General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 18, 21 April - 8 May 1918, Part 16

Conflict:

First World War, 1914–18

Part of Quest:

Sir John Monash (General, b.1865 - d.1931)

Subject:

Documents and letters

Status:

Awaiting approval

Accession number:

RCDIG0000629

Difficulty:

Army Form C. 2123A (France).
(In books of 100.)

6/5/18

"C" Form
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
No. of Message 75

Prefix SM Code BHP Words 57

Received
From Aus
By [[ W Edwards]]
Sent or sent out
at....m to.... by....
Office stamp
[*ARMY
AYC-SV18
TELEGRAPH*]
Service Instructions

Handed in at Aus Office 2.40 pm. Received 2.58 pm.

TO 3rd Aust Divn

G980 6/5 aaa

*Sender's number Day of month In reply to number AAA
Following from Genl RAWLINSON
begins aaa Please convey to 3rd
Aust Divn. my congratulations
and best thanks for the brilliant
piece of work they carried out
last night aaa. The success
is highly creditable to all
concerned and will much

improve our position in front of

MORLANCOURT aaa Ends
Rxx 3pm

From Aust Corps

Place and Time.
GOC
SMJ 6/5/18

A.Q. 387

6.35Pm

6/5/18
DV

6/5/18

"C" Form
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
143 Army Form C. 2123.
(In books of 100.)

No. of Message

Prefix SM Code HH Words 17

Received From Aus BY H98
Sent, or sent out

At....m. To... By.. .

Office Stamp

[*ARMY

AYC SV18

TELEGRAPHS*]

Service Instructions.

Handed in at LJD Office 8.40m. Received 10.15m.

TO 3rd Aust Div

*Sender's Number Day of Month In reply to Number AAA

AM 411 6

Congratulations on your

success near SAILLY LE

SEC.

R 10 20 PM

FROM 104 Inf Bde.

PLACE & TIME

6/5/18

"C" Form
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
Army Form C. 2123.
(In books of 100.)

No. of Message 28

Prefix SM Code GK Words 110

Received From Aus BY H98
Sent, or sent out

At.... m. To... By...

Office Stamp

[*ARMY

AYC SV1S

TELEGRAPHS*]

Service Instructions.

Handed in at DAR Office 7;50 m. Received 8.30 m.

TO 3 Aust Div

*Senders Number Day of Month In reply to AAA

G725 6

As result minor operation

this morning our captures

now exceed 200 including

2 officers also 1 TM and 5 MGs

aaa estimated 150 enemy

killed in trench system

alone aaa garrison of

Hostile post E of BOIS DE

VAIRE (S/W of HAMEL) occupied

early this morning and

garrison accounted for

aaa Hostile Arty active

in area S of M MERICOURT

L'ABBE, BRETONNEUX N of

BOIS L'ABBE MILLENCOURT

FROM JM
PLACE & TIME 6/5/18

6/5/18

"C" Form
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
Army Form C. 2123
(In books of 100.)

No. of Message 128

Prefix Code Words
Received

From By
Sent, or sent out

At......m. To..... By......

Office Stamp

[*ARMY

AYC SV1S

TELEGRAPHS*]

Service Instructions.

Handed in at Office.. .m. Received... m.

TO 2
Sender's Number Day of Month In Reply to Number AAA
and area SW of ALBERT

aaa 3 enemy tanks on

ALBERT-BOISSELLE Road engaged

by our 60 prs and

field Hows aaa - EA active

on Southern Corps front

aaa addsd GHQ Repsd

all concerned

8.35pm

FROM Fourth Army 6.30 pm
PLACE & TIME

6/5/18

"C" Form
61
MESSAGES AND SIGNALS.
Army Form C. 2123
(In books of 100.)

No. of Message

Prefix SM Code AH Words 17
£ s. d.
Charges to collect
Received

From AYE

BY PL Smith
Sent, or sent out

At 1.55pm.

By R

Office Stamp

[*ARMY

AYC S.V.1S.

TELEGRAPHS*]

Service Instructions

one of 2 addresses

Handed in at AGO Office 1.40pm. Received 1.52pm.

TO 3rd Aus Div 6/5/18

*Senders Number Day of Month In Reply to Number AAA

SC180 6
Hearty Congratulations on Your Splendid

success of yesterday

1.55p
FROM 15^th Aust Inf Bde

PLACE & TIME 1.30PM

6/5/18
'Phone message from General BIRDWOOD to Capt. JACKSON at 7.25
a.m. 6-5-18.

