Chapter 88 – John

John Monash’s letters to his wife Victoria are preserved in War Letters of General Monash . Some details include:

19 October – From Egypt, Monash writes of a telegram he received that morning from Birdwood congratulating him on being created a Companion of the Order of the Bath, “for distinguished service in the field.”

1 November – Monash describes his involvement in the farewell ceremony for the Sultan, as his Royal Court departed Alexandria by train to take up their winter quarters in Cairo. Many of the details included are described in Monash’s own words. He concludes that “It has never been my privilege to see a ceremonial at once so dignified, so simple, so smoothly managed, and so evidently sincere.”

10 November – The Brigade strength had been built up to about 2,000 men. Plans for a night raid are outlined, Monash states that his front is quiet.

13 November – Back at Gallipoli, Monash describes the mysterious message he received the night before, requesting him to meet General Birdwood at Mule Gully in service dress. Monash describes his interactions with Kitchener and notes he observed Monash Valley.

Roland Perry describes this period in his biography Monash: The Outsider Who Won a War .  Some details referenced include:

p. 229 – Hamilton was sacked on 15 October 1915 and Monash was in his first week of a break in Egypt when he heard the news. Monash was not pleased as he liked Hamilton.

p. 230 – By 8 November 1915, Monash was back at Bauchop’s Hill, and resumed command from McGlinn on 9 November.

Australian War Memorial photo reference G01325 is a photo taken by Charles Bean of the brigadiers waiting for Kitchener to arrive on the morning of 13 November 1915. Monash is looking away from the camera and looking displeased. The AWM has several other photographs taken to record Lord Kitchener’s visit to Gallipoli on 13 November, some include: H10354, G00573, G01442M and A01034.

Details taken from Charles Bean’s Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 , vol II, include:

p. 720 – Map 25 shows the front lines of 12 August 1915.

p. 802 – The newly arrived 7th Brigade relieved the Australian 4th Brigade, and two New Zealand Brigades.

p. 800-803 –A medical assessment was made of the troops during September 1915. A consulting physician, British Army Lieutenant-Colonel Purves-Stewart advised that men who had been at Anzac continuously for four months or more should be withdrawn and were in no condition even to play games of sport in rest camps. At the end of September, Lieutenant-Colonel Hearne, acting as the Chief Medical Officer of the 1st Australian Division, report that of over 3,000 men that he examined, around half should be ready to return to duty after four weeks of rest, but half would not be fit in less than eight weeks, and around fifty should never return to the front.

p. 791 – Lord Kitchener visited Anzac on 13 November 1915, where men on the beach recognised him crowded around him and gave a spontaneous cheer. He said “The King asked me to tell you how splendidly he thinks you have done—you have done splendidly, better even than I thought you would.” Birdwood guided him up to Russell’s Top with staff trailing, then Kitchener spoke to the brigadiers and surveyed The Nek and seaward spurs from about sixty yards from the enemy’s trench. Then from Bully Beef Sap, looked out over Pope’s Hill, Quinn’s Post, “the Pine” and beyond across the plain of Maidos to Kilid Bahr and the hills of Asia.

In Damn the Dardanelles – The Story of Gallipoli , John Laffin quotes Kitchener as saying “Thank God, Birdie, I came to see this for myself. I had no idea of the difficulties you were up against. I think you have all done wonders.” (p. 159).

4th Brigade war diary – Sept-Nov 1915 (p258):

4Bde war diary, 11 November 1915, p280: English praise of Anzac’s pasted in: