Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/116A/1 - September 1918 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/116A/1
Title: Diary, September 1918
Includes references to artists.
AWM38-3DRL/116A/1
 

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[[?]]  Photos
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Articles [[?]]
American.

No.3.
Diary
Sept 8
-17,&

Original
DIARY NO. 116A.
AWM38
3 DRL   606 ITEM 116A [1]

DIARIES AND NOTES OF C.E.W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918

THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But apart from these terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half-asleep;
also, not infrequently what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered. Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.

These records should therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing believed. Further, he cannot, of course vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.
16 Sep., 1946.                   C.E.W. BEAN.

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
 

Sept. 8 Heavy storm / rain
Sept. 9 Heavy thunderstorm
Sept 10. ws rather like last yr
in Octr.
_______________________________
Ask about W. Owen
Spr W F L Owen.
7 FCoy.
wd 23/6/18
____________________
Marsh's [shorthand]
__________________
Treloar abt Temple.
___________________
Notificatn to Pay Sergts. from
C/Paymaster.
[For all publications
can be told A/R system]
___________________________
Wilkins Map: Every xxxxxx day mark
up photos on map.
_____________________
Hurry up Dodds abt artists
Commns.
 

France
Get Wilkins to keep times
when photos sent.
Crawford to keep times
_______________________________
Dardanelles Commn. Rept.
Question of Pozieres &
French trophies
American [[Exh??]]
Dyson list of what
Artists will require.
10 artists.
______________________________
 

Sept 8^th. While we were looking
at an old German dressing
station in Barleux as a possible
camp a heavy thunderstorm xx
rainstorm came down. There 
was a much heavier rainstorm
with thunder on the evening
of Sept 5 as Murdoch & I
returned to Mericourt.
I worked late & completed notes
as well as diary.

Sept 9 Monday.  It has been
urgent for me to get to England
& arrange the new system of
distributing & financing our
photographs; & to new organisation
by which our official
artists shall be officers in the
 

A.I.F doing their work for their
country like everyone else -
it is far more economical & it
appeals to them more. Also the
Government will not answer the
cables asking it to authorise
pictures & the artists are
getting disappointed & disillusioned.
They have given us a splendid 
deal - Lambert especially, who
is honest to a fault & has
turned in, instead of his 25 
sketches, about 100 - everything
that he had - wonderful work.
I accordingly persuaded Gilmour
to go to London so that I too 
could leave, & we crossed
today. More rainstorms with
bright intervals, very like last
October.
 

Tuesd. Aug Sept 10 Arrived in London
late last night. Mrs Almon
had a room for me. Saw
Smart & afterwards Box - &
they agreed to the whole
programme - Box very
logical & helpful; a fine
administrator, I shd say.
To see High Commr tomorrow.
George Lambert happened to be here
with his wonderful work -
a most picturesque figure,
with his keen sharp face,
clear eyes, pointed yellow
beard, & smart turned up
Australian hat. He likes
being a bit of a soldier -
serving as he is ordered.
 

Wed Aug 11. Saw Fisher &
Smart together today & 
arranged the whole scheme.
Hughes is taking a party
back to France with him
tomorrow - the first of a
series of parties of distinguished
press & publicity men, for
the Australian front. Hughes
is convinced tt / Australian
has this year won the war
- tt / German simply runs
at / sight of him. He is thought
to be
anxious to
prevent the Australians
from being used in
any further offensives - He has
(besides any political leanings)
__________________________________
Saw Box, Smart. Dined w Lambert
Th 12. Crossed & stayed at Boulogne.
Fr 13 Visited Corps.
Sat 14. Wrote acct.
15 Sund: Peronne.
_____________________
 

an immense admiration
for the digger - the admiration &
wonder of a small & weak man
for anyone big brave & strong. The
men whom he has entertained at
his house, in the garden at tea &
so on, have been talking to him
_ & their attitude is: There will
be no A.I.F. left if they go on
using us like this. Hughes
thinks we ought to let the Americans
& the Air Force take a larger
share - & Murdoch says he wd
favour Japan's being thoroughly
committed to a big struggle from
Manchuria into Siberia. Hughes 
wants to get Australia's
work thoroughly known - So
(on Murdoch & Box's advice) he
is bringing sending out a number of
 

parties of English editors
& newspaper owners to see the men
themselves. As there is an idea
that Monash will simply impress
his own work upon them if they
go to Corps (where Monash asked
them) they want a separate
chateau - but Corps says it
cannot be provided.
I had George Lambert
to dinner at the Royal Society's
Club (where we are guests) tonight.
At dinner I asked him if he
would agree that the best way
to use our artists was to get
them to give their services, as
everyone else is doing. He was 
warmly in favour of it. He
is (as Dyson says) a man of a