Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/8/1 - May - June 1915 - Part 4

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

Page 1 / 10

we haad conponicati fore the supports. But the pa is now lett. [Tacobs. 6 on the lep of his & Dimpson (son Tust of sasys sumparn of sydney) a very fine officil] is or the right. From his right toeach you can e the plopses under quinna Post - the most awkwardt corner we have. If is in monacks (Bod) siction.) The Turkise communication toeches from te jully below lead up to it. Amrans is the right truct in the gap at the apex of our lives - Was hold the sides of the gatly tere o the tarks the het of3an We werely hold the saws + squeepe thim out. N we place is the most difficule Squars tW inou whole line. They have a picked Turkish marks man caplad ont trench at 300 yds - & the Turkish brendes are only 30yd away an post. The Tarkis commanyaation trench must come ups I think, from the gully here abt where I have marked the tong 373a Anyway from Simpons trench it looks like this Platean Dun t 62 Dros yfour manin badlets along tark trund Turkish truches er oes apre cate i eer Mr frent Tarone Crosi 5£ s Gally wc Disaced apet Turkish cals ire Frend into hat nd S vyit ct warndour fold of the bill Turks were enapay perstome were behind it both into round cooper Balliship Ridge) gully, Min had fined bajonets & an ofices is by in to get them to an or Shicth
along the top of 28 a the bill this side of the kill with the Commn Grenches ran a brinch. Te turks were lyny on this nearer hill or hogback more spickly Ran I have ever seen men we - t sight the trunch an which we had seen the coounded was a tittle nearer to us. At the hoas when we were there (a little before or) there had pst been another turkinh aack on quins alhoyh we did not know it. men were hopping back atony The communication trench – our iaxint jeting on to ten- I creeping down the trenshed hill. They were also taking round the corner of the Hoxbeck hill, (evidenty from some shalled the otier side (tryig to reach M cover of tne rlly this side. Wemust have seen 120 or 30 of them coming gound that corner some were fully armed & an officer seemed to be trying to wys tin on Blanny sdhe co see his sword. I saw him too) Others were emply bolting gound like sabbits, Without Coeapons or hit or even tumes - in some sort of undergament & Crowsers. Our men were very slow outs them for a bit. But by the time we left each man had to run a dreadly gauatler. I saw perhaps two hit. Our men were now being regutarty organised into smysers & observers. Loopholes when not we wee hrend to be blocked with a sandlog, & they all ought to be bluded. When they are not it is Eaay to spot them & lag a rifle in rest on to them & then shoot thas them at night. Te 1 Bde ran pt-44 -3rd-prd. Iasked supoon of te t what the cause of th Charge on Muday 28th was. The sd it is shrowded in megety. Ias att 6 in the afternoon – They had had a night attack the ight before. The General came roun nex& day & while there he trought that two plations had better go forward to sti aghter out tolind. He have then foward wit d uder- sweep of th hand. The word went along - no one knows how - that there was to be a general advance We werend up to ferman clodges then & Lempson
29 I thinks that advantage was taken of this moment by someone 8 to lead as on. He whole line advanced . they charged thos I the Turks with the bayoaet, over a near fedge and out a &o farther one. Here they came ront under firs of soms Turkish 3 I macking guas; a battery Cas att 1000 yrs) & cifle fire. They held 2on for I minutes & then the order w from to retire. They cd I + not have held too posite Col. Anstow Thompson, wa killed, & t Mac Woughten wounded during this charge 7the Pimple on 400 Iresulle from this charge 5 the smiy had had dt2 gun on the rictes yesterday wveniny, & this morning, & they got the range of one of our trenches in the Ct. Bntined to a nicety. p tow shills were lended with a few yards of one ant & the wench became a heap of tumbled park It was quate awkwas scranblin enslead of over then at te point. This was this only place, howeon, af a had spstelin 15 where I saw the wench broken down 35 Even there it was rapidty being sand vaped up. The dry hand smobe oaked appearance of the Eart jast apound the hole of the explosion showed what a perce (exploation it must be. to one duy out tere four officers bere slanding one man sitting whln an unt laded shell came in hte roof. A passed between te te plece we all Hopen) & went trough the man who as sitting down, passed atong the sirt Ipt into the nex day out & lay there on the floor of it unexploded. I believe the chap there was silling up & so didat geter on his chect. Tast S. of this the 3rd Bn holls the truckes. They are sappeny out across a slope & the 2ad Bn is sepping to meet. hem owe hold the trenches at the back13 This is the sap where we saw the Sead marching tapls & the wounded on te parspet. One Furt here got hold of the
