Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/8/1 - May - June 1915 - Part 15

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG1066847
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Page 1 / 10

leter this day or I next As a matter of fact 6 N3s were defailed to rush from trunch, abt 6ydo, t sandbegs, pust in the serdbags wh I.T.s hadbuilt arowncrattrs, know in keir own I saw pays wout pux oi Sandbags, & comeback. Thery gandow uettavrow I san bags & found a 70 of over, & a wooden Structurs w 6 toopholes - not one. They stuffed their bags into 1 Coopholes & returned before 1 a. 9. s0t. going. (Possibly this ws on Monday nipt. I dong think es A young office - Macwillian D a Duntroon boy. 0 bog w the Otago MR. as killed woa ad No3 outpost. He ws in the 9t AL4, a gplendis chap, always cheerful. 131 were a trikle lea - not heavy. I noticed that may Carter seemed very much struck by the size of the casuallies of the 13th but I doubt if they were realy henry. The charge made by our chaps (plane by most observers at 80c) over the crest of our own trenches is spoken of os everione as fine. They stood outrice the trench taken by the r shett down or Counbet all the men in it & then fumged down into it. Only one tark ws wounded tt ws (effect or bon bo (our bombo are like Gog of seem to make a pyptfut won) Sanda May St Cot from p127. we tt o ruy to craters oppoite eneing obdy. Monday, May 31- The N. Gerlanders 6s0 their trench on he left lastnyes, I believe Col. Tkene ws just on 1 way a reinforcuent when they wildren fuBirdod ws asked for lase to withdraw. Terecos no vetal objectu, So he let them with draw if thy liket but he sront o o it. N NULRIT No 1P8s Gofe 50 fur left
H The fiht on Sunday Eyed. 132 The N.G. people were being attacked in this trunck when I as watching it yeaty. Th seemed prety bot corner. Te Bullels were flieking clist clouds from the parse every second of two. The enennys shell ws not bursting over 1 trenche but behind it in Pornb. Diddinly a blue flas appeared a waved from 1truch, Havs not yet got in touch with read the man begide me. by one squadion, strong enough to reach Capt. Chambers.. Bullets flished near the pay. A fequre suddeely appeared in the srrib on 1 Edgeof hill begond I truch. It ran along full height, w its rifle - adropped into Cornb again. We bought he must be saysing that signalle but beyond here is a strip of stoughed land runnen between hillfoot sea- 1other side of a red copy fiet. I ae not sare at first tt it ws not a trench it wo so narrow; but it proved t be an cofinishe ploughly. The only Civilian turl we have seen (if he were a avilian) had started plonley here a week of t ago. He had one white ox & one red, &he did not seem to tl too mady hard work. He continually slopped & meased around his plough. A fewchots wanred him of & I hadn't bean sing seen. thenen I again wentup the strength of monst gully & sot wh I miand jesty. feghting at Aurun
13. 13. A On Sunday night the Tarks Somehow crept or sapped out into two potholes caused by explosions of our coustermines & put up bomb proof shelters there W Sanka -Kibig Turkish sawbays wh are just abo I times a by as ours. They build their trench paropets of thei & amnuniti box2s. These too formerable crectis were seen opp. our truchis on Mondey moming at day byght & it as decided the went be denolictd. Two parties of the 1L. H were therefore ordered to go out & take the trenches, to be followed by two clypng parties if the first lot tstablishd thenselves. heartillery as to support tm Col. Pope's slan was. Two parties of Eght Horse were to jo or 110 t assuult each of 30 md &a sergt- the one to assault the right crates ws under 1t Ridd;] tt to assault 1 left craty as under Ct Lt. Colpitts. It they succeed apart of 15ihend sergeant ws tfollow. Each man of assaull aty came one pesenssion a vomb. Ad dippi were to be from Canterbur parties
