Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/231/1 - March 1919 - Part 8

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

Page 1 / 10

our post line. There were 24 young firs - abt 4005 p high at most - in this capse & it covered perhaps 2oyds Square The left of the two C. t5 ws in these fir trees - thow the EEdge Of them. At the Nend of him came the line nex ahead of the Austla line, wh is an English line purely sumply, and 85 yards beyond that is this little tine of pozzies There is a very old partiton between two cullisations there waydgo the land tos allowed to To into disise agn & it is covered w low scret like Saltbush. But the slight ridge behiettn twoo fields is quite
traceable; & along this the tarks had made, (5. off line of C.T latter made) abt 1 or 12 little pozzies abt 5 in deep at most. Ia are of them there must have on ( clips of 100 rounds cast of the C.T. te pozzies continued irregularly - not move than 10 of them - perhaps 6 - Then in the left rear of them, not for in port of viney and were severel (33 more with the Tarks buried in them searched N.of road I fancy there were some shermish orward of this line. Byt the occasionef cardboard Cartrity
K 161 233 Aust New Roed Croyslie Od Kithiald 300. t 0 75S 73
74 This can only have be a line of Sternishers. Sr co not account for the fire which met the Ansthers eor for 1 asualties - now for. bullets wh we picked up on 1 ground. Wilkim & Buchanan joined we here we went on to Achi Baba. From the top we adquite clearly see the 3 tovnbushes of TomeniesY past wh we attached on may 8. The sen on sea wd be in (enemy's observers eyes + may have accointed for them not catching us
more seacrely to teir sprapael. Achi Baba is a long crest – abt 150 yds tong I shod say- on a very long shoulder of I same shape (from the Hiittic side). The Thoulder ndo in holds up a platean of tat open ground- the west stands out of this half covered we scrub. There is a deep well trive t aroand [cop & in this are
by several very deep observing stus Cone of thim cntained beginning of a by rang finder eitan uncompleted or clse Cooted by Prny There are a good many shilltotes by small on cittn side o I crest, & in plation I expect to the ry heae bn bit in places rebul some of shell hols are big; widel but they are disributed & barring noise they ard do so peat harm. On The tox were a number of payments of shell from Gover
SK. B.I from pece. Cu392a SK. B.T from pero. CewB. 9.2.27 in down to field gun sige cerebull caloed by Tarks. what stract you on 1 tog of Achi Baba was oait commanded of whole foot of1 senencale ()to it command i noting lse ex. an excellent veew of Angac. not the slightial direct observate over Chancel or (Warrows cdbe s from there – only a fectureless little triangle of the Harrows - The 77
big houlder to Sat, & the Relie Balir78 Ptean completily that out any furthr observation we went down to the Soghan Dere and across a very seampy shoulder s. of Achi Baba - To back to kilid Balro. There have be guns on the J. Shoulder of Acci. the flash of Baba – & from Angac we ad seeg others behint the W. Shoulder.
on arrivel found the tamp at Riled Baber ?I (N.E. Camp). We found to Balour had manager to awany for our passage by his Cransport tom onow to Constantinople. March C. Sailt Embarked att on the S.P. EHE TEA1 for Cnstantiople. She is full of French officers - wice enough fellows & very pay; going (with at least one oistress who lives to tem as Kild Baler) t sailed abt 5 pm. Constaatinoble.

our front line.  There were 24
young firs – abt 4 or 5 ft high
at most – in this copse & 

it covered perhaps 20 yds square.
The left of the two C. Ts ws in
these fir trees – thro' the E edge
of them. At the N end of them came
the line next ahead of the Austln
line, wh is an English line purely 
& simply; and 85 yards beyond
that is this little line of pozzies.
There is a very old partition
between two cultivations there
– long ago the land ws allowed
to go into disuse agn & it is
covered w low scrub like
saltbush.  But the slight ridge
between two fields is quite

71
 

 

traceable; & along this the
Turks had made, (S. of /
line o / C. T. later made)
abt 10 or 12 little pozzies
abt 5 in deep at most.

In one of them there must have
bn / clips of 100 rounds.
East of the C. T. the pozzies
continued irregularly – not
more than 10 of them – perhaps
6.   Then in the left rear
of them,  not far in front of
vineyard were several (?3)
more with the Turks buried
in them.
I searched N. o / road & 
I fancy there were some skirmishes
forward of this line.  By the
occasional cardboard cartridge
72
 

 

73
packets there seemed to be.
But / first real fixed
Turkish position was on
the near edge of / Vineyard
The distances were as under:-

Diagram- see original document

 

74
 This can only have bn a line of skirmishes. It
cd not account for the fire which met the Austlns
–  nor for / casualties – nor for / bullets wh
we picked up on / ground.
Wilkins & Buchanan joined me here
& we went on to Achi Baba. From the 
top we cd quite clearly see the 3 thorn bushes at /
^ Tommies trench, post wh we attacked on May 8.  The sun  on /
sea wd be in / enemy's observers eyes & may
have accounted for them not catching us
 

 

75
more severely w their shrapnel.
Achi Baba is a long crest – abt
150 yds long I shd say – on a very long shoulder
o / same shape ( from the  Krithia side). The
Diagram- see original document
shoulder end in holds up a plateau of
flat open ground – the crest stands out of this
half covered w scrub. There is a deep well
traversed  trench around / top & in this are

 

 

76
several very deep ^ big observing stns ( one of them
contained / beginnings of a big range finder
–  either uncompleted or else looted by / French).
There are a good many shellholes big &
small on either side o / crest, & in / plateau
–  I expect tt the trenches have bn hit in places
& rebuilt.  Some o / shellholes are big;
but they are widely distributed & barring noise
they wd do no great harm.  On the top were
a number of fragments of shell, from 9 or 12
 

 

[* Sk. B1 from 
here.
C.EW.B. 9.2.47
Sk. BJ from 
here.

C.EW. B.
9.2.47  *]

77
in down to field gun size carefully  salved by
/ Turks.
What struck you on / top pf Achi
Baba was (1) tt it commanded / whole
foot o / peninsula;
(2) tt it commanded nothing
else exc. an excellent view of Anzac.  Not
the slightest direct observation over Chanak
or / Narrows cd be seen had from there –  only a
featureless little triangle of the Narrows –  The
 

 

78
big shoulder to / South, & the Kilid Bahr
Plateau completely shut out any further
observation.
We went down to the  Soghun Dere
across a very swampy shoulder ^ imd. S. of Achi
Baba – & so back to Kilid Bahr.  There
have bn guns on the S. shoulder of Achi
Baba – & from Anzac we cd see ^the flash of others behind
the N. Shoulder.

 

79
On arrival found the Camp as Kilid Bahr
(N.Z. Camp).  We found tt Balfour had managed
to arrange for our passage by a transport
tomorrow to Constantinople.
March 10. Sailed Embarked at 11
on. the S.S. ΣΠ ΕΤΣΑΙ for Constantinople.
She is full of French Officers – nice enough
fellows & very gay;  going (with at least one
Mistress who lives w them at Kilid Bahr) to
Constantinople. Sailed abt  5 p.m. 

 

80

 

 

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