Funs 642 Mray. B. Brown's Battery we in firing line at this time. They were emothered wstell durn afternoon (Iael Brown batting &he told me s0) & during cog. even move So. A night he ws standing w Col Brown of 35 Bn. when he saw 2 trks felmp into sap F to officer on parapet. All 3 were killed But Bhown had the breech blocks removed from his juns & taken to neas for a bit until theys cooled. Both his balteny, (bery in 1 simple) & Phillips (being (one wh command quinns) have had tur day outs bit agn o agr token beame, smashed mn shield's being a common incident. The Bt Jun wh canded is now composed of bits of I differend guus. It is extraord. how the guns of thillips batting have been plastered hit ap ap sstill remain in action Sergh Wolsely 3rd. Bn told mo that you edeu a tell tark. Prob. N.C.O. with a stick driving a party of men out of one trench. An officer made our men wait till they have got out Of truck & then a maxin mowed them down. The officer got thes tatman himselfs with rifle. The Turks ad rust up in dozens or s0 & ten lie down & let their people short over their heats; then rush on afaie - te Mearist here got within about 10 yards. After a bit they diont come on to I same dash - just stumbled ahead to be shor down, (su also Noleboots of Ap25- 28 under 3rd sen 30 bayonet of oue of our men I held it The NCL. who's beyoued he held langed at him & stuck his boyon into a sindbag. They shot the turk & he lay with his body across a bophole. It had to be sushed away to allow our men to fire. Ther and one fo two saps purten down to comman callies & get cross for. Tay are all well Sandhaffer, & so are most of our trenches now, but not concealed neek are hoss of the tasks we couldnt Hold he pocits we do, son onle sopes, if they had much artillig. Tey baste away af our Tawbags & destroy parspets but they cant get much damage done durn th day with the gunts Key for Our Cropholes all not well-blanded yet. stone of the Turks are - its hand to say if they are holes on the sack or toopholes. to one point we have made too ctle tunnel gallery with a Tin the end & two furked galleries from the role of the T.. There is a liny aperture ont the saterface of the hill, under the serub, & two man can snipe from here so as to make a crench opposite them aloost inlenable. The tarks are working for dear life puttyy traversed in that trnch After the End Bn came the 10th & then the 11th The A had a sax running down a par from which they ed get a fire right down the valley leading to Kaba The Tarks - abt one batalion. tepe W12 came along ratier late Cabl. 4.30) debouched from under a v near, side crossed the jully, & tried to come up ther redp where our trenches are. The men in the sap got onto them & kille a great number. the New Eealand & Suatsl Division was
& I Opp. Frd Bde (12 Br. message red by from 3 Bde at Abt 7.5 pm. te Tarks are apperatl massur behind their liaes. They are to cover their advance with white flay A very hot bonbardment folld. I Col Smith sent to Col Maclagun. Wd not advise staying in sap whilst bombardment is on. patrop of Turbs Opp the 9th the & has no rifles but only these while flags & froat true is sd to have advanced holding up its hands. 12th Bn cdclearly see the turks massing on Killa Ridge, before bombardment started with while flays. Atack begin as soon as bonbard ment ended - 1c they advanced from Kilia ridg direct Ws & across vally to S.& ten.N But the real attack did not begin till daglight. In the wheat field it ws push right up to I truch Durny fighting the sapports (who were band aprifles) were some of thim almost criping for a place. They were offering 5/- for a place (of course not serrously) tey d have gvan $5 wit plesure) B I deved with shaw of the N.S. Staff & also att acke last night. Nob. Braikwaite gave me the peto for his section: am HI 4.30 p stelling; 8 cightin sheks feltin monashfully. In afternoon Enery began shalling head of Monech Gully. An 8inch shell broke in parapet of Courtney's Post & wrecke too dressing satn 45 shells landed -15 casualtes, & killed At10 p.m. we were warned to uns & troops were being moved from N.S. of Krethia, & t staf had be seen making reconnacisance. All warned to be on 1Abert. to Stand (w arme at 3 am. 3ang 12 p.m. machine pun & rifle fire apst Courtneys post hotlest yet experinend. A Day light a heavy attack sye 1 Aualot On 430. 200 turks reported on, road abt Knchuk Anafarts. B. Navy sd they put shells amongst tem 5.30 Taube aeroplane passed over Bivonae Ao we have no acroplane she was able to work with impanity. Their big gans iamed. after selled te shippeng. 6.30 500 terks in port of vo resection. 8& 10 am attacks at quinns. At w am. strong ablack agat quinas laft. All gwas brought fire to bear includy howitzers. Col. Pam) Chaytor ws vounded (4A.9. N38ap) on Physes Ratean 10.45 Quinns Post very hard pressed. At 9.300 an extea pair of machang guns was sentap to Col. Chanvel. Another pair at I1 am. All glins & maxiins were(turned on ground to left of Guinns Post. 11. am. Rifle fire continues.
