Charles E.W. Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/54/1 July August 1916 pt15

180
AUG 10 1916
133 Regt. Prisoners sd they were in
Lille, Peronne. & Hardecourt 14 days back.
Came here 3 days ago. Prisoner capt^d.
abt R34d near B95.  It ws hard to keep
pace w wd.
96 Regt ws on his right.
Whole Saxon Corps is on this front 24 Div (133,
139, 179) in line; 40 (104, 134, 181) reserve.
Reliefs every 4 days. His regt were
trying to dig connectn w Prussians
on rt but British shelling prevented it.

This day 16th were dodging
shell fire round their trenches [shorthand].
Relieved 9th Jaeger.
Prisoner of
69 Rgt.  Divn = 28, 29, 68, 69 Regts. 68 prob out
now
Aug 8/9
Line from R33 b 27 to 55, to R34 a. 0.5.
Trench R.33 b 55 to R34 a. 05 ws occupied
by 3 platoons at night, one during day.
69 in these (4 Coys); R33 b 55 to R33 b 27 ws
occupied by 28, 29 Bns; also R33 b27 & 29.
[*Constantly trying to link up.*]
Gap from Copse R34 a 0.5. to rt of Saxons
abt R34 a 34 is kept open by our arty
wh is terrible & 133^th cant join w 69^th.
We have driven a wedge betw Prussians & Saxons.
Mouquet Farm is left alone as dangerous.

AUG 11 1916
181
9
11/8/16 Reference Map. Ferme du
Mouquet 1/5000.
16 Bn front line ws
R. 33 d 28-78- 89 -99 -34a 12-43
with advanced Lewis Gun Post
at 34 a 13.
Owing to heavy shelling the trench [shorthand]
R 33 d 28 to 78 ws only held by
a few men, garrison being
withdrawn for safety to trench
26 - 78.
Abt 2pm. observers reported
Enemy leaving Mouquet Farm
in large nos. - small columns
in single file kept leaving
farm & spreading fanwise &
formed a thick line from
R33 a 81 - Quarry - 33b 55
Enemy shelling increased; realising
 tt attack ws impending O.C. 16 Bn
remanned his trench 33d 28-78.
& H.Q. Lewis g. detachments
were sent to 34a 12.
Abt 3 pm. first enemy wave
advanced on 16^th who met
them w v. heavy rifle & m.g. fire

182
I don't know what / Kaiser gives them a bally
[shorthand]
bayonet for. They drop it when they come near you.
[shorthand]
I could beat him with my bloody hat!

AUG 11 1916
183
9
Germans came out of Mouquet
Farm down hill - running – &
got out of sight. Little fire or
barrage on them at this time.
Later a wave came over hill
(barrage had lifted but not before
our men went back into forwd
trench [shorthand] (withdrawn bec. of fire
enfilading from
both directions). Line had
bayonets fixed. They came
on well - tremendous
fire opening from us quite
like Anzac Days. Men
fell, spun round, dropped,
tried to run away & fell,
dropped & crawled away.
After first wave only a minute.
Then a clumps came up - no recognisable
crowd. (They were ^all walking)
Then a longer gap - then another
crowd.
Our Lewis m. gs. were in
crater near 81 & another near 13,
& 3 or 4 others. At least one
was outside (all Lewis m. gs.)
(The men wd have L.m.g under
coats or hugging them to keep
from dirt & dust- v. fond of L.m.g.)
 

184
At anzac 4 Bde signallers
averaged 60 messages a day.
Here 300.
i.e. more highly organised.
(of course we weren't attackg
all time at Anzac). 

AUG 11 1916
185
9
one wd run forwd from one crater to
another to get clear shot at Germans
retiring into valley. This fire on their
left flank, enfilading, ws most
effective. Germans fell in scores.
S.0.S. signal ws sent to arty
who put up barrage. Enemy retired
into valley & cd be seen (like
Turks at Anzac) hopping from
one shelter to another.
Enemy reached abt 2100 yds
or 150 from our trench. Probly
attacked w 2 Bns.
[*63}
69} Regts attacked*]
Some of enemy were beckoned
to to come in - & 20 prisoners
at least did so. (after advance)
Enemy went into dugouts
in Quarry. Brockman asked by
Pigeons for fire by heavy
guns on quarry & Mouquet
Farm - & guns got on
extraordinarily quickly
(They ^pigeons go to Army Corps H.Q which
telephones). Many men were
probly hunted out of Quarry by this
fire.
Men of 16Bn were very cool &
splendid:
Maj. Durrant ws in 16Bn trenches
at the time.
 

