Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/63/1 - October - November 1916 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066828
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

1917 FEBRUARY 15 THURSDAY (46-319) 7 197S. S.S. Dulwich blown up in the Channel (Last Quarter, 1.53 a.m. Een were not even lought the first siwceples of business 16 FRIDAY (47-318) 197S. British air raid over Ostend and Leebrugge credit. It wo an addiy apg fist endless fiquies - His life in those ti in 17 SATURDAY (48-317. 1673. Molicre, French dramatist, died S. R. 7.14, S. S. 5.16 was to be a ye d I expectlis barrister father had implouted that The Kiwi. New Zealand has a wonderful bird in the Kiwi. It has no tail, and, to all appearances, no wings. The hen birds are larger than the cocks, and for the size of the birds the esss are extraordinarily large. The plumage is more like a covering of hair than of feathers, and the beaks p of the birds are long and slender. They are of nocturnal habits, and very swift and strong on foo
FEBRUARY, 1917 20 18 Sunday 140-316) Quinquagesima Matins.—Genesis o to 20. Matthew 26, 57 Evensong.—Genesis 12, or 17. Romars 2, 17 107S. GermanDlockade’ begun in bem Now old Le who is an En.W. I 19 MONDAY (50-315. 107S. Bombardment of Dardanelles begun M.A. & a highly cducated man o has not even the beginnings of learning. He is 20 TUESDAY (SI-314) Shrove Tuesday 1855. Joseph Hume died not an erudite man nor one to stribes you as even hight educaty though he ist beyght 2I WEDNESDAY (52-313) Ash Wednesday Matins.—Isaiah 58, to 1s. Mark 2, 13 to 23 Evensong.—Jonah s. Hebrews 12, 3 to 18 197S. German air raid over Essex 6 New Moon, 6.0 p.m. full intelligent & o ideas
27 4 13d. Res. Res 23 Jorgo D. Dr w Sutl a Vilters pocase 22 29½ Sunday. This day Oct the ong execty cr arrived.went with Herbertion to the two Divns wh are in or near the lind. The First were in Bellevin Farm, mear Abbert. they are taking over from the 29th Divn to nyet On the left will be the 5t Dwn which has on in the line since Saturday October 215t. The 15t Dwn have teir right near quendecourt & are in pont of Hers the 5th Dwn has its left near cancourt C. Abbage. This is the first time to the 2912 151 Aushalian Dion) have Devn & t ever met as complete units - ough our 2nd Bde was near the 294h at Helles! Tere is noforc in world our people have quite (same feeling for as for the 29th Dion. the 15t Husac Corps hasbn t rought down her, as r I can Judge, to take the Bapanme Ridye. possible anyway, to dig in for - the winter unless that 15 to say we had such casualties to heavy
68 9 it became impossible. It tooks as though conscription wd not go through; & if it docant I dont know tt we shall be able to keep the divisions up to strength. If the Corps stays here for winter I expect the 3rd Dion: will be brought over t making the Corps up to 5 Divisions. The 5 Australian Divns ad then all be under Birdwood & the N.z. Dwn. ander godley. It wd be a trifte stiff for the 3r0 Dwn to to straght into this area where shelling i continual & the lension is always heavy. But they have been very well traie by Jackson; I believe the Kings, when he inspected them, could ppeak of nothing sle for a day or two The trushes opposite our men now are called manity by the field though wh they are dug, apparently We are on a down stope - on the fingers of the Pozieres - Sinchy a ridge, reaching down to
24 4 valley of a tributary of the Ancren something in this styte on the let our truches have to cross the valle & I expect those are frightfully wet triches. Opposite as is a pair of isolated little undulations like a minor wave with two nenee creats, a just behind ths t wave is Bapanme; & then anothrr valley with an altogether differe Sypstem of heights beyond this is Bapanme a chapain of the general idea not accurate in detail at all the truches in S port of the 3y t
66 I 25 5th Den are, C. Below is on our own side of valley: Bayonet French Further Below: Banktrench – Lie trench 19 Still purther below. Wheat- Ry-Barley 3) trence on the minor hill in pont of (4) Bapanine: - Till Trench. through or around, Bapannie (57 on the further side of minor hill the Bapanme truch (I do not know it official name. the Ht Deon to the S. there are from not so many apparent 11) Hilt trench (2) continuation of Rye trench Till trench The 29th Dion & the 415t Dions neakn oten had herr own artitly here. our St Din is takin Arty The 29th Dron had t Artz
An of the 12th Deon; &any 54 Dwn to taking this over. The N.3. Arty is money out but has had to leave either all or some ofto gens behind, & our 17 Aust. Divn is taken them over. The and cust. Divt. art, is being put in split up awarget I ders for precent. Ad. G. Divt, arty hada rough time 60 officers but (20 of them killed, I believe). They had to move their guas up ont there downward stopes. Awaupt ohers they lost Davies the O.C. 104 N3. battery one of fiest officers they had. I asked Tohnson if he had not ohers as good coming on. Wo he sd. These were gentlemen - public school men - devoted to their work for the works sake without tinking of themselves. Those who take ten
Mmn in. Card No. EMIISt. NO. J. CCUDEDDDDor Cmnn aCCOD fpnen Jrmndenemen M DatoEP.G Pa 0 Discharged to. Sent to camp 27 place good enough fellow are but more thought ful of temsclies The Headgpasters of 1r Ans & Diven oat Bellevae farm near Alberts to rommers redan towih it move wher they take over from 29th Dron. t k Dwn as at TheCo Flcourt Caatean woull you so down star underground to get to that Cation The attact an the further heits up to Bapanie is foretold to take place as soon as we get fine It is impossible days to atteck in the wet tot county much ts toom up as it o as time cauntry Ponaton always seem to be dlay - as 115 slipperist sich uppermost we heard on pettin The first ting
28 ptanders to the Lomine from down time, was general this district difficuly of transport. lalk of the When was taking to him before we white to ar a to England went Kunday about part ani be ws is a system pack transport; dowa tere I see th ty have pack backwards o forwards horses Yac to the lighter gans. You in 5 Meanle or Becordil the first they we was small ple of horses noticed each with those old Ferman weeked baskets (for carraying tree shells, shing on its sich They have railia or a system of rlys gloing nothing Else (so we are told but supplying ammunition to tis 47 Juns. This one wonder abee whethera al the rovision in with be able thy world 14
29 Then to on advancing go dry days is aperilor short time for prepartly a h rate abtack. There are very few fermans about thin pont lines - some of our people at all have not seen any rams diffect Oct. 30. Monday 4 Corp took This day over from the 15th Cyps; & we moved in to our bittets meases at Heilly I amy a casy little cottage with Herbertion bey have given us he Latihywer oficers billets. Churched know t we are pats + has arranged it; surprisingly good natured his old Churched in spite of all they say of him. your mess is up the muddiest street in all France,

