Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/256/1 - 1915 - 1936 - Part 16

 

TELEPHONE                      Corrections.  - Vol III

REIGATE 773

 

Captain C. E. W. Bean,

Historian,

Victoria Barracks,

Paddington,

NEW SOUTH WALES.

 

Dear Captain Bean,

I have to thank you for your courteous letter of the 9th of September.

I very much regret that I cannot let you have a copy of the confidential letter - the subject of our correspondence. I do not think it would be right to do so: nor do I think any good purpose would be served. by disclosing the facts and figures given in my confidential letter to General Sir William Robertson. 

 

So far as you have made reference to me in your History of War I make no complaint. I am an unimportant person, and it really does not matter if the pen picture is not one I myself would recognise. 

 

It might interest you, however, to know how a man of my age views himself. To say that I am "schorlarly" is untrue. It is both a compliment and a reflection. I do not appreciate the compliment, and as a reflection it portrays rather the desk soldier than the field soldier. My military career contradicts this. I had difficulty in passing as a boy into Sandhurst Military College, and as a man into the Staff College at Camberley, though no difficulty in passing out well. 

 

I was an Adjutant for nine years, a Commanding Officer of a battalion on active service, and wounded leading it: and in turn, Chief of the Staff to a "Division"

an "Army Corps" and an "Army" , besides commanding a Division, Inspector of Infantry and Director of Training, War Office. This is a record of a career in the Field in close contact with rank and file. 

 

I am really an Officer of very ordinary ability but a good organiser, and have a good knowledge of tactics and strategy. 

 

It may interest you for me to give two extracts from Australian papers. I do not know the names of the papers but have the cuttings, sent to me by an Australian brother of mine. The first extracy is from a Mr. Macdonald's Lectures during the South African War. 

 

First Extract:- 

                    "He conjures up Major General................

                    "riding at the head of his column with

                    "blank, unseeing eyes, from which the light 

                    "of reason has departed, on the memorable

                    "retreat from Dundee to Ladysmith, and one 

                    "shivers at the thought of the terrible four

                    "days' march of the column with that stonily-

                    "staring figure at its head, and the real

                    "leader, Major Murray, closely watching his

                    "senior officer."

 

The second extract is headed:-

                       "Leaders of Columns in Natal".

                          (I do not know who wrote it)

                        

                        "Anyhow it was quiet slow-speaking Major

                        "Murray who brought the Column through". 

 

                        Both these extracts exaggerate the importance of the part I played in this Retreat,  but I give them because they were written by Australians for Australian papers, and they serve to show that I had seen some rough times even before the Battle of "Mons" and the Retreat to near Paris. 

                                                       I was fighting in Zuzuland in 1898, and.     I saw the first and last shots of the Boer War                                          1899-1902.   I had not much time or opportunity for

scholarship.     I joined the Army in China when I was

nineteen.

 

                       You do not know me: I don't think we have

ever met.  Then how can you be accurate as an

historian in describing a man's character who you

have never met, and of whom you know nothing.

 

                         These remarks are entirely for you,  and

can go into the paper basket when you have read them.

 

                           Again thanking you for your letter,

                                          Believe me,

                                                     Yours sincerely, 

 

 

 

        

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

                            THE MATUPI BATTERY, SIMPSON HARBOUR

 

 

                                    Vol III.  p 21

 

8723.

                                                                                           14 June 1934.

 

          Dear White,

                                Many thanks for your letter concerning Murray.

          I think that the course you recommend is advisable, and 

          will accordingly adopt it.

 

                                                              Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major-General Sir Brudenell White, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,

     N.Z. Lean & Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd.,

            538 Collins Street

                    MELBOURNE, C.1. Vic.

 

          After "military worth".

        He had mislead seen some rough services in /south Africa but he was   

 

Vol III Second Edition

                                                                          538 COLLINS STREET.

                                                                                  MELBOURNE.

                                                                              6TH JUNE 1934.

My dear Bean,

                                   I thank you for your letter of the 1st instant

and for allowing me to see Murray's interesting letter of the

28the October 1929.  I had to smile on reading Murray's

letter for it is plaining a scholarly one.    It may be of

course that the word "scholarly" is not absolutely correct.

Murray is at greats pains to show that he was a field soldier

and not an office soldier  -  but the evidence he produces is 

against him.     It is incontrovertible that although Murray

was a good soldier and of course had had some field experience

his was not the personality, nor the type, nor the character,

which one usually associates with a great leader of men in the

field.     Furthermore ever since the days of South Africa in

which he was wounded in the stomach he was always a little in-

clined to be pernickety.     One cannot mention this of course.

 

                                    I have pondered the matter over carefully and

have come to the conclusion that even if "scholarly" is not

quite the correct word it does in its context give the right

impression and therefore I think it should remain.  If you

felt so inclined however I think you might give it an asterisk

and add a little footnote giving very briefly some mention of

Murray's field service.     With this, I think, truth is being

adhered to and all the necessary courtesy will be show Murray.

 

                                       I return in this the enclosures to your letter.

                                                                 Yours sincerely,

 

Dr. C. E. W. Bean, Dr.Litt.,

        Historian,

                 Victoria Barracks,

                           PADDIINGTON.  N.S.W.

