General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 18, 25 May - 3 June 1918, Part 5

Illustration - see original document
Calendar
AUSTRALIAN

CORPS TOPO
SECTION

1918
George. w Bleach. 18.
[*Three colour process - by Aust. Corps Topo. Section*]

June / 1918

Please tell them how that I feel confident that every Jewish soldier will aspire to be a be animated by the desire to render the utmost service that lies in his power, and to aspire that he will aspire to be ^at all times & under all conditions a model of soldierly conduct, not only for the sake of the Empire which to which our race owes so much but also for the sake of the prestige and renown of all English-speaking Jews.
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[*3DRC/2316*]

Austr. Army Corps
France
June/ 1918
Dear Mr. Hughes.
May I begin by welcoming you to this side of the world
and to express the hope that your many engagements will
first allow
and permit of your paying a visit to France at no very distant date
in order to see something of us, and to get into personal
touch with the troops and Commanders, all of whom are most
anxious for you to visit them.-
As you know, I have recently been appointed to the
Command of the Australian Army Corps, which comprises
substantially the whole of the Australian Field Army in France,
(although ^a certain Units of the Corps are is temporarily detached). I
shallould be very glad to entertain you at my Head Quarters, and
to try &
make you as comfortable as possible; and also to arrange
opportunities for your seeing as many of my troops as the
military situation at the time will permit.
I am personally very anxious to desirous of meeting you in order to put tell
before you my views opinions on certain questions which have recently
been under very active discussion, and in order also to let
you hear the opinions of many representative officers on the
same subject.- These questions involve the continuance of in
office of General Birdwood as G.O.C. A.I.F. concurrently
with the exercise by him of the Army Command to which he has
been recently appointed.-
This arrangement has already been agreed to by the Commonwealth
Government, and is now actually in force. - I
have been made aware, however, that there is a body of opinion

in London, led by Mr Keith Murdoch, which wishes ^to reopen the question and to urge upon
you very strongly ^& your Government that the time is now opportune for relieving
General Birdwood of this appointment duty, & appointing some one else,
(preferably in Engl to be stationed in England) to exercise his present
functions.
I am in the highest degree naturally, as Commander of the whole of the xxxxx our
fighting troops ^in France naturally most vitally interested in this question
and am ^also as senior Australian Officer in Europe, believe that I am most qualified
to voice the opinions of the major portion of the A.I.F.  ⁋ It is,
obviously, not opportune to enter, in the short limits of this letter ^such a letter as this 
into a minute detailed discussion of the ^merits of the whole position matter; but I should
like to be permitted, at the earliest possible moment, to convey state
to you my very definite and emphatic opinion that, upon
every ground, of expediency, sentiment, and in the bests interests
of the A.I.F., no such change ^such as is ^that proposed, should now
be considered; but that the present organization should be left
undisturbed.-
I may say that I am on the best of terms, personally, with
Mr Murdoch; and I admire his patriotism and respect his
motives, but, upon the question at issue, I fear that I entirely
disagree with him. ^Nor do I admit his right to be the spokesman of the A.I.F. - It is said that he has urged upon you
the view that his proposals have received wide, not to say unanimous, 
support from the A.I.F.- If this be so, I wish to
assure you say that such a view this is wholly misleading and
absolutely incorrect. - I will undertake to g furnish you
with most convincing proof to the contrary. - In point of fact

In point of fact the great majority of our senior the contrary view is almost universal,
among all senior officers qualified to express a reliable opinion.
or whose opinion ^really matters. -
Many of us are, on the other hand, however, quite in sympathy with
the view that Australia should be more effectively represented
in London, in the politi questions of a more political & economic
character, of a kind which could be achieved, if Australia were
to provide a member of the War Cabinet. - But this as a very
different thing from discussing the present proposal to totally to
divorce the higher ^Military Administration of the A.I.F. from the Army
in the field; - which would be the inevitable result of so vital
a change in our ^present organization. - One might also well ask why
we should disturb an arrangement which has worked so well, &
has kept the A.I.F. so efficient, so contented, & so entirely
free from intrigue, or cabal of any description.-
My main purpose, in this letter, is to urge you very strongly
to keep an entirely open mind on this position upon the matter, & to suggest ^respectfully that 
it would be best to refrain from any intervention in this
question until you have had an opportunity of visiting France
& fully ^hearing, discussing & considering the views of those of us, in the field, who
are really more vitally interested than any one else.
Yours very sincerely