Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/4/1 - April 1915 - Part 6

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(page upside down)

at Ismaelia and hot humidity

Failure supply of water at Moyad H

best season for 7 years

Buried over 600 killed and during the night

of the 3rd watched for hours Turks burying

their dead we can say them their night nurse

 

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with quite a hot bombardment today.
the two big shells landing side by
side.  When the range was raised
the interval . between them widened
[Diagram - see original text]  Range extraord.
good & regular
Aft midday a hot outburst of
machine gun fire.  Beach heavily shelled
today & several men killed.
called a white Turk with plant battery. Laughed
May 2
A territorial col. & Col. M'Nickol
of 7^th (?) were shot by Marines
last night when coming up
commⁿ trench ( taken for Turks)
& bayoneted [shorthand]
shelling on beach v. accurate this mg.
12 o'c. v. heavy bombardment
going on to S.
Cable ship arrives (Imogene)

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Dug in too deeply. The mission and 
at their Serapeium had to be reinforced

A 2nd barrage unfolded. The trench

and machine and rapid fire was poured in and the

remnant put up [?] and I would[?]

and give in. There were Syr.

Turks and Anatolians in the column
1, 6 inch gun, at least 4 have the guns

(possibly 2) and 1 machine gun Oxen & mules
dragging them.  (Howard ws in
Somaliland & cd drag .)
von den Hagan
Pilot Carew shot though arm &
foot with these shells and said

bring me a chair and prop me up and

I will see you through. He was taken to the hospital 

 

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A counter attach was sent out from Ser. to the 
ridge overlooking the depression that had a

considerable range to fire and the reserves immediate

retired and went over the hills in a south easterly 

direction.  (On 3rd).
It was a very determined effort to get across

the canal and the Turks did very well.  All night

there was sniping from a trench with 250 men in it

near where they tried to cross in boats. Next 

morning 4th we sent out men to mop them up.

The Swiftsure came down the canal and shared

the [?] with light guns to prevent their being 

The Geo put a shell or 2 in the trenches but the 

Turks were 
 

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White. Foott. Smith. Dykes.
Glasford. Casey Howse. Ramsay.
Self. Blamey Anderson. Foster.
by daylight they must have know that the

attack had failed and the whole show was up.

They had put all their eggs in this one basket.

The Turkish officer who was captured said to

 Maj Capt Howard You are very ready"
Some Turks got into a trench but that was

 Enfiladed there it seemed best and they were

all warned or taken prisoners.

what was left of the brigade then took the 2 

posts sent covering the retirement of the 
bridging [?] The attack on Ser. was never 

proposed to him and the Turks did not get this

3/4 mile of the dry trenches because the shell

fired from the 19^th Lanc battery was too hot. 

This battery had an extremely well 

every fired was very well directed.

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Smith:  Tobacco.  Looking glass brush.
pr. socks.  matches
Foott.  (Nichols)  Razor, shav.
brush, strap, soap (all in
hold-all.  Clean towel.  Brush for
clothing, boots, (Put all in old
haversack)
Bread - pay for it
One Table (trestle)
Sergt Major      5 Dixies (New)
Donelly              Butter                 }
                             Rump Steak      }  If practicable 
                             1 doz milk           }
Box of groceries - a long wooden
box with a lock on it in cooks
(Coffy's) waggon.
Glasford:  Canvas washing basin only.
No S. no bath.
1 Extra table.
2 chairs
4 candle lamps
1 doz. milk
1 mail bag.
My valise, typewriter etc.

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going up and down the hill every day  

15000 
[shorthand]  Hardinge.
[shorthand] 
2 x Kerosine tins there.

 

 

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68
Razor for Blamey.  buy.
Casey maps.
Foote Razor.
From Dykes:  Under Pants  Shirt,
Collar, Blanket, w-proof sheet
Towel & Brush, comb, mirror
Safety Razor, Cigarettes.

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strategically the place the Turks chose was the best spot
they could have selected on the canal.
Behind is the Ismailia town line and the Sweet Water
canal and if they get across the
Nefishe they achieve their immediate objective 
in order to get a rally in both directions

Our outer lines had to be were left entirely open
at night.
The day before the men were sent 7 miles
away manoeuvring
28 January we went out on a reconnaissance
of the range of hills and a large camp
was located East of
Katűb El Kheil  They
came up on the camp very large and came
to these hills and we saw them

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2 tables (office)
Foster:  1 blanket
               singlet
               matches
               candles
Ask Donelly to
give me the
stationery box
(one thats locked)
& get from forms as many forms 2.3 as possible
Self - Lamp.
          Blankets
          Typewriter
          Photos.
------------------

Col. Howse (Norminton)
Towel   6 packet cigarettes
2 pr socks
Br  1 pr

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68

Razer for Blamey [?]

Casey [?]

Foote razer

 

From Dykes : underwear pants shirt

collar, blanket, waterproof sheet

tpwel& brush, comb , mirror

safety razor, cigarettes.

 

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Showing half of the page completely transcribed above.

66
2 tables (office)
Foster:  1 blanket
              singlet
              matches
              candles
Ask Donelly to
give me the
stationery box
(one thats locked)
& get from forms as many forms 2.3 as possible
Self - Lamp.
         Blankets
         Typewriter
         Photos.
------------------

Col. Howse (Norminton)
Towel   6 packet cigarettes
2 pr socks
Br  1 pr slacks 
Looking glass
2 loaves bread

---------------------
Ramsay 

 Kit [shorthand]
(not sleeping bag)
Big overcoat
Towel
Razor & Strap
Sponge bag & all that is
in it
Looking glass
Little bottle Petrol
Pair of boots
2 Pair Socks
3 Plugs Baccy.

-------------------------
Anderson (Brewster)
Overcoats

---------------------------
Casey.  Socks

 

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[shorthand]

64
£600  10/-
An actual white flag shd be
[shorthand]
Birdwood.
Mond. Sultan.
Wed [Sultan?]] Mena  [shorthand]    ;  Empire
Thurs.  [[Sultan?]]  "      "    :  World.
See George 2.45 Monday

----------------------------------
H. Price 47
Signal Section
8^th Ba.

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65
[shorthand]