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 to contributions
Accession number:
RCDIG0000620
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

AUS llth. AVSTRALLAN ITFATTRT BAIdADE ORDER -A Copy No: Brigade Headquartors. 10/S/17. ITFORLATION (1) (a) Patrols on our Divisional front and on tho fronts of tho Divisions on our right and left, roport that tho onomy front line systom has boon vacated. (b) Aeroplanes roport tho onomy to bo holding tho line QUELMES - LUMBRES - ELNES - WAVRANS, with a strong outpost position on the line ZUTOWE - NORDAI: - LEVAL d' ACQUIN - N.B. des ARDENIS. o) 4 gonoral advanoo 1e ta bo mado to a lino running EEN through SENINGHEM - "E" of BOIS do. l'EGLISE - "C" of WESTBLOOURT. Ist N.Z. Brigade willbe on our right and tho 10th Australian Infantry Brigade on our loft. p INIENTION (2) (a) Tho 11th Australian Infantry Brigado will advanco and drivo in onomy outpost line and will consolidato tho lino sot out in Para 1 (c), tho LUMBRES - DOULOGNE road inclusivo to point 8000 yards North of tho LUMBRES - BOULOGNE road. (b) Tho diroction of tho advanco will bo parallol to tho LUMBRES - BOULOGNE road, this road will bo tho Brigado right boundary during the advance. (c) Tho consolidation of tho now lino (para 2 a) will bo protectod by an outpost lino, 1500 yards furthor Hast. ACTION (3) (a) At 11 a.m. on 10th instant tho elst Battalion plus:- 1 sootion lith Machino Gun Coy 2 L.T.M's of 11th T.M. Bty. 1 soction 718 poundors(imaginary) and 44th Battalion pluc:- 1 sootion 11th Machino Gun Coy. 2 L.T.M's of 11th T.M. Bty. 1 soction (18 poundors imaginary) will advance from our prosont tront line and tako and consol- idato new lino in acoordanoo with para 2. elst Battalion on tho right, eth Battalion on the loft, oach on a frontago of 1000 yards. (b) No cavalry is available. These units will theroforo provido thoir own protoction. (c) Tho 42nd and eörd Battalions, with:- 2 soctions lith M.G. Coy 4 Mortars of 11th T.M. Bty will romain in garrison, in present position, but will ho preparod to assemblo in HARLETTES at 2 hours notioo. BRIGADE AL- Tho 42nd and 4örd Battalions will oach dotail 2 G.S. MUNITION RES limborod waggons (S.A.A.) and the elst and eeth Battalions EERUE will oach dotail l limbored waggon (S.A.A. and bombs) to form Brigado Ammunition Rosorvo. (this transport will bo imaginary) Thoso waggons will rondezvous at tho junction of tho FROMENTEL and HARLETTES - ALQUIHES road at II a.m. ist LIHS (5) 1st Lino Tranøport will movo under orders of "'s.C. Bns. THANSPORT (é) Roports will bo sont to Brigado Hoadquarters, at tho REPORTS "L" of FROMENTEL. (sgd) c.F. WOOTTEN. Major. Brigado Major 11th Inf. Ede. A.I.F. For Distribution P.T.O.
