Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/231/1 - March 1919 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066590
Difficulty:
5

Page 1 / 10

Key to Wilkens Rolod of Essad Pasha's Hgrs. 3 si Courtieys To morasA om 5 Essads O.R BHy hn sere het e will te on i ind siblct D 160 111 Tork usun Dere tsms n Top Chular Sert 97 £111 31
3 9 a B G. 32 Koitisa Walla from where 36a deployd
enmtar oms Towny2 B.H. 33
40 Bmoy 34 156 15 mest Wench 45 Regt has Tomys t as fosthn Anglane n 30 porit. I do not kenp this is 7lg. Our pont lid of May8. is marked by merch. Position Ansglacis du 4 mai.
Bridges Hughes Deary Couldz. March. 6 sent with Witlins to Essads Hgrs in morning. Returned viz ride behind our camp which I think houtits. Pty reached. They wal have to be witiin 250 woyd of scrubby knoll to see 1 Dardanelles. The prtiest trees we found were abt 600- 700 yss o Scruebby Knot. Marked all thesepositions. went via Pine to Angoc Reach in after. Found our kit & Cartrides right on edge of platian above T. Battalion Hgr where Zeki Bey says they reached. rarked spot where Bridges we hil, Berdwoods, walkers & whites Hgis, for Hers. The tmbers of L.Pins have be allased by to in maknhats
behind their lines, (in Eepevalley) after the Eacwrle. We found in a but timbes scribbled on by our parrison in the Fine. z March 7t Birty consisting of Lambert Wilkins, Buchanan, & myself with groom & orderly rode down to Feddel Bahr - Balfour stayed to bring over the camp & trophied which (. James will bring to Anstrated Apt Bigweakn & O Hughes, N.CII ant. officers on the Graves Registon bnion aame down too 39 From Kilid Baker we followed the trainline along the coast to Soghun Dere; & then inland ap the Dere for Zncle; then up a very steep wasor 860
37 road winding x the hillside to the left (5). side of Loghun Dere. This brought as out on a platean which would have had to be wor even if the British had taken Ache Baba. The Turks had had reserves camped in the Dere. Ther shello oi were a big shell hole or two in it fom sips gans. Even this wd not have solved the problin of the Narrows - the Kiled Bahn Platian cd still protect the forts from observationg
38 Hill Indeed it is clear to 971 at Auzac commanded (varrows far more Chan Achi Baba From the summit of the crest south of Soghan Dere we went down into another deep valley, & then ap over a hill. which proved the thi S.E Shoulder of Achi Baba hegghland? There the (onof the roads having been squnk abt & ft on the summn & the forward part of the trenches beganx creat was pretty consistently shell holed; an as mull as a gan position in a prele part of line in France. ericl
were 4 big gun position just on the lefty our poas. the long road from there drow to Seddel othron Baho didn't seem to be preatly trenched Country; indeed it strack one keor very soon after we reached this first lives of reserve trenches we were in the Feach
lines. [The French however have marked up the English trenahe entirely wrong, & so possibly they have done (same with thin own At the top of a riss we found a wosking party of French Sevegaless Holdiers building an Obelisk. We rode down to the deserted &beach There was not a man stirring there. The Clyde

Key to Wilkins Photos of Essad Pasha's Hqrs.

Diagram - see original document

31
Diagram - see original document
Top Chular Sert 

 

32
Diagram - see original document

B G. 

 

33
Diagram - see original document
Tommy's Trench

 B. H.

 

34
Diagram - see original document
French 45 Regt was placed marked Tommy's Trench as Position Anglaise
du 30 Avril. I do not think this is right.
Our front line of May 8.  is marked by French:
Position Anglaise du 4 Mai.

[* 5 15 Aust front line.
410 Front line 410 (suppt line)
397
Tys trench *] 

 

Diagram - see original document
35

Diary Contd
March. 6
Went with Wilkins to Essads Hqrs
in morning. Returned via ridge behind our
camp which I think Loutits Pty reached.
They wd have to be within 250-300 yds of
Scrubby Knoll to see / Dardanelles. The furthest
traces we found were abt 600-600 yds S. of
Scrubby Knoll. Marked all these positions.
Went via Lone Pine to Anzac Beach in
aftn.  Found our kit & cartridges right on
edge of plateau above T. Battalion Hqrs where
Zeki Bey says they reached.
Marked spot where Bridges ws hit,
Bridges Hqrs, Birdwoods, Walkers & Whites Hqrs, for
Hughes.  The timbers of L. Pine have bn all used by Ts in making huts
[* Diagram - see original document*] 

 

36

Diary
behind their lines, (in Legge Valley), after the Evacuation.  We
found in a hut timber scribbled on by our garrison  in the Pine.
Aug March 7th  Party consisting of Lambert,
Wilkins, Buchanan, & myself with groom & 
orderly rode down to Seddel Bahr – Balfour
stayed to bring over the camp & trophies
which Lt. James will bring to Australia.
Capt Bigweather & Lt Hughes, N.Z. & Aust.

Officers on the Grave Registrn Union came down too.
39  From Kilid Bahr we  followed the tramline
along the coast to Soghun Dere; & then inland
up the Dere for ¼ mile; then up a very steep waggon
 

 

37
road winding up over the hillside to the left (S). side of
Soghun Dere.
This brought us out on a plateau which
would have had to be won even if the
British had taken Achi Baba.  The Turks
had had reserves camped in the Dere.  There
were a big shell hole or two in it from ^shells of the ships

guns.  Even this wd not have solved
the problem of the Narrows – the Kilid Bahr
Plateau wd still protect the forts from observation.
 

 

38
Indeed it is clear tt ^Hill 971 at Anzac commanded
/ Narrows far more than Achi Baba.
From the summit of the crest south of Soghun Dere
we went down into another deep valley, &
then up over a hill which proved the
S.E. Shoulder of ^the Achi Baba highland.  There the
trenches began ^on of the roads having been sunk abt 4ft on the summit – & the forward part of the
crest was pretty consistently shellholed; abt
as much as a gun position in a pretty
quiet part o / line in France.  These 

 

39
were 4 big gun position just on the left of
our road.
Diagram - see original document
The long road from there down to Seddel
Bahr didnt seem to be ^through greatly trenched
country;  indeed it struck one that
very soon after we reached the first lines
of reserve trenches we were in the French 

 

40
lines. [ The French however have marked up
the English trenches entirely wrong; & so
possibly they have done / same with their 
own. ]
At the top of a rise we found a working
party of French Senegalese soldiers building an
obelisk.
We rode down to the deserted V beach.
There was not a man stirring there.  The Clyde 

 

 

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