Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/80/1 - May - June 1917 - Part 6

8
59
way across Nomansland
- perh. a quarter of
an hour & only 4 or 5
German Shrapnel bursts
on them.
On getting back 
heard (1) that our arty
had had a very
rough time last night
- one battery of 6 guns
being buried, Genl. Monash
says, by one 9 in
shell enfilading
them [I can hardly
credit this.] I think it must
be a mistake.] He is 
sending ^big guns tonight into
Armentieres to neutralise
it.
(2) That the 4 Bns
of the 11^th Bde had
carried out a raid at the
 

8
60
same time - instructions were
only given at 12 & the
raid started at 2. The
lorries promised by 2nd
Anzac Corps to bring the
men down were ½ hour
late; the raids had to go
over without the barrage, &
come back long after it
had finished; the 44^th
Bn got some Germans
prisoners from the shellholes
which now are all tt
exist of the German front line.
These are 6th Bav. Divn (?) &
show tt / German has squeezed
up a bit & is thickening
his front. [Why is our
offensive hanging fire & letting
them do this. It all means
depth - they are holding
 

8
61
their line for miles back.
In the meantime our
various Army, Corps, &
Divl. staffs are issuing
perfect floods of orders -
Some divns. have issued as
many as 30!]
Our raiders were
caught by shrapnel on
their return in Nomansland
& some (some say the wd.)
had to get down into shell
holes. They will be got in
tonight. Apparently shrapnel
& not m.g. caused the
4 casualties.

 

8/19
Captain Bean
press Correspondent, Australian Corps H.Q.
B.E.F.
 

When we left Courpiégue on Friday morning I told you that
on the same day after dinner we should again look
at the names of the localities we went through.
However, we forgot all about it so I think it may be
useful to you to have the list and I send it herewith -
Captain Jaubert
___________________________________________________________
Thursday, May 24^th Choury-au-bac, Bailly (destroyed village
French & German trenches, no Man's Land
about 45 yds) Forit d'Ourscamps, Nayou
(a cathedral), Suzoy (Boche picture at the
Mairie, Juny, Bois l'Abbayee (observatory
of Prince Eitil frederick, view of St Quentin
Cathedral and decu dacu Cathedral), Faillouïl,
Chauny (destroyed town, Palais de Justice,
Hotel de Ville, Theatre, St Gobauis' factories)
Folembray, Cussy Soucy-le-Chateau (view over the
Valley of the Aillette, back to Courpiégue
by Guisy, Blereucourt, Cuts, German
concrete dug-outs with sketches of Englan, Russia,
France & the German warrior) Forêt de
Laique.
Friday, May 25^th Courpiégue, Forst of Courpiégue, La Vache Noire
(in front of Vit sur Aisne / Saisons (cathedral),
Belleu, Soissons (distillery & glass factory),
Nuisy-sur-Aisne, Coudé sur Aisne (visit to the
Forts of Coudé (view over the Chemin des Dames

 

8/19
Fort de la [[Malemanon?]], le Pantheon / Vailly,
Chavouuos (beneath the position of les Grisious
& La Bovette, above Saupir). Back to 
Soissons, Belleu, Berzy, Couppont, [[Vitters?]]
Potlerih, Crépy en Valois, [[Seulis?]].