Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/16/1 - August - September 1915 - Part 2

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066774
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

Sketch Pooservers Bombing duels direction of & 46 Oeman I ut fegge p a an a te 92 hrs. 7294 he from Nts Wzothers from3 not tueshe W. Friet beyond it Func Grails 66. 9 16s found. This hew chist NGMR first took NE; almost immediater Mo 3HE Then went on to O & G-sone certainly killed at a consengt heger is tere. The ned ay as it at O within ten menctes O Istart - talest lives got it hottest Eg. 18Bn. I perk. didar do quite so well. Mouash startd a few from ST; mostly from 5.D. Was not to terrific fire. I mot one of his ince in K.W near N. GL.H. I think were morel put in abt 11 pm. but sufferd Lane os killed near O. Grant-padre of one NEM Regt ws shot near J. He went down it to find a wounde N 3 v7
46 man but found it choked is Turks. He dressed I wounds of one as two & wenton over them (a anothn padre). Presently they heard voices. I think to are in (truch- sd his companion. They lay very still. Then Grant pushet on - will just see if his here - be si. next momat there ws a shot & he fell forward -shooting began allround - Savaget It ws hopeless for his friend to try & gex him. Bullets from Every directi. A N.G. weat down. I sap Cate but cdat see geont. I visited this point or an 28- here us a wounded Turk in 1sax feedin on bully bee 2ofr own wounded on a shallow trencs KN-one poor chap dying in the other not so bad. His head had by bandaged & be The papt might live. This had bu at it - but he was Fory out dressed + night get away after dark. ws8 nas Te breach ws not covered - you were wagetef really only covere by the scrub. wher te sms Asmper ws getting outo the gep opposite a trench is a he saw you coming down & you had to bolt past it like a rabbit. Then came a section of trench where you had to Co chmb over t dead men - after th you were safe except for the 75 wh caught many men on &is attrenc today. An 8 in fell in without bursteng pary A? The 10th sere to go in to night to clear up t part from Bto H. & B4
18 6 13 50 18 10214 Now E Sguo. Ant. front line Dl A FitzzebaldsY fo tie trunch ECi (Blairs Capt By cast. Robetion 2 tep Started at 7am. By 15 in posso Lost 2o men on way over. mgfire from straight over on t tim continuation French lightly held. But Iued Blows Yws strongl & the bombed End line of C you from thereo have not awa These may before 9th came up sund as. 96 ame ch
trench & neary nt shd regaty ight into 104 R Shot- Mackean wt shot on Barapet. Copt. H.P. Try Kby bounb in morning Lt Leake had top of bac bown I bullets trosito Buriss, in Kidd Sanderson Throsth had 7 bomb holes + carried on till X OC (4hrs later court out abt camgtie 60 18 c attacked to dayby fom both sides o lail of a. men out s0 we put sone. tail D sernt from ar t S. ofit tait rans to NE. but had to fall back 0.40 + Now digpng aerses. Barricades 20.30 yds apart acros we can now cel wills W107 th is t lost Col. Counc ren Renell & 240 vanishen Masscott is theire. O
8L.H. Aug. 7. 21 Turk Acct. o our fighting on NCk. e George 18th to man. 3rd Bn JPandelindes ws on Wek. The regt had buheapily redaced on the 29T t Sov b. 29 Jane Didl Ha & rest. He were near. Two sermandap THO. T.H.O. 223 stf there as one arrank of officers 2 ofears, N majer, a mack guns- w 20 germ. NCOs mot c20 Es NCOS5 copto an Sergts. The t are much annoy? annoye by way Germ. NCOs are fed. They set meat WCos af every mea and sweet and 17s. look on them as uncleam in their Chabits they an periscopes & perisa rifle. (5 sd probly sets, Th C Christian worse food than, manselman. Any quantity oto & any C 16 careful abt collecting cartrody cdass. the T. are sd to have lost heart a poddeal. Ty sey we have only come here to be kiked. It is T
