Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/111/1 - May 1918 - Part 3

102  19
does not advertise, & Monash who does; Catlock &
Dyson, while Cutlack could not understand White's
attitude - he must know he is the best man for
the Command of the Corps – why does he not push for
it? Why has he let Birdwood overshadow him?
Why has he not forced Birdwood to appoint Gellibrand
to a division, or promise him the next one, if he
himself believes in him?  There must be something
wanting in White, according to Cutlacks ideas.
Dysons tendencies are all towards White's attitude
- "Do your work well - if the world wants you it will 

102  20
see that it has you; anyway that's not your
job - your job is to do the work & not worry about
yourself."  Dyson thinks it a weakness, but
he likes it better than the advertising strength
which insists on thrusting or insinuating
itself into the front rank. He says: "Yes - Monash
will get there – he must get there all the time
on account of the qualities of his race; the Jew
will always get there - I'm not sure that
because of tt very quality Monash is not
more likely to _^ help win this war than White - But 

102 21
the manner of winning it makes the victory
in / long run scarcely worth the winning."
Well, anyway, the discussion which lasted
all / way from Allonville to Querrien, one
night, soaked in; & everyone ws determined
tt if they approved _^ the principles , of / man who left others
to appreciate his work, & left it to them whether
he ws good enough to lead for any _^ high position
tt fell vacant – it was up to those who did
appreciate him to use every effort now tt 

102 22
just this position had occurred. Monash wd leave
no stone unturned & no underground channel
untried - rightly, according to his lights. Cutlack
asked what had suggested itself to me, but what
I could not put forward in my cable to
Australia: Why not Monash for G.O.C, A.I.F
& White for G.O.C. Aust. Corps? Dyson thought
tt something cd be done to bring this about.
We decided tt I shd go to England, taking him
w me, to see Murdoch & try to get this
alter alternative adopted. Everyone ws 

102  23
decided tt if Birdwood accepted / command of
an army, & outside interests, he ought not to
continue in command of the A.I.F.
Sat. May 18
This morning Dyson & I left Ouerrien.
I attended the funeral of pax little Bailey at
Vignacourt; got passes to England & back; just
missed the boat at Boulogne; the Base
Commandant & M.L.O. there were exceedingly
helpful - altered our passes for Calais in 2 minutes.
We missed the boat at Calais but there was a 

102 24
little mail packet leaving in 10 minutes. The Military
Landing officer there gave us special leave to
cross by it - we simply told him we had to be
back next day - we caught it by a flying
leap into the boat on the davits as it swung
out - & reached London about 10.45 tt
night to find that it was the Saturday before
Witsun. Byrne, his assistant at "The Times"
office; told us tt Murdoch ws in Engla Scotland -
possibly w / High Commissioner - but he did
not know his address. I went to Howse's
diggings & found tt he had gone away with 

102 25
a haversack, probably walking. Griffiths had gone
to Wales; all the others at the flat were out
except Col. Wilson, the newly arrived Ordnance officer
from Australia, who did not know me; but who
acquiesced when I asked if I cd sleep / night
in Griffiths bed.
May 19 Sunday. The whole of London is
away - at any rate everyone whom we came
over to see. Even Treloar has bn ordered _^ by Griffiths to
take a holiday,  and has gone w Col. Butler off to 

102  26
/ country somewhere. Box is away, place
unknown.
I spent this night drawing up a
statement for Murdoch, & possibly Howse,
of what we want & why it is wanted.
Brain tells me tt an answer is thro'
from Australia agreeing to all Gen. Birdwood's
suggestns but asking tt White shd remain for
six weeks to see Blamey settle down.
The changes are common knowledge at
Corps Headqrs, so I am absolved from any 

102   27
ch to what
which the
ts boiled down,
Byrne says No news yet of Murdoch - so I wired
to him care of the High Commr. that I wanted to
see him urgently tomorrow morning if possible.  Ea

102  27
condition of confidence tt may attach to what
Birdwood told me. The memo, to which the
arguments agst the _^ system proposed suggested arrangements boiled down,
is as follows:-
Byrne say No news yet of Murdoch - so I wired
to him care of the High Commr. that I wanted to
see him urgently tomorrow morning if possible.  Ea