Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/257/1 - 1916 - 1927 - Part 13

"A"

A.

RETURN OF STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE

IN UNITED KINGDOM. SHOWING "STATE" OF TRAINING

 

Large 20x64 Table - see original document

.X. Is made up of Training Staffs, Signalling, and Bombing Instructors, also Details undergoing detention.
and in hospital.
 

"B"

B

RETURN OF STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN 

IMPERIAL FORCE IN EGYPT SHOWING "STATE" OF

TRAINING

				FULLY	TRAINED &	X NOT	AVAILABLE
		TOTAL	STRENGTH	AVAILABLE	TO REINFORCE	TO	REINFORCE
LOCATION	UNIT			At	once
		Offs.	O/Ranks.	Offs.	O/Ranks.	Offs.	O/Ranks.
Tel-el-Kebir.
	53th Bn.	-	117	-	114	-	3
	54th Bn	1	152	1	143	-	9
	55th Bn	-	124	-	122	-	2
	56th Bn	1	116	1	108	-	8
	1st Div.	10	1144	10	1114	-	30
	Base Dpt.
	2nd Div.
	Base Dpt.	4	719	4	649	-	70
	4th DIV.
	Base Dpt.	19	1616	19	1579	-	37
	5th Div.
	Base Div.	13	1190	9	1021	4	169
	Engrs.	-	97	-	97	-	-
	A.A.S.C.	-	154	-	154	-	-
	A.A.M.C.	-	150	-	150	-	-
	Arty. Trg. Dpt.-	20	865	18	723	2	142
	Totals:-	66	6444	62	5974	6	470

.X. Comprises numbers undergoing detention, in hospital, and on detached

duty.
The 14th Training Battalion comprises the 53rd, 54th, 55th and

56th Training Battalions has now arrived in England.
 

"C"

C.

RETURN OF STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN 

IMPERIAL FORCE AT PRESENT ON VOYAGE TO ENGLAND

 

UNIT	SHIP	APPROXIMATE	TOTAL	STRENGTH
		DATE OF ARRIVAL	Offs.	O/Ranks.
9th Battalion	Barembah	End of August '16	1	50
10th        "	"	do.	2	150
5th          "	Ayrshire	Early in September '16	2	150
6th          "	"	do.	2	150
7th          "	"	do.	2	150
8th          "	"	do.	2	150
19th         "	Ajana	11th September '16	2	150
20th        "	"	do.	2	150
21st          "	Ayrshire	Early in September '16	2	150
22nd        "	"	do.	2	150
27th         "	Bulla	7th August '16	2	150
29th         "	Berrima	Early September '16	2	150
32nd        "	Malahuta	End of August '16	2	150
33rd         "	Vestalia	11th September '16	2	150
38th         "	Runic	3rd August '16	31	1091
40th         "	Berrima	Early September '16	32	1091
53rd          "	Barembah	End of August '16	2	150
54th         "	"	do.	2	150
55th         "	"	do.	2	150
56th         "	"	do.	2	150
3rd Div.Amm.Col.	"	do.	8	364
D.A.C.	Berrima	Early September '16	-	16
Howitzer Btys.	Ajana	15th September '16	-	32
Field Artillery	Berrima	Early September '16	1	88
Egs.1-5 Fd.Coys.	Vestalia	11th September '16	3	134
9th "       "	Ajana	15th         "              "	6	247
10th "       "	Runic	3rd August '16	6	247
A.A.M.C.	Barembah	End of August '16	-	20
do.	Ayrshire	Early in September '16	-	15
10th Fd.Amb.	Runic	3rd August '16	6	177
11th  "        "	Berrima	Early in September '16	-	28
9th  "        "	Ajana	15th September '16	1	9
2nd Cyclist Crps.			-	20
		TOTALS	128	6129

 

9.8.1916.

RETURN OF STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN

IMPERIAL FORCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SHOWING "STATE"

OF TRAINING.

 

Location	Unit	Total	Strength	Fully trained	and available
				to reinforce	at once
		Offrs.	O.R.	Officers	Other Ranks
Perham Down	1st Bde.	28	935	14	--
	2nd Bde.	13	722	4	70
	3rd Bde.	23	1028	-	--
Rollestone	4th Bde.	14	295	-	102
	5th Bde.	30	2153	3	19
	6th Bde.	5	1348	-	29
	7th Bde.	9	1044	1	30
	12th Bde.	9	767	-	--
	13th Bde.	-	280	-	30
Lark Hill	8th Bde.	28	371	-	--
	15th Bde.	20	291	4	--
Bulford	1st Bty., A.T.D.	3	476	1	119
	2nd Bty., A.T.D.	9	375	-	--
Christchurch	Engr. T.D.	22	659	-	86
Parkhouse	Sig. T.D,	1	96	-	58
	A.S.C.T.D.	14	543	2	253
	A.A.M.C.	13	424	-	204
	M.Gun T.D.	1	197	-	29
Chisledon	Cyclists Tg. Bn.	11	588	-	--
TOTAL		253	13192	29	1029

 

 

RETURN OF STRENGTH OF REINFORCEMENTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SHOWING STATE
OF TRAINING.
Available in -- weeks' time from date.
 

12x17 Table - see original document

 

BY DIVISIONS

12x17 Table - see original document

[* Sick&detention men shown in this column*]

 

Telegram.

(No. 647)
Received from TIMOLEON
To SALAUSTRA, TIDWORTH
9th August 1916.
No. 1524 AG 2 (a) 9th AAA Following required for Australian Divs
France AAA Telegraph urgent TIMOLEON numbers you have available to
meet this demand and date they will be ready to move also entraining
stations AAA
 

1st Brigade				2nd Brigade
1st Battalion	530			5th Battalion	450
2nd        "	360			6th        "	240
3rd         "	280			7th        "	360
4th        "	350	1520		8th       "	380	1430
3rd Brigade				5th Brigade
9th Battalion	380			17th Battalion	350
10th         "	310			18th         "	500
11th          "	510			19th         "	500
12th         "	310	1510		20th         "	600	1950
6th Brigade				7th Brigade
21st Battalion	180			25th Battalion	800
22nd       "	600			26th         "	330
23rd        "	400			27th         "	520
24th        "	360	1540		28th         "	370	2320
2nd Pioneers	240
4th Brigade				12th Brigade
15th Battalion		60		45th Battalion	150
				46th         "	100
13th Brigade				47th         "	100
52nd Battalion		70		48th         "	100	450
4th Pioneers	110
8th Brigade				14th Brigade
29th Battalion	300			53rd Battalion	570
30th         "	370			54th         "	580
31st           "	510			55th         "	400
32nd        "	720	1900		56th         "	150	1700
15th Brigade				Machine Gun Coys.		188
57th Battalion	50
58h         "	400			Garrison Artillery
59th         "	640			Gunners		10
60th         "	270	1750
5th Pioneers	70
1st Div. Artillery				4th Div. Artillery
Signallers	7			How Gunners	12
Saddlers	2			Farrier Sgts	2
18 pdr fitters	4			Signallers	16
4.5 fitters	5			Saddlers	6
Shoeing smiths	2	20		18 pdr fitters	5
				4.5 fitters	5
2nd Div. Artillery				Shoeing Smiths	8
Shoeing Smiths	5			Farriers	8
16 pdr fitters	3			Wheelers	6
4.5 fitters	3			Gunners	40
Signallers	10			Bombardiers	4	112
Farriers	3
Farrier sgts	2
Saddlers	3	29

 

2.

