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[Page 41]
Palm Islands,
Inside Great Barrier Reef,
Off Townsville,
27th August 1914.
Dear Colonel Legge;
I was very pleased to receive your letter on the morning my Expedition left Sydney Harbour, but was then unable to thank you for your good wishes for the success of our mission, but I take the very earliest opportunity of now doing so, and also of congratulating you on your return to Australia and appointment to the high and important Command you now occupy.
Hereunder I propose to furnish you with a short resume of our doings up to date:-
First of all I was sent for by the District Commandant at 11-0 a.m. on Monday, 10th August, and offered the Command of the Expeditionary Force, which I at once accepted, and promised to let him know by 2-0 p.m. the Officer I would recommend for appointment to the Command of the Infantry. I returned to my office at the Water & Sewerage Board at 12-0 noon, and made all arrangements to to cease work with that Body forthwith. After giving the matter of Battalion Command a good deal of consideration, I sent for Watson and offered it to him, and he accepted. In the afternoon I sought out Heritage of the Randwick Rifle range and secured him as my Brigade Major. Travers, who has had a good deal of experience in intelligence work survey work, I nominated as my Staff captain and Intelligence Officer. In addition also he is doing duty as Pay-master. My Son I appointed my A.D.C.
Arrangements were made for the use of the Agricultural Ground, and on the afternoon of the following day the men who had been enrolled at the Barracks and medically examined began to arrive. I at once had them sworn in on an oath which I improvised from the old attestation form of the Commonwealth Military Forces, except that all men were sworn in under the Army Act to serve His Majesty's Forces, either on land or at sea, for an unlimited period. Subsequently, of course, in conformity with instructions from Melbourne, the men were re-sworn on the day before embarking on the new attestation form devised for use of the over-sea Contingents. I found the collating of all the information, and the preparation of the attestation forms on the four pages, a most herculean task, although the new oath I was surprised to find provided for only six months service, whereas the first oath as previously mentioned was for an unlimited period. However, the task was finished and each form duly signed by me by the use of a rubber stamp on the night before leaving, and I hope this will be found quite satisfactory.
As the men arrived they were posted to Companies, in charge of which I temporarily placed Officers who were desirous of accompanying the Force, giving them distinctly to understand that they had no claim for appointment by acting temporarily, and they might be removed any time before the Expedition moved out.