General, Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 21, 25 November - 31 December 1918 - Part 9

distressful nature, and the early repatriation of the

applicant must be shown to be a measure of relief

of such distress.-

(c) Educational Reasons; - but it must be shown that

there would be substantial hardship to the individual if

his repatriation occurs only in the normal course.

(d) Public or National Reasons - where the applicant is holder

of an important public office, or where his early return

is desirable on national economic grounds.-

xx (Has submitted)

6. Applications will be forwarded to "Demobaust" and approv if

approval is given to

approved, the formation or unit concerned will be notified ^ when to

send the applicant to report at this Head Quarters, ^He will be struck off. & struck from 

off the strength ^ of the Unit, and u His embarkation will be arranged for by their

Department. -

AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH MILITARY FORCES

54, VICTORIA STREET,

LONDON, S.W.1.

9th December, 1918.

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.

Department of Repatriation and Demobilisation.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS No. 1.

1. A Department for Repatriation and Demobilisation has been constituted, under the A.l.F.,

to deal, administratively and executively, with all matters relating to :—

(a) The Repatriation to Australia of all members of the A.l.F. in all theatres.

(b) The discharge, elsewhere than in Australia, of persons desiring such discharge,

under stated conditions which will be published in due course.

(c) The employment, educationally or industrially, of members of the A.I.F., while

awaiting embarkation.

(d) The acquisition and transfer to Australia of War Equipment.

2. Under the authority of the G.O.C., A.I.F., this Department is empowered to communicate

direct, on all matters which come within its jurisdiction, with all units of the A.l.F., and

all such units are similarly empowered to communicate direct with this Department; but,

within Divisions, except in cases of urgency, or in purely routine matters, the usual

military channels should be preserved.

3. The constitution and organisation of the Department, and its several branches, and all

information of general application, also all general instructions for executive action by

the formations and units of the A.I.F. will be promulgated in a series of memoranda,

entitled "General Instructions." These memoranda will be numbered consecutively,

and the paragraphs will be numbered consecutively. Subsequent references will be to

the number of the paragraph.

4. Amendments which may become necessary from time to time will be promulgated as

fresh paragraphs.

5. More detailed instructions, setting out particulars of executive action required, and the like,

will usually be promulgated, separately, as "Annexures" to these " General Instructions,"

the paragraph to which such Annexures refer being quoted in their title, in each case.

6. Commanders of all Formations and Units should arrange to keep all these "General

Instructions" and "Annexures" on special files for ease of reference. In the event of

there being discovered any break in the sequence of numbered paragraphs on such

files, this Department should be at once communicated with direct to supply the deficiency.

Any amendments to any paragraph should be noted by reference to the number of

the subsequent amending paragraph.

7. The Telegraphic and Cable Address of the Department will be —

"DEMOBAUST, LONDON."

The Postal Address of its Headquarters is 54, Victoria Street, London, S.W. 1. The

Telephone No. is Victoria 4020.

8. All applications for early repatriation will be sent, through military channels, to the

Headquarters of the Formation to which the Unit belongs, and by that Headquarters

direct to this Department. Instructions will be promulgated in due course, setting out

the conditions under which such early repatriation will be approved.

9. All applications for discharge elsewhere than in Australia will be sent, through military

channels, to the Headquarters of the Formation to which the Unit belongs, and by

that Headquarters direct to this Department. Instructions will be promulgated in due

course, setting out the conditions under which such discharges elsewhere than in Australia

will be approved.

10. Instructions will also be promulgated at an early date, regarding the following matters:—

(a) A.I.F. Demobilisation Form.—Method of collecting and recording the

information required.

(b) Arrangements for dealing with all applications by members of the A.l.F. for

employment while awaiting embarkation, comprising :—

(i) Educational employment.

(ii) Industrial employment.

(c) Decisions as to order of priority for repatriation, and methods of selecting and

grouping personnel in categories for return to Australia, in a prescribed order

of preference.

John Monash

Lieut.-General,

Director General Repatriation and Demobilisation,

A.I.F.

[*File with

Conferences.

JM

13/12/18*]

10/12/18

Financial Considerations

Conference with 5.D.

1. Discharge elsewhere than in Australia.-

(Ministerial N^o3)

Refer whole draft to 5.D

before publication

[See back xxx

[*Make new

draft at once*]

Pension. - (Lt C Clan) stands on same footing as other finance rights &

right to be included in para .6. of Annexure x N^o3.

Allowance for civilian outfit called "Uniform allowance",- will be

made as per W.F.I ?

Amend para 7.- "deferred pay will be paid as follows: Calculated date dischge.

of balance & where of., the applicant will receive 30% on dischge

1 month after dischge 35%

3       "         "           "         35%

2. Early Repatriation.-

(Still in draft - circulated)

[Evans says No finance considerations involved].

3. Extended leave, & ultimate repatriation.-

(See latter to General B.)

We may pay such men were case approximate to that of our

own students.

2^A Ordinary leave, prior to Embarkation

The most we could give, under most favorable circumstances

would be 4/- per day - same as sick

furlough (4/- irrespective of rank)

? free railway warrant. -

4. Non-military employment:-

5. Desirous of returning with dependents, with or without leave.-

As he Can be maintained with his unit, or in a camp, no such

man & whom leave might be granted ought to be

any additional burden on Govt. funds.-

6. Leave on Disembarkation in Australia (in lieu War Gratuity.)

1914    men      60 days     pay & subsistence 3/- a day.

1915        "          21      "

1916        "          14      "             

1917        "          14      "          " }      no subsistence

1918        "           -                   " }

In para 6 line 3

or to pay cost of voyage or to cover ^ pay & sustance during period of voyage.

R   Conference   10/12/18

General Birdwood
1. Telegram to A.I.F. re drawing on boat "A" class, to fill January ships.
2. Telegram re impossibility our giving leave, to men arriving for
embarkation. - They have elected "early repatriation" &
we must fill ships. - Leave must be given regimentally.
3. Col. Millard, & his hostile attitude on my having
a medical liaison on my staff.
4. Col. Barber & Lt Col. Kenneth-Smith - their private desires. 
5. Barwick - Hughes request; his enthusiasm & aptitude
6. Scheme of our organisation - show him.
7. Bushell, & his Deptment.
8. His offices.
9. Thanks re my substantive Rank.
10. His approval of my memo - re "Extended Leave"
11. Whittam, Wynter & for Liaison at G.H.Q. - √ 

12. Letter from Pearce indicates our letter of July last did good. -√ 
13. Giving Heitman an honorary Commission.
14. Apptment. for McCay. -
15. Leave to Paris for Nurses.

R     10/12/18

D.D.G.
Proposed Telegram to A.I.F 5^th Army:-
Prime Minister being insistent that January ships total
capacity 10000 must be filled would you approve in event
of insufficient numbers of B & C class and 1915 men ^ being available that
should draw upon available supply ^ in U.K. depôts of convalescents
who have served in France and have become A class, -
instead of returning them to Units, we giving preference to ^ married men
of longest service. -
[*OK 
CF *]
Above is a safeguard, to meet a probable contingency.
If you concur, despatch telegram, & let me have
[[flimsy?]]. - Repeat to Salaustra & let
Adminaust know.
[*Added AIF 5 Aug
Rptd Salaustra 10/12/18
& Adminaust*]
JM

[* Write to Div. Commdr to

see if orders clear in Quota

Support to their Brigade troops *]

[* orders dont tell him. *]

[* [make this quite a long &

important letter.] *]

[* Div. C's. - Shrinkage

Billeting *]

[* Not [[?]]

1915 men & [[?]]

last [[?]] from

each Div. *]

Draft only   5 copies.     10/12/18?

1. The demobilizat repatriation of personnel who enlisted in 1915 will

Continue ^ in regular stages at such rate, as shipping becomes available and will merge, in course of time due course, into general Demobilization. -

 It is, however therefore for this reason desirable forthwith to regulate the ^ the method of withdrawal ^ from Units

of 1915 men and that movements to the ports of embarkation ^ both of further 1915 men and also of the remainder of the personnel, so that

the a system of regular Demobilization ultimately to be adopted may

be ^ at once initiated on the lines proposed ultimately to be adopted on a full

scale. - may be initiated. -

2. The procedure laid down hereunder does not in any way affect ^ or concern the

withdrawal and movement of personnel coming under any of the

Categories Special cases for which regulations ^ both as to withdrawal & movement have already been promulgated, and

which comprise: -

(a) Duty Personnel (including Cadres)

(b) Early Repatriation

(c) Discharge elsewhere than in Australia

(d) Extended Leave

(e) Leave to return to Australia at own expense

(f) Family men

(g) Non-military employment.

No such personnel is considered in the following procedure, and

should ^ in order to prevent confusion be carefully excluded from when the same is applied. - All Any such

personnel whose names ^ may still appear upon the Repatriation Precedence

Rolls at the time when a Unit is called upon to supply ^ its contribution to. and "Embarkation

Quota" should be ruled out. -

2.

the final Concentration Camp Embarkation Depôt for a period of not by a date not less than x 12 days prior to

the date of sailing.- This is necessary for the preparation of the Boat Rolls,

^ for the organization of the ships quota of troops, company and ^ for the adjustment of

pay matters.- financial & medical questions. It is unlikely that ^ during the last 12 days any leave can be given during their

last 12 days, except for the most urgent and exceptional reasons.

6. The ^ troops should further be informed that the grant of pre-embarkation leave in England, after the troops due for

embarkation ^ have arrived at the from France at the Depôt Camps, involves ^ owing to the Corp members to be dealt with very considerable

difficulties of Railway Transport & the like. But every effort will

be made to arrange for such leave, for not less than 7 days, and

for special and sufficient reasons up to a period of 14 days will be aimed at.

7. The selection preparation of 'Embarkation Quotas' will be carried out by Divisional

Groups. - A 'Divisional Group' comprises ^ all the normal Units upon the

Establishment of the Division, together with such other Units as have,

in pursuance of General Instructions N^o   para    , been attached,

^ to the Division for the purposes of Demobilization procedure. -

8. Each 'Embarkation Group Quota' will ^ normally comprise 1000 of all ranks. - This

number [[correspondends?]], normally approximately, to the following, [[reg?]]:-

(a) A normal single train load, with 15 percent margin for

casuals.-

(b) The trans-Channel shipping capacity for 2 days ^ with a margin.

(c) The capacity of a normal group of [[?]] in a Depot.-

(c) A normal The average load for a Transport.-

9. Each Divisional Group ^ in rotation will be called upon to ^ assemble and entrain, at a special

time and place, an Embarkation of Quota of 1000 of all ranks. The

Divisions Commencing with the First Australian Division, followed by

the Second Australian Division, and so on, until each Division

has supplied 1000.- The process will then be repeated, indefinitely,

as long as no disturbing factors arise in the same rotation.- 

10. As a general guide, it may be assumed that, when all rail and

sea transport arrangements are in working order, and when Depôt

Camps at Havre, and in United Kingdom have been cleared for the

reception of an adequate number of troops, the usual rate a which