General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 19, 4 June - 24 June 1918, Part 10
POSTCARD
per H.E.L. Herrs (20/6/18)
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AUSTRALIAN CORPS.
Corps Headquarters.
21st June, 1918.
My dear WINTER,
I should be very glad if you sound General DODDS,on
his return, upon the question of the granting of a step in rank
to Major W.W. BERRY, 3rd Pioneer Battalion, seconded as Camp
Commandant at Corps Headquarters.
In the event of Major PHILLIPS of the 3rd Pioneer
Battalion being promoted to the Command of it, this appointment
would cause BERRY to be superseded and the question arises
whether it would be an equitable thing to grant him a step in
rank also. - As you are no doubt aware, he has had upwards of
18 years military and voluntary service, including 7 years in
CANADA. - His status at Corp Headquarters is such as to quite
justify the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel because, together with the
normal personnel of Corps Headquarters, plus the Employment
Company, his Command is larger than that of an Infantry Battalion. -
In addition, he handles something like half a million francs of
funds per year.
I notice that quite a number of Corps in the Army have
officers of the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and higher as Camp
Commandments, such as the Canadian Corps, II, III, X, XVII and
XIX Corps. - There is thus plenty of precedent for this.
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* Not sent*
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SECRET & CONFIDENTIAL.
H.Q.5th Tank Bde No. G.26/16.
Lieut-Gen. Sir John MONASH, K.C.B.,
Commanding Australian Corps.
-----------------------------------------------
With regard to the proposed attack South of the SOMME, the
limit of the objective of which is marked in BLUE on the attached map
VAUX 1/20,000.
- A Tank Battalion is organised into three Companies of 12 Tanks
each, a Company being divided into 4 Sections of three Tanks each.
2. The following considerations have influenced me in deciding
the number of Tanks required, and allotment necessary in order to ensure
success:-
A. The Main Tactical points to be captured are :-
(i) VAIRE WOOD and HAMEL WOOD
(ii) Circular Post,
(iii) HAMEL VILLAGE.
B. There is no defined system of trenches, except the old British
line East of HAMEL VILLAGE to capture, but the Area between the
Tactical Points mentioned above, and to the East of them, probably
consists of a number of machine gun nests.
C. The instructions given verbally by the Army Commander that a
sufficient number of Tanks should be employed in order to save
as many casualties as possible to the Australian Corps.
3. The Tanks should be divided into three Echelons :-
(a) Advance Sections.
(b) Main Body Sections.
(c) Mopping up Sections.
4. (i) Advance Sections will operate independently of the Infantry,
but to conform to the general Scheme of Attack.
Duties. (a) To protect the Advance of the Tanks following in rear,
and Infantry attached to the main Body Sections.
(b) To move to the rear of the main Tactical points as quickly
as possible in order to cut off retreat of the
garrison, and to prevent the enemy reinforcing these
points.
The effect of this manoeuvre will demoralize the
enemy.
(ii) Main Body Sections. The assaulting Infantry will be attached
to these sections.
Duties. To lead the Infantry to their objective, and give immediate
protection by fire.
(iii) Mopping up Sections. To follow the Assaulting Infantry.
Duties. (a) To replace any Main Body Tank that may be put out of
action, from any reason.
(b) To go to the assistance of any Infantry that may be held
up by a machine gun post, which has not been dealt with by
the Tanks in front.
5. Allotment of Tanks.
(i) Area South of FOUILLOY - WARFUSEE Road.
1Section of 3 Tanks as Main Body Section.
(ii) VAIRE WOOD and HAMEL wood Sector.
2 sections will act as Advance Sections.
2 sections as Main Body Sections.
1 Section as Mopping Up Sections.
Total = 1 Company plus 1 section or 15 Tanks.
-2-
(iii) Circular Post Sector.
1 Section as Advance Section.
2 Sections as Main Body Sections.
1 Section as Mopping Up Section.
Total = 1 Company or 12 Tanks.
(iv) HAMEL VILLAGE Sector.
2 Sections as Advance Sections.
2 Sections as Main Body Sections.
1 Section as Mopping Up Section.
Total = 1 Company plus 1 Section, or 15 Tanks.
6. Numbers of Tanks in each Echelon.
Advance Sections - 5 Sections of 3 Tanks each,or 15 Tanks.
Main Body Sections - 7 Sections of 3 Tanks each,or 21 Tanks.
Mopping Up Sections - 3 Sections of 3 Tanks each,or 9 Tanks.
-------------
TOTAL................ 45 Tanks.
