Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/75/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066841
Difficulty:

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82 round another post & surrounded come of te groups - wh were captd. 2 posts of O Each were scuppered an his fight - One ws seen to fight it out. This font ao heavily shelled tib 2p Nght of 14/11. went out & Ce re-establishe its posts on 14th i tn daylih This consed a good dead of shelling. On this wg live was as dotted on map
33 Each cos shd have. posts with one plu. in close support. (Ti aonot I case in all coys.) At 11pn - 14t 2 Coy from 10Bn were allotten to 1D. One wo placed in Lauba Ed thro D28C coy as petaddposst 4 coy (et) & kat at B29.C. p.2 desposal of CCoy (antre at D2GAX4 to) at ob I am intense barrage pat by ps. on picquetling,
84 as far as Lonverval & beyond. Hle in Lomeral. Barragh Csted to mans, shells coming from flanks? front DCoy (left) reporte by telephon Evewy attackig, Aloy (it) than ene attack we suspected the barrage wt adst field gun with bead stuff in back area. Thes ws sortly after conferme by wire. A little time after ACo. reportes to eveny had broken tro C. Cy. an loged iold himself in commandin Coy.
35 final (support) positi & ever ws still advance how direction of D22D centl 0 at once sent forw another E Coy t ACoc from reserve in Sunkin rd. in 286. They wat up valler to A Coy (it ws light before bytw this fatters abfot - Hemmyn hat some men falleer back from C, the 10Bn 1/boy, & his H Coy support & they advanced straght into the termans + the jervans in 17 ran. Ileft in this H post
86 trench. The fermssan back to their own people on Leights in 23.C The right post of oight coy fell back to 29D50 under beavy nambers. Before this they had just seen the centro post (under It Pope) surrounded by1 evemy charge forwod wt bayonet into the germans. Pope's bod L Charles Pope) has since been found. There are 80 dead fermans post. This aroun
defence undoubted helped to give time to reorgonese. Te left post of A Lieut Lyon, was Coy, 1solatel after the left bad been wopped up (C. Co. This gave his boy comver time to organise be suppest tine. Lyon plu were lost in this some way have been cepld. This post bad 200 G. dead around asked for it. (The arty ws ir abt 5.20 a port of D boy The fermans cd be seen thickly b 23D. deging in just svered
88 The 11 Bn's pront time us abt $900 yds boy. live 3900 Ito final 9 by crest. The frontlives tod waver & then in rear were digging all time. A heavy barrage ws never obtained on these tho there ws arty on it possible the foulage ws too by fer 1 arty. O.C. C. Coywxat onattely Bn H.Q. reportin on posts when attack Hewskept wroke on C. Cos ofane recfts there $ y had fallen onto a line thoo D29DS.O to D2GAO0 The fapon 1 left of them wd covrred be Wickers gans & 1/½ loys of 10 Bn, (the 3rr cory
90 having and at I.3oam Bloy Ox 5 till in its original posite in 21D 28.A I boy on left held their posite the left at one time wch exposed tho D 12 B havin to withdsaw, were an pont of post they had place posts just behind of ferme wire) saved them. Jerms, drew-f to ridge 200 Eds away & dugen all thro' day Of flank posite wh shelled
91 The rt pln of D loy wh held was cut off by Jermans at abt D21B5.4. te geroans attacking at dusk on Ap. 15 Off &22 men - these ranoot ofammn. after putting up a good fight loy amixed up with A 2loys of 2 Bn were but to LO. 11Bn arriving during alore at dusk one coy Bu ws putinto the central gap.
4 92 H Charbs tope wo in comed of most forward peepleet of his coy. (ACoy abt 5am. amensage arrived from him I am bowling over Eneue like nevepins. Send the renfts & ammn It ws impossible todo this as his post ws then surrowded He held his post for (he after this lett Annuu cos apptly expended; then, with his plation - only 20 stroy, - he charged abt 3o of enemy & was K. His Capt. R. Henngwan himself watched this

82

round another post

& surrounded some of

the groups - wh were

captd. 2 posts of

6 each were scuppered

in this fight - one ws

seen to fight it out - This

front ws heavily shelled

till 2pm.

Night of 14/15.

C Coy went out &

re-established its posts on

the evening 14th in daylight.

This caused a good deal

of shelling.

On this evg line was

as dotted on map.

 

83

Each coy shd have 3

posts with one pln.

in close support. (This

ws not / case in all 

coys.)

At 11 p.m. 14th 2 Coys

from 10 Bn were allotted 

to 11 Bn. One ws placed

in Sunken rd thro D 28c.

½ Coy ws put at disposal

of A Coy (rt) at D 29. C.3.2 & ½ at

disposal of C Coy (centre)

at D 29 A 44

15th At abt 4 am

intense barrage put

by Gs. on picquet line,

 

84

as far as Louverval 

& beyond. H.Q. in Louverval. 

Barrage lasted 15 mins,

shells coming from flanks &

front.

D Coy (left) reported

by telephone enemy attacking, &

A Coy (rt) tt an enemy

attack ws suspected -

The barrage ws mostly

light field gun with heavy

stuff in back area.

This ws shortly after

confirmed by wire.

A little time after, A Coy

reported tt enemy had broken

thro C. Coy. and lodged

himself in an old trench

commanding A Coys

 

85

final (support) positn

& enemy ws still advancing

from direction of D 22 D

centl.

C.O. at once sent forwd

another ½ Coy to A Coy

from reserve in Sunken

rd. in 28 C. They

went up / valley to A

Coy (it ws light before

this) after 5 & before 7 betw 5 & 6 - Hemingway

had some men fallen

back from C, the 10 Bn

½ Coy, & his A Coy support

& they advanced straight

into the Germans & the

Germans in the trench ran.

A post ws left in this

 

86

trench. The Germs ran

back to their own

people on / heights

in 23 C.

The right post of

right Coy fell back to

29 D50 under heavy

numbers. Before this

they had just seen the

centre post (under Lt

Pope) surrounded by / 

enemy charge forwd

w / bayonet into

the Germans. Pope's body

(Lt Charles Pope) has

since been found. There 

are 80 dead Germans 

around tt post. This

 

87

defence undoubtedly

helped to give time to

reorganise.

The left post of A

Coy, Lieut. P.W. Lyon, was

isolated after. the left had

been mopped up (C. Coy)

This gave his Coy Commandr

time to organise his

support line. Lyon &

pln were lost in this -

some may have been

cptd. Or This post

had 200 G. dead around

it. (The arty ws going asked for by

abt 5.20 in front of D Coy).

[The Germans cd be

seen thickly in 23 D &

C - digging in just covered

 

88

The 11 Bn's front line

ws abt 4000 yds long.

Its final line 3000.

89

by crest. The front lines

wd waver & men in rear 

were digging all / time.

A heavy barrage ws never

obtained on these tho'

there ws arty on it -

possibly the frontage

ws too big for / arty.

O.C. C. Coy ws at

Bn H.Q. reporting positn on attack

on xx posts when attack

broke on C. Coy. He ws kept

there to organise reinfts

A D Coy had fallen

onto a line thro'

D 29 D5.0 tp D 29 A00

The gap on / left of

them ws covered by

2 Vickers guns & 1 ½ coys

of 10 Bn, (the 3rd Coy

 

90

having arrd at 8.30am

B Coy ws still in

its original positn

in 21 D 28A.

D Coy on left held

their positn tho left

at one time much

exposed thro D 12 Bn

having to withdraw.

Wire in front of post

(they had placed posts

just behind / German

wire) saved them. Germs.

drew off to ridge 200

yds away & dug in.

All thro' day left (D Coy) 

flank positn ws shelled

 

91

The rt pln of

D Coy wh held was

cut off by Germans at

abt D 21 B5.4., the 

Germans attacking at

dusk on Ap. 15.

(Offr & 22 men - these

ran out of ope ammn.

after putting up a good

fight.

-----

C. Coy ws mixed 

up with A -

2 Coys of 2 Bn were

lent to C.O. 11 Bn

arriving during aftn.

At dusk one coy of

2 Bn ws put into the

central gap.

 

92

Lt Charles Pope ws in

commd. of most forward picquet

of his Coy. (A Coy)

Abt 5am. a message

arrived from him

"I am bowling over / enemy

like ninepins. Send me

reinfts & ammn". It ws

impossible to do this as

his post ws then surrounded.

He held his post for 

1 hr after this till ammn

ws apptly expended; then,

with his par platoon - only 

20 strong, - he charged

abt 50 of enemy & was

k. His Capt. R. Hemingway

himself watched this

 

 

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