Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/8/1 - May - June 1915 - Part 14

121
course of these long trench battles - settled down
into a daily string of little incidents like this.
The time for big things seems have passed
w / Turkish attack on the . We might
possibly have attacked after that when /
enemy was very shaken -  but /
chance passed. It is past / time now
when we w take isolated trenches- the
enemy has then so well covered from other
positions (wh are all / time improving] that
/ only chance is now to take the lot - or
at least make a big advance. After attacking
of the 19th when /  Turk ws really shaken
it might possibly have bn done. But it was
not until hours afterwds tt / authorities
down here realised tt it had bn a big
attack - at least tt ws how it seemed to
me. I wish White had a bigger say in our
tactical plans.
There is still from
As I write this / hills are echoing
behind we like an empty fives court
& the rifle ^ shots sound are not unlike the knock of
a xxx fives bat. Every now & then I can
hear the plunk into the sea of one o /
enemies bullets - sometimes / long.
whine of a rick first. Then at times
all the echo stops & all one can hear is
 

122
the constant distant plump plump plump
into / sea of bullets from rifles wh we
cannot hear at all. Once or twice there
has bn / usual outbreak - accompanied
by the punt of a trench mortar as when a
rather blatty football is punted about the
field and once or twice no report at all
but the mysterious swish swish swish
swish of machine a flight of machine gun
bullets thro the air.  It is getting late-
almost time for our nightly fleet sweeper
to start for Lemnoss - She is taking the
French Interpreter, I believe, As they
are no use to us now - The mules are
stamping in the gully below
occasionally some chain on the picketing
rope or on a bridle jingles. The snore
From the dug out beside me ^ comes a solitary
snore. I must blow out the candle
which is close beside me under the
wall (so as not to show to Turkish Eyes
on Nibranest Cape - ^ jutting out 5 miles away to the
N.) I will drag the sleeping bay down out
a bit towards away from the earth wall
so as to get out of the way of centipedes
one of which dropped a little ago - whilst
I ws writing - down my neck: it seems
to be a resort of theirs; I found 2 in my
shaving mug this morning - & so to sleep.
 

123
May 29 Sat.
There an a  I was awakened last night by a wild outburst of firing last nght
at about 3.20. It seemed to come from Quinns
Post. I had been working late & didnt want to get
up - but as it went on continued I went up to the signal
office & asked if they knew what was on. There
was the usual light shining in the the dug out
by big dug outs & its two little brothers by its side,
The signaller told me it was nothing. The 4th Battn
had decided to made a dummy attack
cheered a fixed bayonets in order to make the
Turks blaze away. the xxxx shooting went
on so long that I was a bit dubious - & there
seemed to be a furious bombing with it too-
ten bombs within 5 seconds or so I sd say-
such a bombing as I had never heard. Then the
guns started. A message came that quinns
Post was being violently attacked - asking the
artillery to help with their fire. I went
along & got my telescope & camera.  xxxxxxx
passing Col. Hobbs dug out he told me I looked in
He said that there & asked of he thought it was
worth while going out. The N.Z. battery was
pumping round after round into the night.
He said there was nothing in it-he was
annoyed at the t great expenditure of
ammunition by the NZealand battery
The fire seemed to have died down - so I turned
 

124
in again
This morning on getting up the first thing I
heard was Phillips battery, still firing. Then
someone said that the Turks had taken a trench
at Quinns Post & that we had retaken it. The
firing there was still furious at times, I
started off at once.
I found that there had been fierce fighting
during the night At the 4^th Brigade H.Q. I got some
details of it. Bt Things were not quite certain
yet. Half an hour before, ty sd, you cd have
seen ^ from H.R. a row of rifles sticking out over
the reverse face of the support trenches at Quinns
Post They had gone now, thank goodness- the
trenches had been retaken. Whilst I was there
a message arrived that  there was communication
through the support trenches. But, there was still
one part of the trench wh they cd not get to! A
man was barricading himself there -  they cdnt
say if be were an Australian or a Turk; some
Australian  there might still imagine he ws
surrounded by Turks.
I went out to the post & silting out on the
slope behind the post on the support trenches heard
the actual story. The supports all had their
bayonets fixed. I appeared there
were tasks still in the trench, quite cut off,
in a bomb proof shelter. We were sandbagging
the end of this section & were joining  to drive them
out of it. But presently they came marching
 

