Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/230/1 - February - March 1919 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066589
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

We were inclined to take these aslfing the whole of the Beacky Emplacements. However - as there were 2 old oin puns certainly in addition to thess I sode off towards Kilid Bake platian to find them. I found nore there. There we a sunkin wayon road going round the NW corner of the hill towds Helles Cconiback I noticedd number of old trunches & diggings further W. than trose tt we had seen. These proved to be battering. Some had be buist since. I took 1 bearings, of these but these were very bose t Rogers is to go of to place them tomorrow. The bettery
10 on extrems left had had fo shells neas it. There were no tries around it. There ws braskwood on the epautments & 4ft of the left spaitment of the dgleftf thteament, cobe seen from the positer of Burgess: guns. They tod look like n this Riding home. between this o the ster bty I found about 16 emplacumn t 1s an In a gulles sodething like this on way hong, I suddenly gai into
a regular shedcratered area - almost like an area in France – quile daugerous to canter through. Feb 28. Geki Bey returned today. In 1 after Balfoe & I took out abt half adoen togou I bills wh Balfour had searched in morning, viz the slope leading up pom behind our camp to Scrubbe Knoll; & the stopes back from scrubby knoll between to side & mostar R. Ban Balforr had found an Austialian tunic
crest complete & a fired cartridge on the 12 stope (in a gully) about 68d.2. I previously found a prttee at 68d interrection of 2615-3, (ust onl shoulder o 1 hill). From 300 yeld N of this point, on 1 crest you come in sight of the Dardanelles In this interval (1. this 300 yds) there had ber on find day tanks firing; a line along There. were Farkish dead in several places. We struck a very deep C. T. just before
Scrubby knoll. The topof hill had bu well3 N0 prguts entrenched. just o of it was a deep valley & in the head Space for of this valley some by shelps + very roomy old doe sbetters Tone of tese A125 where filled 180N with the plaster & Conarch wh had once lined Road them). One or two were huts of stone There ws a road on the S. Side o 1valley wending up to these dwellings & ending there.
FKetch AT.A was made from here, but murch Gt probably oro Ew 9/2/7 14 trenal rau oft head of the valley northwwards; & in this was Essad Pastes O.P. For by the description given as by ZekiB knew that this was Essad Pashas Ht. Brs. At I bothom of valley there seemed to be carrols & other vegetables groway wild. From mewory A it wo somethey 5 C like this. Scrully w S Direction of Roje Der 319 valley Old gung
Probably this means Foukich tap 29177 15 I fancy that I found two old small gun pits facing toods the Nek E where marked. Tese wdbe abt 150 yds to rooyds s. of Hers we found one used English Audiation cartydge case on the edge of the sanb above H Grs. But it may have be used by someone on 1 staff Our shells had fallen fairly other abt the place We worked back along the RidreE of the Usun Dere. There had be a turkish firing live here firing riter at the lower stopes o I ridg between Psan Dere & Chatal Dere (Fikoys Ridg); or
16 a te upper end of Babyf Morter R. (Baby 700way) Kellocks R. ad be abt 300 to Broyds. Mortar R. 700 to 1000. Hhere were some signs of our ket on 1 road leading about 4 down this ridge - foon bits of it carried proble by a dag. Also, near a turkish camp we found some of our kit evidently taken with unfired cartridges in it; for near it were many empty clips; & one and Trd fired cartride & one not fired were Sousforg Sir not far away. These possibly mean to some man got into the Usun Dere. Possibly one of men who lost themselve
17 A good way further down Iridge, about 80 V7 was an Austialion cap. This was in a staight line between were fully & the & cost cartridge picked up by Balfoar on Inex! vidge There were sigss to a Turkish attack had come over this slope from the EorNE & t I slope had be under fire fom ships; & to attack had safered. But it may have suffered from infantry fire. lontil mo if he reached comb have seen the Dardanclles
18 All the sips are to Coatits party pt sme to a point on the ridge (Loulit R.) which reas behind our camp – a little S. of Termbbey Knotl wilh Ryder Ecbeloned behind his right rar near where I found the patty.

