Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/39/1 - February 1916 - Part 4

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066742
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

44 All stas on rly were fortiu Natives were cleared out of Daba town S Repyee arabs came on Composite Regt of Enq Yeoman H.L.H.S Detachment of armoured ears. patrobe road. All troops atc. Not Coy Aust Dir Iain went hro. (Other 3- transport personel only- went thro No1 Coy were warned that at Bergush to 50C were waiting for than in clips & caves beyond Bergush - This ws abt Dec -boy turned back & 18 7/ wiles to set covered
45 46 there & back 26½brs St Horses were 2 without from water ex. I gallon tanks From her rd ws close for long time. Matrah is most 500 a 600 he & drab whabts t natural rock-locked harbour to it. X mas day there ws one by fight abt 25 wiles out. deroplane recomousin were made from Matrih & a soon as the
2 M. Matrut Bir Hni 15 48 saw a concentration punctive expedn wd be sent dway to them about 5 fylts. 2 specially built menclayers Magnolia & clematis - minetayers W Cingans, looked by Dead warships - very shallow draught. They were opprating as warships. They were also patrolling for submarines. wass had proper mgo & field pieces + some Jerman & talk officers of teir eguipment must have. carried in to post b
49 Com 50 of Sollum (neae Tripole boider)- This at premot really belongs to Sinnoss. Atmosphere is very clear. Dunnng Bir Saka warch for example an acroplanc wt overhead guidin us all time. Ear of Lucan wt on command t (Regt of septs, 2 Engl. infanti Light Herse exananry, Rept, & N.3 bfantry (Engl. rexts were by this time or L9C tents. Fodder, 90 camels were taken. Season " Mlatrik nee camp
1 s w posts Cortified Dear a came Fort Matrak Sie ad come up every wight Yens. 52 ws flooded for 7 days We Lad HA.C. & Notts art And fort had new 42 in Yuus. Dial Frai had to do very hard work. for abt wele betw ships in porto camp In Deserd the train never had less than 4horse teams & at a pash outspanner & doubled teams. wehad Abt 5,000 tooops had a cwirian, canteen At Berani Evenig had abt 800 on Jan 22 troops moved out (coveray too went out night before). Last moved out 2p.m. Jan 22. That night
5: 54 they moved out 18 miles Ws w of matrick on Khedwial Road. It rained in toments. on 23 word came back ou to casualties were att 200 (abt 40 killed). The Diot train sent out escort (on heave horses) to its own convoy I sent out motor wayons for wounded. we secked up one dead turkish officer & two dead a (civileans). Seneessi Sen carried was they own dead. Exped came back on 25k. wilks suffered heavily -We lost 300 kr w. South Apicans had just 15
55 15 days6 ted) before alrived (unmon all had bu in S.W. Apriian campaign. Cauel transpt as at this time being founed t wh replaced peot train wh as brought back on Jan 30th, Doncert given to heInight before. mail can at them up fro Matrah 2 molor cars All captured cauely were sed in deserd betw Bergush gerawala & were so slow t all were lost in Iniht, Jnd stap Berjust to El Fuba where infanti were guarlin nex Stop Bir Shika Wed 2nd.
15 18 On beach on this last Stap somg men, bearin there were evidences of wrecks of Persia & ddlet on beach, got leave to go down there & found body of one of Persia's Stewards, with cabln chits in his pockets woman's body ws also lying there. Also tife burr t name. Middleton Mews 3 Feb - reached et Daba, & tina Alex Zeitown sections Sapply poxss each coy wa at Gallipoli cranpt Leetu at Mersa
59 60 The Aust. L. Horse at M. Matruk ws men apt Hndson (or at lent wd bel best course for detalts of fighting 23L11Bde Tustin re Hore elly Marwell lasgow &c Donelly will town to Ismailia onfat es Geoff T Bristow
totd March 9 this week has been Spent 67 toghe by. C.P.S Grunning ab for officers for their new commen lasgow in Berdods Hl. lasprd then too White up to Cano. Catt offaur inratecent Sturart in cam Cooking or o0. St ln 140 left - 50 in old Bath 60 in new Br as toight. 12 - not bad. Johuss hurryiy round erft wajor saw me at Sydes. (59 twomanwells seized on 62 Lovenso, in train told we he o getting them from Light Hopsl Berdwdods Lysum cutting bus in halfto letter new CO. choose wh half he will have atonse 182 Drons to move con't write my diary bec a Eyes went back on me after riding boi ha aget a sand slor i I desert. First the ry then lef went

43

In. Matruh

 

44

15

All stns on rly were fortified.

Natives were cleared out 

of Daba town. Refugee

Arabs came in.

 

Composite Regt of Emp yeomans

& A.L.H., detachment of

armoured cars. Patrolled

road. All troops esc. No1

coy Aust Div Train went 

thro. (Other 3-transport 

personel only - went thro).

No 1 Coy were warned that 

at Berfush tt 500 

Senuissi were waiting for

them in cliffs & caves beyond

Berfush _ This ws abt Dec

15 - Coy turned back & 

covered 57 1/2 miles to get

 

47 

Diagram

 

x Bir saka                                                             Bir Ani 

                                                                                     x

                                         In. Matruh

 

48

15

saw a concentration

a punitive expedn

wd be sent away to them

about 5 fights.

2 specially built

minelayers Magnolia

& Clematis - mine layers

w 6 in guns, looked big

Dead warships - very 

shallow draught. They 

were operating as warships.

They were also patrolling

for submarines.

Senussi had proper 

m.gs & field pieces & some 

German & Turk officers & 

their equipment must have

bn carried in to port

 

49

In. Matruh

 

50

15

of Sollum (near Tripoli

border) - This at present 

really belongs to Sennussi.

Atmosphere is very clear. 

During Bir Saka march for

example and aeroplane ws

overhead guiding us all I

time. Earl of Lucan ws

in command w I Regt

of Sikhs, 2 Full. infantry,

Comp. Light Horse)

              Yeo(?)          ) Regt. TN. 3.

infantry (empl. reqts were

by this time on L of C.)

Turks fodder, 90 camels 

were taken.

It ws raining season 

& once camp at Matruh. 

 

51

In. Matruh

 

Diagram of fort at Matruh

 

Snipers now 

to come up

Every night.

 

52

15

ws flooded for 7 days.

Guns. We had H.A.C. and Nots arty.

and fort had new 4'2in

guns. Diol Train had to do

very hard work. for abt

mile below ships in port &

camp.

In Desert the train never

had less than 4 horse teams

& at a push outspanned

& doubled teams.

We had Abt 5000 troops.

               (had a civilian canteen)

at Birani Evening had abt 8000

on Jan 22 troops moved out

(covering too went out night 

before). Last moved out 

2pm Jan 22. That night

 

53

 

In. Matruh

 

54

15

they moved out 18 miles

WSW of Matruh on

Kedwial Road. It rained 

in torrents.

  On 23 word came back

tt our casualties were abt 200

(abt 40 killed). The Diol Train

set an escort (on heavy 

horses) to its own convoys

& sent out motor wagons 

for wounded.

   We picked up one dead

Turkish officer & two dead

Germans (civilians). Senussi

carried away their own 

dead. Expert came back 

on 25th. Sikhs suffered

heavily - we lost 300 k&w.

South Africans had just 

 

55

 

In. Matruh

 

56

15

arrived (unmounted) day before

- mostly had bn in SW African 

campaign.

   Camel transpt ws

at this time being formed

wh replaced Australian Divl Train

wh was brought back on

Jan 30th. Covert given 15

them I night before - 

mail caught them up from 

Matruh in 2 motor cars.

All captured camels were used in desert betw Berjush

and gerawala and were so 

slow tt all were "lost" in I night.

O/N stay in Berjush to El Fuka

where infantry were guarding.

next stop Bir Shika. Wed 2nd. 

 

57

 

In. Matruh

 

58

15

On beach on this last 

stop some men, hearing there

were evidences of wrecks

of Persia and Middleton on 

beach, got leave to go down

there and found body of one 

of Persia's stewards with

cabin chits in his pockets,

woman's body ws also

lying there. Also life bury

is name Middleton. 

Thurs 3 Feb - reached El

Daba, & then Alex -

Zeitown. 

Supply portion section of

each canyon at Gallipoli

-- transpt Sector at Mersa,

 

59

 

In. Matruh

 

60

15

The Aust. L. Horse at M. Matruh

ws under Capt Hudson (or at least 

he wd be best source

for details of fighting).

(?3LH Bde)

____________________________________

Austin re Hore

Selby.

Glasgow re Maxwells

Sui/tilts(?) Lt Donelly will be 

down to Iswailia

unfat evs

Geoff & Bristowe

 

March 1 - 9

61 

this week has been spent 

by COs in running abt looking 

for officers for their new command.

             Glasgo in Birdwoods H.Q.

             Glastfund them too.

             White up to Cairo.

                     (abt officers in convalescent

                       homes)

              Stuart in train looking

           for old 5th in Gurly 140

           left - 50 in ol Battn, 60 in

           new Bn 

Told next night: "12 - not bad."

            Johnson hurrying round

            Sergt Major Saw me

            Abt Sydes. (59th)

            Two maxwells siezed on 

 

62

15

Lorenzo, in train told me he 

was getting them from Light Horse

Birdwood's system of

artillery gns in halfed

letting new CO

choose wh half he 

will have.

1&2 Dvns to move at once (shorthand below).

  I cant write my diary bec my 

eyes went back in

me after riding back

apt a half sandstorm

in I desert. First the right

eye went - then left. 

Edit this transcription

Log in Sign up

Last edited by:
Lulu BLulu B
Last edited on:

Last updated: