Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/243A/1 - 1916 - 1934 - Part 24

1311.
13 August 1926.
Captain K.R. Wyllie, M.C.,
Victoria Avenue,
Unley Park,
South Australia.
Dear Captain Wyllie,
In writing the account of the Battle of Fromelles I
have mentioned that you were engaged, under Captain Gibbins's
orders, in digging, or cleaning out, a communication trench from 

the left of his position to the old German front line, and that
subsequently, during the course of the night, you were sent to
reinforce elsewhere. I know that you were eventually found,
severely wounded, near the trench across No-Man's Land. If it is
not troubling you too much, would you kindly send me a note saying
where and how you were wounded; whether the communication trench
was eventually cleaned out; and, generally, whether the facts
above mentioned are correct?
Yours faithfully,
C.E.W. BEAN 

1424.
25th September, 1926.
Captain K.R. Wyllie, M.C.,
Victoria Avenue,
Unley Park,
South Aust.
Dear Sir,
In writing the chapters of the Official History
dealing with Fromelles, I am most anxious to do justice to
the late Captain Gibbins by giving an accurate account of his
last fight.
If you could see your way to jot down for me a few
notes on the enclosed map, showing, as far as you remember,
the trenches along which he attacked, together with a note of
what happened at each point, I should be greatly obliged.
Captain Pinkstone tells me that Gibbins also attacked towards
the right over the top. Will you tell me if you have any
recollection of this;  also whether Gibbins made his bombing
attacks in the trenches, along the parapet, or from
Nomansland?
Yours faithfully,
C. E. W. BEAN
Official Historian.

F.4151
xxxxxx
1201.
6 July 1926.
N.A. Robinson, Esq.,
Rathgar,
South Grafton.
Dear Sir,
I understand that you were with Captain Gibbins during
his last fight at Fromelles, the story of which I am at present
writing. Would you be so good as to inform me whether the
several bombing attacks, in which Sergeant Anson, Captain Gibbins,

Lieutenant Chapman, and yourself were engaged in the
morning, occurred in the old German front trench or in the
second line? I enclose a sketch showing the trenches (many of
them water-filled) in the area at that time. If you would give
me the benefit of your recollection of these attacks, jotting
down anything that you happen to remember, and marking the
position on the sketch, I should be greatly obliged.
Yours faithfully,
C.E.W. BEAN
P.S. I have marked on the sketch what I
believe was Gibbings's position with a
circle in blue pencil. After daylight a
party was seen proceeding along the front
of the old German front line and throwing
bombs into it. Could this have been one of
Gibbings's counter-attacks?

1423
24th September, 1926.
N.A.Robinson, Esq.,
Rathgar,
South Grafton,
N.S.W.
Dear Sir,
In writing the chapters of the Official History
dealing with Fromelles, I am most anxious to do justice to the
late Captain Gibbins by giving an accurate account of his last
fight.
If you could see your way to jot down for me a few notes
on the enclosed map, showing, as far as you remember, the trenches
along which he attacked, together with a note of what happened
at each point, I should be greatly obliged. Captain Pinkstone
tells me that Gibbins also attacked towards the right over the
top. Will you tell me if you have any recollection of this;
also whether Gibbins made his bombing attacks in the trenches,
along the parapet or from Nomansland ?
Yours faithfully,
C.E. W. BEAN
Official Historian. 

F. 4151
Tel. - City 10900-  Ex. 81.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
HISTORIAN,
TUGGRANONG, FEDERAL TERRITORY

Via QUEANBEYAN, N.S.W.
No. 1312.
VICTORIA BARRACKS, SYDNEY.
13 August 1926.
Lieutenant C.T. Agassiz,
39, Forbes Street,
Newtown.
Dear Agassiz,
I have mentioned the facts which you told me, and
enclose copies of the pages in question. Would you kindly
note in the margin if they are in any way incorrect, and let
me have them back?
On searching through the casualty lists and lists of
prisoners we find that Reay and Grimes appear together, but
cannot identify "Driscoll" of the 55th Battalion; and I think
that your memory must have slipped you up as regards the name
of this man. The Driscoll captured by the Germans was unquestionably
of the 8th Machine Gun Company (and originally a
31st Battalion man). I would much like to get the name of
this chap whom you mentioned. If you happen to be near the
Barracks any day, either I or my staff can show you the whole
list of killed, wounded, and missing of the 55th Battalion,
and you might be able to spot the name from among them; or
else it is possible that you may have some other way of refreshing
your memory. If so, I should be most grateful if you
could think over the names again.
Yours sincerely,
C.E.W. Bean. 

[[pp. A.n.d.?]]

Dear Capt. Bean
After a search of my
own records I find the man's name
was Gribben - 8 Reinf. to 3rd batln & his
no 2723? The rest is quite o.k. but
I am sorry I misled you.
Forgiven? Yes. Cheerio -
Yours sincerely,
Cecil T Agassiz 

F. 4151
xxxxx
1314.
13 August 1926.
Brigadier-General H.E. Elliott, C.B.,C.M.G.
D.S.O.,D.C.M.,V.D.,
The Senate,
Melbourne.
Dear Elliott,
I am taking the liberty of sending you part of the
typescript of the chapters dealing with the operations of your
brigade in the Battle of Fromelles, and should be very grateful
if you would look through it and let me know whether, so far as
you are aware, it is (1) generally, and (2) literally, accurate.
I should also be pleased to have any notes and comments which
occur to you.
Yours sincerely.
C.E.W. BEAN

CLM/DMJ.
IMPERIAL WAR GRAVES COMMISSION.
Any further communication on this
subject should be addressed to--
"THE SECRETARY,"
and the following number quoted:-
SSP/4995/938.

