Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/38C/1 - Notebook - Part 1










AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/38C/1
Title: Folder, Notebook
Contains notes and draft for the introduction to a
war history.
AWM38-3DRL606/38C/1
SUBHEAD
Original DIARY NO. 38(C)
AWM38 3DRL 606 ITEM 38C [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 by consulting, as far as possible those who had
seen or otherwise taken part in the events. The constant falsity of second-hand
evidence (on which large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, not withstanding 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
Voyage. 285. The General Officer Commanding desires to express his
high appreciation of the care shewn by officers and men in
charge of horses on Transports of the A. I. Force, and
congratulates them on the extremely low proportion of
casualties (2.85 per cent) as well as on landing the
remainder in excellent condition.
Having regard to the length of the voyage, averaging
over 50 days, the heat experienced, and the absence of strong
breezes, the loss of only 224 horses out of a total of 7,843
embarked bears eloquent testimony to the zeal and horse
[[?]] of all ranks concerned.
No casualties occurred on the following ships
carrying less than 25 horses :-
Orvieto Omrah Ascanius Euripides
Afric Benalla.
The Suffolk lost 1 out of 8 horses.
The following list shows the percentage of other
ships :-
Under 200 horses Horarata 0.85
Under 300 horses Medic 0.38 Southern 0.7
Saldanha 3.65
Under 400 horses Pera 1.27 Argyllshire 2.69
Port Lincoln 3.91
Armadale 6.46
Under 500 horses Rangatira 1.1
Star of England 1.53
Wiltshire 2.62
Anglo-Egyptian 2.64
Shropshire 3.47
Marere 3.84
Star of Victoria 4.03
Karree 4.99
Under 600 horses Katuna 3.16
Clan MacCorquodale 3.62
688 horses Hymattus 1.89
V.C.M SELLHEIM, Colonel
A.A. & Q.M.G.
[*SUBHEAD
Convoy
Morale
Officers
& men
Censorship
SUBHEAD
Horses. see A.I.F. orders 50 1
Convoy
The soldier who refuses to be vaccinated. 620 in camp.
" " " gets disease & can't serve. In uniform but not a [[shorthand]]
3rd Divn fastest - arranged by speed.
Fine weather - luck for horses - only 40 dead so far.
Rocket. Masthead Lights.
"I shd think the navy will have an anxious time." (White)
Selim 300 V.R.
Horses - 7 on Eurip. sd to be dead. } get later.
40 odd altogether. }
Long & Latitude. In other book.
Southern nearly catches us at end of each watch.
We used to quicken but dont any longer
xxx Japanese ship, huge plume of smoke.
/ Melbourne tiny smoke far astern - Pioneer sent back (Nov 3)
No masthead lights now showing in front (Nov. 3)
only side lights & masthead light at back to steer by.
Left. abt. 1st. Nov.
Midday 2nd Nov - Just W of Cape Naturaliste
" 3rd Nov. 30° 21' S. 111° 49' E 218 knots
fairly heavy beam sea
" 4th " 27° 20 S 109° 29' E 219 knots
fairly heavy beam sea
Losing 40 ? horses -
216 = 9 kn.
Were the orders changed at last minute from S.A. to Egypt
16 hrs before leaving.
? on receipt of news of Turkey? or of Emden?
Or was it a ruse to
spread idea that we
were going to S.A.
What did the Admiralty know?
Osterley passed us (see diary Nov. 5)
Did she send a wireless ? Cd the enemy have heard it?
[*Morale
offrs.
& men
Censorship*]
Japanese beat Russians at sea; but they wdnt transport
the 2nd Army till after sinking of Retropavlovsk,
& even then it wd detained at Chinampo till
after battle of Yalu. Then attempted to block
the north of Port Arthur - This delay enabled
Russia to concentrate a much bigger army. & the
7th & 8th Japanese Divns, originally meant for
Vladivostock, had to be sent to Manchuria.
Capt. J Gell
[[shorthand]]
Why did Minotaur leave ?on Nov 8.?
Why did she order us to reduce speed to 7 kn?
Colombo: Agents & Representatives very [[shorthand]].
By the time (3 pm on 16th) [[shorthand]] fleet
sail not one agent I come off F only [[shorthand]] on
17th [[shorthand]] efforts of Naval [[shorthand]] officers. We [[shorthand]] late
leaving [[shorthand]]. A few [[shorthand]] half an hour [[shorthand]]
(steward on lighter, [[shorthand]] etc).
19 Nov. Convoy had [[shorthand]] 8 kn. let Ascanius fall [[shorthand]]
to pack a ^piston gland - Katuna [[shorthand]] for [[shorthand]].
3rd Division[[shorthand]] 12½. Made only 11.2 ∴ Afric
changed. for Ascanius - (call numbers & all)
21. Nov. 4.15 Asc. [[shorthand]] Shropshire. Rent in Asc.
[[shorthand]] 24 ft [[shorthand]]. Have [[shorthand]].
22 Nov. [[shorthand]] on Hampshire. [[shorthand]] of Indian [[shorthand]] Bomb.
On 19th & [[shorthand]] Aden 26th
Orvieto to give Hamp. 20 [[shorthand]] of fresh [[shorthand]].
Tel. to Malta for [[shorthand]] for Endurs [[shorthand]].
Officers [[shorthand]] to buy at Aden & P. Said.
Capt. Refused to - parole. Evid [[shorthand]] hands
free to escape [[shorthand]] at Canal.
23 Nov. 11.1 kn (Westerly set) Horse losses 2)
See.(½ page forward)1st of Australian history
3
[*Morale.
offrs.
& men.
Censorship*]
5th Nov 24.4.S.
106.50 E 242 kn 1.8. over 10kn.
(Trade wind astern.) Today we
crossed the trade route & just
hit off the Osterley.
6th Nov: 20.38 S.
104.11 E 253 kn. Trade wind astern.
To E of Trade Route.
All lights carefully screened but
fleet still pretty bright
Bright moon xx a little past full
7th Nov. Sat: 17.12 S. Two days from Cocos.
101. 35 E Lights put out on all ships for
253 kn. ½ an hour at 8 o'c. & ships
steamed by stern lights casting
glow into water.
News of the battle off Valparaiso. Our lights only
working at half their usual current.
8th N 13.55 S
99.23 E Minotaur left us.
234 see diary.
Pass Cocos tonight
M. 9th N. 237 kn. This day the Emden fight. Changed course
5.30
T. 10th Nov. 8°11 S
93° 39 E
249 Kn.
W. 11th Nov. 5.25 S
9.43 E.
240
4
Senior [[shorthand]] of escort thought we shd be [[shorthand]]
convoy [[shorthand]] of Cocos. ∴ special care.
Ships in [[shorthand]] for shaded sternlight.
Nov. 9. 6-30 [[shorthand]] SOS. [[shorthand]] Melb.
wh [[shorthand]] Sydney [[shorthand]] 650 [[shorthand]]
Melb had [[shorthand]] ensign at [[shorthand]], Jack at [[shorthand]]
& [[shorthand]] ensign at peak.
Nov 10 [[shorthand]] for Konigsberg.
Hororatas [[shorthand]] also Ang'ey.
Nov 11. Kon. placed ∴ [[shorthand]] half power
Suffolk & Hor. [[shorthand]] astern.
Buzzers [[shorthand]]
junior Marconi [[shorthand]] marc. [[shorthand]]
inefficient. Cd only get 12 - 15 words
a minute [[shorthand]] 20.
Nov 12. Ibuki took [[shorthand]] 3 miles [[shorthand]]
10.8 kn. Best to date (289 [[shorthand]])
Nov 13. Rangatira short of [[shorthand]] ordered to tin it
from A - Egyptn which had [[shorthand]] as cargo
Southern to get Welsh coal at Colombo
for
Nov 15. Horses 142 lost to date.
Colombo. 3rd Divn to go ahead & coal & water
at Aden.
Water [[shorthand]] at Colombo.
