Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/13/1 - August 1915 - Part 1

AWM38

Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/13/1
Title: Diary, August 1915
Includes reference to Lone Pine, German
Officers’ Trench, Otago Mounted Rifles
Regiment, New Zealand Infantry Brigade,
Gurkhas and POWs.
AWM38-3DRL606/13/1

Diary 13.
AUG 6-9.
battery 1st month
13
Original   DIARY NO. 13.
AWM38   3 DRL 606 ITEM 13 [1]
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

My dear son  I [[shorthand]] you from your dear [[shorthand]] and I
pray that God may protect you and bring you back to us.
If you ask about our eyes we are quite well.
We are daily praying that God shall give us the victory over the infidel people.
(Love from cousins, & neighbour Ali & all house
of Osman).
May God protect you from all danger and keep you in good health.
Your mother Hannam.

Mehemet & Mustafa your neighbours always ask about you
send you their love.  Don't worry about us  We are quite well and always
let us know how you are getting on.  Don't keep us in anxiety.
(2 letters from Turkish parents
to son at front - obviously
written by friend)
 

Diary 13.
Aug 6-9.
1 shell near Ind. mountain battery 1st month
20 mules k (incl 3 horses)
20 wounded mules & ponies (2 ponies)
Men 7 k. 8 badly wounded.
Beachy Bill
Aug. 12. All Ts. innoculated against
sm. pox, cholera & Typhoid -
we found their certificates
Diary 13.
Aug 6/9 & some prisoners'
statements: (obtained about
Aug 15-20.)

1331  [[shorthand]] (add 13 days - solar)
1333 lunar
 

2
Photos of heroes.
In this war officers and men who have been killed
in execution of distinguished service and those officers and men
who become martyrs fighting for their country and of whom
photos can be procured - such photos
should be sent to HQ with all particulars known about them in
order that everyone be registered in the appropriate quarter.
This is required by the commander of the N. Army 30 July 1915
Turks call this battle of Ari Burnu
5 Aug.  Todays password is "Balloon".
Tonight enemy at 9.55 blew in on trench beside front of
125th regiment  The explosion took place about 30 metres away
from our firing line and caused no damage.  The patrol which came
out of the 125th xxx and made a patrol of the enemy and bombs were
exchanged on both sides.  Heavy firing was continued on our front but
lasted very little.  Enemy several times opened fire
From our front we replied.  The attack [[shorthand]] by the enemy on trenches No 76
was repulsed.  At 9.30 enemy fired star shells on hole between
yeshil ridge and Kul Tepe and attempted to attack a
section with fixed bayonets.  This attack was repulsed with heavy losses.

On the Caucasus we repulsed an attack on our right
wing with heavy losses.  Another attack also was repulsed.
On the 1st Aug. we captured about 100 prisoners many rifles and a
great quantity of supplies and ammunition.  Nothing of importance in the southern
command.
Fighting in Galicia & Poland is going successfully
for the German and Austrian troops where the Russians are retreating.  Plus communicated also
the fact that Warsaw has fallen.  Details as to the fall have not yet
come to hand.  O.C. 16^th division Col. Rushti.
communicated above to O.C. 125, etc.
Letter begins
My spirit, my heart, light of my eyes, my brother Youssef.
3

3
2 Bn.
2nd Bn. B Co. out of tunnel  } 5.30
C over parapet.      } prac. together
D Co over parapet as soon as possible
A reserve.  Didn't come until about 6.40.
B Co and part of C went right over into commn
trench & second line of trench.  Stood on parados
& shot Ts retiring.
Probably one of captains in B Coy went further
ahead & got cut up. He is still missing.  And that company
suffered.
Hand drawn diagram – see original document
Sent 2 men down each of trenches from
A towards F. Put barricades about 2 yards down the trench.
By 6 pm had barricaded retaining wall of trench.
Left us pretty well alone whilst doing this
Next day
sometimes sniped & bombed

4
2 Bn
They came back & bombed on Frid. night
but we were digging hard. We got
sandbags onto reverse slope of trench &
dug firesteps - but no overhead cover
& no a little wire netting on Sat morning at
extreme rt hand corner.
Used additional troops digging and simply had to
walk over dead.

