Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/230/1 - February - March 1919 - Part 6

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

Page 1 / 10

wete says) but in a trend behind the thench he wo in at I head of Sagh Beit Dere. thie Fom there we went down outo Ferm - Willims, BegWetin, Hues, James Buchanan & I. At first, at the NE endo Tarm weed find no trac of ay English attack in force? In a trinc however immediately under the Aaex we came on a number of English soldies killed - probably afer the smase on Ang 10. Bi weekn says that the offes tried to reorganise o English from 41
canul Br If I remember rightly this trench ran thus y n CEot SIIY Chanak Bair at the Piinach but cont get them to stop &C there is litle leps of the actual Farm - a few tumbled stones. as we worked along 1 s. edge of the shelf we soon came on a bit of C.T. running up steep side to 1shelf; in it were remains of Tomanes. It Fd out on the seawasd edg of the shelf the tarks had partly used it for at histruck, ant it had a boad field offine being partly below I edge of bank. A Tommy had be suiping from behind a stone at the right where yu the shelp bends down the slope. From their onwards we came across I remains of men thick - all
below I seaward edge of shelf. The stope fork) 1oyds down as simply covered to them. Tae on I right were mosthy Royal Irish Rifles. then some Wilts & Hants. D Ar far as the Worthern Edge of the Farm slope (the slope below shelf the bodies of tomanies were thick - their belincts everywhere. In some places they had day themselves little dujonts - scooks in shope. Only one man so far as I cd see lett hand shoulder of 1 had got round
n Dan 22 250 4 From the left of the slope we ad see across I valleys northward + I started t Bygweathn & James to see if we ad come across any traces of perkeas we attact of Aug. 9th, We cd see the bones of me on two hills ahod of us, somieting as in the above sketch, 8 cut across
51 we found on both the the valley intervening. remais further heights the of Worcestershiro Regd, t a faw S. Lanceskires. Those at 1 very top seemed to have be attaching a turhish truck or redoubt or 1 hilltop. None had r quite to top but we found tem very sar to it. and some of thosd on top had bounds (old Tam [in bornbad lying near him. Hagles came across what semed to be a colouels coad. buttons showed to be belouged to Dr. B. borcstershere
piconion on henge nedagy eo the ina anso eb. 4/412 I have nowhevs exc. at the Wck seen 33 Regt. the dead lying so thick, I think, as on these slopes those of the Barm We seached for signs of the General (Baldwin but cd not find any. We went on as far as the second creat of ll the on 1 top found a couple of bits of webkit + a mess tin cover. There is a steen stope up from 1valley but it is scrab covered all way at soint below A. (North Summit). This seems tibebest place for them to have reachedtop.t
piece of kil ws also found S. of ASouthern 53 summit) - but if the Jurkhas bed gone up this way they must turely have seen something of Baldwins attack – wh they did not. Back vic 971 (over looking Ausfarte). In a pully at the N. of Cloje Dere was lying tie body of our old 4.7 gun – Hugpes had lcated is before. Paad home in a know storm
54 March F. Tuesday. Withins ill with Pomanie Pocsonng – ieisted on going out before luch as the day was very fine tho very cowd. I went with Buchanan to Hcl 60 to place the exact point reached by the attack of 4 Bde of any 8to. They timashss have never on certain ofy. we went up Asma Dere & lef thchorses an the first sully on the left. out of 1 arined Then we chmbed the opposite height a little S. of
50 Hill 90 - &on Hill 90, almost at ona, we found a cluster of Austialians lying dead? The sope sheloed ap Hightly towds be hill on w Zeki Bey had told as tis 11th Regr. & m.g. Coy had its guns a we abt boayds away - juss a beautiful in abrch mig rangs. Meanc ray as of the mis had got outo the head of the columa. There were I4th Bu (badgs on two of the men; there were about. One i an had a Severaly groups H. Wellington. od written bible - ow it
we d find now on the N. slope & A bell 56 nor an the teama Dere. After much we seardred the stopes N. of the Asma Dere. Find. N. of the lower Hopes of the Hill 60 sour (1s. the spur from Hil 190 to Hill 60) there had bn a Tarkish firig ling. One man must have fined 200 rounds. Clearly he ws firing at some tack coming over to hill - he cont see our troops in any attack exc.) that days attock we crossed 1] Gully & on the low. coubly end of ridg, abt gooyds v.C of Hill as (I sad say) found another goup of our min who had

47

wether says) but in a trench behind the trench he
ws in at / head of Sazli Beit Dere.
From there we went down onto the 

Farm - Wilkins, Biggwether, Hughes, James, 

Buchanan & I. At first, at the N.Z. end, o / 

Farm we cd find no trace of any English attack
in force. In a trench however immediately
under the Apex we came on a number of English
soldiers killed - probably after the smash on Aug 10. Bigg Weather 

says that the offrs tried to reorganise / English from

 

Hand drawn diagram 
 

48

Chunuk Bair at the Pinnacle but cdnt get them to stop.

