General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 17, 11 February - 18 March 1918, Part 8

Sep.  30 1
30
31
30
31
31
18
___
171

(original shown me by Jess)  19-2-18
Dear Colonel,
I wanted to see you before I went
on leave however this'll do to show which
way the wind blows Rosenthal hadn't hit
here 5 mints last night before you were being
howled down and a he's easily led, as I found 
out, for gawd's sake look out. As for our friend
the following are a few of his remarks which I
took a note of at the time (1) Jess doesn't know
his job or the elements of staff work (2) Lamble
will get all the kudos for B.M's in Divsn as
himself & Vasey are both R.M.C. (3) Jess made a 
failure with his Bn & should not be G1
(4) This Divn. is a second rate show, G2 doesn't
know what's going on G1 won't tell him.
(5) Whatever one puts up to the A & I Staff
is turned down, it is an iniquitous show
(6) He was going to apply direct to Corps and
apologize to Corps for doing so, but Divn. would
not help him inn any way (i.e putting raiding party
up) and have no gutz to give a decision.
Perhaps you can see from this what a
boshter bloke you're up against down under. 
He has stated he was an outcast at R.M.C.
and is sore in consequence hence they try to Damn me. 
He was a failure as S.C to 3^rd Inf. Bde himself
and I know Maclagen was damn glad to
get rid of him, & since he's been at Corps, 

2
a large swollen nut is the result.
The scheme is this I fancy. He's playing
a lone hand absolutely with the mythical
hope of Corps backing him; if he managed
to get you moved, means a new G1 & then
a new G2 Divn. Connelly is also in his
road and he's got him in the gun too,
I warned him today; he wants that G2 job
and he'd expect the A.I.F. to do it. 
Rotten though he is and though he has
played the dirty on me, I wouldn't like to
see him sent back to Aus. but I would 
like to see him well and truly sat on.
As to his remarks about the A & I
people it's utter balls and I can speak
for the remainder of the 1^st Class serving, 
the number of pals we've got are numerous,
Peck, Whitham, Brand, Yourself, Wieck,
Bruggy, JK Forsyth, Curly Willliams ^etc
Barry Somerville from my soul he's mad.  

Divisional Conference of C.O's. - 26/2/18
A.H.   THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.   S E C R E T.

Divisional Headquarters,
19th. February, 1918.
HEADQUARTERS
No S.G.43 / 57.
THIRD AUSTRALIAN DIVISION
"G" Staff.
"A.Q." Staff.
C. R. A.
C. R. E.
3rd. Aust. Divsnl. Signal Coy.
9th. Aust. Inf. Bde.
10th. Aust. Inf. Bde.
11th. Aust. Inf. Bde.
3rd. Aust. Pioneer Bn.
D. M. G. O.
23rd. Aust. M. G. Coy.
Aust. Corps (for inf).
1.  A Conference of Senior Officers of the Infantry of the Division
will be held at Divisional Headquarters (RAVELSBERG) on Tuesday,
February 26th. commencing at 10.30 a.m.
2.  The object of the Conference is to discuss questions of organization,
re-organization, tactics, and training of current importance,
in relation to the probable employment of the Division in the near
future. -
3.  The following officers will attend viz:- C.R.A. and B.M.R.A.,
Brigade Commanders, Brigade Majors, Commanding Officers of Infantry
and Pioneer Battalions and Machine Gun Companies, G.S.O.I., A.A. &
Q.M.G., C. R. E., O.C., Third Divisional Signal Coy. and D.M.G.O. -
4.  Commanders in the Line will ensure that responsible officers are
left in control while they are themselves absent from their stations. -
5.  The Conference will assemble at 10.30 a.m., and will continue
after an adjournment for lunch, breaking up at or about 4.0 p.m. -
Officers attending will make their own arrangements for a haversack
lunch.  Tea and Coffee will be provided by Divisional Headquarters
Messes. -
6.  Officers will be prepared to bring forward for discussion any
matters covered by the scope of the Conference as defined in para.2.
7.  The D.A.Q.M.G. will arrange for motor cars to collect officers
from and to return them to the more distant points, and will issue
a time-table for the tour of each car. 
CH.Jess
Lieut.-Colonel.
General Staff.
GOC 

Copy-22/2/1918-PWP.  
S E C R E T.
S .G. 43/58.
G.47/162.
Australian Corps,
21st. February, 1918.
1st Australian Division.
2nd Australian Division.
3rd Australian Division.
4th Australian Division.
5th Australian Division.
G.O.C., R.A.,
B.G., H.A.,
A R T I L L E R Y
The corps commander intends at the next Divisional
Commanders Conference to discuss amongst others the following
artillery subjects :-
1.  Disposition of artillery in depth.
2.  Principles of defensive employment of artillery.
3.  Machine gun barrages in substitution of or
supplemental to artillery barrages.
4.  Mobile sections and batteries.
5.  Forward and anti-tank guns.
6.  Reinforcing artillery.
7.  Co-operation of heavy artillery.
(Signed) C. B. B. WHITE.
Brigadier-General
General Staff.
Australian Corps.
Copy for GOC
" sent CRA 

