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

93
thro field glass.
L Peter [War?] 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 bowbs & ammn
were expended.
Supports were thus
moved without mobstation
tho plu sacrificed
 

94
Db Coy. Oneill.
The Germans were seen
abt 50yds away- The
posis were taken up obt
10 pm. on night of 14 Ap.
& were dug in, 2 of them
(on rt) behind German
line. Further on ntos
a post not behind wire
-Germans got in better. This
& others in the morning
& rushed the Plu there
at dusk. Germans
used these men when
captd as a screen.
They  for had tried in / morning
 

95
to get a runner back
from this post & he ws
seen to fall & crawl
back to it.
G had bn seen to
be concentrating / posts
were warned oy ONeil to
look out.
The G. used no flares
in this part. They cd just
be seen an 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 
 

96
all day with ammun
Strips (cloth bandoliers)
heavy over them
There were abt 7
G. Balloons up over
Pronville at day light-
Wagons were going into
Pronville prolly carrying
ammun (att 6am.)
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
 

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

( NCO & 3 men) rushed
back to Picquets (one under
Lient 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  d.gs & riffes
opened up on them – (one
w each picquet)
There were as jams or
stoppages-
 

98
Opp. D Coy a good 300 yds
attd. Abt 60 bodies
were left there. The Gs.
shelled its left with
whiz bangs & 4.2
Lt Daniels is on left
of DCoy & on rt of 12Bn.
Pope ws all Ex- British
Navy man ^ a warrant offcr- 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
 

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 [?]
wh the Gs were trying
to put up on one o /
roads, before it cd be
got into action.)
The Germans opposite.
11Bn were prob. 3rd
guard Dvn - were big
men & equipped with
everything new - quite
 

100
 

Rep says
Dvn & Bde
were saved
ready to go
 

101
fresh troops.
A Coy. Barrage sounded 
like a zero time (to right
& behind into Louverval).
Coy H .Q. stood to
Heard rifle fire att 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 put into
D29  a 3.4 The
Germs had a good
position there. So
 

102
Hemmingway C. altd.
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 alt
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 more
of ammun.
 

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

/ Germs- the Germs