General, Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 22, 1 February - 10 April 1919- Part 6

March 2^nd 1919.
AT THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING.
A Senior Clerk Soliloquises.
I loiter down to work in Town,
I scan the ocean's borders
To see what ships horizons crown
To take my royal orders.
At staving off decisive acts
I'm clever, doosid clever,
And lists may come, and lists may go
But I go on for ever.
Australia snaps, Australia snarls,
Calls all my doings blunders:
Those poor Antipodean carles
Don't know I'm working wonders:
I give them ships that make no trips
(Will this our friendship sever?)
Well, Diggers come (but do not go):
I'll still go on for ever.
By London's 'fleuve' I sit, nor move;
(That touch of French is artful);
I measure out red tape about
Propellers by the cartful.
When owners cry 'Demurrage high',
To do them I endeavour.
For Demobs come and Demobs go
But I go on for ever.
So tho' their trust in me go bust,
I'll go my way unheeding,
And scornful sniff at off'cers if
They try to set me speeding.
While I.O.U's will suit their views,
I'll promise them for ever;
But ships, real ships, to run real trips!
They'll get them, never, NEVER!!!
 

OUR "MOVIES'
Nunquam idem.
THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN CINEMA.
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN DONE.
LIGHTNING CHANGES.
COMPLETE CHANCE OF PROGRAMME DAILY.
THE ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL.
Australia tries to catch an Admiralty ship!
AN OLD FRIEND AGAIN.
"Is it the DELTA?".
MONEY TALKS.
Lloyd's ask 90 Guineas per cent for insurance that
ship will sail on advertised date.
COURT-MARTIAL ON NAVAL OFFICER.
Captain Parker tried for giving false
information to Demobaust.
GENERAL DESPAIR.
General Monash.
THE DISTANT VISION.
The fleet you cannot see, because
It is not yet in sight.
A CENTENARIAN'S MEMOIRS.
"From Boatroll to ship: or, Fifty years of Europe".
 

RD     Dispatched
4/3/19
Australian Corps
Ascertain and telegraph me when does General
McNicoll propose come London or alternatively
what earliest date can he arrive here without
serious inconvenience ^to existing programme aaa
Monash
Demobaust.
 

RLC
Conference

5/43/19

General D.M.S. - Invalid ships for Monash. ✓
Shortages of invalids from boat rolls

L

X Lt Col. Alderson, as O.C. Nevasa. ✓

Are any more men due for France.

[*100

44offers.

400.*]

Rosenthal. - method of working in future

Parker Egypt shipping.

             Foley's circular
McGlinn Urgency of Keeping flow going

see diagram

Cut out preliminary Conferences

[*Send diagram.*]

McCoy personal. Thanks for parodies
Cooks for every Quota & nominal Roll. X -

Sports officer. -

Whitham  ships to leave Havre early. - ?Axxxxx

                                                                          9 hrs. -
 

 RLC

5/43/19

Reply Lady Walsh.

Durrant reply re Howze Officer

McCoy & McGlinn & Alderson (White)

too many

Cable from Defec Dept Melb

Officers of AAMC not via by DMS

not been passed by DG.

Cable from Defence for family

reasons

1/4 to 10

1/2 past 10

 

RD  

Despatched 5-3-19

Australian Corps

For General McNicoll aaa Arrange

Your S 55 wish see you London twelfth or

soon after. aaa Monash

Demobaust.
 

R.D.

Despatched 6/3/19

Australian Base Depot

Havre

What is maximum number of Quotas you anticipate

being able accomodate from March twentieth onwards

aaa Monash

Demobaust.

 

RD

Q.M.G.G.H.Q.

6/3/19

For Demobaust Liaison aaa

Reduction of Quotas below standard of 1000 one thousand

would cause most serious dislocation at every

stage aaa Cover of _∧Australian Demobilization aaa Represent

my views very strongly aaa If you cannot

restore original train capacity it is nevertheless

_∧absolutely imperative to maintain Quotas at 1000

one thousand each and train all perso provide

sufficient _∧additional train accomodation to deliver

them to Havre _∧full Quotas plus usual percentage flow of

Casuals aaa _∧In any case press for suspension of reduction

for Quotas already organized explaining serious

disorganization and confusion certain to follow. Australians are not

complaining of train conditions aaa Monash

Demobaust.
 

R.D. 

10/3/19

Telegram for Prime Minister :-

Would you approve in principle _∧if I can arrange for of about 150 members

of Australian Imperial Force now in Europe of Scandinavian or

Netherlands birth being granted leave for pay one month

with or without pay with or without free railway and steamer

fares to visit parents and homes in Denmark Sweden Norway

Holland aaa No _∧extra cost involved to Australia except for railway

and steamer fares but saving of five shillings per day whilst

not subsisted by us. - aaa Monash

Demobaust.
 

RD
10/3/19
[4 copies - on Foolscap]

A certain amount of dissatisfaction is said to exist in the A.I.F. at with the

decision which has been made that the right of Precedence in Repatriation

is to be based upon Date of Enlistment. - There are some who urge

specifically that precedence should have been granted according to Date

of Embarkation. from Australia. - Those who have dissented may be

divided into two separate classes, namely the first being those who though not

affected have considered the question in the abstract, and the second being those

who are directly affected, and who may not _∧have received as early a place on 

the Roll Repatriation _∧Rolls as they would have done if their own views had

prevailed. -

Nearly this whole This discussion is very similar to that which _∧invariably ensues whenever

_∧by any class of legislation a specific limit, as to time, or amount, or quantity, is set by any

class of legislation. A familiar example is that of the grant of a war

medal or decoration. - Whatever conditions as to date or locality are set, may have been fixed, there

are _∧is all always a number of people some who consider that they ought to be included &

that others ought to be excluded. And they urge their views quite honestly because

special considerations, which vary in each individual case, appeal to them

more as being more important than the mere question of date, or time, or place. -
But In all such matters, as _∧also in this question of Repatriation Precedence, it

is imperative to dis however quite impossible to have regard all to special and individual consideration, and

to it is imperative to propound a rule which is clear, simple and, easily applied, which is and

based upon a logical reason of wide application, and which is liable to the

least number of anomalous exceptions. -

Some mo The logical basis of Date of Enlistment [here take in AA at end] is that this date conclusively

marks the date of the Soldier's withdrawal from Civil Life & from his business

or occupation. It is the date from which his whole time and services have

been at the disposal of the State. It is from this date _∧& none other that his whole war

service can be reckoned, quite apart from the quality or nature of that service,

whether spent in a training camp, or _∧at an ordnance depot, or at the battle front.

It is a clear cut, definite criterion, fixed from any complicated individual

considerations such as would apply to almost any other criterion measure of service.

Suppose that But If it is urged, that the man who actually embarked

first should have prior claims to the man who enlisted first, - Such a

claim can be founded only upon the proposition idea that the man w character

& quality of a man's war service is to be measured from taken into account