Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/13/1 - August 1915 - Part 2

Regm. Sergt Major Howmans
ws w  Gordon when he was hit.

9
2 Bn
of No 5 platoon Not a man came back.
km m. 2 men still in it  1 on guard
other sapping.  M^cKay hit getting out of
a tunnel at 5.30.
Objective
S. Portion of L. Pine - L. 120 yds
depth about 50 to 60.
2. 
Mines were blown up at 2 about half way across.
There was one m.g. in position when we got there.
3 guns there (2 torpedoes and one gun in position -
they had bolted with the gun)
The _^ 2 telephone wires were in 30 pieces by shrapnel.
6.40 Bn H.Q. went forward.
Telephone communication finally established about 11pm.
They have a spring gun for bomb throwing
Had one m.g. of 6 L H on left flank.
Casualties 450 (?437)
K.6.44.  W.14.248.  m.l.137. 

2nd
N of Ireland. Litt D Trin Dub.
Digges Latouche - Priest of C.E. - Desired
to come as Chaplain - when in [[shorthand]] he joined
ranks at Kenington 2 Bn. Rejected for
medical reasons but came back again.  Transferred to 13 Bn
became a sergeant.  (He told the dean of Sydney tt he ws anxious to rise
up as in [[shorthand]] from the ranks)  Diocesan [[shorthand]] from the Diocese of Sydney
& Lecturer.  Had come to Australia about 2 years before.  Well know
[[shorthand]] & Rationalist Debates.
He was transferred from 13 Bn to reinforcements for 1st
Bde.  Got back to his old battalion here.
He was hit in the charge on Parapet
& ws lying out wounded from same race.  He managed to
roll down hill out of range.  Managed to reach our own lines.
Padre went over about 4 o'clock morning after the charge
Had to run in open from trench ahead.
Taking up some rifles from the officers and men.  Padre
was hit thro his cholera belt by sniper.
Man w 3 Bn Rum (Rum [[shorthand]] at 11am, 
6 p.m.  Didn't want men to go in on [[shorthand]] courage).

10
L^t Digges _^ Latouche w these reinforcements 2 Bn arrived at
2 a.m. on 6^th were drafted to companies in morning
& at 5.30 pm were in attack.
Ws hit night afterward in T. communication trench.
Capt. Fullerton A.M.C. & 2 AMC men
went forward and worked 48 hours solid.  Attended to
all wounded in our section.
Scene in Sap -

Scobie getting into trench for some rum
to brother officer who had fallen and then flask broken to bits
and bullet inside.  He was also shot through the cap. 

220 yards Front to be attacked.
We knew overhead cover on part of trench.
Front fire trench was prepared to facilitate men getting out.
A number of mines were also exploded in front to increase cover.
Each Bn had 1 Coy in reserve.
1 Bn of 2 & 3 Bds also available for reserve.
Delay partly caused by barbed wire
2 Bn over into trench a little later than 3 & 4
Got as far south as R5.
7 7.5 pm enemy began c. attack from N & S.
7^th. 1.30 a.m on 7^th new c. attack to 8.40 a.m.
Part of 12th had to be sent in.
1.23 p.m C. attack till 5 p.m.
8th. 0 a.m. anr counter attack
2 Bn suffered heavily.
9. 5 am another C. attack E & SE. after
first (fire) from N. Lasted till 7.45
We meant to C. attack but [[shorthand]] didn't occur.
Bombing & sniping lasted till 12 Aug.
We had now ascendancy & if
bomb supply = 2ce enemys, cd keep him down

11
1st Aust Div
[*47 was in the Pine
13^th brought against them.*]
Prelim. Bombt. 4, 5, 6. Aug.
4.30 Aug 6. Intense Bombt. 4.30 - 5.30.
K. or W. abt ½ T. troops actually in trenches when it began
Barbed wire ws destroyed but overhead covers

pract. intact
One 18 pr. placed on Art.ly Rd in exposed position brought
direct fire at point blank range - gun served
by Detachment under L^t Gatliffe
18 pdr. similarly placed for J. Jolly ws v. slow
being delayed nearly ½ hr. until officer ws induced
to remove some sandbags. Had this gun bn more effective
m.g. fire from J. Jolly wd been less dangerous.
Howitzer fire on J. Jolly ws short, many
burst near our trenches. S. half of J. Jolly firing line
a bit knocked about. N half intact
8 Batty fired fast agst enemy gun position (known)
but howitzer shooting was not continuous.
Enemys guns unaffected. 75 m/m & 6" How
bombarded our trenches heavily.
Enemys guns were very quickly served, though few.
went for our trenches - Fear of enfilading own line.
5.6. Bdier 1 Bde reports all bns in positn ready
5.30 Attack begins, T. Artillery v. quickly onto
parapet over wh Infy. advanced. - from
Turks Hump, Sandpit, C, & Scrubby Knoll
(unlocated) Not least excitement amongst
reserves or men going forward.
Serious check at enemy firing line owing to
overhead cover. Had to lie down bind sandbags.
5.42. Large bodies enemy reported retiring
from L. Pine.
[* This is
hardly
fair -
Head cover
ws too
low &
gun cdn't
be raised
to clear
parapet.*] 

