Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/61/1 - October 1916 - Part 9

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066826
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 9

89 to Novr tett me Bd most puzzing instibutin t a understand al present. when tey want it to o anyther they were for it to when it is not done be done. nothing the were heeppens again. he Davy 150 says. The I want this prett were bas or May wdng were t ice So if does what a steed it 15 Darley walsh (in commander) crace- all think the same way. that the onl thing to be doneo give men liberty to re-enpaye for one year & soon from year to year Ikey will do this
90 once we have got him as pety oficers & shilled ratings they will be all right - bey expect then to stay on them the Aushation vavy is then have its own stlke nating who are the backbone of ship. It is casy to provide the rest of crew unless tis difficulty is got over the Austalian Bavy can never flourist it will never get on until we can hade our own crews in our own ships; for the austration & the present pweration of Exglishmen cannot be treated. In the same manner for the good of either at anyrate of thee Austialian. Darley & Walsh & Crace are very been abt the subject. The Darley sdtt 1 present Captain, Radcliff as rather tired of
91 being sumbbers & had given up attempting to get things attend. You wanted an unconventional man who didn't men a smit o who waas a bit mad in his methods, Rggie Henderson, te son of Admiral Henderson, who ws a rather wild gening of to sort had applied for the auct abion vavy s but then sent him to rearganise Greek vavy instead The Austratia ad very much ap against the New Jeslan Darby Sd. The Austaliaswd quen willingly fight the N. Zealamd anyday, he thought. The N.3 was a very efficient ship at present - her commander. North was an excellent
92 man (as I know) & the ship tot in a very good state. The Anstalia, onut other land, had tost mosto I plundet crewte took her out to Austratia from England. They were 4 years men, & they had service left soon after Ishep got to Anshatia &nd had not reculisted. The later drafts from the Tingira were aot as good asthe ought to be. They were unking & had to be worked for monts before tey realy came upto scratch. The ole oficers of tingira had bn 60 withdrawn &sp were not as keenly & well handler & moulded as they used to be. There is certaint
75 much (written akee in in this diary train Elylway a 94 somethin very wrong in this. Young Austialians ought to come from the Tingisa bursting a enthusiasm - no boys of any nation in world are keener & easier to inpse a a spirit for such work I suggisted to a small commission of, say, two might usefully be appointed to visit 1 Austialia & try to get at a solution o this pobline - because it sarely only needs thought Darty & wath ageed it wdl be good - they are ry enthuscastic for the And. Ichan vavy I will t write to Pears Hugles
95 Te Fi came in wrather discredited afer I think it ws the May battle - or perhaps an earteer one. Anyhow, The as raker the outcast o1 fleet at ttig. The Australia, feeting eather ap agst the rest. chuming ap a the Tifer & the two have been chaming ships. If the austaties see a tpers boat racing a New Zealand boat the with always cdeer for the tegers & hoot the N. Gealands The Feen had a very tough some real rarsallions caw it proper cuttoats the in begars Frenny our old anshalians I went wit Darly over anstralia. Agreatdial the to here since ha bu done 13 havin extra The war
96 armous pub on I decks & around the enagazines water gets & weeping pipes to drench cordity ash may the amuunition in calch fire chamber the piatingon inagaiine door (at wide a1 chamber) has been of the covered w a plate cordite is now parser t a socto butter door wh is closed between each only one cartroy 8hot to a lowed in (chamber as Te whot onc time place is being made flash light In the shell room betow are certain Lyddety shelts to be fired off first. inat of restis common shell Tydte s esto enemys s explades inside bot
Chanpom. to DM. BSF. wartory Sommne 2 4/10/0 Mrs Besant Seot. Chlors Scases rach TClo. Elter to NinsElus Lond Stu. 5.0.0. 19/10/10 Chloro. 16/10/14. sec. Case Hosp. S Sandlaw Horp. F.E.V. Fance. Reciept. Ether: Reg. No F41/227 Concipee H.Q. 19.C. MFO. BE F Bance. Folio 9990. Fro. No. B3910. SS. Nwmelter
Ph atccs Kos Pottin Dayls daash Boot r0 Es. Books Irists. Re nex Fo Chlor form. 150 Aalmisa Luck ind Lypew 20 Christic Cassells new bost Naval Tipewr Ts Chloro. Isell new Bt Expence a rew Mnd Christie teate to Feters Hhotopapher th to toof10 See Wagton. Concras to Ros White 12 Commonwiate Bl 22 Kn. Kniven 2 Developet NE. Parson Camene Date of Cmonows J. we do whole anw Commw 11t write to evans (PM. Kinble Nay 6 re 1500 ptates). Papero. Si H. Welson 11. 30 Typews Iam (What time Haworth Booth Chrestie alons Excs Wery toro wm office re pholos Arm bands for Ross get them made ose accoss

89
12
they tell me that Navy Bd
is a most puzzling institution
to understand, at present.

