Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/57/1 - August - September 1916 - Part 5

43

Diagram - see original document

(Some of the messages have come
back from the front line in 30 
mins).

13      44

in front of the Farm ^x

is sniping at the Germans

as they follow the 52nd

in.

There is a lot of sniping

by men apparently some of

them behind our lines.

They wont use Phosphorus

bombs because these smoke

so much that it is possible

for the enemy to see where

they are. The Germans wont

come out of them. One man

was shot thro' the arm going

down a dugout. The Germans

have a dugout in the trench

North East of Mouquet

Farm between us in the Farm

& D Coy further up / trench.

Some of the dugouts have

45

sentries standing over

them shooting down every

minute or two.

[Arthur has bn sent up down to bring 

the Canadians up (2 Coys) 

from La Boiselle.

Lorenzo says his men have

reached a third trench on top o /

hill - they have a grand view

from there. The Germans fought 

hard.

I saw some of 50 German

prisoners who arrived - they

were in Farm. They had 1 battalion 

there, 2 Coys in the farm. They

were 18 1st Guard Reserve Regiment

They had just come in. They

had had heavy casualties by out arty

13      46

Reports about 7.30.

51st

Mouquet Farm has been 

taken. There are a few

dugouts still holding

out. They are being 

attc. Have captured German

m.g. & am sending it in - 

Have collected from some of C

Coy & am dealing with remaining

dugouts. Believe there are only 3

Later - Morell had dealt with 2 of these]

49th

Have taken both objectives 

^Meeting much bombing pretty heavy in ^oppositn on both flanks

trench. About 30 prisoners

30 dead. 3 dugouts still

holding out - cellars -  - No

49^th not joined up with

52nd yet. 

47

Bombs sent.

13      48

7.30 Joined up with 52nd.

80 prisoners - 2 m.gs

taken.

Message sent 6.30 from 49^th.

Enemy shelling. Front line.

hanging on well.

52nd B. A Coy. Have captured

centre of A Coys objective.

Cannot join up on left & right.

Have barricaded right both flanks & am holding

on. Need more bombs urgently.

8 prisoners which am holding as

cannot afford a guard

Maxwell.

51st.

Report verbal that

51st rt not joined up with 52nd.

Have sent more men up.

2 dugouts are giving us trouble.

13     49

from 49th

At 7.25 (sent) 49 Bn reports

situation much quieter,

Have got bombing under.

Little & 2 others of 49^th killed

4 wd.

 51. L Gunner. Everything all right

few casualties so far. L. Guns

doing good work from point 81

Enemy are retiring from shell hole to shell hole.

m.gs. are playing in the

farm & all along our old

line. Most of wd. who

have come back seem

to think our own guns are

firing at us but I think they

are German guns on left.

From Bailey: Holding out in 

old German trench 200

yds ahead of Farm.

Some of our own shells

13            50

falling around us.

Later. Still holding on.

Some of our own guns shelling 

us.

Reported tt then 49^th got

over to their 2nd line. 

52nd Bn:

A Coy has joined up with

49^th have joined up with 49 Bn on our right.

^Total prisoners abt 34 & 49^th hold trench

on our right front. They are preparing to c-attack

our left. Want more bombers & men.

Maxwell.

51. In German trenches beyond the farm &

shelling consistently heavy. 52nd report that

they are only about

51

53 Prisoners have gone down

8 were k by a shell after

leaving here; 6 of another were shot

on way because they wdnt

keep up pace.

Diagram - see original document

13       52

50 men here. They must have reinfts.

Bailey & Clifford want to

know whether to hold on in their trench

200yds ahead of the farm.

Their right is in the air. 

(above messages are out of place.)

10.30 The Germans are attacking

from the left agst Mouquet

Farm where C Coy of 51^st

were. The 52nd are reported

to be still coming back.

Capt Williams is still

hanging on to the farm.,

53

[shorthand] bombers.

13      54

11.30 from Quarry.

Morell has come in ^ with 5 men to the

Quarry.

B &C Coy evacuated Farm

at 9.30 having only 35

men left, after

[They were in forward

bit of Farm Bldgs].

50 men had bn sent in

to front line.

Both Lewis guns at 77 are

still in action.

So the front line is still hanging

on in front o / farm.

A vague unsigned message from 51st.
No news of front line.

Germans are in the Farm.

Kittler Report from 52nd

Bn (Maj. Lane is in charge,

Beevor having bn wd.

going in.) Maxwell, tho

13       55

not senior, has taken charge.

He is in line up to about Point

73. The 3 Coys of 52nd Bn.

went in together to the

right - got touch with

49^th Bn at Point 36. They

was on did not get into

42 - 73 but another

platoon got in on the

right of the 50^th near 42.

These were probly the

2 platoons wh were sent to

take the farm from the W.

They were driven back

from 42 by the Germans.

Maxwell is going to

bomb down from 73 towards

42 to join up w the other

56

52nd Bn.

Diagram - see original document

13         57

platoon. He has purposely

not put a barricade in /

trench in tt direction.

Moncrieff, Bde m.g. officer

k.

Maxwell has sent another

report giving details of his

line wh he holds as far

as Point 94.

The farm is occupied by / Germans.

We are on / left front of the farm.

35 men were left

smoke bombs - 5 dugouts - got all out - -

17 out of one, 2 m.gs - one blown

up by a 9.2 shell.

58

Diagram - see original document

We never got

point 12.

13     59

9.30 Front line sent back to say they

wd have to come back nearer to the Farm

if we have not supported.

The Germans came

from (? over) where the 52nd retired.

Clifford ^abt 10.30 being very hard pressed.

Germs are bombing up our trench from 

both ends.

Can a party be 

detailed to clear the

strong post otherwise it

will go hard w us.

Only 30 men left.

Brown Dublin missing

Williams wd.

60

9.2 shells on farm.

Morell is in - says our

line is on left front of

Monquet Farm.

Diagram - see original document

52nd did join 51 at farm.

Diagram - see original document

Fired rifle grenades.

Smoke bombs. Germans came

out at 100yds away

& gave themselves up.

Germans got Stokes gun 10in bombs

shooting fowar from Farm

& m.g.

13      61

Diagram - see original document

Barrage k. lots of Germans,

Barrage when we came

away was not heavy.

Coy of 50th wh ws to be

sent up.

Half caste f & 3 messenger shot 3 snipers

with revolver - & went back for

his message.

Guns cd be seen going out of their

wire. They used to run up /

trench.