Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/37/1 - January - February 1916 - Part 6

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
RCDIG1066738
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

49 Good god - how do of English expect to win a war if the conduct it on this sort of spirit ito enoughto make you weep hackily Us only a section, I suppose, that really taken it that way. In this fole county they we as much right to their pivolity as anyove has to any other cherished right We are moving out very fast. I don't know what the course is again but I shd say it ws not an ordinary one. The weather is rough wh should be difficult for submarnes.
X 5 O0t fa 10 209 I saw it Pine as Lore First stage) Jepels scettng blhand it First lives banche s khilled ave 0 olooking for places ww Aashit w to pash in. I & contseewhat as ofy crowd ws busy 1 808 ppone 0 r etf 2 5 1522 1 5 s 3 A - x 5 29 t Our wire with jam tins etc in it. Th Piclure and be much wides thang this Othewill its right
sload 28 oc Either the signolliny shown on tower page or a conciding galled down 300 & shrap. busti on t particuler pet - wh quite shut out! trech from us. Elsewhere you co barely see, hazy forms n tro the dust & seft curly smoke drift - yellow in evening light - sun behind us! Threpael bustin (not more than 2 shells at a rime) & dust kicled up by pellets in little colomns. Miee irde 3333 3 7 This was constantly happening. s Lols E m a ou he 20 minutes latert t sketch
2 145 234 vouied 50 8y 86 s pre Owins Gulle 4 Tohnson's Fally during hove Pive attact. biee 2nd Brigade (waving his reriscope) now ✓ & M Cay at Helles; well, Bean the time when I have to do the damned heroie Pow Act- Now ten Austiclians which of you are Anstalions. Come on Australians And they all got up from amoo the hanc. to farrison Fasiliers who had thrench, shouting po $00 come on Bustratians 1 p0 on Austalian 11 Ache Bat away rising to briting Ma 00 6702 £0 27 23 3 Parapy 3 34 A 6 6. A Head thencaster In pont of orange pounded man sill Falitier in Sch (ooom parapet 500 yds of Arel cap Kroat dry long grasst fus smell I a
Cosves or hor of wnith t Co. M. Wichol X ter trees 574 10 v ts Dulla 1 duet Dan from bullets Fese Frach sho be more crowded - Bryad HA pan were all in 1 trench beside turtie. wounded signatler May 8th 8 In the charge of the End Bde at Helles - In the Tomonies truck a red eark trench with parapit of red eart (nd sand bags & parados of some red earth behind wh many men rested instead of getting into trench as most did. When they go up for I charge I men seemed to stand just for one paction of a moment. half crouching & glaring into the evemy's fire, wh was very heavy, before they sterted. There ahd be more of them, but it loked very like this picture all same. Each live as alld abt 3 minutes in I bench, wh was half way to where we reached (& bassince by called the Hustralian French 8 then it got up like this & went on. when t t or good line ws due, to leave Col Mn Nichol asked Col. MCay who was in t truch. Well, do you want us to so on. M Cay sol yeo. 2
burile gun hills doa 1000 yes abad Achi Baba A3Fo 5 e /23 41 Dry grass i occasional buillet spits) H.R. of M Cays Brigade in Krittie chargo one youngite ( forgit is he ws one o eynatter Pace a very fast walte carrying preet ws holding up to monies truck ws some way ahiad a Grade to protect his head) miles W Beach att e pact wact afer matine 1 12 286e some of lines behind us advancing thro' Tirapnet as we looked back at him from position in above picture
21 feef 1f it Apnt Bat K. e rubbey Hill Hitl 60. First siene. men swarning ap scrubly Hill on my sice of Kaiagik vallers disappearing down into 1vally. (Tws in trenches of 1312 Bn) warks 00 1 5 but this tre taken &held of w the aed Gol Stil falling in this t tenentmnon any kiasit valuy. wese shells brough the later times of A 24 Hampshure B back to here have exaperated the Liz of Hill bo Shellsbe Hill 60 6. burct in this in order to on thest (Our mgs from Monast trunches give room. truches were sprinkly ground over hire on unseen side of hill. parks often afterwos infileded, all these o mannel & were bange the East. truckes from at monashes truches too.
at 40c O figne probably a turk M. 60 one e e te H W.z. verms Biilishhere Corbey here Tarks in here Ap 26 m ar4 2 y Lostw, Blanney Charge of 92 & 1aken ns walling fipt. pap along what was then called Razor back" in reveie (E.N. of whitevaller) about 3 to 4 pm. Monday Ap. 26. This was just abt time when order to cease fire came along line
05 00 4 X 14 9 4 3 is po e 57
58 Sat. Feb. 5. Arrive at Portsan wihout being submarined& took teain to Cairo to find out where H.C. were. Bdd ws full of British troops:- It as not till tmailia th we Frann into 1Austalians. They have given them post of honour on Canal - whole of partish ws seriouly attacked last year. fet t Devi P. Teraseum 1 s o wess on Hgis at - 8: 1 Ferry0 mils of ling to depend to 1 et. o . Bille wh mites estend 6o Dun take 613 6 00 oe C 2n0 81 Febe. Reber, also old Howitzer in Exgypt. The heavy howatzo OD.S Taunton in England yet. They have 4 9.20 & 4 oter gans are to be given them, prolabl 5.9 of ou pattern Theeny Corps H.C. is at smailia & the ganeagl H.O. is

 

49

Good God - how do / English

expect to win a war if they

conduct it in this sort of spirit.

