Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 6, 10 June - 12 July 1915, Part 6

18/6/15
Lieut. Kerr
N^o 1614 R. J. Scott. | 13^th| CCo.
(of S. Aust)
——————
Recognised by name on pouch & other
articles.-
Got revolver & compass & another
man got canvas bag of effects. 
(to be looked for
——————
Buried on right side of Valley, about
10 yds down the hill & about 50 yds
to the left of Quinn's left.
3 or 4 of
four together
——————
p.t.o 

N^o1556 C. Hughes. 10^th Mt C Co
Neath P.O. (N.S.W.)

Effects:-     Ring from little fingers
                    Papers (maps)
put into a small ration bag.

18/6/15
Non-English Words of English form
Ucturial   Wape       Noum
Toap         Woost      Nont
Purn         Whoam   Nisp
Gove         Wark        Mant
Thamp     Wale         Murt
Phump    Soat          Moet
Capse       Sasp         Mupe
Cupe         Stape       Mern
Dood        Stame      Oape
Drent        Stoal        Oave
Dince        Rint         Oal
Pash          Rade       Oast
Quate       Rait          Orsp
Ence         Rimp       Colm
Faind        Nate        Clud
Flug          Nale         Clep
Flime        Nope       Bilm
Prend       Nute        Bint
                                    Blont
                                    Kolf
                                    Purf
                                    Poed

33
Training 
Anzac Cove
Reserve Gully
18.6.15

From O/C 14th Bⁿ: AIF
To B.M. 4^th Inf Bde.
I beg to report on the efficiency of this battalion
as a fighting unit.
Reports from the Company Commanders are attached,
and summarized are as follows:-
(1) Total strength of Bⁿ at present :- 757
(2) Number of original trained
men now serving                                  408
(3) Reinforcements 2 & 3                      146
(4)            do                4 & 5                     162
(5) Original off now serving                    13
The percentage of original Bn now serving is
about 50%.
The casualties of officers are very great,
In C & D Cos only 1 officer (trained) remains.
Amongst the NCOs the loss has been very
pronounced.  Promotions have occurred
to replace wastage, but at present
owing to want of facilities in regard
to training this militates against much
progress being made in this direction.
Reinforcements. The material is good
but, they are totally unfit to take
the field in any offensive action.
Very few have received any training
whatever in field operations, their
discipline is lax, musketry decidedly

34
bad, and in my opinion they are totally
unfitted to take the field without the
necessary training.  This can only be
acquired by a temporary withdrawal from
this Peninsula for training purposes.
Owing to the loss of Senior officers many those
promoted have not had opportunities of
exercising their commands. This is
most important if the operations of the
battalion are to work successfully.

Jno Adams Major
O/C 14^th B^n.

"A" Company 18th June 1915

The training of the 2 & 3^rd reinforcements as
far as drill is concerned is fair but they
have done very little musketry and
no field training at all.
The training of the 4^th & 5^th reinforcements
is even worse that that of the 2^nd & 3^rd.
Those who had been in the depot for
a longer period have xxxx been once or twice
down at the range but they know very
little about musketry and have had 
no field training at all.

CM Clark
Capt
OC A.Co.

Head Quarters

B Company
14^th Bttⁿ A.I F
Headquarters
Red Gully
18.6.1915
From:- O.C B Coy 14^th Battⁿ A I F
To:-        Adjutant 14^th Battⁿ A I F

Herewith report on the training
of Company as requested

(B) These men are inclined to be slack, I suggest that
some revised training would be advisable

(C) These men have not had the training of 'B' and
the difference in their military training work is noticeable.
They have little or no training in field work.

(D) Same as (C) but have done no musketry and
no field work & in fact their military instruction
is practically nil.

(E) Number of original Officers. Would suggest if possible that
the original officers be given a chance of exercising
in field work etc what is practically a new company.
The officers promoted from the ranks have had
no instructions and no practical work in their new
duties. The officer in hospital should be returned
to duty within a few days

(F) Although the original N.C.O's in many cases
have carried on the duties of the higher rank, they
had little or no training in their present
rank.
As far as the reinforcement N.C.O's are concerned
we have had little or no chance to judge their
capabilities, but should think, in cases, they are
not up to original standard

Summary
As far as we are concerned, we hope additional
training may be obtained for all ranks, before
continuing military operations

A Henry Captain
O.C.
B Coy
14 Bttⁿ.

NZG 172
"4"  A.I. Bde
(spare copies)
Headquarters,

NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
Anzac Cove, 19th June 1915.
Circular memorandum

For Commanders of Sections of the Defence.
The General Officer Commanding is very glad to see in
his visits to posts that a marked improvement has taken place
lately in the alertness of the men in the trenches, and that,
in most posts, superiority of fire has been maintained over th
the enemy.  Also, that the enemy's sniping is now kept down
to a far greater extent than formerly.
The work done in the trenches, and their improvement,
is also, in most cases, satisfactory, but much can still be
done in this respect.
The following points in particular require attention:-
1. Many iron loopholes are still not in use, and, when used,
are not yet properly covered with sacking, and so put into the
parapet as to be screened from the enemy's view. This must
be done in all cases, and, when not in use, the loopholes
must invariably be plugged.
These loopholes, where not required for firing, are most
valuable for observation.
2. Facines are not nearly as much used as they might be?
More should be made in all posts, and they should be used for
many purposes whereby the use of sandbags might be saved . Th
The pictures in the illustrated papers of the trenches in Fran
show that a great deal of reverting in them is done with facines
and gabions, which should also be made.
3. Sandbags are scarce, and a great many are used for unnecessary
purposes. All Commanders of posts must stop this, and
must collect all sandbags from any places where they are not
required, for use where they are urgently necessary.
4. There are not, as a rule, sufficient machine guns
emplacements. More must be made, and every maxim gun in use
must have at least one, or even two, alternative places from
which to fire.