Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/75/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 6

60A

L. hopping
on one leg
 

61
L. decided to retire
at 12.25. The
Offrs remained with
a few selected men
to cover / retreat
o / remainder.
Capt Leane &
Lieut Watson (Int. offr) were
shot getting back from
/ trench. Watson ws
shot in the spine -
crawled 800 yds,
ws picked up by the
carriers - he ws
paralysed in both legs
- it will take 2 yrs for
the nerves to grow
beside spine.
The men came
 

62
back in perfect
order carrying  L.Gs
- vol
Volunteers were called
for amongst returned
men - to bring in wd.
They were sniped at
all aftn. -all the time
- but they picked
up a good many wd.
3 bearers were wounded
for certain - bullet
wounds. They picked up
Watson
The Bn went in at full
strength.
[The night before the
bn had been out & was
barraged getting back.
Had had no sleep
 

63
night before. 2 nights
pract. sleepless before
fight - then night of
fight - On night of
11^th marched to Biefvillers
arriving 4. am. Entra
Left there 3 p.m. to
catch train support to
leave Bap. at 4.
It left a The entrained
at 8. Train left at
11 & reached Albert
at 7 next morning 12^th.
They marched to
Crucifix camp at
Fricourt & marched
into Camp singing!
Losses: 15 offrs. 421 or.
(4k. 6mw. & 5 to Hospl.).

64
The officers at last
watched the blocks & the
only useful commn
trench thro 23 c 4. 0
The m.g. fire on the
48 trenches ws from
Riencourt & Bullecourt
houses.
Col. Leane got a
scrap of shell wh cut
his shirt - it took out
eye of intell. offr.
& the Liason offr &
2 batmen assisting at
dump were hit
by same shell. -
H Qrs. ws behind a
4 foot bank - no
 

65
dugout at all
————
-just back of rly embankt
4 ft high. L ws walking 
to telephone when hit.
——
He cd watch the show
from where he was, as
far as the wire, &
the Bullecourt trenches
from wh the Sig
signalling officer was
sniped thro eye.
at same time as the
shell burst
Maj. Leane 2 in C.
ws killed at Bn H.Q.
on very morning of Ap 10.
 

66
just before fight
ws to begin at 9 4.30
He ws hit by a shell
direct. 4 others were
k by same shelling
- barrage shelling
on rly line.
The 48 Bn 
seen lying out on
morning of Ap. 10
- barrage ws opened
wh chased them all,
the way back.
Men retired in arty
formation with big
intervals & big. distance
abt 5.30
 

67
(This ws the 2 yellow
streamers tt went 
up]
The 48 Bn never
saw a tank after
the advance.
They were sniped
from Bullecourt all
/ way back. They
knew / way thro 
the wire by then.
———
AT 11.15 Col. L. wired Bde
: Both 4^th & 12 Bde
are retiring. We hold
this line (rly line) but you
 

68
^X He also wd naturally
not order them to come
back bec he thought they
were  coming back.
 

69
must assist with 
arty barrage. Our
casualties are v.
heavy (He wired what he saw;
he did not know tt 48 Bn ws still
in / trenches)^x
12.30 The 48 Bn
were forced to retire
at 12.25 exactly
1 hr & 10 mins after
46 Bn on left &
4 Bde on rt retired.
We were forced to
retire on a/c of our
own heavy bombt.
Time & Time agn the
Boche c-attd after
46 Bn retired.
Finally seeing our
 

70
own barrage upon
them the Bn fought
its way out o /
line bringing in
L Gs while heavy
enemy rifle &
arty fire were
brought to bear
on them." This
ws sent at 12.30
(L. had had the 12.15
message by then).
He had phone to Bde
& forward also
right into front line
most of the time.
The signaller
 

71
 

5 L.Gs .were 
carried out
many were
blown up.
in other cases
whole
crews
went &
guns
were
lost.
In 2 cases a new gun
ws made out of
parts of 3 guns
damaged.
 

72

Cpl Albert Fredk ^Franke blew up
his telephone w a
Mills bomb when / Germans
came into the trench & got in
safely.
One ^Scotchman Sergt ^Rafferty on retiring
saw 46 offr. just
outside wire. He
lay by him all day
& brought him in
at night (Lt Masters
46 Bn ws the wd offr.)
Rafferty is being gn
a commission
One boy L/ cpl William
Woods ws shot hit
w shell fire thro' his