Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 1, 5 November - 15 December 1914 - Part 9

2 
Second Scheme - December 1st. 
CONFIDENTIAL 
TACTICAL FITNESS EXAMINATION, PART II., PRACTICAL,
near BROADMEADOWS, DECEMBER 1st & 2nd, 1914.
References - Map of HEIDELBERG District, l" to 1 mile.
  
GENERAL IDEA. 
A Brown Force is holding a position from CLEAR
HILL, North of GREENSBOROUGH, to the Eastward, facing
North. The main White Force is about 5 miles North of
EPPING. 

SPECIAL IDEA - WHITE. 
A detached party of White, under your command,
has reached the CROSS ROADS at CAMPBELLFIELD at 1.30 p.m.,
strength 1 Squadron Light Horse, 1 Battery Field Artillery,
1 Battalion.
You receive orders at 1.30 p.m. to seize the
PRESTON RESERVOIR in order to interrupt communications of
Brown along the UPPER PLENTY ROAD. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Rendezvous - As above for whole force.
2. The whole party may move at 2 p.m.
3. White troops will wear one white arm band each.
4. Waggons will be represented by red flags carried by
dismounted men. The whole space between red
flags may be taken to be occupied by waggons
in column of route. 

12
CONFIDENTIAL FIRST SCHEME - December 2nd. 
TACTICAL FITNESS EXAMINATION, PART II, PRACTICAL,
near BROADMEADOWS, December lst & 2nd, 1914. 

Reference - Map of HEIDELBERG District, 1" to 1 mile. 

GENERAL IDEA
The Brown and White armies fought an indecisive action
yesterday. Brown is on a line from MERRI CREEK Eastwards,
through GERMANTON, facing White, whose left is also on
MERRI CREEK, about MAHONY'S ROAD. 

SPECIAL IDEA - BROWN.
You command No.1 Section of the outpost line, from
MERRI CREEK to EPPING ROAD through GERMANTOWN. Troops
1 Squadron L.H., 1 Battery F.A., and 1 Battalion. These
should be in position by 11 a.m. At 10.30.a.m. you receive
instructions, that the Main Body has pushed the enemy back
to GREENSBOROUGH, and your section is to advance to PRESTON
RESERVOIR. Outpost troops on your left (not represented)
are to move to MOUNT COOPER.
  
INSTRUCTIONS.
1. The Outpost dispositions will be shown to the Board.
2. Board and Candidates will move out of camp with
the Brown and White troops, at 8.30. and 9 a.m.
respectively.
3. Brown outpost troops are not to cross to South of
the fence, running East & West through 0 of "stony"
near GERMANTOWN, before 11.a.m.
4. Troops may move from the outpost position at 11.a.m.
5. White troops will wear one white arm band each.
6. Troops are to be clear of the ground South of
MAHONY'S ROAD BEFORE 2.p.m.

3 
CONFIDENTIAL FIRST SCHEME, December 2nd.
TACTICAL FITNESS EXAMINATION, PART II, PRACTICAL,
NEAR BROADMEADOWS, December lst & 2nd, 1914. 

Reference - Map of HEIDELBERG District, 1" to 1 mile. 

GENERAL IDEA.
The Brown and White armies fought an indecisive
action yesterday. Brown is on a line from MERRI CRECK
Eastwards, through GERMANTOWN, facing White, whose left is
also on MERRI CREEK, about MAHONY'S ROAD. 

SPECIAL IDEA - WHITE.
You are in command of No.6. Section of the outpost
line, from MERRI CREEK to EPPING ROAD about the line of
MAHONY'S ROAD. Troops at your disposal, 1 Sqdn L.H.,
1 Bty. F.A., 1 Battalion. These should be in position
by 11.a.m.
At 11.a.m. the troops on your right commence to
fall back, and at the same time a message arrives, telling
you to fall back slowly, and hold the line PRESTON RESER-
VOIR - DAREBIN CREEK. 

INSTRUCTIONS.
1. The Outpost dispositions will be shown to the Board.
2. Board and Candidates will move out of Camp with
the Brown and White troops, at 8.30. and 9.a.m.respectively.
3. White outpost troops are not to cross to the North
of the fence running W and S.W. from the THOMASTOWN P.O.
4. No orders for withdrawal of outposts are to be
issued before 11.a.m.
5. White troops will wear one white arm band each.
6. Troops are to be clear of the ground South of
MAHONY'S ROAD before 2.p.m.

1 
CONFIDENTIAL SECOND SCHEME - December 2nd. 
TACTICAL FITNESS EXAMINATION, PART II, PRACTICAL,
near BROADMEADOWS, December lst & 2nd, 1914.
Reference - Map of HEIDELBERG District, 1" to 1 mile. 
GENERAL IDEA.
A Brown Army is defending MELBOURNE with detached
troops guarding the water supply against a hostile White
Force, in position about SUNBURY.
SPECIAL IDEA - BROWN.
You are in command of one of the detachments, guarding 
No.1. Section of the Water Supply, from and including
PRESTON RESERVOIR to the THOMASTOWN - BUNDOORA ROAD.
Troops - 1 Sqdn. L.H., I Bty. F.A., 1 Battalion - to be
in position at 2.30.p.m. Other detachments continue
the line to your right, but there are no White troops
between you and COBURG STATION.
INSTRUCTIONS.
1. The dispositions for defence of the Water.
Supply will be shown to the Board.
2. Troops will move out by MAHONY'S ROAD and the
Special Idea will be issued on reaching EPPINC ROAD.
3. White troops will wear one white arm band each.

1 
CONFIDENTIAL SECOND SCHEME, December 2nd. 
TACTICAL FITNESS EXAMINATION, PART II, PRACTICAL,
near BROADMEADOWS, December lst & 2nd, 1914. 
REFERENCES - Map of HEIDELBERG District, 1" to 1 mile. 

GENERAL IDEA.
A Brown Army is defending MELBOURNE with
detached troops guarding the water supply against a
hostile White Force, in position about SUNBURY.
SPECIAL IDEA - WHITE.
Several detachments have been sent out with
the object of interrupting the MELBOURNE WATER SUPPLY.
You command a detachment, which has closed under cover
at CAMPBELLFIELD, consisting of 1 Squadron L.H., 1 Bty.
F.A., 1 Battalion.  Your orders are to move rapidly at
2.30.p.m., and endeavour to damage the water service
at PRESTON RESERVOIR or within 1½ miles North.
INSTRUCTIONS.
1. Rendezvous - Cross Roads, CAMPBELLFIELD.
2. Troops will be ready to move at 2.30.p.m.
3. Special Idea will be issued at 2.p.m.
4 White troops will wear one white arm 
band each

CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
December 2nd. 1914.
Headquarters,
3rd. Military District.
(Through Camp Commandant, Broadmeadows.) 

Notwithstanding repeated representations made by me
to the Camp Commandant, Broadmeadows Camp, as to the total inadquacy
of the water supply and latrine accomodation at present provided for
the troops of the Brigade under my Command, I have now to report that
a most unsatisfactory condition of affairs still exists. As regards
the water supply, it is generally well known that the existing arrangements
are altogether inadequate to satisfactorily meet the demands of
a Camp of so extensive a nature as that now established at Broadmeadows
and so far as the locality assigned to my Brigade is concerned, it is
clear that only an intermittent supply can be guaranteed the troops
camped therein; in fact the supply to the Camp under my Command appears
to be governed by the extent to which the water is used at the Camps
occupied by the Light Horse, Depot, and other Units.
Storage tanks have been provided and I am now required
by the instructions issued by the Camp Commandant to accept the responsibility
of seeing that these tanks and troughs are filled at certain
times, and to furnish piquets with a view to preventing wastage etc.,
I have no objection whatever to furnishing piquets or sentries as
directed, indeed such measures are recognised as being absolutely
necessary, but I do contend that supervision in connection with the
filling of these storage tanks should be a matter for the authority
responsible for the water supply, in view of the existing complex pras
proceedure which requires that while certain tanks are being filled,
the replenishing of supply in respect of other tanks has to cease.
The whole arrangement is unsatisfactory, and while I
fully appreciate the difficulties that have to be contended with, I
respectfully ask that arrangements be at once made which would effectively
prevent a recurrence of the trouble experienced yesterday, viz.,
troops returning to Camp after a days work entailing long marches, to
find that there was not any water available, either for cooking or
washing purposes, while in other parts of the Camp men were indulging
in the use of shower baths. In connection with the water supplyI
would also point out that up to the present not any provision has
been made for shower baths for the troops under my Command, the result
being that considerable discomfort has been experienced by both officers
and men, and at least one Medical Officer's report indicates that
the clothing of some of the men is verminous. I understand that
provision has been made to use the tank at the old windmill for the
purpose of supplying shower baths for my Brigade; the capacity of this
tank, I am informed is 3200 gallons, therefore it willbe readily seen
how totally inadequate this arrangement must prove, if it be taken int
consideration that in the Brigade there are approximately 4500 of all
ranks. Furthermore, one result has been that over 100 men of the
15th. Battalion who were unable to properly wash themselves after a
long march yesterday were so badly chafed that they were unable to
take part in the manoeuvres today.
Even assuming that the whole of the water storage
and supply were at all times working effectively and to its full
capacity, the utmost provision of water appears to be less than three
gallons per head per day which is utterly inadquate to maintain
healthy conditions in summer and at a dusty site such as this.
Passing now to the matter of the latrine accomodation
I cannot find terms too strong to describe, not only the inadequacy
of the existing accomodation, but the disgracefully slow and otherwise
unsatisfactory progress that has been made in providing the pan
system. The sitting accomodationfor the new system of latrines
has been lying in the rear of my Brigade lines ever since the Brigade
arrived in Camp but the placing of the seats in position and provision
[[XXXXXXXXX?]] structures has been practically at a standstill.

