Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 1, 14 August - 3 November 1914 - Part 6

M-63
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE 
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE 

[* 60/95* ] 
VICTORIA BARRACKS,
MELBOURNE, 22nd. September 1914 

Captain C. Hill
5 St. James Buildings,,
William Street, Melbourne 

Dear Captain Hill,
On again reading your letter of the
21st. inst.Ifind I overlooked the portion which intimated
that you were a candidate for a position on my personal 
staff.
I want to say quite candidly that I
have applied to have my personal staff filled entirely
by Permanent officers, but if this is refused I shall cer-
tainly consider you as a candidate for one of the appoint
ments.
There are only two appointments to be
made and there are many officers offering. 

Yours faithfully

[* 68a *]
Copy of telephone message received from Colonel Monash
and communicated to Major E.H. Reynolds, 2.0 p.m. 22:9:1914. 

"In view of directions received from C.G.S. that all
nominations are being made by a selection committee in
each District, I am doing nothing further in the matter.
The Commandt, 2nd Military District, from this telegram,
does not appear to understand the functions of the
selection board. This looks like a serious hitch." 

Telegram mentioned above, received on 22:9:1914, referring to
and asking for names of officers to be appointed to 13th
Battalion, to be raised in N.S.W. 
[*JM*] 
[*CGC*]

Engineer-in-Charge of Lines’ Office,
Construction Branch,
Postmaster-General’s Department,
516 Kent Street,
SYDNEY, 22nd September, '14 

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL. 

My dear Colonel Monash,
From the telegram which I have just despatched you, you will have
learnt that I received your kind letter of yesterday's date, and I
desire to thank you for same.
On resuming duty with my Brigade on Sunday afternoon, I learnt from
Colonel Campbell that a Board, comprising himself, Colonel Kirkland
(representing Infantry) and Lieut.-Colonel Arnott (representing Light
Horse) had been appointed, but Colonel Campbell did not tell me whether
he was the President, or whether the District Commandant was the
President; however, he was certainly of the opinion that the Board would
have nothing whatever to do with the appointment of officers of the
Brigade staff, or with officers appointed to the command of Battalions -
as he put it himself, he considered that such selection was a matter
for the Brigadier. I also understood him to say that as far as he 
could see, the Battalion Commander, selected by the Brigadier will would submit
the names of the officers selected for Regimental Staffs and Companies
for review by the Board. The District Commandant was not present at
the first meeting of the Board, and Colonel Campbell was quite emphatic
in his opinion that the Board would have nothing to do with the proposed
appointment of myself to the position of Brigade Major, or, as I have
stated previously herein, the matter of the appointment of Regimental
Commanders.
I can quite understand your feeling in the matter, and shall be 
glad to learn later on if that the Minister has reconsidered the matter and
given you the opportunity of, to a very great extent, selecting your own
officers. Personally, I shall be very sorry if anything should interfere
with what I knew to be your intentions in the matter, as I had quite
made up my mind, and was looking forward to serving under you. I take
it, however, that you will be kind enough to see that my name is

-2-
submitted for the position of Brigade Major, as up to the present
I have not made any formal application, and 1 feel quite certain
that if your Commandant, Colonel Wallace, has anything to do with
the matter, he will assit you in seeing that my interests are
conserved. I also think Colonel Legge is quite favorable to my 
going. If, however, you require a formal application, I shall send
one on immediately on receipt of telegraphlc intimation from you.
I would like, however, to have your advice upon the following
aspect of the question, viz:
Up to the present I have not submitted my name to the District
Commandant for consideration for appointment to the position of O.C.,
N.S.W. Battalion; do you think that I should immediately do so? I
do not want to do anything that would prevent my going with you as
Brigade Major, as I know exactly the position you are in, and I feel
that should you fail to obtain the services of a satisfactory
permanent staff officer, I could fill the bill - at any rate I would
do my very best.
If you consider it necessary, I should be glad if you would
telegraph me specially your advice in connection with the points
mentioned.
Privately, I am of the opinion that the creation of these Boards
has been brought about owing to the very unsatisfactory manner in
which the appointment of officers has been carried out in this State,
I think I hinted this to you when over in Melbourne. The utmost
dissatisfaction exists throughout the whole Service, but it does seem
a pity that Brigadiers who are prepared to play the game should be
penalised on account of the questionable judgment displayed by others
- I use the term "judgment" in place of something stronger.
In conclusion, I would explain that I was unable to see you
before leaving on Saturday as I went out to the Camp in the morning
and got covered with mud and wet through, necessitating my travelling
home in uniform. Altogether I was very much rushed to the last
moment.
Thanking you for your kind consideration, and with kindest
regards,
Yours sincerely,
  
[* Colonel Monash [??]
 Commanding 4th Infty Bde
Australian Imperial Force Melbourne*]

Please see amendment of instructions, dated 23:9:1914,
initialled by Minister.
After receipt of recommendations from Commandants, you and 
your O's. C. can make any suggestions you wish. 