There is little left of the actual Farm - a few tumbled
stones. There was As we worked along / S. edge of the
shelf we soon came on a bit of C.T. running up /
steep side to / shelf; in it were remains of
Tommies - It T-d out on the seaward edge of the
shelf - the Turks had partly used it for a later attack

fire trench, but it had a bad field of fire being
partly below / edge o / bank. A Tommy had bn
sniping from behind a stone at the right ^(s) where open
the shelf bends down the slope. From there onwards
we came across / remains of men thick - all

 

49

below / seaward edge o / shelf. The slope for
100 yds down ws simply covered w them. Those
on / right were mostly Royal Irish Rifles;
then some Wilts & Hants. Reg As far as the
Northern edge of the Farm slope (the slope below /
shelf) the bodies of Tommies were thick - their
helmets everywhere. In some places they had
dug themselves little dugouts - scoops in /
slope. Only one man so far as I cd see
had got round / left-hand shoulder of

 

50

? slope.

Hand draw diagram 

From the left of the slope we cd see
across / valleys northward to fa

I started w Biggweather & James to see if
we cd come across any traces of / Gurkhas.
we attack of Aug. 9th. We cd see the bones of
men on two hills ahead of us, something
as in the above sketch, & cut across

 

51

the valley intervening. We found on both the

further heights the bones remains of Worcestershire Regt, & 

a few S. Lancashires. Those at / very top seemed
to have bn attacking a turkish trench or
redoubt on / hilltop. None had got quite to
/ top; but we found them very near to it. And
some of those on top had bombd (old Jam Tin
bombs) lying near them. Hughes came across
what seemed to be a colonels' coat; & the 

buttons showed th  he belonged to 1st Bn. Worcestershire

 

This opinion was changed next day, see p. 61.

X xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CEWB 2/4/47

52

Regt. I have nowhere exc. at the Nek seen 

the dead lying so thick, I think, as on these slopes &
those of the Farm.
We searched for signs of the General (Baldwin) but
cd not find any.
We went on as far as the second
Crest of Hill Q. & there, on / top, found
a couple of bits of web kit & a mess tin
cover. There is a steep slope up from / valley
but it is scrub covered all / way at /
point below Q. (North Summit). This seems / 
likeliest place for them to have reached / topx. A

 

53

piece of kit ws also found S. of Q (Southern 
summit) - but if the Gurkhas had gone up this
way they must surely have seen something
of Baldwins attack – wh they did not.
Back via 971 (over looking Anafarta).
In a gully at the N. of Koja Dere was lying the
body of our old 4.7 gun – Hughes had located
it before. Raced home in a snow storm.

 

54

March 3. 4 Tuesday. 
Wilkins ill with Ptomaine Poisoning - insisted
on going out before lunch as the day was very fine tho'
very cold.
I went with Buchanan to Hill 60 to
place the exact point reached by the attack of
4th Bde of Aug 8th. They themselves have never bn
certain of it. We went up Asma Dere & left
the horses in the first gully on the left, out of / wind.
Then we climbed the opposite height a little S. of

 

55

Hill 90 - & on Hill 90, almost at once, we found
a cluster of Australians lying dead. The slope
shelved up slightly towds the hill on wh Zeki Bey
had told us the 11th Regt.'s m.g. Coy had its guns,
- & ws abt 600 yds away - just a beautiful
m.g. range. The men lay ^in a bunch as if the m.g. had
got onto the head of the column. There were I4th
Bn badges on two of the men; there were
several groups about. One man had a

bible - on it was written H. Wellington.

 

56

We cd find none on the N. slope of / hill
nor in the Asma Dere. After lunch we searched
the slopes N. of the Asma Dere. Imd. N. of the lower
slopes of the Hill 60 spur (i.e. the spur from Hill 100 to Hill 60)
there had bn a Turkish firing line. One man must
have fired 200 rounds. Clearly he ws firing at some
face attack coming over tt hill - he cdnt see our troops
in any attack exc. that days attack.
We crossed / Gully & on the low
scrubby end of / ridge, abt 700 yds N.E of Hill 100

(I shd say) found another group of our men who had 

 
Last edited by:
Sandy MudieSandy Mudie
Last edited on:

Last updated: