Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/27/1 - April - August 1915 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/27/1
Title: Notebook, April - August 1915
Contains references to the landing, Sir John
Monash, the 14th and 16th Battalions and
Leane's Trench.
AWM38-3DRL6O6/27/1

[*Rec III. Records:
Monash 16 Bn
14 Bn. [Leanes
Trench]
L.H. entirely
27*]
Original    DIARY NO. 27
AWM38     3DRL 606 ITEM 27 [1]
DIARIES AND NOTES OF C. E. W. BEAN
CONCERNING THE WAR OF 1914 - 1918
THE use of these diaries and notes is subject to conditions laid down in the terms
of gift to the Australian War Memorial. But, apart from those terms, I wish the
following circumstances and considerations to be brought to the notice of every
reader and writer who may use them.
These writings represent only what at the moment of making them I believed to be
true. The diaries were jotted down almost daily with the object of recording what
was then in the writer's mind. Often he wrote them when very tired and half asleep;
also, not infrequently, what he believed to be true was not so - but it does not
follow that he always discovered this, or remembered to correct the mistakes when
discovered.  Indeed, he could not always remember that he had written them.
These records should, therefore, be used with great caution, as relating only what
their author, at the time of writing, believed. Further, he cannot, of course, vouch
for the accuracy of statements made to him by others and here recorded. But he
did try to ensure such accuracy of statements by consulting, as far as possible, those who had
seen or otherwise had taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding that
those who passed on such stories usually themselves believed them to be true. All
second-hand evidence herein should be read with this in mind.
16 Sept., 1946.  C. E. W. BEAN.
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL
ACCESS STATUS
OPEN

Diagram – see original document.
[shorthand]

Rec III. Records:
Monash 16 Bn
14 Bn. [Leanes
Trench]
L.H. entirely
70 
[shorthand]
4.45 armistice arises
5. heavy artillery
DCM  [shorthand] 
Driver G Drew [16 Bn Leanes Tr.]
Pte W J Birrell C Co 7 Bn
Pte A B Herrin 5 Bn 2 Bde
M.C. Sergt N D Smith 5 Bn
9 wells in lower part of gully: we are only 30 ft & 
driving wells put gully going down
4.3.7 LH stopped among trenches
Sniper on day guns
8 in to 38 in in their own trenches not firing guns [[?]]
as well exploding bullets
sent back and told that they are firing on their own men
Fellows chucked out eggs bisc. Bully beef. Saida
Bang when Turks came to avenge them 

70
1A
men held them with 2 rifles
Man named Jacob got run over in the trench and
keen to accept it
He was wounded and jumped over into trenches
Message came to Pope expect engines on your right you will
get in touch with them
1^st  Night number of xxx men came out and asked their officer.
Elston went up with a man who took Hind.
Another message came down wanted a senior officer
who had better come one [[mae?]].
yet went miner Pope.
Pope said I do not supply them our engines when
engines are there and for their taking of them.
Went to put the 5 men there when began to be as fit 
on his resting.
On 19th put in support and only put in 40 of reserves.
They were not in supports and supports in firing line.
[*Hambone]

70   2
Rec III. Records:
Monash. 16 Bn
14 Bn. [Leanes
Trench].
Popes Hill L. H. entirely
would be 13^th
Quinns post 13^th 15^th 16^th each day 2 days.
Courtneys 14^th exclusive and relieve themselves.
Quinns and more than ½ of battalion permanent interests.
Popes. Lt Col. Rowell 3rd L.H.
Quinns: Lt Col. Cannan 15^th Battalion 
[* Major Rankin held for 4 days
lost 75 men in 5 minutes*]
Courtneys L^t Col R.E. Courtney 14^th battalion
Quinn: Capt Quinn who first held the post part of Co.
of 15^th 18 [shorthand] 
Pope came in earlier in the day and took Popes Hill
suffered many casualties
16^th at Popes hill when built to 13^th
Is on hand as Quinns Post built to 13^th
Main battalion of 15 was away to ride under Maclagan
9^th 2nd. [[shorthand]] 6pm [shorthand] 
sadly bad news Turks being kept in the 2 trenches
[shorthand] just against your flank. Better come back
Co. 14^th warned. 
found 3 lines of empty trenches.
Young officer 1 platoon.

3      3
Folly Friday
Major Graham [shorthand]  2 L.H.
attacked the ridge and trench and fill in the communication
but we went down.
12.15
[*2 Bn in Diary 10*]
[*When parapet ws knocked down
twice after he put it up: -
Diagram - see original document.
"Look - that ends it - I'm not goin'
to do another 'ands turn!"
8 in emplacement you IC. T.
where white horses are.*]

70     4
13^th
1.45am - 3am see the number of unsuccessful
46 -56 casualties Major Cramp killed
12.15pm when close spotting from the Triumph. We are on the beach.
We reach the Triumph. [?] envelop the bows when is a big black
spurt went as high as her masts.
Diagram - see original document
General immediate listing keeled over towards us you could see
her keeling more and more. We ran over our [[?]]
we saw no sign of a submarine
saw destroyer fire 3 shots. Then getting men into boats
destroyers from Cape Helles
15 minute [shorthand]
12.55 destroyer to go.
10.7 explosion and rifle fire. Is this the mine.
10.35 2 explosions and rifle fire
Mine exploded 5.30 [shorthand]

70       5
May 25 Mining to be explored. was it?
May 26. 8.10pm. Rapid firing
Destroyer landing w reinforcements lost 12k.
40 wounded, message to see destroyer - sent from Imbros
4 only arrive here 5. She laid up in the place
where cable ship was [shorthand] & trawlers before.
How many troops landed today. Wounded & Reifs.
[*not in diary*]→ (and there was 5^th Bde at Lemnos.
Reinfs are amateurish.
officers coming back. Austin.
5000  [shorthand] left.)
30 Diary Aug 30. & last page
(*not in diary*]→ (Destroyers back at the point tonight.) 
[*not in diary*]→ (shells in which gun (?) being put in
guns get on to in olive grove
White horses scampering away.)

70    6
Abt 29^th April some of the ships going to Alex. 6 of them
with 3 destroyers dispatch ship,
made it [shorthand] Smyrna.
T went into gulf to save it but is
in mooring.
Diagram – see original document
- U2 with oxy acetylene claim.
Dummy funnels, [shorthand] guns. they say they have 80 of these
in the north sea and with them outside
30,000 tons
? Western liner of 18,000 tons. 1 funnel
they have 2 Inflexibles and are now making 2 more in
Lemnos.
First for the Triumph saw destroyer past going
into Lemnos with 500 men naked, lifebelts etc
say there were 2 submarines 1 fired at very first.
they chased her. A little later they got the Triumph
Q. E. gone back. L.N. is flag ship.
Resident in Cairo. Today coming up for 12 hrs
Husband helping her after this work.
Relieving  [shorthand] 

70  7
27^th May Thurs.
9.35. Outbreak of heavy  firing

Regt^l. Records' Landing
1. Monash
2. 14^th Bn
3. 16^th Bn
(obtained just before Aug 6
in Reserve Gully.)

70   8
Monash
On Monday I saw Maclagan & Bridges
at Maclagan's H.Q. & settled limits of
sections & interchange of troops. (abt 8am.)
I reported to Gen Godley & at 11 a.m I took the^rest of 14. Bn
up / valley with me and had not gone half way when I was again
recalled. This time I went on to Plugge's
Plateau & met Birdwd. Godley Walker
They were not sure where to put in 14^th Bn.
At last they let me go with it & it took
up between right flank of 13^th on Popes
Hill up to & including Courtneys Post.
- finished abt 2 pm.
[*Macl. H.Q.*]
I went again to see Maclagan & on
tt occasion saw Walker, Maclaurin &
Maclagan, who ws very done up. Gen Bridges
came up & told me where 15 Bn was
& told me I shd get it the same afternoon. Const. fighting.
On Tues morng I got parties of my
own Bde reporting in small sections from
other parts of the line. And as they came
in I let other units wh were mixed up with
mine go.
1.55 Tuesd. Otago 2 coys came up &
asked way to our left. X
4.10 Rankin reports holding on
well.
5.10 Hard Pressed on hill to

70     9
Monash.
right front
5.18 Sbs called for all along
line.
5.28 Shrapnel.
5.40 V. hot on right front.
5.47 Engrs sent up.
29^th 3 a.m. Thurs Chatham Bn arrived
& put in on right of Courtneys.
3 p.m. Thurs Pope reported heavy
attack on his front.
30^th Considerable attacks on
marines on our right. Had to
be continually reinforced by small bodies
15^th Bn rejoined.
That night xxx ^went down to Gen Godley to
receive orders for xxx first offensive wh ws to
have bn on 1^st May & made by
whole A.C.
 16. 13. 14.
       15.
May 2  15  13  14
                  16