By holding their rifles as below
some of our men had an advantage in working
along trenches:
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Enemy probably not surprised, but surprised
by moment of attack.

12
5.43 Report: 3 & 4 bns well into centre of positn.
6.4 . Report: 2 bn lining parados of Enemy
positn.
6.10.  Report. 3 bn reached S. end of reentrant.
Reserves from 4 Bn well in trenches.
Bayonets visible 30 yds in.
2 Bn over parados abt its centre.
Enemys Arty now very severe between trenches
scrub being fired - Teleph. communication established never less.
Reserve troops moved up to B9.
6.19 Message. Fire short & to left - on J. Jolly.
Enemy massing w fixed bayonets.
Esp. in communication trenches traversing Owen's Gully.
Heavy O.C. m.g. detachment ws notified
& heavy fire brought to bear.
6.24.  Message. Whole of 1 Bn sent in in
reply to request from L. Pine
8^th Batty firing on C. good rate of fire.
6.35.  Report "attack appears successful". Ammn &
water from crater had to cross open
zone, abt 40 yds. Bombs reported to be
not working well.
6.40.  Report Owens Gully Enemy massing
6.47  Pine Ridge reinforced from Gun Ridge -
600 Ts.
Prob. whole of reserve troops in Jolly 

13
sectn. were brought up & moved thro
Owens Gully.
6.55. All reserves exc. 120 reinfs.  1 Bn. forward
6.57. 3. Bde to send one bn to Gun Lane.
7.2. Enemy pressing in Right. Maj McKay.
Reinfs asked. Arty. asked to fire on S slopes
of Lone Pine
7.6 Messages tt enemy massing in Owens Gully
not confirmed.
7.20 - 8.45.  Enemys fire on Pimple heavy.
8.59 - Everything safe.
10.  Reports "All Safe".
W. & prisoners gradly brought thro
B9. 119 prisoners sent to Anzac.
Aug 7.  2 m.gs captured & used.
1.56 am. Col M'Naughton - "All going well".
3 Bns 47, 3 Bns 13 in front of L Pine.
Commn thro' by early morning.
Ammn, water, bombs, flares had to pass up
one narrow tunnel & over open & w. & pris.
returning. Engrs. going from crater.
No serious c-attack. Whole of 1st Bde ws
now in Pine, 12 Bn in support. 

14
Aug 7.
3rd Bde tried to keep enemy pinned to his trenches
by frequent rapid fire.
5" Hows. (69 Bde) landed several shells
in trenches of 5 Bn.
11.30 Enemy bombing. Our bomb supply
intermittent - This gt anxiety. T. supply
inexhaustible. 4 m.gs reported captured.
12.25  7 m.gs now totalled. Trenches
enfiladed from other T trenches.
1-2 p.m. Enemy clearly massing for c. attack.
1 Bn (wh taken out) sent back.
2.30  Enemy coming up commn trench. En's arty
firing.
2.56 Both flanks hard pressed. Attack entirely bombs
3.50 Attack eases. But still intense.
4.53 Attack on left seemed to h. failed.
Ships fire valuable.
5.25  J.Jolly trenches full. Enemy apparently brought
up whole of 13 Regt as well as 47.
Connaught Rangers brought up in reserve.
(v. fine bn. physically. mostly ex-service men)
Slackening in attack; then new bomb attack
at 7 p.m.
8 p.m. Questn of bomb supply from Anzac
serious. 