68   FEBRUARY, 1917   19
15 THURSDAY [46-319]
Men were not even
taught the first
principles of business

16 FRIDAY [47-318]
& credit. It ws
just ^ all adding up of
endless figures - His
life in those

17 SATURDAY [48-317.]
days was to be a

barrister - I expected his
father had implanted that. 

 

20       FEBRUARY, 1917       68
18 Sunday [140-316]
in him.

Now old Legge

who is an L.L.B & 
19 MONDAY [50-315]
M.A. & a highly
educated man & has
not even the beginnings
of learning - He is

20 TUESDAY [5I-314]
not an erudite man
nor one to strikes you
as even highly educated
- though he is bright
2I WEDNESDAY [52-313]
& intelligent & full

of ideas.

 

21

40th Dn going out

1st Res . N. 

23 Res. Dn.

68        22

Oct. 29th Sunday ^ still at Villers Bocage. This day the

long expected car arrived. I went
with Herbertson to the two Divns
wh are in or near the line. The
First were in Bellevue Farm, near
Albert.  They are taking over from the
29th Divn tonight. On their xxxxxxx left will
be on the 5th Divn which has bn
in the line since Saturday October 21st.
The 1st Divn have their right near
Guendecourt & are in front of Flers;
the 5th Divn has its left near Eaucourt
L' Abbage.
This is the first time tt the 29th
Divn & the 1st Australian Divn have
ever met as complete units - though
our 2nd Bde was near the 29th
at Helles. There is no force in / world
our people have quite / same feeling
for as for the 29th Divn.
The 1st Anzac Corps has bn
brought down here, as far I can
judge, to take the Bapaume Ridge, if
possible;  &  anyway, to dig in for
the winter - unless, that is to say,
we had such heavy casualties tt

 

