Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 1, 14 August - 3 November 1914 - Part 8
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As soon as you arrive in Melbourne and get comfortably
quartered, please ring me up at my house “Malvern 42”, when I
can give you directions how to come out or possibly send my car
in for you if it is not otherwise engaged.
With kind regards,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE 63
VICTORIA BARRACKS,
M.95. MELBOURNE, 30th September, 1914.
Captain C. Hill,
5 St. James Buildings,
William Street,
MELBOURNE.
My Dear Hill,
I am sorry to say that I shall not be able
to offer you a place on the Brigade Staff. According
to the War Establishment, I am strictly entitled to
two Staff Captains but the authorities will only allow
me one, which office has already been filled, so I have
no opening left for you on Brigade-Head-Quarters.
As you are keen on a mounted job, the best
suggestion I can make is for you to see if you can get
on as Squadron Commander with the Light Horse ∧Regiment being
raised in Victoria under Major White, but which forms
no part of my command.
With kind regards,
M-97
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE
56
VICTORIA BARRACKS
MELBOURNE, 30th September, 1914.
Dear Bruche,
People who live in big stone building on St. Kilda
Road seem to spend their time in spragging other people's
wheels.
Recommendations from 1st Military District have all
gone through except as to Willis. I feel satisfied that
if your Commandant pushes hard enough and holds out that
no other suitable man is available as adjutant, they will
give way.
What about Second-in-command? No suitable man
appears to be yet in sight.
Are you aware that Tasmanian Selection Committee
has put up Snowden as Senior Captain of the quota?
In great haste,
Kind regards,
AMENDED TABLE "2".
AS EFFECTING FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE.
? 30/9/14
Officers Other ranks.
1st Military District.
15th Battalion (less two Coys). (m) 26 759} 862
1st Reinforcements. (m) 1 76}
2nd Military District.
13th Battalion. (m) 32 991}
1st Reinforcements. (m) 1 99} 1279
7th Coy. A.S.C. 5 138}
1st Reinforcements. for do. 13}
3rd Military District
Fourth Infantry Brigade Hd.Qrs. 4 21}
14th Battalion. 32 991}
1st Reinforcements. 1 99} 1273
2nd Signal Company. (1 Section). 1 24}
Section "A" 4th Field Ambulance. 4 88}
1st Reinforcements. for do. 8}
4th Military District.
16th Battalion (3 Coys.) (m) . 9 348}
1st Reinforcements. (m) 34} 480
Section "B" 4th Field Ambulance. (m) 3 78}
1st Reinforcements. for do. (m) 8}
5th Military District.
16th Battalion (less 3 coys.) (m) 23 643}
1st Reinforcements. (m) 1 65} 821
Section "C" 4th Field Ambulance. 3 78}
1st reinforcements for do (m) 8}
6th Military District.
15th Battalion (2 coys.) (m) 6 232}
1st Reinforcements. (m) 23} 261
________
4976
NOTE : - (m) To concentrate at Melbourne as soon as quota is complete
in each Military District. Commandants to inform 3rd
Military District date departure for Melbourne.
1/10/14
INFANTRY TRAINING IN FIRE TACTICS.
1. - The company is told off to attack a given position, being halted
under cover at long range, say 2000 yards.
2. - An experienced officer, with field glasses, and one or two
assistants with three large flags, colored respectively red, blue,
and white has been previously sent to occupy the position. -
3. - This officer closely observes the progress of the attack, the
dispositions made, the amount of exposure, the gradual building up
of the firing line, the use or absence of covering fire, &c., and
according to his judgement of these matters, or (if he prefers) quite
arbitrarily, he makes with the flags the following signals, which
have the significations indicated :-
Signal. |
Meaning. | Action to be taken by Attack. |
| No flag. |
Enemy not visible from position. No fire from position. |
Advance may be steadily maintained without firing. |
| White flag. |
Fire from position is weaker than that of attack or less effective owing to good concealment or good covering fire of latter. |
Advance further re-inforcing the firing line, the present volume of whose fire or that of covering fire must, however, be maintained. |
| Blue flag. |
Fire from position is equal to that of attack. |
Further advance may be by small groups only, or be well covered by fire from supports or reserves. |
| Red flag. |
Fire from position is superior to that of the attack, owing either to number of rifles engaged, or to bad concealment of attack, or to other patent faults. |
Advance cannot proceed further, without either re-inforcing the firing line, or developing the one of covering fire fire or both; in the extreme case of all company reserves being already used up, company must entrench and wait for reinforcements. |
4. During the action the flags will frequently change, ordinarily
white, blue and red being shown in succession as the firing line
gets nearer to position, advance being occasionally checked by red
flag until the firing line has been reinforced, then again encouraged
by the blue flag or even white flag, if fireng tactics of attack are good.