125
the pat thro the crowd. They had surrendered. There
were 17 of them. The men on the way down patted
them on the back, gave them cigarettes  & further
down the path, some tea & biscuits.
whilst, I was standing there on the edge of
the path talking to Col. Pope about attack
adventure with Turks when M^cDonald was taken
prisoner; Our men were dragging dead Turks
out of another part of / trench, down / path &
out a slab of hillside at / back. Two men had
just passed when pulling a Turk by  / leg when there
was a general scatter. men got to / side
o / path or shrank back up / hillside. Somebody
sd "what is it - a bomb?" They Someone
answered - "Yes, a bomb" & down / path
came rolling an innocent black ball like a
cricket ball. It reached he dead Turk
who was abt 6 feet from me & then exploded
like a cracker  big chinese cracker. There was a
blue smoke & a bit of dust, something hit me on
the hip - dont know what - & the dead Turk ws
lying there with one leg blown off. I expect it
wd have been mine of it hadn't bn his.  I was
spattered over with bits of dead Turk
fortunately not very thickly.
Morning attack hs as follows:-
The garrison for the right at Quinns
consists of 350 of the 13th Bn & 140 of the 1h [tt 
 

* T. Gotling support

trenches
 126.
About 3.20 am the Turks exploded a mine under
No 3 section ( counting right to left. / trench has 6 sections) of Quinns.
They then threw a shower of bombs int Quinns & walked
across into it. The explosion stunned some of the men in
the section for a moment – threw them down & dazed
them. Coming to again they  one of them told me tt / last
thing he remembered ^ ws hearing some strange gruff voices
talking. The min shrank away a bit  & into tt
section / Turks walked - I dont know how many.
They cd be clearly seen from Popes - one chap standing
by / side o /  truck already lighting bomps & throwing
them in. But they cd not be sure on Popes whether
he ws an Australian or a Turk - they cd have hit him
easily.

The Turks found themselves in a section o / 
trench with the mound of earth left by / explosion on one
side o them- separating them from our men; & a
traverse or / other side. They cdn't  get beyond either
our men held / other side. About 3.40 (acc to
one officer) some more Turks tried to charge thro into
/ trench & got through. They carried numbers of
bombs w them. W these they bombed the support
trenches & actually got some men over into /
support trenches (acc. bone a/c) Our supports
were all crowded in the little gully at / back
& the bombs rolled over & down amongst them
but did remarkably little damage. The
rest o the 13th, the 15h & 16th were sent up in
support - & the 10th L.H. ws kept in reserve.
(Cont. p. 128)
 

127 see p.  131
[May 30 Sunday
I stayed in & wrote all day today
so except for short walk to road up bill behind N.Z.
H.Q. wh overlooks the left your line. From there.
looking thro ^ my telescope saw for first time N.Z
posts on hills along coast. There was an attack
being made by Turks against trench which NZs took
the other night; the N.Z. seemed  I spotted the position
after a bit you cd see where bullets hit & shrapnel.
Turks were shelling all posts hard. The N.Z
trench up hill blue flag suddenly appeared
sent several messages. Almost at once a Turkish
sniper appeared content trotting at [?]
length thro scrub on hill. Bullets fell
thick around it.
During this time fierce fusillade suddenly

occurred guns also were busy. I thought
they might be connected with this attack where
shot were certainly flying thick.
Afterwards after dinner (wh I hd w
N.Zs od Shaw's in [?  ] ) I heard from Casey
the sad story of days attack. They had [?]
at N.Z.H.Q. they didn't really know the
result of the days work or the position at
Quinns.  that explained a lot of    Evidently something had happened
there, During last night / Turks had built
left a big work there apparently & I suppose

 it ws connected w this.
Casey told me afterwds had as far as
they cd see about 30 men had on sent forward.

