Sir John Monash - Personal Files Book 2, 1 April - 11 April 1915, Part 6
Diary No.4209
Telegram No. 38/ 0 a Dated 6-4-15.
From: G.H.Q. Alexandria.
TO: A.N.Z.A.C. Cairo.
Received 3-15.p.m.
___________________
Continuation my 38// oa this date movement of remainder
Australian Division should recommence evening seventh eighth
and all troops can go on board on eighth AAA
Movement of New Zealand Division should be carried out as
follows troops for Achaia Itonus Katuma and Lutzow leave Cairo
night ninth tenth troops for Goslar Annaberg Haidar Pasha and
Seeangbee night of tenth eleventh troops for Australind Seeanohun
Californian and Ascot night of eleventh twelfth and troops
for Surada and Sudmark night of twelfth thirteenth AAA If troops
are not sent down in this order further delay will be caused as
this is only order in which ships can be completed with necessary
reserve voyage rations AAA Please acknowledge.
G.H.Q.
General Officer Commanding,
New Zealand & Australian Division.
For information.
2. Revised plan of movement will be forwarded as soon as
received.
sgd. A. SKEEN. Lt.-Col.
for A.Q.M.G., Aust. & N. Z. Army Corps.
Cairo. 6-4-15.
Headquarters,
_________________________
For information.
Please notify Units or Troops concerned.
J.J.ESSON. Lt.-Col. A.Q.M.G
New Zealand & Australian Division.
Zeitoun.
6-4-15.
13 7th DSO forwarded your information
14 4th F Amb (Sgn) JTMc[[im]] Lt Col
Bn Sigs BM 4th (A)1B
18*
SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL
NOTE DU RESTAURANT
Grill Room
Cairo, 7/4/ 1915
No 164
Lt Col [[McThimm]] & I PIASTRES
______________________________
2 [[Ha' l??]] 10
2 [[falafes?]] 8
2 [[Srees?]] 12
2 steaks 16
2 legumes 6
cheese 6
cafė 8
GRILL ROOM
SHEPHEARD'S HOTEL
PAYE
[[Yiacon.]] 20
[[Five chg]] 16
____
102
[[cyan]] 21
____
126
AFTER ORDERS No. 127
By
Major-General Sir. A.J.Godley, K.C.M.G., C.B.
Commanding New Zealand and Australian Division.
Headquarters.
Leitoun Camp.
7th. April, 1915.
ADMINISTRATION.
890.
Embarkation
Returns.
With reference to the Forms in connection with Embarkation
A.F. B126 and A.F. B141;
The following extract from Regulations for the
"Allowances of the Army", which shows the classification of
N.C.O.'s, is published for guidance:
Class 16.
Chief warder, or principal warder of military prison
or detention barrack (for travelling abroad and passage).
Master Gunner, 3rd. class.
Quartermaster-Sergeant.
Class 17.
Colour-Sergeant.
Squadron, battery, troop, or company Sergeant-major.
Squadron,/battery, troop, or company quartermaster-
sergeant.
Class 18.
Quartermaster-sergeant of pensioners.
Class 19.
Sergeant.
The baggage sections of the Divisional Train will embark
with the Units to which they are attached, and on
embarkation the Officers Commanding such Units will furnish
a separate state on A.F. B126 for the Section of the Divisional
Train serving his Unit, keeping a duplicate himself
for reference.
891.
*Field General
Courts-Martial
The following extract from General Routine Orders dated
-April 5th., 1915, is published:-
13. FIELD GENERAL COURTS-MARTIAL.
The following notes are for the guidance of officers
who may be called upon to convene Field General Courts-Martial.
(1) PRELIMINARY.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary
Force is the "General Commanding the Force", and h
the "Officer in Chief Command in the Field" referred to in
the Army Act, section 54 (d) and R.P 120 (d). The proceedings
of Field General Courts-Martial will be dealt with
accordingly, that is to say, no sentence of death or penal
servitude shall be carried into effect unless or until it
AFTER ORDERS 2. No. 127.
*Field General
Courts Martial
(Cont'd.)
has been confirmed by the G.O.C., subject only to the xx
proviso that where the Confirming Officer (see infra para
9) is of opinion that owing to the nature of the country,
the great distance, or the operations of the enemy it is
not practicable to delay the case, the above sentences
may be carried out if confirmed by the General or Field
Officer commanding the Force with which the person under
sentence is present (R.P. 120 (d. ii).
(2) CONVENING.
A Field General Court-Martial may be convened
by an-officer in-command of any Corps- or portion of a
Corps; or by any officer in immediate command of a body of
forces (A.A. 49) when it is not practicable to convene a
General Court-Martial.
N.B. A Commanding Officer is an Officer who under
normal circumstances has power to "tell off" a soldier
(e.g. . C.O., or Officer commanding a detachment).
(3) COMPOSITION OF COURT
(a) Normally not less than three Officers (see para. 8)
(b) A convening officer must not appoint as president
any officer below the rank of Field Officer unless
he (the convening-officer) is himself below that
rank.
(c) Each officer should have held a commission for at
least one year.
(4) CHARGES.
The statement of an offence may be made briefly
in language sufficient to define the offence and to disclose
an offence under the Army Act.
(5) OATH.
The president, members and witnesses must be duly
sworn, and this fact must be recorded on the proceeding.
(6) EVIDENCE.
The Provost Marshal, if present, or the president,
must take down all material evidence in writing and
attach it to the proceedings.
12) FINDING
The finding of the Court on each charge will
usually be recorded simply as a finding of "Guilty" or "Not
Guilty", unless a special finding is absolutely necessary.
If the evidence is not sufficient to prove the commission
of an offence the court will acquit the accused.
(8) SENTENCE.
(a) Of death or penal servitude, (see para. 1).
A sentence of death requires the xxxxxxx
concurrence of all members of the Court, Sec. 49 (2) A.A.
If there are only two officers on the Court, the sentence
cannot exceed 2 years imprisonment or 3 months field punishment.
(b) The limits of sentence that may be passed
upon a soldier are
(i) Penal servitude (not less than 3 years).
(ii) Imprisonment (with or without hard labour)
(Not more than 2 years).
(iii) Detention (Not more than 2 years].
(iv) Field Punishment (not more than 3 months).
AFTER ORDERS 3. No. 127.
Field General
Courts-Martial
(Cont'd.)
(v) Stoppages of pay (not more than 3 months).
(c) The Court will take all surrounding circumstances
into account when passing sentence.
(9) CONFIRMATION
(a) The proceedings will usually be sent for confirmation
through the Headquarters of the unit
to the proper confirming authority, as laid
down in Divisional or Brigade Orders.
(b) With reference to the proviso in para. 1. If the
Court was convened by an officer in command
of a portion of a Corps, the proceedings may be
confirmed by the Senior Officer present (being
a field officer) or if there is not a field officer
present, by any field officer to whom it may be
possible to take the proceedings.
(c) The Provost Marshal, Assistant Provost Marshal or
Prosecutor cannot confirm the proceedings.
(10) RETURN OF PROCEEDINGS.
The proceedings of all Courts Martial and
of Military Courts held under military law will be sent
as soon as possible through the Headquarters of formations
to the Deputy Judge Advocate General, at the Deputy
Adjutant General's Office, General Headquarters.
892.
*Tents and
Marquees.
All marquees and tents as they are vacated will be struck,
and taken over on the ground by the D.A.D.O.S. or his
representatives after the contents of each tent have been
carefully checked and all deficiencies noted. The Officer
Commanding the Mounted Rifles Brigade will detail a staff
of Officers to assist the D.A.D.O.S. in this work, and
receipts will be given by them.
Duplicate copies of these receipts must be
prepared, one copy to be handed to the Ex.D.A.D.O.S., and
another to the Unit concerned.
Circular double tents, Tor pattern tents, Indian
pattern marquees, and circular tents will each be stacked
separately, and the whole placed under guard supplied by
the Mounted Rifle Brigade which will be mounted until
transport arrangements are completed.
The Officers selected to assist will report to
the D.A.D.O.S. at 3 p.m. on Thursday, the 8th. inst.
893.
*Signal Lamps.
Two months supply of illuminant will be embarked on∧all/
transports by all Units provided with signalling lamps, and is
to be loaded so that a portion will be available for use
on each transport during the voyage.
A sufficient supply of message forms (C 2121 and
C 2123) and spare chimneys is also to be taken on each
ship.
Officers Commanding Troops on each transport are
responsible that the above instructions are carried out.
*894.
Correspondence.
With reference to Divisional Order No 355 of the 5th.
April, Headquarters, N.Z & A.Division will now be open
until 12 noon Saturday.
*895.
Intermediate
Base Depot..
Correspondence and communications for the O.C. New Zealand
Intermediate Base Depot can be left in the building
recently occupied as the Dry Canteen, opposite New Zealand
Infantry Brigade Headquarters.
AFTER ORDERS 4. No. 127.
*896.
Medical Inspection
Officers Commanding Brigades and Divisional Units will
arrange that an inspection for the detection of Venereal
Disease is made, on the day prior to leaving Camp.
*897.
Corrigendum.
Reference Divisional Order No. 871. Instead of "Sergeant"
read "Battery Sergeant-Major" in both instances.
*898.
Obituary.
The General Officer Commanding regrets to announce the
death of No. 293 Trooper xxxxxxxxx R.Alexander, 2nd. Australian
Light Horse Regiment, and No. 159 Trooper N.B.Foote,
2nd. Australian Light Horse Regiment, at the No. 1 Australian
General Hospital on the 7th. instant.
(Sgd.) E.W.C.Chaytor,
Colonel.
Assistant Adjutant-General.
NOTICE.
L0ST, from the Lines of the 1st. Field Company, Engineers,
Short Lee Enfield Rifle, Mark III No. 11643. Return to
office of C.R.E., N.Z. & A.Division.
-----COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.-----
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE.
HEAD-QUARTERS,
MELBOURNE, 7th April 1915.
Dear Sir,
By direction of the Chief of the General Staff, I am
to request you to be good enough to contribute, and to request
the officers of your command also to contribute, an article or
articles for publication in the "Australian Military Journal"
Articles submitted should be headed as follows:
"This article is written for the "Australian Military Journal",
and is not to be published unti l submitted to the Chief of the
General Staff".
Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours faithfully,
[[signature illegible]]
Captain,
Editor A. M. Journal.
Lieut Donnelly . *Apl 7/15
MEMORANDUM ON THE FORMATION, ORGANIZATION,AND FUNCTIONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE INTERMEDIATE BASE
IN EGYPT.
1. Introductory. The necessity of the above Base has been
fully recognised by both the War Office and the Commonwealth
Government, and it's formation sanctioned.
It must be recognised that none of the ordinary
administrative machinery employed when British Troops are sent
abroad exists at all, as regards the Australian Military Forces,
which are designed for home defence only; nor can the War Office
machinery be utilised in every case. The latter point will be
obvious when the following facts are taken into consideration.
(a) The Australian Government has despatched an organised
and equipped force to be disposed as the Home Government require.
As far as they are able they intend to maintain the force at
war establishment, and provide it with such equipment as can be
furnished from Australia. The distance of Australia from the
seat of war,and other considerations preclude the possibility of
everything necessary being supplied from Australia. Some stores
can be most easily purchased locally and through the High
Commissioner; other stores the War Office have undertaken to
provide. The xxxxxx responsibility of keeping the force equipped
and fit to take the field rests with the Home Government, but
the Commonwealth Government have undertaken to bear the cost of
the maintenance of this Force, and provide it with war outfit
where possible.
