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 if little incidents like this.
The time fa beg thngs seems have passed
c 1 Turbie ateck on the (9E. We miht
nossifly have attacked after that when
eneary was very shraken I but
chance passed. In is past of time now
when we co take ipolates trencheg- the
eneary has then s0 well covered from other
poaghs (wh are all (tie improvig] that
tonly chance is now to take (te lot - or
at least make a by advante o After vaty
of te 19t aten cart ws reatly staken
it might possibly have bn done. Rut it was
not anlil hours afterwos to (authorities
clown here realised & it had bn a by
attack & at least to ws low it seemed to
me. I wish white had a begier say in our
tactical plans.
Thereostill from
As I write this I hills are cchoing
behind we like an emply fives court
I sound
& the rifly not antike te knocke of
a aa fwishet every now & then I can
hear the plunk into the cea of one of
enemies bullets - sometimes (long.
whene of a riick first. Their at times
all the ecko spops &f all ony gan heas is
 

172
te constant distant plump sturg shmgs
into see of bullity from ribled wh we
cannot hear as all Once or twice there
has 1 ainal antobreak accompanied
by the pund of a trench mortar as when a
rati flatt football is punted about the
field and once or twice no reportatall
but the empsterious Iwish swish swish
swesk of a flight of nidchine gun
bblel tr toir Is is seling Cale
almost time for our nightly fleet swaper
to start for Lemnoss She is takeing te
ne nterpreter I believe As t
are no are to us now ? The males are
stamping in the fally below
occasionally some chai on the picferting
eope for on a bridh jingles. He s
comes
Fom te duy out beside me a solitary
soe I must blow out the candle
estied is close beside (we ander the
wall (od as not to show (to Turkiss Eyes
Tuttir cret
on Nibranest Cape - 3 miles away to the
No) I will dray the sleeping bay out
a bil away from the earth wall
so as to get out of the way of centisides
one of which slropped a little ago - whilet
I as writing - down my neck: it seems
to be a resort of ters; I found 2 in my
shaving may this morning &so to sleep
 

123
May 29/ Sat.
I was aweheaed lastnigh by a
There an 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
ata
up - but as it I went up to the signal.
office & asked if they knew what was on. There
was the usual light shining in the
by dagants & its two little burthers by its side,
The ssgnatter told me it was nothing. The 4th Batte
had decided to made a dummy attack
cheered a froad bayonets in order to make the
Turks blage aways the shooting went
on 5o long that I was a bit dubions - & there
seemed to be a purious bombing with it too
ten bombs within 5 seconds or 50 I Ndsay-
such a fombiry as I had never heard. Then the
oans started. A neasage came that quinn
Past was being violutl attacked - asking the
artillery to help with their five. I went
alongo ptiy telescope canra-
passing Col. Hobbs day out I looke in
He said therther & asked of he trought it was
worth while going out. The N.Z. battery coan
sumping round after found into the right
He said thre was notien in it. he was
annoyed at the t great expenditin of
ammunition by the NZealand baller
The fire secon to have died down - so Ithrned
 

164
i
again
Teis morning on getting up the first thing I
heard was Phillips battery still firnyg. Then
some one sail thet the tarks had taken a truck
at Quinas Past & that we had retaken it. The
pring ther was still purions at times, I
startes of at once.
I found that thore had been feerce fightig
during the night At the Eth Bryade H.Q. I got some
detaits of it. Bt things were not quite certain
yed. Helf an hoar before. ty sd. you co have
from H.R.
seen a loss of rifles steaking out over
the reverse face of the support touches at Quanne
Past They had gone now, thank od the
Frenches had been retadon Whilst I was there
a weas ago arrived t there was commanication
through the suppost tumaey. But, there was still
one part to trenc o thy cousget toA.
man was (baricaling himself there of they cdnt
say if be were an Austiabian or a [art) some
Auntoalion therc night thl conagine beds
surranded by tarkes.
I went outs the post & sitling out on the
stope behin the soot on the sapport trenches heard
the actoal story. The supports all had their
bayouets fixed. I agpard there
were tacks still in the trunk, quite cut of,
on a bomb proof shetter. We were sandlgging
the end of this section & vere pig to dreve then
oul it. Butpilly thy can marching
 