only same as he Auchaties at ay wee tal dug S s by 1 occupate of & delieve 1 Germs will s Warsaw certry will benefit by 1 terma compel peace I The to like the & hate the English (probly in S. uia French Hoggitzer, fire has done, much harm & Tairks owiger dislikethem. Field guns not effective. Naval sno Eftection Att. Jpm. Com ause) Hicomtet . t commenced. Tid bu ws resting in, te valley 3 Bn) (Chatal (chatel atter behind nrtar Ridge) Ds Morlar. It ws antecipate to this ws prelude to an allack. The bon V ws herrice, into Grenche, bayonets fixed & whole. men ready for alact ba lto boutt continued. Cous Derable comage we dove to hienches on t nghto of Tarks Turks butfor most past shys went bover front trenthes & to 00 s in fud no ham to tonegateally baitin an rigpt 6 attack. This bombt continued from 3 pu
2 till ½2 hr aft- sunset. Abt 2 hrs ap suncetour hows. began an itt intermittent fire, a round every I or 1mins & continued till 1small his o1 moon This fire wer. effectios doing much damage. Abt 100 were lost in this constend crriedava way. Tey were s) dead or woused. The bombt onmorning before 1 attack apptl did no damage & then there ws a delay before (attack wok place The Turks stood ready in case of an atst The Bartish Attack took place alt 8P) The Tarks on their right were weaken by 1bombt but protected by a gulls Those in I direct front were practicall untouched. Audas son as1 British appeared a heavy rifle firedirect & acress fire from a maching fun on right ws opencs upon them & simply wifnd on very well& out. They came I men succeeded in reaching Turkish trenches, falling dead over1 parspit into Hbottom 01 trinel. The M.9.Ws 3pm 1p1 Cx "20 CP Hows 95 0010 1 or 7 ) 14n 100c bi S1Nc1 .W 4. L tc .20 5 L.SLL weake 8n. gally & 60 2o.2 I 7 of 19 - of es H5S 3r ir De 7.2
4 mannedby t5. Io ermans were presns yet. Tne to suffered no to saes + specul complimentary orders were issued to 18th Regt. Contristing them wt te 14th & 72 Repts wh lost ti trences in direction of Chatal Tipe (? Tarks Hump Worth of Battleship H.) Some medals were grant + promotions for bravery made. At 2 brs after this ettack 1 warships gune opente & did much damage to commn trenches going over 15 ship Hill . The whole of troops in 1 treches ad to take cover, all movement beeng stopped. Evidently large rem- forcements were biby moved up. The officers left I truches and took cover at Regimental H.Q. Shells were bursting everywhere & men co be seen trown into I air. At this time (Burtishtroops advond & occupid Chatal Pebe & guas from t directer began to fir on I treach occupsed by the 18 Rest. ✓ m. Y maedes Or. 2 ✓ - 186 t 3 S14. & 72p 1 Chatal Tipe f2 to Hump Mob 7 1700 42 66 05-11 of batteship 71 14 .2 25 WTH.R. S 2
23 who now had both ships fire thowitzers. To severe w5 ( fire to a corpl. on1 H.O. guard informed prisoner afterwos &f 1 Diol. Commander we s alermed to he wired to Esoad Pache, the G.O.C.) informany him of criticalposition, statity to they were under 2 fires & asking for reinfo otherwise they wibe compelled to retreat. Abt 1an 1fire stackened & a working br. mostly Traks, ws brought in 15 quickly rebuilt trenches & put them in order. At sun rise next morng reins for division arrived I consisting of 15.15, & 17 Regts from Yalova where they had be resting. They had bee ent back from Bettil Bahr. Sone other troops also arrived & whole passed north - now renforcey the 182 Rest. It was thought to at Sam Chatal . GoC Ed 20 X c2 Tipl & 1864 4 hows.) Issad 1 7 2 F.x n I1 aw o 2. V F.2 esid 15,16, 71 8
to morning the newly arrived troop delivered an attack on Chatal Tipe wh he heard ws successpul, the Britich been driver out of their trenches & reterng in Good order, No estimate of total Bot Tlosses, but woses were heavy 20 Galova IC.I Ic(i] Seddel Bahr. 9 f 5 8th C. 1eC 4 Sam g. Chatal Tipe 1133 26 b 69 y 7 - 2 Cor 271 Ie front of 1 aust Divn. 16th Div. 125 in tolly 47 in Pens 48 Pine Redge frn Rebit 7 Echelon trenches to K.T. 57 G.0.7 27 Chessboard, Quinns. Reserves 47

14
Sketch L
(Diagram -see Original)
2 pink flags put up on rt one on left
every 2 hrs.
Aug 29 (pencil)
One party of 10LH went from N to UV & others from
K to UW. 9LH came along from C to W. Trench ws not finished beyond M.
HJXW found to be the one trench.


