Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/39/1 - February 1916 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG1066742
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

12 rather sharply! "Oh - I bes your pardon genl- not you They gave him of course. the Pan a seat of ht t others went betow out of Sight of Tarks. Therews a wait of abt 5 menetis during wh all Hed be two of three seen ws other column felng quiet down oute other peers - all plers Tene an carpeted to sanking - Fer to Pow W. a little roon in 16gat Russell had accided at this mospent to vey one of hospitals (the
14 t Bde last to of 4 13 Bn Imven, seryt & officer left posite at 2.15 reaced beach at $.350r50- afforsd. Now then sergt - you can make pace as hot as you like Very fast walk. They were alt woyds about of lot saw nobod from Ape romg ffered when Else, Had on they saw Twrk in valley before Ofr. spent Last 2hr. buryeng H.E. bombs under fire place w byen earth askes on tok in hope to ept tight a fire there. ws, stugh in w pen bomb tiel to hand when pelled it y n British one) of o this ws what kept them. Ther they pasted ws a momentancy evating off to fint I hospital people. Then theped of The Aoran () I think ws steamer they were transhi to. The Lad two of her plates cutoff, bow + o troops simply Steon- into her marther. an oficer dividen thems wd explode. Hotchess on Rose Hill- 13 3
45 The intelligence people are informed th 70 German & Tarkish Officers were Sentfrom Gallipoli for courtmartiil after 1 eacuations Bather telts me th a man from Salonica told him to the Austrean guns on Fershenken were about to open on I worng of Dec. 20. I had bu arranged to they shd begin at fa in but it was misty & they put it off till 9. at 9ain. the battery rany up for its arget. Were not sure to there is a target" as I reply. what do you mean?11 The target we think Matish! The ship we dark - no smotin ands yet. But gent found his way to Saloon - and there he wet for 1 first time for wonks, a crowd of old friends, officers of all sorts, from adpart loughing of Aushalia Chattery, Dmakein a wonderful reuneon. Bde is to The make the 12Bde Slasfud
eliot Foryl2 1St Don. Enaclagant 2 910. 11. (om anst) 30d Sleeford 4 12th -13th t 16 Smyth 1 5 t Juy 2 - 1576 18 It will be with the 12th &1 made by 3rd Bde) in the 4th Divn. The t Bde g Smyt o the will make the 14 2nd Bde the 15th (Irving) & these two to 18th will make the 5th Den Possible Glaagow gets the 1315 Hes had a phewomend rice. So the battalious will be
1. The only irrejularily is in Bdes to D 10 2 11 7 8 12 13 from 4th 4S 13 14-46 47 16.48 por 30.9t 49 10- I0 11 S 12 12 from 5r. 2 54 4 from End 5 60 13 16 le 14 9th 101½ 1116 20 33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42 43 44
21 vacun St. Ble. from Eass, 28n) Pesk 85 to Seb Spar y 22 1s t (soi ap 67.2, 38 3611 on saty On Sity night cut down to 1800. Sunday 5.30 sent away 953 por through month of victuria gull cinetirg swet gully. & by upper Beach Ro to Sap. Angac Gully. Allemberho at watsons . taken from all S. Brs. All officers & some &c0 had be over ground quietest night for a lon time. Beach Bill Kellevery 15 wnotes save on Dety night.
23 at 10 to 10 withdre 380 This lep 442 holding 1000 yds of fron allongs exc. 2 per bu now sou (av. 40r3 per bo I some went in 5.30 belch 10 pn lot all went in small parties abt 30. at 2 am. final witedgaws began. Parties were sent avay at 10 mus intervals Last party left each part of hie at 2.40. Bde He shedoen at 2an. I all wstanats taken. For last 10 mivs Smen
24 & 2 offes in trenches En 2nd Bn; & 2ofess 2 messges for Bn H.A. No patrols out -20 7. patrots seen. We had wised beavily all t wk There were some m. gs on right till last part (1 206). In 7t2 Bon here were 6 water-matic rifles (sett Spur). Knocber of sights & bolts. on last night bstpart had t on bak at williams 5000 Pier bec. wills bombs h
25 goin to ship here Mills touts away in order to 175 shdat lean secret. The lastday this ws impossible so they were tumblet on somebody's ankont into sea off Watsons Per - That day (Sunday) the barges cont yet in tot feer bee of this beap of bonk? I ws aftods to to this was wrong ew. B. 18.5.25 26 is bombs. had carwations Kir) bn thrown there. This had ben Jobbrt wharf at 3, 15. Lighte left 3.26. Transport about t O'C. Mines wead up while boats at pier. altho Kepord every t b a so 181 Ba Specking. all quiet in our fron Bspeaking & To on. Heavy firn down at Helles ws reperted B Earty clear -68men & Toon Boots were all nuffled since abt 5 0'c.
27 Ships to pais in Inight The DIE Bde Sentry War Babies Gen. Birdwoods better White & Disceptine Iellibrande method heart fr yere gonng Feb 245 to Fran Cre Feb 29 -C76 quile frsot it wts leap year. Wightd 28 615 Bn. C1 Ap. 2S about 8- 9 Ococh py. S Jncobs copitinualy calling for men. was 3ffi. of 16th Bonwbmen went t Re t found to Dear mans. Jacobs tire with 6 men. onlly abt 25 men on Pepres Tacobs as on DMans Rege about your when his happened he retired from & mais R. Hehadb a calling for hinffenes 16th put picker own alnight stope of Popes. & day in t ryae. wth on top. ly loin on walers left - (very

15          12
rather sharply, "Oh - I beg 
your pardon Genl - not you
of course." They gave him
a seat out of sight by the funnel; the
others went below out of 
sight o / Turks. There ws 
a wait of abt 5 minutes
during wh all tt cd be
seen ws ^two or three other columns
filing quietly down onto 
other piers - all piers 
carpeted w sacking - Sir W. There ws
a little room in / boat & Sir W. 
Russell had decided at this
^moment to bring one o / hospitals (the

 

14 
last lot of 4th Bde - 13 Bn. 
3 men, sergt & 1 officer left
positn at 2.15 reached beach
at 2.35 or so - offr sd: "Now
then Sergt - you can make 
/ pace as hot as you like" - 
Very fast walk. They were 
abt 100 yds ahead of lot
from Apex, saw nobody 
else. Had ^normally only fired when
they saw Turks in valley before
lines. Offr. spent Last 2 hrs
burying H.E. bombs under
fire place with ¼ in earth and
ashes on top in hope tt Ts
might light a fire there.
Shovel ws stuck w pin bomb 
tied to handle Diagram when T pulled it it
[*wd explode. Hotckiss on Rose Hill - buried into pit
before exploding so shdnt show - 
explosion ^shd be 20 minutes after trench left.*]
 

15      13
British one) off - this
was what kept them. There
they pushed ws a 
momentary rushing off
to find / hospital people.
Then they pushed off
The Arran (?) I think ws 
/ steamer they were transhipped
to - she had two of her
plates cut off, bow &
stern - & / troops simply 
marched off into her, 
an officer dividing them

 

15

The Intelligence people are informed 
tt 70 German & Turkish officers were 
sent from Gallipoli for courtmartial 
after / Aug. evacuations. 
-----
Butler tells me tt a man from
Salonica told him tt the 
Australian guns on Terschenkeni
were about to open on / morng
of Dec. 20. It had bn arranged 
tt they shd begin at 7 a.m. but
if it was misty & they put it off till
9. At 9am the battery rang up 
for its target. "We're not sure tt 
there is a target" was / reply. "What do
you mean?" "The target we think is
Mafish!"
 

15      16
The ship was dark - no smoking 
and in her s yet. But
/ Genl found his way to /
saloon - and there he 
met for / first time for 
months, a crowd of 
old friends, officers of 
all sorts, from all parts 
of Australia - laughing,
chatting, smoking - 
a wonderful reunion.
------
The 4th Bde is to
make the 12 Bde - Glasfurds

 

17
Elliott          1     )
Forsythe    2    )   ---  1st Divn.
Maclagan  3    )

5  )
6  )    --- 2nd
7  )

9. 10. 11 (from Aust) 3rd

                 4            )
Glasfurd 4 - 12th  )   4th
                 3 - 13th  )
Bde

Smyth   1 - 14th   )

Irving     2 - 15th  )     5th

                8             )
 

15      18

It will be with the 12th & 13th
(made by 3rd Bde) in the 
4th Divin. The 1st Bde Genl. Smyth
will make the 14th & the
2nd Bde the 15th (Irving) & 
these two w / 8th will
make the 5th Divn. 

Possibly Glasgow gets the 
13th. He's had a phenomenal 
rise.
So the battalions
will be 

 

19
The only irregularity 
is in Bdes to Dvns

1 )            5 )           9)
2) 1          6) 2       10) 3
3)             7)          11)

4 )            8)
12) 4        14) 5
13)            15)
 

15    20

From 
4th                                   9th

13-45 )                              33
14-46 ) 12th                     34

15-47 )                              35

16-48 )                             36

From 
3rd                                   10th
9-49 )                              37
10-50 ) 13th                     38
11-51   )                              39
12-52  )                             40

From 
1st                                   1 1th
1-53 )                                41
1-54 ) 14th                       42
3-55 )                               43
4-56 )                              44

From 
2nd                    
5-57 )          
6-58 ) 15th  
7-59 )          
8-60 )         

 

21
Evacun
1st Bde
(? from Col Cass 2 Bn.)
C.E.W.B. 
18.5.25
 

15       22

Salt Spur
6 7.2 Black Head Q4
3 Q 4 - Q r
- Q i - T.
Leanes Trench - T 5
4 (joined up as LH)

3611 on Saty
On Sat’y night cut down to 1800.

Sunday.
5.30 pm sent away 953.

Through mouth of Victoria Gully,

^Cemetery Sap, ^Shrap. Gully & by upper Beach Rd to 
Anzac Gully. All embarked 
at Watsons. Taken from all 
5 Bns. All officers and some NCOs
had bn over ground.
Quietest night for a long 
time. Beachy Bill 1  
shell every 15 minutes.
save on Saty night. 

 

15      23
at 10 to 10 withdraw 380
This left 442 holding
1000 yds of front.

All mgs exc. 2 per bn. now gone.
(av. 4or 3 per bn.) Some went in
5.30 batch.

10pm lot all went in
small parties abt 30.

At 2am. final withdrawal
began. Parties were sent away
at 10 mins intervals. 

Last party left each part
of line at 2.40. Bde H.Q.
shut down at 2 a.m. &
all instruments taken.

For last 10 mins 8 men

 

15      24
& 2 offrs in trenches in
2nd Bn; & 2 offrs &
2 messgrs for Bn H.Q.

No patrols out - no T.
patrols seen. We had
wired heavily all tt wk. 

There were some m.gs on 
right till last party (C -
2 o'c). In 7th Bn there
were 6 water-matic
rifles (Silt Spur) Knocked
off sights & bolts.

On last night last party
had to embark at Williams 
Pier bec. ^5000 Mills bombs had 

 

25
going to ship these Mills bombs
away in order tt / Ts shdnt learn
/ secret. The last day this was
impossible so they were tumbled
on somebody's authrity into
/ sea off Watsons Pier. That 
night day (Sunday) the 
barges cdnt get in to /
pier bec of this heap of bombs. x
x [I ws aftwds told this
was wrong. C.E.W.B.
18.5.25]

15       26

bombs. had

a bn thrown there ^(at Watsons Pier). They had been ↓

Got onto wharf at 3.15.
Lighter left 3.26. Transport
about 4 o'c. Mines went 
up while boats at pier.
All thro evg Report every ¼ hour or so - 
"1st Bn speaking. all quiet in 
our front" "2nd Bn speaking"
- & so on. "Heavy firing down

at Helles" was repeated.
"B Party clear - 68 men" & so on.
Boots were all muffled
since abt 5 o'c.

 

27
Ships tt pass in / night.
The 8th Bde Sentry
War Babies
Gen. Birdwoods Letter.
White & Discipline

Gellibrand's method
Feb 28 heard we were going 
to France
Feb 29 Quite forgot it ws
leap year.
 

15     28

16th. Bn. Night of Ap. 25.
----
About 8-9 o'clock Lt Jacobs
was continually calling for men. 
Offr. of 16th Bn w 6 men went across

to Dead Man's Ridg. & found

Jacobs there with 6 men only

abt 20 men on Popes
Jacobs ws on D Man's 

Ridge. About 8 p.m. when this 

happened he retired from 
Dead Mans R. He had bn calling for reinforcements
16th put picket just down 

slope of Popes. & dug in all night 
on top - Fire to right & little to 

left - very little doing on Walkers

 

 

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