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










RD
Draft.
22/1/19
Look up date
Defence Cable
Defence
Melbourne.Reference Your xxxx proposal demobilization by units or half units xxxxx xxxxxx
been exhaustively studied by all Authorities concerned and ^strict realization considered
impracticable xxx undesirable reasons follow one Before receipt your
proposals Prime Minister had authorized demobilization by date xx enlistment
categories ^and full machinery for same having been ^then xxxxxxx immediately organized and
promulgated two any Divs 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 withdrawal 1915 men also. for education and
industrial employment ^also for early repatriation on urgent grounds ^also for
discharge here and also for demobilization duty ^also necessary retention large cadres for animals & stores has ^tended largely destroyed unitidentity entity. three would involve maintenance xxxxx whole medical supply and
administrative ^xxx technical services units till all fighting troops services had gone four would involve
demobilization of thousands of men men of xxxxxx under one years service in priorityof men of long service five xxxxxxxx in any case inapplicable to over thirty
fourty per cent of ^Europe personnel in European not attached detached ^from Field Units Sick convalescent training. for FieldUnits and five involves insidious selection of decisions priority of units amongeach other themselves causing much more ^competition and dissatisfaction than selection by date
caxxgories which xx fair and popular six would seriously complicate
^methodical shrinkage of Divisions as a whole seven would be theoritcal only so as because
practical application xxxx ^necessarily proved involves necessity splitting units to adapt quotas to
train Camp and Ship accomodation aaa. — My xxxxxxxx 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
practicable contributions ^approximately one third of total Unit residency from ^selected 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 precautions
please accept assurance my method has plans have carefully provided for all unit
contributions to quotas being paccompanied by mens own officers and NCOs
Whole Quota being thoroughly organized for ^Train Camp and Ship discipline
and administration aaa Strongly recommend Consider continuancy ^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
Quota eleven they will find Quotas
twelve thirteen fourteen respectively
but dates cannot be announced
before end January. aaa Acknow Acknowledge aaa
Repeated Salaustra aaa A
Demobaust.
TELEPHONE :- CITY 6850.
(SIX LINES.)
The Daily Telegraph
Fleet Street, London. E. C. 4.
B/R
January 23rd. 1919.
My dear General,
I 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, G.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
2 Copies
Address
Jany 24/19
X Demobilization Circular ^Memo No ? 15
1. With reference to General Instructions 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 the possibility of increase
or decrease, in order to adapt the size of the Quota to the accomodation
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 or 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.
6. Copies of the statement will be forwarded, simultaneously, to the
following, viz:-
1. Director-General, Demobaust, London
2. Demobaust Liaison, G.H.Q., France
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 the Commanders of "Divisional
Groups' only, by telegraph . -
[to be signed by stilo on Wax 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 "
2nd d 4 "
3rd d 4 "
4th d 4 "
5th d 4 "
3rd Echelon (Aust. Section) 2 "
A.I.F Depôts in U.K. 2 "
A.G.B. Depôt, Havre 2 "
Demob. 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 No 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:-
Serial No |
, Unit, | Officers, | N.C.O's | , O.R. | , Aust Mil. District of Origin |
1 5 |
1st 1st 1st mixed 1st 2nd 2nd mixed |
||||
Totals |
7. The following provisional Ship's Headquarter's Staff accompanied the
Quota, viz (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 be make known, may be stated on back hereof.-
Draft
24-1-19
Defence
Melbourne.
Owing insufficienty ^supply have experienced personnel to furnish ^all future any
outgoing sh troopships with headquarters staffs I propose appoint
socalled permanent ships staff selected from officers and others
willing ^after disembarking first contingent return from Australia. for second outward voyage
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 laterDemobaust
ships aaa Do you approve my proposal aaa Monash
Demobaust.
RD
27-1-19
Australian Corps
Notify all Divisions they must send 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
H.
Q.
Q.
R.
7 copies.

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