Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/77/1 - April - May 1917 - Part 5

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066843
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Page 1 / 10

39 at me as th 5 ied House, Mardach & pin 3hours tiie In attack with be at slawn tfoley moves. a is 5.30 &145 53 14.18) 416 X1641 7.65 Gnoar7 May 3. after some dill Norman in pending 3.32 imar barrage opp. our lines. He has spothes our men yestow 3.33. G. Hare opp. Ballicourt ing. 3.34. a little GShrapril a Worenet Rd Not a leavy barrage
3.68 50 40 to wens t g0. C 4C fair ant of shell fire ahear but not much Shrax. cittle my a 2 gan shots 3.42 several more. 3:44 more gun shots The Go hink thay have seen a patrol 48 every they perfectly quiet Baridge flare on left. Baltey offis voics 46 barred has starled away on lift theyre Red flare. Enomges not Reds off as Heres all alongline. Tigs of men iforrd tet agst oen flasher An Lear G. Barrage
18 47 Brilliant flashes abt Bullesoart. 357. Infy shd be in reme in C ms. 3.58. Greenflard by Hendeaourt. 4.1 sen t te in. a little mg. far favor flen, but dust 4.5 prevents you cen much. No red flares for Inns past. 4 E. Red flare from Bullesourt Can see a live of men moviy by clse on our right - prob-barns- 4 2 fleres still in Bulleconrd Red flarcalso. Red Fleres seem still toler 4.16 coming from behind Ballecont Ballery beehnd usseers 4.18 in it.
45 14.22. cantioe a lank s c over Ibarien. 4.25. still flores. some green behiend Bullect. Day breaking our art must be leften 42 fom barragh to barrage M. G. Krayht abeed 28 more ned fleres abend. to this a snt leve bein allachd A good many flaces from Rreacourt. continual my to rt pout 20 5 fermans still cn on 4 our left pout neer Bullicourt to Judge by red o white flares
R 8 44 45. Pretty well light. 4 dearweshant see murch. Ireen flane from derection Handecourt 455 2old clusters aggtl grom Hendecourt. Ere 00 fen Buths H 4 waves 19 in sack bn 20 18 Each tog line. Fond on in Momansla by ferman before wit
18 45 The right Startn 1915 Bn got on& failes appt its objucs right took 20Bo behind it away didnt geton - 13Bor da reorganiser & took them on himself 6t Bds got both abjves (by 6.30 I hears this) &5 Bde is in me objrs on lepbut not known abt the right gernan reteleatu, on Early staps Almostall shran 1a of 7 Bde s6 6.59. be sent agst Ballecourg kept from Di Ballecourt 6.50 tater
46 It looks as if 2nd objoe will beheld 7 3rd olve will not be attacks till after reoigonesation. Britished to be thro on left of Bullecourt. Ed gn apsto 4 8.5 one of our planes abt 1004 lh over Bullecurt. Stares still 8 from Butlecon
oa llo w on Sa dour aviator ofrs 4 to shelters momens: Belrr let this to hosp be weste in 1 carfirit to com bt him what geve whit Saw 18 48 8.30 Plane stillover at 1000 HA Barrage in port of Bullect. some a waves solto have intered X Bullicourt May 4.6 lese Sar 563 m ser Dobsic renforinn Dear 2r in part of Rienconot 2 heavy barrages
4 to becaue wery hot in the Sebek abt am &a 3 shells bust a a few minute arthin 5or byards or less of woude lyn tere -on atve Phspitals onict Millean son in te want conson a oorou Murt6 They say ou are this we wa mnenwerfers in Bullect. help to t somettly we can hear mgo achawdire all the time. to waesd. At 12. Badday a plane sdbe al still the Saken R Secouron second obje- lyvy very low. At $12.30 Gelly Idallows wer wereout of this &asked for a barrage seras it Isborne thought (asI did) to the 25 g0t in to of Ballecourt. Sinythe says no-none of our troops: are there ag n onit they say this attck has come of X 9o 18 51 we can ee men iin the ge trunches Bullecint. te Bod 20 Bn came pastosd 26 were in these there were n oter Side of Bullicourt 25 were (to be pad sto e at Bullicour from bont 9.15. an ammn part itowards Bullecau. pl a party of 2x Bor gony 9.30. back as they wont be able tdy stin post ferwh decaile till atteranot attack tonight ing say tomes & our men going to attack Bullect premitt & arty back on 833 barrage 10.20 1.6. we have our sit Olesve.
51 115 A In Novcent valle 101112 i 13.14.15 &105 & 106. How 12 army Bde (45. 86 1 101 How of S5t Bile was behind Norcwil ((llmes barrayed weant abonceogot To 100, round of 4.5 One pdr was palled outs fired direct 515 On Ballery comd for of in his dupont german Co breakfast of his mess stores Ap 52 15 4Bt. Beddell C.O ws in Laguicount when the ferms were seen firny flares behind them. He susd had time to get order on shore from Gen. Col Sephenson to Eevaciate &tel a Sobaltern to run back for his papers when he has to get away thro the fermans

 

18  39
at me as they passed.
Howse, Murdoch & I
go up in 3 hours time.
The attack will be at dawn
w / follg moves.
[diagram-see original document]
May 3. In our 31 after some diffy
in finding it.
Normal.
3.32 german barrage opp. our
lines. He has spotted our
men
3.33. G. yellow flare opp. Bullecourt
ing.
3.34. a little G. shrapnel & m.g.
on [[Nonsuet?]] Rd
Not a heavy barrage by [shorthand]
 

 

 

