Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/23/1 - December 1915 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066588
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 11

4 51252 o P26 yoeo 6 No1 2 81 7864 No 13 80 C 74 200 v ECiS Maj Campbell Adme. OC No 1 Aust 51c 7 6o senvs ts, Aame INZWC & Iod. 62518 (6. No 1-8 ?C 13-51 115170s 120. To Gl ie 9052 eneyct. lo 8 p1
8.20. B Parties. 12 hid night abt 10000 1 Walkers So Apex 2.45 Monak an C2. 3.5 231 C3. 3.2 130 3.20 Leavey At Piers Lasr St night RV. 1200 Sr Hust. Walsons pm 5.20 o dunt 2000 2 Di., Bas, W Beach. 800 N3TA. NBeach 715. 700 2 Anst. Wations (12 cutters) 8:11 1200 1Hust. Watsons 12. 2000 NYTA (ie 250 (Vo4) W Beach 800 NETA. NBeach. 1.30 3.15 12002 Hust Walsons. 4.30 to 12.20. C.1. Guinno Courtneys. Stecles, Wire Old 3rd Bn. L.P. 2.15 216 2.15. 2 E4S240 24 2 300 3.15 3.15 3o15 and night. Rv. 7Pm. 1200 1st Div. Walsons. 5.20. o dusk (1000 m0 Dw. Williams N Beash 2100ONSTR 800 (500 N✓ 8pm Williams N Beach. 3000.374 600 frDis 01m 12pm Watsons 3600 and Dw 600 NO4 LIIOONSA Williams N Beach 300 Basl 800 2Dw. Watsons 1213 2as 120 - Brighton Blach 3 am 2.30. 240 - Asmak Dere. NBlad 2000 (480 B?, 600 N3A, &0 22, 7404) Willia 3.15 4.30
ntato Dec. 17t. The medical the merileston arrangements for at fean expedition have be inconceivably bat Up till 5.30 today Col. Howse DDand of this Army Corps, had recd no orders of any sort fom his chief of the Dardanetle Army or of the M.E.S. In absence of instructions be had long before made his arrangements - had bn sending away medical units for over a week + had gob away $20.000 worth of stores & left only
2 couaty clearing stus with accommodation for 1200 abt most & a good supply of od o comforts The other medic those with units except f the ballation 1C. All Ambalances) have be got away as non-escuteal moxt troops we the Engineers etc. The final arrangements having on already made & finshed & orders issued, there arrives today (1 original day of completion) an order from Sury. Gen Bedford, D.M.S., teking Howse to be is to make suitable arrangements on 1 follg lines. sitrs to be chosen for casnall dearin stations out
OI time of fire betweee our troops & I enemy (as of we ed lt where this as-or cd lett encing see as making these arragements if we did (2) wounded to be embarked part from a special pier dif from all 1other peers & goone else to be embarked fom it. Tacha peer docsat Excut & all peers are wanted. Howss wont let hospital lighty come alongside after 4pm on either day at all & after then no wounded are to be taken to hosp. ships but if they are taken must be taken on sp boots to other troops straight to
transports of special medical officers an special pennaas to superintend evacuation of wounded afoat & see to they go to Eight hosp ships- (whereas we are endeavour by every means we can think of to give (Parks Iidea to everythey is nomat disembarcate of stores & troops from transports I to no evacuste is going on at all] DRSsap te is going to try & get hospital sheps + carriers off Anzac - but ts apart they cant reach there
In this I think I was woory. It was hasteved by h day cit 1606.34 X before the 22nd or 28th!! [The evacuation ws orgginall to have be finished tomight Dec. 17/18 but has bn postponed till tomorrow & next night Dec 18/19 r 19/20. However in case the D.M.S. man get his hosp. Sheps here befre then, a were has bee sent say to woundeddre not to be evacuated on hosp. ships ab all, + praying Howefer him not to sead them. Its a mercy he didn't knowsf evacuation date or oherwise we shd have had a dozen Rost sheps turning ap. &
anchoocy in a fleefof whleeeaway. Huzac. what on earth do they wenk we are doing A feman Taube as over oltodg & came acros towarts ty ac - passe over at a fair height & went inland. I think she might have come back again if she hadat on Shelled. Our antiaurar gun fired 8of its remainn 16 shells at her. Beachy has bn getting a little better in his ann for 1Nork Beach & fot one into
ordnance, one into the Sap, & some not for from 1 peer. A new Kropp 4 Jun is shelling Nork Beach from over Walkers Top. Abt 200 men g0 of tonight . Now, May. Anderson, Col. Tohnson & myself. 70 off tt graften (Blister Cruiser at A am. tomorrow. Tohnston & Anderson will be advessn (gannery oficer on graston. I took some final phtos tod&made some final calls on 2LASde Cass (4Bn). Cass had a
Sreoking patigue on. A party of oen were detailed to smoke & lunge abt artillery Road cornev where Gaba tepe can see it - & to carry water like stage soldiers round the o road & then thro' a sap & back again. It is most extraordinary fatigue we have had at Dnz ac: BK. Tepe saw them alright for Beachy began shelling & put in 3 shells right out $00 where they were there were warks on Iroad. The smoking fatigne retire
but presentl came out again & manfully I smoted like heroes & Beadhy started again. Ie A little further on I found 1 Light Horse staying cricket on Shell Green maf. Onrlow battery) whele I shells were flying far overhesd. I got a picturs of 1. Padoe Dexter sowiy wattle in 1 cemeteries, of the broken up 4.7 naval gun adt be one of those at Ladyswik - [T. 715- 1906) Gen Holons let me read his orders to th 2nd Dwn. When I got back White gave me a copy of his operation order - not tbe shown to anyone Else - I had