AUS at a.m. S. Copy No.1-76.0.0. Hund 2 .Srigado Major Hand 4lst Battalion D.R. 4)nd Battalion D.R. 4örd Battalion D.n. 44th Battalion D.R. 11th Machino Gun Coy. D.R. 11th Tronch Mortar Ety D.R. 11th Edo. Signul Section D.R. ist N.Z. Brigado. 10th Aust, Inf. Bdo: 5rd Aust. Division ma 9th äust, Inf. Bdo. O.R.A. oee cote 101o ai-1t0 soa LILK Rr OLimo ezuc Ilssch dose IIIn ano! Lassed bt en bds jei en Era (orA.3) an9z iid ednod kis.A.A.2) söAzaw Lotudz I Ilaos Itln ffingiasgenra? dide). evsosoh getflodhmun jorstgedt ia agevsebne: Iitw enoxze is sor ETTIUSIA - 2STTSLLEK bna ITTI 10 ezabvO zehas ovir iilz Groz e e ,ereinaepaoh obsz ked of znoe od fitwa ? TOLEN . HTTTOOW .T.0 (Eaa .7.I.A.ol8 . 1:I dili zota obez:: inr Tl
AU INSTRUOTION RE Ilth. AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE SCHmT. 10/5/17. Tho onomy will bo roprosentod by 2 Companios of Infantry and by 8 (imaginary) nachine guns. Tho Companies will be furnishod in morning by tho 42nd and 43rd Battalions. Porsonnol of Machine Gun Coy ( 1 Officor or N.C.O. and 2 O.R. to roprosont oach gun) will bo dotailod by 0.0. lith Machine Gun Coy. Tho abovo 2 Companios and Machine Gun porsonnol will roport to .C. oncmy) at tho oross roads Major SUIMERHAYES, 44th Battalion( 2000 yards s.N, of the "H" of HARLLTTES at 9 a.m. and are to bo in position by 10.30 a.m. This forco will bo disposod as cnomy outpost line in accordanco with the Brigado schomo. Lach Company will havo a front of 1000 yards and they will togothor roprosont an onomy forco of 1 Battalion on a 2000 yard frontago. Each man to carry 10 rounds of blank ammunition, Tho imaginary machino guns will bo placed by Officors of Machine Gun Coy on onomy sido and bo usod in German mothod i.o. to kill as many as possiblo of our advancing troops and evontually to surrondor or bo killed. Officers or N.C.O's with guns will confor with umpiros and docide now many of advancing Infantry, aro killod or woundod. Thoso casualtios will be assombled at crossroads about 2000 yards East of HARLETTES on main BOULOGNE - LULBRES road. Machino Guns in action, cheoking or dolaying advanco, will bo roprosontod as being in action by boating,(or similar noiso) loud onough to roprosont a Machine Gun firing. Units (loss porsonnol detailed as onemy oto) will be in tho posttion (2) laid down in tho "Spocial Idoa by 9.30 a.m. 1 soction Machine Gun Coy will bo attachod to 4lst Battalion und 1 soction to 44th Sattalion (i.o. Brigado Rosorvo soction) 2 L.T.D's will be attachod to cach of thoso Battzlions also. (Brigado Rosorvo mortars) Thoso dotachmonts will roport to tho Battalions with which thoy are to work by 9.30 a.n.. Company Commandors of 42nd and eõrd Battalions will meot G.O.C. at (3) HARLETTES cross reads at 10 a.m.. Thoso Officers will act as umpires and "whito armbands". ill woar C.0. 42nd Battalion will act as Brigadior,. Brigado Hoadquartors will (4) "L" of FROMLNITL. bo at Battalions will bo accompaniod by as much of thoir lst lino transport as possiblo. Position of Dattalion Hoadquarters, prior to ll am will be:- alst Battalion - Houso immodiatoly South of 'B" of BULESCAMPS. A" of BULESCAMPS 42nd Battalion - Houso immodiatoly South of 43rd Battalion - House immodiatoly North of "o" of HAUTE PLANQUE, er¬ 44th Battalion - ALuUlM cross roads. (Sgd) c.F. WOOTTEN. Major. Brigado Major 11th Inf. Bdo. A.I.F.
A a Confan ii Gorte Orders tom donng. Tang une agan tnenine-Nytrskat Rifge. Trnpe odpsk - (ad Cagen St dm. 2obaavatag a. 14 engekn pams ovatvorse rdd.E. opossmes a spr. 27- 33. (es Canneidet binge. fael spavas og blaskk eine - i ome dag - at duwm. Dniner frt at rere. bomeastr sanp 3. Sedridheg sferti ty IIT at. Cål. oriske saste opmking akespt- 5 2 met reprd bask line a tang anstes Noorgds fanste Thnsking lngonsd daer lin ritt tr a ofarat vartiishing oforakms - tyefrådd ditschmnatt g infantig -uok tande. di lotslandeg Htenis Tann Stne lin metnde Artøbe ReanseTonste Tanng Tas Afe a Veane Laneb- Retkleken tasn. Sple avamntgg fornsher at oee. (jas Shalte fatet 2usv Smi. Lalantake hru kbrig op neasoanng troofs fr lnfeplenenteng ofaratøn War IEfora fo tnveantting 2 Jgrs Sot g ot dves aritt te vmdes nyg lomand.