Saturday 12.30 Turk had bombed
from X to Y so persistenly that Col. Scobie
decided to withdraw from portion between X & Y. He ws in
this trench arranging retirement when he ws struck by
a bomb & killed. (West Maitland)
old S.A. We fixed up barricades at X & Y
& made new fire trench Y to Z meaning
to join Z to X if we could not recapture
XY. We got reinforcements from 12 Bn Sat afternoon
& _^ from 1 Bn 8 p.m. We were being attacked all this time.
Dont think Turks got into XY.  Turks cd bomb
it from about 5 different points. We held on bombing
back and throwing a tremendous [[shorthand]]. We captured 60 of their
own bombs & threw them back.

Sat Night hung on & bombed all night

5
2 Bn
On Sund morning same. Lane wounded, Sass k wd., 
Cook
Sat. morning 12 to 12.30. Capt. Payin: The
m.g. officer had been killed, Sergt wounded before & not
there, all m.g. attachments exc. privates were k or
w. They had been on right flank.  During this attack Capt. J.H.F.
Pain finding that the m.g. could not be brought into action
otherwise took charge of the m.g. had it hoisted
on shoulders of 3 men who shot from the
overhead cover already built by the Turks.  The tripod
was on the mens shoulders  Nichol, Montgomery,
Goudemy. So as to enable it to shoot from the top
of the overhead cover. Payne Pain stood on a firestep
head & shoulders out fully exposed & used
the gun down communication trenches preventing the Turks coming
up.  During this he used about 3 full belts 750
rounds.  Gun was hit by a bullet, & put out of action.
one of men was same bullet hit Pain on
head, k. Montgomery. Had to
get gun down. P. wanted to go back again
when [[shorthand]] went [[shorthand]] but it was then found he had a bullet through
the shoulder.  Many people spoke to him about exposing

6
2 Bn
himself.
Sund morning 5 am. Stevens got up
on the Parapet of new line & straight down
S ws trench C full of Turks which were absolutely
enfiladed. We got up over parapet and fired into
them.  We must have hit a lot - 12 or 15 men
shooting for all worth. Turks in B were
firing rifles held high in air (Ts w
white skull caps).
At 4.30 we were relieved.  We had [[shorthand]] a lot all day
On Sunday morning we could see Turks going
down Surprise Valley to S. carrying
rifles & kit - & sniped at them.
Sat morning we got them coming out of the trenches [[?]].
7000 rounds of m g belted. Dug out w
mat, fine coat, box of bombs, hookah
sever. 100 rifles. Maps, Very's signal
pistol, blankets, gt coats. Many
Turks wear [[shorthand]] sandals.

Antiquated homemade bomb thrower.

7
2 Bn
7 Bn relieved us. They lost v. heavily.
M.G. from J. Jolly hit a lot of our men
on parapet in the back of the head.
(7^th Bn)
Hand drawn diagram – see original document
This would be put through the
sally porte
and fired at Turks.
Sometimes it would only go 3 yards and Corpl Daly
had to rush out and put out the fuse.
Col. wd ask: "How many bombs have you got there Daly?"
Daly:  "[[Sure?]] xx I have only to smother them if they go over a [[shorthand]]"

8
2 Bn
Hooper would have been recommended for the Military Cross.
She Someone spoke to him when he was playing with a bomb.

Shout was lighting 2 bombs [[shorthand]].
2 Bn went back on Monday 4.30 went
in and relieved 4th. (M'Naughten was down)
Sq. of 7 L H Coy of 12 Bn (115)
It ws scavenging - not much fighting -
additional sniping, all advantage with us.
Stayed till Wed, (one man on Wed morning
got 10, another 4.  They were coming up and down the gully)
Bit of Bombing from E. but. no fighting.
Trenches about 150 yds away
D Coy in communication trenches.
22 officers 581 men started out.
Stevens commanded eastern column with signallers.