Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 14, 1 December 1916 - 10 February 1917, Part 15

(2).

filling communication trenches with men is to be avoided.

When the enemy's guns open suddenly, working  parties

should be distributed to places of safety in the close

vicinity of their work, or action taken as indicated in

para (6).

It has been reported that a working party employed

on the subsidiary line started for ARMENTIERES on the approach

of a hostile aeroplane.  This or course is a wrong policy, as

by filling up communication trenches the party rendered themselves

more vulnerable to hostile shell fire.

The Divisional Commander realises that work has to be 

done and risks have to be taken, but he looks to his Officers to

act intelligently in the matter and reduce the present numbers

of casualties.

G.H. Jackson

Lieut-Colonel.-

General Staff.

Distribution

A.D.C for G.O.C       1 copy.

"G Staff         . . .        3 copies

"A.Q." Staff   . . .        3     "

C.R.A.            . . .       12    "

C.R.E.            . . .         6    "

Div. Sig. Coy . .          6    "

9th. Aus. Inf. Bde.   25   "

10th . "      "     "          25   "

11th     "     "      "         25   " 

3rd. Aus. Pnr. Bn.      6    " 

 1
Beginning of Feby
Date 1917
SECRET
Third Australian Division
Minor Enterprise to be carried out by 10^th Inf. Bde

Preliminary Instructions
1.  Character of Enterprise.

The enterprise will be carried out by ^a portion of the 10^th Infantry

Brigade, about the third week in February. The objects in are to

thoroughly wreck a section of the enemy works, to capture prisoners
and ^to destroy ^or capture personnel and, armament & stores. Time

taken to be allowed from 40 to 60 minutes.-

2.  Composition of Force.

The attacking force should be from 800 to 1000 strong, inclusive

of Vickers gun, & Light T.M. personnel, - but exclusive of ^the cooperating Artillery

or Medium T Mortars which will cooperate. - The force will

preferably be a complete Battalion, either 37^th or 38^th Bn,

but, if the Brigadier advances good reasons, it may be a composite

force drawn from both ^of these Battalions. - In any either case

a due proportion of officers, N.C.O's & specialists will not take

part, - (in accordance with "Instructions for Training of Divisions

for Offensive Action" O.B./1635, Section XXX.) The actual ^infantry operation

to be commanded by a Battalion Commander.

3.  Objective.

The choice of the objective is governed by the possibility of concentrating

upon it a sufficient Artillery fire. For this reason it cannot be

near the flanks of our Divisional front. It will preferably lie between

the Armentieres-Lille Railway, and the road from "Les 4 Hallots" to

Perenchies. -

A suitable frontage will be 500 to 600 yards. It should be chosen

so that
(a) opportunities for the enemy to counterattack or reinforce

are reduced to a minimum

either from the flanks or from the rear are as meagre as

possible. - There are several places where his main avenues 
are widely separated, and also where his the depth of his
front line system reduces to a minimum, thereby forming
suitable flanks.
(b) opportunities for the enemy to hamper advance or withdrawal
by flank action are reduced to a minimum.- For this
object condition  salients are better the better objective.
The following possible objectives should be specially studied, by
(i) reconnaissance
(ii) examination of photographs
(iii) examination of patrol & intelligence reports
viz:-

2
viz:-
A. The flat salient Ɪ.11.a.60.65 to Ɪ.5.d.15.55
This has only one avenue behind it, and is well
shielded from flank action; but may ∧possibly be only lightly held
B. The pronounced salient C.29.c.60.65 to C.29.a.75.60
This affords more promise of substantial results, and the
advance and withdrawal are well shielded, but there ∧are several avenues
feeding the salient. xx
C. The
But Before ∧finally selecting the final objective every portion of the front under consideration 
should be investigated. - The selection must be made as soon as possible and once made should be
strictly adhered to, even though later information discloses that the objective
is not the very best that might have been selected; because much preparatory
work by both Artillery & Infantry, which must be immediately put in hand
would otherwise be wasted. - I shall ^make take the personal responsibility of  the
final selection, after hearing the views of ∧the Artillery 10^th Brigade & "G" Staff.

3. 4. Divisional Artillery. In order to effect the necessary concentration of
Divisional Artillery, the arcs of fire of a number of the guns will require
extension, and in some cases new battery positions will have to be
selected, in cases where ∧on the desired bearing existing houses form a crest required direction
which the guns in their present position emplacements cannot clear. - If it is decided to
bring a run any of the batteries out into the open, the preparation of platforms,
camouflages, and ammunition dumps, & the registration of the guns must
be undertaken in ample time. - If it It may be desirable to form a re-grouping
of the batteries for this special operation. In this case special signal communications must be installed. -
For The field gun barrages should be calculated on the basis of not more
than 30 yds per gun. If possible there should be one gun per 20 yards.
All the ∧sight twelve Divisional Howitzers should be ∧ made capable of being concentrated on the objective
chosen. -
Special emplacements for all three Medium Trench Mortar Batteries
should be prepared to permit of the employment of all 12 guns on the flanks
∧ of the objective during the operation. -
4 5. Heavy Artillery. Corps Heavy Artillery will be asked to cooperate in the Artillery preparation and during the attack, as well as to take part in Artillery diversions. -

