Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 6, 10 June - 12 July 1915, Part 5
Reserve Gully
17th June 1915
To The C.O 14th Batt
From A / OC. 'C' Coy
In forwarding the attached states I have
to report the following
Reinforcements
One half of the company is now composed
of 2nd, 3rd 4th and 5th Reinforcements which have
been trained to in squad and close order
drill, but no field training and little Musketry.
A large number of these men were issued with their
rifles on embarkation in Melbourne and have done
very little Range firing in Egypt and no Field
firing at all. In my opinion these Reinforcements
are not fit to go into Action with their present
discipline and training
Coy Officers
Out of the six original Company Officers I am
the only one left. From the five officers since
allotted to the coy, one, (Mr Graham) held a commission
in the Battn. (D Coy) two others Messrs Neale (since
sent to Hospital) and Luscombe reinforcements,
and the remaining two, Messrs Matthews and Lathie
promoted from the rank of Q.M.S. and Sgt
respectively.
N.C.O’s
There are six new NCO’s in the company
out of a complement of fifteen. Four are
promotions and two came from 3rd and 4th
Re-ments. I have not had an opportunity to
judge the capabilities of the two reinforcements.
As all the Sgts of the Company except one who
is Acting QMS. have been wounded or promoted
men from the junior N.C.O.’s of the coy. have been
been promoted to take their place. The lack of
efficient N.C.O.'s is one of the most serious
disadvantages we have to contend with.
General
Taking the following facts into consideration
it is my opinion that this unit is
quite unfit to take its place in Active work
at the present time-
(1) Lack of training and discipline in
Reinforcements and consequent detioration of
discipline of original men of the Battn
(2) Detioration of physical fitness after eight
weeks spent mostly in Dugouts and Trenches.
(3) Officers of company having new commands
two being first promoted from N.C.O's.
(4) Lack of facilities for training and improving
the discipline of the men and consequent loss of
opportunity for officers and N.C.O's to know their
men and getting get a grip of their work.
(5) Lack of N.C.O's efficiency as most of the
existing ones have either been promoted from
junior to senior N.C.O.'s or promoted from
the ranks.
V Cumberland Lieut
Commdg. "C" Coy. 14th Bn.
"C" Coy 14th Bn A. I.F.
(a) Total Strength of Coy 186 + 17 = 203
(b) No of Original men 93
(c) No of 2nd Reliefs 21
do 3rd " 33
Total 54
(D) No of 4th Reliefs 31
" 5th " 8
Total 39
(E) No of Original officers 1
Additions:-
Promoted from Ranks 2
Joined with 4th Reliefs 1
5th " 1
Transferred from 'D' Coy 1
Total 5
Hospt 1
4
"C" Coy
(F) No of Original N.C Os 9
Additions:-
promotion 4
Recifts 2
Total 15
V. Cumberland Lieutenant
Comdg 'C' Coy 14th Bn
Non-Combatants
Bn Hd Qrs 2
A M C. 6
S Bearers 4
Pioneers 3
Bde. Sigs 2
17
17/6/15
Diagram -see original text.
x2 = (x-j)2 + f2 ✓
f = a - c ✓
j = b - d ✓
h2 = e2 + q2 ✓
h = x - y ✓
q/e = (x - j)/f ✓
h2 = k2 + (a - e)2 ✓
k = x - b - q ✓
abcd efghjkxy
x, a, b, d, c, q, e, y
a = 50
b = 20
c = 20
d = 10
x2 = (x + d - b)2 + (a - c)2
g/e = (x - b + d)/(a-c)
(x - y)2 = e2 + g2
y2 = (x - b - g)2 + (a - e)2
------------------------------------------------------
x2 = (x + 10 - 20)2 +(50 - 20)2 = x-10|2 + 30|2x2 = x2 - 20x + 100 + 900 | 20x = 1000
x=50
-------------------------------------------------------
g/e = (50 - 20 + 10) / (50 - 20) = 40/30 = 4/3 therefore g = 4e/3
------------------------------------
(50 - y )2 = e2 + 16e2/9
y2 = (50 - 20 - 4e/3)2 + (50 - e)2
-------------------------------------------------------y2 - 100y + 2500 = e2 ( 25/9 e2
50 - y = 5/3e therefore y = 50 - 5e/3 = ± (150 - 5e) / 3
--------------------------------------------------------
(2?500 + 1500 e + 25 e2 )/ 9 = 900 - 80e + 16e2/9 + 2500 - 100e + e2
--------------------------------------------------------
22500/9 + 1500e/9 = 3400e - 180e
--------------------------------------------------------
2500 - 3400 = (500/3 - 180)e
e = (900 + 3)/1040 = 67 1/2 therefore y = 90
135/52 = 2.596
17/6/15
Hand drawn maze- see original.
"A" Form.
Army Form C. 2121.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
No. of Message
Prefix.....................
Code..................m.
Office of Origin & Service Instructions
Works
Charge
Sent
At.......................m.
To...........................
By..........................
This message is on a/c of:
.....................................Service.
(Signature of "Franking Officer")
Recd. at............m
Date........................
From......................
By............................
TO.
Sender's Number.
Day of Month.
In reply to Number.
Seventeenth June /15
AAA
Lt Col. Pope
Herewith cable just received from
the father of Lieut. Kerr 16th Bn, who
was, I think, killed on 2/6/15. -
Please let me know what you can
about the lad, & if possible where he was
buried, they want chaplain; so that
I may write to the father.
Please return the cable.
John Monash Col.
From
Place
Time 1155
The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z)
Censor. Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.
*This line should be erased if not required.
"A" Form.
Army Form C. 2121.
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
No. of Message..........
Prefix.....................
Code..................m.
Words.
Charge.
Sent.
At...............m.
To..................
By.................
This message is on a/c of:
.......................................Service.
(Signature of "Franking Officer")
Recd. at..................m
Date.......................
From.......................
By............................
TO
Sender's Number.
Day of Month
18th/6/15
In reply to Number.
AAA
C.O. 14th Bn
The portion of the main road bordering upon the
lines of the 14th Bn does not compare favorably
as to upkeep with other portions of the road. There
are a great many loose stones scattered over the
surface. There are also serious encroachments of
earth at several places, which must be removed
as they reduce the effective width of the road. The
side drains have not been maintained open or
properly cut, and much can be done to improve
the top of the road by spreading fine soil to
fill inequalities of surface.
John Monash Col
C.O. of 4th A.I.B
From
Place
Time 0800
The above may be forwarded as now corrected. (Z)
Censor. Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.
*This line should be erased if not required.
ANZAC INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
-----oo------
Later reports of the fighting on the night of the 15th when the
Turks made an unsuccessful attack on our trenches show that the enemy
led by a German Officer and a Turkish Officer made a gallant attack on
the trenches occupied by the 88th Brigade. A few Turks were killed
on the parapet itself but most of them fell dead before reaching our
trench. Between 40 and 50 dead could be counted including both the
German and the Turkish Officers.
The new trenches gained on the 12th by the South Wales Borderers
and Border Regiment were also attacked. The attack was preceded by a
strong bombing party. Our troops were forced to retire about 50 yards
where they entrenched. At daybreak the vacated trench was enfiladed
by our machine gun fire from the right and left and the Dublin Fusiliers,
who occupied this position portion of the line counter attacked with the
bayonet and recaptured the trench which was found to contain about 200
dead Turks. Our casualties were very slight.
There was a quiet day in the Southern sphere yesterday except for
some shelling from the Asiatic shore.
Army Corp Headquarters,
18th June, 1915.
Ig / 406
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