Papers relating to the service of Noel Murray Brazier, 1914 - 1916 - Part 2

3
In a most peremptory & unsoldierly manner he said
"Go and take the regiment yourself:. With a soldiers salute
I replied in pleasant terms "Most certainly sir." I
then told Major Love that I had to drill the regiment
myself & he was to go away. The brigadier called him
and sent him away like a whipped boy.
I was sent for in the afternoon & [[?]]  &
asked if I could not train the regiment without Major
Love. I said I could as well as any man in the
brigade but the training would be better done with
two of us, One to [[?]] , The Brigadier tried to cower
me by legal questions while [[?]]  Lt. Col. Antill
with his eyes covered by the peak of his cap contorted
his mouth into all shapes. After a few more words
I was rudely told by Col. Hughes "I dont want to hear
any more". Major Love was then sent for & they
tried to put up collusion between us and after
some sparring Major Love dragged out from the
brigadier what he was fencing round viz could Col.
Brazier drill the regiment, and was told the truth.

On top of these aspersions and [[?]]  I wrote
& drew attention to the uncalled for remarks & also 
to Brigade orders which I said if I were expected to
carry out I was not fit to command a regiment as
no [[?]] troops could do the work in days let
alone 4 hours and asked to have the whole matter
referred to the G.O.C. Just before dinner Capt
 

4

Macfarlane rode by and said the Brigadier would like
me to go to dinner that evening. (He has received
my letter) I went and was pleasant but mentioned
nothing of business before dinner. Col. H. looked worried
& left me to go to the office & when eventually the
rest of the staff appeared they apologised for his
absence. I still smiled and joked. Heard nothing
for some days and, as the Brigade was shortly
leaving for the front, after a conference of C.O.s in
the Brig. room I told him that sort of
soldiering was no good to me. he told me if I
[[?]] write again the G.O.C. would let the matter drop.
I wrote without any apology & said "I would be better
employed fighting Germans than my fellow officers
and Head Quarters & would be glad if they would drop
the matter". Heard no more & [[?]] left with me
in charge of details. Subsequently Col. Ovens A.A.G.
told me that me when referring to their actions
that I had had the best of the argument over
the training question. And so I guessed.
5.) The Brigade had four motor cars & when
they left stored all the cars away and said
I was not to use any. For a week a spent
pounds trying to get the work done which was
 

5

heavy owing to reinforcements arriving & there being
absolutely no staff, staionery or anything to carry
on with. They left a bare room with no records
or anything. Soon created things, but as one motor
car was in the garage for repairs got it out &
used it. A few weeks later Col. Antill wrote a
letter saying the cars were not to be used and were
to be locked up and the keys sent to ANZAC.
I showed the letter to Col Ovens who said it was a
most extraordinary letter for any one to write &
sent me to the G.O.C. who on reading it promptly
wrote an note to get all four cars repaired, keep
two for myself & the others would be used by some
other brigades. Col. Hughes came to Cairo ill &
rang up from Shepheards 29th 30 June and asked for a
car which I sent. On arrival at camp he said nothing
about cars [[? ?]]  he to H.Q. A & N.Z. Trg. Dpt. where
they told him I had done very well indeed. Asked me
to dinner that night & afterwards said he wanted one
car to call for him at 08.30 and the other to be at
No. 1 Gen. Hosp. at 09.00 to get some comforts for the
troops as if he only had one car it would take
several trips. I sent them all. He was obliged

to call again at the camp and his manner led
me to believe he was up to some game or other.
 

6
I promptly sent an officer & a sergeant to find
out where the cars were sent if they were not returned.
The drivers were dismissed at Australian Base office
and four [[?]]  drivers took them away to the Cairo
Motor Coy. at 12.05 I received a telephone message as
to their whereabouts. At 15.30 I took an note in to
Cairo for General [[?]] to sign & he signed it
and I recovered the cars which were on my charge
and shown on my states. Subsequently  letter was
sent to O.C. Details that grave irreularities had
recently occurred during the recent visit of an
Offcier commanding a L.H. brigade. OCs would please
note that they would take no instructions from any
other source than the G.O.C. A & N.Z. [[?]]  depot.
6. At RUSSEL'S TOP ANZAC on Aug 12^th Lieut
Kent Hughes asking staff officer Capt. after going round
the trenches was prompted by Lt Col. Antill & asked to
write a report which he did referring to several matters.
I was immediately asked to report on the matter by 17.00.
I investigated and reported by 16.35. In the meantime a
Brigade order came out reflecting on the [[?]]  of my
section in the terms of the letter of the morning & before
my answer was received. I was exceedingly annoyed.

