Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 14, 10 February - 30 March 1917, Part 3

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Part of Quest:
Sir John Monash (General, b.1865 - d.1931)
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
RCDIG0000618
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 11

SECONO ANNY HTELLCONCE HIETUATPN &- LNENVS. ARTHLLERY. 15th JAN. To 15 TEB 1917. SAGWINS. EATTERIES REFORTED ACTIVE CAff DAY RED-ARTILLERY. SEEEN USIBILITY BIDE. LXPENATURE Of BRITISH ANM. 5/210/310/1/12/13/1/156 1819/12 283 2/29/2510/27//2 1314 X 00 4 t haw 10000 14 17 2000 5 4 1000 A 4 2000 4640 OH 3/10/11/14/15 2/3/4,56/718 27/20,/20,/3031 10,/19 10 /21/225/2/232 7000 141 LIIR 1 600 714/14 7000 +e A) 16: A 444000 <8 44. 2 44 44 1 o 5 3000 1 4 2000 148444 5 1000 F7 2 I B.SCN. HON 11113/2/5/0p pess to b 141 144 16/17/10/10 20/1/2/23 4p/p0/1/17/19/9 0 11 43000 44 74 VE:0 p000 97 1471 141 3 i 4 X 100 44 t p. HF d FTT ba 1S.CM.HON. idice bera mnan
Census of Intantry Pattations -- 12/8/9/10/1 8o 1 25/3 2883 Unit 138 9th. Brigade 33d Battalion 1032 1032 50135/2 852 1006 1006 34th Battalion 20488216 35th Battalion 150 r 6 72512 271142616 36 Battalion Sotals for Brigade 3884 fax No 5/ 20,10 50 te2 A 5 1626 1223 10th Brigade 87th Battalion 2133251 88th Bastalion 3411 125/12/2 39th Battalion 1t 10/10/2321 40th Battalion 35/5//25/20 359.0 9065 3890/3857 556 Tet is for Brigade 3884 11th Brigade 1012 41s Battalion 1012 10/12/5 2435 871 12ns Battalion 546/2/2 43rs Gastalion 1063324 144th Bastalion 10021 10031 1083 Torals for Guigrde 3884 3884 pp 3884 3387 497 6232 3 97 69 Leals for Livision 11653 11500 380 24 11,500 9743 1757 16.108 to 295. 3133 3r Anstealian Divigion 18/3/17 - noon 4/1/319/22/1 2/20/ 11/ 29/1/124/13/10/19/20/129 p 55 88303 4 x1 5 f . 18 8518 45 1413 18888 158SASA 3/0/8 161 /2 1 7t 515 16/3011 818/2/2 11 13 11 1//121 81 -1- 71 5/16/5/1 30 44 49 1 5/5/1 25 8/3 16 445 750 35 8726 22/130/15/1412510166 704 132 134 556 mn wishous lae 141 121 incerdes 2 as 497 aown above 1757 18/2/11
18/2/12 Sent C.O.E. Decisions come to in consultation with the 3 Brigadiers and Brigade Major, R.A., on 18th. instant, and approved by G.O.C. Division. ------ There will be artillery activity opposite Main Operation and (a). Southern Diversion on Wr and Xr days at 8 p.m. On Tr day, 9th. Brigade Raid takes place. (D). 10). On Yr day, nothing takes place. On F2r day, at 5.40 p.m., 20 minutes Dummy Bombardment opposite 12). Main Operation and Southern Diversion. At 9.30 Big Raid and General Cannan's Raid. For General Cannan’s Raid the 10th. Brigade are lending four (0). Stokes, making him up to 12. For the wire cutting for 15 minutes on 2: night, General (F). Cannan's 2r Mortars are being lent to the Big Raid. They will not leave General Cannan’s area until the morning of TY7day. (8). The new Flying Fig is available for use in General Cannan’s area, if he would like it to help to draw fire off his men on Mr night, or to do in any particular point that night. It has been suggested to General Cannan, as he is short of (2). artillery, that he should use Smoke Grenades for the last 2 or 25 minutes of the bombardment on the enemy’s front line on Mr night. This would very possibly help his fellows in considerably. General Jobson has a mass of artillery to help him on FTr (1). night, so General Cannan is the man to whom we want to give all the assistance we can. 18-2-17.
Third Hustalin Deision 12/7 712pantry Waltations Return showing Other tanks fon Ixton Regimentel employment on Feby 16/17 Under Order from Higher Authority:- Fronp A. 295 At railway works 214 Attached to Tunnelling Company 23 On Sundry Corps Duties 36 On duty with Forest Control 14 With Army purchasing Board 10 592 On duty at Coops & Arny Schools Schools Gronp B. Under Darsional Authority Actually attending Coops, Ary & Div. Schools 166 13 Batmen with officer at Schools 22A On duty with Divisional Schools 201 Under Divisional Orders CC 143 -41331 On road & traffic part & bridge posts 17-A On Divisional & Brigude Canteen 28-A on duty with Divisional Train 108 At Brigade s Headquarters 48-1 At Dwinnal Headquaster 386 With Field Engineers (9th Bde 424 special (not reducible] GronpD 81 With M. G. Companies 87 With Med. T. M. Batteries 26. a.0 194 With Dis. Sig. Company 560 CnC Sundren 376 Sick Base 382 Dxtention 1755
376 Sick but remaining on strength Detacked for Duty at Brigade 48 108 Detached for Duty at Devisional N8 48 Absent on Railway Works 295 214 absent on Yining & Tunnelling works Detached for Coops Dubies 23 Absent for Duty under Forest Control 36 813 setached for Duty with Nachine Gurly 87 Detacked for Duty with Trencl fortar Bys TMARD Detached for Duty with Divt Siq Coy 26 Detacked for Duty with Dun Frawl 28 18 Detaches for Duly wath Div Schools Detacked for Dubyunder A.P.M. 130 20 Detached for Duty as guards 13 retacked for Duty with 1nd Army Purcharure 14 Board Detached for Duty with Divisimal Cntemns 22 Detacked for Duty with Brigadelandions Detached for Duty wish schools ousside 10 Divisional Area 166 Attending Schools Debention Detached - Instrctor at Base 42 Detacked for Duty with Field Enginer 131 29 Batmen with officers at Schools &c 1755 CI C I CI EX CI A A. A
Bs 150 971 56 a 206 2 971 765 167765 64 16244 704 64 61 x12- 765 448 16428 317x12 - 348 765 125x12 - Avere Case 16 x40 640 Fllow for a total detachment from full stength of 100 men pe Bn xn Allow for a total temporaly sick & understangth Available for detachment 100 say. Cut down to 300. ind. M.C. Cs. 200 to 250 othe than M.G. C 23 28 t08 344 732 3804 1500 1200 600 500
b 55 raite s inglat- in w also
i nt grungha realud a baith foure wenk to sdripp sam eght nch Iidvilands ore rearly be 51 bont
Cartor E019 on 142 Arranged car to take Bateman out to 30 Bateman tot not to keep car but to said I direct to 3019 3 Cappion Cooker infor car calling for CRE to bring bn ha ar not to be kept waiter 5 Cappron Edwardes. Kev rang asedcar to call fort oldcar would call for he About 7.20 prm 6.50 paphry CRE infor told piki < dwad kev. oth soffices at 6
River Walson Knows way to tax. Ear had. leve nad 0e ch tis 7.45 pr lay asked if Kerr td left yet Informed that he had gave to X.rds. about 600 away to meet the car 8p Bnten asked When be had left car. said he had getaut called at 6019 an way to 50 Watsan went in to CREs office to warn CRE. Car then went tavards B03 but Bateman got out + walked part of way. Bearrived 303 at 7 p & says car should have arrived 8019 a 7.5 pm
Cy No1 SR THIRD AUSTRELIAN DIVISTON. Divisional Hoadquarters 20tn. Febrary, 222fy No. Ge. 811. M GWTRLL STEPYCLYOTLR No. 374. Reference 1/10,000 May, Sheets 36 N.W.2. N.E.l (parts of), Edition 7A. Trenches corrected to 5-10-16. mmD Tho following Secret Instructions are issued in connection with Third Australian Division Order No. 16 dated 19th. February, 1917: GAS & SMORE. 1. If weather conditions are favorable, Gas and Smoke will be released from certain portions of the Divisional Front in conjunction with the Operations taking place on 2r day. 2. The object of the release of Gas and Smoke is to OBTOL. confuse the enemy, provide Diversions, and rive the imression that the smoke is also gas, thus forcing the enemy to put on his gas masks and thereby reducing his efficiency. The discharge of cloud gas and cloud smoke will both be carried out by the personnel of yLr Coy., R.E. SL STCTORS. 3. Sectors on which preparations will be made to release gas are as follows: - 207 cylinders (2) -1.10.b. to Lall.a. (Locality 88.42 00065. 4 and Gap (Dr). 98 cylinders (B) -C.23.a. to C.23.a. (Locality 13). 20.000 20.40. SOTSOTON The Sectors on which proparations will be made to release smoke are as follows: (c) - I.5.c. to L.Sel. (Support Line behind Locality 50.30. 50.20. 61 (D) -C.ES.c. to C.23.c. (Locality 8). 30.50. 10-50. (E) - Mobile, either Locality 12 or a portion of Locality 15, with the object of forming a smoke P.T.O. A0C p 806

SECOND ARMY INTELLIGENCE
FLUCTUATION OF ENEMYS ARTILLERY

15th JAN. To 15 FEB 1917.
SHEWING BATTERIES REPORTED
ACTIVE EACH DAY
RED-ARTILLERY.
GREEN VISIBILITY
BLUE EXPENDITURE
OF BRITISH AMM.
Diagram, see original
Diagram, see original
Diagram, see original

 


18/2/17
Census of Infantry Battalions, 3rd Australian Division 18/2/17 - noon 
 

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Unit Establishment (including. Attached) as per W.E. Only Strength(including sick. On Command Schools, detached) Waiting to complete Over Strength Strength as per item 2 Actually present with unit at date and time mentioned Not available to the Battalion for all reasons Sick but remaining on strength Detached for duty at Brigade HQ Detached for duty at Divisional HQ Absent on Railway Works Absent on Mining & Tunnelling Works Detached for Corps duties Detached for duty under Forest Control Detached for duty with Machine Gun Corps Detached for duty with Trench M Btys Detached for duty with Divisional Sig Coy Detached for duty with Divisional Train Detached for duty with Divisional School Detached for duty with A.P.M. Detached for duty as guards Detached for duty with 2nd Army Purchasing Board Detached for duty with Divisional Canteens Detached for duty with Brigade Canteens Detached for duty with Schools outside [[?]]Area Attending Schools Detention Detached Instructor at Base Detached for duty Divd Engineers Batman with Officers at Schools Total Ineffectives (to agree with line 6)
9th Brigade                                                              
33rd Battalion 971 1032 - 61 1032 852 180 38 12 3 25 36 - 10 2 13 8 2 1 10 - 2 - - - 16 1 - - 1 180
34th Battalion 972 1006 - 35 1006 802 204 46 8 8 24 16 20 8 4 7 1 2 11 10 - 1 - 1 - 10 - - 22 5 204
35th Battalion 973 1031 - 60 1031 881 150 54 6 7 25 12 - 9 3 3 2 2 1 8 - 1 2 - - 14 - 1 - - 150
36th Battalion 974 957 14   957 787 170 29 11 4 26 16 - 9 7 5 - 3 2 15 - 1 1 - - 21 - - 20 - 170
Totals for Brigade 3884 4026 14 156 4026 3322 704 167 37 221 100 80 20 36 16 28 11 9 15 43 - 5 3 1 - 61 1   42 6 704
10th Brigade                                                              
37th Battalion 971 898 73 - 898 766 132 28 13 3 25 12 1 - 8 8 2 2 1 10 - - 2 - 3 11 3 - - - 132
38th Battalion 971 887 84 - 887 756 131 34 11 - 25 12 2 - 8 12 2 2 1 13 - - - - - 9 - - - - 131
39th Battalion 971 938 33 - 938 769 169 48 10 10 23 21 - - 7 3 1 2 1 11 11 - 1 1 - 12 - - - 7 169
40th Battalion 971 867 104 - 867 743 124 35 5 - 25 20 - - 7 3 2 4 - 10 - 5 - - - 8 - - - - 124
Totals for Brigade 3884 3590 294 - 3590 3034 556 145 39 13 98 65 3 - 30 26 7 10 3 44 11 5 3 1 3 40 3 - - 7 556
11th Brigade                                                              
41st Battalion 971 1012 - 41 1021 971 141 10 12 5 24 35 - - 14 8 3 2 1 10 2 1 1 1 - 11 - - - - 141 .x. [*includes 1 Absent without leave.*]
42nd Battalion 971 958 13 - 958 837 121 34 6 2 24 - - - 5 8 1 2 1 11 - 1 1 1 - 23 1 - - - 121
43rd Battalion 971 912 59 - 912 775 137 10 6 3 24 34 - - 12 8 2 3 - 12 - 1 2 1 3 15 - - - - 137
44th Battalion 971 1002 - 31 1002 904 98 10 8 3 25 - - - 3 9 2 2 2 10 - 1 2 - 4 16 - - - - 98 .x. [*Includes 1 with Div Sal Coy not yet transferred to it.*]
Totals for Brigade 3884 3884 72 72 3884 3387 497 64 32 13 97 69 - - 35 33 8 9 4 43 2 4 6 3 7 65 1 - - - 497 .x. [*includes 2 as shown above*]
Totals for Division 11652 11500 350 228 11500 9743 1757 376 108 48 295 214 73 36 81 87 26 28 22 130 13 14 12 5 10 166 5 1 42 13 1757
 

