Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett and Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean
![Picture](/uploads/1/8/2/5/18257097/832653486.jpg)
Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett was a British journalist who many think is responsible for today’s view of the ANZACs action as well as the official war correspondent and historian Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean. But how does their writing effect the truth behind the ANZAC legend.
Ellis Ashmead writtings first appeared in Melbourne's Argus on May 8, 1915 and was a very exaggerated view on the ANZACs fighting in Gallipoli.
"The Australians rose to the occasion. Not waiting for orders, or for the boats to reach the beach, they sprang into the sea, and forming a sort of rough line, they rushed at the enemy trenches. It was over in a minute. The Turks in the first trench were either bayoneted or they ran away."
This is an exert from Ashmead's writings which shows how he changed much of what actually happened at Gallipoli. he goes on to describe the ANZACs as a race of amazing athletes who where the best of the best, brave and courageous as well as being the fittest and strongest. This is one example of the story changing the story to fit what people wanted to hear.
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean was the official war historian and correspondent for Australia and did the same thing as Ashmead. As he held a higher up position then Ashmead held back more, but still exaggerated what was happening with the ANZACs. He notes in his diary that there is the "rule of censorship forbids criticism" meaning that cannot write that the ANZACs operation in Gallipoli was a failure, instead saying that they were amazing and were well above the other soldiers. This rule of no criticism is shown with Brigadier-General Ccil Aspinall-Oglander's work. He was the British Official war historian and when preparing his account of Gallipoli was asked to edit out the fact that there were straggling Australian, not amazing, powerful and strong Australians like many expected.
Ellis Ashmead writtings first appeared in Melbourne's Argus on May 8, 1915 and was a very exaggerated view on the ANZACs fighting in Gallipoli.
"The Australians rose to the occasion. Not waiting for orders, or for the boats to reach the beach, they sprang into the sea, and forming a sort of rough line, they rushed at the enemy trenches. It was over in a minute. The Turks in the first trench were either bayoneted or they ran away."
This is an exert from Ashmead's writings which shows how he changed much of what actually happened at Gallipoli. he goes on to describe the ANZACs as a race of amazing athletes who where the best of the best, brave and courageous as well as being the fittest and strongest. This is one example of the story changing the story to fit what people wanted to hear.
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean was the official war historian and correspondent for Australia and did the same thing as Ashmead. As he held a higher up position then Ashmead held back more, but still exaggerated what was happening with the ANZACs. He notes in his diary that there is the "rule of censorship forbids criticism" meaning that cannot write that the ANZACs operation in Gallipoli was a failure, instead saying that they were amazing and were well above the other soldiers. This rule of no criticism is shown with Brigadier-General Ccil Aspinall-Oglander's work. He was the British Official war historian and when preparing his account of Gallipoli was asked to edit out the fact that there were straggling Australian, not amazing, powerful and strong Australians like many expected.