Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/5/1 - April - May 1915 - Part 6

On Sund. rumour started tt 29 Div ws 5 miles away. 
Today it ws passed along tt it ws 2 miles away - &
there were round after round of cheering.

Mum used to ask:  When are / Indians expected?
We told them they were never expected.  [Some o / men
in letters to Australia spoke o / Indians "charging
with us".  Of course there were no such Indians
- but they had heard there were & a man doesn't
confine his letters to what he sees.  Neither do I.]
 

46

back fairly fast - others in / lines going up passed them going straight
by them as you might pass a man in / street, taking not / slightest notice of them
one going up & / other coming back almost brushing one another as a steamer
might pass another steamer at sea.  Evidently / man going forward had enough
determination to say to himself - "My job is to go forward & I'm going forward
whatever the other chap does".  Generally a man who meets another man
coming back will come back with him - the other says "They passed / word to retire"
 - or " its too bloody hot up there - they've killed all our lot" - & hundreds
of men enter battle with their wills really not made up for themselves
but depending on / wills of others - ready to do exactly what / next man
does - the man whose will really is controlling / actions of 9 or 10 men is /
strong man o / group.  In this advance there were enough strong men to build
up a firing line.

 

After xxxx These men were advancing across the hill when an order came shouted along l line:  "Ceasefire the 29th Divn is at the back of the Turks"  The  and second same order came along in relays  " order to ceasefire; 29th Divn is only 2 miles away"  The men began closing their cut offs.

I remembered tt as we had bn sitting having lunch in our gully there had been cheering along l ridge & down l road above our head toward l N.Zealand end o l beach.  Presently a man had come up to some of us lunching there - He was quite excited "The English are only 2 miles away" he sd.  We asked him where he got is - of course we knew it cdn't be possible.  "The English & French are two miles away" he repeated " is was passed down l line  by men up there"  We sd we didn't think it cd possibly be true - but he went off unconvinced.

 

Now when l report came along & a shout of "ceasefire"! " ceasefire" with it I felt "my word! I am lucky to be here just at this historic moment!   I must get my camera out & photograph these Brit. troops when they arrive -  & perhaps the Turks with a white flag -xxxx someone sd " Where does the message come from ?" - I think it ws Maj. Brand.  This ws passed back & l message returned:  " From General Head of Ranks"  Ah:  I thought- G.H.Q. must be in the [aradch?] off the shore & they are arranging terms w l Turks - l Turks must have caved in.  col. Maclagan said: Cease firing? who sd to cease firing?  Tell l men to go on.  Find out where tt message came from " A second time l same message came back - except this time it ws:  " The French & Indians ( wh we know ws impossible) are just at l back o l Turks - you are to ceasefire - order from G.H.Q."  " Just the sort of ruse l [flumxxs?] wd use"  sd Col. Maclagan.  Tell them to go on firing.  Meanwhile he sent a message of Divl. H.Q. to Col. White asking if any such arrangement orders were recd. from G.H.Q. & the answer is of course " No truth in at all"  or to tt effect.  But in l meantime many of our men - both in l gully [bebx?] 2 to 1 right & in l firing [xxxxx?] crew

 

 

                                                                                             47

 

almost all firing & l Turks were able to get their heads up for 2 or 3 minutes.

Col Maclagan was back by now - " Poor beggars" - he sd as he watched them.  " I'm afraid there are a awful  lot of them being bowled over - I saw a good number go down"  ( He told me afterwards that they went forward over tt plateau 3 times & came back xxxxxx  twice - " very fast too, really I felt rather ashamed of them that afternoon"  he sd.  " But l third time they stayed there alright. " I said to one of them afterwards ' what did you come back for', 'Well " we came back in very good lines sir', sd l man grinning.  And l beggars " they did too" sd Col Maclagan).   this charge ws taking place abt l same time as that of the 4th Bn.

 

We had quite a congregation up there on l hillside watching l attack - Blamey, Foster, Murphy, sitting out on l reverse slope o l hill just round its shoulder.  Having seen They had most of them been coaxing stragglers up into reserve - Foster had a tremendous business talking to l men & getting them along.  They were most of them dead tired & wd sit down evert 20 yds or so & now & then one wd refuse to go any further.  It was no good being rough w them - they simply had to handled and Foster managed it well.  So did Murphy who is used to managing station hands.  They had them grouped under shelter o l hillside & in l gully between us in l plateau, lying waiting just as at manoeuvre one has seen them time & again.  They were ordered to unfix bayonets - things seemed to be pretty well over (of course they werent really) so Foster & I left.  Foster wanted to go to McCay.  I knew the way, so we went together.

Foster, I think, didn't trust my sense of locality.  Anyway he decide to make for McCays straight in l direction in wh he thought it was.  We went down l gully & then up l other side (the Razor Back) so as to cut across to the back of the plateau.  As we got up through l dense green foliage in l gullies on l N. side & l Razor Back shrapnel began to burst over us - or rather a little higher up l ridge & to shear down thro' l leaves above our heads.  We moved along into a second gully & still l shrapnel came through l leaves.  We kept very low & com in l gully & worked higher up l side but it became quite clear tt we cdnt cross l top without a big risk & it wasn't in l least worth it.  Then down l gully we were in came some men.  Foster asked them what they were doing - I forget their answer "Bloody hot up there" or something of that sort.  They were clearly getting down into the gullies for shelter from shrapnel.  The shrapnel came swishing through again & again.  We pushed up a bit further & then decided to come round by the way I knew.  We lay up during shrapnel bursts as far as possible, & made down the gully between the bursts, & so round the back to MCays H.Q. under shelter.  There is an idea that a sniper or two are still knocking about in l scrub inside our lines especially in this part.  As a matter of fact I dare say they cd get in if they liked to because the trenches are not joined up.

 

Cass, McCays Brigade Major, had just received a message to say tt 3rd Bde thought they cd see the Turks entrenching on further side of Kaba Tepe. Cass & Foster & Hastie & I went up to l skyline facing K.T. & had a long look - & saw some heavy wire [entamplmet?]  where posts were showing just over l skyline - but nothing moving

 

 

I took up an iron ration bag w some chocolate in it to distribute but left it for a few minutes in l scrub when looking at Kaba Tepe, & it was distributed for me.

 

 

at all.  I think these posts must have bn what they saw.  We thought we cd see a couple of men in whitish uniform in the oyster shell quarry on K.T. but I'm not sure they were men.  The warships were plastering them w shell & they stayed where they were as far as I cd see.  We cd also see things tt looked like barrels or mines off l shore there - a sort of line of buoys it seemed to be, and an overturned boat.  We wondered if it were a torpedo tube.  The Bacchante keeps watch on this side of K.T. standing abt a mile out - & one wd be very sorry to see this faithful old four funnelled watchdog damaged.  I think Cass ws going to report abt l line of bouys.  (MCay gave me his losses as far as he knew to date:

 

7th Bn.  to midnight Ap 25.  3 officers killed 4 wounded

They had 13 men out of 29 killed or wounded in one boat;  the big man carrying 1 machine gun ws hit & 1 gun dropped into water too deep to be recovered by them.

6th Bn.  2 killed 7 wounded.  ( I have also 1 figure 5 killed & 8 wd. opposite the 6th.  This may be l number of men K or W in taking the [maxim?] & mountain gun o l Turks (acc to Col. McCay) wh had afterwards to be left).

 

While I ws w McCay a message came " The gun giving trouble this morning has just been blown in l air by l Triumph or l Queen - repeated by the flank observer " - or to that effect.  (This may have been during l morning visit)

 

McCay says tt at 2 o'c this afternoon he ws taken in for 1 moment by an order:  " Ceasefire! order from Gen Headquarters; the 29th Divn are within 2 miles of you!"

 

This might come news of a charge l 4 Bn in wh Col. Onslow Thompson ws killed & [MacNayhten ?] wounded.  Australia seems to be losing numbers on numbers of her best citizens.  It will come as a shock to the out there.

 

Tuesday April 27th.   Firing still heavy all night.  Our men dont waste their ammn now, so it ws mostly Turk.

