Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/255/1 - 1916 - 1937 - Part 3

to the special heading referred to in paragraph 3.
8. With regard to the issue of supplies,
clothing, stores (except barrack and hospital
stores), and animals, from Army stocks, a record
will be kept by the issuing officer of the value
of all issues which are obviously for the use of
the contingents, and he will furnish priced
statements monthly, with supporting vouchers, to
your command paymaster.
9. The latter officer will examine these
statements and will compare them with the direct
charges referred to in paragraph 7, noting on the
statements the extent to which, if any, the
stores, etc., are included under "direct charges".
It should be arranged locally that stores, etc.
specially purchased for the contingents should be
separately shown by the issuing officer on his
monthly statements. The command paymaster will
pass the examined statements to the chief paymasters
of the respective contingents for
concurrence, and on return will send them to the
local auditor, Malta.
10. A nominal roll of members of the
contingents treated in ordinary military hospitals
in Egypt, showing the periods of treatment, will
also be furnished to the command paymaster
monthly, and he will, after obtaining the agreement
of the chief paymaster of the respective contingents,
pass the rolls to the local auditor, Malta.
11. The local auditor, Malta, will send
reports regarding paragraphs 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10
to the War Office, with a view to final settlement
in London between the Governments concerned.
12. I am to add, with reference to
paragraph (2) above, that in the/event of the
Australian and New Zealand contingents being
engaged in active operations, it may not be
practicable to earmark to their account issues
of supplies, stores, clothing, and animals, out
of Army stocks, and in that case you are authorised
to issue free of charge while those conditions
continue.
I am. Sir, Your Obedient
servant,
(Sgd) B.B. CUBITT.
G.O.C. The Force in Egypt,
CAIRO.

Mr Bean
Extract from A.W.R.S.File A.99/2/15.
Estab of
Inter Base.
4?
Cable to H.C., London 2.9.15 -
"On departure of Ex. Force Base Record Office on lines of those
[*Rec.*]
in Regtl Districts at home will be estab. Melb. stop Proposed to
form also intermediary record office at your office in London.
Consult W.O. procure suggestions as to personnel required and system
recommended. Assmue you will be able to obtain personnel locally."
Cable from H.C. 10.9.14 -
"With ref. to your telegram 3rd Sept. will estab. efficient
intermediate record branch. Hope our copy records will be sent as
soon as possible."
Extract from "Notes on the need for a system to co-ordinate
certain common needs for the several organizations of the AIF.
by Gen White (undated)
[*White's note
in Egypt:
abt Dec. 1914*]
"Medical v. The Aust.Govt.at the W.O request are furnishing a
services  number of L. of C. medical units for disposal as
the W.O. desired. It was anticipated that sick of
the AIF would be treated as part of the Army and
that the W.O. would make any necessary claims on
the Intermed. office in London for all charges.
x x x
Summary. From the foregoing it will be seen that upon the
Intermed. Office in London would devolve the task
of co-ordinating the administration of the whole
AIF irrespective of their dispersion to one or more
commands. The transfer of the L.H.Bde makes it
immediately necessary for the creation of a similar
organization in Egypt which when the force goes
abroad should be transferred to London. The nec.
arises in any case unless the functions of the Depot
are performed by the GOC - a course which would
seriously affect the efficiency of the 1st Div.
Through such a Depot all communications to and from
Australia and the H.C. in London would be made."
Extract from memo of Gen. Bridges to H.Q., Egypt - 11.12.14.
"2. The rfts of men and horses for the troops in Egypt shd.
be disembarked here, and it is I submit, desirable to ascertain
from the W.O. which, if any, of the other units are to
be landed in Egypt. To learn when troops may be expected to
arrive in Egypt I suggest that I send a cable to Aust. in
the following terms -
[*Anderson's
work (1) in Egypt
(2) in London.*]
"Please cable for information of GOC.Egypt what units
and rfts. of men and horses have left Aust.& when others
are expected to sail."
3. Since the cost of maintenance of the Aust. troops is being
borne by the C'wealth Govt. it was early realised that some
machinery wd. be required to connect the Army & Aust. units,
and provide the means of dealing with routine ad, questions
affecting the whole force, the disposal of rfts. and stores
from Aust. and the care of records.
x x x
5. I recommend therefore (i) That an Intermediate Base Depot
be estab. in Egypt. (ii) that the Depot be organized in
sections as follows -
x x x
(d) Medical Section - which will take charge of any Gen.
Hosp. formed and make the nec.financial & other arrangements
for its maintenance & admin. Its services are also
required in dealiht with the considerable quant. of Red
Cross and other med.stores already unloaded which may
shortly be augmented by re-transfers from England. In
the event of any medical unit now being raised in Aust.

2.
disembarking here, this section would be available for
disposing it."
x x x
[*X
At foot of Page 3. Ø*]
8. My command was originally the A.I.F. but the C'wealth Govt.
desired that, when the inevitable separation took place, I should
take command of the 1st Aust.Div. (vide letter to H.Q. No.A.16
dated 9.12.14). I therefore suggest for consideration the time
has now arrived for me to assume command of the Div., and to pass
to Army H.Q. and the Base Depot to be formed all general admin.
subjects except those matters referred to in the last sub-para of
para.3 above."
---------
Cable from Defence 18.12.14 -
"Reference yours 14th. No further units or Rfts. have yet sailed.
2nd L.H.Bde, 4th Inf. Bde. and Lines Communication units shown Table
2 with addition Fld.Bakery and Butchers also 1st rfts.for Div.
1st L.H.Bde. and first mentioned units leave Aust. end Dec. 3rd
L.H.Bde with 2nd rfts. for all units probably leave end January.
Further rfts. leave as transports are available. Numbers 2nd
and subsequent rfts, will be despatched on monthly basis of
Light Horse - 10%
Infantry - 15%
Engineers - 3%
Artillery - 5%
Admin.Services - 2½%
L. of C. units - 2%
Approx. total monthly - 3,300."
Memo. Gen. Bridges to Army H.Q., Cairo 21.12.14 -
"Pursuant to your approval of my suggestion contained in a
memo addressed to you on the l4th inst. relative to the formation
of an Intermediate Base Depot in Egypt I cabled to Aust. in
the following terms -
"Please vable me for infn.of GOC.Egypt numbers of rfts, men &
horses which have left Aust. and date sailed. also date and
which units have left. When others expected to sail."
A reply has now been received from which it appears that
no further units or rfts. have yet sailed from Aust.
The units mentioned below will however sail at the end
of this month -

Sec. War Office 3.12.14 from High Commissioner -
"I am directed by the H.C. to invite your attention to several
matters requiring consideration following upon the decision to complete
the training of the AIF in Egypt instead of bringing the Force
to England as originally intended.
x x x
The H.C. is anxious to receive advice on the following points
(1) Owing to the alteration in the destination of the Force is it
considered advisable to organise a Depot in Eng. or should Egupt be
recognised as the temp. base?
(2) Will any further additions to the Force comingfrom Aust. proceed
direct to Egypt or will the Rfts. and the additional troops which
have been accepted come to Eng- and remain here until required?
x x x"
Reply of War Office dated 20.12.14.
"(1) Egypt will be the temp, base for the 1st Contingent.
 /

3.
(2) Rfts. for 1st Contingent will proceed to Egupt as long as
the 1st Cont, remains there. Further additional troops will
be directed to Egypt at present.
(3) The Intermediary Record Office should be arranged so as to
provide for -
(a) The 1st Cont. temp. in Egypt.
(b) Any additional troops sent to Egypt
(c) Any Aust. troops in England.
In the meantime as the 1st Aust. cont. is to be temp
employed in Egypt the Base and all Aux. serices should be estab.
there. x x x"
Memo from Gen. Bridges to H.Q., A. & N.Z.A. Corps 13.1.15.
"With ref. to your AB/312 of the 12th inst conveying approval
of the appt. of Col. V.C.M.Sellheim to command the Aust.Sec. of the
I.B.D., I suggest for your consideration that an Order be issued by
Army H.Q., Egypt establishing the Dept and apptng.Col.Sellheim thereto.
2. I venture to suggest also that the issue of an Order to the
following effect is desirable -
"Consequent upon the organization of the Aust.& N.Z.Army Corps & the
formation of an I.B.D. in Egypt for the AIF, Major-Gen. W.T.Bridges,
CMG will assume command of the 1st Aust.Div.
Questions of principle affecting the whole of the AIF May be
referred to Major-Gen. Bridges for his opinion, but he will be
relieved of the routine admin. of units of the AIF other than the
1st Aust.Div."
This as mentioned in my remo of 11.12.14 is in accordance
with the wishes of the Govt. of Aust."
Memo to O.C. Aust.Sec., Base Depot signed by Major Gellibrand 21.1.15-
"The following proposals are forwarded with a view to your obtaining
the approval of Army H.Q. to the change of admin.system caused by the
formation of the B.D.and the issue of Army Corps Order No.6 of 19.1.15.
While the powers of the GOC under the provisions of O-in-Cdated
17th Sept. C'wealth Gaz. No.74 remain unaltered by the above-mentioned
A.C.Order the GOC has decided to discontinue the issue of AIF.Orders.
2. To provide for the nec.publication of measures which concern
all units of the AIF it is proposed that "Notifications" or "Instns"
should be issued over your signature. Among such matters would be the
following -
Appts.and promotions that have received the GOC's approval or concurrence
as the case may be. In the case of the 1st Aust.Div. th
nec.infn. will be passed to you for publication and action (comnunication
of Dept.of Defence) at the time of issue in Div.Orders.
Where other units are concerned the necessary proposals will be
submitted through the superior off. concerned to the GOC. before
publication.
Financial measures: in the event of auth.being given for the
withholding of pay from men inefficient owing to V.D. the nec.
communication to units of AIF wld. be made thro. your office.
Admin, measures: as occ.arises for the discharge or transfer
of men to Aust, the action required wld. be published by you in
the form of gen.instns.for the AIF.
Proposals and recommendations which originate elsewhere
will be referred to the GOC.AIF for his approval, or his concurrence
if they require approval from Army H.Q.
[*Ø*]
"Through such an organization all local admin.questions
affecting more than one formation should be dealt with. Allroutine
corres. with the Aust.Govt and the H.C. in London should be conducted by
it, but questions of principle affecting the whole Force and matters
such as the alteration in rates of pay which has already occurred should
I think be referred to me."

9 Tashinny Road,
Toorak,
20th November, 1923.
Dear Mr. Bean,
I have endeavoured to give you the information you
ask for, in the form of a letter.
A good deal of the stuff I have written may be already
known to you, or may be valueless for your purpose. In any case,
use what you want and throw the rest away. Much I know you cannot
use, and I have simply sent it along to give you some idea of the
atmosphere and inner workings of the Base.
I will write at some length of its history though you
have not asked me to, because it had such a tangled existance that
I am not sure if its story emerges with any clarity from existing
documents.
[*6 Enclosures*]
The A. I. F. Intermediate Base. I don't know if
the varied history of the organization and functions of this
formation is known to you. It is known to few. The following
is a brief account :-
(a) The A. I. F. Intermediate Base was formed 14/1/15 and
at that date consisted of myself, a Military Staff clerk and
my batman who was pressed into the service. We had neither
office accommodation, furniture, or equipment, and I was told
by the G. O. C. 1st. Division, that beyond his blessing I could
not expect any help from him. He indicated I should not remain
permanently in this job, and also promised me the first vacant
Brigade.
It was built up therefore, finally in consultation with
the Head Quarters of the Anzac Army Corps, and after they left
for Gallipoli, with the Head Quarters Staff of the G. O. C. in
Chief in Egypt. It is not generally known that the Commandant
commanded the New Zealand portion of the Base also, and the
proper designation of the formation was A. I. F. and New Zealand

(2)
Intermediate Base. A New Zealand Officer (Major Hall) was
given to me to immediately look after the interests of that
Dominion, and was assigned by me to the appointment of O/C.
Reinforcements Camp at Zeitoun where both Australians and
New Zealand reinforcements were received, quartered, fed, and
equipped before dispatch to the front. Ultimately a British
Officer, Major General SPENS, with a suitable staff, was sent
out from England to train all reinforcements, and was designated
G. O. C.,A. I. F. and N. Z. Training Depot. I however, continued
to equip and feed them on the demands of General SPENS.
(b) After the troops returned from Gallipoli, the name of
the formation was changed, and its organization and functions
were somewhat varied. It was now called the "A. I. F. Head
Quarters", and ceased to function as regards the New Zealanders,
who now formed, for the first time, a similar organization of
their own. The new formation came into being on 11/1/16, its
organization and functions being set forth in General Routine
Order No.62/16 issued by G. O. C. Egypt. The Officer commanding
was still styled the Commandant. If you have not a copy of
this Order, I will gladly lend you mine, if you wish to see the
duties it was designed to perform.
(c) About this time the Defence Department in Melbounre,
unknown to the G. O. C. A. I. F., the G. O. C. Egypt, or myself,
was negotiating with the War Office for a sweeping re-organization
of the Base, and a considerable expansion of its activities.
They proposed to appoint a G. O. C. Australian Troops in Egypt
with a Large Staff, to absorb the training from General SPENS,
and the administration from me. I heard unofficial rumours
of it, but two cables of enquiry by me to Australia, elicited
no reply. However, on 27/1/16, Brigadier-General Irving, my
junior, in the Service, arrived in Cairo with a large staff to
supersede me, having been appointed (in Australia) G. O. C.
Australian Troops in Egypt (Commonwealth Government Gazette
16/12/16). This was varied in a subsequent Gazette of 6/1/16

(3)
to read G. O. C. Australian Details and Reinforcements in Egypt,
as the Defence Department suddenly woke up to the fact that the
whole of the Anzac Corps might be in Egypt, and the first order
had put Irving in command of them. As a matter of fact, Egypt
ignored the designation authorized by the second Gazette also,
and the formation continued officially to be designated the
A. I. F. Head Quarters, and the Officer Commanding it was called
Commandant A. I. F. Head Quarters and, (somewhat loosely), G. O. C.
A. I. F. Troops in Egypt. The arrival of General Irving in
Cairo, created a Comic Opera situation, as I was under the command
of the G. O. C. Egypt (Lt. Gen. Sir John Maxwell) and could, of
course, only take my orders from him, consequently when Irving
presented himself, I refused to hand over to him without Sir
John's instructions. Sir John was unfortunately absent at the
Arab front, and so there was a deadlock. Finally Major-General
Stanton, Sir John's Brigadier-General in charge of Administration
was prevailed upon to "provisionally" appoint Irving "Commandant
A. I. F. Forces" form from 31/1/16, (General Routine Order 197/16.) so that
we "grew in beauty side by side" like Military Siamese twins.
Naturally Sir John was very annoyed when he returned to Cairo in
a few days time. Birdwood and he conferred, representations were
made to Australia, and as a consequence Irving was appointed to
the command of the 15th. Infantry Brigade, and I became Commandant
A. I. F. Head Quarters from 19/2/16 (G. R. O. 304/16) This comprised
the command, administration and training of all A. I. F. Troops
in Egypt not belonging to the Anzac Army Corps. General SPEN'S
command thus ceased to function. Personally I was bitterly
disappointed, as I had been definitely promised the command of
a Brigade by Godley, but Sir John Maxwell refused to permit me
to vacate, and I had to see my chances of service in the field
vanish for ever. I note you say you have my Dispatches to
refer to. I wonder if you have a document entitled - Review of
1st. Years' Operations of the A. I. F. Intermediate Base. This
 

(4)
gives a lot of information about the Base, which you might like,
so that if you have not got it, and you so desire, I will lend
you my copy. N.B. I find I have a spare copy so send it. Marked A
The A. I. F. Headquarters ceased to function as such when
it sailed for England by the "Euripides" on 11th May 1916. A
small detachment was left in Egypt under my A.A.G. Lt. Col.
O. A. Tunbridge, to deal with the affairs of the troops still
there. On arrival in England on 21/5/16 the Base was re-created
and was now styled the Administrative Head Quarters A. I. F. I
was appointed Commandant A. I. F. Administrative Head Quarters
and G. O. C. Australian Troops in the United Kingdom, and held
this dual position until my return to Australia, where my duties
were divided between two officers, Col. R. Mc. C. Anderson
becoming, Colonel in Charge of Administration A. I. F. Administrative
Head Quarters, and Brigadier-General Sir Newton Moore, G. O. C.
A. I. F. Depots in England on 1/8/16.
I presume you do not want to know anything at present
regarding the A. I. F. Administrative Head Quarters in England, but
if so, I have information which I can place at your disposal,
[*X*]
including my actual instructions from Birdwood.
Answer to Question 1.
I really suffered very little disability through being
separated from the G. O. C. A. I. F. at Gallipoli, save I could
not have the benefit of his advice in difficult situations, or the
protection of his high rank in others. The whole raison d'etre
of the Base was to relieve the G. O. C. A. I.F. of heavy administrative
burdens, and to act as a liason and buffer between him
and the Defence Department in Australia, the High Commission in
London, and the G. O. C. in Chief in Egypt. My function was,
therefore, to endeavour to do everything that had to be done in
the ^way of equipping, feeding, quartering, and dispatching reinforcements
to the front, and of receiving the sick and wounded, maintaining
them, and finally disposing of them either by return to Australia, 

(5)
or to the front, without bothering the G. O. C. A. I. F., and
there were of course, many other administrative duties. Hardly
an official letter passed between us all the time. If it had
been otherwise I would have considered I was failing in my duties
of lessening the burden of the G. O. C. A. I. F.
I must here explain that when the Base was first formed, the then
G. O. C. A. I. F. (Maj-Gen. Bridges), would have none of it. He
contended, quite soundly, that as there were now other A. I. F.
troops, than the 1st. Division, in the field, the Base should
function under the G. O. C. Anzac Army Corps. After some hesitation
it was so decided, but on the departure of Anzac for Gallipoli,
the Base was definitely placed under the command of the G. O. C.
Egypt; and so remained until the troops returned from Gallipoli,
when it once more, nominally at all events, came under the supreme
command of the G. O. C. A. I. F.
Answer to Question 2.
The Remount Section of the Base never functioned at any time.
Against my advice to the Defence Department, all Australian
remounts on arrival in Egypt went into a pool controlled by the
British Service. This, on the whole, did not, I think work badly,
but I am afraid our fellows did not always get the pick of the bunch
when horses were being handed out. I am of course, referring to the
pre-Palestine days.
In future wars we should control our own remounts. If we have
at any time too many, it is easy to transfer them and vice versa.
It should be specially noted too, that the Medical Section was
at first expressly excluded from my control and placed directly under
that of the D. M. S. Egypt (Surgeon General Ford). It came under
me only when the A. I. F. Head Quarters was formed in January 1916,
and Howse came on my staff as D. M. S.
Answer to Question 3.
By new units I understand you mean, formed units arriving from
Australia, such as, General Tivey's 8^th Brigade, and the Light Horse

(6)
Brigades. G. O. C. ^Anzac Training Depot (Spens') was nominally
responsible for the training of these as well as for the reinforcements,
but as they were formed bodies, under their own officers,
I don't think he interfered very much.
As related elsewhere in this letter, I eventually became
responsible for the training of A. I. F. reinforcements when SPENS
ceased to function upon the Intermediate Base becoming A. I. F.
Head Quarters. The troops then moved to Tel-el-Kebir, and I
placed Colonel R. Spencer Browne C.B., in immediate command of the
Camp. The situation became a very complicated one, there being a
British General at Tel-el-Kebir also, who took command over Browne.
This is however, a long story.
Answer to Question 4.
The transport of the 1st. Division camped at Alexandria formed part
of Hamilton's Base, and formed being part of the M. E. F., as did all
other A. I. F. details at that place, with the exception of the
Postal Section of my Base which was stationed there for convenience
in working, and was most efficiently controlled by Capt.(later
Major) C. S. Cunningham.
I detailed Major C. A. K. Johnston as O/C. Oversea Base
Details at Alexandria, but I had no jurisdiction over them, as
they were M. E. F. and not Egypt. Johnston appealed to me once
when things went very wrong there, but I could do nothing but
forward his letter to Maxwell as he wished it sent to Australia.
I have a copy of Johnston's letter if it is any use to you. It
reveals a pretty rotten state of affairs, against which he was
powerless.
Answer to Question 5.
Main Anxieties of Commandant A. I. F. & N. Z. Intermediate Base.
The chief difficulties I had to contend with may be set out
as follows :-
(a) The obvious defects of improvising on the spot an organisation
unprovided for, and unforeseen in peace, to meet a set of