Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/227/1 - Folder - Part 5

236.
At the valley short of Malakoff Wood they met several wounded
Americans coming back, who said that the Americans had gone
on about three miles - but the Colonel knew this was
impossible on account of the fire concentrated on that
valley. These men themselves were hit near Malakoff Wood
just east.
Just after this H.Q. was established, D Coy, began to
work through to the Hindenburg Line just north of Malakoff
Wood. As they went they struck artillery fire, and both
the Coy. commander, Capt. Bremner, and Lieut. Gaze were
wounded. This Coy, was the last through. Col. Clark then
informed Bde. that tempy. H.Q. had been established there and
that they intended moving forward half an hour later; they
got there at 9 and were going to move at 9.30 to the H.Q.
previously arranged, east of the Canal tunnel. (They were
going to dugouts south of 16 Central).
They moved round the southern edge of Malakoff Wood under
shell and M.G. fire, till they reached the Hindenburg line.
They found that D Coy. had occupied the trench, just north
and south of the junction of the C.T. at 27B.3.5. 59th Bn.
was there too. 44th. established a H.Q. in a dugout there.
When they got there they found that the whole trench
system northwards up to Bony was held by Germans, heavily
with M.G's. The whole of the canal tunnel from the same
C.T. northwards was also held by them with a strong position
on the knoll near where Bn. had been going to make its H.Q.
A Red Cross flag was flying on this knoll and men were
walking about there - and it was uncertain whether they were
ours or Germans. It was not till Bn. H.Q. got to the
extreme left in the Hindenburg trench that they realised that
fire was coming heavily from there onto the extreme point
reached in the trench - and that the men there were Germans.
This knoll would be about 22A.0.7. (The high place where
we met General Burgess.- C.E.W.B.)
on October 4th.
The moment the Adjutant and Lieut. Mackenzie of D Coy.
put their foor outside the trench in the little steps which
lead out eastwards, bullets began to spit all round. Clearly
M.G. trained on the point. A and B Coy, had meanwhile worked
south of the C.T. and reached the canal tunnel in 28C where
there were about 50 Americans. On the way there they found
German field guns firing over open sights from Cabaret xxxx
Wood Farm. They lost men in reaching the tunnel.
From there they saw that they were too far to the right
so they began to work north. They had just passed up the road
to eh NE when casualties became heavy. Lieut. Bryant was hit
there. They could not get on and occupied the C.T. The
Coy. Commander, Captain Hunt, was wounded here in the trench
by a shell. Capt. Lewis of B Coy, was wounded in this C.T.
also, by a shell. The fire which got onto these men was
coming along the west side of the canal.
C Coy., which had been the last to arrive, got into the
Hindenburg line in 27A.
The 2 M.G.'s which had been following Bn. came across
from Malakoff Wood and established themselves in Top Lane.
B and A had organised the Americans found at the tunnel bank,
and had them in the C.T.
When it was found that the position was impossible for
the plans to be carried out, H.Q. went back to the same point
where 59th Bn. had their H.Q. (see my map).
D Coy, was then ordered to bomb its way along the
Hindenburg support trench, while B and A pushed along the
canal tunnel. D Coy. got up to where the trench crosses the
sunken road in 21D.3.0. But A and B which tried to advance
by pushing out L.G.'s and riflemen up the bank side, had to
come back owing to casualties. This attack was planned by
C.O. 44th. before changing the H.Q. and the Coy. commanders
 

237.
were told what was to be done.
Dispositions had before then been sent by Bn, to Bde.
Two platoons B and all A Coy. on reaching the tunnel
where telegraph crosses it, seeing they were too far to the
right, tried to push up the road towards their objective
at 22 Central. As they came along the road they came
under heavy M.G. fire and L.T.M. and had to get off the
road into the C.T.
After this, when Capt. Longmore came along, they tried
to push up the west side of the tunnel and got along 200-
300 yds. There seemed to be direct whizzbang fire from the
knoll. B Coy, was leading and they lost a few men wounded.
But the knoll looked right down on them. So they occupied
the C.T.
As they occupied the C.T. they saw the men of D Coy.
(with whom they hadn't yet had touch) work up to the sunken
road at 27B2.9. There were a number of Germans in the
trench further up and D Coy, at this moment masked the fire
of B onto these. These Germans were in the sunken road
and counterattacked D Coy.; but D, using Mills bombs, drove
them off easily. These Germans worked down the sunken road
from the NW.
At the same time C Coy., under Lieut. Mitchinson, could
be seen fighting in the fron Hindenburg trench at 27A Cent.
The Germans had one or two M.G.'s there. These were
worrying D Coy, and even killed an A Coy. man in the bottom
of the C.T. (firing in direct easterly direction enfilading
this trench). Here Sergt. Ingvaren (got a bar to D.C.M.,
jumped out of the trench and shouted for the L.G. to follow
him - firing xxx his rifle at the Germans as he ran. He
shot some of the machine gunners and took about 20. They
did this because they could see this M.G. firing in the
direction of B Coy.
Mitchinson only had 8 men with him including the above -
4 men who had been sent across from D Coy. to see what was
doing (as our men could be seen there) joined this party
and made it 12.
There were some hundreds of Yankees on the tunnel bank.
They had no officers - probably got lost in the artificial
mist - and they were difficult to organise, being very
apathetic. They didn't seem to realise their own danger.
About 50 were later organised by 44th Bn. These were
splendid.
That afternoon 59th Bn, was taken out and B Coy. filled
in with D Coy. and took their place.
There were still Germans in the Hindenburg trench
junction with Top Lane.
Moran of 43rd Bn. joined up through Top Lane and bombed
these Germans out.
Lieut. Warry of 42nd was to bring his Coy. round to the
support line of the Hindenburg line and bomb up ahead of
D Coy. This was the intention:
43rd.    42nd.
44th.    44th
Diagram - see original document
D. Coy, was at the road trench crossing. Lieut. Warry
came along after dark and made his H.Q. in a dugout at this
point. His men were in the same portion of trench as D Coy
44th Bn. Warry's instructions were to work up the support
trench towards Bony. Warry had two platoons with him - and
one had been lost. He sent a patrol out but no definite
attack was made that night.
SEPTEMBER 30th. In the morning a barrage was put down
Word from Bde, was sent at 6 a.m. which arrived at (?) 6 a.m
that a barrage was being put xxxx down and that 44th
 

238.
Bn. D Coy, was to work up towards Bony. (C COY. and part of
B - Mitchinson - was to go up the other trench). It was
the M.G. in front of Mitchinson which prevented D Coy. from
crossing the sunken road - this was outed at noon by
Mitchinson's xxx platoon B Coy. (not Ingvarsen's gun).
It was impossible to follow the barrage, which was like
an area shoot - M.G. fire was too intense. Lieut. Scarr
and another got out of the trench forward, but were so
heavily fired on that it was clear nothing could be done.
Scarr was hit later by shell in trench. D Coy. notified
H.Q. that it could not be done. About three hours later
owing to the work of B Coy. in front line, Capt. Lewis
(wounded but R.O.D.) and Lieut. Mackenzie got across the
sunken road (which breaks the trench for about 50 yds.) and
into the trench again. They came back and about this time
got orders to go forward again and continue with the job.
They dribbled over followed by B Coy. into that trench.
Two M.G.'s were found in this portion of trench which had
been firing direct on D Coy. down the trench. They had
killed Sergt. Blick and a corporal sniping. Two men were
dead by these M.G.'s, lately killed.
Warry stayed where he was. They got just past the
next trench junction to 21D Central. There the trench
goes down hill in direct enfilade from the knoll. They
decided to wait a while and have another go in two hours -
which they eventually did. Lieut. Mackenzie with riflemen
and bombers, four of them, got about half-way down the
straight when they saw a German officer stand up on the
knoll. He held his hand up, and when he dropped it M.G.'s
started and also a L.T.M. - and it was very hot: the five
had to go back 150 yds. to the corner. 43rd Bn. followed
in behind D and B Coys, as far as the C.T. junction.
(B Coy. as well as D Coy, had received the order to
attack at 6 a.m., but it was impossible. They saw the
barrage first and rang up to find out what it was).
For the night the position was at 21 Central.
At dawn of October 1st, 43rd Bn. took over the position
and 44th, went back to the Hindenburg outpost line near
Malakoff Wood.
On Oct. 1, about 2 p.m., they moved again to occupy
the two Hindenburg lines east of Bony and connect with 43rd.
Bn. on left.
(They had about 70 Americans with them up to the night
of October 1st and two American officers - the officers were
helpless from inexperience).
Bn. was finally relieved in front of Bony by  K.R.R. (?)
One Coy. of K.R.R. relieved whole Bn. They had full Coys.
Casualties for this xxxxx battle, out of about 250
bayonets (came out 104 bayonets):
Killed: MacDermott.
Wounded: Scarr, Hunt, xxxxxxx Bryant, Lewis (R.O.D.),
Fowler, Bremner, Gaze; 112 O.R.
Following came out: Col. Clarke.
Capt. Biles, Adj.; Capt. Longmore, 2nd in command;
Capt. Skinner, Information Officer; Lieut. Rogers, I.O.;
Lieut. Hughan, Sigs.; Captain Germon, M.O.; and about
(roughly):
A. 2 - 48 (Madaford and Piper)
B. 2 - 35 (Lewis and Mitchinson)
C. 2 - 30 (about - Newmann and Kerr)
D. 1 - 22 (Mackenzie and (later) Hatton).
C Coy. about 30 casualties).
This was the hardest fight 44th Bn. has had. There
were no instructions.
(N.B.) Be careful about Warry's Coy's part in this
fighting.
 