186
AUG 12 1916
Sunday
Sergt Pengally
4 Aust M. G. Coy
to be seen.
Balloon got nearby Aug 12
4pm. & our planes [[arrd?]]
? trying to sink it.
German aeroplane
brought down in 14Bn
front line.
Aug12. French got 6000 yds of
trenches to Somme & ½ village
of Maurepas.
Everyone to is v. pleased w Lahore
Div Arty.

Aug 12/13 1916

187
Aug. 13. (night 12/13) 
12.15 (sent)
9
Rt Bn 37 Bde gained objve. Left getting
on. Message recd tt rt of 35
Bde in touch w Anzac troops.
12. - from 50 Bn.
Norfolks linked up w Essex
No news yet of 50 Bn Anzacs.
2.15.  37^th Bde in touch w left of 35 Bde.
2.30. Left coy reports at 1.55 am. Linked up w Norfolks & reached objve
[*Night of Aug 11/12*]
The German c. attack ^yesty didn't disorganise
our nights programme. 13^th Bn.
bombed up trenches tt night.
[*1 am Aug 11*]
13Bn had taken trench on right
previous night.
1.20 a.m. from 50 Bn.
Report just recd. time 11.30
p.m. Objective gained & positn
being consolidated by 3 of our
Coys. who are in touch with each
other & the 13 Bn. No report
from our left Coy yet -
One prisoner brought in.
(This report took nearly 2hrs
to reach Bn H.Q.; from there 700
yds overground to phone. 3 ¼ hrs
to Bde HQ.)
 

188
Aug 12/13 1916
[Hand-drawn diagram, please see original]
+++ objective for tonight.
xxx trenches held on Aug 11.
On night of Aug 11/12  13 Bn bombed up towards 38, 96 ½.
_________________________________
AUG 13. 2.22 a.m. 37 Bde joined up with
35 Bde. whole show consolidating
Few Prisoners taken.
37 has not got all its objve
It is not going very far in
any case - only making a
short bomb push. Trouble
here is machine guns.

2.45 a.m.
Aug 13.
Aug 12/13 1916
189
Signs. Report. no one can reach 13 Bn
at present on acc of heavy barrage
9A
4 Bde order 11/8/16 for tonights operation.
1. Bde ^has bn agn successful in reaching its
objective - now holds R 35 c 48;
R 34 d 60; R 34 b. 24; R34
a 86; w 65 - 34 - 13; R33 b 61;
R 33 d 28 x ; 26 - linking with
12 Divn at 26.
2. On night etc. Copy attached.
(see page 193a)
AUG 12 1916
On morning of Aug 12 a sniper ws
annoying our line. He ws supposed
to be in a tree just E of the Quarry.
Some of / men went out (?) and
shot at / tree - & a man fell out
w a m.g.- they had bn in / stump
(so Col. Brockman says)
we can see a dummy gun close
in front of us.
Heavy guns wh are firing at
us are sd to be not at Thiepval
but some miles N of it.
 

190
They have drained trained the bloody rackets rocks wrcks rockets
There's a white bugger
chased me down the road;
[shorthand]
Russians h. got. Stanislaus,
12.3.69-
10 z -
[Hand drawn sketch]

AUG 1I 1916
9  191
They tell me} Chalk Pit Dump ws blown up
yesterday - abt 11 P.M. Ats intervals
till morning flares, bombs, went
ammunitn went off - Red green
white flares kept on erupting in trenches.
Germans must have thought
there ws a devil of a barrage
coming.
Aug 12/13 1916
The prisoner came in. He ws a
rather weakly specimen who had
been an invalid & was in the Landsturm.
He belonged to 12 Korp 5 3rdBn.
69. I.R. Went into trenches at
10pm. & ws captured before 12.
He sd / trenches were full.
When our shrapnel started they
were lying down. Man next him
ws killed. The next he knew ws
tt an Australian ws standing
over him threatening to brain
him w his rifle- & no one
else tt he cd see ws in /
trench. They may have
run away or bn shot.
His brother ws w him in /
same trench - he sd they
had never bn away from

192

Aug 6 1916

At Brickfields, when 13 Bn abt
to come in Col. Tilney had them
lined up in a mass. He was talking
to them.
To Aug 12 1916
12 Bdes work
(*Hand-drawn diagram see original*)
(M alley
Now double, 10 yds apart)
Trenches dug by XII Bde
who are cooperating
with 45 Bde (18 Div)
(Scottish)
6 Cam. Highlanders who attacked)
AUG 12 1916
 

9
Aug 12/3 1916
193
one another in their lives. He
does not know what happened
to him. He knew nothing
abt / trenches.
Report from 13Bn. 6.43am
Attained our objve Linked w
50Bn. Hold continuous line thro
to R34 a 87 thence to 14 Bn at
24. Have secured "very extensive
arty dugout" - large quant. ammun.
at 34 a 87½.
Suspected dugout might be mined.
Casualties not extensive.
He replied to our 10.30 barrage
by "intense & sustained bombt".
Line H86 - b 1 2½ has many
old gun pits.
(*Hand-drawn diagram see original*)
M. Alley
(now double
10yds apart)
Munster alley last night & took left of it.

