Charles E.W. Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/54/1 July August 1916 pt17

9
AUG 14/15 1916
207
51 Bn reports: Bn went out but at 150
yds right ^ flank ws badly held up by
m.g. fire - Germans showing in
increased numbers. Asks for
arty to look out for S.O.S. signal.
Present position uncertain. Ross organising
original line into state of defence.
Heavier barrage arranged on right flank
3a.m. Question ^now is whether our fellows
are now 150yds out in Nomansld.
If so, & / German is likely to attack
at dawn, he wd find our men
outside / bombardment wh he
has probly arranged. He knows
we have attacked; & so he
must try & find out by
patrols where we are before
he can bombard. There is a
chance tt he wont be able to
find this out before dawn; in wh
case his attack stands little
chance wd have to be made
by daylight & wd probly
almost certainly fail.
No report yet from 13th at all
50th will have to be relieved
almost at once.
 

9

AUG 14/15 1916
208
49 Bn. R34A99- B24
13th Bn. Trench 35 yds from hopping

out trench. 1st wave took this after
a little fighting. Further Report
11.15 sd tt we had captured
another trench full of German
This ws captd & 11 prisoners
taken- Flanks did not
come up. At 12.15 
Bn reported tt it ws heavily
C- attacked & had to withdraw.

[*Captd.
m.g. but
had to
destroy it.
Bn not more
than 400
strong now.*]
As a raid the move ws a
success as many casualties inflicted.
Lanagan Waters Farlow
wd. Capt Fox missing & wd. 

- searching for him.
As flanks did not
come up had to retire.
50th Bn reports its men holding
yestys line - R33 G 55 to 33a81
sniping causing a no. of casualties.
Ross reports that 51 Bn
had all its Coys held up by
m.g. fire. Am now back in old line
consolidating & thinning out.
Centre Coy reached a strong pt
abt. R28c23 but ws unable 

9
AUG 14/15 1916
209
to make good. Have 5 officers
casualties - estimate abt 160
casualties. Arty preparation
apptly much too brief as m.g.
& rifles opened at once.
Morale still good. 49th & 13th
in touch - Consider lack of commun
very fatal to deployment. I had
50th & 13th Bns using the one
commn sap. wh I dug last night
& there ws great congestion.
Lorenzo's extension is from ^R.34 B24
to 34a99.
Prisoners were from
{69. m.g. komp.
{Cut off from comn by arty.
{69.2.
{69.2.6th kom
They were taken abt pt48
in R33B.
Most of the men in / trench
had run away. The Engl. were
on them very quickly.
They did not think they were
going to make an attack. They
 

9
AUG 14/15 1916
210
thought they were going to be
relieved today
50 Bn. reports tt before getting over
parapet they had to close up to
the left. They were enfiladed
by shrapnel & m.g. fire. Their
m.g. fire opened before our
guns opened, by a few minutes.
Many fell when getting over
/ parapet - all coys reached
their objve but fell back bec. flanks
did not come up.
Many of our wd in
Nomansland.

_______________
A party of British bombed towards
point X2B99 but owing to opposition
this pty only reached R33C14.
Post estab. at pt 88 is working
to join hands w this party.
Hold 6th Avenue from right
commn trench to Anzacs.
13th Bn now from ^R.34 a 38.4.7
to 34a 2.7 to 336.8.6. 

 9 
AUG 14/15 1916 
211
50th Bombing party has joined
up w British bombing pty
(what does this mean?)
The youngster man of the 51 Bn who came
down w some prisoners from his Bn
(S 7 saxons of the 193 who had bn on
outpost & had come in & surrendered)
told us tt he didnt know how it happened

- but just when his regiment reached
/ German trenches someone gave the
word retire. They lost in coming
back - he sd- xxxx the word came 

along from their right & who gave
it he did not know.
The man of the 13th who came in
w 11 prisoners of 69th Regt, earlier,
sd tt his bn had taken / trench
but cd not stay there because /
others came back. He
had got to the left rather, & reached
a trench w a m.g. The m.g. ws firing
He crept up & threw his pick at
it. Then he threw 2 bombs & jumped
in & he & one other man got
the 11 prisoners - those two alone.
The regt cd not stay bec. / others came back
The Germans told me tt they
were rather crowded in / trench
 

9
AUG 14/15 1916
212
because they had seen / English
coming heavily on their left, &
not so many in font. The Germans
were not fine specimens as
a rule; the Saxons very little
insignificant weeds. hardxxx
being a city population, xx like
many Englishmen tt  I know.
 

For pages 3 onwards.
turn to other end of book

11 

1a

Illustration - see original document
 

9

Officers k. near Laventie 19/20 July 1916
Total casualties 5300. Estimated casualties that day I ws told were 

144 officers 3472 men but I thought at / time nearer 5000

__________________________________________________________

{ 50 Bn.  3 Lieut Mitchell^√, 2/L. Lees^√ & Parker^√
{31  -  1  Lt Cox ^√
{ 32 -  4 Maj. Higgon, Lt Hulks, Chinner, Hagan
{ 53.   6. L/Col Norris,  Maj. Simpson ^? V.H.B.Sampson
Capt. Arblaster, Lt Moffitt^√, 2/L Madge^√
& Pratt
{54.  4.  Capt Taylor, Lieut Ahern
2/L. Boone, Chaplain Mantad^√
{55.   2.  Capt Gibbins, Lt Mendelsohn.^√
14 Bde TMBty 1. Capt Hopkins
14 Bde MG Coy 2. 2/L. Cox, Hoddle-Wriggley
59 Bn. 1. Lt Morrow^√
60 Bn. 4 Maj. McCrae^√. Capt. Evans
Capt Ground, Lt Smith.
8 Field Coy. 1 Lt Tenbosch
29 k.

[*Toll ws also wd.*]
W. & M. Missing
31Bn. Maj. Pa M Eckersley
32Bn Maj. J.J. Hughes
54 Bn Maj. R. Harrison
58 Bn. Maj. A.J.S. Hutchinson
60 Bn Maj. T.P. Elliott
31 Bn Maj. C. E. Clements
54 Bn. Maj. R.D. Holman
59 Bn (shell shock) Maj. E.A. Harris
 

Opened On
Closed on.
The Squares in this book are ¼ inch.
Willmott & Sons, Ltd., Ldn. WI2261—50,000 Bks.—11/15.
 

9
July 27
to
Aug 14

Pozieres July 27. Heavy fire all day but they
say not so bad a bombardment
on whole as 1st Divn

Fromelles 

Sketch see original