5th Divisional Artillery
Drivers                    15
Bombardiers          4
Signallers               15
Saddlers                   6
Shoeing Smiths     6
Farriers                     4
Wheelers                 4
Gunners                 40
4.5 fitters                   5
18 pdr fitters             5
Farrier sgts               2
Howitzer Gunners 12       118

The foregoing are distinct from any previously ordered, or
under orders to embark AAA On receipt of your report giving numbers
of conducting officers definite orders will be issued AAA Addressed
SALAUSTRA Tidworth repeated ADMINAUST London COMMANDETH Salisbury
AAA Acknowledge
 

COPY.
Administrative Headquarters, A.I.F.
130, Horseferry Road,
London, S.W.
15th August, 1916.
Brigadier-Ceneral C.B.B. White,
1st A.N.Z.A.C.
My dear White,
Griffiths has been over on a hurried visit and as usual
done an enormous amount of work in a most satisfactory way. I hate
to appear pressing in a matter, but would it not suit your people
well to have him here, as his Headquarters, to overlook not only our
work here, but the 3rd Division and the Training Depots? In my
humble opinion such a man will be very much needed for reasons that
will occur to you.
Of course I can understand the difficulty in filling
his place, but I fancy you will find in the long run it is better to
suffer the inconvenience occasioned by his loss rather than have the
trouble that is more than likely than otherwise to ensue.
I enclose herein copies of the cable I forwarded to
Melbourne today, and of letter I have addressed to General Monash -
both on the same subject, and which speak for themselves. I under-
stand the War Office is addressing our General Birdwood on the matter
direct, and I shall be very glad to keep you advised of course of
everything of any importance that transpires.
With best wishes,
truly yours
(sgd) R.M.McC. Anderson.
 

Oa C68-1-15
COPY.
Administrative Headquarters, A.I.F.,
130, Horseferry Road,

London, S.W.
16th August, 1916.
CONFIDENTLAL.
A.A.G., A.I.F.
Attached Headquarters lst Anzac,
France.
Yesterday afternnon I was summoned to the War Office to
meet the Adjutant General. He explained that the War Council
had been troubled about prompt reinforcements for our depleted
fighting forces in France.
He wished to let me know in courtesy, as he was going
apprise you officially, that the two methods they had discussed to
remedy matters were:-
the number so
(a ) Reducing the number of divisions by one, The number so 

disbanded to be divided among the others for strengthening
purposes.
(b) Borrowing sufficient from the 3rd Division at Salisbury,
which, in addition to those already sufficiently trained at the
Training Depots, would make up the requisite numbers.
They decided on the second and will watch how matters progress

with regard to training and reinforcements coming forward
from Australia.
It appears to me that they were clear in their judgment of
what was required and I was particularly pleased they were definite

in the course they were going to take.
I have cabled to Australia by cypher through the War Office
itself, it being a specially confidential matter, as follows:-
"Insufficiency reinforcements especially pressing
owing to recent casualties causing War Office anxiety. As
sufficient not immediately available from Training Centres
War Office decided borrow shortage from 3rd Division now
training here. Alternative proposal discussed by War Council
was to disband 3rd Division dividing members among other
divisions. Decided against for meantime anyhow."
It seems to me infinitely better that the War Office should
take up a definite attitude in these matters rather than ask Australia's

opinion which is difficult to arrive it (sic) because of
the long distance separating us from and their ignorance of your
actual conditions and needs. I made the cable clear because if
there had been any objection to a division being broken up they had
plenty of time to consult you before anything could be done.
(sgd) R.M.McC. Anderson,
Colonel, Commandant.
 

COPY
McA/GH
15th August 1916.
Major-General Monash, C.B., V.D.,
Larkhill
Salisbury Plains.
Dear General,
I was at the War Office this afternoon when they were
discussing anxiously the question of reinforcements so necessary
for France. The original estimates of trained troops available
have quite fallen down and they have decided in their extremity
to take from your Division, merely on loan of course, as many
reinforcements as you have trained to make up the gaps in the
firing line.
You will hear from them officially in due course but
in the meantime they will be taking, I Understand, anything from
3000 t0 6000 men. The alternative to this that they have been
discussing is the breaking up of your division and lessening the
number of divisions for service in France from five to four.
This they do not wish to proceed to except as a last resource.
I shall be careful to let you know from time to time
how matters of this kind are decided.
Best wishes
Truly yours,
(sgd) R.M.McC. Anderson.