Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/22/1 - December 1915 - Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066678
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

19 my request either today or tomorrow, Healso sd to Ross & I were for the Grafton - the same shif wh is taking the commandiy officers ofartillery - Johnson & Anderson Capt. Boyle had sd t Honeysickle ao ratu small. There has be produced - as one wo sure there wod be - a dlevice for firing a rife after antomaticall after we have left- to two bully beeftens full of water & a bit of string. It will pull I trypr as late as 20 menates ater it has been left. They wd use damaged rifles. I saw the Engineers Sth by yeity burning their rifles, picks. shovels, tubuy, breaking the samps. I smached my home made furniture myself + paba knife through I waterproof sheeks when I lef my dujont. Some how I don'l like to think ot fanniture as a curiosity in some Turkich officers home. ordnance
+ & a salvoor two on Russills top 20 has got offits ond rifles (they are worth (12 I believe); but desered clothing is being torn up & left behieve. The Turks wd find it full of vermen anyhow. For teeB. see small black dlary. De 19. Rot th Ros if t The last day, I was not wated lastnight - so knew that notiing had happened since 30c. All the troops for night the were clear by. G. am And here is Anzac today lookin exactly I same as it always has done - with incincrator fires going dreaminy & 1 by fere still smaking. There was a 5 minutes straffe on Hill 60 after daytight, + at Wam. the Tarks burshg few hy shell on Platean 400 - rethr after aute- aircaf gan or the 1pdion Philleps top wh was shelling Ichessboars One of our old 5in howilzers ws manfully stelting the chessboard battleshog Hill - some of ourgans are
+ it made one veryfidget abt feebdurin 1 Padres sermon (wh e aboutt Christinas Days sat next), quite close down to I Beach but the ones of Phillips top & on Russells toke where Ileves are so close to wrks - &t old 5 hourtzers stuget whose sights are too Thaky to allow them to be used io sapite will have to be lett - we shall dests oy them first as best we can I went t poor old Ross to Hospital Stuy. Duntace Castle. He wa so seedy today to doctor had him put of immediately he got up. He has a temperatirn looks like paratyphoid & there is nowhere on these shypps to put a sick an wtcnIshipts inaction. Durny Church - we have church on Sundays to I church bettringing fast as in an English villag in this surprising navy I thought I heard some riftfiring more than I desultory shop or two wh eondering t day but I thint I was wrong there is noting whatever
unnormal today - Everyone on this ship says so. 11.50 wrks are terowin a heavy shell into Lala Baba - but they have often dack done it before 5 or 6 bursts in 10 mamules. 12.30 At Lunch co I Capt. ge Jastas we were enjoying some very good roast beet off a beautibel dem cot a grutl beardt yoman of signals came in t handed Capt frace a messap. "15t das. Dwwn reports lage body of eneny moving northwards from S. of keled Bahr "iran. grafton well move south o enpap them? there ws a sort of strained silence for a moment. (Gln. Johnson& Maj. Asderson were tuching thert). Thel captain cent a messag to Bridge - ship to sleam S. at half speed mcanwale, ast for the Squart. Ihen went be at on to tunct. Id have ttought were of it if it had bu in I first week of theres thas to remember anday sd gent. Those wit be new observers od Anderson of ther to movement on t road - I we always know it well ship steame south fired The
