Chapter 51 – Jayjay

Charles Bean describes in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol I, how men of the 1st and 3rd Brigades were relieved from the firing line by the British Marines, beginning 28 April and with most of the 1st Brigade extricated on 29 April (p. 532-536). Bean describes worn out men with uniforms tattered, bearded and wearing dirty field dressings. They came alone and in groups of two, three and platoon size, near the mouth of Shrapnel Gulley and the folds south of it. “The packs which they piled there were in many cases long since rifled or scattered, for the sentries guarding them had long since been rounded up on the first night and sent to the firing line. But men met friends and mates whom they had little thought to see again.”

The awe and respect Australians held for British regular army and navy, and disappointment in the reality when the marines arrived, is described on p.532-533. Bean notes that these “raw recruits” had only received a few weeks training and not many had lived outside a city.

Harvey Broadbent records accounts provided by veteran Anzac Private Charles Bingham who served at with the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, at Gallipoli in The Boys Who Came Home . Private Bingham states that personal belongings of those killed were sent to the commanding officer of those killed, so they could look after them and send them home.

1st Battalion role call casualty statistics as at 30 April are provided on p. 536:

39        Killed

214      Wounded

175      Missing

428      Total (of approx. 970 total officers and men at landing)

A photo of the 1st Battalion role call at Hell Spit, south of Anzac Cove, on the morning of 30 April 1915 is included in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol XII – Photographic Record of the War (Plate 63). The photo shows troops of “D” Company – of 6 officers and 213 men at the landing, only 1 officer and 88 men were present. (AWM photo A01007). The next photo shows the narrow beach at Anzac Cove crowded with men and two tents of the Australian Casualty Clearing Station in the early days, prior to 6 May 1915 (Plate 64) (AWM photo C02145)