A conference of C.O.s at Brgde H.Q. was asked for at
19.30. I went & possibly by my questions the G.O.C.
 

7

(now ( Brig. Gen Hughes) after the meeting called me back
& asked what was the matter & I said " I am full
right up to the neck of this kind of soldiering". on
enquiry I told him of my grievance and that whatever
happened the B.M. had no right to do such a thing
& I could not allow a junior lieutenant to go round my
lines & criticize and in any case the pointed remark,
right or wrong, was uncalled for. he said if the
remark was wrong it was unjust & subsequently I

said "It was damned impertinence for a junior
lieutenant to reflect on his seniors after going through

the lines and knowing nothing about them" Gen. Hughes
said "you had better go back and ^said "if you are wrong
I make you pay for it." I retired peacefully
& wrote explaining the whole matter & asked
to have it referred to the G.O.C. ANZAC was sent for
next morning and calmly listened to the [[?]] .
Went through my letter and said he could look after
his own brigade and did not intend to go to the
G.O.C. with it. So the matter remains but not
forgotten. Had I been wrong? What then?
After all the others there has been one
continual tin pot worrying & Major Love
may have absolutely woken up. They
would break me up. just yet.
 

8
7) On the morning of Aug 18^th [[?]]  Lieut Col Antill on
going through my lines told two of my men they
need not wear all their equipment & only 50 rounds
of ammunition notwithstanding he had only a day or
before made a terrible song about the same
thing.
8) In brigade notes of 19^th Aug had the
audacity to [[?]]  my batman with other H.Q.
batmen to go into the fire trenches & take his
shift with other men. I have heard a few
thing but this takes the bun. My daily
knowledge increases my opinion of his capacity.
men are being jammed into the trenches
until they are almost knocked up & by judicious
handling we could hang on for weeks.
9) Capt Fry reported that owing to a clerical error
trooper Cameron JP. has not been reported missing. His
memo sent on referring to matter [[?]]  board proceedings
to complete matter. B.G. 29 of 20.8.15 says "your excuse
for omitting the late Tpr Cameron JP. is most unsatisfactory.
I did expect more care would be taken in view of the specific
instructions issued BM 266 dated 10^th. Subsequently the B.O.
called a board to again consider the matter also as to
matters referring to whether instructions had been carried out.
B.G. 30 of 21.8.15 says "The proceedings &
findings of court of enquiry re Tpr Cameron JP. reported

missing are worthless. There is no evidence of him being
 

9
in assaulting party. I have therefore issued instructions
for a brigade board of enquiry to assemble and [[?]] "
As the matter was stated to be a clerical error

and the first board proceedings were accepted it
is marvellous that the same proceedings should be
considered worthless.
10.) On the night of 20th Lieut McKenzie was instructed by
the B.M. to go and report on my lines. He was found
in the lines by Major Scott; had not gone to any other
regiment, nor did he visit any other. This continual
interference by junior officers in my regiment is
prejudicial to food [[?]] & discipline.
Noel. M. Brazier
10.12.29
This is war!!! And
words fail after 14
years to express
ones thoughts
 

See Pope 3
[[?]] 3
[[?]] 3
[[?]] 
11
12
16
39
25
Noel m Brazier Lt Col
C.O. 10 L.H. 3^rd L.H.B
Sept 2^nd 1914
 

1
War
Tuesday Sept 22^nd 1914
Went to perth & reported for duty
Wednesday Sept. 23^rd
Horse Board (myself President) met to
discuss purchase of horses. Interviewed
offciers selection Board & submitted
nmes of Major Love, Lieut C.L. Nicholas
Saunders, Fry & Piesse, with [[?]]
as emergency. Will go myself as major
if necessary.
Thursday 24^th Sept.
Routine work. telephoned to 

Northam. [[???]]
& [[?]]. Major Love does
not seem keen on going as second
in command if he has to reduce
rank to Captain. Will reply in
two or three days.
Friday 25^th Sept.
Selected some men & bought horses
(Gillam and [[?]]  on Horse Board)
Tested about 20 men riding. Very
good lot. Finished 11 pm in office
Saturday Sept 26^th
Routine in morning. Parade of first
W.A. contingent. afternoon.
 

3
Am afraid he is gone a million. He
is absolutely "it" surrounded by a
wasting frame.
Saturday Oct 9th