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The 1St Australian Division in the Great War, 1914–1919

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The 1St Australian Division in the Great War, 1914–1919 THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION: THE 1ST AUSTRALIAN DIVISION IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914–1919 ROBERT CHARLES STEVENSON Thesis submitted for Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of New South Wales 2010 THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION ABSTRACT The study of higher military organisations is a neglected theme in Australian studies of the Great War. Although the ‘digger’ looms large in national military historiography, the role of the larger organisations to which these soldiers belonged is often all but lost in the aura that surrounds the digger’s legendary battlefield performance. This thesis examines the history of the 1st Australian Division during the Great War. This formation was the longest-serving Australian division during that conflict; more soldiers served in its ranks and it suffered more casualties than any equivalent Australian organisation. The study analyses how this division was raised, how it was organised and what it did during its service. Based on an analysis of its daily activities as recorded in its war diaries, the thesis identifies that the three activities the division spent most of its time engaged in were administration, training and operations—devoting about a quarter of its time to various types of administrative activity; another quarter training; and only half of its time committed to operations with the enemy. It suggests that the success of the division on the battlefield depended on the capacity of its commanders and staff to administer, train and adapt to the changing conditions they experienced and less on the innate qualities of the division’s soldiers. It embraces the following: Pre-war expeditionary force plans and the mobilisation of the 1st Division. The organisation of the 1st Division and how it adapted. The administrative system and how this sustained the division. The development of the divisional training system. The division’s first operations on Gallipoli and why they failed. The development of divisional defensive and offensive operations on the Western Front. Demobilisation and the repatriation of the division’s veterans. THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any large research work this thesis would not have been possible without advice, support and assistance from many people. First among these were my supervisors. To Professor Robin Prior I owe a great debt not only for suggesting the subject of the 1st Australian Division but also for his guidance during the long gestation period of the thesis. To Professor Jeffrey Grey, my co- supervisor, I am especially grateful that he took me on so late in the day, and for his patience in reading an unwieldy draft and making many useful suggestions no matter on what part of the globe I happened to be residing. Professor David Horner, Professor Glyn Harper and Professor Gary Sheffield took the time and effort to read the thesis and their many comments have undoubtedly improved it. And to Bernadette McDermott, who was there from start to finish, thanks are due for her assistance, patience and humour. Researching and writing about the 1st Division took me across Australia and around the world. At home the staff of the Australian War Memorial’s research centre were courteous, patient and helpful and I could not have completed this project without the rich bounty of official and private records held there. The staff of the National Archives of Australia were supportive and informative in accessing the appropriate records housed in Canberra and Melbourne. Inter- state I also received assistance from the staffs of the state libraries of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria and the late Ursula Davidson of the Royal United Service Institution of New South Wales. The staffs of the Bridges Library of the Royal Military College of Australia and Mr Ross Howarth, the College’s archivist; the staff at the library of the Australian Command and Staff College; and the staff of the library of the Australian Defence Force Academy were all of great assistance. In Britain the staffs of the Public Records Office and the Imperial War Museum were also generous and sympathetic even when we sometimes appeared separated by a common language. Thanks also to Annabel Maguire and Doug Fraser for some early advice on the joy of spreadsheets. And to Jason and Sonia Hammond, for their congenial company and hospitality in London, thankyou. THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION A number of others have also encouraged me to persevere when the clouds were darkest. Most important were my parents who started it all and always encourage their sons to pursue their dreams, and my broader family who have always been there for me despite my quaint antiquarian interests. In particular I have to acknowledge my three beautiful daughters, Samantha, Natalie and Michelle, who for many years have shown considerable forbearance with their father’s obsession with ‘dead people’. And to my band of brothers; in particular Carl Chirgwin, Glenn Fenton, Roger Lee, Patrick Regan and David Schmidtchen. Finally, and only last because to her I owe the greatest debt, my thanks must go to my wife Rose—the ever-patient PhD widow and best friend. I could not have completed this without her love and support. THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Glossary vi Measurements xii British Military Ranks xiii Introduction 1 Chapter 1 In the Beginning: Mobilisation 14 Chapter 2 Organising for Battle: Divisional Anatomy 51 Chapter 3 Sinews of War: Divisional Administration 98 Chapter 4 Already Half a Soldier: Divisional Training 151 Chapter 5 Into Battle: Operations on Gallipoli 197 ‘What We Have We’ll Hold’: Defensive Chapter 6 247 Operations on the Western Front ‘What We Gain We’ll Hold’: Offensive Chapter 7 289 Operations on the Western Front Chapter 8 ‘Good-bye To All That’: Demobilisation 335 Conclusion 350 Annexes: A. Divisional Activities 361 B. 1st Australian Division Activity Summary 367 Bibliography 370 Diagrams and Tables: 1st Division Strength—October 1914 42 1st Australian Division—1914 63 THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION 1st Australian Division—1918 95 THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION vi GLOSSARY AA Army Act AAMC Australian Army Medical Corps AAOC Australian Army Ordnance Corps AAQMG Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General AASC Australian Army Service Corps AAVC Australian Army Veterinary Corps ACF Australian Comforts Fund ADB Australian Dictionary of Biography ADC Aide-de-Camp Admin Administration/Administrative ADMS Assistant Director Medical Services ADVS Assistant Director Veterinary Services AG Adjutant General Staff AHQ Army Headquarters AIF Australian Imperial Force AIFO Australian Imperial Force Orders AN&MEF Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force ANZAC Australian and New Zealand Army Corps AOH Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918 AOHMS Official History of the Australian Medical Services in the War of 1914–1918 APM Assistant Provost Marshal Aust Australia/Australian AWM Australian War Memorial AWOL Absent Without Leave BAC Brigade Ammunition Column Bde Brigade BEF British Expeditionary Force BGGS Brigadier General, General Staff BIO Brigade Intelligence Officer BL Breech-Loading BM Brigade Major THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION vii BMRA Brigade Major, Royal Artillery Bn Battalion BOH History of Britain in the Great War BOHMS Official History of the British Medical Services in the Great War Bty Battery CAG Commonwealth of Australia Gazette CB Companion of the Order of the Bath CBE Commander of the Order of the British Empire CDA Commander Divisional Artillery CDE Commander Divisional Engineers CE Chief Engineer CEF Canadian Expeditionary Force CGS Chief of the General Staff CMG Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George CMJ Commonwealth Military Journal CMP Corps of Military Police COA Commonwealth of Australia Comd Command/Commander Coy Company CPP Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers CQMS Company Quartermaster Sergeant CRA Commander Royal Artillery CRE Commander Royal Engineers DAQMG Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General DAAQMG Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General DAAG Deputy Assistant Adjutant General DAC Divisional Ammunition Column DADMS Deputy Assistant Director Medical Services DADOS Deputy Assistant Director Ordnance Services DADVS Deputy Assistant Director Veterinary Services DAQMG Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal DDMS Deputy Director Medical Services THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION viii DDOS Deputy Director Ordnance Services DDVS Deputy Director Veterinary Services DGP Died of Gas Poisoning DHQ Divisional Headquarters Div Division DMA Director of Military Art DMS Director Medical Services DMT Director of Military Training DOC Died of Other Causes DOD Died of Disease DOW Died of Wounds DQMG Deputy Quartermaster General DSM Distinguished Service Medal DSO Companion of the Distinguished Service Order DTMO Divisional Trench Mortar Officer ed/edn Editor/Edition FA Field Artillery Fd Field FGCM Field General Courts-Martial fn Footnote FOO Forward Observation Officer FP Field Punishment FSPB Field Service Pocket Book FSR Field Service Regulations GCB Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath GCBE Grand Commander of the British Empire GCM General Courts-Martial GCMG Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George GHQ General Headquarters GMP Garrison Military Police GOC General Officer Commanding GOC AIF General Officer Commanding the Australian Imperial Force GOCRA General Officer Commanding Royal Artillery THE ANATOMY OF A DIVISION ix GS General Service GS General Staff GSO General Staff Officer GSO1 General
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