Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/231/1 - March 1919 - Part 5

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

Page 1 / 10

has been stripped of all her fittings – I fancy that ever her ventilation cowls are lying over some of the duontroofs in this rng. The Hgr f the G.R.V. here by a Frence camp not far above the cematery with all the cxpresses. The stong Turhs have rebuild all te French, hatments on the sid of the ticl facing the Pardanalles. Te Serch troops (Senjaless) are occupying all thesr. we put our tent on the terrace overlooking Dardavelles. The Frencl have a cemetery very well laid out in bont of this camp. But Hughes tetts me
42 that the pames in it are made up like thows in the turkish camateries - neat piles of earth made int up our ho very neat pavey and but not covering any bones at adl except by accident. MArch 8t. Hent u wnt. Hughes Bpean & Thanks of JR.V. to the pround where our men advanced on May 8. 1915 Rode past thei Ord bevouac 2507do S. of Haji Aynb Farm: the old shelter walls of mid + pass tarfs still stood. Thince traak twrned back to the left & took the sar which at
This would be the kint Tere, but was rs not called by the twits Kavll stram (Boody stram) Our 1915 map Gs9s 400. (.be B. 4/. /e co wrongin s0 naming it. Maltepe Dere is the Rents Dero. 43 abt 600 yds croased the track leading NE to Kritria Willah just where we cut this track were the stuings o (old trees under which the R.N.D. Headquarters were - only one tru still standing Followed up this road. There is a slight swelling on the left of it – & I fancey to the Erd F. Ambee had its dressing str on to swelling Then the krithia stream comes lowds the rd & beguns to have steep banks of its own. It is where these banks become abt 8 or 10f byh that the
N was a holow in them in which Capd.) Quag. medical of of Sth Bn, had his little dressing ste for walking (or ws is serious?) cases - & where he ws t. in o morning which suthng on his socks after refreshing himself to a wash after Exhoune heavy work. old 2 sde t gos ws not easy to spot but we gori to within soyds or s0– Buchana market it. Io ws in the to bank first where it begins to widee out to the spoonshaped
45 depression on the 24 (½) of the streem, where the 2nd Bde deployed. Tno & where this depression was into it there is a fort in stream; & on the bank or island in 1 meddle o foske the Indian troops were camped when we reached tive on Ercay 8. 1900. This Buchanan marked on the max & Willia phots goae neer From here I dray stetch B.G. It can be read with the diary of my and visit t lape
Helles (with Blenery & Mr Cay)) being more axcurate thi the shetches there wh were from memory. Sentle The party cut of half right up the slope shown in this sketch (ids as M Cays Box Hges had done). On the ton of that riss we first came to two or 3 lines of truck s crregular dupontaglegil the thiird being the most important – This was deeper than the Eg into wh I remember stuabley at the time of the attack – & I think it is ten From there a long way over the ESKI LINE.
open - without thetter of any sort & only the tow sybyes, freon. rounder surnts like salt bush with the dry ligh siky cart between them & we came to the tomany's truck. I could pick ap al or fours once the thre wild ohve trees which pew over the tomongs E. As a matter of fact one of them - a skinng one, grows on the parador of (Y:& two) out ahead of it -tandem; one furte behind it. Tns last is in a some for sligally raised line of bushe als
border of a field - or heede or road. M. of semember very weell – is ws guss on onr left. Th pound to inmedate regi almost of it is open & clear of vegetation; it has by cultivated Ihe Tomonie's trind has not greatly almost changed. It is exactly as it was - with a meaningless collection of holes behind it. Many of these have been filled in since by
49 burgying oay men in thim. ters be in the hedge like row of tupes scrub on 1 left – at least two lots. Here I made draving BH showeing thes line of scrub leading up to commies 2 Fom the Tomanies trince we went on pllowing more or Ass the track I had taken. There were many ciustalion dead Gri all ovr this aria. Too C.B. sart a lible t of the Civxtrees & run forward, separating a
bit hid thy rach to time of the Australians yur like this (Redon t Support (Cune). Tess were bater work, of Coarse. See 100 yds ahead of the Redoubt Sappt line is another line (Redoutt line). which I was uncertain about. I ws rathe of opinion to this might have be the work of tomoces) diging forward from the lime we reached. We examined No manland in between thees 50