22/2/18

9^th Bde. Raid

1. Brigadiers' Plans
2. Our Arty.
3. Reinforcing Arty.
4. Action by left flank Div
5. M.G. Action. -
6. L.T.M. Action. -
7. L.T.M. smoke 
[*R. n Narrative
Speed
completeness.*]
8. Wire Cutting 
9. Medical Arrangements. -
10. Narrative.
11. Prisoners. 
12. Transport of Raiders. 
13. Intelligence, photos & plans. 
14. Heavy Artillery. -
15. Gas shed for Heavies. -
16 Demolition Stores. -
17. Issue of Orders. -   26. All raiding Stores. 1 
18. Drill. 
19. Zero Hour 
20. Communications - Powr Buzzer. 
21. Final Conference. 
22. H.Q. of O.C. Raid. 
23. Divisional Liaison. 
24. Car for Brigadier if required. 
25. Action by 11th Bde. 

22/2/18

[*4 Copies
Foolscap).*]
Secret
Secret  22/2/18
3 Aust Div.
Warneton Offensive
Provisional Plan for the Capture of Warneton
A. General Considerations.
1.  This following is a provisional plan for an offensive operation
directed against Warneton, with the objects of creating a diversion
from an enemy of strength from an enemy attack on another part
of the Army front, and of securing the moral effect of ^likely to follow the seizure ^by us of
a locality which has figured xx largely in official communiqués.
2.  The plan is provisional in the sense that many details will require
fuller consideration after recommendations fuller final reconnaissances &
a closer study of the Aeroplane Photographs have been made. -
3.  On attached map xxxxx, "Warneton No 1", the ^proposed final objective is shown by
the brown line a b c d . - The small triangle bounded lying between
the line c d and the junction of the rivers Douve & Lys ^and including The Mound, will be "mopped
up" in the course of the operation, but it is not proposed to include the garrison it
area in the new territory to be garrisoned, except by a strong observation
post on ^or near The Mound. -
4.  The maximum frontage to be attacked is 2000 yards, the maximum
depth of advance is 1300 yards . - The length of new front line to be
defended (i.e. line a b c d) is 1700 yards.  In addition there will be a
new defensive river line ^d e f of 1400 yards.
5.  In view of these frontages the extent of the operation, as shown by these figures,
the task & the character of the terrain, - Known to contain much underground
accomodation - this task will require 6 Battalions. - The most
convenient organization for the attack will therefore b 2 Infantry
Brigades, - one on each side of the river Douve, - each Brigade employing
three Battalions in the Assault, and ^holding one ^Battalion in Reserve. -

6.  The bulk of the resistance to be expected is in the enemy
front system of proposed defence (front & support line); while the most
difficult mopping up will occur in the ruins of the village. - A total
penetration of 1300 yards is considered to be too much for a single
Battalion task. - The task plan therefore involves a subdivision into two areas
providing a first objective & a final objective. - The proposed first objective
is the green line b g h e, at which line the assault will halt for 30 minutes
to permit of the xxxxxx mopping up of the first objective. & the 'leapfrogging" of the battalions allotted to the second
objective, &
7.  For the first objective, there will be two Battalions in line for each Brigade;
and for the second objective one Battalion of each Brigade. -
8.  Zero hour.  In view of the absence of good approaches & good prepared assembly
trenches ^suitable positions, the ^approach march & assembly must take place in the darkness. - The attack
must therefore be delivered, if ^also in darkness, some not ^very long before dawn. -
On the other hand, the mopping up of ^the Warneton ruins in the darkness
would involve serious risks; & should therefore be done in the after 
daybreak. - I propose therefore that Zero hour should be 2 hours before
^the hour of Sunrise on the day of the attack. -
This will allow of the following time-table :-
Darkness available for the approach march ^is from
sunset one hour after sunset on the preceding
day to 3 hours before sunrise on day of
attack, (thus allowing all troops to be in position
1 hour before Zero) - about  8 hours.
Assault begins at Zero xxx 4 i.e 2 hours before sunrise.
Green line is reached in ^at Zero. + 30 minutes i.e. 1½ before sunrise
Halt at the green line for 30 minutes ^from Zero + 30 till Zero + 60 minutes i.e till break of
day at 1 hour before sunrise.
Brown line
Final objective reached at about Zero + 100 minutes
or just after sunrise 20 minutes before
sunrise. -