Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 16, 1 August - 3 September 1917, Part 8

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION. Copy No...../.....
Divisional Headquarters,
12th. August, 1917.
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 8.
1. The 9th. and 10th. Infantry Brigade Groups (less Artillery)
Will move to BLEQUIN AREA according to the attached March Table.
Train timings will be notified later.
2 .The following trains will convey each Brigade Group, less
proportion proceeding by road,
2  Personnel Trains each accommodating sixty Officers
and 1760 Other Ranks and two trucks for baggage.
1  Omnibus Train for Transport as per detailed table
attached.
3. Brigade Groups will entrain at BAILLEUL as follows :-
10th Brigade Group on August 14th
9th Brigade Group on August 15th.
Detrainment will take place at WIZERNES.
4.  Advance parties with Bicycles of each Brigade Group will
report not later than 12 noon 13th of August to Colonel WATERS
Area Commandant, at CAMPAGNE-lez-BOULONNAIS, and will be rationed
up to the 16th inclusive. They will report to Divisional
Headquarters at 7 a.m. on 13th instant to be conveyed by Motor
Lorry to the new Area.
5. They should be in possession of full details of strength
of their respective Brigade Groups.
6. The Transport conveying them will remain with them until
the arrival of their Brigade Groups.
7 .Brigades will report total strength of billeting parties
and number of bicycles to be conveyed, at once.
8. Staff Captains will report to the D.A.A.G.. at Divisional
Headquarters at 9 a.m. 13th instant.
9. Information re times of arrival of trains at WIZERNES will
be obtained by Officers in Charge of Advance Parties from Colonel
WATERS.
10. Supply rail-heads will be as follows :-
10th Brigade Group - LUMBRES from August 15th; inclusive.
9th Brigade Group - LUMBRES from August 16th, inclusive.
11. Brigades will leave a rear party to take charge of surplus
Brigade Stores. These stores will be transferred to the
Divisional Stores at S. 25 d.95.00 under Divisional arrangements.
P.T.O.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO 8.   page -8-  18th August, 1917
 12. The rear party 10th Brigade will hand over tontage to the

Area officer under arrangements to be made by him.
13. The O.C., A. S.C. Company will command the Brigade Group
surplus mounted portions. He will make arrangements to collect 

the details to march under him.
14. Blankets will be carried on the man.
Rob. E. Jackson Major
for
Lieutenant.- Colonel.
A.D.C. Q.M.C. Third Australian Division.
Distribution :-
Copy No 1   A.D.C. For G.C.O.
do            2   C.R.A
do            3   C.R.E.
do            4  3rd Aust: Sig: Co.
do            5  9th Aust: Inf; Bde.
do            6  10th Aust: Inf: Bde
do            7  11th Aust: Inf: Bde
do            8  3rd Aust: Div: Pioneers
do            9  3rd Aust: Div: Train
do           10  A.D.M.S
do            11. D.A.D.V.S
do            12. 207th Machine Gun Company.

do            13.  D.M.C O.
do            14  “G” Staff.
do            15}
do            16} War diary
do.           17}
do            18  A.P.M.
do             19  File.
(R.E.J/P.L).-

Third Australian Division.
MARCH TIME TABLE

O M N I B U S    T R A I N.

(One Coach, 30 Covered Wagons, and 17 Flat Trucks).

Divisional Headquarters
August 12th. 1917. -

Diagram- see original

-
((x).Brigades should send one or
two Water Carts for use of Transport 

Personnel proceeding by road.
(@) Field Company will provide
loading and unloading party of
100 men.
 

THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.

TRAIN TIME TABLE

Divisional Headquarters,

August 13th, 1917.-
 

13/8/17
Conference of Commanders
Introductory
Reasons for Conference:- (a) Achieved certain measure of success.
We must maintain it
(b) Have gained experience-
which we must review
(c) Must adapt & change methods to suit future
conditions.
Such conference desirable for Commanders
(a) in future planning
(6b in training their subordinates.
Time Short - only able to pass important subjects in rapid review.
Will Write remarks later.
Wish chiefly to give Div point of view – So as to coordinate policy
Enemy's altered methods
Not likely again to meet organized trench system
Which have taken 2 yrs to build
Gradual transition to open warfare
Shell hole  - obscene shell hole dugouts
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
timber & grass covered shell holes
Vaulted cellars.
 

1
 

xx 3
14. Staff duties -full knowledge of task & situation
(=thinker] -  thinking all round his subject.
Knowledge of details
Initiation
Readiness to take local responsibility
(stopping arty)
Enemy's Counterattack policies
1.  Tripliclate dispositions in depth
2. His doctrines - (read from German document)
3. Recent questions raised, as to dept of advance.
4. Our  Our ability to take on counterattack
(read from my points)
4. Methods of consolidation - alignments
fields of fire.
5. Theory of the "False front"
6. No withdrawal- advance it shell holes
danger of carrying back other lines.
7. Value of defence in depth
Liaison - A. personal liaison.-
B. Liaison between Neighbouring units.
C.  Liaison  between Arms:-
(a)  Infantry & Artillery  -Counterbattery
Neutralizing fire
Retaliation
(b) Infantry & Aircraft -Contact work - fears
Our air policy
works
(c)  Infantry & Engineers  - works
working parties
(d)  Infantry & Machine Guns.

Grimwade
Anti-aircraft Lewis Guns. -
Rosenthal -   Forward [[?bursts]] first.
C.R.E. - Brigade Office for  Works
Consolidation
 

4
Training
(a) Development of Inititiative in Subordinates
Drive Must come from below - still too much from above
xxx Rare to get suggestions
(b) Skill-at Arms -musketry & power of rifle
Bayonet Fighting & offensive spirit.
Digging & lay out of works.
Bombing & Rifle Grenades
Lewis Guns
(c) Platoon handling - in Semi-open warfare
Concrete examples to be taught
(d) Have a supply of ready-trained substitutes.
Remarks by:-  9th Brigade
                           10th     "
                           11th      "
G. S. O. I.
Any others
Hold Brigade & Battalion Conferences, on similar lines.
 

9th Bgde  Sniping should be ambitious
35    Arty Liaison officer- going round the line
Individual cunning - tracks-
10th Bgde.  Training  of Scouts. -
Training of young officers-
11th Bgde.  nil
42
Morshead - Sniping - no targets                                            
.33     Cadet officers - No previous experience. -                                       √  X
Protective Barrage limits us                                                                          √  X X
T.Ms. - Freedom of C.O'S. -
Difficulty of Training Ground.

Butler Arty. Liaison - S.O.S. calls off.                                                           √  X
43
Davies Training of platoons.
38
Collection of Bombs. - not                                                                         √  X
Regimental salvage parties;
exchange of officers bet. Arty & Ifty.                                                       √  X
Martin            39 Retaliation – sticking out 'tender spots'.-
didn't know Arty. Action.
Henderson.    39  Sniping. - too few telescopic rifles.
Lord                40  Liaison good.
Cook-Russell 36  Sniping - no targets.
Macdowell     35  No. of telephones an issue -not enough.
Hervne           41   Oil lamps increased from 2 to 4.
Clarke             44  Scouting - bad since loss of scouting platoon
Law             Pairs    Attack by aeroplanes
Robertson      37  Water - more required - extra W. Bottles                 X
AQ. -                        Training of Officers
                                 Standard tests in Musketry
Wootten.              Instructing R.S.Ms     __________________________ XX
 

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