Item 10: General William Holmes diary, 23 August 1914-22 February 1915 - Page 14
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[Page 14]
Friday - 14th August 14:
At 8-30 a.m. received information (unofficially) that the Naval Officers engaged fitting up S.S. "Berrima" had been instructed to cease all operations on board, and to take the boat to Central Wharf to get her under steam ready to embark Troops same evening.
At 9-30 a.m. Commander Robbins communicated with me by telephone from Garden island, enquiring whether I had received any instructions about embarking that evening. I suggested that he should communicate with the District Commandant, as on the previous evening I had been speaking to the Chief of the General Staff - Col. Legge at Melbourne - by telephone up to 10-0 p.m., and he made no mention whatever of a probable early embarkation, but on the contrary rather gave me to understand that the embarkation would not take place until about Tuesday, 18th August. In the evening I received a communication from Victoria Barracks that the Force was not to embark that evening but that Tuesday, 18th August, at about 12 noon, had been fixed for this movement.
Six (6) recruits (additional) for the Infantry Battalion and 20 for the A.M.C. Unit were attested and passed in.
In view of the probably of embarking at once, the issue of clothing, equipment, arms, etc. was expedited and the whole issued, so that, if necessary, the Force could be embarked that evening.
The following Officers were selected for Contingent and names submitted to the District Commandant as under:-
Brigade:
Colonel W. Holmes; D.S.O., V.D.
Lieut. Col. Howse N.R.; V.C.
Capt. Travers A.R.J.
Lieut. Holmes B.
Battalion:
Lieut. Col. Russell Watson; V.D.
Lieut. Col. Paton J; V.D.
Capt. Lane C. Adjutant.
Capt. Goodsell Q. Master.
Lieut. Heritage Transport.
Capt. Harcus M.G. section.
2nd Lieut. Marsden do
Lieut. Sadler Signalling.
Companies:
| (A) | Major Beardsmore. | (F) | Capt. Twynam. |
| Lieut. Manning C.E. | Lieut. Maughan J.E. | ||
| 2nd. Lieut. Fry. | 2nd. Lieut. Cooper. | ||
| (B) | Capt. Norrie E.C. | (G) | Capt. Ralston |
| Lieut. Fisher S.D. | Lieut. Westgarth. | ||
| 2nd. Lieut. Norman R.H. | 2nd. Lieut. Quinn. | ||
| (C) | Capt. Thorold | (H) | Major Martin. |
| Lieut. Partridge R. | Lieut. Sampson. | ||
| 2nd. Lieut.Kirke. | 2nd. Lieut. Sherbon. | ||
| (D) | Capt. Macpherson. | Army Medical Corps: | |
| Lieut. Ravensworth. | Capt. Macguire F.A. | ||
| 2nd. Lieut. McDowell. | Capt. Donaldson G.E. | ||
| (E) | Capt. Morrison. | Capt. Pockley B.C.A. | |
| Lieut. McLachlan. | Unattached: | ||
| 2nd. Lieut. Manning. | 2nd. Lieut. Bruce H.L. | ||
| do Chambers L.K. |