Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/74/1 - March 1917 - Part 2

20  12
They cd easily have
shot him. He brought
forwd a clearing
pty & a bombing pty
w a L.G. to the
Pimple. From there

they were instructed
& Mr Allen (detailed
in C. of the party)
began to to clear the
trench. They started to
bomb up / trench. Abt
150 yds up the Germans 
who had a m.g. w them
fired some rifle shots.
They were taking this m.g
back from Pimple.
 

20  13  
They retired further
towards Grevillers line.
Lt Atten They beckoned
our men on - There
ws a m.g. we
afterwds found in
Grevillers line & they
probly wanted to draw
us onto this. Lt.
Allen then opened w
L.G. & shot two. From
there he began to put
in his block at the
allotted place. The
Germans cd see this
from Grevillers line &
began sniping. One dugout
& one newly started were
behind on our side of the block.
 

20  14   
Block ws finished.
In mean time a bombg
pty ws working down
Gamp trench wh they knew
ws occupied by Germans.
They had gone 75 yds,
bombing, when they
came to 2 dugouts.
There were 3 dead Germans
in same traverse, (2
K. earlier, probly in our
bombt.) There were a 
good many others
lying abt.
At / mouth of
these dugouts Germans
cd be seen & when
our last bomb
 

20  15
fell in tt traverse,
Cpl Price (a boxer in Aust.)
talked to them in 
Australian. They
came out, 11 from
both dugouts. We 
put them under escort
& sent them to D
Coy H.Qrs. They
continued bombing
down trench - up on
top o / trench more
than in it. There
ws seen to be only
barbed wire in /
trench from 60 yds beyond
the dugouts downwards.
They connected w /
 

16
Diagram - see original
Later D Coy pushed
out posts as marked
in front of Gamp trench
& connected with
Northumberland Fus.
Tommies on left.
(2nd British Divn. probly
Northumberland Fusiliers)
on left.
 

20  17
other posts going in
rear o / trench.
————
[28 Bn had tried bombing
up Gamp on Feb 28/1
by night in 3 parties
[Diagram-see original]
as shown
but were
held up by
the wire. 2/Lt K. Ahwall
ws killed here. . . .
The night before tt
a fighting patrol of
28 Bn had gone for
Junctn Gamp & Malt
& ws held up by wire
1 Sergt K.
Diagram-see original
 

18
Diagram-see original

[※ The Germans were
waving a hankf. at Allen
& holding up a bottle &
the 28 party ws just 
getting going when they were
recalled.]
 

20  19
[Abt 2 nights before the
evacuation of Grevillers
the Tommies took
Grevillers line in M 3 & 4
- 28 ^under Allen did a slight diversion
on Junction of Malt &
Grevillers wh 25 were
to have attacked as
diversion if wire
had bn cut, wh it
ws not. Agn  The
wire ws much m.gs xxxx at Junction were too
strong. The party there went
in on rt of Tommies in
Grevillers & started bombing w
German Mortar - but were recalled ※]
German on March
2 shelled & worried
our left w m.g.
but did not
C. attack.
 

20  20
S.Bs Dedman & Davey.
Hargreaves & Greig
L/Cpl. T.S. Heath. L.M.G
L/Cpl. R.H. Pitts
Pte J.G. Robinson.
(Pte H.R.Hearne 17 [[shorthand]]
[shorthand] 3 of [[shorthand]]
Cpl. H. Pettit life saving in Sunken Rd
Lt. C.W. Fethers.
24 Bn. Lt J.L. Fawcetts post
ws 2ce attd on night 15/16 [[shorthand]]
 

20  21
21 Bn.
Afternoon xx Came in on 11th March,
line ws then. Left on Layton
Alley abt 5 B 36; rt ws
on Rd in N 1. a 36. &
down to Red Cut. [[shorthand]]
Abt 8.30 pm. patrol
after dusk heard voices in
Warlencourt trench abt G 36 c 33.
Germans were throwing 
many flares.
Abt 11 p.m. another 
patrol went out at same
place. At 11.50 it ws
reported tt they
were going thro' the wire.
Patrol at same time
got in at C. 31 c 1. 4.
[*?H*]
They sent back word
& were imd followed 
by supports from
outpost line.
 

20  22
The troops from this line
at once occupied 
Warlencourt trench pushing
out posts ahead. Coys
in reserve came up into
old out post line, & as
Coy in Warlencourt trench
went on to Grevillers
they occupied Warlenct
Trench. Tel. Commn ws run
out at once to W. trench.
24 Bn from back area
came in & took up rt
from 31 a to Bapaume Rd.
Patrols pushed up to 
S.W end of Grevillers - now
coming daylight. By
daylight posts were
at 30 d 90, 36 a 93,
36 a 4 1 & in Fonds
Bertin (wh ws a crumpled
 

20  23
up unrecognisable quarry)
Patrols pushed out & by
11 am posts were thro
Grevillers 25 a c 1. 5,
30 b 7. 2, & 30. b .6. 7 on
X road. Also 30 c. 45
30 a 4 2, 29 b 85½ -.
By this time Grevillers had
bn well patrolled &
reported as in our hands.
————
Posts on W. of Grevillers
saw enemy retreating
in numbers from Loupart
Wood. 5^th Bde not there
yet. Posts sniped at these
Germans w L.Gs.
Post on extreme West in
29 B found abt 40
Germans coming at them,
formed up. When Germans