Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/7A/1 - May 1915 - Part 8

111
Why not have a telephone wire.
1st day got a [[shorthand]] with telephone equipment.
4 o'c Japanese mortar und Lt Fowler.
going to fire into trench with left trench marksmen to pick them.
6 in Howitzer in [[shorthand]] of Rawson?
of Ind. mountain battery until marines
broken in.
Bacchante x may have
knocked K. Tepe out - 
on Maj. Hughes battery
who have gun pointed
on K. Kepe not far from

beach.
K. T. wave 1st.
We brought a big [[shorthand]] bath towel
Mtd orderly came first. Then
3 mtd men. 1 a general.
We can hear an engine working
somewhere in lines.
 

112
60
Col. Wanliss aptd brigadier of
2nd brigade vice Bolton and wrote a letter
Col. Smythe apted. brigadier 1st Bde
vice Wanliss Owen
men got 30 T in
40 yards
7. 9.2 shells lit up by Turks
up near First Bde H.Q.
from 238. U.

Bolton gone to Alex.
Im
Brand gets 8^th temporary Lt Col.
vice Bolton
Owen goes back to 3rd
Hancock B.M - 1st Bde.
NZ guns had never been fired
Col. Parker is 29 Ind mountain artillery
brigade
21st 26th batteries
Old guns -
Capt. Kenyon Adjt.
6-2 gun sections.
Rawson, Trenchard,

113
May 21. (11.15) busy firing. 2 bombs.
Quiet 10 minutes after
Blamey & his officer.
Australns wounded [[shorthand]]
said to have fired on Turks.  Of course we killed
all these.  About 500 prisoners -: probably 300 wounded.
We know of the threat very well  We know you're the friends
of freedom but you force us to fight.
Blamey.  Arm patches of the man like
a bit of colour
about 6 he began the [[shorthand]] engines and walked
about with his hands in his pockets.
He had his hip pack done up and I could
have got him one on the point first if necessary.
Blamey was trying to make him believe what he said.
You will never get to Constantinople.  300 km.
1 in a month it takes a long time.
Why do you fire so much at night?  We dont

114
60
This [[shorthand]] the Turk is a brave man.
Wait till you meet the Australians  They only want you to attack
them.  Why do you make these little attacks?
Why do you make your attacks, say the officer - &
it ws not easy to answer.
3 little attacks have failed.
[[Shorthand]] to stop the firing of guns on K Tepe.
Wanted to know who are the Australians.
They would have been quite ready to fight with us against the Germans.
Pte Simpson 3rd F.A w tank.
Got them first night.  Afterwards got another
[[?]] up gully w xxx
Signallers  This morning it was late
([[shorthand]] with the Indians) He said [[shorthand]] would still have them when I go
back.  He and 2 wounded men were
all hit

Murphy & Scottie
Could not say too much against sinking of Lusit. C. 

115
Germans had taken Warsaw.  Blamey had his eye
on K.T. all the time and their man had his eye
on our position.  Blamey objective.  He was the major
commanding the battalion.
The other man was a major of the general staff.
Kamil - I don't think the truce will be agreed by
Gen Hamilton.
Got off Gallipoli four
re Gen Bridges.
Must send wire re Col.
Hawley.
Blamey and the officer stood amongst poppies - 
attack from 12.30 to about 6.
Stopped guns from G. Tepe.
Time for Italy in [[shorthand]] would be at night
in 2 months.  No supplies from
Roumania now.  Don't know what R or
 

116
60
B. or Greece would do.
Blamey thinks men are all volunteers [[shorthand]] 3 ordinary
soldiers.
11.50 gun or bomb heavy explosion
Immediate crackle of rifles.  No time.
[*300 prisoner they said
wounded
sham
of course we
killed them all
when we came
back*]
Heavyiest swell today on beach
[[Shorthand]].
3rd LHB & 4 LH landing all day
Placed big gun at junction of roads
N of Mal Tepe - [[shorthand]]
[[shorthand]] of 2 shots fired near
1st Bde & still unexploded.
[*Water [[shorthand]]*]
??. armystick, as Tyke wd say,
for tomorrow probably.
Fleet w transports all left
after
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
a manouevre of this sort.

117
Ammunition box
from a [[shorthand]] it is horrible
Clan McGillivray 850 wounded
2 [[shorthand]].  Only 15 died only
10 septic. Landed 200 at
Alex. Sent from there to Malta.
4 shots a day except during attacks the Howitzers 2.
(Attack anything at the point)  Warships 5 per gun
Playfair asked ships to fire every day
on good target  The reply Sorry I've
used my 5 shots.
Are these orders from
Hellas?

Even on good targets &
battery getting in positn
this rule seems to hold good.
 

118

60
Day before Yestys armystick with [[shorthand]]
10 p.m. sudden outbreak of
fire - just after a bomb.
10.18. } sudden bursts of fire & machine gun
10.20 }
11 o'c. fierce firing
12 o'c   "  "   v. sudden.
Clowes of 1st Art brigade to observe
their battalion from Navy tomorrow.
Casey gave men kind of [[shorthand]].  He was up there
in course of his inspection when looking through the periscope they noticed
a white flag being waved.  It had a red crescent on it.  Presently
the red cross flag appeared on our end parapet and Dr Thompson
standing up on the parapet by it.  Gen Walker sent C. along [[shorthand]] to tell
our people that they must tell the Turks that if the marines came out
they must keep to their own half of the ground - we would
attend to our half.  They must pick up only wounded
men and leave the dead alone.  C went alone and when he got to the

119 

trench he found that a red crescent envoy was already in the trench
Our people had already got one wounded Turk.  x He
told them that the red crescent man must be stopped.  They were letting him
go away.  They said but he is only red crescent  Doesn't matter
but C said it does matter  He has been in our trench.  They
called him down back and sent him down to the beach.
xx  Several of their [[shorthand]] men in decent
uniforms were out at this time walking about.  There were very
few wounded to attend to.  Gen gave a message written
by a night porter to be given to the Turkish red cross man to the
effect that they must stay in their own lines half
etc (as he had told C).  They got this message to them.
Presently the general said he would go at [[shorthand]].  He left C. behind
with orders to keep him informed in case of treachery.
There were occasional shots but from other parts of the line.
He went out with Gl. & Thompson and 3 Turkish
[[shorthand]] and a Turkish lieutenant came out and they [[shorthand]]
our general now they [[shorthand]].  Whilst they were back a man
came out and began collecting rifles from the dead.
The Turks were sitting xx on their parapets.  Our men were
 

60
120
as far as possible kept down (there seemed to be a great many Turks)
but of course they would not attack
Presently the general came back.  _^ He had told them that the thing must be more formally arranged.  He ordered that firing was
to begin the truce was put off but our men were not
to fire until 7 o'clock or to let the Turks fire
first.  The Turks were told this over a megaphone.
They hopped back into their lines, taking plenty
of time.  The Australians did the same.  It was as a matter of fact
about 7.20 before the Turks fired the first few shots.
Then we fired a few and the firing became [[shorthand]].
There was no [[shorthand]] work at this point till [[shorthand]]  The men should not have
collected arms.
There had been beside Ross & the third brigade
a man began collecting rifles and we forced him and
hit him quite rightly.  Presently behind some stretcher
bearers it came about 200 men remained.  We
fired at them.  One stretcher was dropped  the 2 men being shot by [[shorthand]].
A [[shorthand]] picked it up and carried it.  R. said he had no doubt from the
look of things that the stretcher contained a m.g.

121
Wire:  you get into the way
of stopping the moment your feet touch wire.
This place looks like Manly.
Remains of old houses near trenches.
Old polished stones.
[[Shorthand]] of battery.
Trying to pound our parapets.
The shell [[shorthand]]
1st ration day (21) smashed
by several bodies.  How about water.
Provision being made from stores on the hill.
Like [[shorthand]].
9.10. Battleship got off
Warships all went off exc.
one & left our left flank
[*25 - heard Turks
squealed when bomb mortar nears*]