[*PTO backwds*] All ships cd not get inside to water.
Anglo-Eg. struck breakwater - little damage.
5
[* Morale
officers
& men
Censorship*]
Th. 12 Nov. 260 kn.? 2°. 50. S.
Frid 13 Nov. 0.37 N. Crossed Equator.
84.48 E.
248 kn.
Sat 14 Nov. 3.35 N.
82.16. E
234 kn.
Albany
Melb. x ^after coaling stopped outside of Breaksea as [[shorthand]].
26th Oct. Anchor [[shorthand]] steam on engines.
27. Kalimna [[shorthand]] to take up
positn. In weighing anchor broke her windlass.
Just ready in time.
Katoomba [[shorthand]]
28. Oct. Minotaur Pyramus & Philomel [[shorthand]] also Ibuki.
11 am 28 Oct. Arrangemt as to Simonstown discussed
on Minotaur w Capts of Ibuki, Minotaur
Melb. & G. Smith.
Ibuki [[shorthand]] Maurit. [[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]] faster [[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]] Simonstown (Ibuki [[shorthand]] 200 [[shorthand]]
per day). It ws [[shorthand]]
utilised for escorting Medic & Ascanius
[[shorthand]] to R.V. at sea - [[shorthand]] dispensed with
6
*
6 p.m. Osterley [[Shorthand]] regret
[[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]] escort
course [[shorthand]]
Colombo [[shorthand]] Naval Intgnce [[shorthand]] at Col. J consulted.
Convoys requiremts at Colombo were -, Osterley
as Minotaurs [[shorthand]] anxious to avoid long
[[shorthand]] (a good [[shorthand]]) He ws averse to closing
[[shorthand]] buzzer range of Cocos I & sending cables
[[shorthand]] of the operation ) [[shorthand]].
6 Nov. [[shorthand]] machines. Marere & Pt Lincoln 6 operators
Southern [[shorthand]] gallantly - 10½ kn.
Ships exercised [[shorthand]] on [[shorthand]].
We in Orvieto use buzzer, [[shorthand]] by flash.
(Army Signallers not enough used -
[[shorthand]] 8 [[shorthand]] - at once, only 3 [[shorthand]]
up there at most. Near Cocos Buzzer
ws [[shorthand]] at night [[shorthand]] increased [[shorthand]].
Flashing [[shorthand]] also less used. Replies [[shorthand]]
made by flag. Suffolks [[shorthand]] a complete
failure. [[shorthand]] since
Nov 2.
Light reduced in Orvieto, Much hotter
[[shorthand]] cant be obscured.
Nov 7. [[shorthand]] darkened 8-8.30 W.T. doors closed,
scuttles [[shorthand]] in w life [[shorthand]].
PTO backwds
7
[* Morale
officers
& men
Censorship*]
Coaling at Albany Orvieto took 480 tons in 20 hours from
lighters. Only 30 tons [[shorthand]] watering
Commander T.L. Jones 1. & 2 of berthing
Complaints of [[shorthand]] Hororata - 100 [[shorthand]] to Omrah
Censorship at Albany.
Orders as [[shorthand]], & list of R.V. [[shorthand]] by Minotaur
in sealed envelopes to be opened after leaving [[shorthand]].
Stations keeping : Katuna & Peru [[shorthand]] wild [[shorthand]].
Peru report the starbd engine [[shorthand]] wh perh. accted
for it.
10 kn. engine speed first night= 8½ to 9 kn.
Southern [[shorthand]] astern [[shorthand]] during [[?]]. Others
also. Speed [[shorthand]] reduced to 8½ kn.
3rd Nov. Speed still 9 kn. sea rough abeam. 4 pm. Ibuki
Pioneer etc. [[shorthand]]. Pioneer [[shorthand]] & took a [[shorthand]].
Hororata a bit erratic, [[shorthand]]
sheering off. Some [[shorthand]] or indifferent [[shorthand]] imprvt
tho' inclined to lengthen out at [[shorthand]].
RANR signalmen possibly sick. [[shorthand]] slow.
& Army
The 8 Horse Ships & Armadale [[shorthand]] 10 signallers at Albany.
Also Army Signallers. ∴ 2 signallers [[shorthand]].
[[shorthand]] of horses lost etc.
4th Nov. Complaints from Escort as to bright lights
Ships got badly strung out; [[shorthand]] 9 kn.
*5 Novr No improvt at night. Minotaur came down
lines [[shorthand]] Visit [[shorthand].] good [[shorthand]]. 10 kn
8
Hand drawn diagram – see original document
THE TRANSPORT SHIPS.
The troopships which carried the first
contingents of the Expeditionary Force from Australia
to Egypt were as follows:-
Hymetius, Geelong, Orvieto, Pera, Omrah, Clan
McCorquodale, Medic, Argyllshire, Shropshire,
Karoo, Ascanius, Saldanha, Katuna, Euripides, Star
of England, Star of Victoria, Port Lincoln, Wiltshire,
Afric, Hororata, Marere, Rangatira, Suffolk,
Benalla, Anglo-Egyptian, Armadale, Southern, and
Miltiades.
Following with other troops are the Suevic,
Borda, Ajana, Themistocles, Ayrshire, Persic,
Berrima, Melbourne, Hobart, Ulysses, Port Macquarie,
Ceramic, Cannstatt, Pfalz, Sumatra, Vestcalia,
and the Kyarra (hospital ship).
29 Novr. 382 miles easily done-
Horse [[shorthand]] 2½ [[shorthand]].very satisfry:
10
a
[* Morale
officers
& men
Censorship*]
Duntroon boys. 35 Australn & N.Z. with this
lot, & second yr. coming with second lot.
28 1st yr with us.
Maj. Howard: Kill the "leaders" - not necessarily the
28th Brigade.
When one Divn is in trenches the two brigades out
undertake regular Divisional exercises.
9
Convoy continued.
25 Nov. Aden ships coaled.
Ct of inquiry on Asc. - Shrop [[shorthand]] held.
Rest of Convoy [[shorthand]] 4pm.
26. Sailed 6 am. N. Zealanders cut through our line of 3rd Division, a most
[[shorthand]] manoeuvre.
Impt [[shorthand]] on Miltiades in [[shorthand]] of orders bathed [[shorthand]].
10 absentees in Colombo; 4 in Aden [[shorthand]] on.
(N.Z. sent them in [[shorthand]])
28 . Nov 11 pm. [[shorthand]] from High Commr received from Hampshire
informing G.O.C. that [[shorthand]] unforseen circs. [[shorthand]]
A I F. [[shorthand]] in Egypt [[shorthand]] Cairo [[shorthand]] there
the Austr. & NZ Divisions forming a Corps under General Birdwood.
Noon 28th Maunganui & Orv. went ahead. Hampshire
[[shorthand]] as involving [[shorthand]] gave way. We [[shorthand]]
& avoid or [[shorthand?]] dhows & [[shorthand]]
Later [[shorthand]] M. could only do 14 kn [[shorthand]] to go [[shorthand]]. at 16kn
8
Hand drawn diagram – see original document
10
a
[*Morale offrs
& men
Censorship*]
Duntroon boys. 35 Australn & N.Z. with this
lot, & second yr. coming with second lot.
28 1st yr. with us.
Maj. Howard: Kill the "leaders" - not necessarily the
28th Brigade
When one Divn is in trenches the two brigades out
undertake regular Divisional exercises.
De Lisle sd: If there is a difficult job the x unit I give
it to every time is the one wh shaves every day
& is inspected by the sergt major (makes them
watch behind their ears)
13
[*Censorship.*]
Censorship at Albany. Open [[shorthand]] at once.
[[shorthand]] in Albany 15 days [[shorthand]]
If Osterley had bn caught.
Mrs & Miss Christians [[shorthand]] after us [[shorthand]]
to Melb. [[shorthand]].
American (Chicago) pressman's yarn abt Indian
[[shorthand]] that the Austrln troops [[shorthand]] below hatches in canal
bec. Ind troops were firing on them.

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