Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/56/1 - August 1916 - Part 5

24
the rest areas or the batteries.
The green county comes closer
to their lines because we are
pushing them back on it all the time.
One felt as if he could walk out
over there & lie down on those
green slopes under the trees & 
enjoy the sun …….
We went on to the H.Qrs of 
the 24^th Bn. to get the landmarks 
on the Mouquet ridge identified
for certain- Nicholas, acting Colonel,
said it was a “damned crime”
that our men were being sent
straight from here to the Salient. It 
seems to me a silly way to talk.
Good troops have to go there as
they are taking the Canadians out.
The men deserve a rest but 
what’s the good of talking about
deserts in war time. The German
 

45
wont leave off fighting because
we deserve a peaceful time.
This rubbish about “rights” is 
all very well in a Trades Hall
debate, but what is the use of 
talking of the right to rest when
the enemy won't let you rest?
He’s a gallant officer but foolish to
talk in tt way before his officers & 
then.
On on way back
H.D. dugont undn t
23rd on
my
W. I found, of all men
friend Herbert thop now
doctor of the 23r0 Herbert is
t
gatlant litle dap but he parke
th place ws too much for
sdto
He could not stepp
for
him.
on coming on
nights
two
on
Den
back
ftt
 

46
had
no
sol
heard to angus
8
my wesseg
cittn of
H I must were
decide
to
Tater & mother the news of Leo
sleathotry &see anyu
myself
later I had a were
from him saying to hews
too late for peveral but
asking me to write partimby
I borrowed a and Diva
note car
to contay o white
lend me
his car there to
go & See Angus & do what I
like with wentinto
amiens, & saw the Colonel
& Sibbs & Russell - & askent
for Brooks to come out oget
sme photos for record
Russel sd I ws looking tere
Tave we a whisky wt
sent my heard wherlin
told me that
in circles. Jibbs
 

47
he thought it as for
t
war cnes poudents t clear
apt idea to they bad objected
to my articles from
&5
any sort of motive
he would write to Loyd
george himself
I told Resoed
I was dead sick about it
but was taking no steps at
+
Then the Roiver
all
our denvers
hed
for
doove work tooking
Angus. We got to Bethund
at about I am. I had heard
the 180th Field by
to
86
as atached to the
Dion whose H.O. ws at
Chalean deaes Sent of
we creptents
Beauvry
 

48
Beaurry
8
there a traffic
contral o man a hi
laster all crossoads
who made as put out our
head lights, told as JH.O.
of the 180a coy ws in a
backlove quitl close by
We stole along - runiing an
emmment rest of being sma
into by moter ambulances
2or s owh dash
past in 1 dark without
lights
There
were lights
cnad
collag window
+ I frequently knocked
made them open bey
were always French
cevelians who apparent
keep their bedrom
candle
night
burning all thro
the
 

Act
The
divid
cee
to w
t
osed
came to
door
alway
their

spirts &bare
legs
50
is evidently how
sleep
Th
kne of some enylish
soldier
living
near by We
t soldiers at last - but
found
were atabour battation

or some peeceful
unit
& knew
nothing
Engieers
Then we went back
& backed
control past- having
drept,
down dark
car
roads & side
lanly for half an hour or more.
& 1 control p001
5d
he disht know
if it were be 10
Fiel
by - be houghe
there
some enqineers about
tere
some days back.
We
straygst on towards
the divn.
went
Headparters &innexvita
pas
a
lamp t1 letters CRE
 

Coffeer commanday Rogal Enguining o
shaving through it? I pumped of
borrowed I dowers watches
house. Som an
t Explored
bed upstans (3
officer in his
suessed he
was a junior officer
his head) I
by t pictures above
gof a steepy
direction back to
Branory near
the Church. We
pushed back
sentry wita
a
w
fixed bayoued

guardi
25
Corries
some
found we
there
were
The servants
at the meas
know
wight
was
The kindly
Ang
where
came alon
this
bayonit
senter
called ap I Kitchin
w we
answered
stairs A seepy voice
wan
found a
wentap
or rgati
of bury
comple
steepin
 

sandles.
Dd
be know Lieut
He
Batle
Id Lieut. Butler
ws sleeping
there pointen
to a door opposite him. I borrowed
landle
tKnockn
came to the door.
Augas
old Anges Co
hir
200
telegram an can
of
y back
meres that morning at
the
from
it
mad heve enocked
1101
him quite
outte gounger
brother to hes aways been; devotit
to Les
& cnlensel poond of him
Kiy were I only two, snge the
of the twe
Les an foun wo
cliverer
Augas being a mnen
the bier
Led bad to leave houe o
Engineer
work first in Manchuria
find
his
near the
Amar tate in Wst
ines have to
where the tina
Asrica
 

52
get Tasmanian maners as the
method ased there are only
sleewhere employed in Taswama.
has fought i 1 Cameroons
He
first & had jast come over to
Bance & was loping to meet Les
a England on his next leave if
they ad array it - be bedon
4e yes away from home.
know, of course,
to bewd
Augus 5d, I made
be hit
mend to that, but I
up my
set always hoped be wd just be
ot
tis
The
wounded
his eyes out
boy had been crying
old Dad.
that
The
I could dee
Si
soth
be
Io thinking
7
affect him
will
apair of how it
it
hears
when
he
While
knew
hi
all
told
 

takeing
were
we
could
hear
every now
of then
the
bang
of a by gun the singing of
a shell
for a part of its journey
overhead; then a litle later
a
heary
Thaking report.
It
must
have
been a veryby
shell
either
12 or 15 wct
the fermans are krowing
wh
a
Bethune, market place or
perhaps at the station. I derion
thy have asticd
troops entraing
to come down South
there
believe they dropper
my
46
a few days ago from
an
acroplanc warning
ne

inhabitants to an
fou
shool
to
on our
30
at
De lep
did not
ths
Sam
back