82, BAKER STREET,
LONDON, W.1.

5th November, 1928.
My dear Thorn,
You will remember asking me at the dinner
about the Australian burials at Fromelles. I enclose
a copy of the investigation note made by the clerk
dealing with the German Burial List in March 1926, which
I think will make the whole thing clear.
The Germans discovered two big packets of
effects, and they sent the list of names which contained
194 Australians out of a total of 250 names. Of the
latter, seven have graves or Special Crosses in several
Cemeteries, and the conclusion was that the Effects List
could not refer to the entries for unknowns supposed to
have been buried in Trench Graves 2 - 8 according to the
German Burial List.
The Australians killed during the Fromelles
action of July 1917 were specially considered for
commemoration, and the result was that approval was given
for the erection of a Special Memorial at V.C. Corner
Cemetery, commemorating 1300 Officers, N.C.O's and Men
who were lost in the Fromelles action. The assumption
is that ^nearly all the Australian burials are accounted for as
unknowns in various concentration Cemeteries, and in any
case the names are receiving commemoration.
I/

I hope this is what you want.
Yours sincerely,
[[?]]
G.B. Thorn, Esq.
(Chief Registration Officer),
Central European District,
Head Office,
St. Omer,
FRANCE.

COPY.
SSP/4995/938.
CDEW/40240.
CDEW/40338.
The G.B. List for FROMELLES FIELD GRAVES originally
shewed:
21 Unknown British......Trench Grave 17d.
248    "                  "          Trench Graves 2 to 8.
Subsequently a Supplementary schedule was received
shewing 12 names and 9 unknowns, being identical with the
21 Unknowns on the original List.
Investigation resulted in the erection of Vendresse
XX to the 12 names in Cabaret Rouge B.C.
Regarding the 248 Unknowns in Trench Graves 2 to 8
Berlin found that two large packets of British Effects, with
lists of names were sent through the 6th German Army in July
and August, 1916, with the information that all the men in
question had been killed on 19.7.16 in the vicinity of
Fromelles.
These Lists comprised 250 names, and were submitted
by Berlin as referring to the 248 Unknowns buried in Trench
Graves 2 to 8 (the particulars of 4369 Dr. G.A. TAYLOR, R.
Warwick Regt., and 2497 Sgt. W.H. WHITE, R. Warwick Rgt., were
included in these Lists.
On investigation at the time, however, it was
found that 6 of these names were fully reported in as many
different Cemeteries, and consequently it was concluded that
the mames submitted did not refer to the Unknowns originally
shewn on G.B. List for Trench Graves 2 to 8.
Further, it was ascertained that the 248 Unknowns
were concentrated into AUBERS RIDGE B.C. (SSP/4989 attached
refers).
The present-day position in regard to the 250 names
is as follows:-
1 Reported in Douai C.C.
1         "           "  Heath M.C.
1         "           "  Railway Farm New M.C.
1         "           "  Cabaret Rouge B.C.
1         "           "  Hamburg Cem. (Ger.)
1         "           "  Neiderzwehren Cem. (Ger.)
1 Provl.X        "  Rue Du Bois M.C.

1         "           "  Rue Petillon M.C.
1 Specl.X       " Cabaret Rouge B.C.
1 Specl.Meml. Pont du Hem M.C.
Of the remaining names (the majority of which
belonged to the A.I.F), 161 of the A.I.F. are to be
commemorated on Missing Memorial in V.C. Corner Australian Cem.
(Fromelles).
In view of the uncertainty as to the burial place
further investigation regarding the outstanding names
(including Dr. TAYLOR and Sgt. WHITE) is hopeless, and "No Trace"
action only can be suggested, please.
(Sgd) A.H.Gosling.
R.l.b.
9.3.26.

H/MR
L12/11/5053
7th March, 1934.
Dear Sir,
I have to thank you for your let ter of the 3rd
February which having been re-addressed from Canberra only
reached this office to-day.
I am indebted to you for the account you have
furnished of your experiences in the Battle of Fromelles
and in particular to the action of the 14th Field Coy.
Engineers in that engagement. This is undoubtedly a most
interesting record and will make a welcome addition to the
national collection. A copy is being made available to the
Official Historian.
Please permit me to again thank you for your
generous response to the War Memorial's appeal for the
records of your war service.
Yours faithfully,
Director.
S. K. Donnan, Esq.,
Irrigation Commission
MULWALA. N.S.Wales.
Mr. Bazley.
For information.
I am enclosing a photostat copy of a letter which has
been received from S. K. Donnan which covers certain aspects
of the Battle of Fromelles. Apparently Mr. Donnan undertook
on a previous occasion to supply you with an account of his
experiences in that battle.
[[A?]] 
Director.

Sapper S.K. Donnan 14th F. Coy Engrs - a surveyor
(later an air mechanic in Aust Flying Corps)