The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon Part 20

CHAPTER IV

LORD KITCHENER'S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA

Shortly after the initiation of the Universal Service system, the Government was met with the difficulty of providing the necessarily increasing cost. On the estimates being framed for the ensuing year it was found that the expenditure was somewhat heavier than had been antic.i.p.ated. The Government had followed my advice so far and were quite prepared to urge Parliament to find the money, but they considered it would be most desirable to get the highest military opinion procurable to support them in doing so. How was this to be done? There was only one solution. I advised the Commonwealth Government to approach the Imperial Government with a view to their sending an Imperial officer of highest standing to report, whose opinion, if favourable to the system as inaugurated, would be of the greatest possible value in backing their demands for sufficient funds to meet all its requirements.

Lord Kitchener was selected by the War Office, instructed to visit Australia, make a thorough inspection, inquire fully into the progress made with the initiation of the system, report whether it was sound in principle and practice, and, if it met with his approval, suggest such modifications as he considered advisable.

Lord Kitchener arrived at Port Darwin on December 21, 1910. Advantage was taken of his visit by the Commonwealth Government, not only to obtain his opinion as to the merits or otherwise of the Universal Service scheme, but also a report upon the efficiency and the standard of training existing at the time in the Commonwealth Forces. I was at the time Commandant of New South Wales.

I arranged for a camp of continuous training for the whole of our States'

field forces, to be held at the Liverpool Area from January 5-12 inclusive, and for the Garrison troops at their respective war stations.

As it may interest soldiers to see the nature of the work carried out during the camp, I quote from the "general idea" of the exercises the programmes of two days' work:

_Thursday, 6th January, 1910._

FIELD FORCE 1ST LIGHT HORSE BRIGADE (Manoeuvre and Tactical Exercise)

STAFF

_Brigadier_ Colonel J. M. Onslow.

_Orderly Officer_ Captain E. W. R. Soane, V.D.

_Brigade-Major_ Captain J. M. Arnott.

_Instl. Staff Officer attached_ Captain R. C. Holman, D.S.O.

_Intelligence Officers_ {Captain T. H. Kelly.

{Lieutenant Nordmann.

UNITS

Units Commanding Officers

_1st A.L.H. Regiment_ Lieut.-Colonel C. F. c.o.x, C.B.

_2nd A.L.H. Regiment_ Major A. J. O. Thompson.

_3rd A.L.H. Regiment_ Lieut.-Colonel G. De. L. Ryrie.

_No. 3 Battery, A.F.A._ Major C. F. Warren.

_No. 1 Field Troops, Corps of A.E._ Captain E. V. T. Rowe.

_Half No. 2 Company A.C. of Signallers_ Lieutenant E. G. Donkin.

_No. 1 Light Horse T. and S. Column_ Major J. G. Tedder, V.D.

_No. 1 Light Horse Field Ambulance_ Major W. M. Helsham.

UNITS ATTACHED

Units Commanding Officer

_No. 5 Squadron 1st A.L.H. Regt._} Captain C. D. Fuller _No. 5 Squadron 2nd A.L.H. Regt._}

AMMUNITION

_No. 3 Battery, A.F.A._ 5 rounds per gun, shrapnel.

10 rounds per gun, blank.

_Pom-pom Guns_ 25 rounds per gun.

_Colt Machine Guns_ 250 rounds per gun.

_Small-Arm Ammunition_ 25 rounds per rifle.

WORK BEING PERFORMED BY OTHER BRIGADES

_2nd L.H. Brigade_--At disposal of Brigadier for Drill and Manoeuvre.

_1st Infantry Brigade_--Brigade Drill and instruction in Manoeuvre under Brigadier.

MANOEUVRE AND TACTICAL EXERCISE 1ST LIGHT HORSE BRIGADE

_General Idea_

A Northern Force (Brown), consisting of one L.H. Brigade, covering the detrainment of Troops at PARRAMATTA, reach LIVERPOOL at 10 P.M.

on the night of the 5th January.

A Southern Hostile Force (White) of all arms is reported to have occupied APPIN.

_Special Idea_

(Reference-map of Liverpool Manoeuvre Area)

During the night of 5th-6th January, the O.C. Brown L.H. Brigade received order to march at 9 A.M. on the 6th January by the right bank of the GEORGE'S RIVER and reconnoitre towards APPIN.

1ST PHASE

1. Reconnaissance and Screening Duties by the Light Horse.

2. Use of Artillery in checking the advance of hostile Infantry by long-range fire. (_See_ Map No. 1--Target, Infantry advancing, marked 1.)

Textbooks:-- "Light Horse Manual," '07, Sec. 299 _et seq._ "F.S.R.," Part 1, Chap. VI. and Chap. VII.

"F.A.T.," '08, Chap. VIII.

2ND PHASE