Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/75/1 - March - April 1917 - Part 9

1      93
thro field glass.
Lt Peter Wm Lyon (missing)
ws in c. of Right of Left
flank of Coy. Surrounded
by overwhelming numbers
owing to withdrawal of Coy
on left he fought till
all bombs & ammn
were expended.

Supports were thus
moved without molestation
tho' pln sacrificed.

1      94
D Coy. ONeill.

The Germans were seen
abt 50yds away - The
posts were taken up abt
10 pm. on night of 14 Ap.
& were dug in, 2 of them
(on rt) behind German
line. Further on rt ws
a post not behind wire
- Germans got in betw. This
& others in the morning
& rushed the Pln there
at dusk. Germans
used these men when
captd as a screen.
They got had tried in / morng
 

1          95
to get a runner back
from this post & he ws
seen to fall & crawl
back to it.
Gs had bn seen to
be concentrating & posts
were warned by O'Neil to
look out.
The Gs. used no flares
in this part. They cd just
be seen in half light,
looking very big.

After daylight the Germs
cd be seen digging crouching
down behind crest of
ridge abt 200 yds away with
snipers near wire shooting abt 30
yds away

Batmen - & others were 
crawling up to the post 
 

1       96
all day with ammn
slings (cloth bandoliers)
hung over them.

There were abt 7
G. Balloons up over
Pronville at daylight-
Waggons were going into
Pronville probly carrying
ammn (abt 6 a.m.)
Heavies were got on.

Gs came on in
this part without any
prelim. bombardment.
Probly the Germs did not
know where the posts
along B & D Coys frontage

1         97
The sentry groups wh
were ^30yds in from o / wire

(NCO & 3 men) rushed
back to Picquets (one under
Lieut Hall,  other under
Sergt Cartwright) & sd
"There are men moving
down there in front of
us."  The Picquets were
just covering the new
dug earth with grass
etc. (before daylight this
had to be done). The
Germs got almost to /
wire when L.gs & rifles
opened up on them – (one
gun w each picquet)

There were no jams or
stoppages - 

1          98
Opp. D Coy a good 300 Gs.
attd. Abt 60 bodies
were left there. The Gs.
shelled its left with
whizz bangs & 4.2s.
Lt Daniels is on left
of D Coy & on rt of 12 Bn.
------
Pope ws an ex-British
Navy man ^a warrant offr.- he was a
married man. He had
settled in Perth.
----
These men - one of them got
right into the trench &
ws shot (4 Bn also speak
of 2 very brave Germans

1      99
who g came out - (at
2 different times) - & bombed.
One ws riddled w bullets -
the other got clear tho' shot
at all / way.)

12 Bn had a sergt who
bombed a German mg
wh the Gs were trying
to put up on one o /
roads, before it cd be
got into action.)

The Germans opposite.
11 Bn were prob. 3rd
Guard Divn - were big
men & equipped with
everything new - quite

100
Ruf. says
Divn & Bde
were saddled
ready to go

1          101
fresh troops.
A Coy. Barrage sounded 
like a zero time (to right
& behind into Louverval).
Coy H.Q. stood to.

Heard rifle fire abt 4.15
Some of C. Coy passed
& told Hemmingway Gs. had
broken thro. Then they saw
them from A Coy H.Q
Germs ^(who came agst Pope ) came out of
Moeuvres. 
Popes & Lyons posts
still holding when 100
of enemy had got into
D 29 a 3.4 The
Germs had a good
positn there. So

1            102
Hemmingway c.attd.
Kept German's heads
down with L.G. from rt
of Coy HQ & got men
out to attack on left.

Drove Germs out. Germs at once 

got up to clear - many surrendered. 
Just after this Germ
plane came over at abt
200 - very low. M.g.
& rifles tried for him but
cdnt get him

Germs went back to
abt C Coys old positn.
Lyons & Pope were
both still going - rifle
grenades & mills bombs
cd be seen going tho
post cdnt be seen.

? ^ asking for men
& ammn.

1            103
Abt 6.30 the Germs
were digging in at 30
centl. almost behind
Pope. Pope got a messenger
back down the creek - 
^ H. tried to get these
back to him - but
Gs were too thick in direct rear
of him. Abt 6.30 - firing wh
had bn going on suddenly
stopped & H. saw
whole post jump up
like one man onto the
barr surface & charge
down on Germs. coming
out of head of Moeuvres 
rd. They cd be seen
using their bayonets on 

/ Germs - the Germs