Australian War Memorial, Research Centre "birdwood.xml" Guide to the papers of Lord Birdwood Collection Number: 3DRL/3376Research CentrePrivate RecordsCanberra, ACT 2000 Research Centre, Australian War Memorial. All rights reserved. Processed by: Jennifer Coombes, 2001Encoded by: Jennifer Coombes, Date completed: 2001 Finding aid written in: EN Summary Papers of Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood 1915 - 1919 3DRL/3376 1 metre Private Records collection, Research Centre, Australian War Memorial. The papers include diaries, correspondence, drafts of speeches, published and unpublished, photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper cuttings, original orders, reports of battles for Gallipoli and Bullecourt. Postwar material relates to Birdwood's visit to Australia in 1920. The principal correspondents are Sir Keith Murdoch, George F Pearce, Lord Liverpool, Sir James Allen, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson and Lady Birdwood. Administrative information Provenance:

Records transferred to the Australian War Memorial in 1964. An interim listing was completed in 1965. The most recent collection guide was completed in October 2000.

 Access:

Open

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Copyright of material described in this guide is governed by copyright law in Australia. For further information contact the Curator of Private Records, Research Centre.

 Preferred citation:

Guide to the papers of Field Marshal, Lord William Birdwood, Australian War Memorial, 3DRL/3376

 Additional information

Related materials for Birdwood are held at the Australian War Memorial in the following collections: Private Records Published and Digitised - Books collection Military Heraldry Photo, Film and Sound ArtRelated collections at other institutions: National Library of Australia, Manuscripts Section MS474, Letters 1916 - 1924http://www.nla.gov.au/ms State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection (VSL)http://www.vicnet.net.au/~slv/latrobe/manuscri.htm

 Biographical note

Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood (1865-1951) was born at Kirkee, India, the second son of Herbert Mills Birdwood, under-secretary to the government of Bombay. He was educated at Clifton College Bristol (which Haig and C E W Bean also attended) and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, England. Prior to the First World War, he served in North-West Frontier campaigns in India and in the Boer War where he worked on the staff of Lord Kitchener. Awarded the DSO and CIE in 1908, Birdwood was promoted to Major General in 1911. He was serving as Secretary to the Army Department in India when war broke out in 1914.

In November 1914, Kitchener, as Secretary of State for War, gave Birdwood command of the forces raised by Australia and New Zealand for service in Europe. On 21 December with a small staff he arrived in Egypt, where the forces were gathering. In February 1915, Birdwood was sent by Kitchener to report on the progress of the naval attack on the Dardanelles. His report convinced Kitchener that a greater military effort was required and the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force was raised under Sir Ian Hamilton's command. Hamilton ordered Birdwood to land north of Gaba Tebe on the Aegean side of the Peninsula, in conjunction with other landings around Helles and on the Asian shore.

The ANZAC force went ashore on 25 April 1915. During the long months of the campaign, Birdwood's most valuable contribution was maintaining the morale of the ANZAC force. Daily, the commander visited the soldiers in the trenches and was happy to be seen among the men. He always exhibited great concern for his men and was one of the more popular First World War commanders. Of all the senior officers, Birdwood was the only one opposed to evacuation but he commanded an excellent operation, evacuating troops from ANZAC, Helles and Suvla without loss in December and January.

After the death of Major General W T Bridges in May 1915 Birdwood was given temporary command of the Australian Imperial Force. His formal appointment came in 14 September 1916. This decision proved crucial to the future of the AIF. Birdwood appointed Australians to command positions where possible, including securing the appointment of Colonel Brudenell White from 1 Division Headquarters as chief of staff. This military partnership contributed significantly to the development of the AIF. After the expansion of the AIF to four divisions, Birdwood sailed to France, heading 1 ANZAC Corps in March 1916.