193a Aug 12/13 1916
 

194
Aug. 13. Today Germans have been shelling
in-partially all parts of / Pozieres
positn. I thought - as I went to
4. Divn H.Q. that they must have
put set some bldg on fire - from the
constant smoke cloud wh streamed
across / hill top - But when
I got higher I saw tt it ws only /
dust & smoke of continual shell
bursts - say 10 or 11 each minute
in some part of / positn- or at
times only 3 or 4 per minute
[Hand drawn sketches, please see original] 
High explosive bursts on slopes
this side of cemetery (by Ratson Trench
& 1st avenue).

Aug 12/13
Last night as I walked up to
4 Bde H.Q Germans were shelling
 

 193a Aug 12/13 1916
Secret 9/181
4th Australian Infantry Brigade.  Order No 33.
Map Reference. Ferme du Mouquet 1/5000
1. The Brigade has again been successful in reaching its objective
and now holds the line R 35 c 48; R 34 d 60; R 34 b 24; B 34 b
24 R 34 a 86; 65 34 13; R 33 b. 61; R 33 d 28; 26 linking
up with the 12th Bn at 26.
2. On the night 12/13 August the forward movement to Mouquet Farm
will be continued in co-operation with the 14th tomorrow on our left
Objective 13th Bn R 34 a 86; R 34 a 38; R 33 b. 9. 6 ½ [[?]]
Objective 14th Bn. R 33 b 9. 6½ (exclusive) R 33 b 55 on Mouquet Road
Quarry R 33 a 81 (inclusive)
3. In the meantime as much ground as possible will be made good
towards [[?]] objective. the 13th Bn forming a defensive flank on the line
R34 b 24; R 34 a 86; 67 38. As soon as this defensive flank
has been consolidated it will be held with Lewis Guns and as
few men as possible.
4. The attack will be timed in accordance with Barrage Map attached

Zero time will be       night 13 August
5. The 4th LIM. Bty [[and?]] 4th [[mgt?]] [[coy?]] will not [[act?]] under instruction
which will be communicated to the officers commanding these
Units
6. Watches will be synchronised at 6pm and 9pm on 12th August
7. Green flares shall be shown by the front line at 7.30am and 10.30am
tomorrow 13th and contact aeroplanes will fire white [[rear/Very?]] lights
8. the [[camouflage?]] for [[?]] will be - British [[East?]] - Australians [[?]] - Queensland

Issue at
Copy No 1. War Diary
2. 4th Aus Div
3. Lahore Div
4. 13th Div
5  14th
6  16th
7  4th LIM Bty
8  4th [Mg?] Coy
9  35th Inf Bde
10 12th Inf Bde
11  13th  [[do?]]
12  15th Bn
13
JMA Durrant
[[Map?]]

Brigade Major
4th Aus Inf Bde
Zero time 10.30.
Barrage  10.30-33
                 10.33-5
                 10.35-7
                 10.37 on (Mouquet
 Farm line)
 

[*Possibly gas shells
C. Ew. B.
1927*]

[*x This was an exaggeration - &
anyway, it was not their fault.
They were mostly better men than I;
but I have deliberately let this stand
unfair though it is, so that this
record should be unaltered. I was pretty
hard worked at the time when I wrote this & rather sore.*]
195
the hill  slope on / right of road
with 4.2 - 
I suppose about 10 shells
fell. I think certainly not more than
3 burst.
This went on all night. About
4 35 am. I went up on top & listened
& I heard 5 or 7 shells fall all
of which were blind. One
officer who had came round from
35 Inf. Bde said tt he thought he
must have heard 120 shell fall
& not more than 5 explode.
probably a exaggeration but
still very striking.
Reading the English papers
you wd imagine that the
Australians had been assisting
the strong territorial divisions, between
whom they were squeezed, to
move forward & steal a
portion of German front. The
other war correspondents none
of them come within shellfire^x -
much less rifle fire - and
they simply don't know & I suppose.
with all the fuss that the Daily