(b) The A.I.F. is self contained as regards pay, and it
is one of the functions of the A.I.F.Base to provide for this,
independently of and ∧ any British organisation. Large financial
questions relating to (a) constantly arise, and have to be dealt
with.
(c) None of the numerous units of the A.I.F. have
Regimental Records Offices ,and the Australian Imperial Base
takes the place of these.
(d)
- 2 -
(a) All routine correspondence with the Commonwealth Government
and the High Commissioner's Office, London, is conducted through
The Australian Base. This is of a voluminous nature, refers
mostly to matters of interior economy and has no interest for the
Imperial Army in general, but it is essential that there should
be some central authority to deal with it.
(e) The sick on discharge from hospital, and officers
and men for disposal and discharge for other reasons, must be
collected from hospitals and units, and maintained until they
can be disposed of. The documents relating to them have to be
examined, adjusted, recorded, and finally disposed of as desired
by the Commonwealth Government. British Regulations cannot, of
course apply to these, and there must be separate machinery to
deal with them.
(f) Hitherto reinforcements on arrival have been
quartered, fed, and administered in every way until distributed
to the units to which they belong.
They now proceed direct on arrival to a Training
Depot, commanded by Major General J . Spens, C.B.
(g) Postal services of the A.I.F. are a distinct
organization, and all postal matters relating to the A.I.F.Units
are dealt with primarily at the A.I.F. Base.
(2) In order to deal with these and other questions
the formation of the Australian Intermediate Base was sanctioned,
and it's formation under my Command was notified in orders of
the A & N.Z. Army Corps, No.10, dated 19/1/ 1915.
(3) The establishment was a tentative one until time
and experience xxxxxx ∧revealed what personnel was requisite for
efficiency, and was drawn up and approved by Army Corps Order
No.31, of 19/3/ 1915. This was slightly amended as regards No. 4l
Sub-Section "Records and Correspondence-" by Army Order No.41
of 6/4/1915. Further modifications have been found necessary
and it is intended to submit at an early date revised establishment
for the approval of the General Officer Commanding in Egypt
-3-
From these orders it will be seen that the A.I.F.
Intermediat Base Depot is divided into Headquarters and the
following six (6) Sub-Sections:-
(a) No.1 Sub-Section - "Records and Correspondence" :
Deals with the correspondence of the Base generally, keeps all
regimental records, attends to the administrative work of the
A.I.F. generally, administers the postal service.-
Personnel - 2 Officers and 27 others.
(b) No. 2. Sub-Section - "Finance": Deals with pay and all
financial questions and payments involved by the fact that
Australia is bearing the full cost of the A.I.F.
Personnel - 5 Officers and 39 others.
(c) No.3. Sub-Section - "Ordnance": Deals with the administration
of all Ordnance questions relating to the A.I.F. The
collection, storage, distribution of all clothing, arms, and
equipment as Australia supplies direct. The arrangement for
procuring locally by purchase of certain clothing, equipment,
stores, and vehicles necessary for issue in Egypt additional to
the articles which may be brought or sent from Australia, and
which the Imperial Ordnance cannot supply. The arrangement also
for the procuring of certain other stores and equipment from
England. The charge of the Australian and New Zealand
Ammunition Depot, and the storage and issue of all Ammunition
arriving from Australia and New Zwaland.
Personnel - 1 Officer and 14 others, including 2 others
attached temporarily to No. 1 Sub-Section.
(d) No.4 Sub) Section - "Medical": Not yet organised or
Establishment fixed, as No.1 Sub-Section deals direct with the
D.M.S. in Egypt on Medical questions. Proposals will shortly be
submitted for the formation of this Sub-Section which is likely
to prove of much importance.
(e) No.5. Sub.Section.-" Remounts & Veterinary": At present
a dead letter, as the Remount Depot in Egypt receives all
remounts direct, and distributes them to Units, British or otherwise.
Will be required if the Australian Base leaves Egypt.
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