Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 15, 10 May - 9 June 1917, Part 1

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Part of Quest:

Sir John Monash (General, b.1865 - d.1931)

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Open for review

Accession number:

RCDIG0000620

Difficulty:

11th. AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE ORDER "A" Copy No.

Brigade Headquarters.

10/05/17.

INFORMATION (1) (a) Patrols on our Divisional front and on the fronts of

the Divisions on our right and left, report that the enemy

front line system has been vacated.

(b) Aeroplanes report the enemy to be holding the line
QUELMES - LUMBRES - ELNES - WAVRANS, with a strong outpost

position on the line ZUTOWE - NORDAI - LEVAL d' ACQUIN ..

N.D. des ARDENIS.

through SENINGHEN - "E" of Bois de l'EGLISE - "C" of

WESTBECOURT. 1st N.Z Brigade will be on our right and the

10th Australian Infantry Brigade on our left.

INTENTION (2) (a) The 11th Australian Infantry Brigade will advance and

drive in enemy outpost line and will consolidate the line

set out in Para 1 (c), the LUMBRES - BOULOGNE road inclusive

to point 2000 yards North of the LUMBRES - BOULOGNE road.

(b) The direction of the advance will be parallel to the

LUMBRES - BOULOGNE road, this road will be the Brigade right

boundary during the advance.

protected by an outpost line, 1500 yards furthor East.

ACTION (3) (a) At 11 a.m. on 10th Instant the 41st Battalion plus:-

1 section 11th Machine Gun Coy

2 L.T.M's of 11th T.M. Bty.

1 section 118 pounders (imaginary)

and 44th Battalion plus:-

1 section 11th Machine Gun Coy.

2 L.T.M's of 11th T.M. Bty.

1 section (18 pounders imaginary)

will advance from our present front line and take and consolidate

new line in accordance with para 2.

41st Battalion on the right, 44th Battalion on the left, each

on a frontage of 1000 yards.

(b) No cavalry is available. These units will therefore

provide their own protoction.

2 sections 11th M.G. Coy

4 Mortars of 11th T.M. Bty

will remain in garrison, in present position, but will be

prepared to assemble in HARLETTES at 2 hours notice.

BRIGADE AMMUNITION RESSERVE- (4) The 42nd and 43rd Battalions will each detail 2 G.SV.

limbered waggons (S.A.A) and the 41st and 44th Battalions

will each detail 1 limbered waggon (S.A.A. and bombs) to

form Brigade Ammunition Reserve. (this transport will be

imaginary). These waggons will rondezvous at the junction

of the FROMENTEL and HARLETTES - ALQUINES road at 11 a.m.

1st LINE TRANSPORT REPORTS (5) 1st Line Transport will move under orders of the O's.C. Bns.

(6) Reports will be sent to Brigade Headquarters, at the

"L" of FROMENTEL.

(Sgd) G.F WOOTTEN. Major.

Brigade Major 11th Inf. Bde. A.I.F
For distribution P.T.O.

at a.m. By

Copy No. 1 G.O.C Hand

2 Brigade Major Hand

3 41st Battalion D.R

4 42nd Battalion D.R

5 43rd Battalion D.R

6 44th Battalion D.R

7 11th Machine Gun Coy. D.R

8 11th Trench Mortar Bty D.R

9 11th Edo. Signal Section )

10 1st N.Z Brigade )

11 10th Aust. Inf. Bde. )

12 3rd Aust. Division ) Imaginary.

13 9th Aust. Inf. Bde. )

14 C.R.A. )

INSTRUCTIONS RE

11th. AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE SCHEME. 10/5/17.

(1) The enemy will be represented by 2 Companies of Infantry and by

8 (imaginary) machine guns.

The Companies will be furnished in morning by the 42nd and 43rd

Battalions. Personnel of Machine Gun Coy (1 Officer or N.C.O and 2 O.R.

to represent each gun) will be detailed by O.C. 11th Machine Gun Coy.

