Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 14, 1 December 1916 - 10 February 1917, Part 1

For G O.C.

to retain

Second Army Intelligence.

December, 1916.

WEATHER OF JANUARY, FEBRUARY & MARCH in the British

Army Area, based on observations extending over

period from 10 to 20 years.   From METEOROLOGICAL

SECTION, R.E., G.H.Q.

**********************************************************

After DECEMBER the weather begins on the average to improve,

very gradually at first, more rapidly as a rule after

the end of FEBRUARY.   The ground, on the other hand, rarely

begins to improve until after the middle of FEBRUARY, when it

is in about its coldest and wettest condition.

JANUARY is sometimes as bad a month as DECEMBER, or even

worse;  and on the average it is colder.

FEBRUARY is more frequently dry, but the alternating

frosts at night and thaws in the day usually keep the ground

in a soft and difficult state.   Only if a spell of frosty

weather sets in with Easterly winds is these any likelihood of

dry conditions;  and even with such a spell there is considerable

risk of cloudy, wet or snowy weather following and practically 

renewing the worst Winter conditions.

During MARCH both the weather and the ground improve

rapidly on the average;  and a spell of good weather will practically 

end the Winter conditions, APRIL being, on the average,

the driest month of the year and relatively one of the sunniest.

There is no period of the year when long spells of dry

clear weather are more likely than in the two months from the

middle of MARCH to the middle of MAY;  but at any time of the

year a spell of bad weather may occur, and right up to the end

of APRIL such a spell may be accompanied by snow.

If any particular date had to be selected, on the basis

of average statistics, as the date from which a general rapid

improvement in the weather and the ground took place, MARCH

15th would be chosen, the probability of bad conditions diminishing

from thence onwards.  Bad conditions are, however,

frequently renewed after the middle of MAY, and JUNE is often

one of the wettest months of the year as well as being relatively

more cloudy than the Spring months preceding it and the

Summer months following it.

The variations of temperature and average weather over

the British Army Area are slight except in the matter of rainfall.

Charts are attached which show clearly the differences

in this respect.   Generally speaking, the Southern part of the

Front is drier in JANUARY than the Northern, but in FEBRUARY

and MARCH there is little to choose.  Roughly, the Front runs

in all three months between two areas of relatively heavy rainfall,

one to the N.W. from FREVENT to BOULOGNE, the other to

the S.E. from CAMBRAI to MEZIERES.

There is slightly more snow on the high ground of Third,

Fourth and Fifth Armies, than on the low ground of First and

Second Armies;  the latter, on the other hand, have a little

more fog in cold weather and less in mild humid weather.  The

high ground also gets stronger winds which help to dry it.

On the attached charts of RAINFALL, the lines separating

areas coloured in different ways are roughly contour lines of

equal rainfall in that they separate areas of higher from

areas of lower rainfall.  The total rainfall for the month in

inches is marked on each area.   For example, places in the

areas marked 1.8 have an average rainfall for the month varying

between 1.6 and 2.0 inches so that the area as a whole

has . . . 

(* JM ? *)

   - 2 -

has a rainfall of 1.8 inches.   A table is appended showing

the average monthly amounts recorded during the past 15 to 20

years at a number of places in the vicinity of each Army Area:

also a table of average and extreme values for ARRAS.    Diagrams

have been added illustrating the variation of Rain days, Frost

days, Snow days and Thunderstorm days throughout the year, and

of average and extreme Temperatures.

-----------

JANUARY

FROSTS occur one night out of two on the average, and in

one January out of three frost occurs on 20 nights or more.

About 3 days per month if freezes all day as well as all night.

Actually, frosts usually occur in spells of about 5 days, with

a longer spell of 10 days in about one year in four. In no year

is frost continuous throughout the month,and no year is entirely

free from frost, i.e. it does not freeze during the whole

of any day, and only slightly on a few nights. The average

night temperature for the month is, however 31° F., i.e. below

freezing point.

RAINFALL is 20% or more less than in DECEMBER, appreciable

rain falling on 1 day out of 3: the least number of days of

appreciable rain in any January during the past 20 years was 4

in 1897. The month is comparatively dry,about once in 4 years

and very dry about once in 7 years. It is wet about once in 4

years and very wet once in 7. Dry spells are usually

also cold; warm dry spells are rare.

SNOW falls on the average about 6 times during the month

but frequently melts soon after it falls. January is, however,

the month when snow is likely to lie longer than at any other

time.

EVAPORATION is at its lowest ebb - as slow as in December -

so that only about 10% of the rain which falls evaporates; the

rest has to be got rid of by drainage*, so that the ground is

apt to remain waterlogged in the plains and valleys.

FOG occurs on 2 mornings out of 5 and sometimes lasts all

day; there is also much cloud, the sky being clear for only

about one hour out of four during the daytime.

GALES or HIGH WINDS are frequent, occurring on about one

day out of four.

THUNDERSTORMS are rare; about 1 in 10 years.

---------

FEBRUARY.

FROSTS occur at night nearly as frequently as in January,

and in one February out of four it freezes on 20 nights or more.

Continued frost throughout the day is less frequent than in

January, but the spells of frost which do occur are usually of

longer duration; ten-day spells come about 1 year in 3. In no

year has frost been continuous throughout the month, but about

1 year in 5 it freezes on every night but 3; and about 1 year in

5 there is no appreciable frost. The average night temperature

for the month is 32° F., i.e. just freezing; but the lowest

temperature in February is as low as the lowest in January.

RAINFALL is only slightly less than in January; appreciable

rain falls on 1 day out of 3. The least number of days of

appreciable rain was 4 in 1896, 1907, 1913. The month is comparatively ...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 * Some of the excess water percolates deep down and raises

the level of underground water.

 - 3 -

dry about 1 year in 3 and very dry about 1 year in

4, in fact, if February is dry at all, it tends to be very

dry. When the month is wet it is usually very wet; this occurs

about 1 year in 5.

SNOW falls on about 5 days in the month on the average.

EVAPORATION is greater than in January, and about 20% of

the rain which falls is evaporated. The improvement in the

ground is, however, hardly appreciable as its temperature is at

the minimum for the year and it starts in a soaked condition.

FOG occurs on about 1 morning out of 3, rather less frequently

than in January. The amount of cloud is less and the

sky is clear for nearly 1 hour out of 3 during the daytime.

GALES or HIGH WINDS occur rather less frequently than in

January; about 1 day in 5 on the average.

THUNDERSTORMS are rare; 3 in 20 years.

-------------

MARCH.

FROSTS occur on one night out of three on the average,

more frequently in the first 20 days and less frequently in

the last 10. Even during the first spells, thawing almost invariably

occurs during the day; it is extremely rare for the

temperature during the day not to rise above freezing point,

but occasionally a long spell of rather severe frost occurs

during the month,  as in 1892 when there was frost more or less

severe on all but 7 nights. Occasionally the month is entirely

free from frost. The average night temperature for the

month is 35° F., well above freezing point, and the average

day temperature is 50° F.

RAINFALL is rather greater in amount than in February,

but the frequency is approximately the same; appreciable rain

falls on about 10 days a month, but about once in 10 years on

only 5 days. The month is comparatively dry about once in 4

years, and very dry about once in 7. It is comparatively wet

about once in 5 years and very wet once in 7. Dry spells are

sometimes warm in the day and cold at night; sometimes they

are cold both day and by night.

SNO[[W]] falls practically as frequently as in January, viz.

6 times during the month on the average.It rarely lies long,

however.

EVAPORATION is increasing rapidly during the month.

About 50% of the rain which falls evaporates, and in dry

months evaporation accounts for practically all the rain. As

natural drainage is also going on, the ground rapidly improves

unless the month is a wet one.

FOG occurs on about one morning in five, and bad fog is

much less frequent than in the preceding months. Cloud is also

less, and the sun shines for a third of the time it is above

the horizon.

GALES or HIGH WINDS are about as frequent as in February;

about 1 day in 5 on the average.

THUNDERSTORMS begin to increase in frequency; 7 in 20

----------------

TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL TABLES:- 

 - 4 -

VALUES OF AVERAGE MONTHLY RAINFALL IN SECOND ARMY

AREA, IN INCHES, FOR YEARS 1891 TO 1910.

                       BOESINGHE.   MENIN.   MESSINES.   COMINES.   LILLE.

