Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/47/1 - June 1916 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066856
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

39 is one I cant reconcily myself to in Ivery least. The army corps staff without white is very much like an Clastalian H without Macartney Bigen Gioynn has taken his place timporarily. Yur stap had plaased to let Jodley's stey adminiater the troops in live here while they themselves aosked out I move (to kemocd Rooegstaert). But Codby I fancy disnt see it at all He went of to Exglind on a fortnights leave F the Bt Auzac Stap has (by 1 wish of 2nd Army) taken over the whole work until the Sth Div. arrives. Meanwhile the 4th Divn has be brought into H Anzac Corps; o the
40 N.C Devn has gone to Dod Anzac, but is at mintired by us for present. Jodley knows his unpop. larity. Heaven hap us when if I ever become popular, be sdl. If he sat abt amongst I men as Bird -wood does, his staff say, there ad be no more disciptie in 1New Zealanders than in Australians - Cor t is what he ased to say in Egypt, I saspect -- it is told gene be Ross). As a matter of fact he is credited to being parch self-secking, &t is why his N. Zeolanders declike him 5o, This is quite well known in N.E. butt dont like to ask 1 British goot for another general at a time like this, I suppose.
46 41 while I have be writing this - for half an hour or move a cavolry was moving along I paved road & across I canal bridge. I dherr the clatter of hoops on the pave & the bump bump ofswing bridge. I strolled up to see them & there they were, files closely pressed ap - Each man to his horses nosebag by 1 saddle Laughing & taling in a subdued way.
42 some passed two very earle 2 go ago - the 3rd Hassars, I believe, & some otes As I turned - there coming up t other road abo I cansl, all in I same direction were group after group of - all marching in step infantry. but an odd little lots - 2 1213 & So on. They 72 i as arms. They were French. T whle connryside hea be taking of this. Our landtd toth me this morning to these tooops were at Stazeele for tru week past she has been hinting to 1 English were sovy to make a pash. All 1 country people were saying it.
43 Jerman prsoners say that on their side of line it is a take to them - if they want to know where any unit is: Ask a Belgian. we get at our news from they say. the Belfian Yhurs. June 22. Ia bed with a porsoned hell thro walking in cum boots for 3 miles the oh day. Reading our intelligunce reports. It ws on baril 2t the fermans threw over a messap: take can when they arrive the German dogs bite (see Verdun) & you offal. dogs must bleet for France. Before then - on pp.20 we had cmnessage (also thrown over on dummyboub) Goodmorning, you Please se heros. hore damng bor
1249 3. Austalian ap you will be dend in are good betren on in ye were And cook very few opp. A 4 145 et a Hessianflagout out of their wire some days before that. In a nornal week Acropten tyour a.a. batter in the andarig very Outish V. active at Armentieres For a time they stopped ad telipher wessages to their pout as our artillery fire coinceded to their reliefs - Now burying were i conducts ferman have now I Eryey enicals in their belme ✓ snouls - upto a mont or two it us only 2. Posion of hn seen flying over to ln
46 can fer 540t 1st detachmt. 2 heavy min 4 medium 6 light 17 can 1.3en 47 Ap.26. 2 15 cm, shells into Erquiryhn Kellerd 4 children, $5other conlcid k1 combatant. Lan Dylight saving Bill introd. shortly before. May pat on the clock 1Dr w MayS2 red white plage roon Homanstan. goound form & geass grow loag. treny has a parabell like Lewow Jh XK Corps - 104t Rept. 40 Dwr Ofp. Roesteert. Prisoner says A near Lens dupout parados. 12 steps are under down. 15 f of earth above. Fron he to be held at all
method of a attack at Verdun Germis 1pm to 5 pm. Steady fereby have arty on particular truch At 5 strong gans lengthem I strong siiked patrots go near to try & consolidate. truic the fire real It ghts. If no lights seen aa will shorten af at 6 fm oute trech ti 7 & then langten again. Arty wit not shorten dury night so forwart posts can be occupied 49 Gennen undoublet, have bu Lending away then heavy 2 con hows, & probly some we po 21 Baw R11 20 16 on Way2a an acoopta right neted that the ere ad be ceen clearly from almost any distances white those of Lille were invisible till quite close XIX Coys (24 & 40 Diss) opp. N2. where Sen Bri 3 they have by en OH 1E
50 Also known as Ind Royal Saxon Army Cosp Commdo. Gen. der Kavall von Laffert 51 III corps drove them cavatry + back in Oct 1914. Tey heve the steong Vertinghem Ridze & are rather behind th sluggish. (Part of 6th Ar der Crowatrince of Bavane S Heavy Batteries 24th flying S9n. I san o lelans. 24 Dion. Maj. gen King von Nidde 47t (35d Sann) lj. Brigade (133 (9 Sax) Mf. Rej. 139 (1 79 C14 778 3art. Regt (each 5 42 Battys 1P. 48qunc Total O Bas; 3 5911 49 2it Jun how 24-30 ms. LthDwn- 104,134, 181 Iuf fests 3268 Part Ret. (489) etc
52 On May 24 en re his wife 0r100 belie 0f a /316. p1 an 4 Lopey 146 C. tls pay 215 - Wags thengt to be fof agt. were peen of german prappet in Da Rail wsnor say match sont light 3 cegath Paddocks Tursday June 22 (Cont.) I had finishes all these summaries for April may & meant to write an article. Butmy brai was To dizzy after it that borrowed Lan Hays. The Right Sort"- from Ross + have been readin it. His about 10.c. at night -t here is savalry passing by again

