Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 5, 16 May - 25 May 1915, Part 3

ARMY CORPS ORDER.

*SPECIAL*
*

Headquarters,
Anzac Cove,
18th May, 1915.

Complimentary. The G.O.C., has much pleasure in publishing the
following letter from the Rear Admiral, Commanding
No II Squadron, written on his departure with some
of his ships to another area of operations:-
"H.M.S QUEEN,
18/5/15.
"My dear General,
It is with the greatest regret that
I find I have to leave you before we are able to
bring our combined operations to a successful
conclusion.
"On behalf of myself, my Officers and men I wish to
thank you and the Army Corps under your Command
for the loyal and ungrudging manner in which you
have worked with us, making our task easy.
"We are all full of admiration for the gallantry and
daring of your Troops. The dashing way in which you
took your present position will become historic, and
we all hope that your further advance will not be
long delayed.
"Although no longer able to work with you we shall
follow your progress with the greatest interest and
wish you a short and successful campaign and the
victory you so thoroughly deserve.
"Will you please convey to all ranks the honour we feel
in having been allowed to co-operate with the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and the regret
with which we leave them.
"With my very best wishes,
Yours very sincerely,
(Sgd) C.F.THURSBY.

W.B.LESSLIE,
Lt-Colonel,
A.A. & Q.M.G

[*Brigadier*]
[*Personal Copy*]
[*JRM^cG Lieut Colonel,
BRIGADE MAJOR, 4^TH INF. BRIGADE,
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
20 MAY 1915

ARMY CORPS ORDER.

*SPECIAL*
*

Headquarters,
Anzac Cove,
18th May, 1915.

Complimentary. The G.O.C., has much pleasure in publishing the
following letter from the Rear Admiral, Commanding
No II Squadron, written on his departure with some
of his ships to another area of operations:-
"H.M.S QUEEN,
18/5/15.
"My dear General,
It is with the greatest regret that
I find I have to leave you before we are able to
bring our combined operations to a successful
conclusion.
"On behalf of myself, my Officers and men I wish to
thank you and the Army Corps under your Command
for the loyal and ungrudging manner in which you
have worked with us, making our task easy.
"We are all full of admiration for the gallantry and
daring of your Troops. The dashing way in which you
took your present position will become historic, and
we all hope that your further advance will not be
long delayed.
"Although no longer able to work with you we shall
follow your progress with the greatest interest and
wish you a short and successful campaign and the
victory you so thoroughly deserve.
"Will you please convey to all ranks the honour we feel
in having been allowed to co-operate with the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and the regret
with which we leave them.
"With my very best wishes,
Yours very sincerely,
(Sgd) C.F.THURSBY.

W.B.LESSLIE,
Lt-ColoneL,
A.A. & Q.M.G.

[*18/5/15*]
THE HERALD
AUSTRALIA'S LEADER
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED
GENERAL HAMILTON CABLES
REGRET AT LOSING COMRADE
Major-General W.T. Bridges, who
on August 15 was appointed to the
command of the Australian Expeditionary
Force, has been seriously
wounded. This news was contained in
MJR-GEN W.T. BRIDGES  C.M.G.

a cable message received by the
Governor-General from Sir Ian Hamilton,
dated Tenedos, May 17.  Copies of
this cable message were today issued
by the Minister for Defence. The text
is as follows:-
"Deeply regret announce General
Bridges wounded yesterday. I
have seen him. He is very cheery,
but his wound is certainly serious."
EXCELLENT RECORD
SOUTH AFRICAN VETERAN
Major-General William Throsby
Bridges was next in command to
General Sir William H. Birdwood. He
was born in Greenock, Scotland, in
1861, being a son of Captain W.W.S.
Bridges, of the Royal Navy, and was
married in 1885 to Miss Edith Lillian
Francis.
Having received his education in
Canada, he came to Australia and
subsequent to practising as a surveyor
in New South Wales, he embarked on
a military career and served with
the Commonwealth forces in South
Africa in 1899-1900, being awarded
the Queen's medal with three
clasps.  He took part in the operations
in Cape Colony, including the actions
at Colesberg, the relief of Kimberley,
and participated in the battles
at Paardeberg, Poplar Grove, Dreifontein,
and Karee Siding.
It was after this that Australia was
able to obtain the full benefit of his
military experience.  He really dropped
into Australia by accident, and it
was fortunate for this country that he
did so, for it is generally admitted
that "Bridges has brains."
Before joining the Expeditionary
Force he had held all the leading
Australian Army positions, having been
Chief of Staff, Commandant of the
Royal Military College, Inspector-
General and Adviser to the Australian
representative at the Imperial Defence 
Conference.
He has been described as a student
- a long, thin, grim, angular man with
a brain like a machine, only happy
when deep in the problems of organisation.
The work of recruiting and
getting away the first twenty thousand
men from Australia was left solely to
him.
It is legitimate to say that there was
no section of his work about which he
was more careful than the selection and
appointment of his own staff. He took
Lieut.-Colonel White, the Benjamin of
the Defence Department; the Adjutant-General,
the Quartermaster-General,
the British exchange officers, and the
Australian representative officers in
London. He took Colonel McCay from
his duties as Chief Censor. Colonel
Maclagan from the Military College,
and Colonel Hobbs from his South Australian
artillery work. He took all the
third and fourth year students from
the Military College. We gave the very
best of our military staffs to General
Bridges for his division.  In return he
did all that was expected from him.

CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF
MAY BE OFFERED POSITION

Lieut-Col. J.G. LEGGE

As the Chief of the General Staff and
First Military Member of the Military
Board, Colonel J.G. Legge will probably
be offered the position of successor
to General Bridges, pending General
Bridges' recovery from his wound.

Dear McGlynn
Have managed to
find a copy of red
book. List as follows:-
1.  Col McCay   31.3    6.12.07
2.   "   Hughes             6.12.07
3    "   Burston            1.4.08
4    "
5    "    Holmes           1.1.12
6    "    Chauvel           9.3.13
7    "     Monash          1.7.13
8    "     Hobbs             1.7.13
9     "    Sellheim         1.7.13
10   "     Linton             28.7.13
11   "      Legge               1.5.14
Yrs TA Blamey

Dear McGlynn
There is no
CMF List nearer than
Egypt. If it is of any moment
I would suggest your writing
to Col Sellheim.
I am not quite sure of Col
Burston but believe he
commanded the Victorian
Inf Bde in succession to
Col Robertson with full
rank.
I am not sure of the order
of the three on 1.7.13.  I know
Col Sellheim was senior to
Col Legge.
But English newspapers 

say that General
Legge left Australia
on 19^h May, so it is
probable that he has
been promoted in the
CMF.
The complete dates given
are all correct.
Yours Truly

TA Blamey 

Having been informed that the Commonwealth Government has
nominated Colonel Legge to the command of the First Australian Division,
& has promoted him to higher rank in the A.I. Forces  Australian
Imperial Force, I respectfully request that the following representations
may be transmitted to the proper authority:-
I. Altho' in so far as there is for the time being no immediate prospect of my coming under
the command of the G.O.C. 1^st Austn. Division, such a position might assume I am not in this aspect
immediately affected by this appointment, yet I am very seriously prejudiced
thereby in the matter of seniority, both in the A.I.F. & in the Commonwealth Forces.
2. In common with a number of other Officers of the rank of Colonel some of them senior to me, now serving
with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, I am senior in rank to this officer,
have had many years longer total service, & have commanded a Brigade both
in peace & war; & I am as much involved as they in being thus passed over
& having to bear the stigma & the reflection that in spite of these services I am
in common with them considered to be unfitted for or undeserving of promotion or advancement
in priority  of to a junior officer who has had no previous experience whatever in the command 
of any formation larger than a Company either in peace or in War.
3. It is submitted that this action is most unusual, if not wholely without
precedent, is opposed to the usages of the service, & is unjust to officers who have
made great sacrifices & have borne the heat & burden of the day. - As we are
serving under the Imperial Army Act it is submitted that this is a matter
in which an appeal to Imperial Authority can properly be sought, to the end of
restoring either the status quo or the forfeited seniority.
4. I desire to add that this request is entirely impersonal, & is based on
a question of principle only.-

18/5/15
Wanliss
Levy
Permezel

5th

Killed, Fethers, Newham, Saker,
Missing, Clement
Returned. Flockart, Walstab

Wounded Capes, Elder, Lemaistre, Stewart, Gilmore, Ross, M^cKew
Phillips, Manger, Moore, Grey
Lt Adams, Denham

6th
left
Major Ben
Major Bennett, Capt Corpass
Major Major Edgar

"C" Form (Duplicate).
Army Form C. 2123.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
No. of Message ...................................
18
Charges to Pay. 
£      s.    d.
Office Stamp 
18/5/115
(24)
Service Instructions.
Handed in at ......................... Office.......................m. Received 4.17Pm.

TO Brigade Major
4^th Infty Bde

Sender's Number           Day of Month             In reply to Number  AAA
                                               Eighteenth
The 15^th Bn was in occupation of
Quinn's Post since 12 noon on 17^th less
Headquarters and 60 men who were
resting in bivouack. There were also 60
men of 13^rd Bn as reserve. During the night
of 17/ 18^th the enemy appeared very active
shewing lights & throwing bombs into
the gully on the left of the position. They
also throw threw a number of bombs and 
maintained a heavy rifle fire at intervals
during the night. All today the enemy 
have been very quiet with the exception 
of some heavy shell fire. The men 
on the post have been occupied in still 
improving the trenches of the post.
FROM     H R Carter Major
PLACE & TIME    Quinn's Post 4.10PM

^{W.2384-583. 30,000 Pads-8.14. S.B. Ltd.-Forms/C2123.}

"A" Form.  18  Army Form C. 2121.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.   No. of Message
Prefix   Code   m.
Office of Origin and Service Instructions.

Words. Charge
Sent
At   m.
To 

By
This message is on a/c of:
Service.
(Signature of "Franking Office.")
Recd. at     m.
Date
From  25
By
To {
*  Senders Number.     Day of Month.   In reply to Number     AAA
C.O. Quinn's post.

Please let me know if you are making
arrangements to relieve the 60 men of 13^th B^tn,
now with you, at 12 noon today ? -
The 15th Battalion will be relieved from
Quinn's post at 11 a.m. tomorrow Wednesday 19^th
by the 16^th Battalion (less H.Q. details) & 60 men
of 13^th Battalion.

John Monash
Col.
C.O. 4th A.I.Bde
18/5/15

From
Place  JM
Time

The above may be forwarded as now corrected.
Censor
(Z)   P.T.O
Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.

*This line should be erased if not required.