Charles E.W. Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/54/1 July August 1916 pt6

64
9
23Bn. July 28/9.
Orders at 5 pm. to Bn
in Bailiff wood to be moving at 8pm.

 3 corps to be in
B. Baird [[shorthand]]
C. Smart Capt.
D. Kennedy Capt.
& Air Support [24 Bn in reserve.]
Abt 9.30 - 10 followed up 7th Bde
No shelling - Didnt seem as if men
were seen going up. We were shelling
O.G. line w heavy stuff.
Bn had never seen I line
before. We had as marked out
jumping off place - only coordinates on
map.
Moved up Old German advancm
line (destroyed) to rly -no loss
to notice to rt along rly
 jumping off place ws prac. along rly
Flares were too far off to worry us.
Line had to Extend from jumping off
place. They crossed rly line
just on time & had to go
straight on. 12.15.
Hand drawn diagram - see original scan
[1 min. intense bombt.] As
soon as our fellows got up to go
on into under cover of our bombt.
 

65
& moment they got up they were
fired by rifle fire, m.g. & shrap.
Somebody had certainly bn
seen. They opened as our minutes
bombt ws going on. There ws no
arty on our 23 objectives but there
ws some barrage beyond it.
We had nothing Exc. the map to 
show whether / line in front of
us  ws held (Aeropl. had reported
O G (weakly held).
Our first objective, the X trench,
ws, abt 250 yds. The 2nd objve
ws, on left 200 further, on rt 300
further.
Hand drawn diagram- see original
[One man reach the trench in R.34 a 5-3.].
1st & 2 waves over shot
the line (the road now known as 
Brind's Rd) & gone on towards
German trenches in 34a 5 3 - a
road well strafed is a hard thing
to spot at night. Some of our
casualties were certainly
occasioned by our own shells.
They got 1st objve. a shallow
trench - wh wasn't held at all -
 

9 
66
& went straight on (according to programming)
The 3rd wave recognised the road.
The 1st & 2nd wave dribbled
back to it. Those who got into
O G I. came across Germans there
& killed them. Our left flank they
got into the Semi-Circular Advanced
trench & K. (Estim). 50 Germans.
Hand drawn diagram - see original
The 3rd wave went on 80 yds
behind 2nd wave.
Went in on 3 Coy front each
Coy in 4 waves of platoon a wave
- 4th wave being carrying platoon.
650 yds front.(abt 5 yards extension)
& abt 80 yds between waves.
Between 5 & 10 mins of bombt
stopping they were in objve. As soon
as 3rd wave recognised line they began
digging. Carrying platoon took spades
& picks. The front two waves didnt dig
in. G.Os had instns to go with
3rd waves but probly Brind & Kennedy
went with 1st wave.
1st wave ws in touch w
lefbd  26Bn all way - so 26 Bn
overshot its mark a bit also.
There was rifle & m.g.fire from
trench to N.
When 23 Bn started digging
 

9
67
in word was passed along -
"26th Bn Retire."
1.55 Col Fethers heard: occupied
2nd Objve. digging in.
Messengers used to be K. in
the way.
2.35 heard tt left Coy had reached
Objve.
2.35. heard  tt 26 reported tt their

left Coy ws falling back.
3 am. Word passed (from26)
to 23 Bn to fall back.
Ordered 1 Coy of 22 to reinforce
24 C Central w obj. of giving 7 Bde
time to reform & come again.
Brought up C.Coy 24 Bn from
reserve to take place of 22 Coy.
Col. Walker 25 Bn said he
had asked 7 Bde for reinfts.
3.20 Fethers ordered Lewis'
gunners to reinforce rt flank.
(Not much fire coming from rt

 flank).
3.50 learned definitely tt
26 Bn had withdrawn.
4.5 sent to Capt. Smith "Hold
on. Have sent one Coy 22. to
rt flank & hope to keep / flag flying
there".
 

9
68
4.45 Have issued follg orders.
Withdraw ^partially & form new front
line from R33 d 7-4 to 
Beach Rd. Sapps had reported
& were instrd to push on w
trench parallel to Beach
Rd
Diagram- see original
7.45. Party of Germans approached 
along Brinds Rd & bombed 
but were driven back. They 
had a shallow Z trench the other
side of rd from us & crept
along it. 
Dug in along this line.
We occupy a bombing
post at the cross of the X trench
1st Objve
A jumping off trench (shallow)
has now bn dug from Brinds Road.
 for There ws an early morning
fog wh saved the 23rd while
digging in in a very awkward
positn. The fog lasted more or less
till midday - the first fog we have
had - quite providential.
 

