General, Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 23, 1 June - 23 September 1919- Part 1

[*RLC*]
1/6/19.

Conference - Wed. June 4.
Present Position. Troops from France - Organization Quests.
Residences. - Havre.
Troops in England - Available for Embarkation
Immobiles - Numbers.
Their distribution.
Shipping Situation - 16000 to end July.
Future Problems. (a) Dissolve remainer of A.I.F.
(b) Keep ships filled.
Agenda:- ① All authorities to provide the men.
② A definitive routine to deal with them.
1. Provision of men:- 16000 by July 31.
i.e. ½ by June 30, ½ by July 15.
1a. Closing Havre. (Wisdom)
2.- Concentration – (a) Sutton Veney Camp
(b) Closing all other Camps
(c) Movement cards.
(d) Formation of Quotas
(e) Pre-embarkation Leave
(f) Family men.
3. New G.I.
3a. release of staff for N.M.E.
4. Reports from Heads of Departments.
5. Another Conference early in July re August programme.
6. Correct Statistics henceforth.
7. Agenda Report of this Conference – Foott.
 

[*RD  Draft (3 copies)  4/6/19*]
1. The Concentration in the Depôts on Salisbury plain of all ^immediately demobilizable 
personnel of the A.I.F. in Europe having now been completed, all
Commanders and the Heads of all departments of the A.I.F. in Europe
must now proceed to the final stages of demobilization,
(a) by closing down of ^Administrative oOrganisations.
(b) by the reduction of staffs.
(c) by the concentrating of released ^military personnel at
Sutton Veny.
2. The term "Staffs" includes comprising all ^military personnel under the jurisdiction of
the organisation formation concerned ^and includes such as men on leave, in hospital,
A.H.L., nNon-military emplyment &c &c, it does not include
civilian personel employed under the A.I.F.
3. This process of reduction is to proceed as rapidly as possible until
each Department ^or Branch becomes extinct, either by ceasing to function,
or by amalgamation.
4. Commanders of Formations may, at their discretion, grant, to all
released staff personnel, pre-embarkation leave not exceeding
fourteen days, prior to the transfer of such personnel to Sutton Veny.
If, for any reason, it is not practicable to grant ^in the case of any individual such leave before ^to such
transfer to Sutton Veny, ^then Headquarters A.I.F. Depôts in the U.K. may
grant such leave, upon notification from the Commander concerned
that such leave is still outstanding.
5. Upon release, or upon completion of pre-embarkation leave, as the
case may be, each individual will be despatched to Sutton Veny, 
to reprt to H.Q. No. 2 Camp. He will be provided with Movement
Card (A.I.F. Form 541) completed marked for Sutton Veny, and with
Railway Warrant where necessary.
6. The Commander of every Formation will arrange to forward prepare weekly, made
up to Saturday (inclusive) a nominal roll, in triplicate quadruplicate, giving
Unit, Regiment Number, Rank, Name, Initials & date of expiration of
leave of all personnel made over released from duty during the preceding
seven days.- One copy of this will be forwarded to
Office i/c Records A.I.F., London. and two copies to H.Q. A.I.F.
Depôts in U.K, — & one copy to Department of Repatriation & Demobilization.

 

7. H.Q, A.I.F. Depts in U.K. will make arrangements to receive, at Sutton
Veny, or neighbouring Camps, all such released staff personnel, and
organize them, appropriately in order of arrival, into complete Quotas,
fully staffed in accordance with General Instructions; or ^to drafted ^them to 
Family Ships, as the case may be. - These Quotas will be numbered
in sequence, taking up the sequence of ^numbering of the Quotas ^which have been transferred from
the field, & thus commencing with No 60. - As each Quota of 1000
is this organized, H.Q. A.I.F. Depôts in U.K. will forward to this
department particulars of its composition in accordance with the
Provisions of Demobilization Circular Memo No 15. -
8. The forgoing procedure does not apply to members of the A.I.F. hitherto
retained at duty who have made, or are desirous of making application
for "Non-military employment", or "extended leave", ror leave to &c. - The
application of all such personnel will be forwarded, without delay, to
this Department, & the applicant will remain under the jurisdiction of
the Formation concerned until his application has been dealt with. - If
his application has is approved, he will ^then pass under the jurisdiction of this
Department, ^but oif refused he will be then be dealt in accordance
with the forgoing provisions procedure. -
 

ANNEXURE A.
4.6.19.
A.I.F. IN EUROPE.
DESCRIPTION

[*Draft.
for General Instruction*]
ANNEXURE C.
4. 6. 18.
1. The concentration in the Depots on Salisbury Plain of all
immediately demobilisable personnel of the A.I.F. in Europe having
now been completed, all Commanders and the Heads of all Departments
of the A.I.F. in Europe must now proceed to the final stages of
Demobilisation,
(a) By the closing down of Administrative Organisations.
(b) By the reduction of Staffs.
(c) By the concentration of released military personnel
at Sutton Veny.
2. The term "Staffs" comprises all military personnel under the
jurisdiction of the formation concerned, and includes men on leave,
in hospital, A.W.L., Non-Military employment, &c., &c.
3. This process of reduction is to proceed as rapidly as possible
until each Department or Branch becomes extinct, either by ceasing to
function, or by amalgamation.
4. Commanders of Formations may, at their discretion, grant to all
released personnel, pre-embarkation leave not exceeding fourteen
days, prior to to the transfer of such personnel to Sutton Veny.
If, for any reason, it is not practicable to grant in the case of any
individual such leave prior to such transfer to Sutton Veny, then
Headquarters A.I.F. Depots in U.K. may grant such leave, upon
notification from the Commander concerned that such leave is still
outstanding.
5. Upon release, or upon completion of pre-embarkation leave,
as the case may be, each individual will be despatched to Sutton
Veny, to report to H.Q. No. 2 Group. He will be provided with
Movement Card (A.I.F. Form 541) marked for Sutton Veny, and with
Railway Warrant where necessary.
6. The Commander of every Formation will arrange to prepare
weekly, made up to Saturday (inclusive) a nominal roll, in quadruplicate,
giving Unit, Regimental Number, Rank, Name, Initials, and
date of expiration of leave of all personnel released from duty
during the preceding seven days.- One copy of this roll will be
forwarded to Officer i/c Records A.I.F. London, two copies to
H.Q. A.I.F. Depots in U.K., and one copy to Department of
Repatriation and Demobilisation.
7. H.Q., A.I.F. Depots in U.K. will make arrangements to receive,
at Sutton Veny or neighbouring Camps, all such released personnel,
and to organise them, in aproximately in order of arrival, into
complete Quotas, fully staffed in accordance with General Instructions:
or to draft them to Family Ships, as the case may be.- These Quotas
will be numbered in sequence, taking up the sequence of numbering of
the Quotas which have been transferred from the field, commencing
with No. 60.- As each Quota of 1,000 is thus organised, H.Q. A.1.F.
Depots in U.K. will forward to this Department particulars of its
composition in accordance with the Provisions of Demobilisation
Circular Memo No. 15.-
8. The foregoing procedure does not apply to members of the
A.I.F. hitherto retained at duty who have made, or are desirous of
making, applications for "Non-Military employment", or "extended
leave" &c.- The applications of all such personnel will be forwarded
without delay, to this Department, and the applicant will remain
under the jurisdiction of the Formation concerned until his
application has been dealt with.- If his application is approved,
he will then pass under the jurisdiction of this Department, but if
refused, he will then be dealt in accordance with the foregoing
procedure.
 

[*RLC
5.6.19*]
CHF/FB
Minutes of a Conference held
at 54 Victoria Street on 4th June, 1919.
Present: Director-General, Deputy Director-General,
Directors 1.D, (Lt.Col. Durrant representing)
2.D, 3.D, G.O.C, A.I.F. Depots and his Staff
Officer, D.M.S, A.I.F., B.G.Admin, A.I.F.
A.A.G, A.I.F. O.C.Records, Commander Parker,
Mr.MeBeath, Capt.Lampe, and Lt. Browning, 1.D.
1. Director-General stated that the A.I.F. Field Artillery Army
in France is now dissolved, Quota 59 having left Charleroi.
About 1250 of the Staffs of the Aust: Corps in France
remain to be demobilised together with about 1300 at A.B.D.
Havre.
2. Director-General briefly enunciated the procedure to
be followed in the dissolution of these, and stateed that the
number of troops actually in Depots is rather an unknown
quantity, since there may be some overlapping in the methods
of calculatingon.
3. Director-General then stated the situation as on 31.5.19
(Annexure A).
4. Director-General impressed upon all heads of Departments
and Branches the necessity for a thorough and continuous
reduction of Staffs, and the consequent repatriation of every
man possible to be repatriated.
5. Director-General outlined the method to be adopted.
6. Commander Parker produced the Statement of Shipping for
June, July and August (Annexure B).
7. Director-General asked heads of Departments what numbers
could be released and made ready for reapatriation by (a)
12th July, (b) end of July.
8. Heads of Departments stated as follows (figures are
NOT cumulative)