 

 

                   MEDICAL HISTORY.        CHAP.   VIII.           SIXTEEN

 

         N.Z. & A. Division taking over the left as far as Courtney's

          Post, the 1st Australian Division the right. Field ambulances

          were made responsible for clearing definite sectors. (not

           corresponding to the brigade front), and their headquarters

           were removed to the lower slops of "M'Cay's Hill."  Here

          two tent subdivisions of the 3rd and some details of the

          2nd Field Ambulances, by dint of their own importunity,

          manages to rejoin their units, dug-in, and began to hold a

          few cases.

                   Most of the troops were by t his time utterly exhausted,

           many had fought without rest for three days.  On the 28th

           and 29th four battalions of the Royal Naval Division, with

           their medical establishments, took over part of the line in

           Monash Valley. Brigades were relieved in run, the battalions

           reorganised, and given definite fronts.  A roll-call onApril

           30th revealed losses of 1,38 in the 1st Brigade, 1681 in the

           2nd, and 1865 in the 3rd. (17).  The landing safely accomplished

           the worst difficulties of the Beach were automatically                             

           resolved. Small craft for evacuation were more more plentiful:

           casualties arrived systematically.  The work was still very

            heavy, and on the 28th the clearing station was relieved for

           a few days by the tent divisions (landed complete) of the

           Royal Naval and the 4th Field Ambulances.   The New

           Zealand Field Ambulance cleared its own brigade through a

           dressing station at the north end of the cove.  The staff now

           available on shore for evacuation was more than adequate.

           The shortage of stretchers was gradually overcome by the

           navy engineers: in addition to those improvised, there

           were provided regulation naval stretchers "made of canvas

           and cane, which are strapped round the body like a strait-

           jacket.  In one of these the case could be lowered down the

           gullies, and they were greatly valued by the bearers. "18

                    The force being now entrenched, attempts were made

            to improve its change of holding the position against the

            inevitable counter-attack.  To meet the growing menace to

           Monash Valley, now held by small garrisons in the various

           "posts," and to capture Baby 700, a formidable night attack

           was planned for May 2nd, to be undertaken by the 4th

_____________________________________________________________

        17 At Belles, excluding French troops, the total casualties were          4320,

         18 From the diary of an N.C.O.

 

 

8686.

               

                                                                                      1 June 1934.

 

           Dear White,

 

                        I have to make a few corrections in Volume III, and I

           am doubtful whether to amend my summary of the character of

           Murray.  It was of course based upon his recorded notions, and

            upon the opinions of several who knew him.  He, however, 

            evidently does not agree with the description of him, and

            wrote to me, in 1929, the enclosed letter.  I would be very

            grateful if you would glance your eye through it and through

           the description of him at the top of p. 21, Volume III, and

           say whether,  from your knowledge of him, you think the word

           "scholarly" or other words should be cut out and something

           about his war experience put in.

 

                                                                 Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

Major-General Sir Brudenell White, K.C.B., K.C.M.G.,

     N.Z. Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. Ltd.,

            538, Collins Street

                 Melbourne. C.1.

 

 

    

         5229.

              

                                                                       3 December 1929.

 

General Sir Archibald Murray, G.C.B., G.C.M.G.,

         Makepeace,

                Park lane,

                       Reigate,

                          Surrey, England.

       Dear Sir Archibald Murray,

 

                              I have to thank you for your letter.  I am sorry that

you do not see your way to let me have the copy of this document in

question, but I trust that you will admit that your criticism of

myself for not having published the full text or context was

unjustified.

                               It is true that I do not know you.  I am very interested

in the extracts which you send - these seem to show that "scholarly"

historian in describing the character of a man whom I have never met

and of whom I know nothing, I must defend myself by assuring you that I was at pains to consult more than one officer who, I believe, did

know you pretty well, and that secondhand knowledge is a good deal

nearer to be, authoritative than that which you find in most 

historical summaries: moreover, to ensure strict accuracy, I wrote

"impressed those Australians  who came in touch with him as.................

scholarly..."

 

                                I don't know yet whether you have read my volume,

but, if so, you cannot fail to realise that I have a cordial admiration

for the manner in which you played the game (if I may say so without

presumption) in Egypt.  When any correction of this history comes to

be made, I will see if I cannot devise a description which, in view

of the facts mentioned by you, might I think fit you better than the

one actually given.

 

                                                       Yours sincerely

 

 

 

          8677.     

                                                                                  31 May 1934.

 

A.E. Sheppeard, Esq., M.M.,

       South Johnstone,

               Queensland.

 

Dear Sir,

 

                I am very much obliged to you for your letter of May

16.  We recognise that, in a history containing such a mass of

detail as this one does, it is impossible to avoid a certain

proportion of inaccuracies, especially of minor ones, and I am

always grateful for corrections such as those which you have

furnished.

 

                   The account of the march of the 14th Brigade in Volume

III was less detailed than it would have been had not the

experiences of the 4th Division been previously narrated.  I

would have been fortunate, however, if I had had your account

before writing the passage describing it.

 

                     The records were particularly scarce in the case of

Fromalles, and you will probably note in the account of it

some items not in accordance with your memory.  I should be

grateful, in the event of an important discrepancy, if you

would let me know.

                                                Yours faithfully,

 

                                                                  C.E.W. Beam

                                                                      Official Historian.