68      23

it became impossible. It looks
as though Conscription wd not go
through; & if it doesn't I dont
know tt we shall be able to keep
the divisions up to strength.  If
If the Corps stays here for /
winter I expect the 3rd Divn.  will
be brought over. t making the Corps
up to 5 Divisions. The 5 Australian
Divns wd then all be under Birdwood
& the N.Z. Divn. under Godley. It
wd be a trifle stiff for the 3rd Divn
to go straight into this strafted area
where shelling is continual & the
tension is always heavy. But
they have been very well trained
by Jackson; I believe the King,
when he inspected them, could
speak of nothing else for a day or
two.
The trenches opposite our men
now are called mainly by the fields
though wh they are dug, apparently
We are on a down stope - on
the fingers of the Pozieres - Ginchy
ridge, reaching down to

 

68     24

valley of a tributary of the Aucren

Diagram - see original document
something in this
style. On the left
our trenches have
to cross the valley
& I expect those
are frightfully wet
trenches. Opposite us is a pair
of isolated little undulations
like a minor wave with two
crests; a just behind this crest minor
wave is Bapaume; & then another
valley with an altogether different
system of heights beyond.
Diagram - see original document

This is
a diagram
of the general

idea - 

not accurate

in detail 
at all.

The trenches in
front of the

 

68       25
5th Divn are:

(1) Below us on our own side

o / valley: Bayonet trench

(2) Further below: Bank trench - Lime trench

(3) Still further below: Wheat-Rye-Barley trench

(4) On the minor hill in front of

Bapaume : Till trench

(5) Through or around Bapaume

on the further side o / minor hill

- the Bapaume trench (I do 

not know it's official name.

In front of the 1st Divn is the S. there are 

not so many, apparently

(1) Hilt trench

(2) Continuation of Rye trench

(3) Till trench

The 29th Divn & the 41st  Divns neither
of them had their own artillery here;
our 5th divn is taking over the

arty.   The 29th Divn had the Arty.

 

68        26

of the 12th Divn; & our 5th ^Aust Divn
is taking this over.
The N.Z. Arty is moving out but
has had to leave either all or some
of its guns behind, & our 1st Aust.
Divn is taking them over. The
2nd Aust. Divn. Arty is being
put in split up amongst / others
for / present.
The N.Z. Divl. Arty had a
rough time - 60 officers hit (20
of them killed, I believe). They had
to move their guns up onto these
downward slopes. Amongst others
they lost Davies the O.C. 10th N.Z.
battery - one o /  finest officers they
had. I asked Johnson if he had
not others as good coming on. "No,"
he sd. "These were gentlemen - public
school men - devoted to their work
for the works sake without thinking
of themselves.  Those who take their

 

Card No.

Enlist No.

[*Merchant ship*] 

Discharged to   Date:   Date T.P.C sent to camp.    No T.P.C

 68       27

place are good enough fellows-
but more thoughtful of themselves."
The Headquarters of 1st Aust. Divn
is at Bellevue farm near Albert;
it moves to Pommiers Redoubt tonight
when they take over from 29th Divn.
The H.Q. of the 5th Divn is at

Fricourt Chateau - mostly

underground; you go downstairs

to get to that Chateau.

The attack on the further heights 

  • up to Bapaume - is foretold

to take place as soon as we get

3 fine days. It is impossible

to attack in the wet w / country

as much torn up as it is.

Somehow, in war time, country

always seems to be clay - with

it's slipperiest side uppermost.

The first thing we heard on getting

 

68      28

down from Flanders to the Somme

district, this time, was general

talk of the difficulty of transport.

When I was talking to him before we

went to England, White sd to me tt

he ws thinking about pack animals

a system of pack-transport; &

down here I see tt they have pack

horses going backwards & forwards

to the lighter guns. Going in to Meaulte

or Becordel. The first thing we 

noticed was small files of horses

each with those old German wicker

baskets (for carrying three shells)

slung on its side. They have a 

railway or a system of rlys

doing nothing else (so we are told).

but supplying ammunition to the

big guns.

This makes one wonder

whether, w all the provision in

the world, they will be able

 

68      29

to go on advancing. Three

dry days is a perilous 

short time for preparing a first

rate attack. There are very

few Germans about their

front lines - some of our people

havent seen any at all.

One o / great difficulties

Oct 30. Monday

This day the Corps took

over from the 15th Corps; & we

moved in to our billets &

messes at Heilly . I am in

a cosy little cottage with Herbertson

- they have given us the Intelligence

Officers' billets. Churchill knows

tt we are pals & has arranged 

it; surprisingly good natured this

old Churchill xxxxxxx in spite of

all they say about him. 

Our mess is up the 

muddiest street in all France, I 

 
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