The above 2 Companies and Machine Gun personnel will report to

Major SUMMERHAYES, 44th Battalion (O.C. enemy) at the cross roads

2000 yards S.W. of the "H" of HARLETTES at 9 a.m. and are to be in position

by 10.30 a.m.

This force will be disposed as enemy outpost line in accordance

with the Brigade scheme. Each Company will have a front of 1000 yards and

they will together represent an enemy force of 1 Battalion on a 2000 yard

frontage. Each man to carry 10 rounds of blank ammunition.

The imaginary machine guns will be placed by Officers of Machine

Gun Coy. on enemy side and be used in German Method i.e. to kill as many

as possible of our advancing troops and eventually to surrender or be

killed.

Officers or N.C.O's with guns will confer with umpires and decide

how many of advancing Infantry are killed or wounded. These casualties

will be assembled at crossroads about 2000 yards East of HARLETTES on

main BOULOGUE - LUMBRES road.

Machine Guns in action, checking or delaying advance, will be

represented as being in action by boating at (or similar noise) loud enough

to represent a Machine Gun firing.

(2) Units (less personnel detailed as enemy etc) will be in the position

laid down in the "Special Idea" by 9.30 a.m.

1 section Machine Gun Coy will be attached to 41st Battalion and

1 section to 44 Battalion (i.e. Brigade Reserve section)

2 L.T.E's will be attached to each of these Battalions also.

(Brigade Reserve mortars)

These detachments will report to the Battalions with which they are

to work by 9.30 a.m..

(3) Company Commanders of 42nd and 43rd Battalions will meet G.O.C. at

HARLETTES cross roads at 10 a.m.. Those Officers will act as umpires and

will wear "white armbands".

(4) C.O. 42nd Battalion will act as Brigadier,. Brigade Headquarters will

be at "L" of FROMENTEL.

(5) Battalions will be accompanied by as much of their 1st line

transport as possible.

(6) Position of Battalion Headquarters, prior to 11 am will be:-

41st Battalion - House immediately South of "B" of BULESCAMPS.

42nd Battalion - House immediately South of "A" of BULESCAMPS

43rd Battalion - House immediately North of "Q" of HAUTE PLANQUE.

44th Battalion - ALQUINE cross roads.

(Sgd) G.F. WOOTTEN. Majoy.

Brigade Major 11th Inf. Bde. A.I.F.

~~Grata~~
~~Zero Hour~~ 11/5/17

Conference at Corps

Orders from Army . -

1. II Army will capture Messines - Wytschaete Ridge.

Troops

2. objects- (a) Capture St Ives & Observatory

(b) Capture guns Oosttaverne & N.E. Messines in Sgs. 27 & 33.

final objective by black line - in one day - at dawn.
mines fired at zero.
Preliminary bombardment 5 days

3. Subsidiary operation by VIII Corps.

C. in C. wishes scope operations enlarged.
[[?]] must regard black line as being another 1000 yards east.
Pushing beyond blue line will be a separate & subsidiary operation - by special
detachments of infantry - with tanks.
also Corps Cavalry

Blue line includes Hun's Farm
October Reserve Trench
Fanning Farm
Cht^eau du Volens

Zareeba
Bethlehem Farm.
[[??]] assembly trenches at once
Gas shells to start Zero + 5 min.
~~SXXX~~

Calculate time to bring up necessary troops for Supplementary operation.
Use 18 prs for wire cutting
2 B^ns South of Ives will be under my Command.

90
45 ) 1200 (26 13

---------

300

SECRET.

NOTES OF CONFERENCE HELD AT CORPS HEADQUARTERS.

11-5-1917.

G.O.C

Objectives for the Army.

(a). Capture from ST. YVES to OBSERVATORY RIDGE.

(b). Capture as many of the enemy guns as possible.

Most of the enemy's guns are near OOSTTAVERNE, N.E. of

MESSINES, and Square 27 and 33. [*So far as corps is concerned. *]

(c). Take and hold the MESSINES - WYTSCHAETE RIDGE.

