Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/229/1 - December 1918 - February 1919 - Part 7

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066689
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Page 1 / 10

54 On of ton o hill, a little to 1righy side of it (529i) were numerous to aced of New Zealanders some were buried on thecrest. There As a cemetery of them just below 1 road on (Carkist 5ide o I kill. All) bones in the first I rows had bn day up & were lyany on I surface . There were many other graves below (rows of them) an touched – troae by I villigng or whowes it was. day up comames our men & Parks. both. on the right (S.) side
Chamby Bair - on of creat - were first NE.& & a little perter s. perh 507 ds from Where the NE line may have ended) I found the helmet, & shoulter strp of a man of the frosters who as buried] tent o por our side of this there ws a small natural bank br whour [emetery men at one tene of Crest. time had NE Banl 4 sheltered I Turtes grd000 orn were clearly r 4 alli there afteods
at our people from thrs (). & probably bomber hill were a set of miseratle Lower down with British Soldiers bit in little Bestiol riflesils them (DA) Tho trks have since built a (delpened) a road down the spur] othof this they have flattened out a to caugh of ground in pout of M.G. empacement. Tust N of this in the Scrub. aid behind the south end oIsamiit is a little trench abt 10 yds lay wh 5s probl Below it malones H.G. is the broad trunch or
Chancck fort sicl Sucnken Rd. buikoud Sac ecseing 5 Emabmes 2 I got witlin to phote to remains of some very old shalow ass covery didging () as inalores trench; but I thrink a deeper y below it ws probably t one [later: Bigg wether when he camg herg o us late told me t Matones G was not thins out at
63 Te right of the posite occupied as the great is immediately front of Saze 1 Beil Dere & it ws rest 2/ o see hong the British there reas 4 part fled back) into is the bit wh we discovere afte1 wy back downu in the valleys to the Your N of the Biitich soldiers) kit droppin
in retreat & manys 1shalts by ing ters. mast have be theirs. He crevises & gallies on the N plope of the sper for a way way down contiind numbers of dead & kit . Te shulls & bones of dead lay in 3065 Co even ten or 12 in one place) at a time. Ress were largely Tarks &. on Aug 10. On the space between the Ceper& there were tos of bones & ket beging Pinnach
there traces of Anchlans charge 25 probably Ang Bom table tog I mads shethn . . From menory at night N.& N. Bachanan warked positions of hir found on Chuseck Bair. Ie Trks had a Divt. He. just behind this Scth shoulder of Chunak 13. Thers at is a second 25 distinct criston the Turkish Side of the summit
Monday Should be Feb. 21 Mond Westen CC abt 200yds from the crest (Idiout measure it) Feb. 25 Courtaeys Jan 24 German Officers Quinns; Deadmans Party. Wilkins, Buchanan, Self with Seks Sey. James & Norsie w male went ap wire gully a then half right outh G.O.F. Here Zeki Bey found the crater, at once, where greig was killed. A sd her ver 21 Exploasions af 300 beore he Aftthers. The byg expla ws aft the centre, where greg we kelled. He (3.) know we were sapping towards
(Boot 23/4 CW B 34/1/47 them & so held port line lightly (Bepre then we hasd 67 sepped out & mined the l of his Es sobadly to the eart as peable there. They had to lse madericks to Ywall make te stan up. (Witles tok a shote showing this). our bounts made this corner so dangerous, also, to M.g ednt be placed neer corner -it ws lower down, in I second ling, behind an istand (sanse prots show his possti). betio his gun wh find only a crus became so dangerous it te f put andther gun on far (S.) side of the Go.T. systum to fire over at Cain (see shitch 2 8/32). Abt this time a Bidgem of 125 Regt ws put into the A sick of G0.T (to fire across J. Tolly (kermeg; Siot) but this ws not under 3. Beys orders butunder those of 125 Rept.
5 ce oyt if a An . 16n whose 3one ws separated from 3s (07 keyt) by wie pully d. -dividing line ws Ibottom O pully. They pat tired toops or a faw troops on the wire fully side (the slope] Re 125 Bo Commanders Aids wo coming up to the G.O.F one day for a recomiaissand & wanted to took over from the m.g. position on the Aside of 12a we had I gan awbully well marted by tem & it seldom first. The sery gan told him not to book over. He insisted on doing so & as hil kr1 middle o1 forehead & k Somuah for the N.C comer of 9.A.F. we vere heard mining near 1 cantre. (The 65t. second I times are v.close here - (20 37do between them – (but possibl th6 was made lates). Anyway - 2.Bey kept

59
On / top o / hill, a little to / right side of it (S.^side of it)
were numerous traces of New Zealanders -
Some were buried on the exact top crest.  There
ws a cemetery of them just below / road
on / Turkish side o / hill.  All / bones
in the first 3 rows had bn dug up & were
lying on / surface.  There were many other
graves below (rows of them) untouched – those
dug up ^by / villagers or whoever it was, contained our men & Turks, both.
on the right shoulder (S.) side of 