(SGD.) J.G. LEGGE, Col.
C.G.S.
O.. 4th Infty. Bde.
A.I.F.
23:9:1914. 

A.G.,
Noted. Matter now clear and satisfactory to me. Can
action in 2nd Military District be expedited? C.O. 13th
Battalion should first be recommended. - Then, after
approval, he will be available to advise me as to his
subordinate officers. 
  
24:9:1914. 
Colonel.
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde.
Australian Imperial Force.

[* (Copy 1 *]
A.I.F. 100/1/38.
[* Reply to my M.55 *]
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

W.L. 3445. 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE,
MELBOURNE, 22nd September, 1914.

MEMORANDUM FOR
Colonel Monash,
Commanding Fourth Infantry Brigade,
Australian Imperial Force. 

With reference to your memorandum M.55 of
21st instant, relative to selection of officers for the
4th Infantry Brigade, A.I.F., I am directed to inform
you that :-
(1) The power of recommendation is not taken 
away from you.
(2) The Committee is not given the right
of selection.
(3) 0.Cs. are required to nominate. Committees
report on nominations after scrutinizing
list of applicants and Commandants recommend.
(SGD.) S.A. PETHEBRIDGE.
Secretary. 

[* For reply see M.67 *]

[* 55 *] 
M.67.
Secretary of Defence,
1. -The delay and confusion in this matter has arisen
through the desired procedure not having been
communicated to me, and I am not yet clear as to its
nature, or how it is practicable to give effect to
same.
2. -The Board appointed in Victoria has proceeded in
a directly opposite manner, and has already actually
made selections and recommendations direct to the
A.G. through the Commandant. This is also the
procedure explained to me by C.G.S.
3. -As Commanders of Quotas, especially in distant
States, must be responsible to me for the
suitability of the other officers selected for the
quotas, it is most necessary that these Commanders
should first be selected and approved, before any-
thing further is done. - I have already nominated
the Commanders of the Quotas in 1st and 4th Districts
to the C.G.S. Should these be referred to the
Committees in these Districts, and if so, by whom?
To whom shall I now refer my nominations for the
Commanders of Quotas in the 2nd, 5th and 6th
Districts? 

Colonel.
Commanding Fourth Infantry Brigade.
Australian Imperial Force.
23:9:1914. 
  
[*Sec Def*]

Secretary,
Para. 2 of above should have added to it the words,
"but of recommendation".
Para. 3 should read " Brigadiers and O's. C. will be
consulted after recommendations of Committees and Commandant
is received, and is amended accordingly.
(ITD.) G.F.P.
23:9:1914.

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE.
VICTORIA BARRACKS,
MELBOURNE, 21st September, 1914. 
M.55. 

Secretary of Defence.
The following is submitted for favor of considera-
tion by the Honourable the Minister :-
Under orders of the Chief of the General Staff of 12th
instant, I proceeded to the selection, for recommendation
to the Minister, of officers for Head-Quarters Staff and
Command of Battalions of Fourth Infantry Brigade, A.I.F.
This work was already well advanced, when, today, I have
been directed by the Commandant, 3rd Military District, to
hand same over to a Board of officers appointed by the
Hon. the Minister.
I desire to enter my respectful protest against this
procedure, which involves that this Board, who are all
junior in rank to myself, are vested with powers of
selection, for which they will have no subsequent
responsibility whatever; whereas I, as Commander of this
Brigade, the officer most vitally concerned, and directly
responsible to Government for the honor and lives of the
men of the Brigade, am not even to be consulted. This, I
am told, applies even to my personal Staff. -
I also submit that as Commander already appointed
by Order-in-Council, I was entitled to be at once informed
of the change of procedure. I now find myself placed in a
most false and difficult position with regard to action
already taken and to which I am personally committed. 
2/

-2-
The situation thus created is very humiliating to
me, and I should not be worthy of the great responsibilities
laid upon me if I did not call attention to the matter.
I need not say, however, that I shall loyally
comply with the wishes of Government in all respects;
but I am now in the position that I do not know from whom
and through what channel my orders are to come, as to
the organization, equipment, concentration and training of
the Brigade, whether direct from the Minister, or through
some one Member of the Military Board, or through the
Commandant, 3rd Military District. It is most necessary
that my position and responsibilities should be exactly
defined at the earliest possible moment, in the essential
interests of the well-being and success in war of the troops
to the command of whom I have had the honor to be appointed.
Colonel.
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde.
Australian Imperial Force.