-----------------------
Please convey my hearty congratulations to General
MONASH on the very successful operation carried out during the
night, and also tell him I would like him to convey them, to
General ROSENTHAL and Battalions concerned, for me. I will
be coming down this morning.

PWP.
ANNEXE TO THIRD AUST. DIV. INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY NO. 117 - 6-5-1878.
Summary of Examination of prisoners of 237th R.I.R.
199th Div. captured night 5th/ 6th May 1918,
during our attack.
Our Attack.
From prisoners' statements it appears that the enemy was sur-

prised by our attack and totally unprepared for it. During our ar-

tillery bombardment, the men took cover in their trenches and our
Infantry attack was too quick for them to prepare for defence. A few
of the enemy were able to send up their S.O.S. signals, to which,
however, their artillery did not reply. Owing to our artillery,
they were unable to man their light machine-guns and consequently
were unable to put up much of a fight. They consider that their
Reserve Battalion was too far behind to come up and reinforce them.
Dispositions.
The 237th R.I.R. had one battalion in the front Line, one bat-

talion in reserve and one battalion in rest, - and of their front
line battalion, all four Companies were in the front line, out of
which two groups per Company had been pushed forward as an outpost
line, the main line of resistance being about 100 yards further East.
Each Company consisted of about 80-90 trench strength, including
light machine-gun personnel with 4-5 light machine-guns. It is be-

lieved that the Heavy Machine-gun Company was echeloned in depth be-

hind the main line of resistance, but none of these prisoners had
been captured.
The average width of Company sectors appears to have been about
300 yards, thus the regimental sector was very thinly held, this fact
being commented upon by the N.C.0s. examined.
Orders.
The orders of the 3rd. Battalion before coming into the line
were "To hold the line". No intentions of any attack were known by
prisoners. They had been told that the British Divisions holding
the line in this sector were tired divisions and not likely to make
any attack and therefore their stay in line would most likely be
very quiet. Some of the prisoners state that they had been warned
by the Battalion Commander that our patrolling had been active on
several nights, but this does not seem to have been generally circu-

lated amongst the men.
Reliefs.
According to the statement of a reliable N.C.O. the 3rd. Battn.
relieved the 1st Battn. on the night 3rd/4th May, the 1st Battn.
having previously relieved the 246th R.I.R. of 54th Res. Div. about
four days previously. This is confirmed by the statement of one
other prisoner of the same regiment, though the remainder of the
prisoners captured appear to have no knowledge of the troops pre-

viously holding the sector before their regiment came in.
Rest Billets.
The 237th R.L.R. had been in barracks in rest for about three
weeks in VILLERS-FAUCONS. They understood that they were to remain
in rest for some considerable time and did not know that they were
to come into line again until the day before they actually left their
rest billets. From VILLERS FAUCONS they marched via BOUCHAVESNES,
MAU REPAS, MARICOURT, along the road towards BRAY, around the out-

skirts of BRAY, thence along the main BRAY-CORBIE Road, branching
off to the right across field paths into the first line.
P. T. 0.

Losses and Drafts.
During their period in rest, the 237th R.I.R. received three
drafts from various sources. The largest of these was one which has
previously been reported in prisoners statement from
their Recruit Depot in WARSAW; another draft came direct from Ger-

many (strength about 100), and the third draft came from a Field
Recruit Depot at BRUGGE, this draft consisting of about 200 men.
According to prisoners’ statements, about 90% of the drafts from
WARSAW and BRUGGE consisted of 1899 class, this being the first ap-

pearance of these 19-year old men in the field.
During their previous tour in the line in the neighbourhood of
THENNES, prisoners agree that their losses were very heavy, most of
the Coys. when they came out to rest only being between 28 and 40 men
strong. They also state that the losses amongst officers was excep-

tionally high. In connection with this, one N.C.O. states that on
marching into line near THENNES their Coy. was attacked by our aero-

planes on the way, four bombs being dropped by us, all of which were
directed on the Coy, - between 30 and 40 men being wounded and 20 men
killed. As a result of this, what remained of the Coy. was ordered
back to billets from whence they had cone and were unable to proceed
into the line.
Even after having been reinforced by the troops mentioned above,
the 199th Division was considered to be a "worn-out" division and
unfit for any offensive operations.
Other Regiments seen.
Men of the 31st I.R. (18th Div. ) were seen by prisoners in BRAY
about the 1st May, these men being ordered out of their billets to
make room for the 237th R.I.R., part of which remained in BRAY for
about two days. It is not definitely known whether the men of the
31st L.R. changed their billets in BRAY or left BRAY altogether. The
former is considered as the most likely.
Men of the 84th and 65th Regiments (Active or Reserve unknown)
were also seen about the 1st May in a village in the neighbourhood
of BRAY, this village being possibly SUZANNE.
Intentions
Prisoners affirm that no attack is likely to take place in the
near future in this sector, but this view may be influenced by the
fact that they were definitely told that they were not coming into
the line in order to attack, - and also to the poor opinion which
the N.C.0s. have at present of the quality of their division, which
they state has been ruined by the number of young boys recently re-

ceived in drafts.
In this connection, the N.C.0s. state that all preparations for
attacks are kept very secret - more so than on previous occasions
before the present offensive, - and say that they did not know of
the commencement of the offensive before the 20th March.
No other divisions have been heard of in reserve behind this
sector which are likely to be available for an attack, though some
of their statements agree that there is an unusually large quantity
of ammunition stacked everywhere behind the lines.
It is worthy of note that the men appear to have very 1ittle
opportunity of seeing or hearing of other troops than those in
their own division while in rest or while marching up to the front,
as divisional sectors in the rear are rigidly adhered to and no man
is allowed out of his own particular sector.
One reliable N.C.O. states that further attacks are considered
to be probable, but the objective of these attacks and the sector in
which they will take place is unknown.

ARMIES

ARMY CORPS

COMPILED
6-5-18

DATE COMPOSTN OF H.Q.

FIRST

SECOND PLUMER

THIRD

FOURTH

RESERVE AND
FIFTH

FLYING CORPS

TANK CORPS

III

VII

VIII

XIII

1918 MARCH

HORNE

RAWINSON

BYNG

GOUGH

SALMOND

ELLES

HOLLAND

JACOB

BUTLER

WOOLCOMBE

FANSHANE

HALDANAE

CONGREVE V.C.

HUNTER WESTON

HAMILTON GORDON

MORLAND

McCRACKEN

1918 APRIL

do.

PLUMER

do.

RAWLINSON

PEYTON

do.

HARPER

do.

DE LISLE

1918 MAY

do.

SHUTE

do.

1918 JUNE

do.

BIRDWOOD

do.

SHUTE

do.

WHIGHAM

do.

PAYTON

do.

1918 JULY

do.

STEPHENS

MORLAND

1918 AUG

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

1918 OCT.

do.

BRAITHWAITE

do.

1918 NOV.

do.

ARMY CORPS

MESOP.

EGYPT

SALONIKA

XVIII

XIX

XXII

CANADIAN

AUSTRALIAN

PORTGSE

CAVALRY

II AMERICAN

1918 MARCH

DuCANE

FERGUSSON

MAXSE

WATTS

GODLEY

CURRIE

BIRDWOOD

TAMAGNINI

KAVANAGH

1918 APRIL

do.

HAKING

1918 MAY

do.

NO COMMDR

1918 JUNE

MORLAND

do.

MONASH

do.

1918 JULY

DE LISLE

do.

ROSADO

do.

READ

1918 AUG

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

1918 OCT.

do.

1918 NOV.

do.

DATE COMPSTN OF HQ

DIVISIONS

1^ST CAVALRY

2^ND CAVALRY

3^RD CAVALRY

GUARDS

1^ST

2^ND

3^RD

4^TH

6^TH

5^TH

8^TH

9^TH SCOTTISH

11^TH NORTHERN

12^TH EASTERN

14^TH LIGHT

15^TH SCOTTISH

16^TH IRISH

17^TH NORTHERN

1918 MARCH

MULLENS

GREENLY

VAUGHAN

FEILDING

STRICKLAND

PEREIRA

DEVERELL

MATHESON

MARDEN

HENEKER

LUKIN

DAVIES

SCOTT

COUPER

REED VC

HULL

ROBERTSON

1918 APRIL

do.

TUDOR

do.