This morning the Turks attacked the 3 Bn.  They came on pretty thick.  Our men pumped lead into them, standing up so tt they showed over l crest o l hill & handing their rifles back to be refilled.  When the Turks were getting near they our men fixed bayonets & l men on l rear slope o l hill perpared to charge but l Turks did not come on.  The Turks had all German methods altho' some o l prisoners told us they had seen no German officer w them.  they cd be heard getting up to the edge of their slope o l hill & then their officers were heard trying to bring them on - There wd be an argument just like l arguments we used to have w l arabs in Cairo abt loading a waggon.  They seldom came really near our line.

 

Several times they were mistaken for Indians & our officers & men let them go [unhinge?].  the Indian Bully has bn tremendously useful - but if it were not for that I shd have sd it ws a egregious mistake to bring them here at all.

 

This afternoon the roll of fire on l hills ws enormous, Ramsay & I went up to see what was on .  We crossed l trenches on top of l hill & finally got to one where we cd see our men.

 

 

Turks go a cross fire onto l beach abt 3pm

 

                                                                                                  49

 ? Russells Top                                                                                                     with their bayonets fixed working thro l bushes on a plateau ahead ( [ prob?] Walker's Ridge).  The trench we were in was full  of New Zealanders who were being sent up to relieve another Bn further on.  I wanted to get on into l firing line but could not find my way through l trenches.  They seem to run in a circle or a horse shoe & I think you must have to get out of them & make your way thro' the open scrub to l fire trench on top of the ridge up wh l N.Z. line runs.  The N.Z. men w service of 14th & 15th seemed to me to be digging themselves in to a communication trench & clogging it.  I always take up a full water bottle & some cigarettes & l men are very glad of both.  The P. of Wales is splendid - her men are keeping us alive on cigarettes - cigarettes are the one thing l men in l firing lines ask for these day: that and news.

Today for l first time since Sunday the Turks really began to shell l beach.  They had 2 batteries on it and, I think, early  in the morning began to fire off two salvoes of 8 guns twice a minute.  At times there were 14 white shrapnel clouds in l air at once.  The batteries were last of us.  The fire was quite harmless - it flew overhead & burst abt 1/4 mile out from l beach 200 feet in l air.  There were boats coming in & going out all the time w troops & stores & I never saw a man hit & didnt hear of any.  We were xxxx cheered by this waste & only hoped they wd go on as long as they liked - tho' I dont suppose the sailors on l destroyers & picker boats wd have agreed.  I got several photos of this display but I expect they'll be disappointing as l shrapnel cloud will hardly show out agst a bright sky. 

 

It ws only towards night fall tt l Turkish guns seemed to get l range o l beach.  Then first an occasional shell, afterwds perhaps seven or eight during the meal, fell burst on top o l ridge behind l camp or whizzed right down l gully & burst someway down it.  They were really dangerous.  Soomehow it ws not the thing to appear over anxious to take cover and out staff officer only had l most miserable of dugouts for its mess room. ( they built another one in l gully afterwds wh ws a little better protected i.e. it had a wall to the E but ws unprotected from S. & N.  When gett the French men - our two interpreters - came ashore Gellibrand ws laughing at them shrinking up into l shelter of it when a shrapnel pellet hit him through l chest.  One had hit one o l Frenchmen's water bottle just before outside his dugout.  My xxxx batman, young Bayley, ws serving at the time & didnt like to appear nervous, and ws standing in l open.  After it he ws more careful.  The sentry, who at first stood in l middle of l gully, had an uncomfortable time - standing out there in l open.  (Afterwds D.N.Q. dis without a sentry - & the A.C. sentry was given a shelter.  A.C. settled in l next gully to us & N.Z. facing l beach).

 

I got back to camp.  A trawler had come in very close near [senxxx?] beach whilst I ws away.  Crew quite unconscious of days when xxxx T. shells began to burst over her. One finally went thro' her & she began to sink.  Crews had to leave & get ashore our men watching & cheering them, more than half in fun, from l hillside.  The air imprisoned in their trawler kept her [bxxxx?] out o l water for quite a long time but eventually she almost disappeared.  The Turks as must opened gunfire on us at sundown.  The flash of a gun cd be splendid seen then & it is particularly important tt l Troops shd not be bombarded at night as they are quite worn out w 3 days fighting.  [ Yet us?] seaplane goes up.  I suppose the Naval Officer is dressing for dinner.

(Cont in black book X)

 

ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE

 

Diary of CEW BEAN

No. 5

(p. 35- of notebook, not as numbered by CEWB)

Maps and notes found loose in diary.

 

 

 

1st Day.

 

The XX1st Mtn Battery ws ready to come ashore from the Pera at 8 am.  At 3 they thought there wd be a chance - they were all ready out tho' tags were wandering abt they cdnt get one - They say many trys were available.  They got ashore at 6pm.

 

2nd Day

XX1st Mtn Battery got 4 of its guns into action.  Its major ws hit on l temple, but he went on observing until he fainted.  He was sent off to a ship but managed to desert from her & come back to his battery before being sent to Alex.

 

 

The 3rd Bn  occupied the ground edge of the ridge at the top of the gully aterwds known as Quinns (right of Quinns only) Courtneys, & part of 1st Bn position, off what is now German officer trench.  The Turks were advancing directly agst them up l valley.  Time & again wherever things looked groggy Maj. Brown wd tell Capt M. S. J. Lamb & he wd put himself at l head of whatever collectn of men happened to be there, & charge, & l Turks fell back.  At one time a N.Z. bn was there wh Colonel Owen asked to charge They come up.  They wd not come & their officers (so Col. Owen told me) wd not bring them.  He sent Lamb back to see what he cd do & Lamb brought them up himself.  He did this continually for two days - he ws wounded 2ce but fi & stuck to it for 4 or 5 days but finally got so bad tt he had to go to Alex. "If it had not been for Lamb" sd Col Owen, " I dont think we cd have held on"  Brown also worked wonderfully - ws 3 times wounded slightly & finally had to give way temp [x?] under strain.

 

 

2nd Day:

XX1st Mtn Battery got into action this day on knoll in middle of gully.  Its Major went up to Col. Maclagan to see if his guns cd assist him & get a target for 2 more guns, when men appeared on the rise running backwards - things began & get hot & he had to go back & look thought it abt time to go back & stick by his battery.  Just then over 400 hill came a party of men in Australian uniform who lay down & began firing on the Indian Battery & on Australians further along in firing line.  The C/O of the battery had a seaman up there - a very good shot - who had bn sniping for them.  He told him - there's a shot for you.  The man picked out one o l Australians, dropped him.  The others retired.

Not long after another similar party came up commanded by a man in what looked like a Turkish cap & with a sword.  They began firing at Australians up l valley.  The battery C.O. nearly got the seaman to drop the man w l sword also.  Then he thought - well, there may be some mistake.  He may be an Australian; & let him be.  The party seems to have retired across l hill again.

 

 

2nd or 3rd day:   col. Owen tells me:

During 1st 2 days l Turks came (1) from 700

                                                           (2) from below 400

After 1st day they began to concentrate more than before.  It ws either 2nd or 3rd day tt a number - perh. 2000 - were seem coming down the slope of 700.  Owen put procedure aside & wired straight to D.H.Q. for naval gun fire.

 

Q.  Afraid to fire

Owen.  Must fire

Q. Will you take l responsibility

Owen.  Yes

Q.  [ween?] fired - 200 yds to far asked to come down 200

Q. fired again - 100 yds over asked to come down 100

Q. fired right into them.  Attack melted away -Awkward situation saved.

 

(This sounds like attack of Mond. aft. but signals will show).

 

 

DR BEAN'S

DAIRY NO: 5, Page 18

(Landing at Anzac)

 

On this page of his diary, written up at Anzac, Dr. Bean enlarges on the events of the landing, jotted down in his notebook.  Two-thirds of the way down the page he picks up the incident of the signal lamp flashes, which later research confirmed was a Turkish warning that the landing had been detected.  He has found that his watch is five minutes faster that the Minnewaska's saloon clock, and altered the times accordingly, but has yet to discover that the Minnewaska's clock was eight minutes faster than Greenwich.