On the Western Front, Birdwood's influence on the AIF was also notable. Resisting attempts made by General Headquarters to take over the Australian administration, he built the AIF base and training establishments in England and unified the five Australian Divisions in the Australian Corps. His policy was to appoint Australians to command and staff. By early 1918 when he passed command of the Australian Corps to Lieutenant General John Monash, only one British officer remained in senior command in the AIF. However his initial experiences in France, in March 1916, started badly. His troops were involved in the Battle of the Somme from July 1916, (when control passed to Haig and Gough), Gough being the commander of the Reserve Army, in which the Australians operated. This was followed by high losses at Pozieres. In the following year, 1917, still under Gough, the Australians took part in the British spring offensive against the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt, where the casualties were immense. After these events, Birdwood took a more assertive role. At his initiative, the ANZACs were divided into two corps, General A H Godley taking charge of the 2 ANZAC Corps, Birdwood of the 1 ANZAC Corps. In this capacity he participated in the Third Ypres campaign and after Broodseinde on 4 October 1917, he insisted that the troops be withdrawn to rest.

When Birdwood went to command the British Fifth Army in May 1918, he still retained his position with the AIF. There was strong opposition to this from Charles Bean and (Sir) Keith Murdoch who argued that Monash should lead as they felt Birdwood could not command a British army and effectively continue to administer the AIF. In August of that year W M Hughes offered Birdwood full administrative command which he accepted.

In 1920, after the first of two tours to Australia Birdwood was appointed to command the Northern Army in India and in 1925 was made Commander-in-Chief. After his retirement in 1930, his ambition to be Governor-General of Australia was disappointed with the appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs. King George V strongly supported Birdwood but Prime Minister Scullin insisted upon an Australian. In 1931 Birdwood was elected to the Mastership of Peterhouse College in Cambridge and in 1938 he was created Baron Birdwood of ANZAC and Totnes.

Birdwood was appointed KCMG (1914), KCSI (1915), KCB (1917). In the Australian Military Forces he was appointed General (1920), Field Marshal (1925) and a Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Infantry Battalion and the 16th Light Horse Regiment.

Survived by three children, Birdwood died at Hampton Court Palace on 17 May 1951 and was buried with full military honours at Twickenham cemetery.

References:

Dennis, Peter et al 1995, The Oxford companion to Australian military history, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Grant, Ian 1992, A dictionary of Australian military history, Random House, Sydney. The international who's who, 11th edition 1947, Europa, London.