60
122
The Finch ws
Is Blamey [[shorthand]] right?
Is Casey [[shorthand]] right?
Is N.Z. [[shorthand]] right?
Was there a night attack
[*[[Shorthand]]*]
What ws strength of our division flag? story as to White
Visit Monash & Quinns post
[*Tried to [[shorthand]] down*]
Losses to NZ & A.
ours.
Hawley cable came.
Gen 1st day
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
Gen 2nd day
Hand drawn diagram - see original document
M'Coy has been attacking men within holes
called them all sorts of
swear wds but they lacked their
shame.  Got 200
5 killed several wounded
[[shorthand]] hit*]
Indian with eyes shot
Wooden bullet w yellow [[shorthand]]
Bomb 1 man in 3 [[shorthand]]
Walker had 4 periscopes broken
[[shorthand]] and purchased 2

Absolutely naked, if enemy likes
to get guns there he can get right
in our rear. There way be an
urgent reason for this. Otherwise it is
insanity.

AWM38  3DRL 606 ITEM 606 7A [1]
[Extract]
Extract from Diary No. 7A. Dr. C.E.W. Bean.
1a field book, including notes made on May 5-15^th
at Helles)
deciphered Aug 1958
May 9 - 10.
Night attack by Turks. N.Z. on Saturday started at 10.30.
Advanced through 88th Bde about 300 yards in morning. No advance
on their left and held up by Turks.
5.30 in afternoon when Australians advanced they came up
300 yards. Col. Johnston stated to me, "I saw your final advance,
it seemed to me they advanced in great style, with great dash."
Auckland lost heavily in centre by Turkish guns. Total
loss about 8 Ofrs. 900.
5th went to Anzac 960 strong. Fell to 490. Reinforced
by about 130 to 625. Sat. down to 337.
Lost 5 officers.
7th 1000 landing. Down to 320. Reinforced to 500 by
stragglers and beach parades. parties
Landed here 750 strong with wounded return_xed? including
180 reinforcements 570 into firing line. Reinforced by 40 on
left late on Sat. night from reinforcements-not up put in the coys.
This morning 176 and 6 officers mustered about 65
stragglers. Total 347 with 100 reinforcements. Reinforcements
were put in straight (away) and managed splendidly during night
but began to straggle.
Rum was opened Wed. morning and many men got a bit too
much including (+). N.Z (2)
2nd Bde Apl. 25.
The 3rd Bde signallers were scattered. 2nd Bde ran
out communications whilst the Btns were advancing, sending back
messages was not so dangerous - but sending them on was dangerous
because men could be seen by enemy.  2 men were sending to a Bn
when one of them was hit.  The other continued to send the message,
and got it through, and then came down through White. The other
was the first case that Mathison had.
6.30  Arrangements beforehand no good. Bdier was ashore first.
Found where DHQ was. Sent men there first and where Bdier was
took a telephone wire (Gould did) to Bdier with reel.
May 12: 10 p.m. Very rapid firing on right where French were.
If Turks know what they're doing they’d attack to-night.
Manchesters relieved us. Our guns banging.
A Staff Officer who ____
Must be a Turkish attack.
Yes - the Bdier says we'll take the blooming hill! Of
course we'll take the blooming hill.  Anyone would think they
were throwing a blooming blanc mange at us.
Things quiet at first - no fire. 8th Bn going out. Run
with them with wire. Then to each other Bn. Then extended 8th
wire to 4th then to 15th. Lines were cut by shrapnel and bared.
I think we had some interference by Turks. I knew voices and if
there were any doubt about a man’s voice we asked who came over
in Novian with you? etc. Sometimes when line weak may have been
tapped.
[*Apr 25^th*]

