Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/277/1 - 1926-1939 - Part 5

I have long wanted to track  down this statement. If you

prefer I will do it. Yours sincerely.

24 June 1935

Maj. J.L.Treloar,

Australian War Memorial,

Melbourne.

My dear Treloar,

Smith's Weekly this week publishes the enclosed.

It is evidently either another version of the same

statement of von Roon of which we have heard before, or else

an extract from some writing of his. It looks to me as if

it were the source from which Winston Churchill draws his

statement that the Germans, he understood, xxxx now said

that their experience was that the Australians or Anzacs

were the best of the forces opposed to them during the war.

(This was Churchill's answer to a recent accusation of Smith's

Weekly that he ignored the Australian prowess in his history.

I wonder if you would find out from the New 

Zealand Returned Soldiers' Review the source from which tthey

drew the statement. In any case, if it is not in a book, it

seems to me that it would be worth while getting the High

Commissioner to ask General von Roon whether the extract was

a correct exposition of his views; and to discover whether 

any article or other writing of his exists on the subject.

[*Smith’s Weekly

22/6/35*]

“BETTER 

THAN OUR 

TROOPS”

Special 

Reserve To 

Oppose Them

In the twenty years that 

have passed since their 

landing on Gallipoli, the

Anzacs have received

some remarkable tributes

to their prowess as 

soldiers; but that from a

German officer of the 

High Command eclipses

all others in its outspoken

admiration for those fine 

troops.

The officer is General

von Roon, who was

attached to Germany's

G.H.Q. Staff throughout

the war, and the New 

Zealand Returned Soldiers' 

Review for May has 

published the extract 

which follows.

He states among other things,

that a special reserve was held

for the purpose of being thrown

into the line whenever it was 

known that the Anzacs occupied a

sector, and also deals with the propaganda 

issued behind the German lines

towards the end of the war to the effect

that another million Anzacs were

on their way.

This, he states, greatly upset the

morale of the German troops, and the

sudden appearance of the Americans

lent color to the tale.

Had the truth be known, General

von Roon states, the Germans would

not have retired so readily before the 

pressure of the Americans.

"From the first Germany 

under-estimated the value 

of the contingents from the 

British overseas Dominions, 

and particularly did she fail to 

make allowance for the worth 

of the physically fine Australian 

contingents on the Western

fronts and in Gallipoli,"

states the German General.

"To those of us who had 

opportunities of studying the 

position at first hand it was 

soon obvious that, when it 

came to warfare in which 

individuality and personal grit  

counted, the Australians and 

New Zealanders were, man for 

man, superior to even our best 

troops, for they were used to 

outdoor, and skilled in the art 

of taking cover, and turning 

to account every natural 

advantage and improvising ruses 

to suit the peculiar conditions 

in which they found themselves.

At no time was there 

evidence that the Australians 

and New Zealanders had that 

rigid, machine-like discipline 

that was overdone with us, but 

in the trench warfare, when

the soldier who had initiative and individuality 

was an asset, the Anzacs proved their 

worth repeatedly, and after the flower of 

our army had faded we never had anything 

in the line that could be compared, man 

for man, with the same number of Anzacs; 

and always was there the moral ascendancy 

with the Anzacs when they were pitted 

against our troops. 

"Consciousness of this inferiority soon 

spreads, even in the best-disciplined army, 

and it was not long before it became a 

source of weakness that had to be 

counteracted by increasing the bayonet 

strength in the trenches when we found 

we had Anzacs against us. 

"In attack we found repeatedly that 

it took the heart out of our best troops 

if they found that the trenches they had 

to attack were manned by the Anzacs, 

and this dread of the name was intensified 

when there came to the Western 

front men who had served in Gallipoli 

with the skeleton forces that had been 

hurried there to stiffen the Turkish 

resistance.

"These men had been distributed over 

various formations of the Western 

front, and they told such tales of the 

fighting qualities of the Anzacs that the 

young men had no strength for fighting 

when they came to grips with these 

redoubtable opponents. 

"It was the same on the defensive. 

I have seen our men holding their 

ground steadily enough until they found 

they were being attacked by Anzacs, 

and the the resistance crumpled up. 

