Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 1, 6 January - 31 January 1915, Part 3

6. 
Method of Assault (cont.) 
(d) If there are gaps between Assaulting Battalions, special 
Bombing Parties must be detailed to work outwards from 
the Flanks until touch is gained - 
(e) The supply of Bombs is very difficult and it is doubtful 
whether more Bombs will reach the attacking troops for a  
good many hours after a position has been gained. 
(15) Our barrage should either drive the enemy machine guns to cover or 
kill them if they remain in the open and Infantry which follows  
the barrage closely enough will have little to fear from 
hostile machine guns to their front - 
Any machine guns which survive should be rushed by the nearest 
troops, who will suffer fewer casualties if they do so than if 
they stop and lie down - They should if possible be rushed from  
both flanks at the same moment. 
(16) Woods - The worst place for Infantry to remain is in the forward 
edge of a wood - They must either advance into the open and dig 
themselves in 50 to 100 yards ahead or retire some 150 to 200 
yards into the wood and do the same -  
In wood fighting the bayonet should almost entirely be used. 
(17) Consolidating -  
(a) The necessity for consolidating the objective as soon as it 
is reached is imperative - Men must really work hard, 
covered as far as possible by Lewis guns -  
(b) Instead of reversing the whole of the captured trench, 
which in all probability will be obliterated by the enemy 
artillery shortly after capture, the main effort should be  
directed to organising certain strong fronts which will defy 
bombardment -  
(c) The men should  dig in deep and construct Bomb-proof 
dug-outs - 
(d) Before the assault orders should be given as to the number of  
strong points to be constructed, their position and their 
objects - 
(e) Battalion Commanders must be reminded to arrange for  
consolidating parties to take up any materials required - 
In the first instance these will consist mainly of picks and 
shovels -  
(f) Consolidating parties appear usually to follow the last  
line of the Assaulting Battalions - 
(g) Strong points in the first line should be at least from 80 to 200 
yards interval from each other, with a second line of them 
placed at from 80 to 200 yards in rear covering the centre 
of the intervals between those of the first line - Each 
strong point should have a bay thrown back on either flank - 
There should be at least one Lewis gun in every strong 
point - 
(h) It is often easier to capture a position than to hold it 
against counter-attack. 
(18) Reserve Battalions - At Zero hour the Reserve Battalions to the  
Assaulting Column will probably begin to move forward to the 
Reserve and Support Trenches vacated by the latter so as to be 
ready to act as required and their places will be taken by 
Battalions from the Divisional Reserve. 
(19) Machine Guns and Lewis Guns -  
(a) The Lewis guns and some Sections of the Machine guns will 
be in the trenches during the preliminary bombardment and 
carry out night firing to prevent repair of wire and works  
by the enemy - For defence purposes in trenches the Germans 
generally site their guns behind the Parados - 
(b) On the night preceding the assault all guns will move into 
their battle positions and cover the advance - These 
positions must be given in detail and also the action 
required of the guns - 
(c)

7. 
Method of Assault (cont.) 
(c) The positions to which the guns will move when the assaulting  
troops have reached the objective, or when fire is no longer 
helpful, must be given - 
(d) Only 3 trained men per team will be with the gun, the 
remainder to be with the ammunition - 20 magazines with the 
gun, the remainder with the ammunition - 
(e) 6 additional men to be told off for each Vickers and 4 
additional for each Lewis to carry more ammunition - 
(f) During the advance the guns to be actually in the advancing 
lines otherwise they offer a special target to the enemy 
machine guns and get wiped out - 
(g) Before an advance Lewis guns should be pushed forward to 
bring fire on the enemy parapets and so assist the Infantry 
to advance - 
(h) Positions can be found in shell holes or concealed in long 
grass - 
(i) A special role of Machine and Lewis guns is to push forward 
immediately a position has been captured so as to set free 
the Infantry to consolidate it -  
(j) Additional men with a knowledge of Vicker's guns to be 
attached to each Brigade Machine Gun Company - These are  
to replace casualties - They will be attached to them and 
live with them. 
(20) Stokes Mortar Batteries -  
(a) Orders must be issued as to the positions and action of 
Stokes Mortars during preliminary bombardment, also as to 
the battle positions into which they will move on the  
evening preceding the assault and their action - 
(b) If near enough, they would probably carry on a hurricane 
bombardment of the enemy fire and support trench up to Zero 
hour, concentrating during the last few minutes on the fire 
trench and then left to the support trench - 
(c) If special bombardment of any particular point is required 
this must be stated - 
(d) Directions for any further advance and its object must be 
put in orders - In this case 10 extra men per gun must be 
allotted as carriers for ammunition, which is carried in 
waistcoats to hold 6 rounds, buckets and tantalus trays - 
(e) Difficulty has been experienced in getting these mortars 
forward as they are too heavy for men to double with, 
therefore considered better to allot two mortars to each 
Battalion, who can get them forward as opportunity to do 
so occurs - 
(f) If they can be got forward they are most useful, especially 
against woods, villages, and for enfilading a trench. 
(21) Smoke Attack - If wind is favourable and a smoke attack is 
contemplated (usually on that portion of the enemy front which 
is not being attacked by our Infantry, to form a barrage 
concealing our advance from the enemy on the flanks, or to draw 
the attention of the enemy artillery from the points on our 
front line from which our infantry will issue) the positions 
from which it is to be let off, the hour at which it commences 
(probably about 5 minutes before Zero hour), its duration 
(probably an hour), and its object must be given in orders. 
(22) Gas Attack - If the wind is favourable and a gas attack is 
contemplated the positions from which it is to be let off, the 
hour at which it will commence its duration and the hour at  
which it will cease must be put in orders.  
(23) Orders must be given to  R.E. and Pioneers as to any special work 
required of them, such as preparing villages for defence, 
assisting to consolidate strong points, etc. 
(24)

8. 
Method of Assault (cont.) 
(24) Communication Tunnels - Orders for opening up tunnels and 
construction of communication trenches from our position to the 
captured trenches must be given in detail in orders to the 
Tunnelling Company, and, if necessary, to the Pioneer 
Battalion - 
Hostile mine heads must be exploded as early as possible after 
their capture- This is usually the work of the Tunnelling  
Company but may have to be carried out by Royal Engineers or 
Pioneers. 
(25) Signal Communication -  
(a) Telephones - Each Assaulting Battalion should run out 2  
light wires from its Headquarters in our lines to its 
advanced Headquarters in the hostile trenches - 
These will be supplemented by 2 Cables, which will be laid  
by the Brigade Signal Section as soon as practical after 
the assault - 
(b) Visual Signalling - The places at which assaulting 
battalions are to establish connection with Brigade 
receiving stations and observation posts, and the 
positions of the latter, must be put in orders - Messages 
must be repeated three times and state the hour of 
dispatch and position of the sender at the time of 
writing - 
(c) Contact Aeroplanes - Their number and markings must be put 
in orders - 
On the day of assault Infantry will mark their positions 
by flares as ordered - Always on reaching the final 
objective, also along the most forward line at fixed 
hours - 
When back communication from Brigades and Battalions is 
cut and a Contact Aeroplane is noticed frying very low, 
Battalion and Brigade Headquarters must be on the look out 
to pick up any message for them which may be dropped by  
the aeroplane. 
(26) Pigeons - On the day of the assault pigeons should be sent 
forward to those Battalion Headquarters whence other methods 
of communication are likely to be difficult. 
(27) Wireless - Any orders as to Wireless if procurable. 
  
Stragglers. 
(1) A Central Divisional Collecting Post will be established and put 
in orders - For convenience sake it may be advisable to site 
it near Central Divisional Prisoner of War Collecting  
Station. 
(2) A line of Brigade Stragglers' Posts will be formed under 
Divisional arrangements and put in orders. 
(3) These Posts, at first placed far back so as not to interfere 
with movements, may be moved forward as opportunity occurs. 
(4) They will pass all wounded men walking back to the Divisional 
Medical Dressing or Collecting Station, where the wounded will 
be medically dealt with, and all stragglers to the Divisional 
Central Collecting Post, from whence they will be marched in a 
formed body under escort to B. Echelon of their Units'  
transport and handed over to the officer in charge, who will 
feed, re-equip them, and return them to their Units that night 
or sooner if possible. 
(5)

9. 
Stragglers (cont.) 
(5) Unwounded men bringing back wounded men will be treated as 
stragglers. 
(6) Stragglers will be severely punished. 
(7) These Brigade Stragglers' Posts may also serve as Divisional 
Prisoner of War Collecting Stations, in which case the officer in 
charge of each  will be assisted in dealing with stragglers by 4 
reliable men detailed in orders for the purpose from the 
Assaulting Battalion. 
  
Prisoners of War.  
(1) A Central Divisional Prisoner of War Collecting Station will be 
established and put in orders and to this will be sent all 
prisoners from the Brigade Prisoner of War Collecting Stations 
which will also be put in orders. 
(2) The officers in charge of the Brigade Stations will be detailed from 
those not taking part in the assault (viz. from those who are in 
excess of the 20 per Battalion who are allowed to take part). 
(3) Prisoners captured will be sent back to these officers with as small 
an escort as possible - These officers will keep back as many men 
of the escort as they require and will send back the remainder to 
their Units with a receipt for the prisoners handed over. 
(4) When parties of 20 or 30 have been collected they will be sent back 
to the Central Divisional Collecting Station with an escort of  
about 5% of the strength of the prisoners. 
(5) The escort after handing over the prisoners to the officer in charge 
of the Divisional Collecting Station will obtain a receipt and 
return to their Brigade Collecting Station - On their return the 
officer in charge may either send them to their Unit or keep 
them if required. 
(6) Officer prisoners will be kept separate from the men. 
(7) Care should be taken that documents in possession of prisoners are 
not thrown away on their road back. 
(8) For the purpose of organizing and collecting stragglers, each 
officer in charge of a Brigade Station will be assisted by 4 men 
detailed in orders from the Assaulting Battalion. 
  
Medical.  
(1) The places at which Regimental Aid Posts are to be established 
(presumably in the vicinity of the support trench) will be put 
in orders. 
(2) The positions of the Advanced Dressing Stations to which the wounded 
from the various Regimental Aid Posts will be cleared must also 
be put in orders - These will presumably be well in rear of the 
Reserve Trenches and near the Brigade Stragglers' Collecting 
Stations. 
(3) The position of the Divisional Collecting Station must also be put  
in orders. 
(4) All  empty wagons and lorries returning from the front must be 
prepared to carry wounded to the rear, but must not be diverted 
for this purpose from their normal route. 
  
Veterinary.

10. 
Veterinary.  
The positions of the Veterinary Collecting Stations and that of the  
Mobile Veterinary Section must be put in orders. 
  
Transport.  
(1) First Line Transport - 
Divided into two Echelons -  
A. Echelon - Pack animals - S.A.A. - Grenade, etc. - Machine gun 
limbers - grouped by Brigades under an officer under Brigade 
control - Should send an orderly to a telephone exchange 
through which all messages with regard to this group will be 
sent -  
B. Echelon - Tool carts, Cookers and Cooks' Wagons, Water Carts 
and Maltese Carts - grouped by Brigades under an officer under 
Divisional control - Should send a mounted orderly to 
Divisional Headquarters and a cycle orderly on the day of 
assault to a telephone exchange which will be detailed in 
orders. 
R.E. Field Company Transport will be attached to one of the  
Brigade Groups. 
(2) Roads for Transport.  
During the course of the preliminary bombardment roads towards the 
front and bridges over cross trenches for transport and 
artillery to pass over must be constructed -  
These roads must be shown on a tracing issued with orders - 
They must be numbered or lettered and the bridges marked 
according to whether they are suitable for heavy, medium or 
light traffic -  
The routes to be followed by each column of transport going and 
returning must be distinctly stated. 
  
Supply of Water and Food.  
(1) Every man will carry an Iron ration and every animal an extra 
day's ration of oats to be counted as an Iron ration. 
(2) Iron rations not to be eaten except on order of a Commanding 
Officer - If they are eaten the fact must be communicated to 
Brigade Headquarters at once. 
(3) In addition to the Iron ration, on the night before the assault 
and on each subsequent night, rations for consumption next day 
will be issued to the men, instead of being kept in the  
cookers. 
(4) Each man will also be given under Battalion arrangements a 
sandwich to be eaten shortly before the assault - for which 
purpose a quarter of a pound of bread in addition to the 
normal ration will be issued. 
(5) One day's rations of preserved meat and groceries for the 
assaulting troops will be distributed in stores in the trenches -  
These are only to be issued (in case of emergency such as B. 
Echelon being unable to get up) by order of the Brigadier. 
(6) One hundred Petrol Tins per Battalion full of water will be 
distributed in the above-mentioned stores. 
(7) Battalions will send back for their tins as soon as circumstances 
will permit after reaching their objectives and as soon as the 
men have filled their water bottles, the tins will be taken to 
the vicinity of a place called the "Halt", viz. the point to 
which the water carts will be brought up - A new store will be 
formed here for each Battalion and the tins will be filled  
from the water carts.  
(8)

11. 
Supply of Water and Food (cont.) 
(8) The carriers of the tins must be impressed with the fact that unless 
the tins are returned to the halt their Battalions will be 
without water. 
(9) On the night following the assault, as soon after dark as movements 
of guns will allow, cooks' wagons and water carts will be sent up 
in the Brigade group by routes which will be specified in 
orders. 
(10) The cooks' wagon of Battalions will carry the meat, biscuit and 
half the tea and sugar ration for officers and men. 
(11) The other half of the tea and sugar will be kept dry on two of the  
cookers. 
(12) These two cookers per Battalion, with water and dry tea, will be 
ready to move forward with the cooks' wagon and water cart and 
will do so when they receive a message from Brigade Headquarters 
to that effect - Fires will be lit in the cookers and tea 
prepared on receipt of this message. 
(13) The total number of vehicles to go forward is not to exceed 5 per 
Battalion, viz:- 
2 water carts 
1 cooks' wagon 
2 cookers (if ordered from Brigade 
Headquarters). 
(14) Each unit which has been engaged in the assault will send back  
guides to places which have been specified in orders, together 
with the hour at which they are to be there and conduct the 
transport as far forward as circumstances will permit - Ration 
parties from the units must be arranged for. 
(15) If circumstances permit, 2 cookers per Battalion will remain in the 
vicinity of the "Halt" during the following day, but the horses 
must return with the remainder of the transport and the cookers 
must be placed so as not to interfere with traffic. 
(16) The place to which transport is to return after delivering to units 
and the routes by which it will proceed on going and returning 
must be detailed in orders - All empty wagons and lorries 
returning from the front must be prepared to carry wounded to 
the rear, but must not be diverted for this purpose from their 
normal route. 
(17) The place to which the Mobile Water Column Lorries will be sent and 
the approximate hour of their arrival there must be detailed in  
orders and all water carts must be re-filled from these lorries 
as soon as possible after returning from Units. 
(18) The position of the troughs at which horses can be watered must be 
specified in orders. 
(19) Additional water carts will be detained in Divisional Reserve. 
(20) Baggage Wagons - All baggage wagons will be sent to units on the 
morning of the day before the day of assault and must be 
returned to the train loaded the same evening at an hour which 
will be detailed in orders. 
(21) Re-filling point - It's situation on the day of assault and the 
hour for re-filling must be stated in orders - Also the place 
at which the supply wagons of the train will deliver supplies to 
First Line Transport. 
(22)

12. 
Supply of Water and Food (cont.) 
(22) Drafts - All drafts to replace casualties will be sent to B.Echelon 
First Line Transport - Battalions will be  informed of the 
numbers that have arrived for them, but they will not be sent up 
until Commanding Officers report that they can be absorbed. 
(23) Officers - Not more than 20 officers may accompany each Battalion 
into action - The remainder, under a senior officer, will be 
left with B.Echelon First Line Transport - When any of these 
Reserve Officers are required to rejoin their Battalions, Brigade  
Headquarters must be informed. 
(24) Replacement of Ordnance - Quick replacement of lost or damaged  
ordnance is of great importance, especially in the case of Lewis 
or Vickers' guns - Units will at once report any such loss to 
Brigade Headquarters, whereupon the Staff Captain will 
telegraph indents to D.A.D.O.S., repeating the message to 
Divisional Headquarters. 
  