5  39
is one I cant reconcile myself
to in / very least.
The army corps staff 
without White is very much
like an Australian XI without
Macartney.
Brig-Gen Gwynn has taken
his place temporarily.  Our staff
had planned to let Godley's staff
administer the troops in /
line here while they themselves
worked out / move (to Kemmel
& Ploegsteert). But Godley
I fancy didnt see it at all.
He went off to England on
a fortnights leave & the 1st
Anzac Staff has (by / wish o / 
2nd Army) taken over the
whole work until the 5th
Div. arrives.  Meanwhile
the 4th Divn has bn brought
into 1st Anzac Corps ; & the

 

5  40
N.Z. Divn has gone to 2nd
Anzac, but is at administered
by us for / present.
Godley knows his unpopularity.
“Heaven help us when
if the above I ever become
popular," he sd.  If he sat
abt amongst / men as Birdwood 
does, his staff say, there
wd be no more discipline in
/ New Zealanders than in /
Australians- (or tt is what
he used to say in Egypt, I 
suspect - it is told generally by
Ross).  As a matter of fact
he is credited w being purely
self-seeking, & tt is why his
N. Zealanders dislike him so.
This is quite well known in N.Z.
but they dont like to ask / British
Govt for another General at a 
time like this, I suppose.

 

5  41
While I have bn writing
this - for half an hour or
more xx Cavalry was moving
along / paved road & across
/ canal bridge.  I cd hear
the clatter of hoofs on the pave
& the bump bump o / swing
bridge.  I strolled up to see them
& there they were, files closely
pressed up - each man w his
horses nosebag by / saddle -
laughing & talking in a subdued
way.
[Drawing - see original document]

 

5  42
some passed thro very early
2 mornings ago - the 3rd
Hussars, I believe, & some
others:
As I turned - there,
coming up the other road alongside
/ canal, all in / same direction,
were group after group of
infantry - all marching in step
but in odd little lots - 2,
7, 12, 3 & so on.  They
had no arms.  They were
French.
The whole countryside
has bn talking of this.  Our
landlady told me this morning
tt these troops were at Strazeele.
For three weeks past she has
been hinting tt / English were
going to make a push.
All / country people were
saying it.

 

5  43
German prisoners say that
on their side o / line it
is a joke w them - if they
want to know where any
unit is: "Ask a Belgian!"
"We get all our news from
"the Belgians," they say. 
____________________
Thurs. June 22. In bed with a 
poisoned heel thro walking in
gum boots for 5 miles the other
day.  Reading our intelligence
reports:
It ws on April 21 the Germans
threw over a message:  "Take care -
when they arrive the German dogs
bite (see Verdun) & you offal
dogs must bleed for France."
Before then - on Ap. 20 we had
a message (also thrown over on
a dummy bomb) "Good morning, you
heros, Please send over some
more dummy bombs".

