Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/72/1 - February - March 1917 - Part 4

34
 

[Diagram-see original document]
German regts
opposite our
lines
 

17  35
The German method of retirement is explained
in my article of March 1. Butler tells me
that Lang East . . .  Villers au Flos. used to be vacant.
Till Le Transloy line ws always held.
——————
5th Foot Gds may be taken as an example: -

36
Die hards from front line Bn -
sent to Cambrai for a "bust"

Rds Blown up by Germans - but rly largely undamaged.
^They have been Clearing civilians at Cambrai under guard.

Loupart - Le Transloy line  } are the two main lines
Longeast - Villers Au Flos line } by Bapaume.
For the rear parties in some Divisions,
Each Regt. details 1 offr. 10 NCOs.  64 Men w 2 mgs
& a few telephonists. All positns are being wired as
they go. Men Are picked.
It is probable tt the Germans are withdrawing
 

17  37

27 Feb. Went up
with Baldwin &
Bazley to 3rd Bde
H.Qrs in Hexham Rd
C.T. to
(Yarra Bend) & go on to
the Maze. (Described in
article on "Hells Ploughland.")
This night I came
back with Baldwin
to Anzac H.Q.
White told me that
the Germ 2nd Divn had
got into Malt trench (they
had had a patrol in
at its junction with
Sump trench but it had
come out agn). They
6^th Bde had also been

[* 50th Res. "D". & 7th Res Div. (The Till trench is in bad
conditn.) & so economising troops in this salient. *]
 

17  38
driven down Malt trench
to Bapaume Rd by
a German c. attack -
but had retaken this
much & more. They
were to tackle the bit
of Malt trench in front of
grenadiers line tonight.
At abt 10 p.m. news came
in tt the 3rd Bde had
taken Ligny Thilloy -
the Germans retiring.
The 1st Bde relieve them
today.
 

17  39
Feb 28. Spent all day
in Mouquet Farm
getting plans & measurements
of it with Whiteman, one
of the Intelligence Draughtsmen.
By 5 p.m. we had the
place mapped in every
detail Baldwin
could only take photos
of the Cellars, not the
dugout, but hopes to
do better later.
Gellys people sent
patrols to Malt trench but
found wire too hard on
both sides of Sump trench.
It is to be bombarded so
tt / wire is thoroly cut
 

17  40
tonight, & then patrolled
to see tt it is cut - &
then [shorthand] - - - 
The 5^th Divn White
says, have been
most sticky - a
German post in
a trench opposite their
centre has not bn
cleared. I believe the
Germans have now
retired from it.
I dont believe
they'll ever do a bit
of good with Hobbs.
Gough went up with
White & saw Gelly - &
was quite impressed w /
old man.
 

17  41
Mar 1. xxxxx Tomlinson
& the American correspt
came along today & I
I am to take them up to
the Maze Tomorrow.
Have been writing
all day. The old
29^th Div had a go
for the rest of Sailly
Sailisel yesterday
night & got two trenches
Potsdam & Palz -
but lost Palz through
bombt. in afternoon.
The people on their left
attacked with an platoon
& failed. (20^th Divn I think)
 

17  42
Daily Express
NEW BRITISH WEAPON.
———
Feb 28.
THE ART OF KILLING AT A
DISTANCE.
———
PARIS, Tuesday, Feb. 27.
M. Andre Tudesq, the special correspondent
of the "Journal" on the British front,
says:-
"These supreme defences of Bapaume
have fallen without fighting, but this does
not mean without dead. To-morrow or the
day after, when the communique deigns to
be less confidential, people will be surprised
at the number of the enemy's losses. The
Germans have fallen back in order not to
face a sanguinary disaster
The Crown Prince Rupprecht of
Bavaria wanted to save, if not the ground,
at least his men. The mystery is simple
This victory which entails a German retreat
is due especially to the terrifying
effectiveness of the new gas shells; of which
Beaumont Hamel in December and Grandcourt
on February 7 provided conclusive
evidence.
The long delays of winter have not been
lost. New inventions have been perfected,
and in the art of killing at a distance miraculous
results have now been attained. At
one stroke our patience has been rewarded."
———

March 2.
I notice this damned lie in
the Daily Express today. I
wonder why the Censor lets
it thro! He knows it is not
true. The Germans are preparing
a Prussic Acid shell - so their
 

17  43
prisoners say - & it ws
just this sort of lie about
Lyddite & its effects in S. Africa
- a sheer bit of boastful untruth
& the newspaper story of "Turpinite" -
which gave the Germans their
excuse in employing gas.
Turpinite never existed - its
^existence was a fabrication, & so were
the stories of its success.
The attack on Malt
Trench came off this
morning. Osborne who
was out yesterday at the
Butte tells me that Malt
trench is the summit of the
hill from the point of view
near the Butte. The main
Loupart Bapaume Till Le Transloy
line runs along the
 

44

[hand drawn map - see original document]
 

17  45 

top but at this point
is at some distance in
rear of the top. Malt trench
crosses a promontory of
hill just here - & has
the command down the
valley. You cannot see
the wire in front of the Main
trench ^in this part until you reach
the summit. That is
why the German has bn
hanging on to it.
On the right rear of
our men if ever they
attacked the Grevillers
line is a very strong
promontory; & away
near Le Transloy the
hills look right down
the valley across wh
our commns wd have to
 

46
There are many signs tt / Germans are
withdrawing beyond Bapaume on Beugny
& eventually Cambrai; Possibly they may
try & hit back at us as we come across
the open country, economising their force
behind one of their strong bits of line
on this principle.
[diagram - see original document]
There is a statement by a prisoner
tt the Germans have now bn told tt they
must hold the grevillers line for 14 days
all other arrangements for / retirement having
been countermanded. This looks as if they were
having trouble in getting away their heavy guns.
040
 

17  47
pass &, indeed, now
do. The dropping rifle fire
from the first of these
places - wd have to be
reckoned with; & the
arty fire from the other.
For details of last
nights most successful
attacks I now have the
file of messages from
Divisions to be kept for
me; & the daily situation
map. The keeping up with
all these reports, operation
orders etc is too much
for me - & the record
scheme is not yet on its
feet.