SKINNER

do.

1918 MAY

do.

PITMAN

HARMAN

do.

STEPHENS

do.

HIGGINSON

do.

1918 JUNE

do.

RITCHIE

do.

1918 JULY

do.

PONSONBY

do.

1918 AUG

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

1918 OCT.

do.

MATHESON

do.

LIPSETT

do.

1918 NOV.

do.

LUCAS

do.

18^TH EASTERN

19^TH WESTERN

20^TH LIGHT

21^ST

24^TH

25^TH

29^TH

30^TH

31^ST

32^ND

33^RD

34^TH

35^TH

36^TH ULSTER

37^TH

38^TH WELSH

39^TH

40^TH

1918 MARCH

LEE

JEFFREYS

SMITH

CAMPBELL

DALY

BAINBRIDGE

DE LISLE

WILLIAMS

WANLESS O'GOWAN

SHUTE

PINNEY

NICHOLSON

FRANKS

NUGENT

WILLIAMS

BLACKADER

FEETHAM

PONSONBY

1918 APRIL

do.

CAREY

do.

CAYLEY

do.

BRIDGFORD

do.

MARINDIN

do.

BLACKLOCK

do.

1918 MAY

do.

CAMPBELL

BRIDGFORD

do.

1918 JUNE

do.

LAMBERT

do.

COFFIN VC

do.

CUBITT

do.

1918 JULY

do.

PEYTON

1918 AUG

do.

CHARLES

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

MALCOLM

do.

1918 OCT.

do.

1918 NOV.

do.

42^ND

48^TH

47^TH LONDON

49^TH W. RIDING

50^TH N'BRIAN

51^ST HIGHLAND

55^THW LANCS.

58^TH

57^TH

58^TH LONDON

59^TH

61^ST
S MIDLAND

62^ND
W. RIDING

3^RD
R. NAVAL

66^TH

1^ST CANADIAN

2^ND CANADIAN

3^RD CANADIAN

1918 MARCH

SOLLY- FLOOD

THWAITES

GORRINGE

CAMERON

WILKINSON

HARPER

JEUDNINE

DUDGEON

BARNES

CATOR

ROMER

MACKENZIE

BRAITWAITE

LAWRIE

LAWRENCE MALCOLM

MACDONNELL

BURSTALL

LIPSETT

1918 APRIL

do.

JACKSON

CARTER- CAMPBELL

do.

BETHELL

do.

1918 MAY

do.

1918 JUNE

do.

HULL

do.

SMYTHE

do.

1918 JULY

do.

RAMSAY

WHIGHAM

DUNCAN

do.

1918 AUG

do.

BLACKLOCK

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

BOYD

do.

1918 OCT

do.

SMYTH

do.

WHIGHAM

do.

LOOMIS

1918 NOV.

do.

4^TH CANADIAN

1^ST AUSTRALIAN

2^ND AUSTRALIAN

3^RD AUSTRALIAN

4^TH AUSTRALIAN

5^TH AUSTRALIAN

NEW ZEALAND

1^ST PORTGSE

2^ND PORTGSE

41^ST

52^ND LOWLAND

74^TH YEOMANRY

4T^H AMERICAN

28^TH AMERICAN

35^TH AMERICAN

77^TH AMERICAN

82^ND AMERICAN

27^TH AMERICAN

1918 MARCH

WATSON

WALKER

SMYTH VC

MONASH

MACLAGEN

HOBBS

RUSSELL

COSTA

MACHADO

561.B.

691B

701B

60FAB

1531B

1541B

157FAB

1918 APRIL

do.

BAR^BOSA

DA COSTA

LAWFORD

1918 MAY

do.

HILL

JOHNSON

1918 JUNE

do.

ROSENTHAL

GELLIBRAND

do.

GIRDWOOD

CAMERON

MUIR

WRIGHT

DUNCAN

BURNHAM

1918 JULY

do.

GLASGOW

do.

78^TH AM McRAE

80^TH AM. CRONKHITE

O'RYAN

1918 AUG

do.

-do.-

do.

1918 SEPT.

do.

1918 OCT.

do.

MARSHALL

do.

1918 NOV.

do.

SILVA

do.

5-5-18

Last edited by:

H.Boutell

Last edited on:

7 March 2025, 4:07 pm

Last updated: 7 March 2025