*to reach a trench opp Quinns. They fell in every direction

scarcely any reaching / trench. When they got in there was a

series of firing explosions. ( Doubts if a single man survived.
 

(cont. from P. 126)
128
Col. Burnage of the 13^th was in command - his H.Q. ws
just at / back o / post.
The moment the mine exploded (with a big
dull thump - not a loud explosion – the Turks turned
on their shrapnel. Some o /  The shrapnel ws / first
thing many people in / valley knew o / attack).
The place ws more or less of an inferno
of bombs. At abt 5.30 the Turks made a second
attempt to get across the top into / trench by charging-
Our whole line made a countercharge – & the Turks
did not wait.
They tried to attack again abt 7.30
The men had Meanwhile been sandbagging
across the part of the trench wh ws exposed to the
Turks who were in our trenches; & had established
communication again.
Col. Burnage - ws hit by a bomb in
both arms. The men  observed him as he went
down / gully on a stretcher. He ws not a
popular officer at first - & perh.. rather weak. But
he has been in the thick - & generally in front- of
every engagement since / first landing & his
men swear by him now.
In one o /  tunnels men sd they heard a tapping. This mining going on
at 6o'c. the evening before. They and 40 to 50
expect mines there
We blew in a Turkish tunnel at abt
2.30 yesterday morning (Fri 28^th)
 

*the Turks also attacked the   kill  9^th L.H on
the hill - walkers Ridge - bombed them, killed 4 
Wounded 12. This ws where the 9th L.H. were for /
first time in / trenches. There were abt 25  Turks dead
in front o / line o / 9^th L.H.
 

129
Lt Little of the 15^th ( just promoted from sergt) had a bomb
in his hand ready to throw when a Turk. bomb exploded.
He and up his hand to save his face when his own bomb
exploded, injured his eyes & blew off his hand He sd as
he came in to be dressed. "They may damage me but
they can't damage my spirit." 
Maj. Quinn was leading / charge, or
just preparing to do so, & ws throwing bombs himself
standing half up under heavy fire when he
ws shot dead - prob. by shrapnel; he ws
standing up at time. Four company officers of
one company were lost (wounded) Capt Forsythe,
L Smith, Lt xxxxx Lt xx Vine Hall, & Lieut.
Sinclair.
Some percussion bombs were found
by our men, xxx without their being taught
to use them. They did not take on the safety
gear & so the things didnt explode.
Whilst, I ws up there. "There are still Turks
in one of our saps"  sd someose.
"whats / difference between a still T.
& a dead T." asked someone.
Another version. Mine exploded
abt 3am in No 3 Sectn. Blew in firing line
trench. Bombs then poured like rain. This
drove men out of firing line. Turks
ran in & occupied front trench & bomb
proof shelters. Started throwing bombs from
there & had some of men driven right down
out of support trenches. Col. Burnage ws
 

130
wounded is both arms Maj. Tilney in covering
for while. Col. Pope ws then sent up. . Abt 1/2 hr.
after Explosion (3.50) remainder of 13^th arrived
in support (abt 150 - i.e. 500 strong) Maj.
Durrant brought (them up. Then Col. Chanwel
arrd & remained till all quiet. We still had
sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 6.. Aft same time as Col. Pope, to
15th (abt 200 under Maj. Carter) arrived in support.
It ws then decided to drive T.s out by
[?] unit charge .& bomb throwing. Some T.s
were in the support trenches. We drove the
out with bombs
At 6 our men marched o / skyline.
At 6 the T.s made a charge - Our
men opened w rifles & saw tt just one T.
got back agn. None who got into Quinns dugout
alive. (Prisoner says their officer left them &
went back)
Working parties were then put in No
2 & No 4. The T.s inside used to shoot
our men passing along / communication
trench used to be shot moving past the
mouth of / trench held by the T.s. They
didn't know there were T.s there.
Rocity pres Later 17 men came out.
13^th lost 5 officers wounded:
About 15 of our dead were taken out of the
short trench. About 20 T. dead were also
taken out, & there may have bn another
30 lying outside. The artillery also
played on them - say we killed 50 to 60
that wd give 200-300 casualties. Ours