41

has been stripped of all her fittings – I fancy that
even her ventilation cowls are lying over some of the
dugout roofs in this camp.
The Hqrs of the G. R. U. here by a French camp not
far above the cemetery with all the cypresses. The
Turks have rebuilt all the French ^stone batments on
the side of the hill facing the Dardanelles. The French 
troops (Sengalese) are occupying all these.
We put our tent on the terrace overlooking
Dardanelles. The French have a cemetery very well
laid out in front of this camp. But Hughes tells me 

 

42
that the graves in it are made up like those in the
Turkish cemeteries – neat piles of earth made
up over no into a very neat graveyard but not covering any
bones at all except by accident.
March 8th. Went up with Hughes BigWether
& Shanks of G.R.U. to the ground where our men
advanced on May 8. 1915. Rode past their old
bivouac 250yds S. of Haji Ayab Farm; the old
shelter walls of mud & grass turfs still stood. Thence
turned back to the left & took the road track which at 

 

This would be the Kinte Dere, but was
rs not called by the Turks "Kanlie" stream  (Bloody stream)
(Our 1915 map GSGS 4000    C.EW.B. 9/5/47
is wrong in
so naming it.)
Maltepe Dere is the Kanli Dere.
 

43
abt 600 yds crossed the track leading NE to Krithia
Nullah. Just where we cut this track were the stumps
o / old trees under which the R.N.D. Headquarters
were – only one tree still standing.
Followed up this road. There is a slight swelling
on the left of it – & I fancy tt the 2nd F. Ambce
had its dressing Stn on tt swelling  Then the
Krithia streamx comes towds the rd & begins
to have steep banks of its own. It is where
these banks become abt 8 or 10ft high that there 

 

44

was a hollow in them in which Capt Mathieson  McG... 
medical offr of 5th Bn, had his little dressing stn
for walking (or ws it serious?) cases – & where he ws
k. in / morning while putting on his socks after
refreshing himself w a wash after 24 hours heavy
work.
Old 2 Bde H Qrs ws not easy to spot but
we got in to within 50yds or so – Buchanan marked
it. It ws in the E bank just where it
begins to widen out to the spoonshaped 

 

45
depression on the rt (E) of the stream, where
the 2nd Bde deployed. Just where this
depression runs into it there is a fork in
/ stream; & on the bank or island in /
middle o  / fork the Indian troops were
camped when we reached there on May 8. 1915.
This Buchanan marked on the map & Williams photographed.
From ^near here I drew sketch B.G. It can be
read with the diary of my 2nd visit to Cape 

 

46
Helles (with Blamey & McCay), being more accurate than
the sketches there wh were from memory.
The party cut off half right up the ^gentle slope
shown in this sketch (just as M Cays Bde Hqrs
had done). On the top of that rise we first came
to two or 3 lines of trench & irregular dugout riflepits
– the third being the most important – This was
deeper than the trenches into wh I remember stumbling
at the time of the attack – & I think it is the
ESKI LINE. From there a long way over the 

 

47
open – without shelter of any sort – & only the low
rounded ^grey blue, & green, shrubs like salt bush with the dry light
pinky earth between them – & we came to the
"Tommy's Trench." I could pick up at
once the three ^or four wild olive trees which grew
over the Tommy's trench. As a matter of fact
one of them –  a skinny one, grows on the parados
of / trench; & two out ahead of it – tandem; &
one further behind it. This last is in a
slightly raised line of bushes along some forgotten 

 

48
border of a field – or hedge or road. This
I remember very well – it ws just on our
left. The ground to / right immediate right
of it is open & ^almost clear of vegetation; it has
bn cultivated.
The Tommies' trench has not greatly
changed. It is ^almost exactly as it was - with a
meaningless collection of holes behind it.
Many of these have been filled in since by 

 

49
burying our men in them; others lie in the
hedge like row of tufted scrub on / left – at least
two lots. Here I made drawing BH showing
this line of scrub leading up to Tommies trench.
From the Tommies trench we went on
following more or less the track I had
taken. There were many Australian dead lying
all over this area. Two C.Ts. start a little E
of the olive trees & run forward, separating a 

 

50

bit till they reach to the line of the Australians
(Redoubt Support line): like this.
Diagram - see original document
These were later work, of course.
100 yds ahead of the
Redoubt Suppt line is another line (Redoubt line),
which I was uncertain about. I ws rather of
opinion tt this might have bn the work of
Tommies digging forward from the line we reached.
We examined No mansland in between these

 
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