If many casualties all them will remain
 

On last 2 days only Med units will be
No 1 Australian casualty collecting station  78 (7 officers)

No 13 casualty collecting station 74.
could treat  1200 patients
Tents and dressing situations left in many places
Maj Campbell AAMC. O.C.
No 1 Aust casualty collecting station will be 
Serv medical officer
Few AAMC & NZ MC & Ind.
Remainders will remain with the balance and [[??]] if possible
No 1 casualty clearing station and 13 casualty
clearing station be [?] but only in [[?]]

[[?]] from the rather great?]] 
SMO will have necessary applied from planning [[?]].
enemy to bring wounded to the stations
medical officer serving branch has been detailed with our unit
 

 

2nd Night

[Diagram showing times and routes of evacuation of Anzac positions]

Leaving At Piers
1st night                                                              Leave or
                                                                                    RV.
             7pm     1200 1st Aust; Watsons              5.20
5.20                   2000 2 Div. Base, N Beach.      dusk
             8.          800 NZ&A. N Beach
7.15       8-11      2 Aust. Watsons (12 cutters)      7.15
----------------------------------------------------
             12.        1200 1 Aust. Watsons

                         2000 NZ&A (inc 250 No4) N Beach

----------------------------------------------------
            1.30      800 NZ&A   N Beach.
3.15     4.30     1200 2 Aust Walsons.                   3.15

2nd night  
Rv.      7pm     1200 1st Div. Watsons.                           )

5.20                ( 1000 2nd Div )                                        )

dusk              ( 1000 NZ&A     )  Williams N Beach     ) A
            8 pm    800 (500 No4 )                                       )
                                   (300 NZ&A ) Williams N Beach )
10.15pm   12 pm (600 1st Div   )  Watsons          )
                              (600 2nd Div)                             )

                              (600 No.4)                                   )  B

                           (1100 NZ&A) Williams N Beach )

                              300 Base)                                    )
12-12.20     2am   800 2 Div   Watsons
2.30.           3am   120 - Brighton Beach )
                               240 - Asmak Dere      ) C
3.15             4.30   2000 (480 1st, 600 NZA, 600 2nd, ? No.4) N Beach Williams
 

 

Australian &
Dec. 17th. The medical
arrangements for the ∧Mediterranean our evacuation
expedition have bn
inconceivably bad.
Up till 6.30 today
Col. Howse DDMS of this
Army Corps, had recd no
orders of any sort fom his
chief of the Dardanelles
Army or of the M.E.F. In
absence of instructions he had
long before made his
arrangements - had bn
sending away medical
units for over a week
& had got away £20.000
worth of stores & left only
 

