Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 12, 1 March - 29 April 1916, Part 5

Page 213.
HEALTH. 2. The physical condition of the army is good, there is
no disease, only extreme exhaustion. It was noticeable that the
young men up to the age of 26 had suffered far more severely
from exhaustion, and would require longer to recuperate, than
the men of mature age. These older men, hardy mountaineers
for the most part, set to work on the heavy manual labour
entailed by the embarkation almost as soon as they had been
fed. Throughout the whole process of embarkation the men
never got out of control and the work was carried out
continuously by day and night in face of threats from enemy
submarines and under fire from hostile aircraft.
(The younger men will take some time to fully recover and will
require considerable training in the new units in which they
must be organised). There has been no typhus, cholera or
even pneumonia and of the older classes 100,000 should be able
to take the field within two months of arriving at CORFU.
EQUIPMENT. 3. The Serbians carried all that they could remove having
no commissariat or wheeled transport. All the infantry
arrived with their rifles, which are of varied pattern types.
Many machine guns were carried throughout the retreat on men's 
shoulders and also all manner of copper utensils to prevent
them being of value for German munitions. The troops arrived
without boots and with their uniforms in rags. 70,000 Austrian
prisoners were driven in front of bthe retreating army with the
flying Serbian peasantry. Almost all the artillery is lost
but the gunners and drivers marched to the coast in formed
bodies. No cavalry or transport horses were saved.
COMMAND & OFFICERS. 4. The Staff of the Army are confident that the work of
re-organisation will not take long. They themselves say that
they may have been beaten but not crushed. Many officers and 
men express their eagerness for a speedy revenge even if they
should be sent to the Western front. Many old soldiers and

Page 214.
non-commissioned officers have been given commissions.
3. RUSSIAN ADVANCE IN THE CAUCASUS.
The following was the distribution of the Russian forces from
the sea to Lake Van. 

G.H.Q. at TIFLIS.
Field G.H.Q. at KARAURGAN.       Total, 143,000 Infantry.
                                                                           14,625 Cavalry.
                                                                                320 guns.
Our estimate of Turkish forces before the fall of ERZERUM was
about 110,000 infantry and 12,800 cavalry and 125 guns. It is
probable that at least 50,000 of these have now been put hors de
combat.
The new positions occupied by the Russians on March 1st are
reported as follows:-
1st Sector. on a point on the coast midway between ATINA and VITSE
to PERTEGPEK. H'Qrts at BATOUM.
2nd Sector. KISKIN, ISPIR, DUMLODAGH, ORTYUM. H.qrts at ILIJA.
3rd Sector. ASKALE to KARASHEIKH. H.Qrts at ERZERUM.
4th Sector. KULID, MUSH, TADVAN. H.Qrts at KHINIS.
Russians have occupied BITLIS.
4. REPORT OF A GREEK PASSENGER WHO LEFT CONSTANTINOPLE ON JAN. 25th 1916.
Turkish troops arriving in Constantinople from Thrace are
usually allowed ten days for rest and refitting. They receive new

Page 215.
uniforms, i.e. grey trousers and greenish Belgian tunics
closely fitting behind, greenish puttees, well made boots, new
grey overcoats of German make and pattern, Enverish caps and
new equipment.
At date of informant's departure there were more German
Officers than German troops in Constantinople.
Two or three ammunition trains arrived daily from Germany
and were unloaded at Serai Burnu by German sailors under German
Officers.
Youths of 17 and 18 have been invited to go to Germany to
work in the munition factories. A number have already volunteered
Informant states that there are no German submarines at
Constantinople.
Heavy requisitions have lately been made on leather and
cotton goods.
Large number of men from the Labour Battalions have been
sent to BOZANTI for road construction in that district.

4th Australian Bde 8/3/16
Tentage Return in Compliance
with D A D O S. 7

Tel-el-Kebir
8.3.16.

From Rev. D.I. FREEDMAN, C.F.,
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
The Chaplain would be pleased to meet
you at a SERVICE for Jewish Soldiers
to be held on Saturday Mar 11^th
at the MEN'S MESS HUT of the
32^nd Battalion
at 3.0 p.m. precisely.
Notice of the Service has been
published in Orders.
D.I.F.

