Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/24/1 - December 1915 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066600
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

firing (2g. 2 guns where & had bee firing same and, or Iwhere 2 had On, ofiriy on same and of brout cd prevent taks from seemg it. We were told early in Decr to care this out. We next jot a25 2 it we must send away halfI remainy frens - & then whole lot. This we done to excepte of 8 at Auzac. Birdwd is a prentlitlly chap. He want have (beat brains in all army - but he does P see everythay for himself. Well. by doing to be gets a grip all questes for greater than toh co be abtaind by Celevereet teldom man on cark who visited factual scene. Tere haabe all diffee on world between
Berdwood is just having the wound wt he recd at quinnt on May to attended to - bullet extracted. I had no idea it ws there - undermes stiin on top of head. It began to suppurate lately. When bulletws taken out a few days ago someof nicket still remains in for suppuration still-went on. This was now bu taken outaus the wound is heating apparitly 10 Derdie & th Braithwaitz -Hawitto combination (if it can be calle a combination The folls is the positer of Turkist troops Opp. Angac Suotly, & Helles attine of evacuation. Teretch Kpe 126 2100 118A 127 3000 33 118H 3000 Ruchuk Anabarte Rai 78th 35 34 1800 118x Nof. Seinctar Hil 66 20073 of Torgut Cheome 25. 2400 Helman Chair 64 Sasak Kuyle 1600 Hill 60 (Kanli 1 eped 16 00 6pp. Hill 92 25 1800 Wof. H.bd. R. Rair 19 2300 305 24 2000 The Farm 22 1800 8014 48th 2000 13ship H
H.O. at 161 in 59. 136 11 D Savla fone at 106 A 1t8 A 107 Eg at Teleke DHGRoja Dire 69B2 ACHl 6918 GH G at 48 n5 Taola Reserves 6th at 758 36 15 at 119 K4 2000 18th 107y I near 9t5 215t 9318 23 81n9 26 at 56d4 Black The Nck (180. 2000 72 80 TAI 2/482 Opp. quinns 2000 27 Germ. Off French 1T. Pd 0X4 2000 Lone Pine (125 125 1800. S. of L Pins H 1800 68H2 Gendarmes. 1000 1000 neer Extr. S to K. Tepe 2700 38,100 By camps, near Koga Dere. Twrshtenkei S of Eyclmer Cy.
12 Helles. west. Left W of Jully Rav. 702. 71 E ofSR. W. of Krithia Nultah 124 t of Knitha N. 38 on Ache Bat. W attat 45 Wof Telephone Lines Rt3 56 a in Hereves De t of 55 opposite Fortin C Goves 42 41 overtookey Sea. G.H.A. at Ali Bey Farm. Kritia Zone Soghanli. O. Riserves 4 46. 62 51 N.G. of 13th Div. 20 Dw 50.42.2930.28 H.D.W Dion
Chanak 79.80.81 GHO Eisat Yatova Galik Abod #83W. Andt. Cof 181C (Munitr Bey Chif). I an yous
14 ibe wohole of this cottage Drc- 23 worked all yesterday till clines & ever mednight getting its various despateles away. Ward Price is clearly especially been on making this story a magnificent one a chef. d'oenore - & be cont have a finw subject. The only then is to few people in England will realiss what an extremely daupious operation it was. W. Price in a sort of humosous way (but sinserely for all that I envies me for having seen the Turks come over. The ting to spoik it from Yournhtie point of view, he sd, is to ther wasnt a batth - a reargus action by the West Yorks on I beach wd have made the story one &1 possitl. find I say to battle
15 storre are almost commonplase sowadays; & te spectach of our whole position gradually lef bare to 1 Terks - wall lights burning as every other night, & Tarkish rifles poppin of occasionally all along (line, & 1 Turks in morning bombarding, & finally now chargey, ourong deserted trenches – whilst we after a night of intenss anxiety waited & looked on - is as good as any battle story But I am afair it shows to I Turk is a most unentai fighter . And yet in patratting + suype te is energetic & bol in extremse, more so than oar Tavla troops so one of their staff officers told me. I it his vigitance tt is so imperfect
16 Doc 7 2 ½ Tonight tomes news t I greetes are fighting Bulganins on 1 Albamian porters Dec. EG. Nevmson, W. Rice Lawvenss G myself were going to Helles today Sot ap meserably at 5.30 (or rather 6 for servants were v. late in calling as) went down to pier & waiter for abti hour. The sea was pt rough &at ti end of this time the Naval Tausport oficer on I peer tobo ust I trawler hast saclet without waiting for us. We had our smas dinner tonight D. Pice went to steep afterwards beside 1 fire, He & Nevinion are going back to Salonica tomono T.H.O moves to Egyst &the AN3AC Coops has moved ten alreade som nend foo Ore. 21 Lmes havvence & I started early for Helles. on I pier as usuat no one knew whetee I trawler 696 we gaing or whethers a boateod from 1 peer The NTO, thought she wd com to 1 pees. D to her In the end pwsence + I saw a boat pain to her -sowe of took no Chances & went o
by it w1 A.H.A mail. Hwo as well, we didn't wait for her as she dedn't come in. Any amount of ment stuff were waiting for her but I boatheads of them arangged to get out to her before 1 Captain sailet. When I captain sailed I first they he did as to rain a drifter in 1 mible - neither Aptain being on I bridge (& therefore both being stangely quiet after accident F. All I reparte I heard was are you blind. from 1 drifts aft 5 minutes after1 accident. There as a fair sized dint in (drifters side & we tep her tooking at it. so thach for 1sfocit navigation of which these merchant Skippers are so proud - I never saw anythey like it in 1 nery. -SA Coloe or Chelmer.
£ 15 Wellington 4619