D A 4m fun pooped off at us once, & we moved-It seems carious at first how quickly thes ships move when tevemy fires at thim bute a chip is not like a truih. Iit is a very vinble crowded barrack room w then vrow walls+ any shell bursting in it almost alway hunto somebody- one shell in this in gan proped Shep K. 10 & W 27. over fur pap about a dozen shells from her forward Si Bl. gun. since then we have bn quiety crcling tnother mersage same cn 2030. from suota. One of our sennaces too been uttert desabled. Can you land as you cltam boad for towiy tont attors The steamboat has now small coming from her finnely A trimendous bombardment 2015 Maitt by Trench fans has boten out at Hells Edgar, 3 beg monit are helping w balon ship. Fe noise ts tremend ous. I sappose we want to persuads them it we are attacting tere the roar is quite antaads 3.co purfering still yoing. Cd sn. T. stinap. at abt 8.50 ovr ourtrenches in salvoes I thought I cosee aman but cont be sure. At 31 ahostile acreplane reported over anrots Ihas turned much clder. The felly those by blackshills at Surta abt lanchtine is abt out unnsual sign on 1 parto 1 wiks
To anch Fiist wight TableF to anchod by Capan totake -stip tat plan 2000 2000 Mars. Mars. No Beach 700 1000 800 I NE Ermine 51. Abbasist 1,500 1200 S. Beack Botth 700 marke 5 trawters 1,250 hantire 470 100 Wea. N.T. Carron 1000 $1,0002 2 Nr Hagel 1000 1000 Bead Se Elkahira 1500 1200 1200 3200 EB. The first t lighter to leave ABeach 15, on ter enttrip to put 200 into each troop carries Carion & Haget. to auchor by 1. am Prince Abbas 1500 1600 1600 N. Beach. NI. Beach S.l Hervic 1000 800 1200 12. Rundeer 500 400 2800 157 Note troop carriess to sail as soon as the have on board the number of troops allothe to them, but not besore; Rememberny 400 ench motin lytle
E 5 D Brightong 2 tranler to stop & tayo 2 steamboa Beay weat of Are 4 Cutle soats then to shore as if proceeding to sunker 156 Mils & when close to the troop carries to tur to the south ward 120 men to be brought off together, with small beach party there will 2ad Mgbut table & to andorby Jor herdon ship caping to take sean N. Beach. Mars. Mars 2000 2000 2800 Sr Ermine 1000 800 1500 1200 1200 51 Abbasiet S. Beach 4000. to ducton by 10.0.p. 1000 1000 H. Beach Mr Carron 2000 1000 1000 N2 Hazel 1500 1600 S Beach S1. El Kahira 2000 400.3 500 S2 Rundier t000 KB. The first to lighter to leave N Beach is on her second brif to put 200 into each troop Carrias mron agll. 15 Anchorby 1am. N. Beach NI. Prince Abbor 1500 1200) 2000 800 1000 N2. Heroie Brton tyme Der a0 & beachpartle Beach, Wil. Aft C trawlers & steamboats forflanking parties, to arrive off Hemak. Were (3hawlers at midnight approach Of Hem tere4steambeator shore as if steaming to 8catters unken Mil & whenclose to troop carruee at ancho to turn to the Northward 240 me the brought off togeters the small beach par tere coming with thi
Note Care to be taken be Sheps occupyeng 52 berth that they to not auchor to the southward of New berth W2C NI 6 MARS O S1 O S2:C Rest Sreent Worth Beachkers Redw 800 B Red. W O/ South Beath Pier
maguificent to com to kephalo 2 At Lavla Omanich Privcess End Barry Redbreast Rowar Snaefett in receive ot Rephalo. Skerwishn Sentevel PrivceEdward Queen Viclonia Capt. Hon ADS. H. Boylmns in Honey suckle superinluding at Anzac. t5 notor lyplers 12 steambouts 12 ltters or wanspts Aifcboats to e taken to kephats from Madros by 7Dec All saola twops to Kephalo Exc 5000 lt nght. Tuola. 10500 ptnylt 10,000 and hight Auz ac. 40000 15t ut 4000 2nd at Etnwin VC N. 10. Suola. Capt Cn Staveley Anyie HuyacCon 9 graf Beatt Talbot Basitisti Hector Rattlesnake Hrmber. Colve thetwer. 415 116 Wellon left flank, Ralllesake on flank Beagle on tept flank but near to crafton
at alte in receive tatbot Hunber 4/13, MI totre, ceta Bacitist tthee out on ny to deax Rayton Aberc Thos Picton to alact Hetty of ordered. otherwise usual actiont It may wounded aft ships not to fin next day (olonding Otherwise to fere onstores & on turles. Diary Cout, Drc. 19 The movement of to oops from Kilit Batie we mot legond 246 Wotpion by an acroptanc & coo not contirnued 45. The sun has set - moon one night off full-sky a good dealbughty than last nynt but not bulliantly clear- a tow mut seems to be goterg outbeach fn reichlihtst be uncovd tomyel 7 pm. Mars has gone in very bripe night 5.10. Mars a din shapt going offttrs I durnhess to the south. only good men left i splended Tiri quite rormal. Moon so bright it I can racily read what I write moon perfect. 7 carron off or at any rate some. tony dark woope to cleirly behind the hospital ship

