Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 11, 8 January - 31 January 1916, Part 4

MOASCAR CAMP,
22nd. January 1916
N.Z. & A. DIVISION/
Authority is requested for me to send the Staff
Captain of this Brigade, Captain W.J.M. Locke to Cairo on
duty, for the purpose of hurrying up regimental equipment
still at depots, expediting rejoining of reinforcements
and details at Zeitoun and elsewhere, and other Brigade
business. Period of duty 48 hours.
JM
BRIG-GENL
Commdg. 4th. Aust. Inf.
Bd 

4A.B. 2135
Copy/
MOASCAR CAMP,
22nd. January, 1916.
N.Z. & A DIVISION/
Reference to conversation today with G.O.C. Division,
in presence of Army Corps Commander, I furnish herewith a complete list
of the names of the Reinforcement officers, destined for this Brigade,
at present in the No. 4 Training Battalion at Zeitoun.
I also beg to refer to my letter of January 10th., copy of which is
attached, which furnished full particulars of the junior personnel,
amounting to 2602 other ranks, also now at Zeitoun, none of whom have
yet joined this Brigade.
I require all the officers and about 1300 other ranks to bring this
Brigade to war strength plus 10 per cent.

sgd. John Monash.
BRIG-GENL.
Commdg. 4th. Aust. Inf Bde
Encl. 2

42
Moascar - 23/1/16
My dear General
About tents, - thanks for your note of 22nd - This is a
characteristic example of how a Commander can be let down by his staff. -
To begin with, Major Gardiner turned down my request for more tents
because he had not got them, not because I already had my full share.
The latter question was not mentioned. Had it been, my staff officers would
speedily have set Gardiner right. - For in what he has told you he is grossly
in error. - An E.P. tent is equivalent to 2 Bells, not 3 Bells, - my
Battalions have in all 348 tents, not 500 as stated by Gardiner. - He
also entirely forgets that Field officers, staff officers & medical officers are entitled
to a tent each, subaltern officers to 1/3 of a tent each, & that a standing camp
requires guard tents, company store tents, mess tents, office tents, post office
tents & so on. Moreover no platoon, or company is ever an even multiple
of the tent unit. - In short, accurate figures, ^show that on my present
strength I have now still a shade over 10 men per Bell tent.-
But I clearly understood you to say that I was to draw tents
for our full war strength; - our reinforcements may come in any day
now, & if the tents are available, it is only good business to have the
tents ready for the men, instead of having them sleep out on the desert
till tents are drawn & pitched. – These reinforcements will be distributed
throughout all platoons & companies, so that every platoon throughout the
Brigade would then require extra tents, - & now is the time to make ready. -
The only result is that your wishes have been thwarted, your &
my time is taken up writing letters, and the proper establishment
of this Brigade camp has been hung up for still another day.
Sincerely yours
John Monash
Major-Genl Sir A. H. Russell )

CONFIDENTIAL
MOASCAR CAMP,
23rd. January 1916.
N.Z. & A. DIVISION/
Upon the question of the relative seniority and precedence
of certain senior officers of this Army Corps, which I have submitted
personally to the Divisional Commander, I beg to furnish the
following particulars:-
This question was raised, for a ruling, on previous occasions.
Such rulings ^as have been given at different times have not been
consistent with each other; and the doubt which exists on this
subject appears calculated to cause embarrassment, possibly at a
critical time.
The following entirely conflicting principles have been employed
at various times:-
(a) Commonwealth of Australia originally ruled that officers would
until promoted continue to rank according to their precedence i
in the Australian Military Forces.
According to this (in which N.Z. Officers are not involved
the order of seniority of those hitherto concerned would
be :-
McCAY, HUGHES, CHANVEL, MONASH, RYRIE, MACLAGAN.

