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

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066840
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

24 ooyds got within the past fired to every rifle o calculati tl the K. 10germans to furtin trouble Thet of villag ws mach cniped from Beefvillers & pineapples from Logeast 1ie. Irwithers as not heavily domaged then but all calibres ap to in got on to it during the day. The charch ws not knocw abt at first but wt battered by them In afternoon germans shelled Loupart part betw heneders & grevellers. Patrols worke toNW ad Jermans for
8 march Day 25 They worked them in to gt in touch warling. togeast Switch The very this triough. strng in tet night 5 Bde took over whole 21 Bn pont. 24 Bn wa on right of grivellers South 21 Bn went Bayertin camp when in 21 Next came 23Bn had just occupic Bengnalie. The 2 came in tro 23 up Bap. Vaulx Rd. 23 were and NE ofvillage Bengnatic
2 26 at Rds before Bengnatie 21 Bn broke into 3 advance 8d Columas. One went out along Vault d doccupied au Vrancourt 2nd came along Rd to B. 30 central. 30d went to B29 centril The pt Column Estab ctielf bet (25 antral sunken Rd. with posts in 26 A013 The latter posts came upon Soor 40 Germans who were evacuste Francoas Wulk Waxcond part of ih ws burning They wilgust outside town at 19d56. This wx 6 p abt
30 24 two arrig came + spoke to two down oar cay commandes them what ws & told went away aalin Did this day before also) 529 central Line w8 5 central 630 central in pout of with past Bancourt of 13 A.L.H. troop directo of came in from Voulx on Bos d afternoon of March 18. They had had one sergt tod in hand March1 Posts 2/19 round were pashed
30 28 Vaulx there WP. + d e a sood Suipen 26D from the t post on Cracifix 2d Boisde Voulx In atternoon of March 19 disposities were attendt S0 t 2 yo held port 3 Coys Coy being withdraw Bengny line. to It ws a wet night There wsan order to send fighting patrol at 4.30 to Sapport 13hH. Scoutiry towards Norenel night Late at on the alteration from to 2 Coys, the new 20 took up anciy in so in
53 90 Viancourt of Wautk in pont B23 cent. 24 cent. C. 19cly (the picfuet himes had be handed The right over to 23Bn shelled viancount Eve a lot bu were not in it The move of the 2 coys ws just abt dark Abt 11.30 p.M. instrus were received about the advance next morning British the 3centt. in touch with were us who sd we were on ground their Outpost live (2 Cogs) had 80 to be brought in Bengny Coysbrought. up Sam. There as in roin heavy v
30 30 night coventrat co not be finished by 3 am At 4.30 am. the column started along the Ecoust Rd W an advance gd. from Sugar Doctori where the concentrate took place). I lay wh we leadin moved ap Sagar Dactory lloost mai Rd they wel a ferman Post at 1 of road an 7D which they rashed - (K2 & rest fled)- wentupd Estab themselves in 7B8ax6. They chaned
0 31 yerr aws out of a small guarry before Longatte. Ove L. Ganner On road silenced a german in ganner (it we dawn & dashed in bombed dugont, & look lock out md. on bes own Pte Bernard Collins). Lt Hardwick Da left met another post Thot Jerman W Icron X3; D Coy didat suffer Adoy heavily in advance, but got it fairly heavily in positn A Coy followed D & split of at boltom of 13C
70 32 & reached abt 86 Ed, & into gc. The suffered heavily from mg fire from pould Lougatle. Once they were in poschn they did not get it Sales Coy, B, came up to Lrdsin 13B. & then across to GD &15 a They got m.g. from both Longatte & Noreuil. by (Pearce) came up in & waves echeloned back to protect right flank & to connect with 23Bn. They gotana 15 A&b. They did not Sufferdealy there
30 33 These allday in in pasts when they saw t german mg fire wt heavin & they id not get on. There were I mge in the srenken d Sof Longatte & one in Sunken de Ga 88. & a good member on the St face of Norenel. There as a trench on this face of Norenilalso. Touch we gained w 23Ba on right in valley in pout vorenit. The ferms. were shelling fairly heavily but troops were dregin & cdhave held on till dark

20
24
got within 200 yds
the post fired w every
rifle & L.G. & calculated
tt they k. 10 Germans.
No further trouble.
The E of village ws
much sniped from
Biefvillers & pineapples 
from Logeast line. Grevillers
ws not heavily damaged
then but all calibres
up to 8 in got in to it
during the day. The
church ws not knocked
abt at first but ws
battered by them. In 
afternoon Germans
shelled Loupart & part
betw Grevillers trench &
Grevillers. Patrols
worked to NW &
found no Germans.

