Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 1 July - 16 August 1916, Part 10

Conference          26/7/16 

- with Brigadiers, C.R.A, C.R.E & GSol & AA & QMG. -

Confidential Chat.

Ingredients of Success.

Discipline - loyalty - esprit / obedience of orders, - no dodging. -

Cohesion of units - helpful spirit.

Command, authority, influence. -

The Offensive spirit. -

Making the best of all situations

Promptitude in all returns; punctuality in execution of all orders
not unnecessary waiting.

Physical Training; Technical Training.

Preparing Training. -

Dispersion of Personnel.

Provision of Understudies

Welfare of Personnel - platoon & section commanders.

Intercommunication, Signal traffic.

Information during operation.

Relation between Arms
Infantry & Artillery
Infantry & Engineers

Color patches. - 

Camp routine
Silence at night.
Color patches Periodical Conferences.

No Conference Th.

 

 

27.7-16            38/9

Army Form A. 5.

To General Officer Commanding

3^rd Australian Division Larkhill

WHEREAS I am empowered by Warrant to convene General Courts Martial, and

whereas under the Army Act, any Officer or person authorized to convene General Courts

Martial may empower any person under his command not below the rank of Captain, to convene

a District Court Martial for the trial under that Act of any person under the command of such

last-mentioned officer who is subject to military law:
By virtue of the said Act and Warrant, I do hereby authorize and empower you *(or the

Officer on whom your command may devolve during your absence, not under the rank of
Lieut Colonel.) from time to time as occasions may require, to convene District

Courts Martial for the trial, in accordance with the said Act and the Rules made thereunder, of

any person under your command, who is subject to Military Law and is charged with any offence

mentioned in the said Act, and is liable to be tried by a District Court Martial.
+ And I do hereby empower you *(or the Officer on whom your command may devolve during

your absence, not under the rank of Lieut Colonel.) to receive the proceeding of

such Courts Martial, and confirm the finding and sentences thereof, and to exercise as respects

these Courts and the persons tried by them, the powers created by the said Act of Parliament in

the confirming Officer, in such manner as may be best for the good of His Majesty's Service.
And for so doing, this shall be, as well to you as to all others whom it may concern, a

sufficient warrant.
Given under my hand and seal at Salisbury

this 27^th day of July 1916.

Signature of     }  N U [[Clater?]] - L^t General

General Officer}  G.O.C. in Chief
Souther Command. 

By Command

Signature    } H. [[?]] Fraser

of                   }  L^t Col

Staff Officer }   A.A.G.
Southern Command

 

*May be omitted or varied in accordance with the terms of the Army Act, Sec. 123.

+ This clause may be omitted if the power of confirmation in wholly reserved.

(8 88 64) W 12285-2163  12,500 2/15. H W V (P 820). Forms/A.5/18
12288-4090  12,000 11/15

G26/31

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS,

LARK HILL, 30th. July, 1916.

GENERAL STAFF TRAINING CIRCULAR No. 5.

SUBJECT - BAYONET TRAINING.

The tactical application of the Bayonet.
1. The application
of the bayonet.   
A bayonet assault, no matter what the individual

skill of the man may be, is of little
use unless the assaulting party can be brought
up and hurled against the enemy in a compact
mass like a living wall, with every individual
in a fit condition, full of vigour and eager to
use his bayonet.
An assaulting party which is not controlled
but allowed to charge haphazard over a long
distance, very soon straggles out until a few
isolated individuals arrive at the enemy's
position "dead beat"; such an assault only
leads to useless slaughter and has the effect
of raising the morale of the enemy. 
The tactical application of the bayonet
must be carefully studied and practised by all
ranks, especially by Officers and N.C.O.’s who
are the leaders and who control all bayonet
assaults in the field, and are chiefly responsible
for their success or failure.

2. Collective  
Training.
During the individual training of a man,
his skill is developed and his morale and general fighting
efficiency are raised, but he must be taught that it
is even more important that he should fight for his
side and not only for himself, with that same spirit
that he plays for his side in his games. With this
end in view, collective and tactical training with
the bayonet must be carried out concurrently with
the individual training in all the preliminary
lessons and practices.
The Collective and Tactical Training should
consist of :
(a). Charging.
(b). Methods of carrying rifle with "Bayonet fixed".
(c). Rapid advances out of trenches.
(d). Control.
(e). Co-operation of rifle fire.
(f). Surmounting obstacles with "bayonet fixed”.

3. Charging.   During the first stages of an assault
the advance must be steady and kept well in hand,
and brought up if possible to within about twenty
yards from the enemy's position before the final
charge is made. .......... This ensures

 

[*GOC*]

(2).
that at the moment of impact every man is
fresh, full of vigour and in a killing mood.
The bayonets should not be brought down 
to the "charge" until about the last ten
yards, everyone cheering as he closes with
the enemy.
So often as assault is the very reverse
of the above; the men cheer when they commence
the advance, and so signal their
approach, then scramble off at full pace in a
straggling mass, and finally end up in an
exhausted condition in front of the enemy's
position without any fighting value. Against
a demoralised and unresisting enemy it is not
necessary to resort to shock tactics.
Squads should be constantly practised in
charging from the very commencement and
throughout all of their bayonet training
(B.T. para. 10).
4. Methods of
carrying rifle
with fixed bayonet.
An advance preparatory to an assault
should be made under some form of "cover",
i.e. under cover of darkness, fog, surprise
or fire. (B.T. para. 37).
Convenient methods of carrying a rifle are -
I. Quick short advance (in open) - At the "High Port",
barrel of rifle between point of left shoulder and head.
This allows for a dense formation and minimises the risk
of accidents.
II. Long controlled advance (Close formation). Rifle slung
over left shoulder, sling to the front and rifle hanging
down perpendicularly - a safe method of carrying the rifle
and allowing for the free use of right hand.
III. Long controlled advance (Open order). At the trail.
IV. Along Trenches (Close order in file). The rifle held
close up against the right side, with the finger through
the trigger guard, i.e. the old "shoulder".
This is a good method for a "bayonet scout" to carry
his rifle when advancing along aa trench, his approach is
not signalled by his bayonet protruding in front of him
or pointing above his shoulder over the trench.

5. Rapid advance
out of
Trenches.  
A quick method of getting a man out of a                 
deep trench is for another man to give him a
"leg up" with his left leg; the rifle being
held with the right hand, point of bayonet to
the front. By this method rank after rank can
be assisted out of a trench, the rear rank
assisting the front.
Advancing out of deep trenches should be
practised in all 3rd. Practices, and Assault
Practices.
6. Control. Squads are practised in control by being
made to :-
I. Advance against dummies and trenches in good
order and formation.