About this Item
London, Hutchinson & Co., 1920 [first edition]. Large octavo, viii, 352 pages plus 9 folding colour maps and 31 plates (after photographs by Captain G.H. Wilkins). Dark blue cloth lettered and ruled in gilt on the spine; cloth lightly rubbed and a little marked; front endpaper slightly marked; free endpapers and first and last pages offset; edges of the frontispiece (loose at some stage) slightly creased, with a couple of minute sealed tears; minimal signs of age and use; an excellent copy. A SIGNED PRESENTATION COPY, inscribed on the verso of the half-title 'To Lieut. L.W. Avery | In remembrance of the days of a great comradeship. | John Monash | Lieut. General | Nov. / 1925'. The recipient has later written in a neat hand below the inscription 'Died 8th October 1931'. General Sir John Monash (1865-1931), soldier, engineer and administrator; it's not a question of where to begin, but how to keep it short . 'In May 1918, Monash was appointed corps commander of the Australian forces, and in that year he led some significant attacks by Australian troops in the final stages of the war. Monash's troops were involved in helping to stem the March German offensive. But it was during the battle at Hamel that Monash really secured his reputation. Monash's skilful planning and attention to detail resulted in a triumphant attack and capture of the town by Australian and American troops. This was the beginning of a series of successful campaigns by Australians that continued until their last battle in October' (Australian War Memorial website). 'Military historians have acclaimed [the battle at Hamel] as "the first modern battle", "the perfect battle". As a general, Monash had the first essential qualities, the capacity to bear great strain and to make quick and clear decisions. His sheer intellect, breadth of grasp, his articulateness especially, together with his forceful personality, induced respect and confidence among his juniors. He worked closely with his staff, extracting the best from them . He developed the practice of conferences of senior officers, not merely to cover a mass of detail, but to facilitate knowledge of what was expected right down the line. He held the view that warfare was essentially a problem in engineering, of mobilizing resources, like the conduct of a large industrial undertaking; in 1918 the men in the line knew that all was right behind them. He eagerly made use of the most recent innovations. He took the view that an energetic offensive policy, "feeding the troops on victory", was the short way to end the slaughter and misery. He was of the new scientific breed of generals, did not attempt to hob-nob with the troops and seek their popularity, and so was often criticized by the traditional "inspirational" school of thought. His chief weaknesses were his status-hunger, craving for publicity and honours, and his habit of exaggerating his men's and his own achievements. From early August [1919] in about a month - another amazing feat - he wrote "The Australian Victories in France in 1918"; it was propaganda, but not far off the truth. In the 1920s Monash was broadly accepted, not just in Victoria, as the greatest living Australian. The soldiers had to have a representative hero who was a volunteer; he was acceptable to the community as a seemingly unpretentious outsider, not really part of the Establishment. His commanding intellect was sensed as well as his basic honesty and decency. He was one tall poppy who was never cut down. His knowledge ranged extraordinarily widely, but was neither very profound nor original. He achieved greatness essentially as an administrator, by cultivating to a super-pitch of excellence the ordinary qualities such as memory, concentration, stability and common sense, allied with temperamental capacity to work harmoniously with colleagues. He had the gift of being able instantaneously to turn from one task to the next. He was a great teacher, supremely articulate, "the greatest a. Seller Inventory # 139950
Contact seller
Report this item
