Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 14, 6 October - 30 November 1916, Part 17

Agenda 7. - a perfectt line wanted.
do 8. - X Get C-in-C's letter - ask Jackson xx
Select an Officer as Div. Instructor
30^x range at old asylum & elsewhere.
Make a 200^x Range with Screen
Diagram - see original document
do 9. Corps M.G. officer - Chalmers.
do 10. Div. Commander to visit Schools.
Corps School at Morbeck
& at Nouveau Monde - Sanitation. -
(See A.D.M.S re tightening up Standard of Medical
action).   Ask Jackson which men promising.
43 & 34^th
An Officer's rest house at La Motte.
Also visit Army Schools - get a list from Gwynn.
do 11. Drill Sheds & Grounds 
(appears to be a difficulty about space & material
do 12. Use a flying Brigade - for reliefs
do 13. Trench Feet.   Our return is very small - 1 or 2 per Division.
Each Bn  should have its own drying room
Safeguard getting boots taken back into billets & dry places
do 14. F.P. No. 1
Army Comd^s - thinks it should be reserved for
insubordination - All agree it should be kept.
He can ask Army Comd at any time to cancel suspension
do 15. Sanitation - a matter for medical officers - M.O.'s to
be absolutely responsible for welfare, as to health.
do 16. Lectures - see that they are attended - in the afternoons
Officers to be punctual - particularly Artillery exercises
do 17. In January, a staff exercise - an advance
on Lille

Other points
Road Material - Keep horses off roads.
S.O.S. signal - refers to letter on subject - Look it up
re 1 minute lifts
He to see the H.A. Bgds.
& to see our Aeroplane Squadron (at Bailleul)
An Officer's Club. - get this from Birdwood Delaney. -
 

G S Circular No. 2 a 
HEADQUARTERS
G36/2
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
CONFIDENTIAL
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
Divisional Headquarters
30th. November, 1916.
1. "The following dispositions of personnel and recruitments for provision
of working parties are promulgated for the guidance of all
concerned.
2. The personnel of the four front line Battalions is not normally
available for the provision of working parties for new works of 
construction.   All personnel of these Battalions not employed on sentry
duty, or for the ordinary services of maintenance, or resting, is 
available for and should be employed primarily in -
(a). The maintenance, or repair of all existing works of the
front line system i.e. - firing, support and subsidiary lines.
(b). Minor local improvements of same.
(c). Transportation of materials for (a) or (b).
(d). Wiring in front of front line trenches.
3. In so far as numbers available from the four front line Battalions
are at any time not sufficient for the works enumerated in para 2, they
may be supplemented by additional personnel detailed from the respective
"C" and "D" Battalions under Brigade arrangements.
4. Normally, the "C" and "D" Battalions will provide the organized
working parties for carrying out new defensive works within their 
respective Brigade Areas, under the direction of the Brigadier assisted by
the C.O. of the affiliated Field Company. - Such works comprise (inter alia) -
(e). Subsidiary drainage to clear fire and communication trenches,
leading to main outfall drainage.
(f). Construction of Vickers and Lewis Gun emplacements.
(g). Construction of dug-outs and living accommodation in the
front line system.
(h). New communications and improvement of existing communications
(i). Construction of command and observations posts and strong
points.
(j). Improvement of subsidiary line defences.
5. The works enumerated in para 4 must conform to a general policy
which will be communicated to the respective Brigadiers and others
concerned.
6. The two Battalions of the Reserve Brigade which are billeted in
ARMENTIERES, for convenience of reference for the purposes of works
organization, will be known as the "E" and "F" Battalions.   "E" being
the Battalion for the time being occupying the "M" group of billets,
and "F" being the Battalion for the time being occupying the "F"  [[?]]
group of billets.
7. The "E" and "F" Battalions will provide working parties under
Divisional arrangements only, and will normally be employed exclusivel
on the following Group of works, viz.,-
(k) (. Main outfall drainage.
(l) (. Wiring between front line and subsidiary line under a
special scheme to be worked out by Division.
(m). Trainn lines.
(n). Machine Gun emplacements in subsidiary line.
(o). Dug-outs behind subsidiary line.
8. Working parties called for by Corps for work in the ARMENTIERES
region will also normally be detailed from the "E" and "F" Battalions
P.T.O.