9
69
A sergt & 2 men in 1st or 2nd wave
reached German trench under m.g. fire
having seen / gun-bombed it & K
the crew (abt 1/2 way below two main
lines.
Diagram - see original
They blew up / gun.
2 men were wd
in doing this.
They brought these men back.
Another man single handed
under m.g. fire went into same
sap, bombed sap, & remained there
all day covering a working pty.
X
We went out in day light
to collect wd. Germans in most
cases stood up & witheld fire
In some cases they sd "Go on 
collecting wd & get back!"
When s.b. started collecting arms
they fired on him.
Another wd man says tt
a German took his Equipment, water
bottle & rations & Sd: "You're lucky
not to get a bomb for breakfast". 

Lt Flett ws K. & Kennedy
Brind & Raws missing.
R.G. Raws.
 

9
70
The wire in front of 7 6th Bde & on
right was well cut - in a few
places uncut.
Mrs W.K.Ackers,
c/o Mrs Doyne,
Tredegar, Darling Pt, Sydney.
26 Bn Message from Col.Ferguson : You go & clean yourself.
7 ) Col. (sh).
A of 2.
There is a small attack
on tonight agst str.pt. in
crater on left of line in wh
bombers & m.g. fired on our
? digging  working 2 parties. The German has
clearly taken this for a first 
rate attack & is flinging 
in stiff as hard as he can.
I wrote to above at abt 10 p.m.
in Maj Col. Fethers dugout - On our way
back we had to pass our own
4.7 guns firing - luckily we were
past before they fired for the flash is
almost blinding - we passed a line
of men marching along /  tramway who
sd they were the 6th Field Coy.
An hour later as we sat at
our evening meal under / trees
Byers, Dexter's servant, told us tt
 

9
71
about half o these engrs had come
back wounded - They had not been
wanted up / gully - but had got into
shrapnel at / end of it. They seem to
have gone up by mistake tonight.
A few minutes ago a man
came by, Byers tells us, beside himself.
"My poor bloody mules," he was crying
-'my poor bloody mules - blown all to
bits just behind me-"
He had bn leading two mules
down / gully when a shell burst
behind him & blew them to bits all
over him. He was taken by / policeman
at / corner to / dressing stn.
On / corner o / road near
here (50 yds away) is Major Dexters
coffee station (w two men on watch all
day & all night to give coffee to anyone who
wants it - & a policeman who
stops stragglers.
There are not many^ Australian stragglers
- a few in this Division. If they want
to measure Aust. discipline agst
British tt is not a bad test.
The 4.7 guns were firing at
5300 yds tonight. The men there
think tt it is counter battery work
probly - or firing on roads of comms.
[* (i.e. the gun's Crews think their own guns are firing at G.[[?]].)
 

9

72
They dont do much on / Trenches
This afternoon , about 1 o'c. an
aeroplane put them onto a gun wh
has bn firing at Albert lately &
on / side of Sausage Gully. All /
guns in / group were turned onto it
& gave them it 40 shells - 2000 shells
in all. They say / gun ws smashed up.
The first ^ or second morning tt / 1st Aust.
Divn spent in Pozieres they were
able to wander thro / village. Men
were sitting on / doorsteps waiting
for Germans to come from / cellars
(the 'cleaning up' process I suppose).
They wd bomb down / cellar & then
wait for / inhabitants to bolt &
knock them over as they bolted.
Our 6th Bde has some fine
officers in it - & young ones; but
men of fine ideals. I must say the
5th & 6th strike me as far better than
the 7th.
Aug 3 1 a.m. Our guns are still firing
hard - part o /  great preparation
I suppose. 23 & 24 to go over XXXXXXXX  ;
I dont know wh others. I suppose
the 2nd Divn wants to do its work
before being relieved by the 4th.
 

73
28/29 July 1916
26.. Bn. Lt Neeson ws wd. fighting m.g. crew
(?Automatic) at abt R.34 d[[?]]8.
Some o / men speak of a shallow
trench or ditch wh they jumped over
in Nomans land . It ws the 2nd line wire
tt ws difficult - v.few if any got into the
2nd Z trench (O.G.2). The germans were holding
O.G.1 with bombing posts. (our men). They were 
certainly seen at abt 12.8 : coming out from
trenches wh they left at 12.
At 11.42 the German sent up 
a green flare in front of 26 th.
Prob. line swung a bit to left
(i.e.157 N.W.) Lost abt 6 men from shell
fire getting into position. Started from 
Sausage Valley in dusk.
.Abt 3 am or 2.30 after men
had bn ordered to withdraw a signal
ws seen ^coming from O.G.1. They sd there
were abt 40 men and officer of 25 &
26 -. They had bn up to left &
bombed back, & cdnt hold / line.
This officer belonged to 25 & he sd tt
/ order to retire had come from /
right thro his bn & he had heard
it & all his men had retired.
(signal ws sent by pocket lamp).
Left Coy & O.C. went too far to left &
came in touch w 23rd digging