Special A. & N. Z. A. C. Orders
The following are some of the “special orders” issued on notable occasions to the officers and men of the A. & N. Z. Army Corps.
I. The Landing
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS
April, 1915.
Officers and Men,—In conjunction with the Navy, we are about to undertake one of the most difficult tasks any soldier can be called on to perform, and a problem which has puzzled many soldiers for years past. That we will succeed I have no doubt, simply because I know your full determination to do so. Lord Kitchener has told us that he lays special stress on the rôle the Army has to play in this particular operation, the success of which will be a very severe blow to the enemy—indeed, as severe as any he could receive in France. It will go down to history to the glory of the soldiers of Australia and New Zealand. Before we start, there are one or two points which I must impress on all, and I most earnestly beg every single man to listen attentively and take these to heart.
We are going to have a real hard and rough time of it until, at all events, we have turned the enemy out of our first objective. Hard, rough times none of us mind, but to get through them successfully we must always keep before us the following facts. Every possible endeavour will be made to bring up transport as often as possible; but the country whither we are bound is very difficult, and we may not be able to get our wagons anywhere near us for days, so men must not think their wants have been neglected if they do not get all they want. On landing it will be necessary for every individual to carry with him all his requirements in food and clothing for three days, as we may not see our transport till then. Remember then that it is essential for everyone to take the very greatest care not only of his food, but of his ammunition, the replenishment of which will be very difficult. Men are liable to throw away their food the first day out and to finish their water bottles as soon as they start marching. If you do this now, we can hardly hope for success, as unfed men cannot fight, and you must make an effort to try and refrain from starting on your water bottles until quite late in the day. Once you begin drinking you cannot stop, and a water bottle is very soon emptied.
Also as regards ammunition—you must not waste it by firing away indiscriminately at no target. The time will come when we shall find the enemy in well entrenched positions from which we shall have to turn them out, when all our ammunition will be required; and remember,
Concealment whenever possible,
Covering fire always,
Control of fire and control of your men,
Communications never to be neglected.
W. R. Birdwood.
II. The Battles of August
SPECIAL ORDER
By General Sir Ian Hamilton, G.C.B., D.S.O., A.D.C.
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
General Headquarters,
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
September 7, 1915.
The Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, desires formally to record the fine feat of arms achieved by the troops under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir W. R. Birdwood during the battle of Sari Bair.
The fervent desire of all ranks to close with the enemy, the impetuosity of their onset and the steadfast valour with which they maintained the long struggle, these will surely make appeal to their fellow-countrymen all over the world.
The gallant capture of the almost impregnable Lone Pine trenches by the Australian Division, and the equally gallant defence of the position against repeated counter-attacks are exploits which will live in history. The determined assaults carried out from other parts of the Australian Division’s line were also of inestimable service to the whole force, preventing as they did the movement of large bodies of reinforcements to the northern flank.
The troops under the command of Major-General Sir A. J. Godley, and particularly the New Zealand and Australian Division, were called upon to carry out one of the most difficult military operations that has ever been attempted—a night march and assault by several columns in intricate mountainous country, strongly entrenched, and held by a numerous and determined enemy. Their brilliant conduct during this operation and the success they achieved have won for them a reputation as soldiers of whom any country must be proud.
To the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, therefore, and to those who were associated with that famous Corps in the battle of Sari Bair—the Maoris, Sikhs, Gurkhas, and the new troops of the 10th and 13th Divisions from the Old Country—Sir Ian Hamilton tenders his appreciation of their efforts, his admiration of their gallantry, and his thanks for their achievements. It is an honour to command a force which numbers such men as these in its ranks, and it is the Commander-in-Chief’s high privilege to acknowledge that honour.
W. P. Braithwaite,
Major-General,
Chief of the General Staff.
III. Arrival Of 2nd Australian Division, and Sinking of the Southland
SPECIAL ARMY CORPS ORDER
Army Corps Headquarters,
September 7, 1915.
In welcoming the 2nd Australian Division to join the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the General Officer Commanding, on behalf of all their comrades now serving on the Peninsula, wishes to convey to them our general feeling of admiration for the gallant behaviour of all ranks on board the transport Southland, when that vessel was torpedoed on the 2nd inst.
All the troops of the Empire now serving with the Army Corps have heard with pride of the courage and discipline shown at a moment when the nerves of the bravest were liable to be so highly tried. Not only was there not the slightest confusion on the part of the troops, who quietly fell in prepared to meet whatever fate might be in store for them, but later on when there was a prospect of the Southland being able to make her way under her own steam, and volunteer stokers were called for, men at once came forward for this duty and successfully helped in getting the Southland into Mudros.
The 2nd Australian Division knows well the high reputation it has to live up to, to carry on the brave deeds done by those who have been here earlier in the campaign, but with men like those on the Southland we are fully assured that our new comrades are going to prove themselves equal in all ways to the old hands who have fought so well.
C. M. Wagstaff, Major,
for Brigadier-General, General Staff,
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
IV. Lord Kitchener’s Message
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS
Special Army Corps Order,
November 25, 1915.
Lord Kitchener has desired me to convey to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a message with which he was specially entrusted by the King to bring to our Army Corps.
His Majesty commanded Lord Kitchener to express his high appreciation of the gallant and unflinching conduct of our men through fighting which has been as hard as any yet seen during the war, and His Majesty wishes to express his complete confidence in the determination and fighting qualities of our men to assist in carrying this war to an entirely successful termination.
