Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/45/1 - June 1916 - Part 10

2  105
the Anzac doings - as if
I ever did - but I know
what they mean:
I have just been up to the
Chateau. Birdwood was having
Godley (just arrived) to dinner
there. When he came into the
ante-room after dinner Birdwood
said: "Have you seen the papers.
[*abt the Anzacs*] Bean?" I sd "yes-Sir - I see
their making a great deal of fuss
over that little raid (the first). They
have printed a message from men
mixed up with a lot of other
stuff..."
"Very annoying, isn't it?" he
sd. I agreed.
"There's that photo, too, of the
men who engaged in the raid.
most annoying. It says at I bottom
tt l mne have all bn given special
leave- They'll be writing down
here & wanting to know if it's
 

2    106
a fact tt I gave them leave".
There ws l photo o l Anzac
party at Horseferry Rd cheering
l camera -- in Brooks best
style tho' I dont suppose he
took it. The Commonwealth Office
must have arranged for this.
Birdie turned over l page
& there ws my short little 1/4 column
telegram. He read it thro
"Did all this go thro' the
censor, Bean? he asked.
I didn't know what he meant.
l shewed him I part I had
written & told him tt all went
thro l censor.
"Do you mean to say
all this..." he asked & read it
again.
"Well, if he passed it I
suppose it's all right," he sd..
in a tone of voice wh showed
tt he meant it ws all
wrong.
 

107
I as a bit hurt because to
Telegram was a modest strictly
accurate account of our first raid.
I has cut every possible danstr out of it.
had not mentioned size of
party. I had not sd to they waited
in Domansland. I had not
St to bey stayed there before
coman back. I had ratier
cmplied I opposite.
I see they think we were
at ypres a De sd
ifes, I dont mindto. he
od ifact I'm rather glad
of it
Which ws absurd-because
if our own official communigue
says we are at Bois Grencer
And 1 germans know we are here
th only people who are misted
by sayny we are at Ypres are the
Australian people. Mine ws a nd
straight acct with not a wor
brag in it
what was daagious wsll
 

108
blabbed
men in London out to some
newspaper
pact to they waited in Nomanstand
to they had corns from 1 prisoners
(ah, even if they bought them, ws
an anwise th to say); the
away
Eondon shote gave th numbers
of the party. & koeone in
ndshy hadbeen
given special leave. As the
British goot have not lstrugth
to put a censor out prews
there, all these thays, wh
I regraied from mentioning
were given away by I min
themselves in London. It
the enemy shells Womansland
next time we have a raid
be will have had the tip from
the London press
As Ross said – some of litle
Birdwoods own letters, which we d
show him in the N.E. Press, contained
far more dangerous matter (obt the
 

109
reaganisation of our force
in Egypt etc.) than anything
in my very hasthless little
taeram. Better & Herbertion
o
het
Deadie
last
the note
differn
think
think
 

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sad

C
pley

misse
CGpage
6
D.m
 

9
 

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missind
 

109
rearganisation of our force
in Egypt etc.) than anythin
in my very hasthless little
telegram. Butler & Herbertion
who read the telegram sd they ad
see nothing whatever that
could be harmful in it. Headie
readmy notes on the last
said yeste - my private notes
wh. of course are quite differe
from anything I sho think
of publisha - and I trink
he ws rather a fraid to I
might publish them.