 

2 Casualty clearing stns with
accommodation for 1200
at the most & a good supply of
food & comforts -  The other medical
units except ∧those with a few in the battalion
(i.e. all ambulances) have bn
got away as non-essential
troops w ∧most of the Engineers etc.
The final arrangements
having bn already made &
finished & orders issued, there
arrives today (the original day
of completion) an order from
Surg. Gen Bedford, D.M.S.,
telling Howse tt he is
to make suitable arrangements
on the follg lines.
Sites to be chosen for
casualty clearing stations out
 

 

of the line of fire between our
troops & the enemy (as if we
cd lt where this ws - or
cd let the enemy see us making
these arrangements if we did).
(2) wounded to be embarked
from a special pier ∧apart different
from all the other piers & no one
else to be embarked from it.
(Such a pier doesnt Exist
& all the piers are wanted. Howse
wont let the hospital lighter
come alongside after 4pm
on either day at all - 
& after then no wounded
are to be taken to hosp. ships
but if they are taken must
be taken on∧the special boats
w the other troops straight to the
 

 

transports.)
Special medical officers or
special pinnaces to superintend
the evacuation of wounded
afloat & see tt they go to the
right hosp ships-
[Whereas we are endeavouring
by every means we can
think of to give the Turks the idea
tt everything is normal
disembarcatn of stores &
troops from transports &
tt no evacuatn is going on
at all].
DMS says he is going to try & get
hospital ships & carriers
off the place Anzac - but
is afraid they cant reach there
 

 

x In this I think I
was wrong. It was
hastened by a day
C.E.W.B.
16.6.24
 

before the 22nd or 28th!!
[The evacuation ws orginally
to have bn finished tonight
[x] Dec. 17/18 but has bn postponed
till tomorrow & next night
Dec 18/19 & 19/20. However,
in case the D.M.S. may
get his hosp. ships here
before then, a wire has bn
sent say tt wounded are
not to be evacuated on hosp.
ships at all, & praying
him not to send them. ∧However Its a
mercy he didn't know of the
evacuation date or otherwise
we shd have had a dozen
host ships turning up &
 

 

anchoring in a fleet off
Anzac∧ and putting the whole secret away. What on earth do
they think we are doing?

---
A German Taube ws over
Suvla today & came across
towards Anzac - passed
over at a fair height &
went inland. I think
she might have come
back again if she hadnt
bn shelled. Our anti aircraft
gun fired 8 of its remaing
16 shells at her.
Beachy has bn getting
a little better in his aim
for the North Beach & got one into
 

 

ordnance, one into the
sap, & some not far from
the pier. A new Krupp 4in
gun is shelling North Beach
from over Walkers Top.
Abt 200 men go off
tonight. Ross, Maj Anderson,
Col. Johnson & myself go off
to the Grafton (Blister Cruiser)
at 10 am. tomorrow.
Johnston & Anderson will
be advising the gunnery officer
on Grafton.
I took some final
photos today & made some
final calls on 2 LH Bde,
& Cass (4Bn). Cass had a
 

 

"Smoking fatigue" on. A party
of men were detailed to smoke
& lounge abt Artillery Road
corner where Gaba Tepe can
see it - & to carry water
like stage soldiers round the
roman road & then thro' a
sap & back again. It is the
most extraordinary fatigue
we have had at Anzac.
Brad. K. Tepe saw them
alright for Beachy began
shelling & put in 3 shells
right onto the ∧road place where
they were - there were the
marks on the road. The
smoking fatigue retired
 

 

but presently came out again
& manfully smoked like heroes
- & Beachy started again.
The A little further on I
found the Light Horse WWW
playing cricket on Shell Green
(maf. Onslow batting) while
the shells were flying far overhead.
I got a picture of the Padre Dexter
sowing wattles in the cemeteries,
of the broken up 4.7 naval
gun (sd to be one of those at
Ladysmith - [T. 715- 1906].)
Gen Holmes let me read his orders
to the 2nd Divn. When I got back
White gave me a copy of his
operation order - not to be
shown to anyone else - I had
 

 

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Robyn GRobyn G
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