5 6 Artillery Divisions. The remainder of the Divisional Artillery will be employed

upon diversions to one or both flanks, & upon action to prevent enemy

interference from a flank. - The Artillery of the 34^th & 25^th Divisions will

be requested to cooperate. - The diversions must be designed so as to draw off

 

3

enemy retaliation xxxxx upon our Infantry & Mortars, and to confuse as to 

our real intentions. -

6 7 Wire Cutting. - The destruction of the enemy's wire, and interference with his

efforts to repair it must be carried out energetically, commencing forthwith

and continuing right up to the selected date. - While most attention must 

be given to the zone under attack, the cutting of wire must be general along

the whole front.

7 8. Machine Gunns & Stokes Mortars. These ∧(from 10th Brigade) will take part in the operations, the former by

bringing indirect fire upon enemy communication trenches along which he can

either withdrawn or reinforce; and the latter by bombarding probable enemy

M. G. positions on the flanks. - The Machine Guns of other Brigades can usefully

cooperate on the flanks with indirect fire upon communication trenches ^on both flanks likely

to be used by the enemy for runners or for evacuation or supply, - also

on ascertained train routes in rear.

8 9. Aeroplane Cooperation. The assistance of aeroplanes to locate ∧active enemy batteries

and mortars to be secured if possible.

9. 10. Aerial photographs. The latest photographs of the ∧selected objective and enlargements

of same to be obtained as soon as possible, and held at the disposal of 

the Artillery, the Staff concerned, and the Infantry Commander

10 11. Command Post. A special command post, bomb and splinter proof, to be 

constructed as near as possible to our front line capable of accomodating

say 3 officers & 4 others, and the telephone terminals.

11. 12. Buried cable. A special line xxxxxx , well ∧& securely buried, to be laid from the nearest

Battalion Headquarters to the Command post, to ensure uninterrupted communication

with Brigade and Divisional Headquarters. -If time permits,

an alternative line, with a terminal 50 yards to a flank, in a xxxx ∧small bomb proof

post to be also prepared.

12. 13 Ammunition. As the expenditure of Ammunition of all kinds, bombs, and flare

signals will be upon a more extensive scale than usual, arrangements must

be thought out for establishing Special ∧forward dumps in suitable locations, and for 

carrying supplies forward if necessary.

xxxxxxxxx

13. 14 Training. The selected personnel will undertake about 2 weeks training of

a general character , - bombing, revolver shooting, bayonet, lewis gun & &c  &c,

and about 10 day's rehearsal of organization, and team working, - upon

a full replica of the enemy's trenches - on ground to be reconnoitered and 

 

4

made available in then in the Steenwerck area. -The 
∧ selected force must, as soon as 

possible, prepare its own bayonet courses, bombing ground, revolver school &

Lewis Gun Miniature range.  "Q" staff and C. R. E. must cooperate in 

this to all possible extent, so as to avoid ∧any delay in commencing the

training. - In order that the training may, throughout, be in proper conformity
with the final action required by all taking part in the operation,

this training will be carried out by the Battalion Commander under the direct

supervision of the "G" Staff

14. 15 Orders. The Division will issue orders defining the objects, & objectives,

xxxx laying down the general plan for the operation, and coordinating the

action of all arms & of neighboring formations.

The Brigade will issue orders - supplementing the Divisional

order to the extent necessary to ensure the necessary cooperation

of the several units within the Brigade who are taking part ^includingMedical arrangements, dealing with prisoners, & collection of reports after the action 
The Commander will issue ^the actual detailed orders to the Infantry forming
the assaulting force. -
The Brigade & Force orders will be submitted in draft to the
Division for revision & approval .-
All orders for the actual operation xxxx will be most strictly
confined to the operation itself, dealing with the action of every xxxx unit
or man concerned from the preliminary assembly to the final withdrawals.
- All xxxxxx ^instructions relating to equipment, preparatory
measures of all kinds, dress, badges, & every matter that is capable of
being dealt with beforehand will be issued separately in a prior order,
so that the actual assault orders may be kept as brief & simple as
possible. -
15 16. Other points for consideration are the
(a) the preparation of mobile charges & other means for demolition of
dugouts, bomb stores, machine guns &c,
(b) the carrying out of a secondary operation, on another portion of the

front, in order to distract attention. This might be combined
with ^one of m.g artillery diversion referred to in para 5 above.
(c) careful preparation ^from the photos of large scale maps of enemy trenches to be raided, so
that every the leader of every party may have a map in his possession.
(d) methods of dealing with sunken wire in enemy burrow ditch
(e) best methods of assembly, & crossing ∧of No Man's Land.