Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 16, 1 August - 3 September 1917, Part 16

re Canteen Trust ^a/s
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
Divisional Headquarters,
30th. August, 1917.
Brigadier-General DELAVOYE,
2nd. A. & N. Z. Army Corps. -
My dear General. -
In reply to your personal letter No. 2864/50A
of August 29th., reference accounts of canteens, cinemas, &c.,
with copy of letter from A.A.G., Second Army attached, I think
that the Corps Commander could with confidence report that everything 
in regard to this Division is in order. -
All monies of every kind received by any Unit
of the Division in connection with any canteens, entertainments,
cinema, or from any other source, must under A.I.F. regulations be
paid at once into the hands of the Field Cashier. - Such a thing
as C.O's or Secretaries holding funds in their own custody is not
permitted. The whole of the expenditure out of these funds is
controlled by regulations under the authority of Administrative
Headquarters, A.I.F., LONDON, which authority also carries out
regular audits through the staff of the Chief Paymaster, A.I.F. -
Apart from this I enforce throughout the
Division, under Kings Regulations, para. 104, the usual quarterly
audit boards for trust funds of every description, whether from
canteens, gifts from public funds or otherwise.
Whenever it is desired to expend any money from
any of these funds, application must be made to A.I.F. Headquarters,
P.T.0.

(2).
LONDON, and the purposes for which the money is expended are
closely controlled and limited by the regulations in force.
Yours faithfully. -

1/9/17
9^th Brigade
10^th   do
11^th    do
As considerable experience has now been gained in the Distribution of Duties
among the officers of an Infantry Battalion, and as it is desirable to have a
uniform system throughout the Division, the annexed draft of an order on
the subject is forwarded to you for your remarks & suggestions, which will
be considered prior to issue. -
The principal alteration proposed is to withdraw the duties of Intelligence
Officer from the Senior Major, & to allot them to a special officer.
The scheme allots duties to 36 out of the 38 Combatant Officers for of
the Battalion, thus leaving 2 officers available for extra regimental employment,
i.e. 8 per Brigade. -
Major General

      &c     &c.  

Draft.
Distribution of Duties to Officers of an Infantry Battalion. -
The following distribution of duties to the officers of a Battalion will be taken
into use from this date, & will supersede prev arrangements hitherto in force:-
Battalion Headquarters   L Gen
1. Commanding Officer.
2. Senior Major - responsible for Regimental Institutions, Canteens,
Messing, Interior economy, Cooking & feeding arrangements, &
^all that pertains to the comfort of the personnel. 
(may have an officer who is an accountant & a Committee to assist)
Supervises education of junior officers, & recruits. -

Supervises fitting of clothing, boots, & supplies of necessaries.

Supervises enforcement of discipline & punishments by Company 

^Commanders. -

Supervises Marches, from the rear.
Acts in relief of Commanding officer. -

3. Adjutant. Acts as Staff officer to C.O., responsible both for 'G' &

'A' work in the Battalion. Must not be permitted to become a
mere 'office man'. -

4. Assistant Adjutant. - Assists Adjutant & relieves him as far as

possible of mere routine, but must be given every opportunity

to qualify & gain experience of work in the field & on parade.

5. Quartermaster. - Clothing, equipment, feeding, comfort, housing

and forage. -

6. Transport Officer. - In charge of vehicles, animals & transport personnel 
& lines. - He is, however, not merely a carrier for the

Quartermaster, but must think ahead & constructively in the

interests of the Battalion, especially when in the battle zone and

in the line. -

7. Signalling Officer. Responsible for the efficiency & working of the

whole of the Battalion Communications, including Regimental &

Company Signallers, & all signalling equipment; he must

work in close touch with Brigade Signal section.

8. Bombing Officer. Responsible for training of Rifle Grenadiers and for

general bombing instruction, also for provision of munitions &

equipment, & for establishment & maintenance of Battalion

munition dumps.

9. Intelligence Officer. Collects & collates all information, both by personal 

observation, and by close touch with troops in front line, snipers, and  ^scouts 
patrols, & observers. - He must keep in close to  au fait with the military 
situation, & the for intelligence _^reports promulgated from above; must 
study enemy methods & action; - must be in liaison with our Artillery 
& Machine Guns _^& with neighbouring units in the line^. must He in the  supervises the distribution of war 
news & intelligence throughout the Battalion. -

10. Lewis Gun Officer. Acts as technical & tactical specialist as

regards training, equipment & maintenance of all Lewis Gun

sections in the Battalion; but does not relieve Platoon Commanders

of the direct control of their Lewis Guns & personnel.

11. Scouting  ^Sniping Officer. Supervises Selection, supervision & maintenance 
[*of the snipers*] of _^the Battalion snipers _^& their equipment. - Must be in constant touch with latest

sniping appliances & methods, & must be enterprising in dominating

enemy by efficient sniping activity, constantly maintained. -

12. Scouting Officer. Supervises scout training, and supervises Battalion

and Company Scouts; cares for scouting material.

Companies.  4 C^os each with 6 officers = 24 officers

Total Battalion                                                  36 officers

___________________________________________________

Notes:- (a) Company officers should be allotted to definite units ^Companies & platoons and changed 
as rarely as possible.

(b) The duties of Sniping & Scouting officers may _^sometimes be combined.

(c) Under many circumstances, the duties of Sniping officer and of

Lewis Gun officer could be carried out by officers actually commanding

platoons.

(d) The Intelligence officer should be carefully selected and fully qualified 
for his important duties. _^If no competent subaltern is available - he may be a Capt Major or Captain, provided 

that another Captain or subaltern is available to carry out 
Company duty in his place.-

(e) The Bombing, Lewis Gun, Sniping & Scouting officers should be attached 
to definite platoons; so that Whenever the Battalion is out of the line 
or in reserve or rest, they may have ^should be given experience in platoon command 
so as to be qualified to command a platoon at any time.

(f) Specialist officers are not to exercise executive commands, except as

prescribed by the C.O. - While they should be employed so as to render

all possible assistance to Company officers, they cannot relieve

the latter of respons their responsibility for the training & efficiency

of the Company or Platoon. -

G.O.C.

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION    1/9/17.

SUMMARY OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR WEEK ENDING

8TH SEPTEMBER, 1917.

SUBJECT	HOURS	OF	WORK	REMARKS
	9th Bde.	10th Bde.	11th Bde.
Training of Specialist Reserves	Daily	Daily	Daily	Divisional Gas School continues with new class.
Physical Training &  Bayonet Fighting	-	3	2	Map Reading School in progress.
Musketry	-	3	2
Tactical Handling of Platoons	12	9	14½∅	∅ 41st Bn  Others less.
Company Tactical Training	12	-	-
Battalion Tactical Training	6	-	-
Route Marching	X	12	8½+	X Moves to training grounds under  Route March conditions.
Close Order Drill. Inspection	-	6	1
Night Operations	3	-	3※	※ 1 Bn only  + Average
Gas Drill	2	2	2
TOTAL HOURS	35	35	33

Chartwell Klempe
G.S.

Staff Training   1/9/17

Proposals for appointments & action

9th Brigade    Trainee B.M.   Peart to go to Artillery.

√ ※ Brigade to nominate a regimental officer 

(Duntroon graduate preferred but not essential) 

to be taken on as "unofficial" Trainer, pending 

his being made "official" Trainee later on. -

√ Trainee S.C.     Capt. Suter M.C. (already appointed)

10th Brigade   Trainee B.M. √ Lamble to be recommended as Trainee

B.M. vice Peart.

√ Dunlop to be transferred to 11th Brigade.

Trainee S.C. √ Wolstenholme to take up this duty on his 

return from Staff Course in England.

√ Wells  to revert to regimental duty. -

11th Brigade     Trainee B.M. √ Dunlop - transferred from 10^th Bgde.

Trainee S.C. √ Bennett - already with 11^th Bde, but to 

change over from Asst. B.M. to be 

Asst. S.C. -

Training with British Division :-

9th Brigade √ Capt. W.H. Douglas 33^d Bn √

10th   di         √ Capt Lambden     37^th    "    √

11th     di        √ Lieut. W.G.Fisher    42^d    "  √

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

I propose to give Lambden the choice of going on as "Unofficial Trainee B.M" 

of 10th Brigade, in him in going to a British Division.-

Should he elect do this, 10th Bgde will have to nominate another officer for a British Division .  Settled

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

To be returned to G.O.C. when action taken ← JM.

1/9/17