 

60
Chunuk Bair - on / crest - were first
NZ. - & a little further S. (perh. 50 yds from
where the NZ line may have ended) I found
the helmet, & shoulder strap of a man of the Glosters
who ws buried there.  On our side of this
there ws a small natural bank in wh our
Diagram - see original document
men at one
time had
sheltered.  The
NZ Turks
were clearly
there aftwds 

 

61
& probably bombed at our people from there (H)
Lower down / hill were a set of miserable
little British rifle pits with British Soldiers kit in
them (DE)
The Turks have since built or (deepened) a
road down the Spur.  To the N of this they have
flattened out a triangle of ground in front of a
M.G. emplacement.  Just N of this in the scrub
imd behind the South end o / summit is a
little trench abt 10 yds long wh ws probly
Malones H.Q.  Below it is the broad trench on 

 

62
Sunken Rd built round the fore side of Chunuk 
Bair
Diagram - see original document
I got Wilkins to photo the remains of some
very old shallow grass covered digging (B)
as Malones trench ; but I think a
deeper trench (A) below it ws probably the one.
[Later: Bigg Wether when he came here w us later told
me tt Malones trench was not there but at K.] 

 

63
The right of the positn occupied by us on
the crest is immediately in front of Sazli
Beit Dere
Diagram - see original document
& it ws easy
to see how the
British there
fled back into it. A great part of the
kit wh we discovered all / way back
down / spur & in the valleys to the
N of the Spur is British Soldiers kit dropped 

 

64
in / retreat & many o / skulls lying there
must have bn theirs.  The crevices &
gullies on the N slope of the Spur for
a long way down containd numbers
of dead & kit -  The skulls & bones of
dead lay in 3s, 6s (& even ten or
12 in one place) at a time.  These were
largely Turks k. on Aug 10.
On the space between the apex &
Pinnacle there were lots of bones & kit lying -

 

65
probably traces of Auckland charge there on 
Aug 7.
From Table Top I made sketches K & L.
From memory at night M. & N.
Buchanan marked positions of kit found
on Chunuk Bair.
The Turks had a Divl. H.Q. just behind the
South shoulder of Chunuk B. at X.  There
Diagram - see original document
is a second
distinct
crest on
the Turkish
side of the summit (Y)

 

Monday
Should be Feb. 24.
66
abt 200? yds from the ^Western crest line (I didnt measure it).
Feb. 25.
Mond Jan 24  German Officers trench; ^Courtneys; Quinns; Dead mans R.
Party: Wilkins, Buchanan, Self with Zeki Bey,
James & Norrie w mule.
Went up wire gully & then half right onto
G.O.T.  Here Zeki Bey found the crater, at
once, where Greig was killed.
He sd there were 21 explosions at GOT before he
left there.  The big expln ws abt the centre, where
Gregg ws killed.  He (Z.) knew we were sapping towards 

 

(x Book 231/4
C.ew.B
31/1/47.)
67

them & so held / front line lightly. (Before then we had
sapped out & mined the N of his trenches so badly tt the
earth ws friable there.  They had to use mud bricks to
make the^trench wall stand up. (Wilkes took a photo showing this).
Our bombs made this corner so dangerous, also, tt /
m.g. cdnt be placed near / corner - it ws lower
down, in / second line, behind an island (same photo
shows this positn).  Later this gun ^positn (wh fired only on Quinns)
became so dangerous ^owing to our fire tt they fire put another gun on /
far (S.) side of the G.O.T. system to fire over at Quinns.
(see sketch 2 F/BII)x
Abt this time a 3rd gun of 125th Regt ws put into the [[?]] side
of G.0.T to fire across J. Jolly (Kermezi; Sirt) but this
ws not under Z. Beys orders but under those of 125 Regt 

 

El Bacrain

Oxxx ^xxxx xxxx Saps xxxxxx Sirt
Thought of giving
up Quinns
lost so many owing
to having men
crowded
68
whose zone ws separated from Z's (1 Bn 57 Regt) by wire gully
- / dividing line ws / bottom o / gully.  They^57 put tired troops
or a few troops on the wire gully side (the slope → Diagram - see original document.)
The 125 Regtl Commanders Aide ws coming up to the G.O.T one day
for a reconnaissance & wanted to look over from the m.g.
position on the N side of / trenches.  We had / gun awfully
well marked by then & it seldom fired.  The Sergt w /
gun told him not to look over.  He insisted on doing so
& as hit thro' / middle o / forehead & k. -
So much for the N.E corner o / G.O.T.
We were heard mining near / centre. (The 1st &
second T lines are v. close here - 2 or 3 yds between them – but
possiby the ^2nd was made later).  Anyway - Z. Bey kept / 

 
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