(cont)
-2- 
May 12:
Troops at last came out of trenches and all night coming
out.  Turks turned attention to N.2. and missed us. Raining all
night. Miserable trek down valley. Part of 5th came out on
right by road, rest by Jolly gully. Staff first put us to camp up
gully.
2. At old camping place.
3. On hill where drier.
4. Moved further along hill.
Gen. Hunter Weston seeing tired troops coming out and
waiting to be told where they were to be camped told them he
despised them! If he had any troops he could put in their place
to do the same thing this battle would be won. The trouble is
we have to do same advance as Germans without the support. The
only time shrapnel and high explosive had effect you would explain
was when it got into the dJam depot.
May 12:
Night Ghurkas made their entry. ? objective
Men got into quarters on open hillside A.G.C. kindly took
took me in. Bolton is a poor good old chap, but not a Brigadier.
The fault of our troops is straggling and leaving their
packs paths. Cutting trees. French trousers and caps.
When rifle goes off shouts from their all over camp.
May 13: 2nd day in rest camp. Goliath sunk by submarine
during night (on port torpedo boat). Turks shelling our left.
3 Batteries.
6th Bn. Maj. H.G. Bennett only original _^ comb. commissioned officer left with
Bn. Of first lot:
7 killed (4 on 25th 361)
16 wounded.
1 missing.
2 sent away sick.
8 recently promoted 4 killed.  i.e. 7 killed in this
charge during day, 1 orig. officer.
4 recently promoted. Q.M. Med. Officer.
3 Reinforcements.  306 all together told. 716 into (6th ?).
About 300 of 716 were reinforcements. Came down with
about 400, of original one officer A.B. Cox, Lieut. wounded first
day - came back from Alex. - killed in this action.
7.   347
5.   337
6.  343
8.  816
1843
2900
1000 - 1100

May 13:  3.45 p.m.  Aeroplanes over. By Big gun shelling getting some
good work on beach killing mules at head of rise.
Our men were out bathing and started just returning at time.
Gun left beach after about an hour. Clearly 2 guns on Asiatic
side, one of them is setting the fuse too late and they're going
into the earth. The other is bursting 6in. shrapnel very well
about ¼ mile beyond us. They say a lot of damage has been done
on the beach. 50 mules killed according to one o/c.

(cont)
-3-
Big 6in. shrapnel comes with much less of a whizz -
explodes in air with black smoke and an ugly short sharp rattle
at the end - saw spatter amongst mules. Mule seems not to worry
when it gets a bullet - stands pretty cool under shrapnel. One
mule rolled down hill with load (slipped) and got up at bottom
with load still on.
By God 6 fools those fellows have worked for us now. When they get to
a pinch and clamber up, B.G. aren't they beauties.'
One shell from heavy gun near beach on hill was like
engine - Sh...Sh...Sh... on beach, "Look out boys they're worse
than bullets."
When man lets off his rifle get put him collecting cigarette
cards.
May 14: Camp being shelled by 18-pounders. Two or three shell
bursts. One man: "I say this is over the limit, we only allow
them a few shells a day." Aeroplane temporarily stopped them.
May 15: 3 Batteries (4 gun) shelled camp. Dr. Black of 6th hit
in knee.
On beach moment there shell comes everyone parts has to dive for his
dug-out - whether shaking or not. At our beach all work.
Went forward exactly as arranged. I hear that Kaba Tepe
is going as usual.
[*Present CO ?*]
Capt. Weddell (?) junior Capt. with 7th, Maj. Bennett 6th,
Wanliss 5th.
Shell which hurt Capt. Black landed 10 inches from Major
Edgar’s feet, 1 ft from Dr. Black and 1 ft 6 in from Maj. Bennett.
It passed close over Edgar’s head and blew a hole 1 ft deep in
ground. (High) High explosive shell - perhaps 4 in.
Later I hear big gun blown out on 7 miles to-day.
Aeroplane was out firing smoke balls. 5.30: Heard dozen rifle
shots in next paddock and two in ours. Went out.  There was an
aeroplane - a biplane - very high up and it was said to be a
German. I don't know if it was. Our Aeros is went up above at once.
Much more shelling these days - perhaps because no attack.
Brig. Bolton wired Bridges that it would be a pity to send
this brig. to front before it is reorganised and obtains officers
and N.C.0s. in its shattered condition.
Our artillery Tuesday - May 4. Wed. came into action.
1, 2, 3, (6th Mills battery). 1 N.Z. came in support of the French.
Rabett in observation trench. May 15: Direct hit on one again.
Sat. 4.30 to 7.30: Gunner shot dead. Krithia to British right.
French landing today (?) 2nd Regt. de Marche Zouaves 3rd Bn.
Our artillery started at 1000 yds now 2400. Manchester
Terriers. Prendergast’s Brigade got ?500 yards last night, 150
this morning without firing a shot. "We would not say once said the Australians
was Heroes.
Last night Sat. May 15: The Turks rushed up to within 10 yards of
French trench and dug in there.
River Clyde with 2 holes in her - using 1 as a ?
hole.