Chapter 35 – John

Roland Perry describes John Monash’s entry into the war in Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War .  Some details referenced include:

174 – On 23 April, Monash’s commander, General Godley was irritable and cross, in a conference regarding kit for soldiers to carry and landing plans. Monash had become disillusioned with his commander by this time. On the same day, letters arrived from his wife Victoria and daughter Bertha.

Details included from Monash as a Military Commander , by Peter Pederson include:

p. 56 – On 13 April, Monash’s 4th Brigade left Alexandria in Egypt, for the island of Lemnos. Monash told his men: “Now lads, you are shortly going on active service… I told the general on your behalf that you are ready to go anywhere and do anything. You may be faced with privation and hardship, sometimes go hungry, often tired and miserable. That is what soldiering amounts to… I call on you with confidence to do your best for the sake of your manhood, for the sake of Australia and for the sake of the British Empire.”

p. 56-57 – On 23 April – Monash was informed that the landing would take place on 25 April. General Godley was “irritable and cross” in a planning meeting. Last minute problems demanded attention from Monash, but he also received letters from “Bert” (daughter Bertha) on 23 April and read these many times. The Seeangchoon [a.k.a. Seang Choon ], carrying Monash’s 4th Brigade, left Lemnos for Anzac at 9:30am on 25 April 1915.

John Monash’s letters to his wife Victoria are preserved in War Letters of General Monash (full version 1935, or re-published by Black Inc, 2015). Dates shown are dates of letters, so are not exactly dates of events. Some details include:

18 February – Generals Godley and Birdwood told Monash that his 4th Brigade was the best in Egypt, and that “This consideration has entirely modified the plans for the disposal of the whole Army Corps.”

14 April – Monash reflects that it is strange to be in beautiful Aegean, so close to war, and strange to be fighting Turks, not Germans. He notes that this will likely result in the “freeing of Jerusalem and Palestine from Turkish yoke.”

15 April – Arrived Lemnos Harbour 1:00pm, saw Queen Elizabeth, Russian ‘Askold’ (which had such a hard fight in the Japanese war). Russian commander waved his cap at they passed, and John waved back. British cruiser had lost a mast and had a great hole in her funnel. Saw 4 submarines. A captive balloon, half as big as a ship, including a car for 3 officers, was used for signalling.

19 April – Monash was placed in charge of a test disembarkation of the two brigades of the New Zealand and Australian Division, including artillery and engineers. This was a long day 6am-8pm, no horses were moved. They were short of boats, but Monash believed that more transports would be available for the real landing. “Every man carried 200 rounds, three days food, three sticks fire wood, as much water as could carry. Lieutenant-General Birdwood and Major General Godley were both on shore and seemed pleased with the work. The men are splendid, manageable as children and all work of this nature goes without confusion or irritation, quietly and smoothly.”

23 April – Monash learns details of the landing plans. Some transport ships have already left Mudros Harbour. Monash states “The whole operation is the greatest feat of arms of this nature ever attempted, even putting in the shade Port Arthur, and it is a tremendous complement to Australia to choose us to carry out so important a share in the enterprise.”

“We leave at 9 a.m. tomorrow and will probably land about three o’clock. It is astonishing how light-hearted everybody is, whistling, singing, and cracking jokes, and indulging in all sorts of horse play and fun. Yesterday we bought four donkeys (for £9) to carry our spare kit and spare food, and these have caused no end of fun, both bringing them on board and on deck.”

24 April – letter to wife before landing – this letter is quoted verbatim. A copy of this letter, in Monash’s handwriting, is included in The Broken Years , by Bill Gammage (p.55).

The History of the First Battalion A.I.F. records that the Russian cruiser Askold became known as “Packet of Woodbines” as her five thin funnels resembled cigarettes (p. 19). A photo of this Russian warship can be viewed at at the Australian War Memoria, reference C01597:

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1010355?image=1

Following is the AWM caption for the photo of the Askold :

“The Russian Navy's 6500 ton light cruiser Askold in the harbour of the Ceylon capital. She was probably escorting a troopship at the time. Not long beforehand, along with two Japanese warships and six British warships, she had been scouring the Indian Ocean in search of the German raider Emden. Launched in 1900, she was armed with 6 inch guns; owing to her five funnels, the ship was commonly known as 'the packet of Woodbines'.”

Charles Bean states in Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18, vol I , that four Australian troop ships left Mudros Harbour, carrying the Anzac 3rd Brigade, at dawn on 24 April 1915.