sd to have shouled as some of tarkes One of the min play you again next Sunda Gootlyc Sawda renet of May be anyarn. It ws his day. May eq. tt one of now fallang actions haspened a I havy get heard of The 21st 2nd. Mtn vattery as in action & all except two of its native Compliment ere under coverhen one of enemy gung starte reaching for kem & expladed a shell near en. One of these indians wo in I communicate trench to Covervate port. 1other ws near sun. They were passig observers orders downverbally - the manhalf way down I truc cieting as intermediate station. Bresenth a man passed up French near him & noticed to he had hes hand over his eyes. a Whats the matter (Karm Dingh? he askeed. Oh dong you worry- I am quite able to pass messages Ws answer. The man event & told a native officer. They thought nothing of it as I time but a considerable time later came back - & founds now tt Iwork wo done, it a shrapael pellet had gone thio both Karm Singhs eyes. They sent him to 1hospital. There he asked Sahib, shall I have my sight 3 The doctor knew he wd not, but he gd, Perhaps, after a tie, to one eye? It is nothing Sahit, wsanswer, have I not laten your sale & taken your bread? They were't expecting any frum to open at this time. They were waiting for K. Tepe, & tis A new 2 sun batting? That shol hit wotk the lnd iano= 32 1115. mreat number of Turks w bayonets fined retreet from truches opp. Quinns Post 12. noon. Swarms of Tarks in the Jull. Coipont of Guinis P & to right of it)? He here was a chance tat this attack wd be re I spanl te hylin t athes the N.3. people were to make an attack at I this on Baly 700. The Warships gave to place a bouberdment & rifefers, is opene but te attack was countermanded. to tere was a clance Red his attack tod be renened after tryny hard to catch up with this deary I wont ug to the Ct Bn. trenches. A paywas being sent up - a bigyellow flay which when waved to t pa by to tarks apparently means our. artillery as shelling our own men. Thts can be done when they, shall is were The uaual males comg down all down (the patt. I got into te 4th Bn trenchis past a ratty inspecious senty to Liew Osborne be (as he was having 2 hours duty - 10612- kendly lity we have his bunk in the trench [side? There dugonts in the trunces are just tike tunks about 12 wche of the ground, of a ship Spposite was a wah bastion observation post. This particular trench being a sap & not meeting me opposite sax. has to expect the Enem or (both sides. There were two sentries on a low shelf looking out just to m
K From Sigials. I am several bouls explodys. Gin attack began Heavy rift fire Bt Bn. on less received first attack in force; very little movning in pout of 4Bn. Nothing in pont of SBn. 4.27 am. B Bn early repulsed attack & were holding their own 4.30. 4th Bn reported enemy returng but large bod you T. Tolle 4.50 & Bn reportet Enemy’s trunckes being remforced. am. 2nd Bn reported. Eveny had made several determin attacks on them wh had be repulsed, to great loss to there & very little to ourselses. 5:10 1 Bde report situate in fout of trum satisfactory but trenches been heavily shilled. En werbad stlled asked for reings a 2 loys sentup from 2nd Bde wh. in reserve 5.25. Eneg advancing in Jully belw 14 4 Bn. (. Scotto Poat) Assistany from artilley as hit. 5.45 On holding own; 4 8n said 600 [urks noving across their port exposing themselve badly. 5.50. 4 Bn reports tacks made ns real attack but exposed humselves to our fire wh conpred him. quit 100 kelew in part of 4 Br H.A. Other Bno casely holding own. No 21) Sectu 4.45 en making series I altacks aget H&10 Ba. bat stuato well in hant. Ening gob up to were entanglimet. of 94 5.20 10 1 reporte port being regutly deare en. was apparently heavy. Ra says. Amma began to get lowe (down to $7,000 rds) in 3od Bde & difficult to get it up to them. He suggested getteng it poo 2Bde. To take it round Hell spit wd abmost impossible owin to artillery fire there. some vein shells landed near bead. and on hill to Every got a gun some way round on our left- & cevend to brang up every available gun. One by shell got into our ASt depot and knocked out 400 ls of beef. 33 & two in the observation post opposite looking out on the other side - all through Coopholes. The Eneme kephap a constant pine – this continued all night. The man in every 3 is a seatn - & two seatries stand together. The men secuned perforlty Contented & were inclined to tell one of what happened duray the morning. They had theis great coald on &I The only one, who seemed to bo in the bast nervy was a tergrant or Dergt-major - A Rotchman. He Hought he had seen a tark fire tho0! the Cophole of the observati post. As two mew were in it this was quite impossible they had then eyes glued to the Coopholes. He said he had seen the past come thoo the Coophole – of course they clearly didnt believe it. Laled in the morning he went down to the bottom of the trench & threw a coupte Hbombs over into the scrub of the gally outside - one didnt explode, but two did. to owit Tese are all the usual signs of nervous Strain. Bat not one of the other men secived the least sham - except steepiness. They were in Splendid from - just what you would want troop to feel like before a by fight, ctempul, contented. willing - only hoping tho tarks wd come at it. I gained to an N.C.O.