Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 15, 10 May - 9 June 1917, Part 11

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 / 5

June 1917 53 Altho I hope that these few lines will reach you through a channel which mades it improbable that there will be any trouble with censorship, yet it will be only prudent to be vague & observe as to details. - In case I have no time to send you a buother letter about this time, let me say briefly that I am one the best of health & have received all your letters to & including that of 23 with cable from Gn. - That I am very busy you will father from the following note. - He are in the middle of a concentration of juns, troops and resouress of all kinds which, as the C.M.C told me a day or two ago (when he came to jo over my plans in detail) exceed by 30 0/ anything that has ever been previously know in the history of war. - My own jurrodiation has been very considerably extended, pas tirularly bo guns: - I have over 200 of all natures, up to 15- for weeks we have been malling methodiant preparations, 1 weth jange, I metro gange & Decanviile Raslurgs, mil & miles of them, - roads - altinative ronds- tacks - sidings - fun emlacements, - tm too jun ammunition, D.A.A., bombs, flaves, - installation of mortars of all natures consttuction of dugants for troops, Fir headquarters, observation posts, collection of all natures of enquireeing materral & road making material, bridges for tanks, Futments & shelter h troops, dressing stations, evacuation writes, hospitals, clearing stations, prsoners cages, ansembly trenches, approach vorites, overland writes &c &c. - everything to being done with the perfection of civil enponeesing construction, so the as regads planning & execution, with due regard to its temporary atilization. - This is going on are a front of 17,000 gaods. The operation is by a whole Army with 3 Coops in line & tno in Resene; each coop with 4 Divon 3 in line & Iin reserve, each Division with 2 Brigales in line & one in Reserve - Myrole is on a flank, which imposes special diff -culties as to counterattackes. If you loot at the map, north of the town I was until recently responsible tor, you will see a well defined ridge running N.E.- The Boach is looking down on us him the top & holds the weatern shopes, - He intend to prisk him I hope that, on an early date,, 20 days before my birthday, about midday ff we shall be doing so. - However the battle has already staatel + altho thes is as yet no infantry ration, beyond raids, I have to control & consdinate the daily & hawly action of some 15 seroceltery gomps, on bassaging communiaations, destluctive Combardment, couite buttery wort, are acroplans & ballown observation light, medicion & leavy mortar bombardments, cludgas, marter ga projectos gos, a faitly recomnnissance + intelligence, preparing the infantry for the assault, profpsiting all adminiatative attangments grupply, feeding s peath of men & aminals & a Honsand other mind detaile.
June 199 WATER. - 6000 Dumpod by each Prigade, 2000 gallons - 2000 A.N.C. at Hodical Posts OIDO " Water Carts, 50, at at 150 gallons Petrol Tins Reserve, 1000, at 2 gallons - 2000 (F) 18700 TOTAL GALLONS (X) 1600 issued to Brigades for carrying water not included.
(X) (E) Junl 1917 Reserve Stand Pipe fed n Tesus Faom Pumping Station at SRONE OATE WA TE R. 6000 2000 gallons Dumped by each Brigade, - 2000 A.M.C. at Medical Posts 8700 Water Carts, 58, at at 150 g222ons 2000 Petrol Tins Reserve, 1000, at 2 gallons 18700 TOTAL GALLONS 1600 issued to Brigades for carrying water not included.
June 191 (3). (I). ROSTILE GAS BONBARDHENT. In the event of a hoavy hostile concentration of fire on YTM night, ospocially gas shelling, on any particular part of the Army aroa, every effort will be made, by concentrating the fire of as many guns as possible, to silence the offending groupe of hostile artillery. At the same time, Counter-battery Staff Officers will indicate as accurately as possible to the 5th Brigade R.A.F. direct the positions of the active German artillery. This will be done with the object of enabling the R.A.F. to bomb the groups Concerned. C.B.S.Os. will likewise inform the 5th Balloon Ying, who have arranged to have a balloon standing by ready to take the air within 30 minutes if weather conditions permit. It is hoped that this balloon will be able to give useful information as to the positions of the batterios concerned. Each Corps will prepare a plan on the above lines. The decision to put the plan into execution rosts with Corps. If the hostile batteries responsible are located in the counter-battery aroa of another Corps, arrangements for counter action will be made direct between Corps concerned. (D). ISSUE OF INE MUTLONS Attention ie called to the importance of all Artillery Instructions being issued in sufficient time to permit of subordinate formations being afforded ample time to study them and to work them out in detail. No changes in the Artillery programme at a late hour should be permitted without very urgent reasone. (n). DURPING OF ARMPRITION. The following amounts of ammnition are authorised to be held in front of railheads. Not loss than 257 of these amounts are to be held in Corps Reserve. In addition, all echelons are to be kept full. 18epdr. 0 900 rounds per gun. 000 A.S Hows. -do- 000 800 80-pdr Gun... 800 .0 t0 Hows 700 -do- 00 00 How: 000 500 -do- 00 9.2n How.. 500 -do- 00 Sr Gun 400 -do- 000 00 12r How:.. 300 -do- .0 (0). Corps will issue orders enjoining the necessity for special measuros being taken to ensure accuracy of Fire. A list of trigonometrical points fixed by the Field Survey is being circulated down to Brigados of Artillery. This list is intended to facilitate the fixing of positions in the advance. (D). The pace and timings of the barrage and the nature of ammunition to be used on 2 day will be decided by Corps. (9). In all orders Ratos of Fire will be described as laid down in G.H.Q., R.A. Circular No. 10. (r). Each Corps will work out a time table for lifting the fire of long range artillery on 2 day from localities in accordance with the rate of advance laid down for our troops. (s). Special attention will be paid to arrangements for adequate Counter-battery work in the later stages of the battle, especially on the flanks. (t). ARTILLERY ORGANTEATION E ALLOTEEET SUBSEDUENT TO -2’ DAY. (see Table PET
i 7dia Monasts will 4 lease on 1 Me is car t vhn you 0 25 rin tas the hour t about -Law

59
June 1917
Altho' I hope that these few lines will reach you through a channel which
makes it improbable that there will be trouble with censorship, yet it will be
only prudent to be vague & obscure as to details. - In case I have no time
to send you a further letter about this time, let me say briefly that I am in
the best of health & have received all your letters to & including that of 23 with
cable from G-n. - That I am very busy you will gather from the following
notes. - We are in the middle of a concentration of guns, troops and resources
of all kinds which, as the C-in-C told me a day or two ago (when he came to go
over my plans in detail) exceed by 30% anything that has ever been previously known
in the history of war. - My own jurisdiction has been very considerably extended, particularly
in guns. - I have over 200 of all natures, up to 15". - For weeks we have been
making methodical preparations, 1½ metre gauge, 1 metre gauge & [[Decauville]] Railways, - miles
& miles of them, - roads - alternative roads - tracks - sidings - gun emplacements, - dumps

for gun ammunition, S.A.A., bombs, flares, - installation of mortars of all natures -
construction of dugouts for troops, for headquarters, observation posts, collections of all
natures of engineering material & road making material, bridges for tanks, hutments &
shelters for troops, dressing stations, evacuation routes, hospitals, clearance stations,
prisoners cages, assembly trenches, approach routes, overland routes etc etc: - Everything
is being done with the perfection of civil engineering construction, so far as regards

 

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