Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/74/1 - March 1917 - Part 3
24
20
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 8in got in to it
during the day. The
Church ws not knocked
abt at first but ws
battered by them. In
afternoon Germans
sheeled Loupart & part
betw Grevillers trench &
Grevillers. Patrols
worked to NW &
found no Germans.
18 March
Day
25
20
They worked E. &
got in touch w them in
Logeast - Warlenc. Trench
switch. they were
strong in this Triangle.
That night 5Bde
took over whole 21 Bn
front. 24Bn ws on
right of Grevillers South Ewd.
21Bn. went to Bazentin
Camp.
21 Next came in when
23Bn had just occupied
Beuquatre. The 21
came in thro 23 up
Bap. Vaulx Rd.
23 were NE of village
of Beuquatre.
26
20
At (diagram) Rds before
Beuquatre 21 Bn broke into
3 advance gd columns.
One went out along Vaulk
Rd & ind. occupied Vaulk
2nd came along Vraucourt
Rd to B.30 central.
3rd went to B29 central.
The 1st Column estab itself
at (25 central (Seurken Rd)
with posts in 26 A & B.
The later posts came
upon 30 or 40 Germans
whe were evacuatingVraucour Vaulk Vraucourt
part of which ws burning.
They met just oputside
town at 19d 5.6. This
ws abt 6 pm.
27
20
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 B29 central
B30 central (25 central
with post in front of
Vraucourt.
A troop of 13 A.L.H.
came in the direction of
Bois de Vaulx on
afternoon of March 18.
They had one sergt
wd in hand.
28
20
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
dispositions 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withdrawn to Beugny line.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
sent fighting patrol at
4.30 to support 13 L.H.
scouting towards Norenil.Late at night
On the alteration
from 3 to 2 Coys, the
2 Coys took up new
line advancing in
29
20
in front of Vaulx Vraucourt
B23 cent. 24 cent. C.19 cent
(the picquet Lines)
The right had bn handed
over to 23Bn.
(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 B23 centre the British
were in touch with
us ((who sd we were on
their ground).
Outpost line (2Coys) had
to be brought in & 2
Beugny Coys brought up
by 3 a.m. There ws
v. heavy rain in /
30
20
night & concentratn
cd not be finished
by 3am.
At 4.30 am. 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 (diagram) of road
in 7D which they
rushed - (K2 & rest
fled) - went up rd &
estab. themselves in
7 & 8 a & b. They chased
31
20
Germans out of
a small quarry
before Lougratte. One
L.Gunner on road
silenced a German
M. gunner ( it ws dawn)
& dashed in, bombed
dugout, & took lock out
of Mg. on his own.|(Pte Bernard Collins).
Lt Hardwick on left
met another post,
shot German w 2 crion
Xs-; D Coy didn't suffer
A Voy heavily in
advance but got it
fairly heavily in positn.
A Coy followed D
& split off at bottom of 13C
32
20
& reached abt 8b,
8d, & into 9c. They
suffered heavily from
mg. fire from front of
Lougatte. Once they were
in positn they did not
get it.
Sales Coy, B, came up
to X rds in 13B & then
across to 9D & 15a.
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
23Bn. They got across
15a & b. They did not
suffer heavily there.
33
20
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 Longatte -
& one in Sunken rd in9a 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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