Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/60/1 - September - October 1916 - Part 10

101
x This ws misleading 
11
102
26 ^th Sept. 2nd Divn Bombt.
Enemy replied with 5. 9 4.2
barrage for 10 minutes.
Similar bombtn on
Oct. 1. 5am: This Bombt. (in part,) was to form
a "box" as usual - & then, inst.
of coming back onto front line
after lengthening, ws to go further 
back & bombard points where
enemy wd proby be massing
for repelling raid in Commun 
[[trench]] & flanks
(enemy retaliated w a few rifle guards)
X 28 Sept. 4 Aust Div. Reported
that Strong Patrol of 13 Bn
had entered enemys trench
at08a ¼ 7 ^½ (on silent raid) but found 
it empty.
White informed army of this
adding "exact time in [[trench]] & reconnaisance 
made not yet known".
Durrant: Reported that day tt
after questioning a number of party he
ws of opinion tt they crossed first
trench without knowing it & ran
into a diagonal [[trench]] 08a2.8½
where they were when guns opened.
 

11  103
No trouble in wire. Saw 20 Germans.
Did no fighting. Few bombs thrown
from diagonal [[trench]].
Birdie asks for further report.
Was it not poosible to recover
bodies of offr & man reported 
missing.
Durrant reports tt Fitzpatricks
O.C patrol led them thro wire
& across [[?shorthand]] ditch; left old
ditch at right place, but then
(tho' he & some of men had bn
out often before - 3 or 4 times)
went too much to left. When at
enemys parapet he gave the
word "Go". Our Artillery burst
out & he ws right under it
- he & one man seem to have
[[?]]. Word ws gn "scatter for
your lives."
So they never got into
Enemys trench at all. 

 

104
11
Sept. 29. 2. 30 am. 18^th Bn Raid
under Capt Bruce. & Capt
Party left at 2.29 am. crept
towards enemys wire. When close
to it some 10 bombs fell amongst
them from (apptly) enemy bombing
post in his wire. Capt Lane fell
wd. & several other were wd.
Rest [[?]] bombing as they went.
Bruce led party out agn
but this time bombing intense
both from T.head & bombing post.
Also some rifle fire.
Wisdom says "I feel the failure
v. keenly & can only hope the
Bn will have a chance to retrieve
it soon. I think Capt Bruce &
his party did all tt ws possible."
Raid ws probly expected.
Legge reports that this raid appeared to
offer a reasonable prospect of
a surprise & he cdnt acct for peculiar
readiness of / enemy at this point Poss
 

105
ibly arty registering on this pt day
before had given them the tip.
2nd Divn Raid of 30 sept/1st Oct at 2 a.m.
"Off" as C.R.A. says it wd not
be safe to put a barrage on
enemys 2nd line while our men
were in front line. (This raid ws
originally to have bn "Silent")
(He had reported on 27 Sept that
"both the Bde & Bn Commanders
concened in this enterprise
consider tt / conditions referred
to by you are fulfilled & tt
at this point / enemy has shown
tt he is quiet & not very alert
& / locality has bn carefully
reconnoitered by both these offficers."
30 Sept/1 Oct.
1 Offr 20 [[?]] 4GBn raided between
N.12d 3.1 [[?]]12.d.S. 1.
S of 1 prisoner of 12 Inf Rept. One
killed.
Left [[trench]] at 20 to 10 p.m. & formed
40 yds in front of our wire.
10 - 10.5 arty bombt. 10.5 trench rushed.