9
We were inclined to take these as being the whole of the Beachy
emplacements.  However - as there were 2 old 6in guns certainly
in addition to these I rode off towards Kilid Bahr plateau to
find them.  I found none there.  There ws a sunken
waggon road going round the NW corner of the hill towds
Helles.
On coming back I noticed a number of old trenches
& diggings further W. than those tt we had seen.  These
proved to be batteries.  Some had bn built since.  I
took / bearings of these but these were very loose &
Rogers is to go off to place them tomorrow.  The battery

 

10
on / extreme left had had a few shells near it.  There
were no trees around it.  There ws brushwood on
the epaulments & 4 ft of the left epaulment of the
2nd gun from / left, & 2 ft of the rt epaulment cd be
seen from the positn of Burgess' guns.  They
wd look like this.
Diagram - see original document
Riding home, between this & the other
bty, xx I found about 16 emplacements.
Diagram - see original document
In a
gully
something like this, on / way home, I suddenly ran into

 

11
a regular shell cratered area - almost like
an area in France - quite dangerous to canter
through.
Feb 28.  Zeki Bey returned today.
In / aftn Balfour & I took out abt
half a dozen men to go over / hills wh
Balfour had searched in / morning, viz:-
the slope leading up from behind our camp to
Scrubby Knoll; & the slopes back from
Scrubby Knoll between tt ridge & Mortar R.
From Balfour had found an Australian tunic

 

12
complete & a fired cartridge on the
slope (in a gully) about 68 d 2.  I previously
found a puttee at 68 d intersection of 2-6 & 5-3;
(just on / shoulder o / hill).
From 300 yds N of this point, on /
crest, you come in sight of the Dardanelles.
Diagram - see original document
In this interval (i.e. This
300 yds) there had bn on /
first day Turks firing; a line along /
crest.  There were Turkish dead in several places.
We struck a very deep C.T. just before

 

13
Scrubby Knoll.  The top o / hill had bn well
entrenched.  
Diagram - see original document
Just N. of it was a deep valley & in the head
of this valley some big shelfs & ^space for very roomy
old dug shelters
Diagram - see original document
Some of these
were filled
with the plaster &
concrete wh had once lined
them.  One or two were old huts of stone.
There ws a road on the S. Side o / valley
winding up to these dwellings & ending there.  A

 


xSketch A.T.A
was made
from here, but
probably on March 6th
C.E.W.B.
9/2/47

14
trench ran off / head of the valley
northwards; & in this was Essad Pasha's
O.P. xFor by the description given us by Zeki Bey wd
know that this was Essad Pashas H.Qrs.
At / bottom o / valley there seemed to
be carrots & other vegetables growing wild.
Diagram - see original document
From memory
it ws something
like this.

 

? Probably this
means Turkish
The Staff
C.E.W.B
29.1.47
15
I fancy that I found two old small gun
pits facing towds the Nek where marked. These

Sketch, see original document
wd be abt 150 yds to 200 yds S. of HQrs.
We found one used English Australian
cartridge case on the edge of the scrub above HQrs.
But it may have bn used by someone on /
staff.x  Our shells had fallen fairly often abt the
place.
We worked back along the Ridge E of the Usun
Dere.  There had bn a Turkish firing line here,
firing either at the lower slopes o / ridge between
Usun Dere & Chatal Dere (Furthest Tullochs Ridge); or

 

16
at the upper end of Baby 7 Mortar R. (Baby 700 crag).
Tullocks R. wd be abt 300 to 350 yds. Mortar R. 700 to 1000.
There were some signs of our kit on / road leading
down this ridge - ^about 4 torn bits of it carried probly by a
dog. Also, near a Turkish camp we found some
Diagram - see original document
of our kit evidently taken with
unfired cartridges in it; for near it
were many empty clips; & one
fired cartridge & one not fired were
not far away. These possibly mean tt
some man got into the Usun Dere -
Possibly one o / men who ws lost themselves

 

17
A good way further down / ridge, about 80 Y7
was an Australian cap. This was in a
straight line between Wire Gully & the
cartridge ^& coat picked up by Balfour on / next
ridge.
There were ^possible signs tt a Turkish attack
had come over this slope from the E or NE;
& tt / slope had bn under fire from /
ships; & tt / attack had suffered. But it
may have suffered from infantry fire.
Loutit may have seen the Dardanelles
if he reached point 165.

 

18
All the signs are tt Loutits party got
to a point on the ^same ridge (Loutit R.) which
runs behind our camp - a little S. of Scrubby Knoll.
Diagram - see original document
with Ryder echeloned
behind his right rear
near where I found the
putty.

 

 

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