134 battation. Max Row & Capt. Houlher to command treaches from wh they asssulted. All support Tfere truches to be lined as thickly as possible & other troops to be in communicate meuches to bayouets fived. Supportyg fire, boubs etc pam every possible pount. Curtneys & Popes Will wd support (so did 1st. Bn. & artilery a cau at pm. in afternoon, Reports to end o telephonetive– (Order issuer at 11.30 an to all officers of Guinns Post). Artilery, made or fine practich for Dr - only 3 or & shells were burst short. 1p.m. te too parties charsed over, one o our stells had blown a terk macking jun up just as we started to charge - it blew the Sandbags, ap first; then blest 152 funr to bits (00I gu told) head got it we work opp him. It ws fall of Tarks. They stood outside knew tombo, baxonetil tht down 45 most of whom pled. took one presoner- gave him agarettes & biscit. He as so grateful that when To came back the prisoner grabbed the riple of man next him & shot the intrnder dead. Kedd came back a all his men, very dazed (but without the prisoner (they say they tried to make him understand but cont, &y had to come back fatnedl abt 5. Sopin. Fartillery opened & the had bn under showers of bosubs & were many of them deafened. Thy didn't seem to have done very wack Colpitts went to the left Twomen wery
13 killed. As abt 200 amessage came from him in a cartridge case. I have 7 menleft. No sandby want support but think it 15 only sacrificing more men to send supports Well try to digin & hold on leaving it to goe to decide re supports, Good Luck. Ten casnatties Col. Pope replied: Am sending ten men, Do as much damage as you can Pletire when you can do no more. That we it 21151 at 3.15-6 note came. Please tunnel through as fer as possitle wd rush back but don't like the idea of abandoning my wounded suggest you have plenty of support to give to our counterattack wh the Eneay appear to be preparing. Have done all damage possible. this counteattack came off almost at once but 2o tirk who sumped oul of truch got thro. sm A tunnet was made, but abt. 10.30s before it we completed, 6 men relieved the post going over the parapet. The tunnel ws frueshed abt 11.20 P.m. Kidds men whoy oback all I.30w Cwere all wounded, + allvery rattledn Colpitts someof them came over te paraget before tunnel finished. The 6men who were put in are still in the post. Abtmednight amorder arrion
(36 to demolich or occupy thi works. Col. Copes. I went up with kidd (show the spot- the by work. But it don't there. The Turps had Taken I sandbago down & there was no truch. The Ts threw SSec. bombs (they have I sec. o 2 sec.) Onr men fielded them all exc. abt 3 out of abt 40 & threw them back, just as if my were cricket balls I got particulars from Col. Chaurel of the attack by L.. under Maj. Graham on Turhiss trench opp quinns on 1 night of may 14-15 (Fiday-Saty). The attack as made very early on the Saty morning. I do not think t any o1 officers concerned had reconmortred the pound - as least I an told they hadnt. The story is as folls.- One squadron of t hight Horse as ordered by Gen. Godley to make a sortie from Quinns Poston His particular night C.Squadron of No 2nd L. H. (Queensland MtL. Ing. was chosen - andw May. D.M. R Graham - under direct of. 4. Col. T.H. Cannan commanding quinns Post. The hour as to be decided on by Maj. paham. The object as the filling in of a communicate truch, Half the squadson wo to rust t everys trenches, using the bagonet only. The other Squadoon ws to take picks & showeld (Trey were to fill in (common trench, demolish 1 parspet of truch, + be back before daylight. Courtney's & Popes kill were to cover him & they wobe supported by garrison of quispost wh however us not to leave that post. May praham Chose 1.45 as the hour. The fire to met them as they sumped over parspit
ws so heavy & few reached 1 trench. The Turks left trech & enfilated then from both sides – Nearly allpparty wo killed or wounded. Te cleping parties helped ( woundes back ont or two tarks were bayoneted & some attempt wo made to demotest treath But fire from Machine puns, riftes. bombs ws too heavy. By 3 it ws all over - 1 party such as wo left had ne back rm w its wounded. Two wounded sight hersemen were observed by in outside turkeck trench and 1 queste other relefe as considere. But before it wo decided on I tarks opend fire on this two den + killed them both. Pamphlets were fiveno party to hand. out to Parks. The party went forwd from No. S section. The Right Parly. 30 men ander Capt Pirtbeck Right Dychy Party 15" Maj praham. Left assaulty Party 30.5 Ogiloy Degps 4. Potto. Five stretchest beavers) some messugers eh Of the Right Party. Of 15 men who rashe out to right oI commcinicate trench 2 reachedth Farkish trenches. As there was nothing they cd do thy were ordered to stat into Commanicate trench. They crawled along commnn truch, draysed 1 wounded back into their own tranck under a heavy fore. Te stretthen bearers rushed out alogt to tarkesh French & for the wounded The diging partys was not to start till assaulty parties were establishet in ttrench be. Synal never or given. But- Maj Graham when he saw attenges men falling ao fast jumped