125
the pat thro the crow. Thy had surrendered. There
were. 17 of them. The sen on the way down patted
them on the back, gave them cygarettes
& further
down the pat, some tea & biscuits.
whilst, I was standing there on the edge of
the pat talking to Col. Pops about hisk
adventure with Tarks alen Mr Doneld was taken
prisoner; Our men were draying dead larks
out of andther part of treck down 4 path &
out a stab of hillside at I back. Two men had
just passed pulling a tuk by by wt hire
was a geveral scatteg? men got to y side
(pal or shrank (back upLileside. Domebady
sd what is it - a bomb? My Someone
answere - (yes] about & down 1pat
came rolling an indoceety black ball like a
crickerball. It reached he dead Turk
who was abt 6 feet from me & then exloded
like a byg chinese cracker. There was a
Clve sonope & a bit of dust, something hit we on
Re hip & dont know what - + the dead tark bs
lying thel with one legblown of I expectet
ad have been nine of it hadies bn his I was
spatlened over with bits of dead tark
fortunatel not very kiedly.
t the stor which. I got of t tis
mornings attack hs as follows:-
The garrison for We night at Quens
conciite
of 350 of the 13th Bn & 140 of the 1h Latl
 

support
T. Gotwl
counties
 

126.
About 3.20 am the tarks expladed a mine under
No 3 section (ormpiny ript to left. (Crnch (has 6 seates) of Qumos.
They then threw a spown of bombs int quiyns & walld
across (into it. The explosion stunned (soonn of the men in
the section for amoment – theew them down & staged
himo Conig toagant one of them told me to 1frear
thing he remembered hedriy some strange graff voices
tilking. The min obrant away a bit n & into th
Secton 1Turks walked - I dont know howmany.
They cd be clearly seen from Popes - one chap s tanden
by sikof truck Cally lighting bompe & throwing
them in. But they cd not be sure on Popes wheten
he wo an Auctallan or a turk - they I have hil hem
sacily.
The Trks found thuselves in a secto of
trend with the mound of eart las by explosio on one
sicls o them separating them from our men; & a
traverse or 1other side. They cid get beyond either
our men held 1other side. About 3.40 (acc to
one officer) some more Tarks triel to charge thro into
I trench & got through They canned members of
bombe to them. W these they bombed the support
renhed aci pot some men over ct
sapport truched (acc. bon a/c) Our supports
were all crowded in the little golly at I back
& the bombs rotled over & down awongst them
but did renarkebly little clamage. He
rest o the 13th, the 15h &/6th were sent up in
support - & the 10th L.H. Ws kept in rescrae.
(Cont) p. 128)
 

177/a 9 131
May 30 Sunday
I stayed in & wrote all day today
so except for short walk to road up bill beand N.3.
. wh overlooks as left your line. From thes.
Cohin thro Eleccope saw for first time N.3
a posts on wills along ceaste. There was an attack
bying made br Turkes against trunc whice N gs took
the other night spote pocti
afte a bit you td see where bullets bi sarn
Tarks were shelling all posts hard. N
struch up hell the play suddeal apped
sent several weasages. Aost as once a tebise
aper expeard caling s as peh
lingth tho scrub on hell. Bullers feer
teek around it.
Dunn his time fieves paclade outdinl
o occurred fuls also were bruely. I thought
they might be connecle with this a Hack where
shot were certainly flyig theek.
Apords I after cinney (oh I ad wt
No Gs of Naws in vetall) I hard fom Cry
the so I stoy of dinys attack. They had f ae
at N.Z.H9. ty divet realy know fhice
recelt of the days work or the posite at
Guinns. t cting ta kee
Evident
a
there, Darry last night I turks had buith
upon by work there apparently + I sippose
o it wo connected co this
casey told me afternos had as faras
they edsee about 30 men had on sent for
 

