Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 1, 6 January - 31 January 1915, Part 4
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'Playfair' Code. - Colombo 13/1/15
Transport "A38",
Colombo, 13th Jany., 1915.
Secretary for Defence,
Defence Headquarters,
MELBOURNE.
REPORT OF SENIOR MILITARY OFFICER,
SECOND AUSTRALIAN CONVOY, MELBOURNE TO COLOMBO.
__________oOo______________
ARRIVAL AT
COLOMBO. 1. (a) I have to report that the following Transports
forming portion of the Second Australian Convoy arrived
at Colombo today:-
"A30"
"A31"
"A32"
"A33"
"A35"
"A36"
"A37"
"A38"
"A39"
"A42"
"A44"
Submarine "AK2".
(b) For Naval reasons, Transports "A29", "A34" and
"A40" were detached from the main Convoy at 8a.m. on th
12th instant, under orders from the Principal Transport
Officer to proceed direct to Aden.
(c) Transports "A41" and "A43" were left at Albany
owing to the former having had a fire in the bunkers
and the latter reporting defective engines.
(d) Accompanying the Transports mentioned in paragraph
1 (a) hereof into Colombo, were the New Zealand
Transports Nos. 13, 14 and 15 ("Verdala", "Willoohra"
and "Knight of Garter" respectively).
DEPARTURE 2. Transport "A38" (Flagship of the Convoy) left
MELBOURNE. the Town Pier, Port Melbourne, at 7-24p.m. on the 22nd
ultimo, and anchored off Gellibrand Light at 8-10p.m.,
sailing at 3-5a.m., and passing through the heads at
6-20a.m. on the following day.
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MELBOURNE 3.(a) The passage from Melbourne to King George's
TO ALBANY. Sound, Albany, was negotiated in fine weather with accomparatively smooth sea.
(b) Steaming time for the Flagship from Melbourne
to King George's Sound was 5 days 3 hours 14 minutes: average speed 11 knots per hour.
ARRIVAL AT 4. The Flagship arrived at King George's Sound at
KING GEORGE'S 4.45a.m. on the 28th ultimo; Transport "A32" and "A41" SOUND, ALBANY. had already arrived on the 26th and 27th respectively.
The remaining ships of the Convoy arrives approximately
as follows:-
"A33" about 7a.m. on 28-12-14.
"A35" " " " " (with submarine in tow)
"A40" " " " "
"A42" " " " "
"A43" " " " "
"A30" " 8-30a.m. "
"A44" 9-30a.m. " "
"A36" 11-30a.m. " "
"A34" Noon " "
"A29" Daybreak " 29-12-14.
"A37" " " "
"A39" " " "
"A31" at Fremantle.
(The three New Zealand Transports arrived at about 7p.m. on the 28th ultimo).
MILITARY BOARD'S 5. (a) The Military Board's Orders of 17-12-14, which ORDERS. were handed to me at Melbourne for delivery at Albany to
the whole of the Transports ("A32" excepted), were placed
in the hands of the Principal Transport Officer at
9-30p.m. on the 27th ultimo for delivery to the various Transports as soon as possible after arrival at King George's Sound. Accompanying these orders were Convoy
Orders Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, copies of which are attached hereto.
(b) As three of the Transports did not arrive until
the 29th, delivery of these orders was not completed until
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late that date, while those for Transport "A31" were
sent by rail with an Officer proceeding to Fremantle
to join that ship.
ADMINISTRATION 6. (a) The Commandant of the 5th Military District,
WHILE AT ALBANY. accompanied by O.C. Troops Albany, and Censor Officer, came aboard the Flagship at 11a.m. on the 28th ultimo, and I discussed with the Commandant the procedure to be adopted with regard to personnel for discharge at Albany, and other matters. The Commandant handed me
copies of several telegrams received from Headquarters notifying promotions and seeking other information.
All of these matters received attention and, where necessary, were promulgated in Convoy Order No. 5, together with detailed instructions regarding the
discharge at, or transfer to, Albany of personnel.
(b) Arrangements were also made for a representative
of the Pay Department to visit the whole of the
ships on the 29th ultimo for the purpose of dealing
with questions of pay, allotment, supply of Pay Books,
etc., and the respective O's C. Troops were instructed
to be in readiness to discuss with him all outstanding
questions on these matters.
(c) With a view to replacing discharged men at
Albany and to fill the ranks of the First Reinforcements
drawn upon, the District Commandant endeavoured to
arrange for about 50 Infantry soldiers to be brought
from the Perth camp; it was subsequently found, however,
that the short stay of the Convoy at Albany prevented
this procedure being completed.
(d) During the forenoon of 29th December rough
weather set in at King George's Sound, so that the
greatest difficulty was experienced in boarding the
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tugs from Transports, and vice versa; in some instances
an hour to an hour and a half was occupied in bringing
tugs alongside. The Pay Officer, who earlier in the
day visited the Flagship and then went aboard Transport
"A40", was compelled to spend the night aboard the
latter ship as it was considered that any attempt to
run a tug alongside the "A40" would be attended with
considerable risk. The rough weather continued to
such an extent, I ^that at 10-15p.m. (on the 29th) ^I signalled
the Commandant at Albany that, owing to the breakdown
of boat communications, I apprehended being unable to
fully furnish numbers or comply with all formalities
incidental to the landing of troops medically unfit or
for discharge on the following day.
(e) On the 30th the Sound was again rough and
dangerous; one tug took 2½ hours to come alongside and
eventually the Masters of two tug boats struck work and
would not resume until the Mayor of Albany was advised
by signal, and intervened.- During the day 74
applications for discharge, or transfer to the Fifth
Military District, were approved and confirmed by me,
but the greatest difficulty was experienced in getting
the papers to the ships concerned; in fact everything
was disorganised owing to the rough weather, the
inadequate and unsatisfactory tug-boat service, and
consequent almost total suspension of communication
between transports. Notwithstanding that the orders
issued by the Military Board and the instructions contained
in my Convoy Order No. 5 of the 28th ultimo
directed that troops going ashore for discharge or
transfer to Fifth Military District should be furnished
with papers complete, the Commandant of the Fifth
Military District signalled to me at 9p.m. on the 30th
that these instructions were not being carried out.
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I replied to him that all possible action had been
taken by me to comply with the instructions issued
by the Military Board and himself regarding discharges,
but that all efforts in this direction had been rendered
nugatory by the complete breakdown of tug-boat and signal
communications, and that full lists of all men regularly
discharged on application to me were at the time of my
message (9-15p.m., 30th) waiting for several hours for
transmission to him.
(f) As regards the failure to supply the proper
papers with men put ashore at Albany, while this was
to a great extent attributable to the fact that several
O's C. Troops were unable for the reasons given to deliver
applications for discharge, etc., on the flagship, I am of
opinion that in other cases the procedure clearly laid
down in the instructions was not properly observed, and
in these latter cases an explanation has been called for
from the O's C. concerned. Arrangements had been made
with the District Commandant to start disembarking
medically unfit and other details for discharge at 11a.m.
on the 30th ultimo, the arrangement being that a launch
would call at each transport in turn to collect details,
the medically unfit to be landed at Quarantine station and
the others at Albany Town Pier (vide Convoy Order No. 5,
para 5 a). However, in accordance with instructions
given by the Principal Transport Officer, a tug-boat went
alongside Transport "A35", and, (as far as can be learned)
other transports also, at daybreak, and men for discharge
at Albany were roused, hurriedly order aboard, and
disembarked at Albany without the proper papers.
(g) Another cause of this trouble was the non receipt
by C.O's Troops (except in the case of four transports)
until after arrival at Albany of the Military Board's
Orders directing procedure to be adopted in connection
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with men put ashore at Albany. With a view, however,
to straightening matters out, Convoy Order No. 6 was
issued on the 1st instant; and attached to this Order
were lists showing the whole of the personnel put ashore
at Albany, in connection with which application had been
made to the Senior Military Officer as directed in the
Military Board and Convoy Orders. A copy of Convoy Order
No. 6 with annexures has been forwarded to the Adjutant
General, to Base Records, and to the Commandants of all
Military Districts. In addition, O's C. Troops have
since been further communicated with and instructed to
furnish lists giving names of every Officer and man put
ashore at Albany, and on receipt of this information the
Adjutant General, and through him Base records, and
Commandants concerned will be duly advised.
(h) In connection with the difficulties experienced at
King George's Sound, I have to direct attention to Convoy
Order No. 7, para. 2, referring to a communication received
from the Principal Transport Officer in which the services
of four Officers of the 13th Battalion are commended, for
the satisfactory manner in which they carried out the
difficult and responsible duties allotted to them on the
30th ultimo.
SHORE LEAVE, 7. I regret to report that several instances were
ALBANY. brought to my notice of Officers going ashore at Albany without first having obtained leave as provided for in
Military Board Orders of 17-12-14, para. 8.
The Principal Transport Officer also reported to
me that Colonel Ryrie (who went ashore at Albany without seeking my permission) had attempted to interfere with the authority of the Officer placed with definite written
orders in charge of one of the tug-boats.
Papers in connection with these matters are in
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action and a further report will be submitted on receipt
of explanations which have been called for from all the
Officers concerned.
FIRE ON "A41" 8. Having been informed by the Principal Transport
Officer on arrival at King George's Sound that Transport
"A41" was to be detained at Albany owing to a bunker fire,
and that such detention would entail the 4th Infantry
Brigade moving from Albany less 4 Officers, 68 others,
and 288 riding and draught horses, I forwarded a special
memorandum to the Commandant, fifth Military District,
and requested that a precis of the circumstances might
be telegraphed to Military Headquarters (see Appendix "A").
DEPARTURE FROM 9. (a) The convoy, consisting of transports as follows
ALBANY. (with the addition of the three New Zealand Transports),
sailed from King George's Sound, Albany, at 8-2a.m. on
the 31st ultimo :-
"A29"
"A30"
"A32"
"A33"
"A34"
"A35" (with Submarine in tow).
"A36"
"A37"
"A38"
"A39"
"A40"
"A42"
"A44"
"A41" and "A43" were detained at Albany for the
reasons previously stated in paragraph 1 (c) hereof.
(b) At the time of sailing the Sound was still rough
but on reaching the open water a comparatively smooth sea
prevailed. A tug-boat laden with supplies for several
of the transports came alongside the Flagship just prior
to sailing but the Principal Transport Officer did not
deem it advisable to delay the fleet by allowing the
supplies to be put aboard, consequently the tug returned
to Albany without effecting delivery.
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