General Sir John Monash, Personal Files Book 23, 24 September - 26 December 1919, Part 5

-2-
Forces of the Commonwealth.
If you so approve, all that would be necessary
would be to excise para. 2(c) from Annexure A of General
Instruetion No. 24, and in that event to notify the proper
authorities in Australia of the amendment made.
Perhaps you will prefer to postpone a decision
on this question until I myself arrive in Melbourne about
Christmas time.- If so, I shall be glad then to discuss
the matter with you.
(signed)
John Monash
Lieut.-General.
Director-General.
Repatriation &  Demobilisstion, A.I.E
Senator G.F. Pearce
Department of Defence,
MELBOURNE,
AUSTRALIA.
Encl.
 

 

[[ ]]
Herewith correspondence
dealing with closing of
Demob.
A. 23.6.19 Your proposal to close 31.10.19
B. 9.7.19 your letter to minister re
remark at Conference 8.17.19
C. 22.7.19 To G.O.C. A.I.F. re closing Sept.30.
D. 28.7.19 Minister approves generally 
of A,D.
E. 29.9.19 Genl. Jess's letter closing
down.
RLB
4.11.19
 

 

2 i/c. " Waimana''

 

 

PROPOSED PROGRAMME:-
A. During July Salisbury Plain Depots to be
demobilised Group by Group until by July
31 there will be left only one Group.
under a Brigadier-General, the H.Q.
remaining at Tidworth , under Brig-Gen.
McGlinn. Total ''staff'' not to exceed 1,000.

B. London H.Q. to be steadily reduced during
July, August and September. The rate at

which this can be done will depend upon

the reduction in the volume of work of
some of the larger branches, such as Pay,
Records, Ordnance and Central Registry.

C. Demobilisation Department numbers a staff

of about 700.-  This cannot be seriously
reduced until October.- Its principal
functions will continue in full force

till then , viz:-
(a) Administration of about 9.000 N.M.E.
(b) Movements, Quartering and Shipping.

D. By Oct. 31 it should be practicable to

amalgamate London H.Q. and Demobilisation
Department under a Brigadier-General: and
this combined Department should continue
to function with a steadily reducing staff
until Dec. 31, when matters should be ripe
to close down finally.

E. It is suggested that a Military Branch of the
High Commissioner's Office should be constituted,
to commence to function on Dec. 31,
and take over all uncompleted business then

outstanding.-

(Signed)
John Monash

Lieut.-General.
Director-General
Repatriation & Demobilisation, A.I.F.
 

JM/SEL.
153
54, Victoria Street,
LONDON. S.W.1.
23.6.19.
Minister for Defence,
Australia House
STRAND. W.C.2.
PRECIS OF POSITION OF DEMOBILISATION.
1. The position on June 30 will (in round numbers) be as follows:-
(a) Total A.I.F. remaining in Europe will be 51,000
2. This total is made up thus:-                                                    

(b) Immediately available for embarkation                           21,000
(c) "Immobile" i.e. those staffs which cannot yet  )              30,000
be dissolved, and those which are only now in     )               51,000   
process of dissolution                                                   )

3. Item (c) is now fully accounted for, and is at present
distributed as follows:-
(d) Remaining in France indefinitely                                1,200
(e) A.I.F. Depots on Salisbury Plain                                  10,500
(f) H.Q. London                                                                       8,000
(g) Demob; being chiefly "Non-Mil.Employment         9,000
(h) Sundries                                                                             1,300
                                                                                                  30,000
N.B. The term "Staffs" cover all personnel under the jurisdiction
of the formation concerned.
4. Item (d) will remain probably until October.- Items (e) and
(f) cannot be seriously reduced until item (b) has been disposed
of. The bulk of item (g) will disappear by Oct. 31; while item
(h) should disappear by July 31.-
5. The expectations for July are that a total equivalent to the
whole of the balance of troops "available" as per item (b) will
be embarked, leaving, in Europe, on July 31/19 say 30,000.
6. During July, the Staffs of Salisbury Plain & London will begin
serious reduction, and should be able to yield up 4,000 for
embarkation in July and 8,000 for embarkation in August. This is
what is being aimed at.
7. The expectations for August are that we shall have available for
embarkation a total not exceeding 12,000; leaving in Europe on
Aug. 31 a balance of 18,000.-
8. The period after Aug. 31 is too far ahead, and subject to too
many prior contingencies to justify a definite forecast.- It is
probable, however, that the embarkation of the last 18,000 will be
spread over 3 or 4 months.- This 18,000 includes residues of men
A.W.L. and otherwise unaccounted for, probably over 1,000.
(Signed)
John Monash
Lieut-General.
Director-General.
Repatriation & Demobilisation, A.I.F.
 

 

JM/CGP 166a
54. Victoria Street.
LONDON. S.W.1.
9.7.19.
My dear Senator Pearce.
I was surprised and somewhat disturbed by the
observation which General Birdwood made to you and Mr.
McBeath at the conference yesterday to the effect that he
considered I had been "too optimistic" in regard to De¬
mobilisation matters. If such an opinion is entertained
here by those high in authority it is quite probable that
it may ultimately reach Australia, and tend to discredit
me and my work.- I therefore think that I should not allow
such an observation to go unchallenged.
I submit that there is no foundation whatever
for this feeling. The policy which I have pursued through-
out the whole of the Demobilisation procedure has, in fact.
been the exact contrary; and I have been most careful from
the very outset never to raise hopes which could not be
fulfilled.
I think that it must be admitted by all con-
versant with the working of this Department that I have
never made, or authorised to be made, any promises regard-
ing dates, embarkations, pay, allowances or any other matter
affecting the men's interests and welfare which have not
 

been completely fulfilled: and that I have never made.
either to Higher Authority or to anyone else, any forecasts
regarding Demobilisation, Embarkation or Movement programmes
which have not been invariably carried out either to the
letter, or with a considerable margin to the good.
I am unable to form the slightest idea upon
what facts or inferences General Birdwood's opinion in the
matter bas been founded.
I feel that any wrong impression ought to be
cleared up at once, but I have no means of doing so except
by submitting these remarks to you.
Yours obediently,
signed 
John Monash
Senator C.F. Pearce
Australia House,
STRAND. W.C.2

 

 RLC

Initial 8.7.19.