- a capable tittle chep who wa tooking after that part of the trench - until nearty 12 p.m. at the hours the different men were waked & relieved be centries and one can ete how when steep is so precious an unselfish chap ought to go straight to his job on the exact hour, & not pay the sentry whom he is relieving to wait half a second until he has a drink y sits he satas At 12. Osborne turned in & Capt. Supson took over. As he was to be up for the next 2 hour he
24 made ne take his bunk in the H.D. of his company. There was another officer sleeping there but I crawled in under the blankets & slept with that constant peck peck! of the manser & the swist of bullets abt Fllt overhead. I wokd at 3aim Smpson hadpromise to cake me at 2 when his watch ended but be tained in to anoher dugout. The men were just abt to stnd, to arms so I to cul down into the trench again. This time where the two Seatries had stood theis were three men & presently a fourk joined them with fixed bayonets. They stood up on the shelf - their heads opposite the wopholes And below the parepet - They cd see over to front & rear by standin straught up on tip toe. We startd yarning at first - how good chaps had been shot by keeping their heads over the parapet when it was to light for it - some were shot also by lucky infilading shots - you are always table to them. Of course a lot of the best of the men (& oficers) go first by being too daring. Presently Simpson came clong & made the men all stand up & fae the side from which they expected the enevy, the right. As the ledge was narrow & a squeege for fou one of the chaps offered ine his dayout opposite I chiberd in there & watched them - I cd see ander the doubled up water proof sheet their legs + overcoats & by lifting it, their round for ap caps. They stood there occasionally two of them yarmy, t all with their backs to me like Schoolboys standiy agot a wall, shifting their legs occasionally, two of them yaraig in a low voice about Sydney, about their mates, about the war - absutely contented. I neow heard a suspicion of a ginable from tem. They seemed such simple pank chaps- light heartes- with all the fasinating freshness of rastably
35 playing their game there jast like children. Il the trme the enemy was firng away over Our heads. The oenly Thoto on our sides were from Fentiies – occasional bangs likeaby heart thump, with a flade at the same time- you co see ke haze of the plast over pascpet line. They were allowd to blage an occasional one at Streibs near them ar at a Cophole from wh smipty came so as to make the Tarks keep their heads down. Sell In 1midd of this her was a seriffle of Eark & clokes & one of men before me came tumble backwds. He fell right onto his back on 1 botomof trench. I thought he had be hit - the others only looked over their shoulders at him - but be picked? himself up - Thats whathappens when one pes to sleep be mumbled quite contentedly as be serambled back outs stelf. sight Precentlybegan to pow in sky. Word had come along Cn the Third Bn) keep a Good-look out on you the right. Penemy had be seen massing in fron OP Frerd Bn. However, 2o tin happened. The light gree grey. I looked over parapet - just then stout sergt, who I think is jumpy, threw a boart - you coeee a fitful sputte of a redspeck (the fuse no donbt) Just beyond pasapet - then bang & a thie smoke presently flocting by. I don't know why he threw it - suppose he thought there were Turks there. But this sort of waste mast make I Enemy ioagine we are gone in C nerves. There is v. little of it in our lines. The light grew + I watched (enemy's trench occasionally. You could see the flash of
1 5 2 Bantg. ourtne this 9 teBTBN an p tebs them hve Parks byen atteld then in about Abr 3.30 20 it ihr 4 man were hil (French held 10 men 224. fit as 4 & sentient ous) ach tockaws at L C Boyle who hed bn hal chan tettanen this gton tinte ks Tock a bear. tis prased up on fire slep as. s protecty by n 10 hads aire support. chance at 3.35 am. there was a cry of tack nel "Officer wanted on the left & cull 12 Major Rankine D.S.D in Change ppun of the Pat sent me into the Trenches i worked my way up Communication ruch, and abt fined at the Enryabis off Saba Tepe but meased t

