Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 16, 9 October - 31 October 1917, Part 7

Parties from 198^th Brigade:-

(a) Two parties each of 100 (to work in two reliefs).
as carrying parties for Engineer Services, under C.R.E.
3^rd Aust. Div. - not to work East of line of
Road at thin D.21
8 a.m. & 10 a.m.
(b) The parties each of 200 (to work in two reliefs) men
to relieve, for one day, the bearer sub-divisions
of 3^rd Aust. F. Ambulances, - not to work East
of [[Levi?]] Cottages; - this party to stand by to be called
upon again after 24 hours rest.
(c) A Burial party of 100 under Cuttress.
JM.
13/10/17
Total 500 men.
 

13/10/17  F5 13/10/17
"C" FORM.
Army Form. C. 2135.
(In book of 100.)

MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.

No. of Message
Prefix  Sm  Code  BJ  Words 56
£   s. d.
Charges to Collect
Received.
From Bno
By Farrington
Sent, or sent out.
At   m.
To
By
Office Stamp.
Service Instructions
Handed in at Bno Office  2.45 pm. Received 2.55 pm.
TO "General MONASH
3rd Australian Division
*Sender's Number.  Day of Month.  In reply to Number.   AAA
                                       13th
The army commander has
desired me to express
to you and your
Division his appreciation of
the fine work done
yesterday under such arduous
and trying circumstances and
[[?]] say that he
fully realises how gallantly
all ranks carried out
their difficult task GENERAL
GODLEY"
3.0 pm
FROM 2nd Anzac
PLACE & TIME  2.45 pm
 

?Fighting Strength File
[[A.m.?]]
13-10-1917.
11th Australian Infantry Brigade FIGHTING STRENGTH AS
AT NOON 13-10-1917, excluding Transport Details.
                                        Offrs.     O.R.'s.
41st Battn.                        24         483
42nd Battn.                      21          478
43rd Battn.                       19          376
44th Battn.                       23          531 
                                            ____________
                                             87        1868       1955.           
11th M. G. Company.           6         108
11th L. T. M. Battery.            3            34
                                             ____________
TOTAL.                                96         2010
                                             ____________
Exclusive of 100 men with 11^th Field Co
Rob^t. E Jackson
Lieut-Colonel.
A.A. & Q.M.G., Third Australian Divn.
(DGM/PL).

SPECIAL ORDER
by
Major-General JOHN MONASH, C.B., V.D.
Commanding, Third Australian Division.
Divisional Headquarters,
13th October 1917.

The Divisional commander has much pleasure in promulgating the
following congratulatory messages received from the Army and Corps
Commanders, and desires that they be made known to all ranks.
"To General MONASH,
3rd Australian Division
The Army Commander has desired me to express to you and
your Division his appreciation of the fine work done
yesterday under such arduous and trying circumstances
and to say that he fully realises how gallantly all
ranks carried out their difficult task.
Signed................GENERAL GODLEY"
"To General MONASH
Commdg. 3rd Aust: Div.
Please convey to all ranks of your Division my high
appreciation of the courage and endurance displayed
by your troops during the fighting yesterday under
such adverse and arduous circumstances.
I sympathise with them in their disappointment
at not having gained more ground, bout would like them
to realise that the 400 Prisoners taken by the Corps
and the large number of the enemy killed testify to
the severity of the blow dealt him.
It is by such repeated blows delivered by
such Troops as yours that his moral is broken and the
inevitable end brought nearer.
Signed...... GENERAL GODLEY".

13/10/17
46
9^th Bde.
Glad if you will take immediate steps
investigate carefully whether the report received by
you yesterday from Milne and M^cDowell that
they had reached the blue line was
accurate correct and if not what was
foremost line actually reached and also
reasons for withdrawal if any. -
G.76
9.18
13/10/17

2^nd Anzac.
13/10/17    45
After investigations made overnight my
Brigadiers report their ^approximate available fighting strengths
 without hands as follows 9^th Brigade 1000
10^th Brigade 500 11^th Brigade 1100 and These
figures do not include men infantry working behind the
front line on roads tracks carrying etc. Latter
do not exceed 500 in all. - and owing difficulty
of movement more accurate figures not likely
to be available until after relief. -
G 74
8.58
A.M.

General Monash
Commdr 3/ Aust. Div.
Please convey to all ranks of 
your Divⁿ my high appreciate
of the courage & endurance
displayed by your troops during
the fighting of yesterday
under such adverse & arduous
circumstances.
I sympathise with them in
their disappointment at not
having got into Passchen
gained more ground but would
like them to realise that the
400 prisoners taken by the Corps
& the large number of the
enemy killed testify to

the severity of the blow
dealt him.
It is by such repeated
blows delivered by such
troops as yours that his
morale is broken & the
^inevitable end brought nearer.
General Godley 

13/10/17
Second Army.
Herewith a Map showing my proposals for the
capture of PASSCHENDAELE by my corps. In consequence of
the resistance met during the last two attacks at the BELLE
VUE Spur, and on the Main Ridge, it will be necessary for
deliberate and heavy bombardment to be undertaken before there
can be any certainty of success. This, combined with
necessity for re-organisation, improvement of communications,
etc., will make it impossible for me to renew the attack in
less than a week, and I would prefer to have ten days. The
date, therefore, on which I would prefer to renew the attack
would be the 23rd, but I can do it any day on, or after, the
20th, if necessary.
My experience of the three attacks, which have been
made by my Corps since I have been engaged in the battle, has
convinced me that, in order to ensure success in the attack
on the remainder of the Ridge, the direction of my attack
should be more pivoting on my right, and my Corps generally
should be made a pivot for the 5th Army. As will be seen, I
have asked for a certain amount of my front to the north to
be taken over by the 5th Army, should troops be available for
the purpose, in order to lessen the task for the reduced forces
at my disposal, and to bring the Left more forward.
Further, I cannot continue to bring my Right along
the Railway as long as the DROOGEN BROODHOEK Spur remains in
the enemy's hands. The northern flanks of my objectives
correspond approximately, and can be easily adjusted exactly to
suit the stages proposed by the 5th Army,and, after the start,
the dates can also be made to fit whatever the 5th Army like.
The task for the 3rd Australian and New Zealand
Divisions is as much as they will be able to do. The troops.

2
of both are exhausted-in the case of the 3rd Australians,
not many reinforcements will b forthcoming--and the capture
of the BELLEVUE Spur is, I think, one which will need all
the resources of a good Division.
This will give the 49th and 66th plenty of time to
recruit and come in again, and though they will be weak, they
will be quite capable of doing a second limited objective.
This will give plenty of time for the one new Division, for
which I ask, to be brought up and got ready.
For the third stage I think the 66th can quite well
do the little marked out for them, which is really only a slight
improvement of the position attained in the second objective,
and a good new Division would be required for the actual
 capture of PASSCHENDAELE.
Subsequently, it would be possible either to
utilise the New Zealand Division again, or the Division which
took PASSCHENDAELE, to push out still further to the east, in
order to secure better observation, etc.