January                   2.01                 1.81                 2.40              1.73            1.85   

February                  1.69                 1.85                 2.17               1.42            1.81

March                       2.13                 1.73         2.44         1.73         1.97

April                          1.73                  1.34         1.77          1.38          1.73

May                          2.36                  2.44         2.56          2.17          2.22

June                         2.48                 2.24         2.36          2.44        2.05  

July                           2.24                  2.52         2.76          2.17         2.84

 

August                     2.84                  2.56        2.60          2.40        2.44

September             2.68                  2.44         2.80         2.21          2.32

October                   2.91                  2.56         2.72          2.48          3.11

November              3.03                 2.91          3.62          2.76            2.32

December             2.80                 2.17          2.95           2.05            2.68    

———   

COMPARATIVE TABLE OF VALUES OF TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL

JANUARY [[?]] From Meteorological Section R.E.,

compiled from records at ARPAS.

=====

TEMPERATURE.

                                    Average.           Absolute.                   Night Frosts.

	Day.	Night.	High-	Low-	Aver.	Gtst		Least
			est.	est.	No.	No.	Year	No.	Year.
January	42°	31°#	55°	7°	15	23	(1891 (1909	6	1899
Febry.	45°	32°#	55°	0°	13	24	1891	3	1898
March	50°	35°	73°	14°	10	24	1892	0	1912

RAINFALL.

	Average	Aver. No. of	Aver. No. of	Gtst.		Least
	(inches)	Rain-days.	days of	total	Year	Total	Year
			apprec. rain.
January	1.93	17	9	3.6	1906	0.46	1898
February	1.81	16	9	3.5	1893	0.14	1891
March	1.93	16	10	4.2	1905	0.32	1893.

= = = = = 

# Freezing.

 THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 

GOC

Headquarters,

1st December, 1916.

CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM No. 25

– – – – – SCALE OF RATIONS AND FORAGO – – – – –

– − – – – – – – – – –

Scale of Rations. Normal Ration.

1 lb fresh or frozen meat or	5/8th oz tea.
¾ lb (nominal) preserved meat.	3 ozs jam.
1¼ lbs bread or ¾ lb biscuit.	3 ozs sugar. (2½ ozs when a sweetened variety of condensed milk is issued).
4 ozs bacon.	½ oz salt
3 ozs cheese.	1/50th oz mustard.
2 ozs dried vegetables.	1/36th oz pepper.
	1/12th tin condensed milk.

1/320th gallon line juice, on recommendation of the

Medical Officer.

2 ozs tobacco or cigarettes per week for smokers.

1/64th gallon rum at the discretion of the General

Officer Commanding, on the recommendation

of the Medical Officer, but not to be

issued concurrently with the pea soup or

oxo authorised for men in the trenches.

1 box of matches - twice a week at the front.

Iron Ration.

1 lb biscuit.	1 lb (nominal) preserved meat.
5/8th oz tea.	2 ozs sugar.

EXTRAS.

1/8th oz tea, ¾ oz sugar, daily for men in the trenches, when

considered necessary by Army Commanders.

2 ozs pea soup or 2 oxo cubes or other equivalent available

(a. ¼ oz coca or chocolate, 1/10th tin condensed milk. b. 1/5th

tin cocoa & milk), twice a week for men in the trenches during

winter months, or daily for men in the trenches during severe

weather on demand of Army Commanders.

2 ozs butter - twice weekly at the front.

1 oz pickles - twice weekly at the front (when

available)

or

1/3rd oz. sauce.

CIRCULAR MEMORANDUM: NO. 25 - PAGE 2.

Scale of Rations (Cont.)

EQUIVALENTS.

4 ozs rice ... ... ... ... 4 ozs bread or biscuit.

3 ozs dried fruits ... ... 3 ozs jam.

(when available)

2 ozs honey ... ... ... ... 3 ozs jam.

4 ozs bacon ... ... ... ... ¼ tin M.& V. Ration.

1 lb flour ... ... ... ... 1 lb biscuit.

½ lb fresh vegetables, whenever obtainable, in lieu of

2 ozs dried vegetables.

1 tin M.& V. .. ... ... ... 1 meat ration and 1 vegetable ration.

1 tin Pork & Beans.. ... ... 15% of meat ration.

Scale of Forago. 2.