19
my request either today or tomorrow.
He also sd tt Ross & I were for
the Grafton - the same ship wh
is taking the commanding officers
o / artillery - Johnson & Anderson
Capt. Boyle had sd tt / Honeysuckle
ws rather small.

There has bn produced - as
one ws sure there wd be - a device
for firing a rifle after automatically
after we have left _ w two bully 
beef tins full of water & a bit of
string. It will pull / trigger as
late as 20 minutes after it has 
been left. They wd use damaged
rifles.

I saw the Engineers 5th Coy
yesty burning their rifles, picks,
shovels, tubing, breaking the
pumps. I smashed my home 
made furniture myself & put a
knife through / waterproof
sheets when I left my dugout.
Somehow I dont like to think o t
furniture as a curiosity in some
Turkish officers home. Ordnance

 

[Diagram - see original scan]
x A salvo or two on
Russells Top.

20
has job of bits old rifles (they are
worth £12 I believe); but disused
clothing is being torn up & left
behind. The Turks wd find it full
of vermin anyhow.

For Dec 18. see small black diary.

Dec 19. Robs told Ross ill today

The last day. I was not waked
last night - so knew that nothing
has happened since 3 o'c. All the troops for
the ∧night were clear by 4.a.m.

And there is Anzac today
looking exactly / same as it always
has done - with incinerator
fires going dreamily & / big fire
still smoking. There was a 5 minutes
straffe on Hill 60 after daylight, &
at 10 a.m. the Turks burst a few fairly heavy
shell on Plateau 400 - either after /
anti-aircraft gun or / 18 pdr on
Phillips Top wh was shelling / Chessboard.
One of our old 5 in guns howitzers ws
manfully shelling the chessboard &
battleship Hill - some of our guns are

 

& it made one very fidgety abt /
feet during / Padre's sermon (wh
ws about Christmas Day ) - Sat next).→

quite close down to / Beach but
the ones of Phillips Top & on Russells
Top where / lines are so close to /
Turks - & two guns old 5" howitzers
whose sights are ^almost too shaky to
allow them to be used w safety
will have to be left - we shall
destroy them first as best we
can.

I went with poor old Ross to /
Hospital Ship Dunluce Castle.
He ws so seedy today tt /
nxxx doctor had him put off immediately
he got up. He has a temperature
wh looks like paratyphoid & there is
nowhere on these ships to put a sick
man when / ship is in action.

During Church - we have church on Sundays
w / church bell ringing just as in an
English village in this surprising navy
- we I thought I heard some rifle firing
more than / desultory shot or two wh
goes on during / day ⇡
 - but I think I was
wrong - There is nothing whatever

 

unnormal today - everyone on this ship
says so.
11.50 Turks are throwing a heavy shell
into Lala Baba - but they have often
done it before - 5 or 6 ^black bursts in 10
minutes.
----
12.30 At lunch w / Capt. message
Just as we were enjoying some very good
roast beef off a beautiful clean cloth a gruff
bearded yeoman of signals came in & handed
Capt Grace a message. "1st Aust Divn reports
large body of enemy moving northwards from
S. of Kilid Bahr" it ran. "Grafton will
move south & engage them."

There ws a sort of strained silence
for a moment. (Gen. Johnson & Maj. Anderson
were lunching there).

The captain sent a message to /
bridge - ship to steam S. at half speed -
meanwhile ask for the Square ^on / map. Then we
went we went south on w lunch.

xxxxxx "I'd have thought more
of it if had bn in / first week of /
landing," sd / Genl. "∧There's this to remember Those will be
new observers" sd Anderson, "& there is
always movement on tt road - as we
know it well."

The ship steamed south & fired
 

 

A 4 in gun pooped off at us
once & we moved. It seems curious
at first how quickly these ships
move when / enemy fires at them -
but one a ship is not like a trench or
^dugout - it is a very visible crowded
barrack room w thin iron walls &
any shell bursting in it almost always
hurts somebody - one shell in this
One 4 in gun pooped
ship k. 10 & w 27.

about a dozen shells from her
forward 6 in BL. gun. Since then 
we have bn quietly circling.

2.30  Another message came in
from Suvla. "One of our pinnaces has
been utterly disabled. Can you lend
us you steamboat for towing tonight."
The ^Graftons steamboat has now smoke issuing 
from her funnels.

2.15 A tremendous bombardment
mostly by French guns has broken
out at Helles. Edgar, 3 big monitors
are helping w balloon ship. The noise
is tremendous. I suppose we
want to persuade them tt we are
attacking there - the roar is quite
continuous.

3.20 pm Firing still going. Cd see T. shrap.
at abt 2.50 over our trenches in salvoes
- & thought I cd see a man running
but cant be sure.

At 3.11 a hostile aeroplane reported over
Anzac.

It has turned much colder. The falling
of those big black shells at Suvla
abt lunchtime is abt / only 
unusual sign on / part o / Turks 

 

First Night.
________
Table I
To anchor by 7 pm.

  Berth on
plan		 Ship Capacity To take  
N.Beach Mars Mars 2000 2000 2,800
N2 Ermine 1000 800
S.Beach S1 Abbasiah 1,500 1,200 1,900

Berth
marked

"trawlers"

 5 trawlers 1,250 700
          4700

To anchor 10 pm

※ N Beach N1 Carron 1000 1000 2000
N2 Hazel 1000 1000
S.Beach S1 Elkahira 1500 1200 1200
          2800
          3,200

※ N3. The first K lighter to leave NBeach is, on her
2nd trip to put 200 into each troop carrier
Carron & Hazel.

To anchor by 1 a.m.