(b) On arrival in Egypt the ruling was given (through A.A. & Q.M.G.
Division) that precedence depended on date of embarkation from
home stations.
According to this (including N.Z. Officers concerned) the
order of seniority was:-
McCAY, MACLAGAN, JOHNSTON, MONASH, RYRIE, HUGHES, CHANVEL.
(c) Next followed Army Order 35 of 1915 stating that "all officers
belonging to a Unit take precedence therein, and in their
respective ranks according to the date of appointments or
promotions to these ranks".
According to this the order of seniority would be:- 
McCAY, MACLAGAN, JOHNSTON, MONASH, RYRIE, HUGHES, CHANVEL.
(d) It was next ruled by Army Corps (16.11.15) that officers granted
the temporary rank of Brigadier General rank among themselves
according to their substantive rank.
According to this the order of precedence is:-
MCCAY, HUGHES, CHANVEL, MONASH, RYRIE, MACLAGAN, JOHNSTON.  

N.Z & A. DIV.      2
(e) The Army List of September 1915 also gives the same order
of precedence:-
McCAY, HUGHES, CHANVEL, MONASH, RYRIE, MACLAGAN, JOHNSTON. 
 (f) The Commonwealth Government has made definite promotions
to rank of Brigadier General assigning the following order
of precedence (only Australian Officers being concerned) :- 
McCAY, MACLAGAN, MONASH, RYRIE, HUGHES, CHANVEL. 
J.M.
BRIG-GENL.
Commdg. 4th. Aust.Inf.Bde. 

Copy
3rd/839.
[*A/AIF]
CENTRAL REGISTRY
No. 51/6 A/AIF
Date 25/1/16
Aust. & N.Z Army Corp
HEADQUARTERS,
NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
Moascar Camp, 24th. January
1916.
From.     Headquarters,
                NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
To.           Headquarters,
                Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
SUBJECT
With reference to the attached letter from
the 4th. Australian Infantry Brigade, I would be glad
if a final decision could be given as to the relative
seniority and precedence of the officers named.
sgd. A.H. Russell
Major General
Commanding N.Z. & A. Division.

Headquarters
N.Z. & A. Division.
[*2 + 7*]
The ruling given in this office memo. of 20th,
November clearly defined that the seniority of officers
granted the temporary rank of Brigadier-General while
holding certain appointments is determined by the date of their
substantive promotion to the rank of Colonel.
sgd. T. Griffiths Major
M.S.
A. & N.Z. Army Corps.
26/.1/16. 

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:
4AB/
L255 Service.

(Signature of "Franking Officer.")
Recd. at 2050m.
Date 24/1/16
From N.Z.&A.
By W Cort
[*AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE

JAN 24 1916
4th Infantry Brigade^.*]
To 4th Aus Inf Bde
* Sender's number
ZA816
Day of Month
Twentyfourth
In reply to number
    --------
AAA
Please wire number required to
complete Bns to war
establishment plus 10% extra

Bne2197

From
Place NZ&A Div.
Time 2040
The above may be forwarded as now corrected.
Censor
(Z)
Signature of Addressor or person authorised to telegraph his name
*This line should be erased if not required.
(34473). M.R.Co.,Ltd. Wt. W4343/341 50,000 9/14 Forms C3131/10

Cairo, 24th January 1916
Mohamed Ali & Bros.
INDIAN TAILORS
Civil & Military Tailors & Lady Dress Makers
Sharia Suleman Pasha
Dr. Brig General Monash
                                                                          PT
One Khaki Coat & Breeches                      200

One Gobdin   "            "                                 400

Six Collars each 10 PI                                     60    

leather Buttons to Khaki coat                      10

                                      Total                            670

                                                                            PT

Received the 670 PT

Paid M. Ali & Bros

with thanks

24/1/16

CONTENTS OF BOXES RECEIVED FOR G.O.C.

-2-
24/1/16

First 9 cases addressed personally to General Monash

Other 28 "              "          to G. O. C. 4th Inf. Bde.