Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett notebook, June-August 1915
B 1185
[Pages 1-4 are covers and library information]
[Page 5]
Original Diary of Ashmead Bartlett kept during the Gallipoli Campaign
10 ½ 156
[indecipherable]
H 11, H 12a advanced up 86 H 12
87th Brigade
S.W.B [South Wales Borders]
K.O.S.B. [Kings Own Scottish Borderers]
Borderers
took J9, J10 J11, J11A & the Boomerang Trenches [Turkish redoubt] east of [indecipherable] Marine as far as J 11
[Numbers refer to trenches marked on British maps]
[Page 6]
June 29
8.30 left Nephalo [Imbros]
9 AM [indecipherable] at Bombardment commenced on left flank
9.20 [HMS] Talbot & Balloon ship left Nephalo escorted by 5 destroyers
11.20 arrived at 10th Battery Observation
Indians [indecipherable] KOSB. R Fusiliers
[Page 7]
[Page 8]
EAB
3 Mountain guns captured in J13
Saw General de Lisle de Lyle [de Lisle is correct]
[Page 9]
Aug 6
Arrived off Anafarta at dawn
4 AM Heavy firing at Anzac lasting an hour
5 AM Infantry began to disembark at both sides of Spit
6 AM One field Battery landed
6.30 . 7.10 AM Very little firing
6.45 Wind began to rise 32nd 34th Brigade ashore
[Page 10]
Troops apparently land almost without opposition
11& 13th Divisions engaged
10th Division at Anzac
52nd Lowland Division held as a general reserve
Aug 6th 42nd Div. took all the trenches assigned to them without much difficulty
Note Strange life
[Page 11]
on the Minneapolis. Everything goes on as usual. One Steward sweeps floor with patent sweeper
Submarine net thrown across Anafarta Bay immediately on landing
Talbot supports landing with broadsides & salvoes
7 AM to 8.45 Landing goes very quietly
[Page 12]
Turks seem to have been taken by surprise & have not yet disclosed their true positions
11.15 Taube came over dropping Bombs
11 to 1 PM Thousands of infantry cross the Spit
4 PM Violent rain storm and wind again gets up
[Page 13]
5 PM our infantry pass round to the back of the lake and commence to advance against the ridges in front of village on Anafarta under a very heavy shrapnel fire. Our Cruisers and small monitors bombard the Turkish Trenches vigorously.
Will the 11th Division be able to establish a good defensive
[Page 14]
line before nightfall when they are sure to be counter attacked
There has been a singular quiet at Anzac all day. It does not seem as if the Australians have attempted to advance. The Turkish Batteries do not seem to have
[Page 15]
been silenced
I am told it was originally intended to Advance up both sides of the Anafarta Lake. But so fa there has been no advance as far as I can see on the right
Note There has also apparently been no fresh movement against Achi Baba
[Page 16]
2 A Destroyer in the Bay has been hit by a shell and had her funnel damaged.
[Page 17]
Notes Aug 8
First landing at North end made by Manchesters [indecipherable]
11th Div [indecipherable] 3 Brigades Plus 31st from 10th
Manchesters Belong to 11th Div
Kiretch Tepe without opposition
Lala Baba
[Page 18]
Yilghin Burnu [captured?] 2 Battalions of 33rd Brigade
Chunuk Bair Height of 241
9 AM [indecipherable] attacked from Anzac on Lala Tepe [Lala Baba]. Hear they have had enormous losses there.
Visited Lala Tepe. We are holding Chocolate Hill which is partly
[Page 19]
on fire. We made no attack on Anafarta all day.
You can see groups of men scattered all over the slopes of Anzac & [indecipherable] Tepe. There seems to be no order or method in their formations The water question is very difficult as the Turks
[Page 20]
have thrown dead bodies down the wells.
9 P.M Heavy firing broke out all along the line especially from Anzac. This lasted throughout the entire night. I hear the Turks are counter attacking. I hear Divisions from Britain are
[Page 21]
supposed to arrive to-night
The Talbot, Theseus Havelock & No 31 are now in the Harbour bombarding Anafarta ridge The Triad has also arrived.
Aug 10 The firing which was continuous throughout the night continues
[Page 22]
I hear that the centre of the 11th Division was attacked & partly driven in. Heard that an attack of the [indecipherable] on high ground to left of Anafarta had failed.
Went to Lala Baba. The attack of the seems [indecipherable] to be held up. We are just hold[ing]
[Page 23]
[hold]ing our position
The 53rd Welsh Territorial Division have begun to land at C Beach.
There is no movement at Anzac.
Talk with Staff Majr 11th Division. Things are going badly Our men are not advancing well & they have lost heavily in officers
[Page 24]
He says they broke through our centre last night The enemy seem to have got their guns in fresh positions.
9.30 AM He began to shell [indecipherable] the 53rd Division on C Beach
9.35 A General & his Staff arrived but seem scared & retired to a
[Page 25]
safer Trench
That Staff Major said of action of Aug 7.
Fighting on Lala Baba was very severe. We were held up for some time. We should have advanced straight across the Salt Lake instead of going round. Our advance was also held up for
[Page 26]
some time on left of Lake.
2 Companies of [Territorial?] infantry held Lala Baba
1 Battalion in [indecipherable] ground on left of Lake. 2 in Anafarta.
2 New Zealanders camped in the gully.
[Page 27]
[indecipherable]
Between [Hills] 112 & 70 [indecipherable]
10 & 11th Divisions 29th. 86 attack 112
87 attack 70
[indecipherable]
3.50 Inniskillens attacked Hill
[Border?] Regt attacked south side
[Page 28]
2nd Mounted Div advanced to left.
At 5.50 Mounted Div & S.W.B [South Wales Borderers] ordered to advance.
Mounted Div formed up [behind?] our troops
Dorsets
Warwicks
Bucks
London
Wilts
[Page 29]
25th
[indecipherable] from 112 Machine guns from knoll of 70
[indecipherable] we took one trench
[Page 30]
Turks on Peninsula number 100,000 Two Divisions at Bulair 16,000 at Anzac & opposite Helles 36,000
At Anzac. 13 Division 29 Indian Brigade 29th Brigade of 10th Division
At Helles 8th Corps
At A.C.B. Beaches 9th Corps
[Page 31]
A Subla [Suvla] Bay
C Over Spit
B is south of that
53rd Division is held in reserve? Does this mean 52nd
11th Div: consists of 32nd 33nd 34th Brigade
34th landed at Subla Bay
[Page 33]
On 6th whole [army?] advanced
42nd Div
[Page 34]
[indecipherable] Mail Service
A Service Nos 839 – 848
10 AM Suvla
Noon Nephalo
7 PM Mudros
B. Nos 839 – 848
10 AM Mudros
5 PM Nephalo
7 PM Suvla
[Page 35]
C. No. 92
8 AM Nephalo
10 AM Helles
11.30 AM Rabbit Is
1.30 PM Tenedos
5 PM Helles
7 PM Nephalo
D. No 294
6.30 AM Suvla
8.30 AM Nephalo
10.30 AM Helles
Noon Rabbit Is
3 PM Tenedos
7 PM Suvla
[Page 36]
E No 102
Tuesday 5 AM Mudros
Wednesday AM [indecipherable]
Thursday PM Tenedos
Mudros
[indecipherable]
102 will replace 839 – 848 [indecipherable]
F No 279
7 AM Nephalo
11 AM ? Suvla
2 PM Anzac
4 PM Helles
6 PM Nephalo
[Page 37]
G No 696
7 AM Nephalo
11 AM Helles
3 PM Anzac
4 PM Suvla
6 PM Nephalo
[Remainder of page indecipherable]
[Page 38]
[indecipherable]
[Page 39]
[Page indecipherable]
[Page 40]
No 3 (1) Indian dancer’s last farewell to a dead comrade
[Remainder of page indecipherable]
[Page 41]
[indecipherable]
Miss Hutchison 78 Elm Park Gds
[indecipherable]
[Page 42]
[Blank page]
[Page 43]
Australian Addresses
Victor Grayson
Villa Victoria
Bellvue Hill
Woollahara
Tel Waverly 1012
F C. Langdon
Editor Footlights
A.J Buchanan
Editor Daily Mail
Brisbane
[Page 44]
C. O. Sullivan
Reporter
Sunday Times
14 Petersham
Myers Editor
The Mirror
Edward Clegg
Hon Sec.
Australian Journalists Association
Press Club
Record Chambers
Castlereagh St
Sydney
[Page 45]
L. Davis
Civic Club
Sydney
NSW Institute of Journalists
T.W. Heney Pres
HK Williams Sec.
SMH Office
L. Morton Sydney
M: Justice Street
Supreme Court
[Page 46]
FL [Langdon?]
200 Castlereagh St
Sydney
Editor Footlights
May Vernon
12 Nicholson Street
8372 Central
[Page 47]
[Page indecipherable]
[Page 48]
[Page indecipherable]
[Page 49]
86th [Brigade] Dublin [Fusiliers]
Munsters
Lancashires
Royal Fusiliers
87th KOSB [Kings Own Scottish Borderers]
SWB [South Wales Borderers]
Inniskillens
Borderers
88th Hants [Hampshires]
Essex
Worcesters
Royal Scots
[Page 50]
Aug 21
87 goes for 112 [Hill 112]
87 goes for 70
86 goes for 112
88th Reserves
[Page 51]
16 The landing at A Beach Anafarta: Unloads Mules & stores.
17 The Battle of Anafarta
Bombarding of Burnt Hill & [indecipherable] Hill View of 8 ships in Anafarta Bay
Aug 10
18
[Page 52]
Cinematograph
13. Troops are back up at Imbros Aug 6. partly damaged
14 The same
15. The landing at Anafarta Bay Transports packed with Troops. Soldiers on Minneapolis watching the landing. Transports approaching the shore
Unloading Mules
[Page 53]
6
Picture taken Aug 10 at Chocolate Hill of Bombardment of Trenches of men marching along the Beach
No 7
(1) Advance of Reserve across the Salt Lake
(2) The same Ambulance with Salt Lake in Background
4 The same
5 & 6 Wounded
[Page 54]
118.47
5
(1) Anafarta beach taking off the wounded.
(2) The same
(3) The same
(4) Staff Officers watching attack at Anafarta
(5) The same
(6) Hill of Lala Baba
[Page 55]
No 3
(1) Soldiers watching the landing on the Minneapolis.
(2) The same
3 Troops didembarking
4 The A Beach at Anafarta
5 Placing wounded a board
6 Mules & hospital tent
No 4
1 Naval Division
2 A Beach
3 The same
4 EAB at work Typing
5) Dressing Station
6) on the [indecipherable]
[Page 56]
No 1 Camera
Pictures of the Troops embarking at Imbros for X Aug 6
No 2
1 Nevison & self starting for the unknown
2 The Landing at Anafarta
3 The same
4 Hospital ship
5 Transports
6 Officers on Minneapolis watching the fighting
[Page 57]
[Refer to page 5 for similar entry]
Borderers took [indecipherable] H 10. 45
SWB took J9 & 10 part of J 10a. H5
J11. J11a
KOSB on right took J11 [indecipherable]
Two battalions [indecipherable]
[Transcribed by Peter Mayo for the State Library of New South Wales]