Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/44/1 - May - June 1916 - Part 1

AWM38
Official History,
1914-18 War: Records of C E W Bean,
Official Historian.
Diaries and Notebooks
Item number: 3DRL606/44/1
Title: Diary, May - June 1916
Covers Bean's work on "The Anzac Book"
accounts, talks with Lord Birdwood, Lt E Brooks,
and visit by W M Hughes to Paris.
AWM38-3DRL606/44/1
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL  RCDIG1066748
 

1916 
May 9th.

to June 3rd Beach Thomas

Original   Diary No. 44

AWM38    3DRL 606  ITEM 44 [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 consideration 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 he was 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 a large proportion of war stories are founded) was impressed
upon him by the second or third day of the Gallipoli campaign, notwithstanding 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

44

64                1                    
1916 May 9th to June 3rdMay 9th.  Russell & Beade Thomas who were over here today from G.H.Q. said that the3rd Corps were reported to be very sick with the Canadians who had lost / trenches craters wh they themselves had gained at St Eloi.  Herbert son, who was present, sd: "Yes - but you know I reason - you cant very well do much when / ammunition run sout."  The 2nd Army had got thro 'all its own amm n there, & had borrowed of other armies - until it finally ran out & cd n't borrow anymore.  The serious part really was tt / Canadians never reported
tt they had lost / craters; & until a flying man went over & took photos showing / cable craters of enemy's wire in front of them, it wsn't known tt they
 

64.         2

had been lost.By the bye, we have found out who the man was whose flying has bn so delighting our troops.He is a Canadian.  Butler met him / day we were up after / raid He ws on his way to have tea w some
o / artillery people.  Br He cdn't remember which day in
particular he had bn more straffed than on others.  "Its / 
only sport on earth." he sd.1st N.Z. Inf Bde passed thro
today going to Estaire.  Herbertson prophecies tt they will be raided
before they are in a fortnight.  The 4th army has had some bad raids
- 12K & abt 30w. in one; & 24prisoners.  It has raided / Germans
3 times.Spent most of / day on
aeroplane photos - trying to get to read them.

64.                3

May 10th.  The news that the
Anzacs are in France ws published in the House of
Commons & in the papers."The Times" in repeating it says
tt / Australians had at first bn welcomed by / Germans
bye means of a notice, but were afterwards told on another
notice tt they were blackguards
& sons of convicts & were very bitter abt it.  The only
thing tt had happened of importance ws a gas attack
on them, but the gas had bn blown back onto / Germans
& they were / only sufferers.This is all entirely fictitious.
The gas attack ws a mixture of false alarm & a gas attack
elsewhere.  The "Convict" invaders was in the newspapers not on a notice.  The only

64.           4

notices I have heard of
were one; "Advance Australia - 
if you can!"
And one; "There will be a meeting of all nations-Hindoos," etc etc ..."Suffragettes, Miss Sylvia Pankhurst specially invited!"The Germans are registering our Rue Bois silent with their guns, & also some of our commn trenches.  They average 4½regiments to the mile along our2nd army front.  In some other places they have only 1½Went for a long walk w Birdwood - to choose a new ride - His and all the recreation time is to find a good forest stretch & then let his horse gallop for all he's worth - 

64.              5

old Smith can keep up whim but not many o / others.The horses are really a recreation.  Birdie has his taken out to meet him - at Cassel, for example, where he went this morning; so tt he can ride home & gethis exercise so.  We had a 
hard walk for 6 miles tofind a good ride.  He didnt send his Aide bec.he didnt want to waste/ petrol in a car - Everyone is out here, now, to save petrol; at least Gen.s White & Birdwood are.Birdie told me; I wsglad to hear - at least I dont know whether to be glad or sorry, - to abig bomb from a gun 

Propellant

64.            6
like those we lost has fallen in / Ypres salient; only its a much better one from a rifled gun. Not a smooth bore; but it has / same
principle - the discharge ^x is in the cap. X "I suppose one ought to be sorry - but one ws very relieved to hear tt it ws not we who gave them / secret.May 11th  Wrote two articles today.in these sketchy articles I leave (as in the Wool Track)the details perfectly true,but alter & mix up the place names & dates &left" & "right" so tt it is perfectly impossible for anyone (even myself after a short while) to identify the real trench or section of
 

64.        7
Frederick Palmer, / American,
who ws here yes ty sd / book
ws / best thing of the sort he had seen.
"The Canadians'll be just mad," he sd.

64       8line & yet the story is perfectly
true.The first ^ ^posted copies of the Anzac Book arrived yesterday. White , this morning, tells me tt he thinks it will be a much bigger thing than we have any conception of.Went round the 1st Brigade trenches with Butler to settle some Anzac Book orders - What a fine chap he is - his delight was to see how the fellows took the Anzac Book; made me show it to every one first for the pleasure of watching them. He always turns his salutes into a "Good Day""Good afternoon, to you" - which our, men just appreciate; he likes coming  round with me because it doesn't drag the brigade staffs out to look after him - show him round. The men get to know him.

64.           9

Germans got nervous & exploded the first mine opp . our lines today, 50 yds out . they cd hear us working but did us no harm in /world. The whole o / trench,  where mining is going on is plastered slate colour w blue clay. It oozes thro / bags into wh it is put .We took / opportunity of comparing our trenches w aeroplane photos as we passed to see xx what old - disused trenches 
look like , also how a tramway looks crossing a trench.May 12th.  Prof . David of the mining coy I believe had 
tea at / Chateau today.I hear tt the Base is coming , to England & will take over themAustralian