Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/62/1 - October 1916 - Part 3

25
ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE

If not claimed within 7 days please return to:—
Please return to:-
HISTORIAN,
VICTORIA BARRACKS,
SYDNEY.

1     26
Sunday: Oct 22. In London.
Lunched w Murdoch at The
Times office. He has seen Joffre
Haig & Briand & given each
of them has given him an
interview - Haig wd only
make it a message - stating
how much France & the allies
needed the troops. Birdwood
has promised to send a
a message on the military
need for reinforcements
The vote in France has bn
taken & (up to the present count)
^ The result is a ten per cent ^majority agst conscription.
They are accordingly sending
over to France O.C. Beale,
Young, & one other, to have address
public meetings in favour of 

1        27
Cases all sealed
Napthaline
goes through customs.
nearly 2000 letters in
a day.
Started in July 1916
on old Gallipoli Kits
& did more than had ever been done in
all the country before.
All Gallipoli
stuff - Handed over to
British ordnance & issued
& gave full [shorthand]. 

28        1
1500 names of on Kits
or parcels
of 1200 Regtl No & initial
70 to 90 to be traced
Ea of articles in [shorthand] case
2000 Wills.
10000 inventories.
Parcels in Cases.
Parcels used to get stolen
for souvenirs.
Calico bag seal.
28 cases in last shipment
28 Au 28 more to follow.
7 wks work only.
In almost every case something is sent off
for only the identity disc.
113 B class (10% [shorthand])
on staff.
Everything opened listed & sealed
Cost not more than 25% of what
it used to be.

1      29
souvenirs.
Full charges of cordite. Gets
dangerous. No one wd use it
therefore burnt.
Forwarding & receiving.

Cooks -
Printed letter forwarded
Alex. - treated at Zeitoun.
If you are slow N o K's address
is changed.
Dept is notified of kit
& address on shipping list
Covering letters are forwarded in case
They can change the address
there.
800 letters in one day.
20 Circl. letters
Scheme of colours.
3 wks after reporting casualties.
One man cost £13. 

30
50 000 kits
40000 just in from Egypt
4 & 5 Division. Royal George
& 3 little driblets
good part
of hold
3rd to come -
Division
Used to sort by Units -
Now so mixed - tt sorted
alphabetically.
Govt priority taken out.
Given back to Ordnance
£300 - 500,000.
40 - 45000 bags.
Now for private priority only.  One bag had [shorthand] instrument £550.}
£12, £4 & £35 (7:50 Australian notes) Men read about [shorthand]
We are able to go to that bag and find

1  31
contracts w carrying section.
Wills. We have copies of all the wills that have 
been recovered.

Legal question. Who is the mans
wife. She asks.
Next of Kin. Law in Australia.
Censored Kits.
Every man is gn a number.
He has to put the date,
no etc in bag of date
he opened it.
Care abt going in & out
Picked men.
Untouched boots
Waistc.
Ordnance have things washed
pressed
Enemy stuff
Bugles. -
Ammunition.
Field prisoners.
Braces. tin plates
Some 1000 of live shells & bombs.

32  1
Once ^ Baldwin gazetted. inform W.O.
They will instr. G.H.Q
to issue necessary permits
& instr.
He will be appointed
photographer
We appoint.
Sanction of this Offr. will
be aft sent by W.O. to
GHQ when informed.
Photographs have to be developed under their people.
xx Press Bureau
G.H.Q to be dealt w in France.
Smart to see Kenny re
photos if necy.
 

1     33

Wireless [shorthand] told us that they sometimes hear the Germans talking.
Sat: 14 11.30 am.
Sun 15. 12.10 pm.
Mothers next letter.
Present.
House name
Advice to Aust.
Shame [shorthand] ideal [shorthand].
[Shorthand]
Scope [shorthand] would need destroyers
oil
German troops
Motor boats from USA.
500   4 miles of solid [shorthand]
Canada [shorthand]
J & submarine