It's enough to make you weep,

Luckily its only a section, I suppose,

that really taken it that way.

In this free country they've as

much right to their frivolity

as everyone has to any other

cherished right.

xxxx We are moving out

 - very fast. I dont know

what the course is again,

but I shd say it ws not

an ordinary one. The weather

is rough wh should be difficult

for submarines.
 

 

 

[sketch]
 


Vol 11
Sk: No 209)

[annotated sketch]

cloud of

shrapnel burst

floating past 

in fore ground

after shell had burst.
 

Lone Pine as I saw it

(First stage)
 

man scrambling up

Either from underground

forward firing line or

from fall
 

Crater
 

2 or 3 men

sheltering behind it

or killed or w.

cdn't say which
 

First line bunching

or looking for places

to push in. I

cdnt see what /

crowd ws busy

with.
 

Man taking

quiet stand

up shot
 

end of bayonets

or rifles in

trench
 

men lying

down behind enemys parapet

They were killed there

I dont know if they were

dead yet or

not.
 

Our wire

with jam tins etc in it
 

The Picture shd be much wider than

This. Other wise its right ← →
 

 


Either the signalling shown on lower page or

a coincidence called down 3 or 4 shrap. bursts

on tt particular point - wh quite shut out /

trench from us. Elsewhere you cd barely

see hazy forms running thro' the dust &

soft curly smoke drift - yellow in evening

light - sun behind us.

[annotated sketch]

Smoke of old

Shrapnel

floating over me

hazy smoke of

shrapnel 5 seconds old
 

Shrapnel bursting (not more than

2 shells at a time) & dust kicked

up by pellets inn little columns.

 

This was constantly happening.
 

[annotated sketch]
 

Signallers

racing back
with reel.

When a little nearer, the

Northernmost

one dropped &
I thought he ws 

hit - but he

had really 

dropped into 

a hole of the

front undergrd

fire trench.

The other

for an instant
overran him

but dodged

back at once.

man trying to signal
with morse trench system
[sketch]
small flap works
up & down
 

J. Jolly.

(I cd always tell when

a crowd started across

by hearing m.g.s start here)

 

(20 minutes later than

1st sketch)

51
 

 

 

[annotated sketch]
5th & 8th Bn trenches

shooting into loopholes

in front of them.
 

Chess board
 

German officer's trench
 

Our guns &

howitzers shifted

onto Jolly as soon as

charge started
 

Johnsons Jolly trenches.

brown earth lines across

low scrub of knuckle - NO sign

of fire they were pouring out but

constant puffs & spurts of dust

from bullets of our trenches opposite.

Few bayonets showing

here - only sign of

life. Turks I think

were massing for

counter attack
 

Crater

in front of Lone Pine.

Left edge of
Lone Pine

Owens Gully

Johnson's Jolly during Lone Pine attack -
 

[annotated sketch]
small tree
growing on
parados of
trench

2nd brigade
& McCay at Helles: (waving his periscope) Well, Bean, heres now's the time
when I have to do the damned heroic
act - Now then Australians! Which of you
are Australians? Come on Australians"
And they all got up from amongst the Lanc.
Fusiliers who had to garrison
/ trench, shouting
"Come on Australians!
On Australians!"

revolver

Krithia
1700 to 2000 yds away

Achi Baba

slight dip 500 yds
away rising to krithia

Parapet
soil

Wounded man
in trench

Wounded man sitting.
trench (wounded in
throat)

Head of Lancashire
Fusilier in
cap {sketch]

In front of orange
parapet 500 yds of level
dry long grass (w few small shrubs knee high)
52
 

 


[annotated sketch]
[*He at once jumped up & stood astride o / trench*]

Some stunted tree

(Rosewood or thorn or something)
other
 

Col. McNichol
 

Fir Trees
 

Krithia Nulla

Orange Red

Wounded
Aust.

Orange Red
 

spurts of dust

from bullets

Lanc Fusilier

There shd be

Trench shd be more

crowded - Brigade H.Q.

were in / trench beside

/ wounded signallers

 

May 8th

In the charge of the Inf Bde at Helles - In the "Tommies"

trench - a red earth trench with parapet of red earth (no

sandbags & parados of some red earth behind wh

many men rested instead of getting into trench as

most did. When they got up for / charge / men

seemed to stand just for one fraction of a moment,

half crouching & glaring into the enemy's fire, wh

was very heavy, before they started. There shd be more

of them, but it looked very like this picture all / 

same. Before Each line ws alld abt 3 minutes

in / trench, wh was halfway to where we

reached (& has since bn called the "Australian Trench") &

then it got up like this & went on. When the 1st or 2nd line

ws due to leave Col McNichol asked Col, McCay who was

in / trench. well, do you want us to go on. McCay sd yes.

53
 

[*So McN - jumped up on / parados by the

tree & immediately spun round & sank down.

McC. sd. Are you hit? Two men were tearing at

McN's collar. "Only slight  I think," he sd wh ws | case

blowing his whistle & waving / men on w his right hand.*]
 

 

 

[annotated sketch]

McCay w

his periscope

 

Shells of our guns bursting

1000 yds ahead

Achi Baba

Haze of old shells
 

(Dry grass w occasional

bullet spits)

H.Q. of McCays Brigade in Krithia charge.

Pace - a very fast walk.

Tommies trench ws some way ahead.
 

One youngster (I
forget if he ws one o / signallers

carrying / reel ws holding up

a spade to protect his head)
 

[annotated sketch]

V Beach

W Beach abt 2½ miles
back

a few trees

Some of lines behind us advancing thro' shrapnel

as we looked back at them from position in

above picture

54
 

 

 

Hill 60. Aug. 21.

[annotated sketch]

Hill 60

Kaiajik Dere
 

Scrubby Hill
 

Hill 60. First scene.

Men swarming up scrubby Hill on my side of

Kaiajik Valley, disappearing down into / valley. (I ws

in trenches of 13th Bn )
 

[annotated sketch]

 

This trench ws 

taken & held

These men were

afterwards cut off by Turks

I think taken prisoner

because I saw no more

of them but presently

Turks appeared

here
 

Big Turkish lyddite

falling in this
Kaiajik Valley.

These shells brought

the later line of

Hampshire (?) back.

to here

I have exaggerated

the size of Hill 60

in this in order to
give room.
 

Shells began

to burst

in these 

trenches
 

Hill 60

(our m.gs from Monash's

trenches were sprinkling ground over here

on unseen side of hill.)
 

Turks often afterwds enfiladed all these

trenches from the East. ←w shrapnel & were banging

at Monashes trenches too.

55
 

 

 

Hill 60 abt 4 o'c Aug 21

[annotated sketch]
 

Either Connaughts charging

or Turks retreating here - I think both; front figure probably a Turk.
 

N.Z. & some British here
 

bombing here
 

Turks in here
 

Ap 26th

[annotated sketch]

Maclagans
HQ. (N. of
wire fully). Maj.
Brand watching warship's

fire.
 

Foster, Blamey &

others watching fight.
 

Charge of 9th & 10th

along what was then called "Razor back"

(i.e N. of White Valley) about 3 to 4pm Monday Ap. 26

Some fragment
in reserve

 

This was just abt time when order to

"cease fire" came along line.

6
 

 

 

Lone Pine: On Aug 8 young Ross' gun when the

7th Battery was shelling the rear slopes of Lone Pine

had 600 shells fired at it (in the morning?) The Turks

knew this battery was shelling their concentration -

as soon as bayonets appeared on the rear slopes

No. 4 gun would get into them. This was the

reason why they get onto this gun (No.4) wh they

could see. Row after row of sandbags was

knocked down from the epaulement but was

always built up. Fortunately Scrubby Knoll 

could not get at them over the top of the Pine.

The men always built / sandbags up again -

Ross's observer ws killed beside him but /

gun's crew stuck to it & fought / gun right thro'

[* from the 6 in guns

in Asmak Dere- all

sizes.*]

 

Olive grove Guns.

A prisoner gave away / positn of an

observatn station of the Olive grove guns - in a

tree behind the groves. If you shell tt tree, he

sd. / guns will stop. The next time / gun

fired they shelled / bush - the gun did stop, at once
 

[annotated sketch]
May 8

Col. McNichol

wounded

1st time

2 men

loosening
collar

[annotated sketch]

Jumped up "I dont

think its anything -"

Jumped up

astride of

Trench

[sketch]

57
 

 

 

58

Sat. Feb. 5. Arrived at Port Said

without being submarined &

took train to Cairo to find out where

H.Q. were. Port Said ws full of British

troops - It ws not till Ismailia tt

we l ran into / Australians. They

have given them / post of honour on /

Canal - / whole o / part wh ws

seriously attacked last year.

1st Div Hqtrs at Serapaim. 2nd Divn
[shorthand]

Hqtrs at Ferry 1st Divn miles out
[shorthand]
with miles of line to defend to / rt o / Bitter
[shorthand]
Lake. 2 Divn w 8 miles to defend to / N
[shorthand]
[shorthand] of them 1st & 2nd [shorthand] Tel-el-Kebir;
also old Howitzer [shorthand]
in Egypt. The heavy howitzer

[shorthand] Taunton in England yet.

They have 4 9.2s & 4 other

guns are to be given them,

probably 5.9 of new pattern.

The Army Corps H.Q. is at

Ismailia & the General H.Q. is
 

 

 

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