(d). Must push through to BLACK line in one day.
Two Battalions of the Heavy branch of the M.G. Corps will be

available.
VIII Corps section will be subsidiary.
Commander-in-Chief wishes us to take advantage of the situation

and get as far forward as we can - therefore BLACK line to be

some 1,000 yards further forward than formerly.

BLACK line will be quite a separate and subsidiary operation to

the BLUE line.

Special detachments of Infantry will be detailed to take it.
Probably we shall have a two hours halt on the BLUE line in

order to let the Tanks up to go forward against the guns.
We must work out machine gun and artillery support to help the

Infantry and Tanks forward, F.O.Os being pushed right forward

to BLUE or BLACK line, whence they can observe. This may entail

a considerable amount of movement amongst our 3rd. Australian

M.Gs.
Wire cutting for the further move forward must be considered.
A Heavy Artillery representative will call us daily, tell us

what has been done, and ask us what we want done.
Artillery protection during advance to the BLACK line will

probably consist of counter-battery work.
Corps Commander said artillery section for the BLACK line would

be by observation and not by time-table.

It was pointed out to him that time-table was preferable.
Corps Cavalry to be used for further advance.
Special detachments of Engineers to destroy guns, in case we

cannot remove them.
The BLUE line will be from HUNS FARM in the North (25th.

Division still joining up with the IX Corps at the old place),

OCTOBER RESERVE TRENCH, FANNY'S FARM, Chlle ~~DUVALIOR~~ ^du Voleur, ZAREEBA,

BETLHEEM FARM.
Divisions to give Corps definite proposals with regard to the

numbers of troops to be employed, and extra troops, if any,

required for the operation. - (It may be well for us to train

guides and reconnoitre roads, in order to bring up ~~balance~~ ^bits of

Corps reserve in case we want them ).
3rd. Australian Division will probably not get any Tanks.
~~3rd Australian~~ Division, will decide when to get their assaulting

troops for BLACK line forward.

P.T.O

(2).

17. Question of silent guns for us, if we can get a few extra,

might be worth considering.

18. 3rd. Australian Division is likely to get the whole weight of

the counter-attack coming from due East.

19. Tentatively it was ruled that we should take SEPTIME BARN and

WHITE SPOT COTTAGES.

20. 3rd. Division said it would take 6 minutes at longest to get

the tails of the first two assaulting Brigades clear of our

front line. Heads to reach enemy front line at 7 and 5 respectively.

21. The question of when tails would reach front line was discussed.

Some Divisions said plus 16. - I think we can safely

say plus 11, as there will be room for them to go through from

plus 11 onwards.

22. Corps Commander thought the enemy were likely to empty their

front line trenches. ~~at Zero hour~~

23. At Zero hour the whole of the two assaulting Brigades are to

get on the move - tails to move faster and close up on heads.

24. Points of issue for General CANNAN'S force will require to be

considered. Also his Headquarters, to begin with and finally.

25. General CANNAN'S men might move forward perhaps at any suitable

time after plus 30 and prior to plus 90, taking advantage of

lulls in the enemy's artillery fire in various areas. -

Counting that they leave our subsidiary line at plus 90, and

go 50 yards a minute, they should reach the BLUE line at BETLHEEM

FARM, 2,500 yards off, by plus 140.

By the present system they would not be required to go forward

from BETLHEEM FARM until 2 hours after 10th. Brigade had got

there.

10th. Brigade get to BETLHEEM FARM, 500 yards further, ^than Schnitzel at plus

60, if they continue to move at 3 minutes per 100 yards.

Here they halt for 2 hours, so the time that the 11th. would

require to go forward would be at plus 180, As shewn above.

The 11th. Brigade would reach there at plus 140. This gives

40 minutes factor of safety, provided the 11th. Brigade move

the whole time at the rate of 50 yards a minute.

I do not think we can count on this, and so I think we will

have to issue from the subsidiary line not later than plus 60,

at the very latest.

The question of their getting into our machine gun barrage

as they get out of the subsidiary line, must be considered.

I will find out what the clearance is.

Do you wish additional assembly trenches dug for them near the

ADVANCED ESTAMINET? Unfortunately a good many of our M.Gs.

will be about this area.

26. Corps Commander ruled that assembly trenches were to be made

at once. I have sent a letter to C.R.E. and Brigades with

reference to this.

27. The point cropped up whether gas shell could best be employed

at plus 3 or plus 5.

28. It was ruled at the conference that wire cutting must be proceeded

with as quickly as possible.

G.S.O. I to see B.M., R.A and warn Infantry Brigades re this.

29. Necessary to obtain more 2" mortars. - ~~G.S.O. I to speak~~

30. G.S.O. I to speak C.R.A. and G.O.C., R.A. re wire cutting behind

front lines.

P.T.O.

(31).

31. It was ruled at conference that the two Battalions on our

defensive front would be under orders of G.O.C., 3rd. Australian

Division.

32. Heavy Artillery as they come in to go straight into their

battle positions, i.e. occupy the house and billets they will

on Zero day.

11-5-17.

Headquarters,

2nd Anzac Corps, 12th May, 1917.

My Dear Monash

I enclose a ~~couple of~~ ^few copies of some notes

which were made for me last year, and which I have had

by me since then. Perhaps you might think it worth

while to make use of them by distributing them as a basis

^ for lectures or talks by Company and other Commanders to the men. It

is no use taking it for granted that every man is a hero,

but they can nearly all be made into heroes by judicious

teaching, appeal to self-respect, and teaching that the

casualties always happen when the advance gets stuck up,

and that, therefore, they must not let it get stuck up.

Yours sincerely

Alex Godley

Major-General J. Monash, C.B.,

Commanding 3rd Australian Division.

EXTRACT from writing of Military Correspondent

in German Newspaper "Frankfurter Zeitung."

"It has been repeatedly proved in this war that a successful

attack costs little, if it has been well prepared by the Artillery.

An attack which fails, however, almost always costs a great deal"

These works are true, and they are true, not only of this war,

but of all wars. Because they are true, and because, in consequence

of existing conditions, we shall have to face the fact that our part

in the war will consist mainly of attack, we must lay them to heart.

The soldier must get them so burnt into his brain that he will

never forget them. He is much safer in .... offensive operations then

in defensive. In advancing his chances of being hit are about 10 to 1

against it. In retiring his chances are about 10 to 1 in favour of it.

It is an axiom that if a battalion pushes forward in a determined

attack, and if every man makes up his mind to "get there" the losses

will almost certainly be small, to say nothing of the glory of victory.

While if the attack is half-hearted, or halts, the losses will be heavy,

to say nothing of the disgrace of defeat, which is inevitable in such

cases.

The great thing is, therefore, to push on--never mind that some

fall. Of course some must fall; but for everyone that falls in the

advance, 10 will fall if the advance gets hung up, or becomes a retirement.

And why? For the simple reason that you are fighting against men

who are more nervous than you are. This makes them afraid to put up

their heads to shoot, and if they do shoot, their nervousness spoils the

aim; but the moment the attacking force halts or retires, they recover

from their fear and pour in a deadly fire.

It is, therefore, of first importance to keep advancing once the

advance has begun, no matter how many of your comrades fall; for if you

do not, you are pretty sure to fall yourself. It is the only thing to

do for your own safety, and that of your comrades.

Go straight on till you reach your objective. If you do that, your

chances of safety are much greater, and victory is certain. If you

hesitate, or halt, or lie down, or retire, your chances of coming through

are much reduced--in fact, you are pretty certain to be hit.

Remember the German soldiers are not what they were. Remember

one British soldier is equal to two Germans as a fighter. Remember

the enemy is good deal more frightened of you than you are of him.

Remember that before you advance to attack, the enemy's

nerves have been greatly upset by our Artillery.

Remember that the only thing that will make him recover his nerves

is hesitation in going for him, or retiring.

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

Last edited by:

Jen

Last edited on:

12 December 2024, 11:22 am

Last updated: 12 December 2024