Spare for file

 

NOTES OF CONFERENCE AT AUSTRALIA HOUSE ON 8.7.19.

PRESENT:- Minister of Defence; Generals Birdwood, Monash and Griffiths; Lieut. Colonel R.E. Jackson, and Mr. McBeath

-----------------

The proposals of the Director-General of Demobilisaiton

of 13.6.19, which had been submitted to the Minister, were taken

into discussion.

The Director-General stated that the principle he wished to assert was that of the merging of the Departments of the A.I.F. into one Department under a Brig.-General, at some to

bet determined furutre date. Hea had himself proposed October

1st, but the actual date depended upon a more detailed invisti-

gation of the rate at which Branches could be extinguished.

Lieut.-Colonel Jackson submitted a statement showing 

the proposed rate of dispersal of the Branches of A.I.F Head-

quarters.

The Minister criticised the various items in detail. 

He expressed the view that War Records, Records, Central

Registry and Pay could all be reduced at a greater rate than

time foreshadowed.- General Griffiths concurred that this 

could be done. 

After considerable detailed discussion it was agreed

that the process of reduction should be speeded up all over with a view to aiming at such a rapid reduction that amalga-

mation of all the departments of the A.I.F. under a Brigadier-

General could be undertaken by September 30th. 

The Director-General undertook to re-cast his proposals

and make them more specific, and submit them under consultation

with, and through, the G.O.C. A.I.F. 

The Director-General asked that steps might be taken

to expedite the demobilisation of the Graves Detachment in

France.- This was agreed to.

The Director-General submitted that steps should now

be taken, after due notice in the press, the strike off all men

Absent Without Leave.- This was agreed to.

The G.O.C., A.I.F., concurred that on or after July 

31st the A.I.F. Depts in U.K. could be reduced to a Brigadier-

General's command, leaving General McGlinn in charge.

General Griffiths undertook to furnish the Director-

General in three or four days time with a revised estimate

of the rate at which Branches of Adminaust could be reduced.

Lieut.-General.

Director-General.

Repatriation & Demobilisation, A.I.F.

 

COPY.
CONFIDENTIAL
54 Victoria Street,
London, S.W. 1.
22.7.19.
G.0.C., A.I.F.
A.I.F. HEADQUARTERS.
Following upon the Conference held by Minister of
Defence at Australia House on 8th inst. with reference to
the closing stages of the Demobilisation of the A.I.F. and
having now received from Brigadier-General i/c Administra-

tion A.I.F., H.Q. London a detailed forecast of the rate
at which, having regard to the decisions given by the Minis-

ter at that Conference, the several branches under his
jurisdiction can be dissolved, I beg now to submit, for
your approval, and if approved, for transmission to the Hon.
the Minister, concrete proposals for the procedures to be
adopted:-
1. I estimate that by September 30. (subject to the
under-noted recommendations being given effect to), the
total personnel remaining in Europe in the category of
"Staffs", i.e. on the respective staffs of A.I.F., H.Q.,  Rep
& Demob. Department, and A.I.F. Depots in U.K. and personnel
on Non-military Employment, will have been reduced to less
than 12,000 of all ranks.
2. This is exclusive of unembarked "family men" or
of personnel, hitherto belonging to "staffs", who may have
been released from duty prior to September 30, but who may
not have actually embarked by that date. Such number is
uncertain, depending as it does on the punctuality of sail¬
ings listed for August and September but is unlikely, under
the most unfavourable circumstances, to exceed 5,000 of all
ranks.)
3. I anticipate therefore that the total personnel
in Europe on Sept. 30 will be not less than 12,000 and not
more than 17,000 of all ranks. This number will include
 

A0
 -- 2 --
about 3,000 persons on Non-military Employment with courses
of training then not yet expired.
4. All A.I.F. Depots in U.K. except Sutton Veny will,
before July 31, have evacuated, to ships or to concentration
depots, all their personnel except small cadres engaged in
handing over and disposal of stores, repair of barrack
damages and the like. All the H.C. and all the Staffs (ex¬
cept cadres) of all depots other than Sutton Veny are being
now demobilised as fast as each is emptied.
5. From and after July 31. A.I.F. Depots in U.K. to
be reduced to one Croup at Sutton Veny, to remain under the
immediate command of Brig. Genl. Robertson, until such time
as the population of the Group falls below 2,000 of all
ranks, and thereafter to be placed under a Lt. Colonel.
6. H.Q. at Tidworth to be dissolved as soon as
practicable after July 31, and to be replaced by a small
Liaison staff under Brig. Genl. McGlinn, who will retain
executive authority over the Sutton Veny Group, and over
the cadres of the other Groups who may be still functioning,
Brig. Genl. McGlinn to be ^ directly responsible, in all demobilisation
matters to this Department, and in all disciplinary and ad-
ministrative matters to C.O.C., A.I.F.
7. The Graves Detachment in France to cease work on
Aug. 15, and to be transferred to Sutton Veny, for embarka-
tion, as soon as possible thereafter.
8. All other details remaining in France (except
personnel necessarily engaged on the Var Memorials) to be
evacuated from France at latest by Aug. 31st.