Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 7, 15 August - 22 August 1915, Part 6

Draft  
Establishment per Battln
                        Off       Others          Totals
per Battln     32           991                1023
(attached)      1                                     1
________________________________________
                          33           991                1024
                                                                     4
                                                                _____
                                                               4096
Bde  St Op        4             23                 287
Siglrs                    1             24                  25      }   Total strength onward
                               Total all Ranks   4148     }   this week 17-12-14
 
Actually in Field 17/8/15
                     Ofcrs          others
Staff                  3                  8
Sigs                   1                  15
13^th                    8              206
14^th                       11                  168
15^th                    5               125
16^th                    4              123
            ______________________
                            32           645      =   677   Total all ranks

4148)          67700     (16.3
                       4148.
                   ________
                     26220
                     24888
                   ________
                      13320
                      12444
                     _______
From
Place
Time
The above may be forwarded as now corrected.
Censor.
(Z)
Signature of Addressor or person authorized to telegraph in his name.
*This line should be erased if not required.

13^TH Bn AI.F.
N^o 3 Post
Aust. Valley.
Report for 24 hours ended
0500. 20/8/15.
40
1./  Very Quiet day.
2./  Improvements to Fire and
Communication trenches are
still being pushed ahead.
3./  All Officers of this Battalion
have now visited the other 
Posts of this section.
4./ Night quiet & uneventful
DG Marks
Lieut
a/adjt
1700
20/8/15
104

39
Report 24 hrs ending 0530
20/8/15
Trenches are still
being improved
lateral trenches
are being made
for support and 
communication.
Parapets are being very
much improved
recesses cut and
Iron loopholes
put in.
Sapping still continues
day & night to
connect up
with N^os 1-5 Posts
General very quiet all
day very little
seen of enemy
Night very quiet
20/8/15
PCooper  Capt
for Major
O.C. N^o 2 Post
 

20^th August 1915
HQ 4^th Inf. Bde.
41
Work on Saps has been hampered
owing to numbers of men on fatigues
carrying packs - which latter work
must be continued.
Turks on Ridge opposite front continue
improvement of their trenches which are
of their standard loopholed design and
cover our whole front of this outpost. They
are consistently working on their whole
frontage, not showing particular activity
at any one point.
The night has passed quietly.
H Pope
Lt. Col
OC. No1 Outpost
No6 Section
JM Brigadier
7

Draft        Copy N^o.
Australia Valley.
Aug 21 / 1915
11
Operation Order N^o. 10
by
Brigadier General J Monash V.P.
Commding 4^th Australian Infantry Brigade
T
Reference. Map 1:  20,000 KURIJA DERE.
Situation.  The Ninth Corps attack the W. hills.  - A force of all arms under
Major General Cox, of which this Brigade forms part, will cooperates by making
good a line running South approximately South from D in DERVISH ALI
KUYU till it meets our present line _^ at a point in the vicinity of N^o2 Machine
gun in the (13^th Battalion) N^o 3 post. This point will be indicated by Major Herring 
13^th Bn & is referred to hereafter as the 'pivot'
The _^ Infantry of the whole force  is divided into three groups composed as follows:-
Under Bgdr. General Monash :-  Fourth Aust. Infantry Brigade less a
detachment of 500.
Under Bgdr. General Russel :-  N.Z Mounted Rifles
500 of 4^th Aust, Inf. Bde
A battalion of 29^th British Brigade
Under Lt. Col. Agnew :-  29^th  Indian Brigade
Connaught Rangers (29^th British Brigade)
S.W. Borderers.
Under Lt. Col. Palin :- 29^th Indian Brigade
Detachment.   A force _^ of 500 composed of 250 of 13^th Bⁿ & 250 0f 14^th Bⁿ with due
proportion of officers & N.C.O's, is placed under the command of Major
Herring 13^th Bⁿ, who will report for orders to Bgdr. Genl. Russel. This
force will be in light fighting order_^ with food & water with 100 picks & 100 shovels, each
man carrying 2 sandbags,  & equipped with bombs as arranged by
the Commander of the Force. - The role of this force will be is to debouch
from the firing trench of the 13^th Battalion, on a frontage of about 150 yards.
Its right in the vicinity of No2 Machine Gun position near the pivot. Its objective
is the ridge up on the right bank of the Kaiajick Dere
Preliminary Measures. The 13^th + 14^th Battalions will make arrangements to
detail their detachments today, so as to ensure that the men, while 
remaining available to act in support in the west of an attack by the
enemy, will secure good rest during the night Aug 20/21
One hour before the time named

10
Covering Fire. One hour before the time named for the commencement of the 
operation, the fire trenches are to be fully manned in all posts.
From the pivot to the left of our line, every facility must be given to
the troops of the assaulting column to enter, pass along & debouch from 
our trenches.
From the pivot to the right of our line, an energetic and sustained
covering fire will be directed at the enemy's trenches _^ all along our front,
commencing at a time which will be communicated to all
concerned, & continuing till ordered to cease. While the fire is to be
well sustained, it must be carefully controlled & directed so as 
to compel the enemy to keep under cover. Commanders of posts will
mutually arrange to divide up the frontage, so as to ensure that no
portion of the enemy's trenches escapes from being swept by fire.
This portion of our line will also be alert to deal with any enemy counterattack.
Machine Guns. The Brigade M.G. Officer will redistribute the machine guns so
as to ensure effective covering fire over the whole of the enemy trenches
along our front, from the pivot to the the east. Spare machine gunners
to employ rifle fire, in neighbourhood of their guns.
New Alignment of our Left After the assaulting forces have debouched from our
lines _^ & from left of  the 15^th Battalion & made good the crossing of the Kaiajick Dere
the 15^th Bⁿ will leave their its trenches, & take up a line facing East,
its right resting on _^ our trenches near the pivot , & its left on the valley of the Kaiajick 
Dere - (inclusive) - connecting with the right of the assaulting forces when they have
reached in their final position. This new alignment will be at once
entrenched, & a sunken way cut across the valley, Lt Col Cannan
will command
Patrol. C.O. 13^th Bⁿ will arrange for a patrol of 50 men, drawn from
the personnel occupying the trenches west of the pivot, to move west down
the valley of the Kaiajick Dere to clear the valley of enemy snipers in
the direction of the Kabak Kuyu  well. ↓This patrol to move out in view
of the new line allocated to the 15^th Bⁿ _^ immediately after the latter has moved. 
Reports.  to present position of Brigade H.Q.
Signals Signals will arrange to follow _^ up 15^th Bⁿ with telephone.
Issued at
Copy N^o 1 to A Staff            10. C.O. Detachment
                 5  War Diary        11.  Signals
                 6 13th Bⁿ              12. Field Ambulance
                 7  14      "                13.  A.S.C.
                 8   15     "                14. Bg^r Gen Russel.
                 9   16     "  

0740
21
OPERATION ORDER NO.1   DATED 20/8/15. BY MAJ-GENERAL H.V. COX. C.B.,
C.S.I.,
Reference Force Order No. 19 dated 20th August 1915. 
1.
INFORMATION.  The 9th Corps attacks the "W" hills (105 STU) on the 21^st
August. Part of the SARI BAIR force (detal as below) will cooperate on
right of 9th Corps and will gain ground to EAST of present line between
Hill 92P/U and and KAZLAR CHAIR maintaining touch with 9th Corps.
Detail of force under command of Maj-General H. V. Cox.
N.Z.M.R. Brigade .. 2 Battalions       (No.2 Co. N.Z. Engineers.
29th Br:  Brigade.. 2 Battalions.       ( 1 Bearer Sub-Divn. 4th Aust. F.A..
29th Ind.  Brigade..                             (9  1     "           "       "       3rd L.H.  F.A..
4/ South Wales Borderers.                (  1       "           "       "      108 I.F.A..
4/ Australian Infy Bde
2. OBJECTIVES.  There are three.
(1) Capture of lower Turkish trenches on N.E. side of KAIAJIK DERE from a 
point about 92-J-7 including KAIAJIK DERE   AGHALA and Knoll 60 to the plain
about 92-J-2.
(2) Capture of KABAK KUYU (well) and enemy's post and trenches near it,
92 i and 92 i 8.
(3)n  Advance of outpost line in valley to a line from near DERVISH ALI
KUYU 92-d-4 to KAIAJIK AGHALA 92-J-4.
3. ACTION.   (1) will be carried out xx under the orders of Br-General Russell, with the
following troops:-
N.Z. Mounted Rifle Brigade, less 2 regiments.
500 of the 4th Australian Brigade.
1 Battalion, 29th British Brigade.
No.2 Co. N.Z. Engineers (to report to Genl. Russell by 10 a.m. on 21/8/15)
This force will move to the assault from the trenches held by S.W.B. and
4th Australian Brigade at 3 P.M. on 21/8/15
The 4th Australian Brigade will cooperate by keeping up heavy rifle fire
on whole of enemy's trenches till General Russell's assault masks the fire
from 92-J-7 downwards, and will continue its fire on enemy's trenches above
that point till General Russell has made the new position good. The S.W.B.
will assist in the same way.
No. (2)  will be attacked by 1 Battalion 29th British Brigade which will 
operate from SOUTH of KABAK KUYU. The S.W.B will cooperate with rifle and
machine gun fire till masked by our troops, and will send forward a strong
party to place KABAK KUYU in a state of defence directly it is captured.
The Battalion 29th British Brigade will assault the KABAK KUYU well at
3.10PM. It will then reform and will be held ready to meet any counter 
attack.
The operations ordered above at KABAK KUYU will be under the command of
Lieut-Colonel Agnew Commanding 29th British Brigade.
The 14th Sikhs will take over the part of GORSE HILL now held by the
Canterbury Mounted Rifles at 4 a.m. on 21st August and will also cooperate
by rifle and machine gun fire from that position till masked by our troops.
They will also bring fire on to FARM at green patch(992i) till our troops
reach it.
No. (3). viz- move forward of outpost line.
As the 9th Corps moves forward to the attack of the "W" Hills the
2/10th Gurkhas and 1/6th Gurkhas will cooperate by moving forward EAST up
the valley. Each battalion will leave 25 men in each picquet of present
line. The 1/5th Gurkhas will be in reserve, and will follow centre of line
at about 600 yards distance.
The first objective of this advance will be a line SUSAK KUYU- FARM
at green patch - KABAK KUYU. When it is seen that our attack on KABAK KUYU
is successful a further advance will be made to a line from near DERVISH
ALI KUYU (92d4) south to link up with General Russell (at 92j2) and this
line will be held by entrenched picquets by the 2 battalions for the night,
with half 1/5th Gurkha Rifles in reserve.
The 2/10th Gurkhas will be responsible for keeping touch with the right
of the 9th Corps. Lt Colonel Palin will command the move forward and the 
outpost.
JM