9
firing (e.g. 2 guns where 4 had bn 
firing same amt, or 1 where 2 had
bn, & firing on same amt of front)
cd prevent Turks from seeing it.
We were told early in Decr. to carry
this out. We next got an rumour order
tt we must send away half /
remaining guns - & then /
whole lot. This we done w /
exceptn o /  8 at Anzac.
Birdwd is a great little
chap. He maynt have / best brains
in all / army - but he does go &
see everything for himself. Well.
by doing so he gets a grip of
all questns far greater than
tt wh cd be obtained by / cleverest
man on earth who never seldom visited
/ actual scene. There has bn
all / diffce in / world between

 

Birdwood is just having the
wound wh he recd at Quinn's on May
15 attended to - bullet extracted.
I had no idea it ws there - underneath
skin on top of head. It began to
suppurate lately. When bullet ws
taken out a few days ago some o /
nickel still remained in for
suppuration still went on. This
has now bn taken out and
the wound is healing apparently.
 

10
Birdie & the Braithwaite - Hamilton
combination (if it can be called a combination)
————

The follg is the position of Turkish troops opp. Anzac
Suvla, & Helles at time of evacuation.

Keretch Tepe 126th 2100
118A 127. 3000.
118H. 33 3000
Kuchuk Anafarta Plain   78th
S. 35th. "
118 x 34. 1800
N of. Scimitar Hill
(70)		 66.  
200 yds E of Torgut Chesme 25. 2400
Hetman Chair 64  
Susak Kuyu 17 1600.
Hill 60 (Kauli Tepe) 16 1200
Opp. Hill 92 20th 1800
W of Abd. R. Bair 19. 2300
305. 24 2000
The Farm 22 1800

80K4       )

Bship H  )

 48th 2000
 

H.Q.
(1) at 161 in Sq. 136 j
(2) Suvla Zone at 106 A7
GHQ  107 R9 at Tekke.
DHQ Koja Dere 69 B2
A.C.H.Q  69 j8
——

G.HQ at 48 n5
 

Suvla Reserves:
76th at 137 j8.
36th at 119 K4 2000.
18th 107 y1 near GHQ.
21st 93 i8
23rd. 81 n9
26 at 56 d4.
 

11

The Nek (Black

 180)

 72 2000
80 T A 1 2/48th  
Opp. Quinns 27 2000.
Germ. Offs Trench.
& J. Jolly 80 x 4		 57 2000
Lone Pine (125) 125th 1600.
S. of L Pine. 47 1800.
68 H2. 36
(Gendarmes.
1000)		 1000
Extreme S to ^near K. Tepe 77. 2700.
    38,100

——
Big camps. near Kaja Dere.
Turshten Keui
S of Ejelmer Bay.

