Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/257/1 - 1916 - 1927 - Part 16

SECRET.
COPY. 
C.81.1.7.
The Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia
to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
(Received Colonial Office 2.14 p.n., 11th November, 1916).
The following message is from the Prime Minister:-
It is necessary to amend my cable August 31st. It is
not now possible to provide the 20,000 nor the large
reinforcements promised. I suggest that for the present
Thurd Division be retained in England. I make this suggestion,
however, subject to its not interfering with operation plans
in progress. If this is done, it will probably be likely to
provide by voluntary enlistment reinforcement on present scale
of fifteen per cent for infantry for the other four divisions.
This month those for five divisions proceed normally.
MUNRO-FERGUSON.

PARAPHRASE TELEGRAM:
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies.
(Received Colonial Office 2.12 p.m., 15th November, 1916).
Your telegram 9th November respecting tonnage for
reinforcements. Steamers mentioned not now required in view
of information in my telegram of 11th November.
 

Paraphrase.
Telegram. The Secretary of State for the Colonies to the
Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
(Sent 6 p.m. 16th November, 1916).
War Office send following message. Begins.
Referring to your telegram 11th November. As already
arranged 3rd Division must proceed France on 21st November.
It would seriously interfere with plans in progress to cancel
this decision. Army Council therefore urge that even if it be
not feasible to provide whole or part of 20,000 special draft
no effort be spared to maintain adequate reinforcements for 5
Divisions. End of message.
BONAR LAW.

121/Overseas/3056.
From War Office to Minister of Defence, Melbourne. 
15th November, 1916.
(No. 25056, cipher S.D.2.)
1 p.m.
Continuation my No. 24967, 13th November. If possible infantry
reinforcements should carry out in Australia first six weeks'
training laid down in syllabus which was issued with Army Council
Instruction No. 1103 or Army Council Instruction No, 1968 when
received. Latter has been sent to you. If for any reason
despatch of reinforcements who have completed six weeks' training
is delayed, instruction should be continued as indicated in
syllabus. Number of weeks training completed should be shown in
nominal rolls of reinforcements against each man's name. Can you
arrange for above.
 

COPY.
November 20th, 1916.
The Secretary,
Department of Defence,
Melbourne.
With reference to the attached copies of cables which were
passed to these Headquarters for information by the courtesy of the
War Office, I desire to bring the following facts to notice and
also to place certain proposals before you.
I have been informed by the War Office that their reply
concurring with the suggestion made by you was sent with a certain
amount of diffidence, as it was not know whether any other reason
may have been underlying the proposal. But in view of the con-
gested state of the training camps in England, and the difficulty
in carrying out training during several months of each year on
account of the weather conditions, the War Office agree that if
training could be conducted in Australia it would be better for all
concerned.
It is therefore suggested that if further consideration may be
given to this matter, it may not be too late yet to cancel the
The proposal referred to in my 1392/11/19
decision arrived at.
and my cable No. HQL 2201 of I1thcinstant to send competent
instructors to Australia, trained in all the latest methods, and
who have actual and recent war experience, would, if adopted,
away with the possibility of any training given in Australia having
to be unlearned in England.
May I again respectfully urge that all such matters may be
cabled direct to this office, or, if still thought necessary to
send to the War Office, that cables may be repeated here. With the
intimate knowledge of requirements for the A.1.F. Overseas, and
with the added advantage of being able to consult with G.O.C. A.I.F.
it is considered that the advice which could be given to the author-
ities at the War Office would be appreciated by them and be of
distinct advantage to Australia.
Colonel
Commandant,
Administrative Headquarters,
A.I.F. London.
------
Defence, Melbourne.
Memorandum for
The Commandant
Administrative Headquarters, A.I.F.,
London.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your memorandum
No. C/81/1/7 of the 20th November, relative to the training of
members of the A.I.F. in Australia, and to inform you that the
matter has been very carefully considered, but in view of the
arrangements made at the suggestion of the War Office respecting
restricted periods of training in Australia, the Minister does not
propose to proceed further with the matter at the present juncture.
(Sgd) T.Trumble,
Acting Secretary.
 

No.2 Camp Lark Hill
20th July. 1776
CONFIDENTIAL.
General Officer Commanding
3rd Division
Australian Imperial Force.
I have to report as follows concerning Lieut.Col.
G. A. H. Holborrow, Commanding Officer. 35th Battalion A.I.F.
(1) This Officer's control over his men is not
efficient. The discipline of the Battalion was not
good while in Camp at Newcastle, N.S.W. It became
much worse on the Transport, there being 14 Courts-
Martial and 184 Crimes dealt with during the voyage.
Two men escaped from detention - one man twice- but no
one was crimed for wont of vigilance. There are now
three men awaiting District  Court Martial whose papers
are being prepared.
(2) The sentences awarded by the Courts (drawn from
Officers of the 35th Battalion) in eleven cases were,
with two exceptions, under 28 days detention.
(3) After the Battalion's departure from Newcastle the
Brigade Major inspected its camp and found it to be in
a very dirty condition. A report from the 36th
Battalion, who cleaned up the camp, confirms this and
states that 48 cartloads of rubbish were taken away.
A report from Lieut. Col. Holborrow, on the matter states
that "the camp was inspected by me at an early hour on
the day of departure, and found to be in thoroughly
good order". He surmises the camp's condition was
due to the immense crowd of visitors. These visitors
should, however, have been kept out of the Show Ground,
in which the Camp was.
(4) I inspected the 35th Battalion Guard on board the
Transport at Capetown and found the rifles of the
Guard to be considerably rusted and the men slovenly
in their dress.
(5) The piquet supplied by the 35th Battalion at
Capetown was unsatisfactory and the orders given to the
O.C. Piquet were so vague as to leave a doubt as to
whether the men were on piquet or on leave.
(6) In vies of these facts and from personal
observation of Lieut. Col. Holborrow in his work, I am
of the opinion that he has not that control over his
men which a Commanding Officer should have, and I have
therefore to recommend that he be replaced.
.....
[[??]] Brig. Gen.
Commanding Ninth Infantry Brigade..
A.1. F.
 

FORMATION AND DISBANDMENT OF 6TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN ENGLAND & AUSTRALIA.
ACTION AT THE FRONT.

28 March 1916. From Birdwood to
Defence on creation of second
army corps. Birdwood and Godley
to command 1st and 2nd Anzac
respectively. Base depot moved
to England.
2 April 1915. Formation of an
Aust. army cable from War
Office).
 16 May 1916. Secretary of State
says (? cables) that sixth division

should not be formed unless
sufficient reserves can be maintained.

Prime Minister consulted 

and cable sent June 9.
2 February 1917. Secretary of
State for the colonies cables:
"The possibility of raising further

 troops is being anxiously
considered ......Government
aware that last November your
Govt. were doubtful whether ....
it would be possible to maintain
five Aust, divs. in the field.
Nevertheless in view of urgent
need for men they ask your
Ministers to consider earnestly
once more possibility of forming
at once a sixth Aust. Division
....... ".
6 February 1917. From Secretary
of State. Army Council suggests
new formations be raised in England gradually. 

This would expedite formation and training.
8 February 1917, Sir William
Robertson to Prime Minister
(through Sec.of State) - says
'Operations of current year will
be of supreme importance to ultimate
issue of war. Enemy knows
this ..... A Sixth Australian
Division with or without its artillery, 

ready to take the field
during July, would be invaluable
addition to the fighting strength
of the Imperial Army on the Western 

Front."
 

15 February 1917. To British
Government. Commonwealth Govt.
anxious to assist but mentions
limits. 286,950 despatched,
108,000in England, Egypt, Australia, 

and at sea. "It will be seen
... that a sixth division can be
formed at once
 

2.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
ENGLAND & AUSTRALIA.

from forces already available.
The Commonwealth Government agrees
to your request.... but considers
that one of the three infantry
brigades should be formed first.
...."

ACTION AT THE FRONT.
25 February 1917. Deputy C.I.G.S.
War Öffice (General Whigham) to
Birdwood. Have now received a
reply from Aust. Govt. re 6th
Div. "or at any rate additional
infantry brigades corresponding
to a sixth division."  General
idea is to proceed with formation
of one inf. bde. at once. "Our
first care must of course be to
maintain the divs. already at the
front."
3 March 1917. Birdwood to
Whigham. Is going to England,
and will fix up about commencing
to raise the net division.
Suggests that three of the five
divisional machine-gun coys. for
the divs in France then training
at Grantham) should be earmakked
as brigade coys for the new div.
B. feels that divs. in France can
get on quite well without these
new coys. Says that artillery
can easily be provided by Aust.
Army bdes.
4 March 1917. Order issued by
A.A.G.,A.I.F... (Witham), at I
Anzac corps H.Q., France (i.e.,
main A.I.F. H.Q.). Orders have
been received for the formation
of a 6th Australian Division; and
the Lieutenant-General commanding
is making preparatory arrangmts
to form one infy. bde together
with one field company, Brigade
Signal section, one coy of Div.
Train, and one field ambulance.
It is proposed to first form two
N.S.W. and two Victorian battalions. 

The two latter will aftwds
be transferred complete to the
second bde to be organised.
Div. commanders asked to submit
recommendations for officers and
N.C.O's for transfer to these 4
battalions and for 1 coy, A.A.S.C.
(for infantry, 4 battalion commanders,

4 seconds-in-command,
majors, 30 company officers,
warrant officers, 40 sergeants
including specialists; for
A.A.S.C., 10 officers, and 15
warrant offers and sergeants).
Officers and N.C.O's in need of
rest, or who deserve promotion but
 

3.
Communications between
Australia and England.

(? prob. from Birdwood)
8 March 1917. From Administrative
H.G., London, to Defence Dept.
"45468. Am now raising 16th Bde.
under Antill. Field ambulance
engineers, and supply coys also
being raised with brigade."
 

31 March1917. Defence Dept. to
Administrative H.Q.,A.I.F.
London. xxxxx Cable stating
that press messages concerning the
formation of new brigades were
arriving in Australia, and asking
that the information should be for
the present suppressed, pending
further advice.
 

Action at the Front.
have no opportunity of getting it,
should be chosen.
9 March 1917 Later amendment.

Infantry Brigade (16th) to consist of - 
1 Bn. N.S.W. - 61st (Mackenzis)
1 Bn. Vic. - 65th (Wanliss)
1 Bn. Q & Tas- 69th (Deeble)
1 Bn. SA &Wi - 70th (Denton)
(N.B. All rather worn out or
feeble C.O's)
11 March 1917. From Newton Moore
[G.O.C.,A.1.F. Depots in U.K.) to
Antill. Order to Antill (apptd.
brigade commander). Infantry to
be mobilized at Wareham from 43
men. Captain Read, 22nd Lancers,
Indian Army, G.S.O. 2, 6th Div.
to act as brigade-major, 16th Bde.
Captain Berkely Ayris to be staff-
captain. Following units formed
1 light trench-mortar bty,at
Perham Downs.
1 coy, A.A.S.C., 6th Div.
Train, at Parkhouse.
16th Fld. Ambulance, being
formed.
M.G. Coy., one of the m.g.coys
training in England will be de-
tailed as 16th M.G. Coy.
14 March 1917. Formation of other
machine-gun companies for divs. to
remain in abeyance for present
and taken up again after those for
6th Division provided.
31 March 1917. Only N.C.O's who
nave actually served at Anzac (on
becoming fit! may be given option
of rejoining their units instead
of 6th Division (63 so desire).
2 April 1917. Newton Moore to
Birdwood. 6lst and 66th Bns.over
strength; 69th and 70th under
strength. Surplus personnel will
go to form nucleus of 17th Bde.,
 

4.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
ENGLAND & AUSTRALIA.
Defence Dept. informed of
arrangements outlined in
in message of April 24th
opposite.
 

ACTION IT THE FRONT.
"Which I intend to mobilise on receipt

of instructions. Can get
about 60% of 17th Bde. from same
category (? A3).
xxxKkxixxxx
13 April 1917.  Birdwood has to write
to Moore to ask for all N.C.O's and
men of 4th and 12th Brigades, as
"they suffered rather severely"at
Bullecourt.
Nemton Moore to Birdwood. 227 of
4th Brigade and 140 of 12th hvbeing
sent.
On Birdwood asking, Moore recommends
on 24 April 1917 then available
for 17th Brigade: N.S.W. 1058,
Vic, 1600
S.A. 90
W.A. 50
Qland 100
Tas 46
Suggested composition - 62nd and 63rd
Battalions, N.S.W.; 66th and 67th;
Victoria. (Build up each with
reinforcements). These are figures
of B1A4.
24th April 1917. Birdwood approves,
but battalions to be grouped as
follows -
16th Brigade
61st
62nd N.S.W.
63rd
69th Q'land and Tasmania
17th Brigade.
65th
66th Victoria
67th
70th S.Aust. & W.Aust.
28 April 1917. Mewton Moore's proposal. 

Following units formed -
H.Q., 16th Bde.
61,65,69,70 Battalions.
16th Light Trench Mortar Battery.
16th Bde Coy, AASC, xx 6th Div.
Train.
16th Field Ambulance.
17th Bde (to be under Paton).
62, 63 ,66 , 67 Battalions.
O.C.'s received - Lieutenant-Colonels
McConaghy, P.P. Abbott (approved)
Rankine (approved), Flintoff (approved)
 

5.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
AUSTRALIA & ENGLAND.
June 1917. Birdwood cables
Defence Department:
"T.3366. N.Z. has raised a 4th
Brigade concurrently with our
raising 16th and 17th Infantry
Brigades. To form the artillery
for 6th Division I have recommended

that two of our three Army
F.A. Brigades be allotted and
that the division be completed
by incorporation of 4th N.Z.Bde
and thus save us raising the
18th Australian Inf. Brigade. I
trust that this will meet with
your approval and that Sincalir-
MacLagan should command the
division."
 ACTION IT THE FRONT.
(McConaghy asked for by 5th Division;
Lt.-Col. M.W. Logan appointed)
Suggested -

29 April 1917. Moore handing over to
M'Cay  "this week" (asks to come to
France to see Birdwood).
Next letter; from M'Cay, to A.A.G.,
A.I.F. H.Q., France. The War Office
is anxious that the formation of this
division should be expedited. Suggests

that officers for 17th Bde
(4 to a coy) should be sent at once
from France. He could then form
nucleus of 18th Bde.
Answer: This is being done. 18th
Bde not to be formed.
24 May 1917. General Whigham sends
Birdwood report by Major-General
Howard on 16th Bde - Wareham; 17th
Brigade - Windmill Hill. 16th Bde
is "not so far forward as it should
be." 17th Bde is starting well.
Push and go was apparent everywhere."
Birdwood doesn't attach much importance

to this ciriticism (probably
rightly).
5 June 1917. Birdwood to G.H.Q.
As 16th and 17th Bdes are practically
completed, can newly formed 4th N.Z.
Bde be incorporated in division.
10 June 1917. G.H.Q. to Birdwood
(through Third Army, under whom I
Anzac was then serving). "Information
has, however, recently been received
 

6.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
AUSTRALIA & ENGLAND,
10 June 1917. Defence Dept. to
General Birdwood. "WY893. Your
T.3366 June 8th. Approve of your
recommendation regarding 6th
Division."
21 June 1917. Birdwood to
Defence Department. "Re my
xxxxx telegram 3366 June 8,owing
to shortage of reinforcements
present idea seems to be not to
go on with formation of 6th
Division. 16th and 17th Bdes
will probably proceed to France
for attachment to existing divisions 

pending information you
may give War Office later on
regarding probable numbers of men
forthcoming. This for your private 

information.
 

ACTION AT THE FRONT.
from the Home authorities to the
effect that the state of Australian
reinforcements will not admit of the
two Australian brigades being sent
to France at present, and it is
understood that, on present indications, 

the drafts likely to be available

from Australia will be insufficient

to maintain more than the five
divisions now in the field. "Reply
was forwarded to Birdwood (then in
London). He consulted M'Cay, and
then interviewed the A.G. and Deputy
C.G.S. at the War Office on June 21.
14 June 1917. G.O.C., A.I.F.
Depots in U.K. (M'Cay) to D.A.G.,
A.1.F. H.Q., France. Statement as
to reinforcements available for the
five divisions. Submitted for consideration

that, if sufficient reinforcements

are to be assured, the
formation of the 6th Division should
be abandoned and the 16th and 17th
Bdes. used as reinforcements.
(A digger, John L. Peadon, of the
54th Battalion, who can't get back
to his battalion, writes to the High
Commissioner: "Personally I belong
in spirit to only one battalion, and
I'll sacrifice everything to get
back to it, and take my chance as I
have done many a time before. The
54th had said they'd like to get
him, but couldn't.)
27 June 1917.Further bad report o
16th Brigade. Inspecting officer
(Brigadier-General King-King of
the Southern Command) doesn't think
Brigadier or brigade-major capable.
Specially reported by War Office to
Birdwood. (Antill had been shifted
again and again).
Birdwood says Antill had been
"specially got over from Egypt to be
a waiting man in the event of a
division falling vacant" as "one of
our best men". Birdwood thinks he
 

7.
COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
ENGLAND & AUSTRALIA.
(?) What is this?
 

ACTION AT THE FRONT.
was knocked out by last winter in France.
(As a matter of fact he had never had the
character for command.)
Antill disputed the facts (i.e. in the
report by General King-King).
M'Cay was not satisfied with Antill. M'C
says brigade could not go oversea as a
fighting unit for two months.
Later M'Cay says things improved in next
month.
Major-General Howard (20. July) says four
of the C?O's are indifferent. MacLagen
was there for a while, but now oniy
G.S.O.1. left. G.O.C, 17th Bde is good.
30 June 1917. General Whigham writes to
Birdwood.
"(1) "There are at present only 2593
reinforcements en route from Australia.
(2) If the two additional infantry
brigades are considered as available
to provide reinforcements there should
be just sufficient men to maintain the
five divisions in France up to the end
of August.
(3) If the two addition brigades are
sent to France and the Australian
divisions take part in further heavy
fighting we may be faced with a deficit

at the end of August amounting to
11,000 men.
"In these circumstances the
Adjutant-General does not consider that
we should be justified in sending the
additional brigades to France, and I
think you will agree with him.
'I have sent a copy of this letter
to Kiggell.
"No doubt the situation will improve

if the Australian Government get
their bill through.
Yours ever
R. Whigham."
(Note. It is quite certain that any
troops sent to Haig or Birdwood that year
would have been used up. Therefore in
the result it was the greatest good fortune

that these troops were not sent. It
must have meant a great deal to the Australian

force in 1918 when it was being
more skilfully employed by the Higher
Command. C.E.W.B.)
Holman had been with Birdwood in France,
and he thought conscription would be