Casualties - reporting of -  
(1) Ordinary Casualty Returns to be rendered up to 12 noon the day 
before the assault. 
(2) After which Estimated Casualty Returns will come into force to reach 
Brigade Headquarters daily at, say, 12 noon and 7 p.m., but 
estimated casualties exceeding 10% of any unit must be reported 
at once. 
(3) Estimated Reports will be headed - Total Estimated Casualties, AAA -  
(a) Total estimated loss in officers since commencement of 
operations -  
(b) Total estimated loss in other ranks since commencement of 
operations. 
(4) Officers' casualties, when verified, should be reported as soon as  
possible after they occur, giving initials and names of officers 
in block letters and date of casualty. 
(5) At the termination of heavy fighting or as soon as a unit is 
withdrawn from the fighting line, an accurate return of 
casualties sustained during the preceding period should be 
rendered - Accuracy is essential in this return. 
(6) Identifications - All new identifications of enemy troops should be 
reported to Brigade Headquarters a soon as possible - Each 
Battalion will report by the quickest means possible the first 
identification made, afterwards only new identifications will be 
reported - A list of enemy units opposed to us should be 
issued. 
(7) Captured Documents - Each Battalion should detail 2 men to collect 
documents from captured trenches and dug-outs and 2 men to 
collect documents from the dead - These men will be furnished  
with distinguishing badges so that they may be recognised as on 
duty - All documents should be put in sandbags which, when full, 
should be taken to the officer in charge of Brigade Prisoners' 
Collecting Station, who will forward the bags to the Divisional 
Collecting Station. 
  
Salvage.

13. 
Salvage. 
A Divisional Salvage Company must be organised - Preliminary 
Salvage Operations will be commenced by it as soon as possible 
on receipt of orders from Divisional Head Quarters, which will 
draw out a detailed scheme to come into operation when the 
progress of operations warrants it -  
In order to carry this out it may be necessary to detail an  
officer and a party of men to assist the Salvage Corps.

12/1/15 
SUBALTERN'S ORDER 
NO. UMTEEN BY THE SHIP'S DOG 
ON THE BARK "USELESS" 
  
1 
DUTIES 
(a) The following will report to Messieur le Capitane at 
4-15 p.m. on 12-1-15 on Boat Deck for the purpose of disputing 
the possession of one long rope with the successful 
Bat and Ball Experts from South of the Murray. 
Captain de Russ. The Pride of the Regiment (very scared of 
measles) 
" Foresight. No relation to Backsight Forethought 
" Anchor. Who loves his bed. 
Lieut. Aunt Sally. The Children's delight. 
" Chanticleer. The Cockies' Horror. 
" Toby. The man of law - and many trunks. 
" Cabbage-Grower. The Post Card Fiend. 
(b) Umpire. Mr Hanna d'lan. The Organ Grinder and Social 
Success. 
Timekeeper. Captain Censorns. The Blue Pencil King and 
Lovers' Nightmare 
Lincensed Bookmaker. Lieut. Hyphen Linkie (Can be trusted 
Nominal Capital 5d. Reference :- The Girl he left behind him 
Sergeant of Police. Captain Lowie. The Shirkers' Horror 
Medical Officer. Lieut. (Hon. Captain) Kettle, who loves a laugh 
Chief Mourner. Capling Salmon. The Mother of all. To be used 
by either side when needed. 
2 
DISCIPLINE 
Bribing the Umpire with tarts is strictly forbidden. 
The winning team is not allowed to drag opponents over the 
funnel. 
Purveyors of Ice Cream and Pea Nut Vendors are not to use wireless 
for purpose of replenishing their stocks. 
3 
BANDS 
Bands are not to play without permission from Chief Mourner.  
(Signed) A. Lowser. Adjutant. 
The Baker's Dozen. 
  
Above is a parody of one of our "Ships orders" 
by some of our young hopefuls. - Most of the 
topical allusions are too subtle to explain 
The 'order' relates to a tug-of-war.

SECRET. 18/1/15 
  
INSTRUCTIONS FOR INTERCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN 
THE NAVY AND ARMY. 
  
The system for communication in Secret language 
between the Navy and the Army, between Army Wireless Telegraph 
Stations and Troop Transports, and between His Majesty's 
Ships and Troop Transports is the Playfair Cipher. 
The keyword in use until midnight the 15^th. / 16^th. Jan 
is "Private." 
The keyword to be used after that date will be as  
follows:- 
From Midnight 15^th. / 16^th. Jan. to Midnight 31^st. Jan / 1^st. feb. 
"Watchful."