 

12
Helles.
West.

Left 70th. W of Gully Rav.
  71 E. of GR.
  124 W. of Krithia Nullah
  38 E of Krithia N.
  45 on Achi Baba Nullah
  56 W of Telephone Lines. 18 h3
  55 E of   "                     " in Kereves Dere
  42 opposite Fortin le Gouez
  41  overlooking sea.

G.H.Q at Ali Bey Farm.
Krithia Zone.

Soghanli. D. Reserves
4.
46.
62
61
H.Q. of 13th Div.
              20 Div
 

50.  HZ.   29.   30.   28
H.Q. 10 Divn.

 

13

Chanak. 79.   80.    81.
GHQ Essad.
Yalova Yalik Abad  H8 3W.
& Anor.
181 l (Munib Bey Chift). H.Q. of Liman von S.

 

14
The whole of this cottage
Dec - 23 Worked all yesterday till dinner
& even midnight getting its various
despatches away. Ward Price is
clearly especially keen on making
this story a magnificent one -
a chef. d'oeuvre - & he cdn't
have a finer subject. The only thing
is tt few people in England will
realise what an extremely dangerous
operation it was. W. Price in a
sort of humorous way (but sincerely
for all that) envies me for having
seen the Turks come over. "The
thing tt spoils it from / journalistic
point of view," he sd, "is tt there
wasn't even a battle - a rearguard
action by the West Yorks on / beach
wd have made the story one o /
finest it could possible." I say tt battle

 

15
stories are almost commonplace
nowadays; & the spectacle of our
whole position gradually left bare to
/ Turks - w all / lights burning
as ^on every other night, & / Turkish
rifles popping off occasionally all
along / line, & / Turks in /
morning bombarding, & finally
charging, our ^now long deserted
trenches – whilst we waited
after a night of intense anxiety
waited & looked on - is as good
as any battle story.
But I am afraid it shows
tt / Turk is a most unenterprising
fighter - And yet in patrolling
& sniping he is energetic & bold
in / extreme, more so than our
Suvla troops so one of their staff
officers told me. It is his vigilance
tt is so imperfect.

 

16
[[Shorthand]]
[[Shorthand]]
Tonight comes news tt / Greeks are fighting /
Bulgarians at never on / Albanian
frontier.
Dec. 24. Nevinson, W. Rice Lawrence &
myself were going to Helles today bu
- got up miserably at 5.30 (or rather 6
for servants were v. late in calling for us)
went down to pier & waited for abt ¾
hour. The sea was pretty rough & at the
end of this time the Naval Transport
officer on / pier told us tt / trawler had
sailed without waiting for us.
We had our Xmas dinner tonight 0 - 
W. Rice went to steep afterwards beside / fire.
He & Nevinson are going back to Salonica tomorrow.
G.H.Q moves to Egypt & the ANZAC Corps has
moved there already
from Mudros.
Dec. 25 Xmas.
Lawrence & I started early for
Helles. On / pier as usual no one
knew whether / trawler 696 ws going
from / pier or whether a boat wd
go to her. ^The NTO thought she wd come to the pier. In the end Lawrence & I
saw a boat going to her - so we went
off by took no chances & went off

 

17

by it w / A.H.Q mail. It ws
as well we didnt wait for her as she
didn't come in. Any amount of men &
stuff were waiting for her but 3 boatloads
of them managed to get out to her before
/ Captain sailed.
When / captain sailed /
first thing he did ws to ram a
drifter in / middle - neither
Captain being on / bridge (& therefore
both being strangely quiet after /
accident).  All / repartee I heard
was "Are you blind?" from /
drifter abt 5 minutes after /
accident. There ws a fair sized
dint in / drifters side & we left
her looking at it.
So much for / affe efficient
navigation of which these merchant
skippers are so proud - I never
saw anything like it in / navy.
[Hand drawn sketch- see original document]
Colva or Chelmer.

 

18
Drawn at Helles
Xmas Day 1915
[Hand drawn sketch - see original document]

 

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Robyn GRobyn G
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