18/2/17
Secret
C.O.C.
Decisions come to in consultation with the 3 Brigadiers and
Brigade Major, R.A., on 18th. instant, and approved
by G.O.C. Division.
(a). There will be artillery activity opposite Main Operation and
Southern Diversion on "W' and X" days at 8 p.m.
(b). On "X" day, 9th. Brigade Raid takes place.
(c). On "Y" day, nothing takes place.
(d). On "Z" day, at 5.40 p.m., 20 minutes Dummy Bombardment opposite
Main Operation and Southern Diversion. At 9.30 Big Raid and
General Cannan's Raid.
(e). For General Cannan’s Raid the 10th. Brigade are lending four
Stokes, making him up to 12.
(f). For the wire cutting for 15 minutes on "Z" night, General
Cannan's 2" Mortars are being lent to the Big Raid. They
will not leave General Cannan’s area until the morning of
"Y" day.
(g). The new "Flying Pig" is available for use in General Cannan’s
area, if he would like it to help to draw fire off his men on
"Z" night, or to do in any particular point that night.
(h). It has been suggested to General Cannan, as he is short of
 artillery, that he should use Smoke Grenades for the last 2
or 2½ minutes of the bombardment on the enemy’s front line
on "Z" night. This would very possibly help his fellows in
considerably.
(i). General Jobson has a mass of artillery to help him on "X"
night, so General Cannan is the man to whom we want to give
all the assistance we can.
[[?]]
18-2-17. 

 

18/12/17
Third Australian Division
Return showing "Other ranks" ^of 12 Infantry Battalions on Extra Regimental employment on Feby 18/17
 

Group A. Under orders from Higher Authority:-    
At railway works 295  
Attached to Tunnelling Company 214  
On Sundry Corps Duties 23  
On duty with Forest Control 36  
With Army purchasing Board 14  
On duty at Corps & Army Schools 10 592
Group B. Schools Under divisional Authority    
Actually attending Corps, Army & Div Schools 166  
Batmen with officers at Schools 13  
On duty with Divisional Schools 22 -A 201
Group C Under Divisional Orders    
On road & traffic posts & bridge posts 144 - A 130
                13		  
On Divisional & Brigade Canteens 17 - A  
On duty with Divisional Train 28 - A  
At Brigade Divisional Headquarters 108 - A  
At Divisional Headquarters 48 - A  
With Field Engineers (9th Bde) 42 - G 386
Group D Special (not reducible)    
With M.G. Companies 81  
With Med. T.M. Batteries 87 G  
With Div. Sig. Company 26 G √ 194
    580
Group E Sundries    
Sick 376  
Base 1  
Detention 5 382
    1755

[*340
22
41
26
42
421*]

 
7 Sick but remaining on strength 376  
8 Detached for Duty at Brigade HQ. 108 √
9 Detached for Duty at Divisional HQ 48 √
10 Absent on Railway Works 295 C √
11 Absent on Mining & Tunnelling Works 214 C √
12 Detached for Corps Duties 23 C √
13 Absent for Duty under Forest Control 30 C √
14 Detached for Duty with Machine Gun Coy S 81 √
15 Detached for Duty with Trench Mortar T.M Bty  Bd S 87 √
16 Detached for Duty with Divl Sig Coy S 26 √
17  Detached for Duty with Divn Train 28 -A
18 Detached for Duty with Divn Schools 22  
19 Detached for Duty under A.P.M. 130 C - A
20 Detached for Duty as guards 13  
21 Detached for Duty with IInd Army Purchasing Board 14 C √
22 Detached for Duty with Divisional Canteens 12 - A
23 Detached for Duty with Brigade Canteens 5 - A
24 Detached for Duty with Schools [[onh?]] Divisional Area 10 C √
25 Attending Schools 166 C √
26 Detention 5 √
27 Detached- Instructor at Base 1 √
28 Detached for Duty with Field Engineers 42 √
29 Batmen with Officers at Schools &c. 13 √
    1755  
 