N. Beach N1.  Prince Abbas 1500  1600  1600
S. Beach  S1. Heroic 1000 800 1200
S2. Reindeer 500 400
          2800
          10,700

Note
Troop carriers to sail as soon as they
have on board the number of troops allotted
to them, but not before; Remembering 400
come off in each motor lighter.

 

Table II  cont
The position of Embarkation at
Asmak Dere & Brighton Beach will
be marked by three white lights in form
of a triangle

[Diagram - see original scan]
The boats off Asmak Dere will
proceed to Torpedo Boat Destroyer
"Chelmer" (which will be laying to
seaward of the trawlers for troops)
After embarking their troops except
one picket boat & two cutters
which will lay off shore till just
before daybreak for stragglers &
then join Chelmer who will
escort them out of range of gun fire.

Brighton) 2 trawlers          ) Trawlers to stop & lay off
Beach     ) 2 steamboats   ) 1½ miles west of Ari
                 ) 4 cutters            ) Burnu. Boats then to
                                               approach shore as it
                                               proceeding to sunken ship
                                               Milo & when close to the
                                               troop carriers to turn
                                               to the South Ward.
120 men to be brought off together, wi the
small beach party there coming with
them.

2nd Night.

Table II
To anchor by 7 pm.

  Berth on
plan		 Ship Capacity To take  
N.Beach Mars Mars 2000 2000 2800
  N2 Ermine 1000 800
S.Beach S1 Abbasiah 1500 1200 1200
          4000

To anchor by 10.0. pm.

N.Beach N1 Carron 1000 1000 2000
N2 Hazel 1000 1000
S.Beach S1 El Kahira 1500 1600 2000
S2. Reindeer 500 400
          4000

※ N3. The first K lighter to leave N Beach is on her
second trip to put 200 into each troop carrier
Carron & Hazel.


To anchor by 1 am.
 

N.Beach N1. Prince 
Abbas		 1500 1200 2000
  N2. Heroic 1000 800
S. Beach Nil       19,600

(+ Asma Dere & Brighton beach parties abt 500 CEWB)   
---
Trawlers & steamboats for flanking parties.

Asmak Dere 3 trawlers
4 steamboats
8 cutters		 to arrive off Asmak Dere
at midnight approaching 
shore as if steaming to
sunken Milo & when close
to troop carriers at anchor
to turn to the Northward

240 men to be brought off together, with the
small beach party there coming with them.

 

[Sketch map - see original scan]

Note
Care to be taken by
ships occupying
S2 berth that they
do not
anchor to
the southward of
their berth.

 

Mars & Magnificent to come to Kephalo
At Suvla:
Osmanich
Princess Ena
Barry
Redbreast
Rowan
Snaefell

In reserve at Kephalo.
Skirmisher
Sentinel
Prince Edward
Queen Victoria.

Capt. Hon A D E H Boyle M.V.O. in
Honeysuckle superintending at
Anzac.

15 motor lighters 12 steamboats
12 cutters or transpts lifeboats to
be taken to Kephalo from Mudros
by 17 Dec.

All. Suvla troops to Kephalo
exc. 5000 1st night.
----
Suvla.  10500 1st night
              10500 2nd night
Anzac.  11 000 1st nt
               11 000 2nd nt.
Capt E. Unwin VC NTO. Suvla.
Capt CM Staveley Anzac.
----
Anzac covering sqn.
Grafton   Beagle
Talbot      Basilisk
Hector     Rattlesnake
Humber  Colne
M15           Chelmer.
M16            x
Grafton left flank. Rattlesnake on rt flank
Beagle on left flank but near
to Grafton

 

At Aliki in reserve
Talbot Hunter M13, M16
Colne, Chelmer, Basilisk.
Colne & Chelmer out on second 
night.

----
Edgar Raglan Abercrombie
Sir Thos. Picton to attack Helles
if ordered. Otherwise usual
activity.
----
If many wounded abt
ships not to fire next day (Monday)
Otherwise to fire on stores & 
on Turks.

(Diary Cont. Dec. 19)
The movement of troops from
Kilil Bahr ws reported on investigated
by an aeroplane & ws not 
confirmed.
5-45. The sun has set - moon is
one night off / full - sky a good 
deal brighter than last night
but not brilliantly clear - a
low mist seems to be gathering
on / beach.

Guns & searchlight to be uncovered
tonight.

7 p.m. Mars has gone in.
Very bright night.

8.10. Mars a dim shape going
off thro' / darkness to the South.
- only 8000 men left - splendid.
Firing quite normal - Moon so
bright tt I can easily read what I write 

moon perfect.

8.27 Carron off - or at any rate some
long dark trooper xxx seen clearly behind
the hospital ship.




                                                                                                               
 

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