xxx239.
THE LANDING.
(Capt. Everett (later Major Everett, 44th Bn.)
Written too long after to be verbally accurate - 
especially times.
xx Drake Brockman is a Perth man (born Bridgetown way?)
and brother of Lady Hackett (Sir Winthrop Hackett, founder
of the "West Australian").
Everett was with A and C Coy. on the LONDON (A Coy.
officer), 2 in/c to Brockman.
Our tow after about half-way to the shore - the picket
boat funnel suddenly flared about 3 ft. high for about half
a minute. Shortly after they heard the first rifle. Then
the firing began; within half a minute it was general.
About the same time as the rifle was fired a bright
light - a huge lamp - seemed to flare up some distance to
the south (Everett saw it a few nights later, apparently
up on the cliffs, about where the CLYDE came in) (sic) As
soon as the firing started the picket boat turned with the
tow and ran parallel with the shore for a distance. She
nearly dragged the last boat in the tow over. Then the
boat turned and raced towards the shore. You could just
see the dull outlines of the hill - on the horizon.
The picket boat cast them off about 500-600 yds. from
the shore. They out oars and pulled. The boat was hit in
several places with bullets and the water was rising in it.
She eventually grounded about 20 yds. from the shore in a
sinking condition. Everett gave the order every man ashore.
They got out into deep water and scrambled ashore. As they
got there Everett told the men to get down as M.G.'s were
enfilading from Fisherman's Hut, striking sparks from the
stones. No men had been hit in that boat. D. Brockman
was in a tow which went off further south. The men dropped
their packs on the beach. It was just breaking day.
Everett told them to crawl away from their packs up into the
scrub, leaving the packs on the beach.
As soon as they reached the scrub the moved forward as
quick as they could - the main job seemed to be locating and
cleaning up snipers. These were well posted and very thick.
Some of the men were hit as they landed, on the beach, by
these M.G.'s. None killed there. They had artillery
flags to carry. Everett's batman had his - red and yellow.
This flag was hit so often that when the pole was hit Everett
told the batman to roll xx it up and carry it in his kit.
There were snipers up at the cathedral. A couple of
men tried to climb up and get around to these snipers. They
managed to get them out, and Everett heard later that they
had killed them. It was getting daylight. These men were
moving to the flank as Everett's party moved up the hills
Diagram - see original document
Everett got up as shown - When he got on to Walker's
plateau. Rockliffe was with him. Everett kept his men
down on the top of this ridge, as they were getting
casualties. He went across to the left towards the Nek
to reconnoitre the position for digging in, as instructions
had reached him from the C.O., on Plugge's, to dig in where
he was.
As the position was most unsatisfactory, for digging in
being commanded all round, Everett came back and informed
 

