Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/229/1 - December 1918 - February 1919 - Part 9

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

Page 1 / 10

this was nod tast & wheter Fatin wod be w tnd for 1 feast (as he had bu (year before) & all saying how dreary it was. Within 2 Wars the oto chap lay dead t by a shell of one of our howiters. Cour 6in hows shot venguck indeed - pasitly they werent tere yet When the od twrt how. fired from the N. near 971 the Tarks in J.O.T noticed to our men kept low & didnt fire & they thenselves were able to look over parapes & move about. It wo one of these shells falling into our advanced underged firing line at Go.F wh ttd (to th we were digging to line. They saw I shell p in & later the laste being showelled out from below - so they know it.
Book 231/4 CRek 31/1/47 Turk ish a sentry in pont lind of CO.T. had his head laten em Russells of Be (diing band of our ting gun on waters tog. on (Dsidles of the rally N of J.0.2 thee ws a tent. 2/5 had Pide of deging a Yunder it – but Iows pl of cep ie o hadt moved batet hols. Nside o Ine but sth of stones ws on the valey (su sheteh 2, F.B 125 Regt ws at Kerney: Sirg (T. Folly) during hone this aback. fully you some degangnt. 2/B3 notiied near
81 ws hedlen to sand begs. He ws puzglet to this. (No doubt it ws our gun wh fired on 1 morter R. guas) ate tey had fist Isame story abt tres 2 guas on Moster Ridge. Try had siler twmcts Edina Sirt. for thas butI moment un fired it ws put out by a direct his from as. Stall they were good at Smashing uponr new work for a long time - Lu endon B3 often daw tin teas) into our paps. ts other having bn hit by us, one fin ws tere, or dameget. At head & Bloodly Augh ws a mo in a tbe siniter opening down 1 valley sid, wh did a lot of smi till we sot
Chill. I as gone 12 9 10 st below 1 out it w a gun. 04 to thought of giving up O. be Bamas: At one time They had there this bombs. they last somany wen to keep them 2s crowded - they knew this - their men were gnorant o chut fife sigly r always tended to They dibated pvery it up & fire strayhs ahead. somy back to morter R. Butty disided agatnt as if thy held to it, they might be able o arty (if is arrived) to beet ad back. Our Japanise bombe were called Black Cat. reserves assumbled One day one bursh over some
it burst in the avr over (mens heads) 99 in a valley behind [.o.T) & k. or w. 80 men. beter they found t if you had foot head coow these boabs were not danprous. But at Lone Pine head covn burst our speds of this territh having. The t. called [hese Tap. Bombo. Bleck Cats. A faw mahes of los coon ad render you sep agot tem T. Tolly ws the wors place for them (tho genly 1 most comfortable Eg.) If you tooked out you cdhear the Black cate? before they fell o you cd hear be small report of the Ralws why oe as pubon 12 gua & then see the boub. he wood ws maidy prom Constantir of to
Ouins we found ented trencd sted in ty Tugirs pois a 23 4 2 84 Erenches as follow: Frou the old [ y filled in in May to our nearest Ey behind the t cateto as abt 20 yds therddin were so filled in to one oattell chs 2& wh not. Our buillets & shatternt kit Everyoper. We picked up tho lead found in our oyyd of I. hearer parapet as I head of the boodyaryle for Aust. Was prusening.
85 Te turks had many more lines than we had. They had alt 30yds (I shd say) of hill top - we had abt 8. Tess fiures are memonyorly. The main 5 communte was ap the hill from direction of wirs gally – yo 1 shoulder; but thire were other appoaches from deep valley behind wh joes Theasboard. right up behand the Traces of our manwere found as for as I head of Bloodi Augle & a little to te lep of it. then other traces on the Cop of Dead mans Ridge behand Iman T. (9 [(woasilf & day )? In thre (2/on sone of Dewdr. Kidnare one above lothe, very steeply, & the CTo had be
one dow an tunnelled beg. I T. Edut have oe 86 The tunnels were straght. litel wey down &o At I head of Bloody Angh witz tunnelled gully cs a mi Emplocement while parepet opening in a white nich (prepared. on a smal plettern 4 A on 1lep hand t waterfll valler At top having o we found tracs of (vi)) side 9
Cone buried 87 Scoops in the NE slope also & Small & nd the edge toods idonasl fully (where the second crevice N. of ropes rand up 1 hillaide) a NE Cmetern & a cunbelmet like those woon by British of Kis Army in August. This is almost certiinly where N.2. tacked on to the left flank of 3 [on on Mayr7. & possably where the Ro army (? R.W. Fanilien) who were sent up on Aug 7. 8 Back by Sranul Cally And whites Valley
11h Nn 2 4 < yna pon 276 (ycap. S4I. Pa Bee my deary £56½ 168 5465 (2.B 31/1/47 10 2 a Feb (ith Ser Roproalds tuesd. Same party to tone tine. Read laind acst. Feb. 26. of fighting on right of then went to left (as we cdnt check rep hand E (S. Sid) & sterted from / Edge of Owend fully where 2 are certain. 15achanan pound to his map ws pretty accurate (the 00 trunck map. My mag of Constee trunckes from Survey was very much out- indeed almost impossible to follow quite worthless & wak oy Exc. had the trench signs on it R3,85 p 00 on. 68

79

this war wd last & whether Father wd be w them 

for / feast (as he had bn / year before) & all saying how

dreary it was. Within 2 hours the old chap lay dead - 

k. by a shell of one of our howitzers. (our 6 in hows shot

very well indeed - possibly they werent here yet).

When the old Turk how. fired from the N. near 

971 the Turks G.O.T noticed tt our men kept low & 

didnt fire, & they themselves were able to look over / parapet 

& move about.

