Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/71/1 - February 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066837
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 6

t t on we the night e follow them up 4 the morng 24 and Corps reports a Miraumont t bridy te ba domaged Co White called 4 in fen Birdwoods 20om of their anteoon out wher others were. the He went big the map ap know the 40 farman to a soldier Bean he sd, and Im apait it a a very vy clever thin be has done. you know of course you have heard of what is in the air up there poaten acorner d
14 4 4 to Im afair what he has to dont been to 50 to himself out a tis Il cut (the sabient big tumphere. FWl just worth of as) here l to this o back showinc) the Acbet A. Petit Coupart wood line which the fermans have been wering very ett across stro C Bepann in thhs 0 sort of way) You know the would bi a back for 3 months in ofensive we cant to andertake m that direction months at the east he would
12 60 t say well dash know you 40 cant at we Tome down he for months. 2ll he bas at you ypres a at It lel struck b t lo the ght 5a e then 46 them the obvious while said: Of course great thin ad be if the we ad do waclt the same at yous. when I was up there t always wante to have a real line behied Yores hold the present live as an outpost live of I taked it over 66 Gent. Birdwood with took But Ialevay
3 done we had that it 119 I saw surch. the it we mant have took behind yours And real a his hear. shook white said. 6 To think won't X Good what Lord a staff we are blessed with dont bnow th they with you. be end to go for Yores strong we I think Le 5d shall be hold 1000 Eno the t Or we do them first. get in might and anywe it does from a ged them away Bench abach- it Cs Henseve one big only less te B3 ed 9e
14 look th on he t as a pe evacuation we ought have known. with poper patrotin have we ad ought by And Lim some n patrolly you the ii od abou is en one they did get in place last night but 9 was efortunately only reporte Cate for to0 have we sad ao actng upon it done. divisional of all the the cralo in se Tellibrand Casting Deon) as the most active, hesd walker to have a had by Jou
the the 1d Thot at the Maze, aly had made sme but white difficulties thinks walker is past it thank do I 50 as broke may lettle the his wound Carsons e bon Sat whet to straight want. people talk. ible true

75 9
w them in the night we
are to follow them up
in the morning. 
The 2nd Corps reports
tt the bridge at Miraumont
is badly damaged.
White called me in
to Gen. Birdwood's room
out of their anteroom where
the others were. He went 
up to the big map -
"You know the German
is a soldier, Bean," he sd, "and
I'm afraid it it is a very very
clever thing he has done.
You know of course - 
You have heard of what is
in the air up there
(pointing to a corner of the
 

 

10
75  11
map). "Well I'm afraid
what he has done has 
been to say to himself -
"I'll cut out all this
big lump here (the salient
North of us) & I'll just
go back to this line here
(showing the Achet le-Petit
- Loupart wood line which
the Germans have been
wiring very well across
hand drawn map 
country
in this
sort of
way.)
You know
he would put
us back for 3 months in
any offensive we meant to
undertake up in that
direction - 3 months at
the very least; he would
 

 

75 12
go back & say - well -
dash you! I know you
cant come at me down 
here now for 3 months;
I'll have a bang at
you up at Ypres."
It immediately struck
me - we might do the
same thing at Ypres -
the obvious thing.
White said: "Of course -
the great thing wd be if 
we cd do exactly the same
at Ypres. When I was up
there I always wanted
to have a real line behind
Ypres & hold the present
line as an outpost line
by Bluff - I talked it over 
with Genl. Birdwood.."
"But I always took
 

 

75 13
it that we had done
that - surely," I said. "I 
took it we must have
a real line behind Ypres"
White shook his head.
"Don't think so," he said. 
Good Lord - what a 
staff we are blessed with.
"I dont know, mind 
you, tt they will be
strong eno' to go for Ypres."
he sd & I think we 
shall be good eno' to hold
them if they do. Or we
might get in first..."
"And anyway it doesn't 
get them away from a 
French attack - it is
only one big offensive
the less"
"Yes" - he sd. X But
 

 

75  14
he looks on this
evacuation as a pity.
"We ought to have known.
With proper patrolling
we ought to have had 
some sign to go by.. And,
mind you, our patrolling
is good - above the average.
They did get in in one 
place last night - but
unfortunately it was
only reports too late for
acting upon it as we shd have
done...."
Of all the divisional
generals in the line
Gellebrand (acting 2nd
Divn) ws the most 
active, he sd. Walker
had bn going to have a
 

 

75  15
shot at the Maze, lately
but had made some
difficulties. White
Thinks Walker is past it
- & so do I; I think
the little man was broken
by his wound.
Carson's speech on
the submarines is what
the people want - straight 
sensible true talk. 
 

 
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