ON Active Service
Brig General Monash C.B.V.D.
4^th Inf Bgde
Headquarters
Egypt  Tel-el-Kebir

44
Fourth Aust Inf. Bde.
Tel-el-Kebir
10/3/16
H.Q
A.T.F
Reference annexed requisitions: -
Following Tabulations shews by ranks & units, - subject to
the notes at foot - the requirements in personnel of this Brigade
after providing for War Strength of Brigade, M.G.C^o, Pioneer C^o, Bakers
& Butchers, Depot Unit of supply, & Divisional Base, to be detached
from strength at date hereof.:-

Note:- (a) It is considered that the whole of the 87 vacancies
for officers & N.C.O's can be filled by promotion from
within the Brigade. - Thus, the personnel required
to complete, on today's states, is 160 of other ranks.-
(b) Above does not yet provide for the detachment of
personnel for Signal Section, or for Artillery. - These
may reach, but are not likely to exceed 100. -
John Monash Brig. Gnl
Commg 4^th Aust. Inf. Bde

11/3/16
BAYONET PRACTICE
One of the best forms of bayonet training is to
exercise men on a bayonet practice course. These courses
are to be constructed at once by every battalion at some point
from 400 to 800 yards north of their lines.
These courses are from 100 to 150 yards long and about
20 to 30 yards wide. They are provided with a succession of
lines of dummies (made of sacks filled with straw or sand)
placed in trenches or suspended from scaffolds. These courses
may be made in a variety of ways. The following is suitable
example in section.
Diagram, see original document
A are dummies, B are scaffold, C is plain wire entanglement.
If the course is 30 yards broad about 10 dummies can be placed
in each line.
Ten men shold be started together at D and move forward
at a steady double, each man bayoneting his dummy in each line.
The point where the dummy should be hit is usually to be marked.
After the dummy has been struck the bayonet must be correctly
withdrawn before the man proceeds. In the last trench the men
to fire 5 rounds rapid. The dummies on the scaffold to be
filled with straw, others to be filled with sand. Suitable
competitions can be arranged on these courses, marks being given
for time and style. 50 sacks per battalion can be obtained from
the senior supply officer, a further supply will be available
later. Timber to make one scaffold per battalion is immediately
available, a second one can be constructed later when more
material is available.   J. Monash  Lieut Colonel
Tel-el-Kebir  11/3/16       G.S, Aus Prov Formations
1 gone to each Bn

Lt. Simonsen
Tel-el Kebir.
From
The Hon President
of the Brigade Sports Commitee.
To
G.C.C. 4th Brigade.
The following is the draft programme of the
Brigade Sports which is submitted by the Committee for your approval.
1. Flat Race 100 Yards Championship. (in 2 Heats)
2. Sack Race
3. Tug-of-War. (Inter Battalion) in two heats. (10 men in each team and one
officer in charge)
4. Officers Flag Race (Mounted)
5. High Jump.
6. Obstacle Race.
7. Flat Race 100 yards Championship. Final.
8. Throwing the Bomb.
9. Hurdle Race 112 Yards.
10. Brigade Donkey Race.
11. Long Jump.
12. Siamese Race. (one pair only from each Battalion).
13. Mens' Flag Race.
14. Platoon Competition.
15. Fugitive Race.
16. Tug-of-War (Final)
NOTES
1.The committee has decided subject to your approval to hold Battalion
sports next Friday 17th March. The First two placed men in the Battilion
sports will be eligible to compete in the Brigade Sports.
2. It is suggested to hold Brigade Sports on Thursday 23rd March beginning
at 1300.
3. It is proposed to ask for £5- from each Battalion from the Regimental
fund, and in addition subscriptions from Officers towards the Prize Fund.
4. Major Twynam of 13th Battalion will give a trophy.
5. The Committee is organising a concert for the evening of Friday, 17th March
J.L. Cope Captain.
12/3/1916. Hon President, Brigade Sports Committee.

14/3/16
4^th Aug Inf Bde
Tentage Returns
EPs                    21
Double}                             140/560
Circular}          132           600
Single}                            
Circular}          468
Staff}
Sgt}                        1
                           622