Lord Kitchener has ordered me to express to all the very great pleasure it gave him to have the opportunity, which he considers a privilege, of visiting “ANZAC” to see for himself some of the wonderfully good work which has been done by the officers and men of our Army Corps, as it was not until he had himself seen the positions we had captured and held, that he was able fully to realise the magnitude of the work which has been accomplished. Lord Kitchener much regretted that time did not permit of his seeing the whole Corps, but he was very pleased to see a considerable proportion of officers and men, and to find all in such good heart, and so confidently imbued with that grand spirit, which has carried them through all their trials and many dangerous feats of arms, a spirit which he is quite confident they will maintain to the end, until they have taken their full share in completely overthrowing our enemies.
Boys! We may all well be proud to receive such messages, and it is up to all of us to live up to them and prove their truth.
W. R. Birdwood.
V. General Birdwood Relinquishes Command of A. & N. Z. Army Corps
SPECIAL ARMY CORPS ORDERS.
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps,
December 1, 1915.
Boys,—I cannot tell you how really sorry I am to be leaving “Anzac,” as I have to do on shifting over to Army Headquarters.
I have not, however, any intention of saying “Good-bye” to anyone, for I trust it is by no means “Good-bye,” as I still hope and intend to see as much of all my old friends in the Army Corps as I possibly can do.
Nor am I going to express my thanks to officers and men, even if I could find words to do so. I feel it would only be presumption on my part, for it is for the British Empire to do that; and I well know it will do so.
My one wish is to be able to finish this war alongside of all my old comrades of “Anzac”; having begun it together close on a year ago now in Egypt, I sincerely trust that many of us may be spared to see it through together, when the time comes to make an end of our German enemies, though that day may be yet far distant.
W. R. Birdwood, Lieutenant-General,
Commanding Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
VI. The Evacuation of Anzac
SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY
General Headquarters,
December 21, 1915.
The Commander-in-Chief desires to express to all ranks in the Dardanelles Army his unreserved appreciation of the way in which the recent operations, ending in the evacuation of the “Anzac” and “Suvla” positions, have been carried to an issue successful beyond his hopes. The arrangements made for withdrawal, and for keeping the enemy in ignorance of the operation which was taking place, could not have been improved. The General Officer Commanding Dardanelles Army, and the General Officers Commanding the Australian and New Zealand and 9th Army Corps, may pride themselves on an achievement without parallel in the annals of war. The Army and Corps Staffs, Divisional and subordinate Commanders and their Staffs, and the Naval and Military Beach Staffs, proved themselves more than equal to the most difficult task which could have been thrown upon them. Regimental officers, non-commissioned officers and men carried out, without a hitch, the most trying operation which soldiers can be called upon to undertake—a withdrawal in the face of the enemy—in a manner reflecting the highest credit on the discipline and soldierly qualities of the troops.
It is no exaggeration to call this achievement one without parallel. To disengage and to withdraw from a bold and active enemy is the most difficult of all military operations; and in this case the withdrawal was effected by surprise, with the opposing forces at close grips—in many cases within a few yards of each other. Such an operation, when succeeded by a re-embarkation from an open beach, is one for which military history contains no precedent.
During the past months the troops of Great Britain and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, Newfoundland and India fighting side by side, have invariably proved their superiority over the enemy, have contained the best fighting troops in the Ottoman Army in their front, and have prevented the Germans from employing their Turkish allies against us elsewhere.
No soldier relishes undertaking a withdrawal from before the enemy. It is hard to leave behind the graves of good comrades, and to relinquish positions so hardly won and so gallantly maintained as those we have left. But all ranks in the Dardanelles Army will realise that in this matter they were but carrying out the orders of His Majesty’s Government, so that they might in due course be more usefully employed in fighting elsewhere for their King, their Country, and the Empire.
There is only one consideration—what is best for the furtherance of the common cause. In that spirit the withdrawal was carried out, and in that spirit the Australian and New Zealand and the 9th Army Corps have proved, and will continue to prove, themselves second to none as soldiers of the Empire.
A. Lynden Bell, Major-General,
Chief of the General Staff,
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
VII. The Following Telegrams Are Published for Information:
December 20, 1915.
1. From His Majesty the King.
It gives me the greatest satisfaction to hear of the successful evacuation of “Suvla” and “Anzac” without loss of troops or guns. Please convey to General Birdwood and those under his command my congratulations upon the able manner in which they have carried out so difficult an operation.
George, R.I.
December 21, 1915.
2. To His Majesty the King.
I have communicated your Majesty’s gracious message to General Birdwood and the Dardanelles Army. In their behalf and my own I beg to give expression to the deep gratification felt by all ranks at your Majesty’s encouraging words of congratulation. The troops are only inspired by a desire to be employed again as soon as possible wherever their services may be used to best advantage against your Majesty’s enemies.
Sir Charles Monro,
Commander-in-Chief,
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
December 21, 1915.
3. From The Secretary of State for War.
His Majesty’s Government received your news with the greatest pleasure and wish immediately to express to you and all under your command their high appreciation of the excellence of the arrangements for the withdrawal from “Anzac” and “Suvla,” and their warm admiration for the conduct of the troops in carrying out the most difficult operation of war. They appreciate as fully the effective help which Admiral Wemyss and the Navy as well as General Birdwood and the Corps and other commanders afforded you. The thanks of the Government for this fine achievement are due to you and to all concerned, and I wish also to congratulate you personally.
FOUR DESIGNS FOR “THE ANZAC MAGAZINE” COVER