15
Grants body ws found - shot thro' chest
NZMR first took NE; almost immediately MO
?HE
Then went on to Q & G - some certainly killed at
Q - a Connaught Ranger is there - The red flag ws up
at O within ten minutes o / start - latest lines
got it hottest eg. 18Bn & perh. didnt do
quite so well. Monash started a few from
ST; mostly from SD. Was met w terrific
fire. I met one of his men in KN near N.
9L.H. I think were merely put in abt 11 pm.
but suffered. Lane ws killed near O.
Grant - padre of one NZM Regt ws shot
near J. He went down it to find a wounded NZ

 

 

16
man but found it choked w Turks. He
dressed / wounds of one or two & went on
over them (w another padre). Presently they
heard voices. I think Ts. are in / trench -0 sd
his companion. They lay very still. Then Grant
pushed on - will just see if hes's here - he
sd. Next moment there ws 'a shot' & he fell
forward- shooting began all round - savagely.
It ws hopeless for his friend to try & get
him. Bullets from every direction. A N.Z.man
went down / sap later but he cdnt see Grant.
(I visited this point on Aug 28 -)
There ws a wounded Turk in / sap feeding on

17
bully beef - 2 of our own wounded in a shallow
trench K-N - one poor chap dying - the other
not so bad. His head had bn bandaged & he
might live. Flies had bn at it - but he was
dressed & might get away after dark.
The trench ws not covered - you were
really only covered by the scrub.
A sniper ws getting onto the sap opposite a trench -
he saw you coming down & you had to bolt past it like
a rabbit. Then came a section of trench where you had to
climb over 6 dead men - after tt you were safe
except for the 75 wh caught many men in /
trench to day. An 8in fell in without bursting.
The 10th are to go in to night to clean up the
part from B to H, & B to K.
*The paper torn out here ws gn to Maj. Wagstaff when he saw it as I was retiring from Hill 60 & is in The Corps Diary App 37]

 

 

17
N.Z were instructing 18Bn to throw bombs.
Some of the NZ Officers talked to me like owls
of the Australians not doing well. "I'm afraid"-
when they meant they were chewing the cud over
it. I snapped back, "well I daresay Theyll
improve even if they dont do to well in Their
first fight - just as ^ some others have improved."
I think they knew what others o meant
- for its going to be The limit if we are to
have N.Z. patronising our men after their
showing on the first day.


18
10LH. Now 2 sgns A+B =A
Old A ib front line ^Capt Fry (Fitzgeralds trench)
1/2 C in front line ^ Capt Robertson (Blairs trench)
2 troops B } Z line
                 C
Started at 1 am.
By 1.5 in possn.
Lost 20 men on way over.
M.G. fire from straight over on 2nd line
Trench lightly held. But continuation of
Blairs trench ws strongly held
& they bombed 2nd line of C.
Sgn from there.
These may have got away
before 9th came up trench&
joined us. 9th came along
 

 

19
trench & many got shot -
Ran right into 10th & nearly got
shot. 2Lt MacBean ws shot on
parapet. Capt H.P.Fry k by
bomb in morning, Lt Leake
had top of trench head blown off.
Reversed bullets
Burgess, in charge Throstle,
Kidd Sanderson.
Throstle had 7 bomb holes
in him & carried on hill
8 o'c (4 hrs later).
abt 170 went out &
"   60 casualties.
Ts counter attacked w day by
from both sides of
tail of Q.

20
we put some men out
in the scrub from ?tail. to S. of it.
Tail runs to NE. nut
had to fall back 30 - 40
Now digging across
Barricades 20 , 30 yds
apart.
We can now see across to
W Hills.
Connaughts lost Col
Rinell & 40 men
vanished.
Maj Scott is their C.O.
 

