General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 17, 14 January - 11 February 1918, Part 7

THIRD  AUSTRALIAN  DIVISION.
Divisional Headquarters,
30/1/1918.-
A.A & Q.M.G.,
Third Australian Division.
-----------------
SUGGESTIONS ON MATTERS WHICH MIGHT BE SUBMITTED
AT CONFERENCE OF DIVISIONAL COMMANDERS.
__________________________________
1.- Whether the operations of the Estates Branch, A.I.F.,
can be extended to FRANCE.-
At the present time for a man to avail himself of this
Estates Branch, it is necessary for him to get leave to 
ENGLAND. -
2.- As to the effect of I. H. L., or P. S., and to what extent
they really operate as a punishment.
In this Division at least, there is no information as to
the character of the punishment which is inflicted by
Imprisonment or P. S.- and it is obvious that if these
punishments are not carried out with sufficient severity,
they may really operate as an inducement to crime
in the case of a man who is anxious to get away from
the front.-
3.- The desirability of allowing sentences which are suspended,
or partly suspended, under the Suspension of
Sentences Act, to be commuted in such a way as to keep
the Offender in the Line.
This might be done in many cases by the infliction of
Field Punishment, to be carried out regimentally, or by
forfeiture of pay, for a period not exceeding three
months. At present, a man must either have his sentence
suspended entirely, or be taken away from the
line for a period of at least three months. In the 
case of a man whose sentence is entirely suspended, he
actually receives no punishment at all for his offence,
and is really better off than a man who has committed

-2-
a comparatively trivial crime, loses pay, and suffers
Field Punishment for a period of perhaps three months.-
4.- The necessity for preventing Desertion by better 
supervision 
by road and rail traffic.-
Instances have frequently occurred in this Division
of men being arrested at BOULOGNE, after an absence, in
some cases, extending to months, while, in at least one
case, 2 absentees went to PARIS by rail, and thence to 
BOULOGNE, where they surrendered. -
5.- The desirability of Amending Army Act, Section 44 by
allowing in the case of Officers the infliction of forfeiture
of pay, or reduction in rank.-
In the case of an Officer to whom the Army is not a
career, a reprimand and loss of seniority, involve little 
real punishment, and this these inadequate sentences are
inflicted merely because the next higher punishment which
can be awarded is dismissal from the Service.
Lieutenant.-

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
-------------
Headquarters, A.I.F.
Attached Australian Corps,
30 January, 1918.
CONFIDENTIAL
Headquarters,
3rd Aust. Division.
-----
With reference to this office memo, 42/628
of 28th January, 1918, I desire to inform you that the meeting
will commence at 10.30 a.m. on Friday, 2nd February, instead of 
at 11 a.m. as previously notified.
Attached hereto for your information is a 
copy of the Agenda to be considered.
T H. Dodds
Colonel,
D.A.G. A.I.F.

30/1/18. 
G.1    Agenda for Raid
1. See C.R.A. & get him into touch with 10^th Bde., - After getting
outline scheme, Arty. will advise on :-
Amount of Div. Arty. that can bear.
Amount of Heavy Arty.     do.    do.
Amount of help to be got from Left Flank. Division Arty.
Estimate of Ammunition of all classes required (incl. smoke)
Arrange to procure & dump ammunition
Special arrangements for wire cutting with 4.5 Hows & 106 fuzes.
2. Get outline plan of Infantry action, from 10^th Bde, ascertaining particularly other cooperation required from :-
Engineers for demolition
Extra Vickers Guns, both for direct fire & barrage.
Extra Light or 6" Trench Mortar Cooperation.- (Anderson)
L.T.M.  Smoke Barrage, on right, or left flanks or both.
(Varley)
Artillery Smoke.
3. Draft of Div. order to Coordinate action of all Formations
4. General consideration of approx. dates with reference to 
(a) Moonlight conditions
(b) time for adequate
preparations
(c) readiness of Arty.
(d) reliefs of us or neighbours
& of approx Zero hour with reference to (a) Moonlight Conditions
(b) time to approach & withdraw.
5. Arrange for results of patrol reconnaissances to be embodied in
plans being prepared by Corps Intelligence, & for these plans to
be issued to raiders

6. Taking of photos of locality, - by Corps Squadron, - in several different 
lights (varying shadows);  & also an oblique or two.
7. Collection of all possible data re enemy's M.G. & T.M. positions to be
attacked;  & communication ^∧ of them to Raiders.
8. Overland routes, - for approach & withdrawal
9. Medical arrangements
10. Communications - including a special bury, if possible, to
dugout of O.C. Road (may be shallow.)
11. Arty. arrangements to Counterbattery enemy's answering barrage.
12. Arrangements for collecting story from returning raiders, & at
R.A.T's;  & for tallying in the parties.
13. Training of the Raiding Teams 
(a) General & physical
(b) Special, on taped replica
      (a) by day
      (b) by night
14. Arrangements for "bussing'' raiders forward on Zero Night
15. Careful scrutiny of draft orders by Brigade & O.C. Raid;  & final
issue of these, & of Divisional order.
16. Conference of all responsible commanders, including:-
Brigade  }
Team -    }
M.G's       }   This Conference need not necessarily
T.M's        }   be a Div. Conference at Div. H. Q;
Arty.         }   but may be a Brigade Conference at
Signal      }  10^th Bde H.Q. presided over either
A.A.M.C.  }   by me, or the Brigadier
&c &c        }
17. Position of Adv. Bgde H.Q. during the operation
[&c &c. - Above list not exhaustive]
Retain copy - original back to me
JM
30/1/18

30/1/18
[[Our?]] Heavily Artillery which can bear on some
portion of my front:-
28  -  6" Hows.
8    -  6" Guns.
6    -  60 pr.
6    -  8" Hows.
6    -  9.2   do.
4    -  12"   do
1     -  15"   do.
 ________________________
Per Brig. Gen. Phillips
29/1/18

G.H.Q., SMALL ARMS SCHOOL.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Attached is the Programme which it is intended to carry 
out at the Staff Courses to be held at Machine Gun Branch of the above 
School in accordance with G.H.Q. letter O.B./1498/B dated 11th Dec, 1917. 
G. Lindsay Lt.Col.
for Colonel,
Commandant, G.H.Q. Small Arms School
CAMIERS.
31/1/18.
G.S., G.H.Q.           G.S., M.G.T.C., Grantham.   Army  Schools. 
A.G., G.H.Q            G.S., Armies.                        Lewis Gun Branch. 
Q.M.G. G.H.Q.        G.S., Corps.                          Commandant. 
Captain Leyland,  G.S., Divisions.  
D.A.A.G., G.H.Q.     Machine Gun Base Depot. 

 Visits to Units 1/2/18

With
Frank J. Adkins
Compliments
15 Wynns Road
Stockwell
London
S.W.(9)
Merris.   Feby/1918
"HERE WE ARE AGAIN!"
OUR FORMER FIGHTS IN 
FRANCE AND FLANDERS
By Frank J. Adkins, M.A. 
Politics without History has no root
History without Politics has no fruit
--Sir J. R. Seeley 
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE 
LONDON: 68, HAYMARKET, S.W.
1917