240.
C.O. that effect. He found then that Brockman was on
Plugge's with the other half of the Coy.
As soon as Everett got in touch with him Brockman
came over and met Everett on the back of Walker's Top,
bringing his other half Coy. with him.
Lieut. Sellby and Lieut. Macfarlane were there, and
Rockliffe.
Brockman reconnoitred the position with Everett again
and decided it would be hopeless to dig in there. They
could see 9th and 10th Ens. moving forward on the right
up towards the Lone Pine plateau. Everett told Brockman
what he wanted to do was to work across to the position
later known as Courtney's - and Brockman sent Everett with
a half-company across to xxxx Courtney's.
They went down the tail end of Walker's Top and then
wound up the narrow track towards Courtney's. It was all
bushes on the actual climb to Courtney's, and very steep.
Everett got up with the half-coy. While on Walker's top
Everett saw Capt. Lalor moving forward on his left. (This
was while waiting on Walker's). Lalor was moving forward
with about ½-coy. in the direction of what was later
Quinn's Post. Lalor had a sword and waved it at him.
Everett warned him about a M.G. which was firing on his
left from the high ground on the left of the Nek. He saw
Lalor take his troops up swinging a bit to the right and
then to the left again, but never getting into the gully.
Lalor was leading his people over the open ground by the
Nek towards the scrub just beyond. He got driven back
from the scrub and tried immediately to cross the open
again - two or three times this happened.
When Everett got onto Courtney's he got into touch
with Major Denton - by now the destroyer crowd (the 2nd
line) were beginning to move up.
When Everett got up to Courtney's a certain number
were kept behind the edge of the hill - a certain number
worked forward about 10 yards in the low scrub (about
2ft.6in. high) and formed a firing line.
The Turks had run back in front of us across the valley
(there were half goat tracks up the valley side). Some of
these Turks got into a trench already xxxx dug about 300yds
across the plateau - you could only guess where the fire was
coming from. The earth of the parapet had been removed
and the scrub in front of the trench hid it. The moment
our men got up and started to crawl over they were fired at.
Men by now were arriving up the gully. Major Denton
was standing behind the ridge in one place in the left end
of Courtney's bend, and Everett was in the right, and as men
came up the gully they assembled them and apportioned them
to the line. Denton was about 50 yds. from Everett.
Other units began to arrive - xxxxx 1st Bn., 3rd Bn.
7th and 8th Bns. - and they were put into the line wherever
there was a casualty. They would pull wounded men by the
heels-and then as they got them to the edge of the ridge
they were pulled over the sudden drop.
Everett dug in an observation post on the top, about
15 yards in, on Sunday night. The men dug little rifle
pits on right of this and a few on the left and these were
disconnected till about Wednesday or Thursday. They used
to work at night on them, tunnelling from one to the other
to connect up. If you threw up the earth by daytime you
were shelled with shrapnel.
Diagram - see original document
 

241.
 

Diagram - see original document
On Sunday the main effort of the Turks was on the left.
Everett could see the left and notify Bde. On the Sunday
the Turks made no serious counterattack till after dark.
After dark they were attacking all along this line and the
men had to work, one digging and the other shooting.
April 26.- By Monday morningt rifle pits and the O.P.
were down below ground, with some parapet.
One the Monday there were only a succession of small
attacks.
On Tuesday the Turks put an attack in on the left in
order to cover a movement of Turks along the trench which they
had begun - about 500 Turks moving towards the left with 6
M.G.'s - you could see them carrying the guns.
Everett got word through that these Turks were moving
round; and asking for fire on the Neck where these Turks
were assembling, under cover of the timber. Prompt reply was
given by the ships' guns and well-directed fire demoralised
and dispersed this attempt. The attacking force was badly
mauled by our fire from the edge of the cliff which we were
holding. This attack appeared to be led by German officers
in a sort of helmet, waving revolvers and urging the Turks on.
They seemed to be different troops altogether to those who
were moving in rear towards the Nek. The attacking troops
seemed to be scallywags, the others, in dark uniforms, well-
equipped. They were clearly trying to get round the timber
on the Nek to reach Walker's Ridge, from which they could fire
into our rear. No one seemed to be holding the Nek and the
timber there at this time.
The first shells of the ships' guns, which followed in
about 10 minutes, caught them beautifully - shrapnel - and
scattered them in every way.
A second attempt was made about an hour later and they
were caught in the same way - a couple of Lyddite shells
lodging fair in the middle of them. Some of them then ran
forward demoralised and got into the pocket between Pope's and
Walker's, and our men on Pope's xxx started firing into them.
But others did get along into the scrub on Walker's and gave
us a bad time later by sniping in our rear
This was on Tuesday: On Monday or Tuesday night there
was a blowing of bugles and howling and shouting apparently in
the trenches on the far left - about in front of Pope's. And
this made us suspect a feint.
On Tuesday there was a lot of calling out in front of
Courtney's (?Monday or Tuesday). There were calls of "Cease
Fire" - "Cease fire on the left." There had been heavy
firing going on. Everett could not make out who was giving
the order and told the men to continue. He worked along the
line to find out what the hubbub was - he was out in the
potholes - it was a shallow trench. He could hear men calling
 

242.
out in front - "Cease fire!" Indian troops! Where can we
come in?" He saw three men kneeling behind a bush about
20 yds, out and called to them to stand up - our men had
ceased fire there. They had fixed bayonets but the
bayonets seemed to be dulled as with mud - it was faint
moonlight. Everett moved out a few yards to get a closer
inspection - and they seemed to have turbans on. At the
same time he saw the faces of men crawling up through the
scrub. He at once realised the position and jumped back
towards the trench and gave the word to open fire on them
just as the Turks sprang to their feet and were rushing
forward. The fire immediately stopped them and many were
killed and wounded.
They drew off then for a time. This sort of thing was
going on all night.
The following night came the same gag about - "The
French are coming through!'
Everett could hear Crowley calling out at the same time
further right.
On the Tuesday Sellby joined Everett - he had been in
another part of the line - not far away,
Captain Carter, of 16th Bn., had come along with some
men of his Coy. - under the edge at night time - and saw
Everett. Everettt told him to go down to the left as the
left was very weak, and the attacks were occurring there.
Capt. Miller came along shortly after (also 16th Bn) and as
Everett had had heavy casualties he got him to leave 20 men
for support (that is all he could find cover for). Some

of 14th Bn. Everett found later dug in to a gully-side just
short of Bde. H.Q., apparently without officers. He did not
notice 15th or 13th.
BRENNAN: Brennan on the first day established his aid
post just below Courtney's in the left-hand angle of it. He
was indefatigable in hauling up food and ammunition and
passing it over the top. He was always looking after the
wounded - and organised the bringing up of food, ammunition
and water, so that everyone who came up brought up some.
He took rations and ammunition from the wounded and stored
them in the 1st Aid Post, passing them up as required.
Everett never saw Drake Brockman after the time on
Walker's ridge.
Major Lamb, 3rd Bn., was just around the edge from
Courtney's, on Quinn's. He had dug into the edge of the
cliff. The Turks had a trench opposite him which he could
not see; and the Turks would creep out from the rear trench
and scratch in a forward trench. The Turks were potting
Lamb's men from within 30 yds. without Lamb seeing them.
Everett warned Lamb of this, so Lamb's men got up, came
over the top, made a charge, and cleared all the Turks from
this position ahead of them and retired into the trench again.
Eventually we started to sap forward at Quinn's
opposite this trench, and T out and join up - and then the
close fighting started
The first trench the Turks made (the Tuesday night)
was the top trench on the Chessboard - where they made a sap
and removed the parapet some distance to the rear of it
making a false trench behind the real trench, about 30 yds.
away. It looked as if the earth had been carried back at
night.
About - ?Thursday or Friday - the Turks attacked about
dusk from directly in front of Courtney's. They got to
within about 30 yds. in some cases. The R.M.L.I. at this
time were at Quinn's, dug in to the top of the hillside
instead of making trenches
 