138 on trench & rukes forward. He helped to brin a wounded - but in dong to we mortally wounded H Potts reported attede to a heavy fire started imaned thy tef 1 trench. He ven were keeping low The digny party c Lardly be preserted from rushing forwelto assist. A measuger came back to say to D Ogeloy had gri 1 order to reture, & try o b in I wounded. He whole affair wo over in 2omnates The ttretched bearers & messengers went ford to help wounded. Those in wench saw heads wer comeng back aboyg communicate bench exposed to Owr side- Orders were gron not to fire as it ws not clear wheter tey were Tarks or Australians. Tarant out to be to Ofiloy & 2 men Six men in the left assaultiy part got out without camalties paham helped 4 men before bein bouded. I hear that Col. White & Col. M. Nichol have Each gob the D.S.B. trday aset. Abler venting quians todan I went ap to the Kt Bn to fer particular! of a very baoraction which casly & the Seneral happened to see durry yesterdays attach. machine Theguns of the Bt Bn had to cover the attack. One gan seems to have been ordered to cover the sicle - they are nervous aft quians & dowal they an to cover it – but the instructu had not bn carrie not. The general when he vent up foud that the gua emplocemet, wd not prepared - The attack as almost due to
139 start. Bags hadt be turredly shore into place - the Emplacement (at is on the in sibe of to valley ws not a good one & rather obvious - they say also it wt given away by the L.H. bringiy ar m. G. wift an ison screen there & not servening the screen) and the gan w only jast shoved into pocete before the fight sterted. The gais crew consinted of Coopl Bint, PET. Arnott (N1) Pte R. Cumming & others. Cammin starled feriy but as sonott, ar Nlhe as presently pat on. They knew where one O Turprsh M. 9s was & Bent presently put him on to another. The moment onr assanltig party we over top he stantd to fire on 1.m.g. wh he cd see. He blew /whole crew out of it Rend put him outs o other jun- showed it to him. The 75 got a new erew I started in at him again. Precently their mss - you can't say at - got out bil. It felt all round Iloophole for him down one sids – across1 bottom- up (side again - across 1top repary baps to pieces & finaly toppli them over off parcpet. For 2 minutes to To gunner mast have kept his thib pressed on (tryper. They muest have be feeling for him to ininated before they got him. He had never let ao affecttuo in ligttst degree. He had his whole chest & head exposed when they pt him - reaching over so they say to put someting eight to his gan sive billets entered his Low, blus all 1 teet on one side away &
140 almost cut his face in half - but didnt kill him. Te sharp anotir nember ol juns cres also we lit. The craw a awaged to get the jun safely down & so saved it. Arrot as carried round to 1Dr. As he lay there genl Walker went up to him. My lad, that was a fine piece of work hld. I intend to recovnend you for th D.C.M.. The younster - he is a Balmain boy, only 20, a trance of Ne 29t Betation, pulled himself togeter & saluted fainth - as best he cd. cumming us also a traince of 29K. The crewas under Corpl. Bint June 15t. Tuesday I saw General Birdwood last night. He was in his dug out reading the paper afar duine, with his spectacles on his forchead. He wanted to know if any of my articles had get appears. We st yarnay about Clifton & about Kings here. He told me that the any had orginally thought they could get Roo vitout assistance - or ellse with the were assistance of a landing parties. Kitchener accordingly sent him up to get an opinion. He came up in the Twifteurs Carden, who was admral te command tem, was evidently a man who had not reatly the independence to oppose the impetuocity of Cinston Churchill, & when Churchill woole to him in his impltuous optiniistic fashion head be the man to chaie in. Boidwood saw that the fleet had blown the forts at the entiance to plects but had not even begun on the Warrows - The howitzgers were firing on the ships - & they had no idea where they were, there were not only mines but, they sag. fwvo lines of toopeds tabes. The rocks in ther

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