18  40
3.40. 5 mins to go. A
fair amt of shell fire
ahead but not much
Shrap. a v. little mg.
3.42. 2 gun shots.
several more.
3:44 more gun shots.
The Gs. ^must think they have seen
a patrol
3.45 Every thing perfectly quiet
Barrage flare on left.
Battery offrs voice
3.46. barrage has started
away on left
Theyre off
Red flare.
Enormous nos of flares
3.48 Reds opp us.
3.50. Flares all along line.
Figs of men going forwd
to rt agst gun flashes
3.53. Can hear G. barrage -
 

 

 

18  41
Brilliant flashes abt Bullecourt.
3.57. Infy shd be in
G. line in 4 mins.
3.58. Green flare by Hendecourt.
4.1 men shd be in.
A little m.g.
4.5. Far [[?]] flares but dust
prevents you seeing much.
No red flares for 2 mins
past.
4.8. Red flare from Bullecourt
Can see a line of men
moving by close on our
right - prob. [[?]] -
4.13 2 flares still in Bullecourt
Red flare also.
4.16 Red Flares seem still to be
coming from behind Bullecourt
4.18 Battery behind us seems
in it.
 

 

 

18  45
4.22. can hear a lark
singing quite clearly
over / barrage.
4.25. still flares.
Some green behind Bullect.
Day breaking
4.27 Our arty must be lifting
from barrage to barrage.
m.g. straight ahead.
4.28. more red flares ahead.
is this a 3rd line being attacked.
A good many flares from
Riencourt.
4.30 Continual mg to rt front
4 35. Germans still in on
our left front near
Bullecourt. to judge by
red & white flares
 

 

 

43

[diagram-see original document]
 

18  44
4.45. Pretty well light.
Clear we shant see much.
Green flare from directn
of Hendecourt.
4.55 2 Gold clusters apptly from
Hendecourt.
5.15 Fire in Rienct
At Gen. Smiths H.Q.

[diagram-see original document]
4 waves
in each
bn.
Each Coy
1 line.
Fired on in Nomansland
by German arty before
 

 

 

18  45
starting. The right
failed. 19th Bn got on &
apptly took its objves right
away. 20 Bn behind it
didnt get on - C.O. 18 Bn
xxx 'reorganises' & took
them on himself -
6th Bde got both
objves (by 6.30 I heard
this) & 5 Bde is in 2nd
objve on left but nothing
known abt the right.
German retaliatn in
Early stages almost all
shrap.
6.49. 1 Bn of 7 Bde ws to
be sent agst Bullecourt
6.50 Rept from Div. Bullecourt
taken
 

 

 

18  46
It looks as if 2nd
objve will be held -
& 3rd objve will not
be attacked till after
reorganisation.
British sd to be
thro' on left of Bullecourt.
7.45 2nd Bn going up to
8.5 one of our planes
abt 100 ft high over
Bullecourt.
Flares still going up
from Bullecourt
 

 

 

47
One of our aviator offrs - [[?]]
youngster who stutters,
ws hit this morning. Before
going to hosp - he insisted
on coming in / car first to
see gen. White & tell him what
he saw.
 

18  48
8.30 Plane still over
at 100 ft
HA Barrage in front of Bullect.
some 4 waves sd to
have entered trench E
of Bullecourt.

May 4. 7
5.53 p.m. We can see
Germans
reinforcing near 2nd objve
in front of Riencourt.
2 heavy barrages.
 

 

 

49
It became very hot in the
Sunken Rd abt 11 a.m. & some I saw
3 shells burst in a few minutes
within 5 or 6 yards or less. [shorthand]
/ wounded lying there.
We moved back via
/ hospitals & met Millligan going in
He wdnt consider himself ot / bn
hurt by this.
( They say there are )
( minenwerfers in Bullect. )
( we can hear m.gs )
( there all the time. )
"We must
help to
do something
to finish
such a well
made plan" he sd.
At 12. Midday a plane sd he cd still
see our men in the Sunken Rd -
Second objve- lying very low.
At 12.30 Gelly sd all our men
were out of this & asked for a
barrage across it [sketch-see original document]
Osborne thought (as I did) tt the 25 Bn
got in E of Bullecourt. Smythe says
no - none of our troops are there &
asked for a barrage on it
( They say this attack has )
( come off. X )
 

18  50
9 am We can see our men in the
trenches xx E of Bullecourt.
3 wd men of 26 Bn came
past & sd 26 & 28
were in these trenches &
there were [shorthand] on other
side of Bullecourt. X
25 were to be put straight
at Bullecourt from
front
9.15. An ammn party
going towards Bullecourt.
9.30. a party pln of 24 Bn going
back as they wont be able
to dig strong post for wh
detailed till after anor
attack tonight.
Engr say Tommies & our
men going to attack Bullect
presently X
10.20. arty back on 8.33 barrage
- i.e. we have our 1st objve.
 

 

 

51
Ap 15
Arty
In Noreuil valley
10. 11. 12.
13. 14. 15.
& 105 & 106 Hows
12 army Bde (45, 46 Bties)
101 How of 1st Bde
was behind Noreuil
O.C. (Selmes) barraged
Queant at once & got
thro 100 round of 4.5
One 18 pdr was pulled
out & fired direct.

One xxxx (5th) Battery commdr. found
xxx - our inf in his dugout giving
German [shorthand] breakfast off his
mess stores.
 

18  52
Ap. 15 4Bty. Beddell
C.O ws in Lagnicourt
when the Germs. were seen
firing flares behind
them. He just had
time to get order on
In Nos phone from Gen. Col
Stephenson to evacuate
when & tell a
Subaltern to run
back for his papers
when he xxx had
to get away thro
the Germans.

 

 

 

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