Brr 99/6 5 9o s0e ee
SE CRET. NOTES OF CONFERENCE HELD AT CORPS HEADQUARTERS, 11-5-1917. 98 1. 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 far os asfo is conerind MESSINES, and Squares 27 and 33. (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. 3. VIII Corps action will be subsidiary. Commander-in-Chief wishes us to take advantage of the situation 4. 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. 6. We must work out machine gun and artillery support to help the Infantry and Tanks forward, F.O.Os being pushed right forward This may en¬ to BLUE or BLACK line, whence they can observe. tail a considerable amount of movement amongst our 3rd. Austral¬ ian M.Gs. Wire cutting for the further move forward must be considered. 7. A Heavy Artillery representative will call on 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 action for the BLACK line would 10. 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. 11. Special detachments of Engineers to destroy guns, in case we 12. cannot remove them. The new BLUE line will be from HUNS FARM in the North (25th. 13. Division still joining up with the IX Corps at the old place), OCTOBER RESERVE TRENCH, FANNY'S FARM, Chlle BR, ZAREEBA, da Vdlenon BETIHEEM FARM. Divisions to give Corps definite proposals with regard to the 14. 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 balace of Büls Corps reserve in case we want them). 3rd. Australian Division will probably not get any Tanks. 15. 16. Ørd. Australfan Division, will decide when to get their assault- ing troops for BLACK line forward. P.T.O.
17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. (2). Question of silent guns for us, if we can get a few extra, might be worth considering. 3rd. Australian Division is likely to get the whole weight of the counter-attack coming from due East. Tentatively it was ruled that we should take SEPTIME BARN and WHITE SPOT COTTAGES. 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 res¬ pectively. The question of when tails would reach front line was dis¬ cussed. 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. Corps Commander thought the enemy were likely to empty their front line trenches.et-3e-e-he- 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. Points of issue for General CANNAN'S force will require to be considered. Also his Headquarters, to begin with and finally. 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 BETL- HEEM 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 kan Sehenetgad there. l0th. Brigade get to B FARM, 500 yards further, 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,Ols 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 2 good many of our M.Gs. will be about this area. Corps Commander ruled that assembly trenches were to be made 26. at once. I have sent a letter to C.R.E. and Brigades with reference to this. The point cropped up whether gas shell could best be employed 27. at plus 3 or plus 5. 28. It was ruled at the conference that wire cutting must be pro¬ ceeded 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. - e-.6.---te-erck 30. G.S.O. I to speak C.R.A. and G.O.C., R.A. re wire cutting be- hind front line. P.T.0.
(31). 31. It was ruled at conference that the two Battalions on our defensive front would be under orders of G.O.C., 3rd. Austral¬ ian Division. 32. Heavy Artillery as they come in to go straight into their battle positions, i.e. occupy the houses and billets they will on Zero day. 11-5-17.
Headquarters and Anzac Corps, 12th May. 1917. My Dear Konol few I enclose a cxxxx xx 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 uss of them by distibuting 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. Noljønee 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 words are true, and they are true, not only of this war but of all wars. Becausé thev aré 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 than 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 ferward 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 retiremen For the simple reason that you are fighting against men And why? 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 for if you advance has begun, no matter how many of your comrades fall; It is the only thing to do not, you are pretty sure to fall yourself. do for your own safety, and that of your comrades. If you do that your Go straght on till you reach vour objective. If jou chances of safety are much greater, and victory is certain. hesitate, or halt, or lie down, or retire, your chances of coming throu; are much reduced--in fact, you are pretty certain to be hit. Remember Remember the German woldiers are not what they were. Remember one British soldier is equal to two Germans as a fighnter. the enemy is a goed deal more frightened of you than you are of him. Remember that before ever you advance to the attack, the enenys nerves have been greatly upset by our Artillery. Remember that the only thing that will make him revover his nerves is hesitation in going for him, or retiring. ....................-

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