This will necessitate the employment of one Battalion, plus one
Company. There will be one Section of 3 Tanks spare, and it is proposed
not to employ this section, but to retain it in the area so that the
number of 45 will not be reduced before the Tanks leave their assembly
places.
7. Taking the frontage of attack approximately at 5,500 yards, there
will be one Main Body Tanks to about 260 yards.
As the Tanks will have to search ground and subdue targets.
there cannot be any fixed interval between Tanks.
8. Assembly places.
2 Companies at WOOD N.34. Sheet 62 D. 1/40,000.
2 Companies at 0.13.a. ....................do...............
9. Starting Line.
Approximately VILLERS-BRETTONNEUX - HAMLET Road.
10. Plan of Attack.
It is assumed that the attack will be delivered at dawn.
(a) The Tanks will leave their Assembly places under the cover of
darkness on night Y.Z., so as to arrive at their Starting Line just
before it is time to attack.
(b) The Infantry should be assembled forward of the Tank Starting
Line for preference. It is considered that if the Infantry
assemble in rear of the Tanks, unnecessary casualties may be
caused to the Infantry before they reach our front line. Also
the pace of the Mark V Tank cannot be taken advantage of to
cover the dangerous zone, without leaving the Infantry too far
behind.
N.B. As the Main Body Sections pass through the Assembly
positions the Infantry will follow them.
(c) The Advance Sections will be timed to cross our front line at
ZERO, about 50 yards ahead of the Main Body Sections. This
distance will be increased as the Advance Sections will move
independently of the Infantry.
(d) After the Infantry have gained their objective, and are
consolidating, all available Tanks, except the Southern Section,
will move into TAILLOUX WOOD, ACCROCRE WOOD, and the Valley
-3-
running North East towards SAILLY LAURETTE, where they will do as
much damage as possible.
The Tanks should be able to maintain their positions for
half an hour, after which they will withdraw.
11. Refitting.
After withdrawal the Tanks will return to their Assembly
Positions where they will refill and refit as quickly as possible.
The Tanks should not remain in the open, as they will present
a very vulnerable targe to the enemy guns.
12. Smoke Barrages.
During the Operations, smoke fired from guns is a great
advantage in preventing the enemy ranging on the Tanks either during
the Advance or withdrawal.
It is suggested that a smoke barrage be put down in order to
obscure the enemy view from High ground N.W. of MARCELCAVE, West of
WARFUSEE - ABANCOURT and South of MORLANCOURT.
13. Co-operation of R.A.F. during approach march.
A few Aeroplanes with a noisy type engine should fly above
the Tanks and enemy lines, in order to drown the noise of the Tank
Engine. If the enemy is bombed it will tend to keep him below
ground. Thisaction will help to ensure the attack coming as aa
surprise to the enemy.
Low-flying Aeroplanes during the attack should watch for Anti-
Tank Guns being brought into action in the open. In the event of
Guns being observed the personnel should be bombed and fired at with
Machine Guns, so as to assist the Tank in putting the guns out of
action.
14. ZERO Hour.
It will be difficult to fix the best time for ZERO hour, as
from a Tank point of view this should be fixed so as to admit of Tank
Crews being able to see their direction.
I have issued instruction for Officers to watch the conditions
in the Area at early dawn.
(sd) A. Courage.
Brigadier-General,
Commanding 5th Tank Brigade.
20th June 1918.
ARS.
-2-
There may be reasons, which I am not aware of, against
the course I propose, but I raise the matter because I should
not like to see BERRY disadvantaged by coming up to the Corps
Staff.
Yours sincerely.
Lieut.-Colonel H.D. WINTER, D.S.O.,
A. A. G., A. I. F.
Major Hunn
Prepare for me a very rough
approximate estimate of the number
of enemy likely to be found by us
in the Area enclosed by our present
front line effort Hamel - Vaire-Wood
and the proposed objective blue line
JM
21/6/18
21/6/18
Note for [[?]] [[?]]
I promised Major Lytton ( [[?Press?]] GHQ)
that I [[?]] seek for him a construction-
Birdwood apl 30
21/6/18
Hobbs
Handover by 2nd Div to 5th
No Ammunn Dumps -
Front line trenches paved with cartridges.
Enemy [[?]] dead unburied
D.D.M.S.) Latrines not emptied[[?]]
Salvage - rifles by the 100 found
Suggest - an officer from Corps to go &
overlook the condition - one to
each Bgde - prior to each relief. -
[[?]] men writing to High Commd &
G.O.C., A.I.F. re [[?]] with [[?]]
Motor Cars - publish discretion.
Dodds re allowing people to [[?]] [[?]]
"Retired [[?]]" [[?yes/gas?]].
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