Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/231A/1 - 1919

AWM38
Official History,

1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/231A/1

Title: Notebook, 1919

Includes notes on cemeteries at Malta and
Gallipoli.

AWM38-DRL606/231A/1 

Notes on Cemeteries at Malta & Anzac
231 a AWM38     A: H.M-1919
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918
THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But, apart from those terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered. Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing, believed. Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.
16 Sept., 1946. C. E. W. BEAN. 
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN
3DRL 606 ITEM 231 A [1] 

Dont allow [[shorthand]]
Dont  "  joy rides camouflaged

Turks must be buried.
Not being tackled on rt scale.

Eg. Labour necessary for this climate.
& [[shorthand]] 
Cost of Rd etc.
Returning Egrs Turks

Salving
4.7.1
Boats.

No one till place is clean
Ts have dug up own bones

Pieta.
slabs  Diagram - see original document
Graves 3 deep cut into Rock
Maj. Cook small private monument.
Offr & Nurse has own grave. unless

man buys own grave
solid stone graves 8ft Deep
2 ft of earth over each body.
Monuments of Common Maltese stone – v. softish-
abt 1 doz monuments diff sort. rather
incongruous.

unidentified John Brown Pte no Regt. died 6 July/15.
Offrs amonst rest but only 

one stone on 3 graves.

Stone blackens easily in damp 

May 8. 1915.  1.1.4.8.2.1.2.2.2.1.1.1.1.5
3.3.4.3.4.3.2.6.5.6.2: _^ 101 4.1.4.
5.1.2.2.1.1.3.2.1.1.1.2.2.2.2.1.
1.1.1.2.2.1.2.3.1.1.1.2.2.2.1.1.
2.2.2.1.2.2.1.3.1.1.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.1.1.1.1.1.
1.2.2.1.1.
[174].

Clark H.I.

No 3028.

Sept. 10/15 unidentified

Ledingham Pte T.
Flowers E Pte.
Coleman W. Pte.

Nov 11/15
Greenway Cpl.
11/11/15
(One Tau 26/6)

June 27/16
xxxxxxx.
Adolorata 28 graves
(There should be 25).
more under  [*And these together in one plot*]
slab. Marble preserves much better
(French marble slabs)

inlaid w lead

This portion under Pine trees
on top of hill in fine cemetery
601 –700 bought by military authy 

To Crotonite

Diagram - see original document
Helles Graves.

 

Constant. Prisoners of War Graves
(incl Palest.) abt 50 - 60 are being looked after by
at present Mrs Doughty Wylie.

Nomansland graves.
Helles.

Tommies trench.

Another behind Aust suppt.

Diagram - see original document

Where is Graves Commn Commr.

Who was surveyor w Dexter?
Want his field notes or how
he obtain info. as to who ws in
each grave. Was it from Xs.

A.I.F.
& N.Z.E.F.
Demobilisatn

Brit. Graves.
Natives coming back & salvaging
Before visitors come whole ground 

Diagram - see original document
Turk salvage after ours.
When is Inspt Graves Commn coming out?
[4700 at present. Fuller Nos. will be furnished later.]
Hughes should not be on the [[shorthand]] RO
but should be our repoc.

[* [[Wrg?]] for plans early
What scale plans do you

want?

(1) Plan of whole of Anzac.

(2) Detailed Pl. of each army.

(3) Plan of Helles *]

Macedonian labour Corps shd cd do it
& pay them extra for rds & trucks.
Answering Qus must be done elsewhere.
Offl Photogr of ERO will furnish official photos of
every grave.

Large wooden graves [[shorthand]] w Alumin.

That is w
Hughes finding details of
 

shd be cleaned.
Turk graves cleaned up too.

Ours should be done first.
Savla & outside graves should be done
by Impl. staff.
150 to 200 probably buried on grd at Helles.
All cemeteries & 90 of isolated
graves of wh have partrs wd be
finished within 5 weeks.

Egyptns to lay out cemeteries

within 3 months.
Labour wd cost : ₤1000.
with salvaged material.

Now taking [[shorthand]] and wood.
Lighting on beach for salvage.

if mines swept.

Paths cd be made up.

Rds under arrangement w
Turks.
As soon as Anzac is finished Hughes goes to Helles to

do graves there.

Capt Everett & Maj. Simpson
D.D.R.E. Salonica:

At Constant. are in touch w what
labour will be available here during the summer.

Notes on
Cemeteries
Malta & 
Anzac. 
A.H.M. 1919