Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/261/1 - 1929 - 1930 - Part 14

annihilation. We hear of Battalions in the British Service in the
Peninsula and at Waterloo going into action 1000 strong and coming
out of it ^with 100 men and of Companies reduced to 8 files and commanded by
a Corporal yet never dream of running away or surrendering, of the
[*C/- 2nd Infry
Brigade A.I.F.
at Krithia*]
Light Brigade of 600 men at Balavlava charging an Army of 30,000
men without a thought or question of turning from its course.
We might well ask how these men who were ordinary mortal
men and pretty rough cases at that could be brought to such a
pitch of discipline.
It is hard to find in your ordinary History Books or
accounts of Battles any reason for this apart from the natural
powers of the men.
But when you come to investigate you find certain Battalions
and Brigades distinguished amongst the others for apparently greater
courage and endurance than others.
Again looking at India you find again and again that great
armies of the Natives under their own leaders have been routed by
vastly inferior forces mainly consisting of natives under British
Leadership.
What then is the secret of it all. What you might call the
Psychology of Discipline is not yet well understood.
Read 110 - 121 (Clausewitz!) Nation in Arms?
Read - Forsyth definition.
How is this discipline to be produced? Read p.76 of Tactics.
Constant practice in obedience in small things
helps one to obedience in the greater.

(Copy)
Commonwealth Section,
Imperial General Staff.
Melb. Head-Quarters
20th June 1912.
Dear Elliott,
I am sending you a map in this.
It will be quite all right for you to take the adv.
guard side; I will try to have a word with the O/C Rear Guard Bn
beforehand.
The attached draft of a special idea shd meet the case
for the Red Advanced Guard?
I am sorry that I will not be able to get out on
Sat. to Griffiths scheme - I hope you will have a pleasant afternoon.
Yrs.
C.B.B.White.
General idea
as for blue
Special idea (Red)
1. The Red advanced guard consists of 1 Bn Infantry (the Compos. of
Blue rear guard must be similarly changed).
2. The G.O.C. Red intends to advance with all speed via the Bulleen
Belmore Road towd Box Hill and to assume the offensive.
3. At 2/40 p.m. the patrols of the van guard report that the enemy
have been met on the eastern outskirts of Kew on the Bulleen Road.
P.S. I dont like yr idea of envelopmt & letting yr main body push in
at the centre for two reasons :-
(1). An adv. guard shd try to avoid the necessity of deploying the main
body.
(11) If a rear guard Comd. is skilfully disposed and an infy adv.guard
-1- 

trys to outflank him the consequent loss of time is playing
into the hands of the rear guard comdr. - He will soon
learn that he has only to stretch himself out to get you to
go wide and that wd prob. give him all the time he wants.
With L.H. in fair strength in the adv. guard this
considn. does not apply with equal force.
C.W. 

(Copy)
The Grove
Newtown,
Sydney,
Australia,
16th August 1901.
To/
Colonel Cooper A.D.C., C.M.G.,
Base Commandant,
Capetown.
My Dear Colonel Cooper,
This will serve to introduce to you Lieut.
H.E. Elliott late Acting Adjutant of the Victorian Imperial Regiment
who is anxious to see further service in South Africa. This young
Officer performed the duties of Adjutant for the Victorians on board
the "S.S.Orient" in a manner about which I cannot speak too highly.
Under exceptionally difficult circumstances he showed an amount of
tact which was most praiseworthy while his capacity for hard work
is remarkable. I am sure he is absolutely conscientious and trustworthy
and I can confidently recommend him to your favourable consideration
as a young Officer for pluck and solid parts.
I remain,
My Dear Colonel Cooper,
Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) Kenneth MacKay
Colonel. 

Copy wire from Lord Kitchener
Post Office Telegraphs,
Cape of Good Hope.
Prieska
A
JA 7
O.G.H.
Capetown at 1.10p.m.
From C S O  To O C
M.W.D.
Prieska
7th Jan R 6743 Your 44 please tell Lieut Elliott that I
am very pleased with his conduct and that of his men in driving
off Conroy & saving horses

Copy wire from my C.O.
Post Office Telegraphs
Cape of Good Hope
Prieska
A
JA 8
O2
C.G.H.
Kenhardt 10.20 a.m.
From Major Birkbeck To Lt. Elliott,
Border Scouts,
Prieska
Jan 8 I congratulate you and men with you it was well
done.

(Copy)
[*French
Corps order
in Villers Brettoneux*]
Q.G. le 27 Septembre 1918
ORDER du CORPS d' ARMEE
No. 297 "P"
Le General Commandant le 31° Corps d' Armee cito a l' ORDRE
du CORPS d' ARMEE:
le Colonel (Temp. General de Brigade) ELLIOTT, Harold, Edward, Cdt
15° Brigade d' Infanterie Australienne:
"A montre une grande maitrise et une remarquable adresse dans
le commandement de la 15° Brigade d' Infanterie Australienne, notamment
pendant l’ attaque du 25 Avril 1918 qui ent pour rosultat la
reprise de VILLERS BRETTONEUX, ainsi qu'au cours des operations
franco-britanniques d'Aout 1918, a l'Est de VILLERS BRETONNEUX.
"C'est dans une tres grande mesure, grace a sa personnalite
as force de caractere, son initiative et ses talents militaires
que la 150 Brigade australienne a obtenu d' aussi brillants
resultats"
Le present ordre confers l' attribution de la CROIX de GUERRE
avec ETOILE de VERMEIL.
Le General TOULORGE, Cdt le 31^o Corps d' Armee :
Signe: TOULORGE.

(COPY)
[*Letter sent to
me on eve of
Polygon Wood*]
Headquarters,
Second Army,
25th Sept., 1917.
My dear Elliott,
I have been trying hard to come and see you
before your attack, but with all these plans and preparations I
haven't had a chance.
This is only to wish you and your fine Brigade
the very best of luck and we know well that they will add -
further laurels to the splendid Australian record.
Don't bother to answer.
Yours sincerely,
C. H. Harrington.

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
THE SENATE
FEDERAL MEMBERS' ROOMS,
TEMPLE COURT,
422-428 COLLINS STREET.
HE/JF MELBOURNE
14th September, 1929.
Captain C. E. W. Bean
Official Historian,
Victorian Barracks,
SYDNEY N.S.W.
Dear Captain Bean,
Further with reference to my supercession I
wrote to General Hobbs in regard to it asking if he knew the reason
for my supercession.
You will find herewith a copy of his reply --
the original I am sending to Major Treloar. I am writing further
to General Hobbs on this subject.
You mention in your last Volume a dispute
I had with Birdwood and White in Egypt over the Battalion Commanders
of the 15th Brigade allotted to me.
I enclose copies of the letters I wrote to --
White on the subject the originals I am sending to Treloar.
You are aware, of course, that the ones I
objected to were - Field - formerly of the 8th whose health was so
feeble that he applied to return to Australia before we left Egypt -
Davis - whose health also broke down but was subsequently returned and

Captain C.E.W .Bean.  -2- 14th September, 1929.
had one week's service in France and again broke down. Harris who
commanded the 59th at Fleurbaix and after being shell shocked --
wrote a pitiful sort of letter to me admitting that he could not
face another battle.
Looking up this correspondence with White has reminded me
of another thing. When the 15th Brigade was forming at Tel-el-Kebir
the 2nd Division sent up there a certain Major Bateman formerly of the
Victorian Rangers – rather a dull dog – very lazy. They wanted to
get rid of him I think so they adopted this expedient. They sent him
up to General Irvine who then commanded the 15th – I had the 1st
Brigade at the time -- they furnished him with a most glowing recommendation
and Irvine having swallowed this was just about to place him in
charge of the 57th Battalion over Stewart's head. Just then I was
transferred to the 15th Irvine taking the 14th. I stopped Bateman's
papers going through, confirmed Stewart, and made Bateman Second in
Command of the 58th Battalion. Gellibrand's Brigade ^later got cut up rather
badly I think in trying a frontal attack at Pozieres. Anyhow they
lost very heavily in officers and a circular came from Corps telling
us that if we had any spare officers they would like to have them.
Next day or so I met General White and produced the letter of recommendation
that had accompanied Bateman and said " here is the very
man for them, here is a letter in which they say he is fit for any
command – great ability etc." White saw the joke and made them take
him back but he never got promoted as far as I know and was sent back,
if I remember correctly, to the Training Battalion. I fancy Gellibrand