General, Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 22, 2 January - 1 February 1919- Part 9

Draft
RD
22/1/19
look up date
Defence Cable
Defence 
Melbourne.
Reference Your xxx proposal demobilization by units or half units xxxxx
been exhaustively studied by all Authorities concerned and ^ strict realization considered
impractical xxx undesirable reasons follow one Before receipt your
proposals Prime Minister had authorized demobilization by date xx enlistment
categories ^and full machinery for same xxxxxxxxx ^immediately organized and
promulgated. two xxxxxx Latter procedure actually in force since end December
any ^fundamental change now would cause serious dislocation delay discontent
and stress on troops two large combing of units ^by withdrawing 1915 men also. for education and
industrial employment ^also for early repatriation on urgent grounds ^also for
discharge here xxx also for demobilization ^also necessary retention large cadres for [[?]] & stores has ^[[?]] destroyed unit
xxxx entity. three would involve maintenance xxxx whole medical supply xxx
administrative ^xxx technical services xxxx till all fighting troops services had gone four would involve
demobilization of thousands of men men xxxxx under one years service in priority
of men of long service five xxxxxx in any case inapplicable to over thirty
fourty per cent of ^Europe personnel xxxxxxxxxdetached ^from field Units sick convalescent training. xxxxx
xxxxx five involves individual xxxx of decisions prority of units among
xxxxx themselves causing much more ^competition and dissatisfaction than selection by date
[[categories?]] which xx fair and popular six would seriously complicate
^methodical shrinkage of Divisions as a whole seven would be theoretical only xxx because
practical application xxxnecessity ^necessarily involves splitting units to adapt quotas to
Train Camp and Ship accommodation aaa. — My xxxx method actually
in operation and working most satisfactorily is to draw Embarkation
Quotas each of one thousand all ranks from each of five Divisional
Groups in strict ^and repetitive rotation each quota comprising largest
practical contributions ^ approximately one third of xxx Unit [[residing?]] from scratch individual units of Divisional Group such ^unit contributions
being ^themselves composed of men selected by date categories aaa As fundamental reason
your proposal appears be assurance men properly organized provision disciplinary precaution
please accept assurance method has my plans have carefully provided for all unit
contributions to quotas being xx accompanied by mens own officers and NCOs
Whole Quota being thoroughly organized for ^Train Camp and Ship discipline
and administration aaa Strongly revcommend Consider xxxxx in any case we now committed to present method
^for Europe ^And any change in highest degree undesirable Egypt Demobilization will however be by complete Units xxxx  this suiting their conditions aaa General Birdwood
concurs aaa Monash 
Demobaust
 

RD
23/1/19
QMG
G.H.Q.
For Demobaust Liaison aaa Warn Third
Fourth and Fifth Divisions that following
Quote eleven they will find Quotas
twelve thirteen fourteen respectively
but dates cannot be announced
before end January. aaa xxxx Acknowledge aaa
Repeated [[Salaustra?]] aaa x
Demobaust.
 

TELEPHONE :- CITY 6850.
(SIX LINES.)
B/R
The Daily Telegraph
Fleet Street, London. E C 4.
January 23rd. 1919.
My dear General,
O should be very glad if you could come and dine
with me at the Marlborough Club on Thursday, February 6th,
at 8 o'clock. Several of my friends I know are anxious to
have the pleasure of making your acquaintance, and it would
be quite an informal party. I hope you will be able to come,
but if the date does not suit you I could probably make
arrangements for another evening.
Yours truly,
Lieut General Sir John Monash, C.C.M.G., K.C.B.,
Australia House
Strand.
 

THE MARLBOROUGH CLUB.  February 6th, 1919.
Diagram - see original document
 

RD
Embarkaust
Havre
Your telegram H8 of 23rd quite unintelligible
giving neither Quota number nor
dates entrainment or arrival nor where
reporting aaa Please be more explicit in
future aaa Monash
Demobaust
Repeat to A.G.A.D.
Havre
Despatched
24/1/19
 

Draft Address
Jany 24/19
Demobilization Circular ^Memo N^o ?  15
1. With reference to General Instruction No 7, Annexure A
para 12, and the explanatory letter of Jany. 11/19 to Commanders
of "Divisional Groups, please note the following further
instructions.-
2. Where Each Embarkation Quota having been organized by its Division
of origin, it will subsequently be subject ^in most cases to xxxxxxxxx increase
or decrease, in order to adapt the size of the Quota to the accommodation
of the Ship to which it is allotted.-
3 Such adaptation will be carried out by G.O.C. depôts in United Kingdom
in a manner which will interfere as little as possible with the
organization of the Quota, and will proceed by the exclusion of the
addition of complete unit detachments,- any unaccounted for
balance, required to fill the ship, being made up of early repatriates
or other casuals drawn from the Depôt pools.-
4. In order to facilitate this procedure, the 'Divisional Group' Commander
will, immediately after the entrainment of the Quota, forward
direct to Salaustra, Tidworth a statement, as per pro forma
annexed hereto, giving the indicated particulars of the Composition
and Organization of the Quota.
5. Such statement will be forwarded by registered post, or will be
carried by a staff officer proceeding on leave, to be posted by registered
post on arrival in England.
Copies of the statement will be forwarded, simultaneously, to the
following, viz:- 
 1. Director-General, Demobaust, London
 2. Demobaust Liaison, G.H.Q., Havre.
 3. Aust. Gen. Base Depôt, Havre.
 4. Australian Corps Head Quarters
The senior Officer of the Quota will also carry a copy.-
7. This circular to be acknowledged by xx Commanders of "Divisional
Groups' only, by telegraph. -
[to be signed by stilo on [[?]] Sheet]
Lieut General
Director General R & D.
For distribution of this Circular, see back.-
 

Distribution of this Circular:-
Aust. Corps H.Q.                     2 copies
1st Aust Div                              4    "
2^nd      d                                     4    "               
3^rd       d                                     4    "
4^th       d                                     4    "
5^th        d                                     4    "
3^rd Echelon (Aust. Section)   2    "
A.I.F Depôts in U.K.                  2    "
A.G.B. Depôt, Havre                 2   "
Demon. Liaison, G.H.Q.           2   "
D.G.                                               1
D.D.G.                                            1
2. D.                                                1
3. D.                                                1
C of S., A.I.F.                                  1   
                                                      35 copies
 

(PRO FORMA)
Place
Date
1.  Embarkation Quota N^o Y
2  Drawn from (X Division) — — —
3  Entrained at (station) on (date)
4  Senior Officer, in charge of Quota:-  (rank, name, unit)
5  Officer in medical charge of Quota:-  (rank, name, unit)
6.  Detailed Composition of Quota:-
 

7.  The following provisional Ship's Headquarter's Staff accompanied the
Quota, xx (being included in the above numbers) viz:-
O.C.Troops                                   Regt. No., Rank, Name. Unit
Second-in-Command                              do
Ship's Adjutant                                           do
Ship's Quartermaster                               do
Ship's Sergeant-Major                              do
Ship's Q.M. Sgt.                                           do
Ship's Orderly Room Sgt.                         do.
8.  Distribution of this report:-
Signature of Staff.-
(Name & appointment)
Note:- Any special information, not covered by above, which ^it may be thought to be  
desirable to xx make known, may be stated on back hereof.-      
 

Draft 
24/1/19
Defence
Melbourne.
Owing insufficiently ^supply line experienced personnel to furnish all future xxx
outgoing xxx troopships with head quarters staffs I propose appoint
socalled permanent ships staff selected from officers and others
willing after disembarking first contingent return from Australia xxxxxxxxxxx
for second outward voyage aaa
This would involve paying such personnel ^during return voyage normal service rates
which slightly higher than voyage only rates to personnel hitherto
sent by you from Australia, but strongly recommend same in
view advantage having staffs familiar with all xxxx demobilization
requirements aaa Do you approve aaa Monash Alternatively it would be in any
case necessary for you send in lieu voyage only staffs for our later
Demobaust
ships aaa Do you approve my proposal aaa Monash
Demobaust.
 

RD
27/1/19
Australian Corps
Notify all Divisions they must sent telegram
to Demobaust London repeating to Demobaust
Liaison G.H.Q. and A G B D Havre immediately
after entrainment each Quota giving number of
Quota, and entraining station and ^date and time train
started aaa Acknowledge by wire Added Aust Corps
Rptd A B D and Demobaust Liaison
Demobaust
[[Q Q R.?]]
7 copies.