971
Bn     150
Ors      56
          206
          971
      16)765              765

16 x 44 = 64 
                 64           704
                                  61 x 12 = 732
16 x 28 =  765
                 448       317 x 12 = 3804
Averge Case
16 x 40      765       125 x 12 = 1500
                  640
                                    
Allow for a total 
detachment from 
full strength
of 100 men per Bn x 12          1200
Allow for a total temporary
sick & understrength               900
Available for detachment       300

say. Cut down to 300. incl. M.G. Co.
200 to 250 other than M.G. Co

[*100
 40
[[?]]
81
46
[[?]]*]
[*130
13
17
28
108
48
324*]
 

 

Watson left about
6.45
Took an officer 15
G.O.3
Returned him about 
7.10
On way to GO3
Morland at G O 19
a Major from G O 19
went to G O 9. &
then to 9th  Fld Co
Rue de Flanders
dropped officer & came
straight back to G O 19
therefore at 7.25 back with

 

G O 19
Thence to Col During
Erquinghem batty
reached him about -
7.40.
Took back G R [[?]]
from Officer or clerk
back to G O 19. when about
[[ parr?]] was dropped.
Then straight to
Waterlands to pick
up Ken. reached him
8.20. about 
 

G O 

Re Car for G019 on 19-2-17
Arranged car to take Bateman
out to G O 3. Bateman told
not to keep car but to send it
direct to G019 where he I
6.30 (approx)
Croker informed car calling
for CRE to bring him home.
Car not to be kept waiting.
6.45 (approx)
Edwardes.  Kerr rang up &
asked re. car to call for him.
Told car would call for him
About 7.20 pm.
6.50 (approx)
CRE informed & told to
pick up Edwardes & Kerr &
one other officer at "L" Coy PTO 

 

2
Driver Watson knows way to
"L" Coy. Car had not reached
G O 19 at this time.
7.45 pm
"L" Coy asked if Kerr had
left yet. Informed that
he had gone to X.rds. about
600x away to meet the car
8 pm
Bateman asked 
When he had left car.
Said he had getaut called
at G019 on way to GO3 x
Watson went in to CRE's office
to warn CRE.  Car then
went towards G03 but Bateman
got out & walked part of way.
He arrived G03 at 7 pm & says
car should have arrived G019
at 7.5 pm

 

Copy No 1
SECRET
HEADQUARTERS
No. G.6/1.
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
Divisional Headquarters
20th. February, 1917
GENERAL STAFF CIRCULAR No. 37A.
Reference 1/10,000 May, Sheets 36 N.W.2. N.E.1 (parts of),
Edition 7A. Trenches corrected to 5-10-16.
The following Secret Instructions are issued in
connection with Third Australian Division Order No. 16 dated 19th.
February, 1917:
GAS & SMOKE.
1. If weather conditions are favorable, Gas and
Smoke will be released from certain portions of
the Divisional Front in conjunction with the
Operations taking place on "Z" day.
OBJECT
2. The object of the release of Gas and Smoke is to
confuse the enemy, provide Diversions, and give
the impression that the smoke is also gas, thus
forcing the enemy to put on his gas masks and
thereby reducing his efficiency. The discharge
of cloud gas and cloud smoke will both be
carried out by the personnel of "L" Coy., R.E.
GAS SECTORS.
3. Sectors on which preparations will be made to
release gas are as follows: -
207 cylinders (A) -I.10.b. to I.11.a (Locality
                                     98.42     00.65.
4 and Gap "D").
98 cylinders (B) -C.23.a. to C.23.a. (Locality 13).
                               20.00          20.40.
SMOKE SECTORS
4. The Sectors on which preparations will be
made to release smoke are as follows:
(C) - I.5.c. to I.5.a. (Support Line behind Locality 6).
        50.90.   50.20
(D) -C.29.c. to C.29.c. (Locality 8).
        30.30.        10-80.
(E) - Mobile, either Locality 12 or a portion of
Locality 15, with the object of forming a smoke
P.T.O.
[*ADC for GOC*]
 

 
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