This inferiority complex on our side, as 

far as the Anzacs were concerned, was 

so marked at one time that there was 

created on the Western front a special 

reserve held in readiness to be thrown 

in to strengthen our line at the point 

where it came in contact with the 

Anzacs. It was the 

duty of the 

commanding officers to 

report at once to 

divisional headquarters 

when they 

located the Anzacs 

against them. 

"The uncanny 

habit the Anzacs 

had of making 

their way into our 

trenches when 

least expected 

had the effect of 

demoralising our 

men completely, 

and I have known 

instances where 

the mere belief 

that the attacking troops were 

Anzacs has caused our line to give 

way, or an attack from our side to 

crumple up. Others who have been 

on the spot have told the same

 story. 

"It is obvious, therefore, that the 

British were particularly well served by 

their oversea contingents, and at certain 

critical stages they proved the backbone 

of the British Army, both in attack and 

defence. The Anzacs easily proved 

themselves the most resourceful, and they 

had no equals in the improvising of 

disconcerting methods of trench warfare. 

"Some of the methods of trench 

warfare that have now passed into the text-

books were not thought out by our 

trained teachers, but by the Anzacs, 

who first thought them out on the Western

front or on Gallipoli, and taught

them to our troops in the hardest school 

of all - practical experience. 

"One of the factors that hastened the 

collapse of our resistance after our great 

offensive in 1918 had come to a stand-

still, was the enemy propaganda behind 

the line, and by means of leaflets 

dropped from aeroplanes, as well as 

forged editions of well-known German 

papers. These contained cunningly 

inserted paragraphs of what seemed to be 

genuine news. 

"One of the most effective items for 

breaking the spirit of our men was that 

on a certain day in August, 1918, half 

a million additional Anzacs had landed 

in France, and another half million were 

on their way. This was not particularly 

good propaganda, if one had regard to 

ordinary mentality, for it was patent 

that Australia and New Zealand, with 

their limited populations, could not pro-

vide such numbers of fighting men; but 

in the then state of our men, few of 

them stopped to think of the impossibility 

of that. 

"They had got Anzacs on the brain, 

and were ready to credit any story told 

that was a reflection on their own 

inferiority complex so far as the Anzacs 

were concerned. The sudden 

appearance of the Americans 

in the line, in 

co-operation with 

the British, lent 

color to these tales 

of Anzac hosts be-

fore our men had 

time to find out for 

themselves who the 

newcomers were, 

and it must be conceded 

that, in so far 

as the Americans in 

that sector had had 

an easy task, it was 

entirely due to the 

moral effect on our 

opposing troops of 

the belief that the 

newcomers were 

Anzacs. 

"Had the truth 

been known, our 

men would not have retired so readily 

before the Americans. 

"The Anzac artillery was always 

efficiently served and, gun for gun, 

they outclassed ours, while one of 

the things always commended to our 

own troops was the clockwork precision

of the Australian advance in 

unison with the creeping barrage. 

"I doubt if any troops on the Western 

front had achieved such satisfactory 

results in this respect, and it was one of 

the little things that enabled me to spot 

the appearance of the Anzacs in a new 

sector. 

"In Gallipoli I found everyone in 

agreement that the Anzacs were the 

toughest fighters we had to deal with."

THIS FREEDOM

The world is fall of wrongs,

Our rights are filched away;

Where are the once-great songs

And the joy and the roundelay?

All gone, all gone, by gum

Glimmering down the wind.

We live by rule of thumb;

By law well disciplined.

When shall these rights return?

They're nigh beyond recall:

It almost makes me yearn 

For the last sad rites of all.

-"Winsh."

[*HN. For Vol VI*]

TELEPHONE Nos.

F 2597

F 2598

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESS TO

"THE DIRECTOR" 

IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE 

No...................

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS

"AUSWARMUSE."

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL,

POST OFFICE BOX 214 D

EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, MELBOURNE.

"They gave their lives. For that public gift

they received a praise never ages and a

tomb most glorious-not so much the tomb in

which they lie, but that in which their fame

survives, to be remembered for ever when 

occasion comes for word or deed . . . . ."

27th June, 1935.

Dear Dr. Bean, 

With reference to your letter of 24th June,

a member of our staff - Hosking-Johns - is at present

in Wellington. I have therefore sent him a copy of 

the "Smith's" article and have asked him to ascertain

from the editor of the N.Z.R.S. Review the source from

which he obtained the statement referred to in the 

article. I have asked him to go into the matter 

thoroughly, and will let you have with out delay the

information he is able to collect.

