Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/60/1 - September - October 1916 - Part 12

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066825
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 4

ight 12. Back last Do Abeale hear there ✓ toda por a sust to be te t5 Dive the Thes ao the all began to come out to weas 9 know what Sai the 1 12 all streets 10 Afecte March ver te man al tooket but soled serious - Stardy baoyang about Fleast nnot them. The 13th were the tweliest finging a little. Dare tetts me to when Dirdwood as had ti of they wanted t go back of a straght 10 from one 510ther end of traces a course Dare 1s not e
31 to communicate ffficer to his men a fine morale no doubt abt but there 15 be feel art afec he and it vote on Conscription The i are be then driven (an of course Freach & fernars are - +30 are 286 give the word will & they dreven 60 to be for others I can officer From st tel Feem to have One th Low turns had 3 cn Dome cases days a all &they are coming out Each bu had one important show quile one light one. They waent so the second ins as te d no one t. The N. first
152 16 Devin gamed all al objectives every time wenton I saw an ondor Ganguy 50. Ross says t say pievetily people at 9H tN.3. Dion has don'e better than any other on the Somme ho I believe thy have but moderately heavy to not so heavy as our the troops (wh is att 50 90 of all in the Corps o reifocemants 65,000 countr 32,000 out of abt in all 1 troops to were neon abt aw0 engaged. Jonly Australians The aben had a pightful shelling a e first cp & I donb supprse had anything may oter troops ro of the 44 it Some like
133 Devn today say the 6 never Law any then like the Carrag across the Bapainy Rd at wettim on savy on Aug. 519/60 into Poy. first tetr mee They had to 3top & a half a plation after the fire had gone two dead ws to 8 8w th O barrig orginal ofthe end on Pomeres saw there 6 in K trench in Posceres numbers of Austialeans, intermingted with gernans still only half buried - or unlovered by shels a rain Tey were of the 24 Bn largel kellet abt July 29

11
130
Aug Oct 12. Back last night to
Abeele.
Today, I hear, there is
to be the big push in from
G.
This morning the 1st Divn
began to come out - & they all
know what tt means. I
saw the 11th 9th & 12th all
marching thro Abeele Streets.
The men all looked very
serious - sturdy & solid - but
not / least buoyancy about
them. The 12th were the liveliest,
singing a little.  Dare tells me
tt when Birdwood asked them
if they wanted to go back, he 
got a straight "No" from one
end o / trenches to / other.
Of course Dare is not / type

 

11
131
of officer to communicate
a fine morale to his men;
but there is no doubt abt
the feeling.
And it will affect the
vote on Conscription. The
men think they are being
driven (and of course they
are - & so are / French & Germans)
& they will not give the word
for others to be driven too.
From what Canadian officers
tell me they seem to have
had 3 short goes turns ( 9
days in all in some cases)
& they are coming out. Each
bn had one important show &
one light one. They were not ^quite so
good the second time as the
first - no one is. The N.Z.

 

11
132
Divn gained all its 
objectives everytime it
went in - I saw an order
saying so.  Ross says tt /
people at G.H.Q. say (privately)
tt / N.Z. Divn has done better
than any other on the Somme.
I believe they have had
moderately heavy loss - but
not so heavy as ours
(wh is abt 50% of all the troops.
in the Corps & reinforcements
- 32,000 out of abt 66,000 counting
in all / troops tt were never
engaged.) Only abt 50,000
wd be enga  The Australians
had a frightful shelling after in their
first innings & I dont suppose
many other troops had anything
like it. Some offrs of the 4th

 

11
133
Divn today say tt they
never saw anything like
the barrage across the Bapaume
Rd wh met them on going
into Poz. first on Aug. 5th/6th
They had to stop their men
after a platoon & a half
had gone thro - the fire
ws too deadly.
And it ws only the
end of the original barrage
on Pozieres.
I saw there yesty in
K trench in Pozieres still
numbers of Australians,
intermingled with Germans,
still only half buried - or
uncovered by shells or rain
- They were of the 24 Bn largely 
killed abt July 29.
 

 

 

 

 

 

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