 

18 March
Day
20
25
They worked E. &
got in touch w them in
Logeast - Warleuc. trench
switch. They were
strong in this triangle.
That night 5 Bde
took over whole 21 Bn
front. 24 Bn ws on
right of Grevillers South East.
21 Bn. went to Bazentin
Camp.


21 Next came in when
23 Bn had just occupied
Beuquatre. The 21
came in thro 23 up
Bap. Vaulx Rd.
23 were imd NE of village
of Beuquatre.

 

20
26
At fork in Rds before
Beuquatre 21 Bn broke into
3 advance [[?]] columns.
One went out along Vaulx
Rd & imd. occupied Vaulx
2nd came along Vraucourt
Rd to B. 30 central.
3rd went to B 29 central.
The 1st Column estab itself
at C 25 central (Sunken Rd)
with posts in 26 A & B.
The latter posts came
upon 30 or 40 Germans
who were evacuating
Vraucour Vaulk Vraucourt
part of wh ws burning.
They met just outside
town at 19 d 5.6. This
ws abt 6 p.m.

 

20
27
Two airmen came
down & spoke to two
of our coy commanders
& told them what ws
going & went away
again - (Did this 
day before also).
Line ws ∴ B 29 central
B 30 central C 25 central
with post in front of
Vraucourt.
A troop of 13 A.L.H.
came in the directn of
Bois de Vaulx on
afternoon of March 18.
They had one sergt
wd in hand.
March 18/19 Posts

were pushed round 

 

20
28
Vaulx & there ws
a good deal of sniping
in C 26 D from the
"Crucifix" Post. on
rd to Bois de Vaulx.
In afternoon of March 19
dispositns were altered
so tt 2 Coys held front
of 3 Coys, 1 Coy being
withdrawn to Beugny line.
It ws a wet night.
There ws an order to
send fighting patrol at
4.30 to support 13 L.H.
scouting towards Noreuil.
Late at night
On the alteration
from 3 to 2 Coys, the
2 Coys took up new
line advancing in

 

20
29
in front of Vaulx Vraucourt
B 23 cent. 24 cent. C.19 cent
(the Picquet Lines)
The right had bn handed 
over to 23 Bn.
(Enemy shelled Vraucourt
a lot but we were not
in it).
The move of the 2 Coys
ws just abt dark.
Abt 11.30 p.m. instrns
were received about the
advance next morning.
At B 2.3 centre the British
were in touch with
us (who sd we were on
their ground).
Outpost line (2 Coys) had
to be brought in & 2
Beugny Coys brought up
by 3 a.m. There ws
v. heavy rain in / 

 

20
30
night & concentratn
cd not be finished
by 3 a.m.
At 4.30 a.m. the
column started along
the Ecoust Rd w
an advance gd.
from Sugar Factory
(where the concentratn
took place).
D Coy wh ws leading
moved up Sugar Factory -
Ecoust main Rd
- They met a German
Post at [[?]] of road
in 7 D which they
rushed - (k 2 & rest
fled) - went up rd &
estab. themselves in
7 & 8 a & b. They chased

 

20
31
Germans out of
a small quarry
before Lougatte. One
L.Gunner on road
silenced a German
m. gunner (it ws dawn)
& dashed in, bombed
dugout, & took lock out
of m.g. on his own.

(Pte Bernard Collins).
Lt Hardwick on left
met another post,
shot German w 2 iron
Xs.; D Coy didn't suffer
A Coy heavily in
advance but got it
fairly heavily in positn.
A Coy followed D
& split off at bottom of 13 C

 

20
32
& reached abt 8 b,
8 d, & into 9 c. They
suffered heavily from
m.g. fire from front of
Lougatte. Once they were
in positn they did not
get it.
Sales Coy, B, came up
to X rds in 13 B & then
across to 9 D & 15 a.
They got m.g. from both
Lougatte & Noreuil.
C Coy (Pearce) came
up in 4 waves echeloned
back to protect right 
flank & to connect with
23 Bn. They got across
15 a & b. They did not
suffer heavily there.

 

20
33
These all dug in in
posts when they saw tt
German m.g. fire ws
heavy & they cd not
get on. There were
3 mgs in the Sunken Rd
S of Lougatte -
& one in Sunken rd in

9 a 88. & a good number
on the SE face of Noreuil.
There ws a trench on this
face of Noreuil also. Trench
ws gained w 23 Bn
on right in valley in front
of Noreuil. The Germs.
were shelling fairly
heavily but troops were
dug in & cd have
held on till dark.

 








 

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