During last Saturday afternoon, so far as could be
seen, not any work was done and in answer to enquiries I was informed
that it was the usual half holiday. It occurred to me that the
importance of providing proper latrine accomodation was such as to
warrant, not only the workmen continuing during Saturday afternoon,
but that they should also have been at work on Sunday.
In vew of the unsatisfactory state of affairs as
disclosed in the foregoing I am now forced to respectfully intimate
that while such a condition of affairs is allowed to continue, I must
absolutely decline to accept any responsibility for the health of
the troops, or for any discontent resulting therefrom.
As the result of frequent interviews with the Camp
Commandant I am of the opinion that he and his Staff are not in a
position to satisfactorily cope with the difficulty under existing
conditions; the matter is therefore referred for the information of
the District Commandant. 

------------Colonel.
Commanding Fourth Infantry Brigade.
Australian Imperial Force.

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
FOURTH INFANTRY BRIGADE 

CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
M380.  December 2nd. 1914. 

Headquarters,
3rd. Military District,
MELBOURNE. 

The supply of wheel barrows and Bass brooms which
have been made available for the Brigade under my Command, is
totally inadequate for the purpose of keeping the tents and
horse lines clean, and the open drains throughout the Camp in
a sanitary condition. From enquiries made by the Field
Officer of the day at the Ordnance Depot at the Camp, it has
been ascertained that there are not any wheel barrows or brooms
available for the issue at the Depot, and in the circumstances
I have sent into Melbourne to obtain quotations for the supply
and delivery of wheel barrows and brooms, so as to permit of
issue of six of each to each of the Battalions under my
Command. I propose placing an order with the firm that can
supply at the lowest rate, and in the special circumstances
of the case request approval covering action taken.
 John Monash Colonel 
Commanding Fourth Infantry Bde. 
Australian Imperial Force
  
D.H.Q. 
Forwarded, it is now too late for me 
to apply to S.O.O. for increased supply. 
JDawall. Major 
C Commdt. 
3/12/14

2nd December 1914. 

The Private Secretary to,
His Excellency,
The Governor of Victoria,
MALVERN. 

Dear Sir,
Owing to delays in the post and my having been busy
in the Field for the last two days, I have been unable, before,
to acknowledge your letter of November 29th, intimating that His
Excellency will be pleased to review the march and receive the
salute of this Brigade on its march through Melbourne at 12 noon
on Thursday, December 17th. I have accordingly p ut arrangements
under way for having this march at this time and date, and shall
advise you as soon as possible of the details of the final arrangements 
made.
I would desire to convey to His Excellency my personal 
thanks for his ready acquisence in my invitation. 
Yours faithfully,

Broadmeadows Camp,
6th December 1914. 

From the C.0. 15th Battalion,
4th Infantry Brigade, A.I.F. 

To the Brigadier,
4th Infantry Brigade. 

Lieutenants T.N.W.Hill and L.J.Waters, from the
R.M.C., both reported to the 15th Battalion, 4th Infantry
Brigade, at Enoggera, Queensland, on November 13th 1914. 

W.O.Willis Capt & [?] 
for Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Commanding 15th Battalion, 
4th Infantry Brigade, A.I.F. 

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE
DEC 7 1914
4th Infantry Brigade.
7.35