The cuttings from "Smith's" are being returned

herewith.

Yours sincerely

J L Treloar

Dr. C. E. W. Bean, 

Official Historian,

Victoria Barracks,

PADDINGTON.   N.S.W.

9361.

7 August 1935.

Dear Major Treloar,

 I don't suppose you have heard from Hoskings-

Jo^hn with reference to the tribute supposed to have been paid 

by the German General von Roon to the "Anzacs". Dr. Bean is

thinking of xxxxx asking Captain Herbertson or the High 

Commissioner to probe the matter for us and, if possible, to

try and get touch with von Roon himself. Have you done

anything in that direction? If not, do you think it would

be better to ask the High Commissioner to tackle it, or

Robertson? If the former, would you prefer to write to

Australia House?

Yours sincerely, 

 

Major J.L. Teloar, O.B.E.,

Australian War Memorial,

Box 214D, G.P.O.,

Melbourne.

1009

misunderstanding; this time it was the 4th Canadian Division

which was not informed unaware of the withdrawal of its ∧own

troops, and

believed that the Australians had withdrawn retired leaving its flank

in the air; when the truth was discovered - largely through

the magnificent scouting of Lieutenant Lay (8th Bn.), who

twice, almost alone, reconnoitred Decline Copse on the 

Kieberg ¹⁰⁵ - the Canadians made a handsome acknowledgement.

In the three subsequent battles, in which the Canadians

captured Passchendade and some ground beyond it, Australian

infantry tookno part. The 4th Canadian Division protected

its own flank in the attack of October 30th, in which it seized

the "Blue Line"; 1 Anzac merely kept artillery and machine-

gun fire on the Keiberg.  The third stage of the operations

was subdivided into two, which took place on November 6th and 

10th, and 2nd and 1st Canadian Divisions having taken over the

front from the 4th and 3rd Canadian. The last three operations attacks

were on much narrower fronts than hitherto, and in some in this respect more

respects resembled those of resembling the operations on the Somme. The last was carried

out in a rainstorm. The diary of an Australian states that it 

was delivered

[*8-point*]

on a very narrow front - almost as bad as Pozieres; and the

Germans........concentrated an enormous amount of artillery

on to the area which we took, and the British were driven in

..........The night is simply vile - and the day too...........If the

Canadians can hold othey are wonderful troops.

They did hold on, but with this attack operation the great effort

in Flanders ended. Momentous events were occurring elsewhere.

On October 27 24th the Austrians, reinforced by nine German

divisions, drove through the Italians at Caporetto. In fear

that Italy might be put out of the war, the French and British

each promised six divisions. The Flanders

----

¹⁰⁵He worked between the local Australian and Canadian head-

quarters and Decline Copse from the afternoon until next

morning, C.S.M. Palmer being with him part of the time. The

situation was tactfully handled by Brig-.Gen. Keane, who,

while agreeing to recapture Decline Copse if the Canadians

were there, managed to put off doing so until it had been

proved that they were not. 

[*In this tour in the line, the 60th Bn. lost

3 officers and 67 others, and the 8th 4 and 80.*]

2

When the war ended arrangements were made for the 

publication of an International Bibliography. Australia

became a subscriber and the Bibliography, which is in card

form and is kept up to date, is in the custody of the

Parliamentary Librarian in Canberra. I feel sure that if 

the book has been published it would be referred to in

the Bibliography. I wrote to Mr. Binns on the 24th July

but up to date have not received a reply. No doubt we shall

receive an answer in a few days and I will write further.

If Dr. Bean thinks it worth while to have enquiries

made overseas either by Captain Herbertson or the High

Commissioner, this would probably prove to be conclusive.

As Herbertson is in a position to communicate direct with

the Reich Archivs, who would no doubt know immediately if

such an officer served on German G.H.Q. and had expressed

the views attributed to him,  and this would appear to be

the quickest and best way of dealing with the matter.

Yours sincerely

J.L. Treloar

TELEPHONE Nos.

F 2597

F 2598

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESS TO

"THE DIRECTOR" 

IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE 

No..................12/3/49

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS

"AUSWARMUSE."

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL,

POST OFFICE BOX 214 D

EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, MELBOURNE.