15
8 Aug.  Bombing whole night - still attacking at 5 a.m.
We had vacated one portion of 30 yds & another
of 10 yds.
5.50 - 6.50 attack constant. Enemy shelling
line N & S of L. Pine.
8.32  Further T. in Legge Valley attack 4 Bn.
Temporarily took one trench but thrown out again.
9.15  7 Bn put in. Dead still in trenches.  [[Shorthand]] appalling
but men steady.
10.25 Partial Lull. More Turks moved up.
N Z Arty did good work.
Clearing of trenches begun.
7.15 p.m. 3 Bn attacked part of enemys trench &
carried it by 8. linking up w 4 Bn.
11  Situatn fairly quiet.
9 Aug.
4.15  Ts began again - Heavy rifle fire
from J. Jolly. & bombs thrown but situation
easier.
Few T.s got in at S. end.
7 & 12 Bns brought up (7 on right) 7 suffered
heavily.
6.39. 4^th Bn reported we had gained upper
hand in bombing.
6.42  Reported Ts losing heavily 

16
7.37  as enemy seemed demoralised & our men's
spirits good  1st Bn ws sent in to reinforce
w view to c. attack.
8.45  5 Bn sent 2 Coys to L. Pine
3 Bn taken out.
9.40  Small parties of Ts seen retreating
from L.P.
11.28  Part of 1 Bn under Capt Sasse surrounded
& K. 20 Ts who attacked S.W. angle
11.56 . Easier but out of bombs.
12.25  Turks still near S.W, angle.
12.35  Bombs recd. 7 Bn holding on
but suffering heavily.
4.19  1 Bn capt. 40 yds of Commn trench leading
to Owens Valley - Capt Sasse &
Shout w 8 men killing 8 Ts.
4.55 Sq. of L.H. from 2 L H B sent to
L.P.
6.3  Enemy ceased shelling positn.
10 Aug.  Attacks irregular - T. artillery fire on
L.P. frequent
Counter attacks continuous from 6 am on
Aug 7 to 12 pm on Aug 9. (72 hrs)
T. losses v. severe. 

17
T. losses.
31 July.    Leane's Trench.  over 300
4 Aug.    Bombardment            400
5     __________________________ 600                                         
6   _________Leanes Post ______400
6 }
7 }
8 }   Lone Pine.  2 cos in attack  

9 }   600.
10}   5000 men & c. att. 2600

say 2000
Bombardments
G O T.
J. Jolly.  600
________
4,900
________ 

17a
7 Bn Sund. miday to Mond night
in that time lost 360-70 men.
From Bennett (I am fairly sure this was
his account). C.E.W.B. 18.1.24.
G.O.T. 6 Bns Orders.
100 agst snipers post on rt.
300 agst G.O.T.
Forward line 50 covering force.
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
50 to block destroy &
bomb communication trenches
with special bomb shields
200 agst G.O.T.
Covering force ws to go over top & hold
back c.attack over top (as shrapnel unlikely)
Cmmn trenches were all destroyed at sides, & 2 men
communcation trenches to rear (both w overhead cover).
2 parties to look for trenches communicating
w snipers post or Courtneys.
There ws a rehearsal tt day - abt 10 minutes
to get in.
Shells had burst in trenches. Block on communication
trench.  Mines at
11 .(supposed to be big one 200 lbs)
did no damage
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
11.15 to 11.30.
Last minute 11.40. Men were not to be
in tunnels until last mine finished. Explosions
pretty heavy bombardment on to the main trenches. This shook
in tunnels.   Att supposed to be midnight.  Waited to get everyone in
position - 12.45 - 3.45.  Wounded coming back into tunnels

18
G.O.T. 7 Aug.
12.45 am. O.C. 2 Bde reports communication w 6 Bn.
broken but O.C. 8 Bn reports attack delayed.
cause unknown. Men ready in tunnels.
1. am. G O C orders 6 Bn. to move at once
1.16. Reported exit fr delay due to blocking
of tunnels.  Tunnels blocked by enemys gun fire.
Exit impossible.
2 Bde ordered to reorganise & attack
promptly.
2.20 Orders sent for party of 100 men to be folld by
second & if necessary 3rd party to attack G.O.T.
3.50 L^t Col Bennett ordered to attack in compliance w instructions
4.10. Report from 2 Bde Attack on G O T failed
again.
4.23  Instructions  to 2 Bde to reorganise another attack promptly.
4.50 Cancelled. Withdraw 6 Bn &
reorganise & steady it.  Make arrangements to make another attack but
don't do so until ordered.
8.25. Orders to 6 Bn to continue reorganisation
9.34  Report received from 2 Bde as to reinforce 5 Bn & 7 Bn
[[shorthand]] G.O.T. but 6 Bn not strong enough
to relieve them.  Recommend 7 for GOT.
Jackson (L^t) on left - got wounded in second rush
walking up & down beckoning men forward.
Prisk, best man chosen, ws first out & back w.
within 30 seconds. Casualties abt 150.
[*Jackson hit first by bullet - cheering men on - then hit in leg w bomb
& _^ terribly smashed - carried in & put thro' tunnel. M.G. fire from J. Jolly & Quinns.