11  107
Left bombing pty met w resistance
but made a block.
Bty assault pty went along trench &
Commus [[trench]] for Goyds Ao. N.12. d 31½ 3¾
& found nothing. Left pty found nothing
in Crate at N. 12d 4.1.
Returned at 10.43.
1 off, Lt Harrington, sl. wounded.
1 or.k.2. or.wd.
Enemy retaliation feeble & slow.
TMs began in 12mns & field guns
in 15 mins. M.g. at once but little
of it.
Enemy used egg
sattern Couls
w smal efeet
Same
night. Selent said between O76.
& 676.6.5. failed. Were ws
not ens
cut. I1 rifles seen fing from
Qneny 529
(47Bn)
night.
Saw
S8 bno
hep t 8Bn.
9.30 pm parties left Sally Ports.
Peashed enemy trench abt 30
 

iht
 

108
yds blep of proposed entr
point. Crossed were by mats
Moved 25 or 30 yds to let meeting
one man who wa ceptured,
but later wounded. There stappe
by arty barroge
Right portion of Lif Raid went
150yds to right in k one man
Both parties bombed dejouts.
Every fired only one m.g
from rear. D Toint Sl. cd. br
our Strapull & one man by
about. Evemy Y like our
own, t dujouts
Pty - 7Bn. arrived at 2
unniolented. Left squad met
Fren whom they kelled. Treed to
capture (st man, who fired at
them from
down
Right squad moved
a commnif without meeting
enemy. Then returned & went
15 2ds down fire 2f meeting
one man Slyalf wd. Hes man
 

109
 

4
Army
Edenlification
a fuss abt
no
being obtan
34d
at
St
pt
Pourts
of entr
intended
were lep
ft.
30
not to lefto
where intended.
2t
he be abt 12
rds
of above Strong H.
Cwird
being cut there
on
ot our arty got on to
men at point of entry rom
battery opened fire a manute
Earl
Boubt wt to be opene
i rear treach, commn
At Zere
blauks.
 

0
ws captured, but heed to be killed
away to difficulty in
setting hem
tom to
The party brought back
& regls, 2 caps, V.2 notice boards
etc. No m.s. seen.
we had one man &. who
we brought back.
renches simitar to our own
but more delapidated.
Left thy back by 10
Rt Bly back by 10.13
Admeans of ideutificato
seem to have be removed. But
a wdman who died & ws
buried wt later dogup again
a disc found on him ao
nome. V Regt.
Appeared to be a stroy Pt or
X
2nd y abt Nied. 4t
46 Bn Raid
 

II1
44/54 Oct.
This day every tries to said
as lwice, as well as we him once
He heavily bombd front lime
from 34 to O.41, estamet
have, & Old Kent Ld between
57 630 p.m. usag shellsd
all. calibre.
most of parrisors were
withdrown well down Adkent
Road & fflanks Lguns &
small delachments left to hold
line - wh accts for small
casnolties
7.45. Enemy came out
under cover of an intense
arty Barrip & tid t enter
our brenches at O.5.C.9.9
O3.6.7. 4 Semaltaneously
Both pties seemed abt 50stron
Left Raw ws rasily diven
 

112
of by t Junssorl
potabt
be way across
Vomanslans.
Rightland gobupt2
but
faild to enter them
met with
heavi mt t refte fire
return quickly
Apparent got away all his
K.W. Patrols cd find nove
Our Rail
by
30ff1 50 a 196
entered ferman E at I3068.
F2 after bombt. Garrison
had wekdrawn. Onr thy remain
an Eveny
13mans.
No every wet with. Two
bodies of germans seem, shattered
by shell. & half burns.
Trench coned
damaged (20 ams bought)
no identificates. Retaliati
by morlers & minnces
slighte damaged our E.
Wo hostile rifle fioe or mpfire
during our bombl
Bench interd
 

113
seems to h bu
ased
bor
observate & calpes t rather
then
occupation
e
A
Book
ac
al
o lill
morn

Then want
(as rut 6

Bn Cyesty 215 Con) to pict.
up detail of Pyeres bepe
bery but forgotten chem.
Calle
en on Jellibrand
46
avna denner at
ndirdom
quet ge
be
of Swene
to gelebrat
fee
Yeu comet ong an Ceas
cheer up those present.
As Josbes says it
wde
5
a great team!
a
£10
has been drawing garicaty
coogier
Iham. I neved know he codo
to elly lett Le scetch as he
wished at elss - very wiseh
I have askedX
F Fishey
he can sait some sicture for the nation