Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/57/1 - August - September 1916 - Part 2

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German theory but l Germans have not once succeeded here against these "tough" troops, as they call them.  The General is apt to push a division at a place like Pozieres & then talk of the "unnecessary loss of life"  being due to the Divl. Commander using "a quite unnecessary number of troops .... My dear chap, to take one of these lightly held positions you dont want great depth in l attack - you

 

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dont need a host of men all swarming over l place to be shelled to hell next day.  Quite a light line will do it..."

But l Germans know l trench we get into & we do not; & unless we have men so swarming tt they swarm into every part, we are apt to find our thin line in parts o l trench only, l enemy knowing l alleys thro wh to attack us & we knowing nothing at all.

 

 

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"You went over pretty thin, didn't you?"  Gen. Glasgow asked Harwood.

"Thin as tissue paper" ws l reply.

 

Harwood sd he wd tackle it again anyday - but he didn't know tt he wd do so with 600 men. "Get l officers to follow their own barrage - to keep close up to it, "  he sd " you may get a few fellows hit in l back tt way, but its' better to have a few hit tt way than to have l enemys m. gas mowing you down if you're slow."

 

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We could have been up to Mouquet Farm on July 22/3, I daresay, if l staff of l Army had bn prepared for it; & we cd certainly have had Courcelette on Aug 4/5.  The imagination of the staff doesnt seem equal to these occasions. They dont realise tt when we break thro' a front there is usually nothing in l [?] behind - any more than there is in ours

 

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if they only looked at the miles of empty trenches you go through to reach our own front line & considered tt it is probly the same w l Germs.  They might devise some plan of pushing this little offensives a great deal further than they go.

 

As it is we have to give up the theory tt this battle is an attempt to push thro'.  It becomes simply a big diversion - a gigantic feint.  Expensive but probably worth it

 

 

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The only irritating consideration is tt if we did not suffer from such a poverty of brains w c shd probly be able to make it a movement we wd create far more consternation amongst l Germans - they wd be at their wits ends if we once really began to move, & l troops

 

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opposite us to crumble.

The troops opp. us are now, by the way, part of the 2nd Guard Reserve Divn - come back for the 3rd time.

After going w Glasgow to the 13th F. Amb.  I went to Coutay & Amiens.  At Amiens Beach - Thomas told me tt l plan of Lord Burnham & other proprietors to replace him, Gibbs, & Perry - Robinson by Bartlett, Philips, & some

 

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other chap had been postponed for l time.  Apparently this is due to Gen. Haig who put his foot down.  The Press officers at l war office told me last February tt Bartlett never stood l slightest chance of ever getting any employment again in areas controlled by l war office.

 

The correspondents - Gibbs, Russell, Perry Robinson, & Beach Thomas took l opportunity of telling me definitely tt no

 

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action had bn taken by them what so ever to have my despatches interfered with. Gibbs sd further, tt he had spoken to Col. Hutton Wilson, & Wilson had assured him tt no correspt.  had made any representation & tt l action taken had bn solely due to my despatches appearing headed "Official" & "Captain" Bean.

I believe Gibbs absolutely & the other chaps - I do not

 

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think they were so mean, altho' Robinson told me before tt he thought one man had had something to do with it.  But I don't know tt I do believe H. Wilson.  Either he or Lloyd George is romancing, bec. Lloyd George gave his reason explicitly & enlarged on it.  Where did he get it from ?

 

Aug. 31st

Went to Raincheval to get some things [aft?] ordinance & couldn't