafe au lait
Sold to companies on spot - money
coming back.
Another lot tomorrow morning.
12 dixies stew per coy &
8 dixies of tea went up today }
from cookers in Sausage Gully.
Only 12 dixies spilt since the Bns in.
15 men k & wounded (13 Bn doing it
under an officer. 1 Off. 80 men for
each Bn go up twice daily. In
morning they take breakfast & dinner
(dry ration) & in evening - tea. Men
coming down awfully pleased w this.
"Gaw's Truth, the men tt brings it up
is as good as the men in the line".
There are 250 tins of water
beyond ordinary supply is in Cemetery 
- Eno' for 24 hrs if heavy barrage.]
All this seems to me splendid.
They always move out 5 a.m. & 5 pm & have
never bn more than 5 minutes late.
[*The same
A different 
lot go up
in morning 
& afternoon - 
13^th Bn.
but diff lot next
day.*]

9   AUG 8/9 1916    147
4^th M.G. Coy to arrange for overhead
fire on points 53, 43, 74, 94 and 8½.6 in
R34a. afterwds lifting w artillery 
at 0003 onto German Commn trenches
leading to points 34 & 65 in R34a.
All up traffic via wire Trench -
Dinkum First Avenue; Down traffic via
Centre Way - Dinkum Ave.
——
From Cannan:
11.45. 1^st 2 waves moved out splendidly
Capt Corrigan ws wd. while waiting
w 3^rd & 4^th wave to go up.
Suffolks moved out late. Platoon
of 16^th sent up to support Suffolks.
Artillery officer reports tt
we have objective & B German
officer & men captured.
Rifle fire can be heard. (? is
this from 78 strong Point).
9.44 (Recd. 11.50). Reported tt scouts,
m.gs. had left trench.
10.5 _^Capt Harwood Reported tt Suffolks were
still in their trench. Liaison
officer sent to C.O. to ask
him to press attack rigorously.
Capt Harwood instructed to
use his platoon on our
left flank to protect.
[A Sergt of 16 Bn w / platoon reported tt

9   AUG 8/9 1916    148
he lost directn & returned to K trench.]
Barrages:
Hand drawn sketch - see original

Map of barrages by 18 pdrs.
(All night barrage 180 prds per
btn per hour
944 Scouts m.g. d
From Cannan: - 
10.5. Capt Corrigan reported tt 1st & 2nd
waves left in good order. Suffolks
left altho late. The barrage wanted 
to be maintained esp. on flanks.
One more Coy 16^th & Lewis guns asked
for to go were 1^st Avenue joins K trench.
Reports. Suffolks failed at 78. Cannan asks
for further effort here as he has made
good his objective.
(Suffolks are 150 yds from 78 down
Ration trench. 78 is strong point of Germans)

149   AUG 8/9 1916

Hand drawn sketch - see original

(where we join British.)
See opp.

9   AUG 8/9 1916    150
Aug. 9 (morning.)
12.50. 35^th Bde has succeeded on left
as far as point 77. Held up at 
point 77.
[2 Coys of 16 Bn are coming 
up on S.E. corner simultaneously
to help Suffolks].
Evenings arty again active.
1.3. The Suffolks have got 89 - their
extreme right - & want 15^th to
get touch. Theyre not in touch
w 15 Bn. (89 is on road).
See map opposite.
1.13. F.O.O. reports infantry has gained
objve. Position on both flanks
a little obscure.
From 35 Bde.
1.50am. We have "There are a Lewis gun at 89.
" & some men & officers but not in
" touch with 4 Bde. These belong to
" 15 or 16 Bn. British rt now at
" Pt 77. Germans still in trench
" 86 to 96. British are going for
" trench 78 to be attacked again."
Col. Dare sends in a useless message
about shelling of tramway trench. (That's where
no. of casualties: he is - says Brand)

no. of casualties ("we want to know 
where their left is" - says Brand). "Left
successful:" says the report - (What left: -

151
AUG 8/9 1916
Some of the things our men have said:
"xxxx xxxx
"A Taube in the sky looks like 
a louse crawling across a blue quilt".
Our petrol
"I drunk some water out of
one of those petrol tins - & s'elp
me - I ws afraid if I put a 
cigarette in my mouth I shd 
blow up."
Letters of 9 Jaegers Bn
8 Res. Divn
found in dugout

9   AUG 8/9 1916     152
whose left - where is it? sd B.)
AUG 7 - 1916
Lock tells me tt Fuhrmann told him
tt he had 2 platoons in O.G.2 &
2 in a trench behind O.G.1.  - O.G.1
ws empty. 

Hand drawn sketch - see original

He saw /
Germans
coming up
over OG1
& they were
in 5 waves
about 90 - 120
strong. The 48^th
bolted back before
them. Fuhrmann sent up a 
platoon at once under Jacka
who ws w him - & half
an hour later sent up another
platoon under Dobbie w some
bombs - Probly these latter made
the frontal attack & Jacka the
flank attack - but this isnt clear.
AUG 8/9 1916
Cannan reports that his left
coy reached _^with loss point 89-99 but as
British failed to make good 78 or 89 his
men were ordered back to old line as
positn untenable. A coy lost direction
going across & lost touch. He is trying

153   AUG 8/9 1916
5.38 Glasford sent patrols out forward
of OG2 & to sunken road
at R35d35 to 46
No answer yet.

9   AUG 8/9 1916    154
to bomb up OG1 trench R34a91
to 62 to 53. A coy wd then bend back
his left along the road. had a 
small left party on E side of roadway.
(?) 58 - 43. C Coy reached 1^st objve.
If C coys left can
be joined up w
bombing party

Hand drawn sketch - see original

Above is situation at 3.30.
Suffolks are having another go at
trench 86 to 96 at 5a.m.
C. coy wd probly be 74 to 24
R34a74 to 34b24. Their left
wd have to be joined up w
Bombers in OG1 & with A coys
right.
Question now is - will
men from 89-91 have been
pulled back before they know tt
the Suffolks are going to attack
again at 5 a.m.
(I have no doubt, personally
tt they will have bn withdrawn.
That is a question of commns.)