Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/256/1 - 1915 - 1936 - Part 18

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I find these books, most useful now

in fixing dates of events, and without

them there are many incidents which I would

long since have forgotten.

Now Item one - You comment on the short

period of training, or lack of training of many

of the reinforcements arriving at Anzac, while

admitting that under the conditions of warfare

this lack of training was not a vital matter

Has any attempt ever been made to investigate

the average length of training of this period?

I do not claim my own case as a record

as I understand that some recruits missed

training in Australia by enlisting on the

wharf prior to a troopships sailing, but here

is mine. I entered Liverpool Camp on 29^th June

1915. spent three days in hospital and ten

away on sick leave. Sailed on 9^th August with

8^th Reinforcement for 1^st Battalion. actual days 

in camp including Sundays 28. First parade

in Egypt Monday 13^th Sept. left for Gallipoli at

daylight on 19^th Sept. training in Egypt 6 days

and I had no further training until after

arrival on Anzac on 2^nd October. So my

 

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total training consisted at the most of

34 days not including the month on the

troopships. Incidently prior to enlistment I had

never had any military training I had certainly

heard of Battalions and Brigades, but only had a 

very hazy idea of what they consisted, however I

was a pretty fair rifle shot.

Item Two. The sale of Chocolates etc. to the troops

as brought about by the lack of Canteens and

other comforts. You state that the practice was

later discontinued, is this quite correct?

Between the 2^nd & 16^th Oct I twice had the opportunity

to buy chocolate. later I found out that this should

was portion of a Gift issue. later still I developed

a great craving for "sweets" possibly because I did

not smoke and at times I would have given

almost anything for a cake of chocolate. I

must admit therefore that I was on the lookout

the whole time in the hope of making a

purchase. now quoting from my diary

dated 8^th Dec. - "I put in for £2 worth of

stuff from the Embros Canteen about a fortnight

ago nearly half was for lollies, today

I got my share a few candles and four

 

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oranges. Never mind I had a windfall the

day before yesterday. I heard of a place where

chocolates could be bought, so I went along

at once and got 10/- worth four cakes

of threepenny Nestles at 2/6 ^xeach, candles were also

on sale at 1/- each. The soldiers selling the stuff

have friends on a boat who bring it over and

each of course want their little profit, but what

does it matter, money has no value here.

I ate my 10/- or rather its equivalent on the

way back. Incidently on the way down I noticed
five men playing poker. at the door of a dug out
in a ravine, on the way back I saw others

picking up the pieces, in between times a H.E shell

had landed right on top of them killing all five" -

To me it seems therefore that chocolate etc. could be

bought at a price as late as 6^th Dec, there

[* Choc at Anzac *]

is no doubt, that the Commanders tried to suppress

this practice, but they never quite succeeded.

Yours Sincerely

AE. Sheppeard.

P.S. Having just commenced volume III I note

that the desert march of the 14^th Brigade is

disposed of in a couple of lines, You may care

to wade through my record of that event

AES.

 

 

Extracts from an account written at

Ferry Post 27^th May - I am deleting unimportant

portions

_________________________________________________

 

"When visiting the pretty little English Military Cemetary

at Tel-el-Kebir I noticed some headstones with "Died

on the march Ismailia to Tel-el-Kebir. I wondered

how men came to die on the march - I now

know - Our Division was ordered to march to Ismailia

and the 14^th Brigade lead the way included with

them was ourselves, and our H.Q and No 1 Section (160 men)

and the 14^th Field Coy of Engineers - Fortunately for us

our equipment is not provided with gear for carrying

packs so we were allotted several camels to carry

these. - the only gear carried then was our water

bottles and a small haversack containing our days

ration. Not so the poor Infantry they had full

pack up including blankets, rifles, and ammunition 

- We arrived at Mahsama at 3 PM. on 27^th March

doing some 16 miles - this first day proved very

trying, about 90 men fell out before we were far

on the way - they were sent back to Tel-el-Kebir

Another 125 with sore feet were sent on from

Mahsama next morning by train - each unit

had to render a return of the number of men

missing, ours was the only NIL return, but

don't forget the packs. Of the next day (28^th)

two questions still remain unanswered in my

 

 

mind, why were we marched out across

a soft, white waterless desert, instead of

following the same route along the Sweet water

canal and why did we commence the march

so late, thus having the full heat of the day

to contend with instead of marching very early, or

better still march at night and rest by day. -

We had it in our minds that we only had

a few miles to do this second day and leaving

so late confirmed this conviction - We marched

out of Mahsama at 8 AM, it was hot even then,

as we went out we could see another unit, I

think the 15^th coming in - our Brigadier took his place

in front of us, and yelled out "We will march

40 degrees North, the signal Company will direct,

Quick March. - We halted at 11 AM. in the blazing

sun, on a barren desert for dinner, consisting

of very salty bully-beef, biscuits and water.

I suppose ninty per cent of us drank all our

water to wash the bully beef down - the

general comment was "only an hour to go, we

wont want any more water before we get in"

After an hours rest, if it can be called such

under these conditions, we started on again.

 

 

We were now in a soft sandy desert, we

would sink almost to our knees at times, the

sand, being pure white reflected all the heat,

it would be burning hot on the surface and

yet cool and almost moist underneath, it

was as bad resting as struggling on. Vainly

our General tried to keep some sort of order.

To the Infantry he would say "Look at the

Signallers, dont let them out march you, or again

why don't you keep up with the Signal Company

Finally someone yelled out, "Give them our packs

and we will B - well keep up with them.

All semblance of a march soon went by the board

we became a stricken rabble, the Infantry falling

out in twos and threes. About 1 PM we went down

a steep sandy bank, we could see two nice

lakes at the bottom with a narrow path

between, we almost rushed on for a drink - but

the water was thick with salt. and the heat,

it was like descending into a furnace. Going

up the other side I got quite giddy, over one

thousand men fell out here. It became a regular

rout, men threw away packs, rifles, and

ammunition. Some went off their heads and took

 

 

their clothes off. I saw one man lie down

against a small stem that looked like a

bracken fern shoot, in the belief that he was

getting some shade, thirst now be began to tell.

I picked up a pebble and sucked it - From

the top of this rise beyond the lakes we could

see Mohasco, the General ordered a rest and tried

to get us back into some sort of order - It was

no relief lying on the sand so after a very brief

space we were ordered on again. I will never

forget the sights from there on, men rushed round

looking or begging for water, if a man attempted

to place his bottle to his lips, he was mobbed

and there would be a struggle for the bottle -

men would suddenly spin round three or four

times and then make off at right angles to

their previous direction - my lips felt the size of

footballs - the Ambulances were all full at 9 AM

so could not pick up stragglers - We halted about

a mile from our intended camp to get into

some sort of order. Owing to our light gear and

by helping each other the signal Company were still

together but of the five thousand others only

one hundred and forty were with us - others

 

 

we could see coming along miles back -

we next rushed the water tanks of the New

Zealanders. they could see our condition and made

no protest. It was now getting dark, and the N.Z

division were appealed to for help, they were great

we will never forget the way they acted. Water

carts and conveyances of all kinds were rushed out

at short notice - Next morning the Prince of Wales

rode round our lines with our General, we

were awaiting the General and his appearance was

the signal for a disgraceful outburst of hooting

the P of W's horse reared and nearly threw him.

it must have been an awful experience for General

Irvine in front of the P. of W and other high army

Commanders - We are told that nine died on

the march I do not know if correct, but only

for the presence of  the and prompt action of the

N.Z Division it would have been much heavier.

AES.