243.
These R.M.L.I., some of them, fired cooly enough over
the top at the Turks; but others were sitting with their
backs to the trench firing their rifles into the air. Many
of these were afterwards shot of this position by a M.G.
from Walker's which the Turks managed to get through.
(That would be on Friday -A rope had been fixed up to a tree
and Everett had taken T. up by means of this a short
time before that day to the Marines' position to observe.
When Everett came from Courtney's Col. Courtney
relieved and Everett took his 22 men of all Bns. out. They
were of 12 different units. On the 6th day Major Gellibrand
had come along - the first staff officer - and had told them
he was arranging the relief. The next day they got word
that they could not be relieved as the coy. of R.M.L.I. told
off for it had received severe casualties (that was the
R.M.L.I. Coy.) and they would have to hang on another day or
two. It was not till Monday night that they were relieved.
Some of the men had lost their reason in the trench through
strain at night and want of sleep. Our own dead were lying
around for days - buried in the parapet if possible.
They had no shovels at first - only entrenching tools
By the time they were relieved the trenches wore pretty good.
A whole string of men had been shot on the M.G. at
Courtney's. The men said 17 men had been shot working it.
A man had been shot there and Pte. Macleod (?12th Bn.) had
no one to help him work the gun. He shouted to Everett to
know if he could send him someone. A man named Smith
(a Victorian) immediately volunteered. Everett asked if he
knew how to work a gun. "No; but I'll bloody soon find out'
Smith said. The gun it self was next knocked out. When
this happened Macleod was hit across the forehead and had
his hands bleeding. Everett told him to go out to the xxf

Aid Post. But he went into the trenches with a rifle. Two
days later he came out to the Aid Post for a smoke and spell.
Everett found him there - that was the first he knew of his
still being there.
One private of 12th Bn. used to go down with water-
bottles down the exposed rear slope of Courtney's and fetch
water in a chain of waterbottles hung round his neck. He
one day got a kerosene tin and was bringing it up on his
shoulders and scrambling up the slope on hands and knees
A bullet was put through it. He put it down quickly - looked
to see the hole - found it above the line, and turned round
and made a long xxxx nose at the Turk.
There were 10th Bn. on Everett's right at first. They
were relieved on the Tuesday. Everett was marked as missing
and someone gave evidence that they had seen him killed (and
it got to Australia unofficially). Everett's own men were
mostly casualties - he had New Zealanders (some came and dug
in front of his left one time and he had to pull them out).
The trench to the right was not connected through - nor
to Quinn's. 1st. Bn. were on the right some distance away.
Everett was evacuated sick.
 

244.
11th BATTALION - TURKEY KNOLL. 22/5/15
Some days before the Turkish attack on May 19 they
had been digging on Turkey Knoll. M.G.'s could play down
over this knoll, and orders were given to go out and see
what the digging was.
Everett had Barnes's Coy. after Barnes's death. He
took out his Coy. after dark by a sap - not over the bags,
as the Turks used to clip our bags with M.G.'s.
The party was divided into (1) a party to go over the
Turk trench (under Lieut. Jackson), bayonet the men in it,
and lie out beyond it.
(2) A party under another subaltern to go into the
Turk trench and examine it.
(3) Covering parties left and right.
About 100 men went out altogether.
Party (1) under Jackson filed out of the sap into the
old Turk trench close to our sap (about 30 yds. away),
which proved full of old dead.
The second party for searching the trench (Major
Roberts thought there were M.G. positions there), and the
covering parties, went out - one left front of Turkey Knoll
and the other across the gully onto the height where Tasmania
Post was later built
It took about 1½ hours to get out. Then the signal to
advance was a whistle blast. The parties (1) and (2)
moved together. Party (1) bayonetted the Turks in the trench
all except one who ran scraming down the gully and gave the
alarm to the others
There was nothing in the trench - there was an old
blanket over the right-hand end of it covering a heap of
dirt (which had made our people nervous and had to be
specially examined. Everett found this to be only a blanket
on a heap of dirt - probably to create suspicion.
The Turk giving the alarm, up came a flare and dropped
near the feet of Jackson who was lying out with his men on
the forward slope of Turkey Knoll. The Turks didn't see
him (there were dead Turks there too - our men kept still).
Then there started heavy rifle and M.G. fire against our
trench parapet but over the heads of the men lying out.
After waiting for this to cool, Capt. Everett (and
having got the information required, including the flash of
several M.G's), the whistle was blown to retire. All came
in except one - the roll was called at once, and one was
found to be missing. A search was made for him in the
trench. Presently a man was found standing in the trench
with a kit in his hands - he said he had gone out with the
forward party and that the man beside him had been killed,
shot through the head. He had his kit and his paybook and
rifle. The dead man had fired his rifle and was the only one.
Each officer had to do a stunt. Leane had Gaba Tepe, and
so on.
(See page 245)
 

245.

CAPTAIN EVERETT'S SORTIE IN MAY.

xxx

Diagram - See original document