"They gave their lives. For that public gift

they received a praise never ages and a

tomb most glorious-not so much the tomb in

which they lie, but that in which their fame

survives, to be remembered for ever when 

occasion comes for word or deed . . . . ."

23rd August, 1935.

Mr. Bazley,

With further reference to your letter No.

9361 of the 7th August, Mr. Hosking-Johns says that the

Editor of the of the "N.Z.R.S.A. Review" could not say where

the von Roon article came from, and was rather piqued at

being unable to answer an enquiry from Australia.

Apparently the article was based on a statement

which the Editor received from Auckland and he thinks that

it originated in the Auckland "Star" (is there such a 

paper or should it be the Auckland "Herald?"). Further

enquires are being made and we may within the next few 

days receive from the Editor any further information he had 

been able to obtain.

Yours sincereley

J.L. Treloar

Mr. A. W Bazley,

C/o Official Historian,

Victoria Barracks,

PADDINGTON.  N.S.W.

TELEPHONE Nos.

F 2597

F 2598

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESS TO

"THE DIRECTOR" 

IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE 

No..................12/3/49

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS

"AUSWARMUSE."

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL,

POST OFFICE BOX 214 D

EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, MELBOURNE.

"They gave their lives. For that public gift

they received a praise never ages and a

tomb most glorious-not so much the tomb in

which they lie, but that in which their fame

survives, to be remembered for ever when 

occasion comes for word or deed . . . . ."

27th August, 1935

Dear Mr. Bazley,

With reference to the tracing of the book reported

to have been published by General von Roon, I have now

learned from the Parliamentary Librarian in Canberra that

the supply of cards for the International Bibliography

of the War was discontinued some years ago. No information

will be therefore be available from this source.

Yours sincerely

J.L. Treloar

Mr. A. W. Bazley,

C/o Official Historian,

Victoria Barracks,

PADDINGTON.  N.S.W.

AWM No. 12/3/49

9404.

18 September 1935.

Dear Treloar,

With reference to von Roon's alleged comments on

Australians, I am anxious to get touch with him before anything

may happen to prevent this. It doesn't much matter whether the

alleged comments were accurate, provided that we can get a 

statement from von Roon himself. I would suggest that we

approach the High Commissioner or Herbertson to obtain one.

If you think it worth while, I will draft a letter indicting

the lines on which I think the inquiry should be made.

Yours sincerely,

 

Major J.L. Treloar, O.B.E.,

Australian War Memorial,

Box 214D, G.P.O.,

Melbourne.

TELEPHONE Nos.

F 2597

F 2598

COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESS TO

"THE DIRECTOR" 

IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE 

No..................12/3/49

TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS

"AUSWARMUSE."

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL,

POST OFFICE BOX 214 D

EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, MELBOURNE.

"They gave their lives. For that public gift

they received a praise never ages and a

tomb most glorious-not so much the tomb in

which they lie, but that in which their fame

survives, to be remembered for ever when 

occasion comes for word or deed . . . . ."

24th September, 1935.

Dear Dr. Bean.,

With reference to your letter No. 9404

of the 18th September, I am afraid that we have little hope

of obtaining for you any reliable information regarding

the von Roon article which appeared in "Smith's Weekly"

a few weeks ago.

So far as we have been able to ascertain the

article first appeared in a New Zealand paper three or

four years ago. It was stated to come from a special

correspondent in Paris and claimed to embody certain views

expressed by von Roon in a book about to be published in

several languages. The article has appeared from time to 

time since then in different papers. We have been unable 

to discover any trace of the book having been published.

If further enquiries are to be made I believe 

that Herbertson is in the best position to make them. His

previous association with the officials of the "Reichs Archivs"

would enable him to make a direct enquiry. You could write

to Herbertson direct or through the High Commissioner or 

Sir Henry Gullett. As Mr. Bruce is apparently very fully

occupied it might be better to write to Sir Henry. A

letter despatched by air mail would presumably reach London

before he leaves. You could ask for the reply to be sent 

by air mail.

It is possible that the making of the enquires

may entail some expense. If the book has been published

you will doubtless want a copy. An assurance

could therefore be given that any expenditure incurred

would be refunded by the War Memorial as soon as details 

of it have been received.

Yours sincerely,

J.L. Treloar

C. E. W. Bean, Esq. Litt.D.,

Official Historian

Victoria Barracks

PADDINGTON.  N.S.W.