Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/75/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 2

13
 
 

14
on moving up from Louverval
the 10 Bn struck trouble (or
rather, it ws on / night
of 7/8 & early yesty morning).
They had to get out along
a spur N of Boursies -
The two flanks got out; but
centre ran into m.gs or
m.guns near corner & / Louverval
& ws held up as marked 
in dotted line.
Germans at 1 a.m.
c.attacked betw xxxxxxxxxxx
opposite Boursies &
found 12 Bn lying out under
ready to jump off. They
drove the 12^th in. 12th
drove them back agan &
captured one. But when 12 Bn
attd., tho some of the 1st wave got into
village & others got into [[trenches?]] at
 

15
S where German m.g. at G
kept them pinned down & 
unable to stir. Germans
had abt 200 men at G
& their fire caused 2nd  &
3rd waves to get into ditch
in valley & caused great trouble. Bombers however
got into village & Col. Elliott
at abt midday or in early
afternoon himself went thro
Western end of village & found
no Germans. We also had
post (using captured German m.g.) at
entrance of village & one
rt of village. !st Bn
At 3 our men cd still be
seen at 3 & Germans
were in Chapel.
 

16
2nd Bn attacked Hermies
to E of line of barbed wire
betw Hermies & Doignies
3rd Bn going up
to join it from S.
1st Bn looked after
left flank & later
in day [[Sof?]]
Demicourt tho' having
losses from Boursies wh ws
not taken - (3rd Bde reported
it taken at 6 a.m.)
_________
Attack on night of 9/10 did
not come off. We came back
in heavy snow (Baldwin & I)
after consultation
The attack ws timed for next
morning instead. [[Gravesick?]]
& I went up to 14 central. We
 

17
Ap. 10/11
got into an old infantry
post there. The snow
had ceased to fall -
It was bitterly cold -
our hands froze as
we sat there. Sitting in /
dark we made the
following notes at the 
time - but it ws
too cold to hold a
pencil. (There ws at
first a half moon -
about 5.30 the light
ws becoming fairly
good - but it ws abt 6
before we cd use /
telescope properly on
Riencourt.

18
54.30 our bombt starts
4.35 green flare from
Ballecourt.
4.36 - another green flare.
4.40 .green & gold flares
have been going up
to left & from Bullecourt
Nothing from Riencourt.
Huge bursts as of explosives
towds Sagnecourt - over
horizon.
4.45 . 12 or 15 pf these
slow bursts have
taken place Must be
a shellburst
 

19
I have never seen
one like it before.
4.50. Whistle. Cease fire.
It is not yet light.
Red flare by Riencourt.
4.51. another red
flare.
4.57. Single green flares.
Red fire in Bullecourt
glaring.
Red & green
from near Riencourt
 

20
Flares very numerous
5am. very few flares.
Have the Germans run?
Fire in [[Econst?]].
More flares.
5.10 many (6 or 7)
red flares from
Riencourt. Does this mean

Tanks?
5.15 German barrage to right
5.20 Supports going up in
extended order.
Cavalry coming up behind [[Lauzalle?]].
 

21
Abt 6 o'c. we saw men
in wire & past it beyond
in front of Riencourt.
Then We saw an object moving
up to / wire - it was a
tank (Telescope had bn in use
10 mins)
Saw tank move up & fire.
Later saw that tank moving
back & another moving up.
Saw men s bs in Germans x wire
Tank seen & stopped by German fire. Crew ran from it
8.20 Saw German in/y
walking calmly back
along the hill slope
W of Riencourt - about
30 of them.
 

Gen. Brand tells me that the
Tanks never got near the
1st objve.
Men were caught by
mgs in wire.
 

22
heavy casualties thro'
m.gs getting thro wire.
V 30 A 24 rt of objve.
Left 22 D 5.3.
2 Vickers guns abt
50 yds in front of 2 objve.
Left of 12 Bde is
U 21 Co5
[38 w prisoners 4 Bde.]
To 10.30 Kapp had had no 
prisoners
______
of The 12 Bde tanks
2 were hit on way to objve
1 got to wire

1 lost its way,
was redirected
on by some
Australians & 
when last heard of 
ws making for Bullecourt.


23
2 Tanks were seen in snow
& fired on before they started
There are sd to be 4 lying hit.
Col. Stevenson of artillery
FOO reports troops have
occupied Riencourt & he is there.
Bdier doubts this
1st Onjve 5:16 a.m.
2nd objve 7.15.
Rt Boundary - road in U30a.
___________________________
Wire is swept by m.g. fire
& so cannot be cut by day.
Cavalry wirecutters tried
to do it & were wiped out
by m.gs. There are mgs everywhere
- (a young wounded cavalry
officer says).
The Germans are sniping
s. bs, so we are sending them
on carrying wd.

24
Vowles.
 

25
12 Bn. Ap. 15/1917
D 12 reld D 9Bn.
on evg. of 14/15.
Relief
finished at 11 p.m.
Line of D from C12 central
to C 18 B 5.8. (2 piquets
each with 2 groups)

[Group = N.C.O. & 8  [[?]]
This advance party consisted
of 2 platoons - 2 plns kept
in support. [2 more groups
were dug & 2 sections of / supporting
pln were sent up].
3rd section ws sent out at
abt 12pm to reconnoitre
front of groups.
This left only / pln + 1 section L G
in supports.
 

25 A



 

abt 100 yds.

26
Just after 4 C.S.M.
came to O.C. & told him
enemy had broken thro -
supports wakened & stood
to - heavy rifle fire had
started on rt front.
Vowles advised C O by
telephone. [There had bn no
bombardment].
Corpl from front line reported
tt groups had retired to left flank
& enemy advancing
Shortly afterwd. enemy
seen to front extended,
& advancing. L.Gs drove
them over rise.

Enemy had pushed 
thro village - & brought mg
to right rear. Fire had