Every time the red flag shows up, the Company Commander will be
tempted to repair his fire inferiority by using up his reserves: and he
may find himself 500 yards from the position with all reserves; used up
and the red flag up against him. This will teach him to press his
advance by better use of ground for cover from view and fire and
better use of covering fire, rather than by throwing all his men into
the firing line too early in the day.
5. - Usually, however, the troops will be encouraged to get close
enough to the position to develop a strong fire superiority at close
ranges. Tthe enemy's preparations to withdraw will be indicated by the
white flag, upon which bayonets will be fixed and the position rushed.
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6. - It is important that the troops themselves should understand
the meaning of the signals, and the means taken to maintain
the advance, i.e. to ensure the non-appearance of the red flag.
This should give them a keen interest in the work, lead to better
corporate action and co-operation, and infuse a sporting spirit
into what would otherwise be uninteresting work.
7. - Use of blank ammunition is essential and will greatly
assist the flag officer in arriving at a judgment of the
development of the attack in its various stages.
weeks prior to embarkation. you will be informed when the
date is decided upon.
Defence 112/3/27
(SGD) E.H. REYNOLDS.
Major.
for C.G.S30:9:14.
COPY.
-7-
ATTACHMENT OF PERMANENT FORCES TO FOURTH INFANTRY
BRIGADE, A.I.F C.G.S AND CONCENTRATION OF BRIGADE AT
MELBOURNE.
Noted and returned.
-5-
2:10:14.
C.G.S.
Noted. - I presume that the movements of
the quotas to Melbourne will be arranged by the Commandants
under whom the quotas are raised: - and that I shall
receive notification of dates in due course.
(sgd) John Monash Colonel
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde
Australian Imperial Force
-6-
C.O. 4th Infantry Brigade.
Yes. The units will concentrate for the last three
weeks prior to embarkation. You will be informed when the
date is decided upon.
(SGD.) E.H. Reynolds,
Major.
for C.G.S.
30:9:14
-7-
C.G.S.
Noted and returned.
2:10:14. (sgd) John Monash Colonel
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde
Australian Imperial Force
[*Black to me
Survey
Wall 5" to 3" encrouches*]
CONFIDENTIAL.
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE
M.122.
VICTORIA BARRACKS
MELBOURNE, 7th October, 1914.
MEMORANDUM FOR
Lieut.-Col. R.E. Courtney.
When your preliminary training is sufficiently
advanced to permit of company field training in fire tactics
being undertaken, I shall be glad if you will arrange to test
experimentally a method for facilitating such training, on
the lines of accompanying scheme which has been suggested by
an article in a recent number of a military journal. -
The central idea is to apply some form of external
control over the movements and disposition of a company
during the attack of a position. -
The point about which I am chiefly concerned is
whether the method described will prove a really useful and
effective means of instruction, worthy of general employment
throughout the Brigade. I should like your confidential report
on this aspect, before going any further.
Colonel
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde
Australian Imperial Force
M-130
BURNAGE
MILITARY CAMP
ROSEHILL RACECOURSE (N.S.W.)
M.130. VERY PROBABLE PORTABLE COOKERS WILL BE ISSUED
EACH BATTALION BY GOVERNMENT CONSEQUENTLY IN MEANTIME
CONCENTRATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS TOWARDS SECURING BAND (STOP)
RE OFFICER FOUR (4) SIGNALLERS FOR BROADMEADOWS HAVE YOU
BEEN SUPPLIED WITH LIST OF EQUIPMENT WHICH THEY ARE TO
BRING WITH THEM REPLY TELEGRAPH.
MONASH McGlinn
BARRACKS MELBOURNE
4.5 p.m. 8:10:1914
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