When they want to do

anything they wire for it to

be done. When it is not done

nothing happens, they wire

again. The Navy Bd says;

"They must want this pretty

badly or they wdnt wire

twice." So it does what

it is asked.

Darby, Walsh (line 
commander)& Crace - all

think the same way ; that the

only thing to be done is to

give / men liberty to re-engage

for one year & so on from year

to year. They will do this ; x

 

12     90
once we have got them as

[*12*] petty officers and skilled ratings

they will be all right-they

expect them to stay on then.

The Australian Navy wd

then have its own skilled ratings

who are the backbone o / ship.

It is easy to provide the

other rest o  crew.

Unless this difficulty is

got over the Australian Navy

can never flourish - it will

never get on until we can

have our own crew in our own

ships; for the Australian of the

present generation of Englishmen 

cannot be treated in the same

manner for the good of either-

at any rate of the Australian.

Darby & Walsh and Crace are

very keen abt the subject. Tho

Darby sd tt I present Captain,

Radcliffe, ws rather tired of

 

being snubbed; & had given

up attempting to get things

altered. You wanted an

unconventional man who

didnt mind a snub, & who

was a bit mad in his methods.

Reggie Henderson, the son

of Admiral Henderson. who

who ws a rather wild genius

of the sort, had applied for the Australian Navy; but they

sent him to reorganise I Greek

Navy instead.

The Australia was very

much up against the New Zealand,

Darby sd. The Australians wd

quite willingly fight the N.Zealand 

any day, he thought. The N.Z.

was a very efficient ship

at present- her commander,

North, was an excellent

 

92

man (as I know) & the ship

[*12*] was in a very poor state. The

Australia,  on I other hand, has

lost most of I splendid crew tt

took her out to Australia

from England. They were

4 years men, and they had

left ∧ 1 service soon after I ship got to

Australia [[than not reenlister]].

The later drafts from the Tingira

were not as good as they

ought to be. They were unkempt

& had to be worked for

months before they ready

 

93

(written, like much

in this diary, in

a railway train)

 

94

something very wrong in

this. Young Australians

ought to come from the Tingira

bursting w enthusiasm- no

boys of any nation in I world

are keener & easier to infuse

w a spirit for such work].

I supported tt a small

commission of, say, two

might usefully be appointed

to visit I Australia & try

to get at a solution of

this problem- because it

surely only needs thought.

Darby & Walsh agreed it wd be good- they are

very enthusiastic for the Australian

Navy.

I will, [[?]]

write to Pearce and Bughes.

 

95

The Tigir came in rather

[*12*] discredited after (I think it ws)

the May battle- or perhaps an

earlier one. Anyhow, she

ws rather the outcast oI fleet

at I time. The Australia, feeling

rather up [[ajst]] the rest, chummied

up w the Tiger & the two have

been chummy ships. If the

Australia s see a Tigers boat

racing a New Zealand boat they

will always cheer for the

Tigers & hook the N.Zealands.

The Tiger had a very tough

crew- some real rapscallions

in it, proper cutthroats, they

say. Funny beggers, our

old Australianns.

I went with Darby over

the Australian. A great deal

has been done to [[?]] service I 

was. She is having extra

 

96

armour put on I decks

& armour to the magazines-

water jets & weeping pipes

to drench cordite wh may

catch fire in the ammunition

chamber. The grating on 

I magazine door (at I side 

o I chamber) has been

covered w a plate, & the

cordite is now close passed

thro a sort of [cultery] door

wh is closed between each 

shot- only one cartridge 

is allowed in I chamber at

one time. The whole

place is being made flash tight.

In the shell room below

are certain Lyddite shells

-to be fired off first; [[runout]] & I

rest is [[ammunition]] shell. The Lyddite

goes into I enemys ship

& explodes inside- but

 

Chloroform. to SSm. B&F

waiting [[som]] 4/10/0

_________________________________________

Mrs Besant Scott. [[Chlors]]

3 cases each 8 Ihs. Ether     To Nine [[?]]

5.0.0.                                          Land Stn.

19/10/10

_________________________________________

Chloro  16/10/14

Spec.cases Hosp

SS medlair Hosp.

B.E.F. France

_________________________________________

Receipt

Ether  Reg.No F41/227

[[Concapce]] to

M.F.O.  H.Q. IG.C

B &F France.

Folio 9990

Pro.No.B3910

S.S. NW miller

_________________________________________________

 

Ilp

K                                 Whiting 

 

Edit this transcription

Log in Sign up

Last edited by:
Robyn GRobyn G
Last edited on:

Last updated: