Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/58/1 - September 1916 - Part 2

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begun back to the 

old line. (Last night

little jumping off trench

from 55 to 77 ws very

shallow& men were hit

crawling up it).

 

About 8.45 the

people in the Farm saw

the Germans advancing

from I directn of 42 & 73 (?)

coming from shellhole to shellhole

& the platoon of the 52^nd falling

back in front of them. This

platoon ws only under a

sergeant. They were being

beaten back by much

bigger numbers with bombs.

This sight was a big blow

to our men who till then

had been confident th they

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were winning hands down.

They About this time a

message also came from

Clifford to say th there were

Germans both on his right &

left "bombing I trench from

both ends"- & that he

would have to fall back

to a line nearer the Farm

unless he could get help

reinforcements for his left.

Morrell sent him 50 men

from The Farm.

 

Williams with his

men begun took up a

line around the Farm 

on the East, in craters,

                       shooting at the

Sketch          Germans who

                      were following up the 52nd.

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The Farm was being shot

at by 9 in shells - but

our men cdnt get into

the dugouts because they

had to man the craters

against the Germans

who were coming to within

70 yds.

 

At last when Williams

had only 15 men, & Morrell

very few - 35 altogether

-one German m.g. having

bn blown up by a 9 in shell-

they sent a message to the

51^st ^in front that they were coming

back & retired to the Quarry.

Within quite short time the

Germans had a trench

mortar ^going in the Farm throwing

10 lb shells into the Quarry

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& a m.g.

 

Nothing is known since

10.30am of the two coys

of the 51st who were out in

front.

 

Much later, abt dinner

time this evening, a rumor

has come round from an ^thro' the

Artillery ^from a runner of some

sort) th we are still in

the Farm.

 

Glasgow also says th

for a certainty we are

in 42, & 31, to 50.

I believe the Canadian

Coy (13^th Bn) sent up there

has taken over the trench as

part of our front line

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So much for Mouquet

Farm. Point 77 has all

thro' bn invaluable as a

flank. From there 3

machine guns had fired on

the Germans attacking

the left of the 51st &

had got a great number

of them.

 

4 Vickers guns were

sent up to the Quarry

from the Farm by OC.

51st but arrived too

late.

 

When it appeared th

there wd be a gap

between 51 & 52 Gen

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Glasgow ordered Capt.

Herbert of the 50^th to

fill the gap in - Herbert

took his men up to the

Quarry but on going

into the old 52nd (12^th

Bn) trenches near Mouquet

(59 Eastward) found

scarcely anyone in them

& retired toward the

Quarry again!

The Canadians were

therefore sent by Glasgow

to take over this sector

which they did - excellently

-two coys of 13^th Canadian

Bn going up to 42.

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So much for the left.

The right had two objectives

-two trenches

 

The first wave ^attack of the

49^th Bn got into both

Someone gave I word

"retire" & they came 

out again. They were

rallied & put in again

& this time stuck there.

Probly th is why they lost so

heavily in officers. They 

had heavy fighting with

the Germans - bomb fighting

largely - Their new trench

gave them a great view

over miles of country -

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they were right on the

event. They have hung

on & are there now.

Abt 8pm they sent up

some SOS flares & a heavy

barrage ws turned on the

NE corner - we cd

hear I guns during dinner.

 

In between the

51^st & the 49^th shd have

been the 52nd. the

right of the 52nd got

separated from its left.

Littler - dear old Littler of

Anzac Beach - was

killed. The messages th

came thro' came signed

w I name of Dunean

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Maxwell - quite the junior

lieutenant who took charge

of I line altho" there were

seniors in it - Thye were

I only messages we had 

from the 52^nd at all-

& were very clear.

(Arthur Maxwell - his

elder brother) ws doing

splendid work guiding

the battalions in himself

& his scouts.

 

Duncan Maxwells

first message sd th he

ws not in touch either

with the 49^th or 51^st.

He w putting a block in on

his right to hold, while w his

left he ws going to bomb down

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I trench towards 73

& get touch if possible

w I other lost platoons

of the 52^nd.

 

Later a message came

in th Maxwell had got

touch w I 49^th & had

placed a block at 94

& would hold it. He 

had also pushed up

I comm trench ahead until

stopped by our barrage &

wanted I barrage lifted

(wh ws not done). There

his flank has held, quite

in I air, ever since.

 

The 49^th took about

50 prisoners & the other