we had communication with the supports. But the Jap is
now left. [Tacobs. is on the left of this & Simpson (son
of Mrs [[???]] Simpson of Sydney) a very fine officer is on the
right. From this right trench you can see the
slopes under Quinns Post - the most awkward corner
we have. It is Monash's (3rd) section. The Turkish
communication trenches from the gully below lead up to
it. Quinns is the right trench in the gap at the apex of our
lines - [[?]] hold the sides of the gully there, the Turks the
head of it.
[Hand drawn sketch, please see original

we merely hold the jaws &
squeeze them out.

The place is the most difficult
in our whole line. They have
a picked Turkish marksman enfilading
our trench at 300 yards - & the Turkish trenches are only 30 yds
away in front. The Turkish communication trench must come
up,  I think, from the gully here abt where I have marked the
long zigzag. Anyway from Simpsons trench it looks like
this.
[Hand drawn sketch, please see original]
 

 

28

Along the top of an ^ the hill this side of the hill with the communication trenches ran a trench. The Turks were lying on this nearer hill or hogback more
thickly than I have ever seen men lie - the fight The trench
in which we had seen the wounded was a little nearer to
us. At the hour when we were there (a little before 12) there
had just been another Turkish attack on Quinn's post, xx 
although we did not know it. Men were hopping back along
the communication trench - our maximum getting into them - 
& creeping down the trenches hill. They were also bolting
round the corner of the Hogback hill, evidently from some
shelter the other side trying to reach the cover of the gully
this side. We must have seen 20 or 30 of them coming round that
corner. Some were fully armed & an officer seemed to be trying to 
urge them on (Blamey sd he cd see his sword - I saw him too)
Others were simply bolting round like rabbits, without weapons or
kit or even tunics - in some sort of undergarment & trousers.
Our men were very slow onto them for a bit.  But by the
time we left each man had to run a ready gauntlet. I saw
perhaps two hit.
Our men were now being regularly organised into
snipers & observers.  Loopholes when not in use had to be
blocked with a sandbag; & they all ought to be blinded.
When they are not it is easy to spot them & [[?]] a
rifle in [[?]] on to them & then shoot thro' them at
night.
The 1st Bde & an   1st  4th  3rd  2nd.
[I asked Simpson of the 4th what the cause of the
change on Monday 25th was.  He sd it is shrouded
in mystery.  It ws aft 4 in the afternoon - They had
had a night attack the night before.  The General
came round next day & whilst there he thought that
two platoons had better go forward to straighten out
the line, he waved them forward with an undersweep
of the hand.  The word went along - no one
knows how - that there was to be a general advance.
we weren't up to german [[?]] them & Simpson
 

 

29
 

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