It ws one of these shells falling into our advanced 

undergrd firing line at G.O.T wh told / Ts tt we were 

digging tt line. They saw / shell go in & later the earth 

being shovelled out from below - so they knew it. 

 

x Book 231/4

C.E.W.B.

31/1/47

80

A ^Turkish sentry in front line of G.O.T. had his head taken clean

off by / driving band of our tiny gun on Walkers Russells Top.

On / S. side of the valley N of G.O.T. there ws a 

tent. 2/B had / idea of digging a trench under it - but 

gave up / idea & had / tent moved. It ws full of 

bullet holes.

The hut & path of stones ws on / N side of 

this valley (see sketch 3, F.BII)x 

125 Regt ws at Kermezi Sirt (J. Jolly) during

Lone Pine attack.

2./B noticed near / S. top of Wire Gully some digging wh

 

81

ws hidden w sand bags. He ws puzzled w this.

(No doubt it ws our gun wh fired on / mortar R.

guns). Later They had just / same story abt their 

2 guns on Mortar Ridge. They had similar tunnels 

Edina Sirt.

for these but / moment / gun fired it ws put 

out by a direct hit from us. Still they were good 

at smashing up our new work for a long time - 

2/B often saw them tear into our bags. In / 2nd only 

one gun ws there, the other having bn hit bt us,
or damaged.

At / head o / Bloody Angle ws a m.g. in a 

similar opening down / valley side 

wh did a lot of sniping till we got

Hand drawn diagram - see original document

 

 

82

onto it w a gun. It ws some 12 or 15 ft below / top o / hill.

Quinns: At one time / Ts. thought of giving up Q. bec

they lost so many men there thro bombs. They had 

to keep their trenches crowded - they knew this - their 

men were ignorant & cdnt fight singly; & always tended to 

fire straight ahead. They debated giving it up & 

going back to Mortar R. But they decided 

agst it as, if they held to it. they might be able 

w arty (if it arrived) to beat us back.

Our Japanese bombs were called Black Cats.

One day one burst over some reserves assembled 

 

83

(- it burst in the air over / mens heads) 

in a valley behind G.O.T & k. or w. 80 men!

Later they found tt if you had good head cover 

these bombs were not dangerous. 

But at Lone Pine / bombs head cover burst 

our shells & ^they did terrible harm. 

The Ts. called these Jap. Bombs: "Black Cats!" 

A few inches of log cover wd render you safe agst them. 

J. Jolly ws the worst place for them (tho' genly / most 

comfortable trenches.) If you looked out you cd hear the "Black

Cats" before they fell - you cd hear the small report of the

gun & then see the bomb. That ws why cover ws put on / trenches. 

The wood ws mainly from Constantinople.

 

84

At Quinns we found the trenches as follows:-

Hand drawn diagram - see original document

From the old T. trench filled in 

in May to our nearest trench behind 

the 4 craters was abt 20 yds

Other old trenches in nomansland were

so filled in tt one cdnt tell 

wh ws trench & wh not.

Our bullets & shattered kit 

everywhere. We picked up the

lead found in one sq. yd of T. 

parapet at nearer / head of the bloody angle 

for Aust. War Museums.

 

85

The Turks had many more lines than we had. They had 

abt 30 yds (I shd say) of hill top - we had abt 8. These 

figures are memory only. The main T. communtn was up 

the hill from direction of wire gully - up / shoulder; but there 

were other approaches from / deep valley behind, wh goes

right up behind the Chessboard.

Traces of our men were found as far as / head o / 

Bloody Angle & a little to the left of it - then other

traces on the E side top of Dead Mans Ridge behind / main

T. trench (possibly 1st day). The three trenches on / slope of Deadmans 

Ridge are one above / other, very steeply, & the C Ts had bn

 

 

86 

tunnelled bec. Ts. cdnt have gone down an open trench.

The tunnels were straight.

At / head of Bloody Angle & a little way down 

/ gully ws a m.g. emplacement with a tunnelled 

opening in a white nich (prepared) & a white parapet 

on a small platform.

Hand drawn diagram -  see original document

At / top of the Waterfall Valley on / left hand

(NW) side of it we found traces of the N.Z., having bn

 

 

87

buried & small scoops in the NE slope also

Hand drawn diagram -  see original document

& over near the edge towds Mon Monash Gully 

(where the second crevice N. of Popes 

runs up / hillside) a NZ cemetery 

& a sun helmet like those worn

by / British of K.'s Army in August.

This is almost certainly where N.Z. 

tacked on to the left flank of 13 Bn on May 2/3; 

& possibly where the K's army (? R.W. Fusiliers)

got to who were sent up on Aug 7.

Back by Shrapnel Gully, and Whites 

Valley.

 

 

xCapt. J.H.F. Pain 2BN

see my diary

169/51-63

53

54 & 51

C.E.W.B.

31/1/47

99

Gentle. The Pines have bn cut down.

on all sides.

Well down / slope towds Legge 

Valley were the ske boxes & tunic of an Australian

88

[*should Tuesday

be Feb

25*]

Feb. 26. Tuesd. Same party ^(with Sergt Roprsaldo) to Lone Pine. Read Pains acctx

of fighting on right & then went to left (as we cdnt

check right hand trench (S. side) & started from / edge of 

Owens Gully where / trenches are certain. Buchanan 

was found tt his map ws pretty accurate (the 

1/1800 trench map. My map of Lone Pine trenches from

Survey was very much out - indeed almost 

impossible to follow - quite worthless to work [[shorthand]]

exc. tt it had the trench signs on it R3, R5 & so on.

 

 

Last edited by:
Sam scottSam scott
Last edited on:

Last updated: