Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 13, 16 August - 30 September 1916, Part 7

9th INFANTRY BRIGADE. 3rd AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

QUARTERED AT LARKHILL.
Lewis
Bombing.
Signallers,
One-man
Siterord dumners.
Morse & Buzzer.
Range Finders.
G.3.
latoon Platoon ?
Trd. Trg.
Trd.
Trg.
Trd. Trg.
Squads
gee
O. OR. 0. OR. 0. OR. Ird.
S. 9. 0g.0. og. ma o. og. o. o2.
33rd Battalion. 39 994 -
30 4 8
- - 1 53 - 2 - - 30
34th Battalion. 39 989
--
1 30 3 8
- 1 51 - 2--
35th Battalion. 34 1003 - - 1 30 1 8
- 1 49 - 3--
36th Battalion. 34 987
- - 1 28 3 8
- 1 53 - 2-
 

12
 

Cold
Shoers.
Trd. Trg.
 

10th INFANTRY BRIGADE, 3rd AUSTRALAIN DIVISION.
QUARTERED AT LARKHILL.
sond
Signallers.
Ons-m8
Bombing.
-
Norse k Buzzer
shoere
Range Finders.

me

patoon Platoon.
Trd. Trg.
Trd. Trg.
Trd. Thg
Squads Suads
S o.OR. 0.0R. sa 0.0R. 0.0R. S.EY.
Trg.
0. OR. 0. OR. 0. OR.

as
37th Battalion. 34 985 - - 7 52 20 8 4 3 - 16 - 36 - 1 - - - 193 516 18 2-
38th Battalion. 27 987 - - 1 30 2 -
4 1 - 16 1 36 - - - - - - 150 500 12 2 -
39th Battalion. 33 981 - - 6 30 1 8
4 1 - 16 - 36 - 2 - - - 150 500 12 2.
40th Battalion. 30 999 Arrived yesterday.
 

11th INFANTRY BRIGADE, 3rd AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
ARuRRaD Ad lAnMhlll.
Cold
One-man
Bombersl
Signallers,
Strength.
Shoers.
Range Finders.
Morse & Buzzers..
.
fir for
Trd. Erg.
Platoon Platoon;
Trd. Trg.
Trd. Trg. Sa
Trd. Trg.
G.S.
Squads
Squads
o.oR. 0.on.as
0. OR. O. OR.
0. OR. 0. OR. 0. OR. M Trd. Trg.
- 16 - 36 -
4lst Battalion. 28 954 - - 4 40 - 5
-- - 17 - 36 - 2 --- 12-
42nd Battalion. 28 928 - - 8 30 - 5
2 -- - 12
-- 17 1 16 -
43rd Battalion. 28 941 - - 1 4 - 8 6
2 -- - --
-- 17 1 34 -
44th Battalion. 28 923 - - 6 30 - 5 8
3.
 

1.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
s.
18.
19.
 

4.
Jrd Australien Divisien.
Personal Equipment - The standard equipment is Webb, but about half
the Battaliens have been supplied with thin Rubbereid leather, on
which the fastenings slip about when the pack is on with the result
that the men get chafed and bruised.
Service Rifles - Battalmens have so far only 150 Service Rifles each
which makes training very difficult.
E.Y.Rifles - Battalions have 500 cach.
Armeurers and Toels - All Battaliens have them.
Telescepie Sights - There are none.
Lewis Guns - 4 per Battalien - All Officers and men will be treined
te lay and fire the gun and to change magazines.
Sceuts - All Battaliens have sufficient training.
Snipers - will be seleeted when Musketry is completed.
Sanitary Squads and Water Parties - are either trained or training.
Sheemakers - All Battaliens have seme and will train up to 6.
Tailers - There are sufficient in the 1Oth Brigade, the others will
train üp t. 4 per Battalion.
Bayenet Courses - All Battaliens have them and Aldershot Instructors.
Minature Ranges - All Battalions have them but they are not yet fitted
with Parapets or Trenches to fire from.
Miniature Rifles - All Battaliens have 16.
Musketrv - Battalions have fired in Australia.
9th Brigade should complete English Course by 30th August.
10th Brigade should complete English Course by 2nd September.
11th Brigade should complete English Course by 30th September.
Gas Helmets - From 129 to 134 per Battalien.
Trench Mortar Batteries - Each Brigade has 4 Officers, 2 sergeants,
8 corporals and 36 gunners either trained, training, or awaiting
the next course, and will train a reserve section - See under
"General Remarks"
Machine Gun Cempanies - Each Brigade has a Machine Gun Company
Establishment of 16 guns - 10 officere and 142 other ranks - Trained
t. Maxim and new being trained to Vickers.
First Line Transport - There is at present only sufficient by pooling
te allew one Battalíon in each Brigade to march eur complete - The
Personnel is being trained by the A.S.C.
 

Jrd Australien Divisien.
Divisienal Treops.
Pieneer Battalien - Sce separate Report.
Signal Company - All at the Signal School - complete as to personnel
and nearly so as to equipment.
Cyclist Company - None.
Divisienal Cavalry - Nene.
Artillerv and Ammunition Column - Reorganised - Personnel
arrlved 4 weeks age untrained, but getting en well - Not complete as
to guns, horses or equipment.
One Company not arrived yet - 2 Companies are at
Divisional R.E.
Deficient of 2 Officers - 73 other ranks - rifles
Brightlingsea.
44 riding and 335 heavy draft horses - 66 wagons and motors -
Transpert and Supply Train - Net complete yet.
Werk dene and deing.
Entrenching - Digging and occupation by Companies elementary
Seme Battalions have marched out, dug themselves in, in a complete
system of Battalien Trenches, and returned after 36 hour's work.
Making knife rests, wiring, etc.
- Not yet - There appears to be
a difficulty about wire, out the Southern Command is seeing to this.
Bembing - Is going en - Officers are attemming Schools - 160
grenadíers per Brigade and 40 Pioneers are being trained in the
Divisional School weekly - All men are being trained te throw dummies
& finally to throw at least one live Mills grenade & to understands
(its working)
Miniature Rifle fractice - Constant.
Firing from Trenches - On the range only but parapets or trenches
will be arranged on the Miniature Ranges.
No boards have been put up yet, there has been a
Charger leading
difficulty about timber, but the Southern Command is seeing to
this.
Bayenet Fighting over ebstacle course by day but not by moonlight
yet - Battaliens are at present unlearning the Australian system of
fighting and learning the English one under Aldershot Instructors
(see General Remarks).
Night work, eutposts, etc, - Digging by night yet - Outposts a
little in 5th and 10th Brigades but net in the låth.
9.
Battaliens marching by night fully equipped, etc, - Net yet.
Company Training - A 4 weeks course of Plateon and Company Training
10.
has been completed by the 9th Brigade and by twe Battalions x
in 10th Brigade.
11. Battalien Training - No Battalions have completed.
 

1.
2.
5.
 

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 

Jrd Australian Divisien.
Werk done and deing (sent.)
Tactical Exercises in conjunction with Artillery or Aeroplanes .
12.
Nene yet.
There are Divisienal and Brigade Eembing, Signalling and Machine
13.
Gun Schools.
14. The initial difficulty was the scarcity of efficient
instructors, this was at once taken in hand - Officers and other ranks
in the Infantry have been sent to, or will shortly attend, Courses as
follews - As soon as the first batches return instruction in all
branches should progress rapidly
Schools of Instruction.
1. CHELSEA - Drill and General Instruction -
31st July - lst Ceurse - 11 Officers 21 N.c.o's.
10 N.c.o's.
21st August
FARRIERY
2.
il men) Now away.
Larkhill
25 men)
Romsey
3. SOUTHERN COMMAND TRENCH MORTAR SCHOOL-
Perham Down -
1 week.
8 officers, 4 sergeants, 16 Corporals,
26th August -
72 Gunners - 9th Australian Infantry Bde.
4. SOUTHERN COMMAND ANTI-CAS SCHOOL - SALISBURY -
28th August - 3 Officers, 3 N.C.o's.
5. PHYSICAL TRAINING AND BAYONET FIGHTING (PORTSMOUTH, DEVONPORT,
TIDWORTH)
lst - 12th August - 7 Officers, 35 N.C.O's. attended.
15th August - 4 Officers, 15 N.C.O's. new at Tidworth.
6. MACHINE GUN COURSE, GRANTHAM - 27th July - 4th September .
12 officers, Machine Gun Companies.
7. MUSKETRY AND LEWIS GUN
46 Officers - Hayling Island.
31st July - 25th August
14th August - 14th September 5 Officers, 15 N.C.O's
Tidworth.
Lewis Gun - Special Course - Tidworth - 15 N.C.O's, - Tidworth.
e. SIGMALLING -
27th - 6th September - 9 Officers, 27 N.C.O's.
Weymouth
3 Officers, 6 N.c.o's.
. 21st August -
Chelsea
9. BOMBING
Lyndhurst - 29th July - 5th August - 5 Officers, 7 N.C.o's
qualified.
Clapham) - 7th August - 3 Officers - 5 day(s course.
14th
21st
,20 N.c.o's.
21st August - 12
Lyndhurst
 

Jrd Australien Division
Work dene and deing (Cont.)
Schools of Instructien (cent.)
10. RANGE FINDING COURSES -
Hayling Island - 28 officers qualified.
11. R.A.M.C. COURSE OF COOKERY CODFORD -
14th August - 3 weeks - 18 other ranks.
12. BICYCLE REPAIRS-WOOLNICH:
2 men qualified.
13. REGIMENTAL ARMOURERS .
14th August - 6 other ranks.
14. MACHINE GUN COMPANY - ARTIFICERS-
21st August - 6 other ranks.
15. SENIOR OFFICER'S COURSE - CHELSEA - 4 days
12 Officers have attended.
16. PIONEER COURSE - READING -
7th September - 6 weeks - 4 Officers, 4 N.c.o's.
Courses shortly taking place.
17. RIFLE COURSE - HAYLING ISLAND - SENIOR OFFICERS
28th August - 5 officers.
18. RIFLE COURSE - HAYLING ISLAND .
28th August - 7 Officers, 33 N.C.O's.
19. RANGE FINDING COURSE - HAYLING ISLAND -
28th August - 14 officers.
20. BOMBING - LINHURST -
4th September - 12 Officers. 20 Officers.
21. PHYSICAL TRAINING AND BAYONET FIGHTING -
5th September - Tidworth - 5 Officers, 15 N.c.o's.
22. BOMBING
CLAPHAM - 14 days .
4th September - 3 Officers.
18th
2nd October - 3
 

7.
 

8.
Jrd Australien Divisien
Training Inspection.
1. 9th Brigade - I saw portions of the various Units at
2. Charger leading - Pretty quick, but too much leoking down-
Miniature Range Practice - The pesitions were mostly goed .
3.
Instruction in putting on Gas Helmets - Goed -
4.
Companies of 33rd and 35th entrenching and elementary eccupation
5.
of trenches - Satisfactory, but periscopes too visible, and on one
Bay the fire step was not adjasted to the height of the parapet.
36th Battalion - One Company in occupation of trenches - The work
6..
was good, and a Company Officer I questioned knew his Trench and
Anti-Gas Books off pat - A Log book was kept and all Trenches and
Bays were numbered or lettered
One Battalion at Battalion Drill - Quite geed, the step is rather
lenger and slower than with us - The men were steady in the ranks
34th Battalien - Entrenching Scheme - After a march of 6 miles,
dug themselves in covered by outposts e
Fire and Observation Trench at first with Entrenching Implement,
the men lying down, when sufficient cover was available work went
on with ordinary tools
Support and Communication Trenches with ordinary tools -
Reserve Trench dug by Pioneers -
The Battalion remained in the Trenches for 36 hours
The disposal of Rifles while working was goed, that of the
equipment less so, but it was dene on a system
It was as good and practical a bit of work as I have seen for some
time.
10th Brigade
9.
37th Battalion on the range - Fire discipline and positions good -
10.
The Ammunition appears to be very faulty - Bullets have struck in
11.
the barrel and several fore-ends have burstm probably from this
cause
Some belts have jambed and bent, probably ewing to overloaded
cartridges.
38th Battalien - Lately arrived - At elementary Bayonet Fighting
12.
Unlearning the Australian method - Owing to scarcity ef instructors
the Squads were too large, but this will shortly be set right
39th Battalion - On a return march - The men swung along well and
13.
were quite steady
40th Battalion - Only arrived the day before - At elementary
14.
Musketry instruction
quite satisfactery.
11th Brigade -
15.
4lst Battalien - A very seund entrenching scheme, similar to the
16.
one carried out by the 34th Battalion of the 9th Brigade - I saw
this Battalien as it was completing its 36 hours - The work was very
good - The Fire Trench was everywhere defensible, Bombing defence
had been arranged for-
17. 42nd Battalion - On the Range - Fire discipline and positions gooda
 

3rd Australian Divisien
Training Inspectien (Cont.)
43rd Battalien - Digging and Revetting and elementary occupation
18.
of Trenches - Satisfactory, but the sandbagging was indifferent xx
and shelters against rain had been run up in the Fire Trench
The same Battalien on the march - The men were steady and swung
19.
along well
44th Battalion - At Bayonet Fighting, elementary, on Course -
20.
Getting on well - Also on the range at Musketry with Gas Helmets
on - Discipline and positions good, also good at putting on the
helmets .
At Company Drill - Good - The step longer and slower then with us-
I saw the Signallers, Machine Gun Companies and Lewis Gunners of
21.
all Brigades at Drill - All good -
The Lewis Gun instruction was quite elementary as the Instructors
have not yet returned from Courses
This Division is geing to come en well, it is being trained on
22.
sound lines and I cannot call to mind any fault i neticed
which had not been spotted either by the G.S.O. or the Brigadiers.
sioneer Battalien
Quartered at Larkhill.
Strength fit for G.S. - 30 officers and 999 other ranks.
1.
Unfit for G.S. - 8 other ranks.
2.
3.
Starred for Munitiens - 1 ether ranks.
4.
Rifles - 150 Service and 543 D.P.
Armourers - Trained 1 Sergeant - Training 4 other ranks.
Personnel Equipment - 25 per cent of the belts are too small, and
a good deal of it is Rubberoid Leather, which is unsatisfactory.
Lewis Gunners - Training 3 Officers and 68 other ranks - Half
7.
have been trained to Maxim -
Signallers, Morse and Buzzar - Trained 4 Officers and 17 other
8.
ranks - Training 24 ether ranks
Bombers - Instructors 2, Trained Platoon Squads 4 - Training 4.
Other ranks trained 40 - Training 40.
One-man Range Finding Instruments - Nil - Trained 2 Officers.
10.
Training nil.
Cold Shoers - Trained 1 - Training 2.
11.
Periscopes - 17
12.
Scouts trained or training - 8 per Company.
13.
14. Musketry Course - One Company has begun.
15. Sanitary Squads, Water Party and Stretcher Bearers - Training.
16. Tailors - 3.
 

AUS
 

10.
3rd Australien Divisien.
Pieneer Battalien (Cont.)
17. Shoemakers - 3.
Infantry Training - Advanced Company and Battalion Training still
18.
tobe done- Bayonet Fighting Course still to be made.
Pioneer Equipment - Not nearly complete.
19.
20. Transport- Not nearly complete.
21. Pioneer Syllabus - Nearly all has yet to be dene.
Categories of Tradesmen - The Battalion has more than sufficient.
22.
Prefessions of officers whose occupation in civil life renders them
23.
especially suitable for Pioneer Work
Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineers - 8 -
Surveyors - 6 -
Draughtsmen - 4 -
Architects - 2
Professors of Chemistry - 1.
24. The men, like the rest of the Divisien, are a fine physique
and keen, they should come en quickly
Those I saw were entrenching in conjunction with Infantry.