Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/80/1 - May - June 1917 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066848
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

11 Had dinned witl the English correspondents. harner allin, Gerald Campbell (Timnes) Lawrence, Kennie & another Amerisan They ave in a comfortable chatean. They were able to see sometin of the fight in April here - (watelin one aback closely - but as it did not sacceed could not report it). I thank they are kept fairly tightly porwhat little to sae Ath all - one cant forgel thrate the Drench had borne the main burden. the war for 20monks before we began to get really into the Collor. No one can accurs Dan I (not having done her fair share.
12 May 25th We came Early to Socsion. H yars of Farny under General Mangin or Manyin who is blowed for his recent sht failue of French offensive. His sntordinate, who to avelled with Brace & stuck up for hem vegoiously Sorisons & the road to it is surpris little shells. I cd scarrely behive at Sh entern Toissons that the germans ap to tweeks ago ha been so close. The Cathadial has a few shells in it, deliberately pubin t a ferman faltery whore orders were formd. tre tbe
1E Ne AAA 14 A March 12 the French still occupied the alos the Tocason brdghead The French held the ve in SOIEa French werein Doteller terand trin plassfactor. The fr Posity balte had a oal heaps. 100000 p wntest when Frush retook 1 factory. The little damage done is exteaordency Io allemen Mes. B. They found by sin vout IghtsCufty Lamontanue Cavalry gined Pons Kouge teken by a Fight there rey to0 in a had figh Higermans were at londe They C altd Missy & surrounded it. fore By tee end ofto tary gad ffa & sorld conde-v stro shoart crossed & b take upit ne poset
They had her to work up a sebof valleys leading up to the neight along which the Chemin des Dames Crony tr 1 was the Haute a neek in this Bis where vapoteon fough ie he ws fighten of at Craonnoiy 1814 cant othere a parh up to hen. They got on the summit, but I ferman had very heavy forres here in caves, &to me 7 funs & the putupavery strong resistance. The Iknet have part of traoune are along top o1rid but one it took 9 days to do days work. 8 16 16 Then battle of Apt began in a new part pirtie rp s Lostfopins in retern pove conde te Battle Casted 18t 1718 At Hante Bese - Napolions har i Toll Serep Eng Houses &ran Sront Sapin Les 16 cat Chasonne & San not I Resprncond 19 1 Stines attacked ervis ft a rest on to durge sand tell, & sent pation
17 The troops who steashed Des grinons met with very heavy m.9. fire The loses on these stopes were heavy 4 18 h a croie saus Tite at one time owere thrown out of ginous Meaain 1648. Souper t 3 18Ap. Succeeded Jermans began to attack retreat 17018. Patrols & cnf. came on the wus near trowx Saus till as they were going. Tbey let them a limber upt then shot their horses. The Grenons MFSS atten t slops C in rens E.ACSNE seeman front line. 1
4 19 We had not time to To up the bill to see the pocitions, the fermans had strong duponts, caves - hard to reduce These we didn't see. But one could tell from the shattered condition of the hellside that the Freach bombardment had been heavy. The trun of the trees on Mr Sapen were at angles often lying the phage 8 theee- but did not see the heavy scars of German retoliation on the support area
20 ferman I doubt if the artillery barrage can have been intende on the supports. up The villages the Aisne Valler are all proctically an Womansland & are knocked about moderately but not so week as they wd be on our front while I am sare th French must have deliberte trut to save Sorssons. by not making it too bot for the fermans there - & they succeeded. They had every right to gord No one can gambre at what France has done.
ws Lyour conadian I ti the concept. 21 But the tension on the French pout is not what it is on the Butish port. It has been a story of quiet, very quiet trincl life parcluated with fience battles He notoredback to creit & came to Paris by train. Bruce came to the Hotel Coillon & there, we sat in the sounge white Lyous worked upstais. about 10.30 Offer who in sad I ceecon in - to the lift - but 3 John Masefield. to the ein brought him
22 others hyorrs is Edetor of the toronto Globe. He is a Liberal in Anada, & is anxious to encourage corporate radicalism there - hades anconison & state interprise up to a point not so far as we go an dustralia but to the extent of nationalsi the necessar monopobes He is a hand worker & was withon 300 yards ofthe Canadian port line when their troops went over the top at verg. He tells me the Canadians
24 23 are careless in consolidi will not use were. very much what is sait of our own troops, with what truk it is hard to say; also they are app t go too far; but their formal soliting disceplivg i stricter than ours, an back areas He is a Scotinian b birth, I shd say, but a canadian for mostof his life. He does not blow like many Canadeans is very fair & just fa Good grasp of melitar matters.

8   11
Had dinner with the
English correspondents,
Warren Allin, Gerald
Campbell (Times)
Lawrence, Rennie &
another American.
They live in a comfortable
chateau. They were able
to see something of the 
fight in April here - (watched
one attack closely - but
as it did not succeed
could not report it). I 
think they are kept
fairly tightly from what
little L. said
After all - one cant forget
that the French had
borne the main burden of 
this war for 20 months
before we began to get
really into the Collar.
No one can accuse France
of not having done her
fair share.
 

 

8  12
May 25th. We came
early to Soisson, H'qrs
of 6 Army under General
Mangin or Manjin,
who is blamed for the
recent shell failure o /
French offensive. His
subordinate, who travelled
with Bruce & stuck up for
him vigorously.
Soissons & the road 
to it is surprisingly 
little shelled. I cd scarcely
believe at on entering
Soissons that the Germans
up to 6 weeks ago had
been so close. The Cathedral
has a few shells in it,
deliberately put in by
a German battery whose
orders were found. But
the
 

 

13
[Hand drawn diagram- see original document]

8  14
On March 12 the French still
occupied the trenches along
the Soisson.
The French held the valley bridgehead in Soissons.
French were in Distillery
Germans xx in glass factory. The Germans
had a position beyond Coal heaps. 100 000 [shorthand] intact when 
/ French retook / factory. The little
damage done is extraordinary 
Mar. 18. They found by Les Allemands sin vont.
Fights at Cuffy    Labiontaque.
          Cavalry↑
Pont Rouge .       Nuissy
Taken by a             Fight there
regiment                 too.
in a hard fight.
The Germans were at Conde.
They c. attd Nuissy & surrounded
it.
By the end of March April
they had Laffaux & Fort of
Conde - v. strong
The arty crossed & had to
take up its new positn
 

 

15
They had here to work up
a set of valleys leading up
to the height along which ran
the Chemin des Dames.
[hand drawn diagram  - see original document]
A neck in this was the Haute
Bise - where Napoleon fought
when he ws fighting at Craonne in 1814
& where a monument is
put up to him. They got
on the summit but / Germans
had very heavy forces here
in caves, & v. many guns -
& they xxxx put up a very
strong resistance. The French
have part of Craonne & are
along / top o / ridge - but
it took 9 days to do one
days work.

8  16
Then battle of Ap 17 16 began.
in a new part further right.
Germs Lost 60 guns in retiring
from Conde line.
Battle lasted 16th 17th & 18th .
At Haute Bise - Napoleons
[hand drawn diagram - see original document]
Batt [[?]]  Eng - [shorthand] /
Houses French trench
S Nons Sapin
Les
16th ent. Chasonne & Sapin
not / Les Grinons
[Hand drawn diagram-see original document.]
8 times attacked
18th a regt got on to Vierge Croix
sans tete  & sent patrol
 

 

17
The troops who attacked
Les Grinons met with
very heavy m.g. fire.
The losses on these
slopes were heavy.

8 18
La Croix sans Tete.
At one time [[?]] were
thrown out of Grinons
[Hand drawn diagram-see original document]
↑ 18 Ap. Succeeded
Germans began to
attack retreat 17 or 18.
Patrols & inf. came on
the guns near Croix
sans Tete as they were
going. They let them harness
limber up & then
shot their horses The
[Hand drawn diagram- see original document]


 

 

8  19
We had not time to
go up the hill to see the
positions - the Germans
had strong dugouts, &
caves - hard to reduce.
These we didn't see. But
one could tell from the
shattered condition of
the hillside that the
French bombardment
had been heavy. The trunks
of the trees on Mt Sapin were
often lying at angles - 
[Hand drawn diagram-see original document]
& the foliage
thin - but I
did not see
the heavy scars of
German retaliation
on the support area &
 

 

8  20
I doubt if the ^German artillery
barrage can have been
intense on the supports.
The villages up
the Aisne Valley are
all practically in
Nomansland & are 
knocked about moderately
- but not so much as
they wd be on our front;
while I am sure the
French must have deliberately
tried to save Soissons -
& they by not making it
too hot for the Germans
there - & they succeeded.
They had every right to.
No one can grumble ^or cavil at
what France has done.

 



Lyons ws, I think, the
Canadian Correspt.

8  21
But the tension on
the French front is not
what it is on the British
front. It has been a
story of quiet, very quiet,
trench life punctuated
with fierce battles.
We motored back
to Creil & came to
Paris by train. Bruce 
came to the Hotel Crillon
& there we sat in the
lounge while Lyons
worked upstairs.
A few mon about 10.30
whom shd I see coming
in - to the lift - but
John Masefield. I
brought him in to the
 

 

8  22
others.
Lyons is Editor of
the Toronto Globe. He is
a Liberal in Canada, & 
is anxious to encourage
corporate radicalism
there - trades unionism
& state enterprise up
to a point; not so far
as we go in Australia
but to the extent of
nationalising the
necessary monopolies.
He is a hard worker
& was within 300 yards
of the Canadian front line
when their troops went
over the top at Vimy.
He tells me the Canadians
 

 

8  23
are careless in consolidation
- will not use wire -
very much what is 
said of our own troops, with
what truth it is hard to
say ; also, they are
apt to go too far; but
their formal saluting
discipline is stricter
than ours in back areas.
He is a Scotsman by 
birth, I shd say, but a
Canadian for most of
his life. He does not
“blow" like many Canadians
- he is very fair & just
& ^has a good grasp of military
matters.
 

 





 

 


 

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