 

21
8L.H. Aug.7.
Turk Acct - of our fighting on NEK.
18th Regt man. 3rd Bn George Pandelindes
ws on the Nek. The rest had bn heavily reduced on the 29 June.
Divl HQ & regt. HQ were near. Two German staff
officers there and 2 officers, one w / rank of
Major w mach.guns - w 20 Germ. NCOs mostly
Corpls and Sergts. The Ts are much annoyed
by / way / Germ. NCOs are fed. They get meat
at every meal and sweets and / Ts. look on
them as unclean in their habits.
They use periscopes & perisc. rifles
The Christian probly gets
worse food than / musselman. Any quantity o water
Careful abt collecting cartridge cases.
The Ts. are sd to have lost heart a good deal/
They say we have only come here to be killed. (It is
 

 


22
opnly / same as we Australians talk). They were greatly delighted
by / occupatn of Warsaw & believe / Germs will
compel peace. Turkey will benefit by / terms
The Ts like the French & hate the English (probly in Syria)
Howitzer fire has done much harm & Turks
dislike them. Field guns not effective. Naval guns
effective.. Abt 3 pm:(on Aug.6) the bomdt by Brit
Commenced. Third bn ws resting in the valley -
(Chatel Valley behind Mortar Ridge)
It ws anticipated tt this ws prelude to an attack. The bn
ws hurried into trenches bayonets fixed & whole of
men ready for attack altho, bombt continued
Considerable damage ws done to / trenches on / night o /
Turks but for most part shells went over front trenches & to /
right and did no harm to those actually waiting an
attack. This bombt continued from 3 pm
 

 

23
till 1/2 hr aft - sunset. Abt w hrs
aft sunset our hows. began an intermittent
intermittent fire, a round every 5 or 10 mins.
& continued till / small hrs o / morning.
This fire ws v. effective doing much
damage. Abt 100 were lost in this
way. They were suddenly constantly carried away
dead or wounded. The bombt in / morning
before / attack apptly did no damage & then
there ws a delay before / attack took place.
The Turks stood ready in Case of an attack.
The British attack took place abt 8 (?)
The Turks on their right were weakened 
by / bombt but protected by a gully.
Those in / direct front were practically
untouched. And as soon as / British
appeared a heavy rifle fire direct
& a cross fire from a machine gun on / 
right ws opened upon them & simply wiped
them out. They came on very well &
3 men succeeded in reaching / Turkish
trenches, falling dead over / parapet
into / bottom o / trench. the M.G. ws
 

 

24
manned by Ts. No Germans were present
yet. The Ts suffered no losses & special
complimentary orders were issued to /
18th Regt. contrasting them w the 14th & 72
Regts wh lost their trenches in / direction
of Chatal Tepe (?Turks Hump) North of
Battleship H.) Some medals were granted
& promotions for bravery made. Abt 
2 hrs after this attack / warships guns
opened & did much damage to /
common trenches going over B'ship
Hill. The whole o / troops in / trenches
had to take cover, all movement
being stopped. Evidently large reinforcements
were being moved up.
The officers left / trenches & took
cover at Regimental H.Q. Shells 
were bursting everywhere & men
cd be seen thrown into / air.
At this time / British troops
advanced & occupied Chatal Tepe,
& guns from tt directn began to fire
on / trench occupied by the 18 Regt.
 

 

25
who now had both ships' fire
& howitzers. So severe ws / fire tt a 
corpl. on / H.Q.guard informed /
prisoner afterwds tt / Divl. Commander
ws so alarmed tt he wired to Essad
Pasha, The G.O.C., informing him o /
critical position, stating tt they were
under 2 fires & asking for reinfs.
otherwise they wd be compelled to
retreat. Abt 11 am / fire slackened
& a working bn., mostly Greeks, ws
brought in & quickly rebuilt /
trenches & put them in order. At
sun rise next morng reinfs for
/ division arrived consitsting o /
15,16, & 17 Regts from Yalova where
they had bn resting. They had bn
sent back from Settal Bahr. Some
other troops also arrived & / whole
passed north - none reinforcing the
18th Regt. It was thought tt at 8 am
 

 

26
tt morning the newly arrived 
troops delivered an attack on
Chatal Tepe wh he heard ws
successful, the British being
driven out of their trenches &
retiring in good order.
No estimate of total
British T. losses, but losses
were heavy.


27
In front of / Aust Divn.  16th Div:
125 in Jolly
47 in Pine
48 Pine Ridge Gun Ridge
77 Echalon trenches to K.T.
57 G.O.T
27 Chessboard. Quinns. Reserves










 

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