9. The Reserve Field Company (less two Sections) will be employed in
connection with the works enumerated in para 7.   The remaining two
Sections will be a reserve with Headquarters of Divisional
Engineers at STEENWERCK.
10. In the event of personnel being required from the two Battalions
of the Reserve Brigade, billeted near STEENWERCK, for work in the
ARMENTIERES region, they will be moved up and back by motor bus under
arrangements made by the "Q" Staff, and will usually be returned to
their billets after each tour of daily duty.
11. The Pioneer Battalion will be employed solely under Divisional
Authority on. works of the following nature, viz.-
(p). Establishment of and maintenance of dumps and workshops.
(q). Tool sharpening.
(r). Preparation of engineering material for use by infantry.
(s). Concrete work of special difficulty or complexity.
(t). Construction of Mortar emplacements, and Artillery O.P's.
[u). Provision of Foremen for Infantry working parties.
(v). Trainn lines.
12. When specialists of Battalions out of the line are not actually
engaged in training, they must provide their fair share of working
parties. Thus, Lewis Gunners and Machine Gun Companies can be very
properly employed in connection with the construction of gun emplacements, etc.
13. Allowing for specialists who cannot be usually employed on heavy
manual work and for sick and transport, etc., the actual working
strength of a Battalion cannot safely be reckoned at more than about
700 men, exclusive of Officers and N.C.O's. - Thus a Battalion can 
provide, each day, two shifts of about 350 men each, or three shifts of
about 230 men each,
14. A working shift, except under inclement weather conditions should
be reckoned as not less than 7 nor more than 8 hours from time of
leaving till return to billets, including two rests of  ½ an hour each.
Throughout each shift, the whole party should be simultaneously at
work, so far as available tools admit.
15. Each of the several groups of works enumerated in paras 4, 7, and
11 should be taken to include the transportation of materials and other
labour incidental to the works of the group.
16. The best results, in finished work produced, cannot possibly be
achieved unless the greatest care is taken by those responsible to carefully
organize each day's work, by telling off to each specific task
the appropriate number of working parties, each of appropriate
strength, with named disciplinary and technical supervision, proper
allocation of tools, correct guiding from billets to rendezvous, to
tool dumps and to working locality, and punctual parading of parties at
the times fixed. Administrative arrangements for warning units in
ample time to have parties ready, and feeding arrangements, are also
essential.
17. For all working parties require for all works of a tactical
nature to be carried out under Divisional authority, the only requisition
to be recognised will be one issued by the-"G" Staff to the Brigade
concerned. - This does not, however, apply to the Pioneer Battalion, who
will normally receive such instructions from or through the C.R.E.
P.T.0. 

(3).
18. All working parties must invariably proceed to their work
with rifles and ammunition, which must always remain within reach.
19. Working parties detailed by the Division, while working within
a Brigade area, come under the disciplinary supervision of the
Brigadier concerned.
G. H. Jackson
Lieut-Colonel -
General Staff.
DISTRIBUTION.
C. R. A.                                1 copy.
C.R.E.                                  4 copies.
Div. Sig. Coy.                   5 1    "
9th. Aus. Inf. Bde.             6    "
10th.   "      "      "                  6    "
11th.     "     "      "                  6    "
3rd. Aus. Pioneer Bn.       5    "
Div. Train.                        5  1    "
"C" Staff.                              7    "
"Q" Staff.                              3    "
A.D.M.S.                          4   1    "
A.P.M.                                   1 copy.
A.D.V.S.                                1 copy.
Corps                                   1   " 

Photograph - see original document

Hetty King
95 Delaware Mansion
Delaware Rd
Maida Vale
1 . W.
(*4399*)