(cont. from P. 126)
128
Col. Burnage of the (3r was in command to his H.B. ws
just at I back o 1 post.
Te moment tho mine exploded (wita by
dull thimp - not a lond exploaion – the tarks turned
on their shrapnel The shraprel as I ferst
tig many people in (valley kinew of attack).
Te pace ws more or leas of an inferne
of bombs. At abt 5.30 the Turks made] a second
attempt to get deross the top into I truck by charging.
Oar whole live made a counterharge – & the Tiks
did nohjait.
They tril to atlack againats 17.30
The new had Meanwhile been sandbayin
acrow
the part of the trench wh as exposed to the
tarks who were in our truched; & had established
communicate again.
Col. Burnage - wo hit by a bomb in
both arms. The aven apeered him as he
down 1 gully on a stratches. He ws not a
aler offices at first - & pirk. raten weak. But
he has been in the thick - & generall in Cpont- of
every eagagement since I first landing & his
mean swear by him now.
a tappir.
Secone & tunnetsprin soi heard this mining goig on
at 60c. the evening before. They and 406050
expectmenees there
be blew in a Fartenss, Tunet af apt
2.30 pesterdy morning (28
 

the Turks also attacked the ill 9ELH. on
the Kill - walkers Ridge - bombed them, killed 4&
Wounder 12. This ws where the 9th E.H. were for I
fn time in 1 toaches. Therewere abt 23 tarks dead
in port of Ue 01922.1.
 

129
45 Liple of tho 1512 ( just promo aid rom sergt) had a boute
in his bend ready to thow when a Turk. bomb expladd.
He and up his hand to save his face when his own bornd
Expladet, I infunnd hes ryges & blew off t hand He sas
he chinte in to be dreased. They may damage me out
t condemen my ninet.
Mad. Guinn was leading of charge, or
just prepary to doso, I as tooving fon be trmgilf.
standing haff up under hawy fire when he
ws shot dead o poot. by shrapuel 3 he 6d
standig up at ttie. Your compey officers of
one company were lost (wounded) Capt Vorsi
L Smith, 1DDVine Hall, & Lieut.
Sinchair.
Some percussion bounbs were fins
by our men, without their being layguk
to aee them. They did not take on the sapety
gear & so the things didnt explade
Whilst, I ws up there. There are still tisk
in one of our saps sd someose.
whats differnnce between a still to
& a dead t Packer socout.
Another version. Iue explade
abl Sam in N. SSectn. Blew in firery Limne
trench Bombs then pound liker gam. This
obrowe men out of firing Cine. Turkes
can in a accupied front truc & bou
proof shelteos. Scarled howing bombs from
there & had some of men driven right down
out of sapport trunches. Col. Burnage we
 

130
wounde is (bot arms Mas. Tilney in Comning
for while. Col. Pope as then sendrys. Abt 4 hr.
After Explosion (3.50) remainded of 13R arrived
in support (abt 150 - 12,500 /stay) may
Durrant brought (them up. Then Col. Chanvel
arrd & remained att att quiet. We shill had
Sictus $2,45,.6. Aft same time as Col. Pope to
15th Cabt 200 ander may carty arriveed in support.
o i him decided to drive touble
ation vant charge & bonib throwny Tome T
were in the support trepehig. We draw then
outore bombs
at 6 our men in assedon 15Eglin.
At 6 the ts ande a [charge Our
men opied a riftes & saw o not one
got back aou ou who p to gu on
alive (Bionesays ti officer left tim d
weat bc
working parties werethen put in to
25 No 4. The T.s inside used to shoott
our men pasing along I communicatin
trench ca to be snot moving past the
mouth of 1 trench held by the 15. They
clident know there were t.t there.
Rocity tate 17 men came out.
13 th Coat 5o officers (wornded
About 15 of our dead were taken out of the
short trench. About 20 T. dead were also
taken out, + there may have by anotew
Bo lying outside. The astiller also
plaged on them - say we killed 50 to 60
that wd geve 200. 300 casuatties. Ours