 

44
Ap. 23. "Australian go home
go . . . . . .  in morning
you will be dead in the morning
We are good."
Batmen on enemy's wire
and cook
Very few if any guns of
more than 15 cm. opp. this
front now.

5  45
They stuck a hessian flag out in
front of their wire some days before
that.
In a normal week 77 per cent o /
aeroplanes seen by our a.a. batteries
in the 2nd Army were British.
v. active at Armentieres at this time.
For a time they stopped all telephone
messages to their front as our
artillery fire coincided w their
reliefs - Now burying wire in
steel conduits. 
Germans have now a 3 layers
of chemicals in their ^gas helmet
snouts - up to a month or two ago
it ws only 2.
Pigeons often seen flying over to /
enemy.

 

46
German Minenwerfer Coy.
eg 40th. 1st detachment 2 heavy mins 25 cm
4 medium 17 cm
6 light 1.5 cm
5  47
Ap. 26. 2 15 cm. shells into Erquinghem
Killed 4 children, ^w 5 other civilians ;
k 1 combatant.
German Daylight Saving Bill
introd. shortly before May -
put on the clock 1 hr.
May 5. 2 red & white ^& black flags
brt in from Nomansland.
ground firm & grass growing
long. 
Enemy has a Parabellem Rifle.
Something like Lewis gun.
________
XlXth Corps - 104th Regt. 40th Divn
off Ploegsteert.
________
Prisoner says tt near Lens dugouts
are under parados - 12 steps
down.  15 ft of earth above.  Front
(trench) has to be held at all costs.

 

48
Method of a
German attack at Verdun
1pm to 5p.m. steady fire by heavy
arty on particular trench.
At 5 strong guns lengthen / strong
picked patrols go forward
to try & consolidate.
If they reach trench they fire
lights. If no lights seen
heavy guns will shorten agn
at 6 pm on tt trench till 9 pm.
& then lengthen again.  Arty will
not shorten during night so
forward posts can be occupied. 

5  49
German undoubtedly have bn
sending away their heavy
21 cm hows, & prbly some 15 cm
Opp
11th corps
'Diagram - please see original'
21 Bav R I R
20     "              "
16      "              "
17      "              "
On May 24. An aeroplane
noted that the xxxxx lights of Aire
cd be seen clearly from
almost any distance xx while
those of Lille were invisible
till quite close.
XIX Corps (24 & 40 Divns) opp. NZ. where
they have bn ever since British

 

50
Also known as 2nd Royal
Saxon Army Corps.
Commdr. Gen. der Kavallerie
von Laffert.
5  51
Cavalry & III corps drove them
back in Oct 1914.  They have
the strong Verlinghem Ridge
behind them & are rather
sluggish. (Part of 6th Army
under Crown Prince of Bavaria)
5 Heavy Batteries
24th flying sqn
1 sqn of Ulans.
24 Divn. Maj. Gen Krug von Nidda
47th (3rd Saxon) Inf Brigade
( 133 ( 9 Sax) Inf. Rgt
(139 (11    "  )     "      "
(179 (14   "  )     "      "
77.78 F. art. Regt (each 5 4g. Battys)
i.e. 48 guns)
Total 9 Bns; 3 sqns eg 48 Field flares
& hows.
24-30 m.gs.
________________________________________
40th Dvn - 104, 134, 181 Inf Regts.
32 - 68 F Art Regts (48 g.) etc.
__________________________

 

5  52
On May 24 Enemy removed
his wire for 100 yds betw.
01 z 3. 6. &            0 1. a. 3.5 -
Lozenge                 Angle
&  also 10 yds at N6 C . . 5 1/2
May 25 - flags thought to be for arty
were seen on German parapet in Oa
Rail ws not made here.
____________                             _____________
Wont light 3 cigarettes w / same match.
"Paddocks"
Thursday June 22 (Cont.) I
had finished all these
summaries for April &
May & meant to write an
article.  But my brain was
so dizzy after it that I
borrowed Ian Hay's "The Right
Sort" - from Ross & have
been reading it.  It is about
11 o'c. at night - & there is
cavalry passing by again -

 
Last edited by:
Jan BJan B
Last edited on:

Last updated: