Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/226/1 - Folder - Part 21

196
16.
The left flank was 2000 yards in the air.
So Major Robertson borrowed a Coy of 20th Bn and put it in
along the road. Capt. Portman commanded this Coy. They
were north of the road. The left was to have moved at the
same time. But it was uncertain. This action was taken as
soon as it was found the left had not moved.
C. Capt. Lane (D.S.O. for this) got to objective -
xxxxxxxxxxxxx hit twice - once in leg while
showing a 17th Bn L. Gunner a German
M.G. straight ahead.
Houldsworth
Harrison (M.C. for this)
Jones (in Avesell valley)
M.C.
A. Capt. Graham M.C. Owens (left)
Lt. Wilkins  Walls (left)
Lt/Duncan (died of wounds)
B. Lt. Sheath M C. killed Aug. 8 (as above)
Lt. Redgrave wounded on August 8
Lt. Sanson wounded on August 8
(left - Maxwell)
D. Lt Eldridge D.C.M. 
Capt. Lowther (left
D.S.O., M.C.
Lt. Murray (M.C. for this)
Lt. Satchell (D Coy) on August
(Those underlined were wounded on August 8th)
The casualties were heavy. There was no artillery
and the tanks were hit. The left (D Coy) had all officers
except Capt. Lowther hit. They dealth with the big Dump - teek
took an officer and 20 prisoners and 3 M.Gs out of this
Dump. The dump was valued at 5,000,000 marks by our
engineers.
Sergt Luck from Wooledoomooloo went in with
a detached party of about 6 to the Dump. They saw a German
post consisting of one officer, Sergeant major, and 20 o.r.
These were using 3 M.Gs and an anti-tank T.M. They worked
in behind them and put in a few bombs. They assembled the
Germans and at this stage the German officer, who spoke
English, called over our sergeant to attention and told him
to salute him - which he did under the chin. He hit him
under the chin, stood him to attention and marched him off.
He cleaned out the whole of the dump.
The left Coy had to deal ^ with a German M.G. which
was not in the factory but north of the road at the crossroads.
The line was drawn short of the factory in anticipation
of its being shelled - which it was. 
 

197
17.
Lt. Maxwell and Beaurevoir
(From Major Robertson)

In 3rd Oct. fight his Coy finished up with 25
men. He took it in again on Oct. 5th. He has never been
wounded and has missed only one operation (Bullecourt)
L/Cpl at Hill 60 He was taken prisoner in the Joncourt
operation and escaped again. There he captured some
prisoners and amongst them a sergeant major who peke spoke
English. This Sergeant major told him thee was another
post ready to give itself up, but afraid to come in by
themselves who wanted someone to come and get them.
Maxwell and two men went over to them and a party of 30
with an officer closed round them and disarmed them.
Maxwell always carried an automatic in his box
respirator, which they missed. Some of our shells dropped
in amongst them. Taking advantage of this he shot a couple 
of Germans and made good his escape with his men, only
losing the seat of his trousers on the barbed wire.
This was on the clearing up of the Beaurevoir

line east of Estress while they were working down the line.
5th BRIGADE - BULLECOURT (From Major McDonald 20th Bn)
Mc Donald says that what broke the 5th Bde at
Bullecourt was the shellfire before the attack. The
Germans put down a heavy barrage before their lines and 19th
Bn ran into it. 20th Bn did not know much about the start
of it. But what they saw was 19th Bn from ahead of them xx
come running back. And when troops ahead come running
back through you it is hard to stop men joining them. The
shellfire had broken up the formation completely before they
got to the German wire.
McDonald and other officers trid to reorganise
a line in frot of the German wire but it wad of little use.
The German airman who was brought down wounded
the day before by our troops was immediately surrounded by
a crowd of our infantry. The first question the less wounded
airman asked was:- What time is zero?
McDonald was in the crows "There's no zero" he said, "We
are not thinking of attacking".
"Oh, we know you are" said the German - "What
time do you start?" 
McDonald heard this himself.
 

198
18.
LANDING
Major Campbell Robertson 9th Bn landed near
old Colonel Butler. The boats were towed along by the
Queen at first. Then the Queen slowly towed her two
tows of boats in on either beam - going quietly through the
water. It was very dark.
At last an officer on the Queen said through
a megaphone - "Cast off - go in and land!" or words to that
effect/
They started off. The tow in which Robertson was
was the right hand tow in the fleet. As it went in the
naval man in charge of th it seemed to wish to make sure
of the position of the other boats. He cut in with his tow
across their front, and then came back to the right again - you
could not see the tow next you at this time.
Presently they could see the land. Everything
was going very well. It was very dark but there was the
land up above them. They all knew - the officers - that
Gaba Tepe ought to be just close on their right  - but there
was no land there. They had studied the place on a small
model on the Queen. At that moment they all realised
that something must be wrong - all the officers (so Robertson
thinks.) 
About 80 yards out a shot was suddenly fired at
them. Then two or three more. Then the hillside began
to show spasmodic rifle flashes. A flare appeared - Robertson
thinks it was on the hill, high up.
The steam boat cast them off and began firing her
M.G. The men thought this was a Turkish M.G. - most of them
were sitting huddled 1 with the bullets whistling. The men
got the oars out at about 20 yards from the beach and pulled
in.
As they landed there was a high bank in front of/x
them. It was as high as a room and something was clearly
wrong, everything seemed wrong. They tried to scramble
up this cliff but they only slipped back. Then they found
a bit of a track up it and went on up the hillside near
where the first Turkish trench was (? Ari Burna) It was
very steep but they dragged themselves up. As they went
the men behind some of them (against orders) began to fire
their rifles at the men going up the hill - some men also 
fired from the boats.
On top they extended to rush the Turks off the
top - and did kill a certain number - and there Robertson was
hit.
Old Butler was at work on the hillside - Robertson
told him he was wanted on the beach. Butler ran down
there, but presently he was up again, his forehead steaming
with perspiration, but wonderfully active.