Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/243A/1 - 1916 - 1934 - Part 10

Littlewood, and he is a working 
jeweller in Elizabeth St at present.
An hour or two later Gen McKay & Tivre
went along the duck boards and
McKay kept on saying "They'll get
used to it." They asked Major Murdock
how his company fared, and he
called out "fall in D. Co. along
the duck boards." We fell in
and Major M. said to one man
"Fall in, fall in, what are you
standing there for" "O, I'm fifteen
platoon" he said and every body
burst out laughing.
A little later on I heard someone say
that volunteers were being asked for
to go out and get a certain Captain
Mortimer who was supposed to be
lying just over the parapet badly
wounded. I offered and was given
a red cross badge for my arm, and
over I went, landing in a shell
hole and ricking my knee. I asked
two or three wounded men if they
had seen Capt Mortimer but could 

not find him. One man who was
hit in the stomach wanted a drink
but I explained that it would do
him harm and cut his haversack
off, as his tin of bully was hurting
his back. (fighting order, haversacks
on back) Next man was shot in
the testacles, which had swollen
terribly, and he borrowed my
knife and ripped his own pants
open, but wouldnt let me touch
him, his agony was so great. I
jumped as well as I could
into another shell hole, which
however was not deep enough
to hide in and heard some
one call out from the German
lines; looking over I saw a
man beckoning to me. I got up
and walked slowly towards
him, stopping once to pick up a
pair of field glasses. I stopped at
the edge of his wire, and the
following conversation took place
Fritz. What are you supposed to be doing?

I replied. "Tending wounded men"
giving them a drink, and cutting
their equipment off so they will
lie more comfortable till we can
get them in." He said "You may be
laying wires, this is not the
"usages" of war." I replied "O yes it
is" the red cross is always allowed
to work unmolested." "What did
you pick up just now?"
A pair of field glasses" "It might
have been a bomb." "Ill show
you I said, but he said
Don't put your hand in your
pocket, put your hands above
your head", I did so and stood so
for some time while he spoke through
a field telephone to his divisional
headquarters. Meanwhile, two or
three other officers stood on the fire
step, and I was asked to turn this
way and that and was photographed
at least half a dozen times. There was
absolutely no firing going on
anywhere, from the time I reached

the wire, Then the gentleman who had
called me over put his telephone
down and turned to me.
Before he could speak, I asked his
permission to lower my arms
and he laughed and said "I
forgot, your arms must be aching"
Next question was "What are those
decorations you are wearing?"
I replied, unthinkingly "Le Geurre
Afrique." He said Speak English
old chap. You were through the
African war were you? "Yes
Sir." What rank are you?
Only a private Sir" Well I want
you to go back to your lines and
ask an officer to come over here
and we will have a "parliament"
and see if we can arrange
about collecting the wounded.
Will you come back and let me
know what they say?" I promised
to, and crossed back to our
parapet. The parapet was lined with
men and I had hardly stopped before

someone fired his rifle off, I yelled "Tell
that b — fool to stop shooting, I've got
to go back yet." Capt Tracy threated to
shoot any man who fired again &
Col McArthur shouted for the word to
be passed along to absolutely cease
fire. I then explained to Col McArthur
my message, and Major Murdock
came over the top to me, and we
went back together to Fritz. It was
explained to Major Murdock that the
German Divisional Headquarters would
allow us to collect half the wounded
(nearest us) and the Germans would
collect the other half, if a senior
officer would consent to be blind
folded, taken into their trench,
under a white flag, and held as
hostage till the stretcher bearers had
completed their work. Major M.
replied that he would have to
see his superiors before agreeing
to anything and was then
requested to "turn this way." I
said "Ask him for a copy Major"

He did so, and asked where he would
send it to. Then Major Murdock
did what the reprimand instead
of a decoration was for. He said
"Major Murdock" Brighton Victoria
is sufficient. We saluted all round
and came back. As soon as M.M.
mentioned the white flag we
were told to come in. The stretcher
bearers were made to even lift
the men off the stretchers and the
men hurried in. A sharp rattle
of fire over our heads, and we
were at it again. Next day on
orders, Major Murdocks name was
altered to Weir, (one of his Christian
names), and mine to McKenzie
Why, or wherefore, I don't know &
could never find out. Next day
I was interviewed by the intelligence
officer of the Oxford & Bucks who
were on our left. and that is
the last I heard of the incident.
The O & B officer particularly wanted to know
if Fritz made any mistakes in his English

and the only two words I found fault
with, I have under lined
Usages, and parliament.
That Sir is a true account, I will
take a declaration on it if nessecary
and can find a dozen eyewitnesses
to the fact that I went over first,
and came back for an officer.
Yours faithfully
W. Miles.

In regard to the Sunray Trench stunt, the
reason Col McArthur mentions me is that
I hurt my knee again there and wanted
him to certify to this. I did not take part
in the 29^th B^attn raid there as I was
too small, height 5 3" weight (then)
about nine stone, now 7st 3. What Col.
Mc is talking about is my getting a
wounded chum out of No mans land.
We were carrying hot boxes of tucker
up to the company who relieved us
the morning after the raid. Lt.
Wortley was one of the officers, but I
dont know which company it was.
My chum, a little Jew, Max Beth
now a bookmaker at Tattersalls
Club, Melbourne couldnt get
along any farther through the
mud and climbed out of the
sap to the harder ground on top
and was instantly shot through
the chest near the right shoulder.
I cut his tunic open and put his
field dressing and my own into
the hole in his back and promised

to send a stretcher for him as soon as
we got back to supports. I reported
the matter, and went down a dug
out for a sleep. Was awakened about
four in the afternoon for fatigue
and inquired if Beth had been
brought out, was told "No, there
have been seven casualties trying
to get him." Well I could tell by
the sound of his rifle that the
sniper was very close and asked
how they had been carrying the
stretcher. When told, I pointed
out that it was exactly how a
machine gun was carried and
got permission from Capt Taylor &
Col McArthur to try another way
I pushed a stretcher over the top
let it fall and climbed after it
dragged it wheelbarrow fashion
to Beth and placed him on it.
Lt. Wortley said from the trench
"Youll draw the fire get down
out of it" I replied "Never saw
him shoot a stretcher bearer yet."

Keep your own head down though
Next minute Sgt Fisher peeped over
the top and was killed instantly
Next Cpl To Love looked over
and his steel helmet went
ten yards back. I dragged my
mate to the communication
trench where willing hands
lifted him down. Waved my
arm and jumped, hurting my
knee again. Fritz fired the
second I jumped, so he must
have seen the whole performance
As soon as I got back Dr. H.F.
Maudsley cut my gum boots off
put me to bed in a dug out
and gave me a pint pot of
rum. Company Sgt Major Hayes
came along for my regimental
number and brought a drink
from the Colonel. I slept all that
night, and till dusk the next
day. when Col McArthur ordered me
out of the line, injured.