Series list Series number Series title and date Diaries, 1915 - 1920 Wartime correspondence, 1915 - 1919 Correspondence with Lord Liverpool, 1915 - 1919 Correspondence with Sir James Allen, 1915 - 1919 Correspondence with Sir Keith Murdoch, 1916 - 1918 Correspondence with Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, 1915 - 1919 Correspondence with George F Pearce, 1915 - 1918 Personal correspondence, 1915 - 1918 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1912 - 1950 Addresses and speeches, c 1920 Dardanelles campaign, 1915 - 1918 Bapaume- Bullecourt campaign, 1917 Conscription, 1917 Personal papers, 1910 - 1922 Photographs, 1914 - 1930 Ephemera Newspaper cuttings Series description SERIES 1: Diaries, 1915 - 1920 Handwritten diaries compiled by Birdwood spanning 1915 - 1918 and 1920. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 1/1 - 1/5 Diaries, 1915 - 1920 1
 SERIES 2: Wartime correspondence, 1915 - 1919 Filed here is an extensive series of letters between Birdwood and various correspondents covering the years 1915 - 1919. Much of the 1915 correspondence deals with events at Gallipoli, including letters from Lt Gen Sir Ian Hamilton and Col Wigram. Wigram states in one letter, 'Rightly or wrongly we have started this campaign and to my mind it is much more important to go through with it than attempting to break the heavily entrenched lines in Belgium.' Another major correspondent is James Allen, the New Zealand Minister for Defence, who wrote a number of letters to Birdwood concerning complaints made by New Zealand soldiers against Maj Gen Alexander Godley during the Gallipoli campaign.Also filed in this series are cards and letters exchanged between Birdwood and soldiers under his command at Gallipoli.Other correspondents include Gen Sir Dighton Probyn, Adm Sir Cecil Thursby, George F Pearce, Austen Chamberlain, Gen Chauvel and Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 2/1 22 letters to Birdwood including letters from Viceroy of India, General Sir Ian Hamilton, General Maxwell, Colonel Wigram, General Sir Dighton Probyn, Admiral Sir Cecil Thursby, Mr G F Pearce and Colonel Howse, 1915 1 2/2 - 2/3 107 letters and 2 postcards written to Birdwood including letters from Sir General Dighton Probyn, Colonel Wigram, James Allen, Admiral de Robek, Viceroy of India, General Godley, General Haig, Captain Roger Keyes, General Sir Ian Hamilton, Lt Col Sir Maurice Hankey, Bishop of Perth WA, 1916 1 2/4 69 letters written to Birdwood including letters from General Sir John Gellibrand, Brigadier General Talbot Hobbs, Viceroy of India, Austen Chamberlain, Admiral Thursby, Bishop of Perth WA, Walter Long, General Sir Herbert Plumer, Major General Peyton and General Haig, 1917 2 2/5 36 letters written to Birdwood including letters from Walter Long, General Haig, Hobbs, Brudenell White, Austen Chamberlain and Isobel Howell-Price, 1918 2 2/6 26 letters to Birdwood including letters from Admiral de Robeck, Lt Col Brudenell White, Mr G F Pearce, Maurice Hankey, General Monash, General Chauvel, General Sir Herbert Plumer, Lord Stamfordham and Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, 1919 2 2/7 9 letters written by and to Birdwood on the subject of discipline, 1919 2 2/8 Christmas and congratulatory messages, 1916 2 2/9 'Order in Council' containing army routine orders and letters appointing Birdwood GOC Australian Imperial Force 2 2/10 9 letters written to Birdwood on the death of Kitchener, 1916 2 2/11 Copies of letters written by Birdwood to various correspondents, 1917-1918; letters to Birdwood and pamphlets on repatriation, 1917-1920 2 2/12 4 letters written by Birdwood and Sir Charles Wade concerning the Dora Ohlfsen ANZAC Medal Fund, 1919 2 2/13 Letters to Birdwood, 1915-1917 2
 SERIES 3: Correspondence with Lord Liverpool, 1915-1919 A series of letters exchanged between Birdwood and Lord Liverpool, Governor of New Zealand. The letters discuss topics such as the withdrawal of troops from Gallipoli, the use of New Zealand hospital ships, reinforcements, training of troops and censorship as well as New Zealand's objections to the raising of the additional Fourth Brigade and the unpopularity of Major-General Godley with New Zealand soldiers.Birdwood also wrote in December 1915 of his regret of having to give up command of '... my Army Corps with which I have been so completely happy during the last year... I quite hate being cut off so much from which I now am from my Australian and New Zealand troops.' Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 3/1 6 letters written to Lord Birdwood by Lord Liverpool, 1915-1919; copies of 100 letters written by Lord Birdwood, 1915-1919 2
 SERIES 4: Correspondence with Sir James Allen, 1915-1918 A series of letters between Birdwood and the New Zealand Minister for Defence, Sir James Allen. The correspondence covers topics such as disciplinary action involving New Zealand troops, reinforcements, military appointments, the referendum in Australia and its effect on the New Zealand public ('But now one begins to doubt whether the loyalty of Australia is sound') and the administering of the Military Service Act.Correspondence in 1918 concerns a number of domestic issues in New Zealand including the escape of German prisoners from Motuihi led by Count Von Luckner, mine sweeping of Cape Farewell and the coal mine strikes. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 4/1 23 letters written to Birdwood by Sir James Allen, Minister of Defence, New Zealand, 1915-1918 2 4/2 Copies of 31 letters written by Birdwood to Sir James Allen as well as well as parliamentary papers on the bill to raise expeditionary forces, 1916 3
 SERIES 5: Correspondence with Sir Keith Murdoch, 1916-1918 A series of letters exchanged between Birdwood and Sir Keith Murdoch, covering in detail the Australian referendum on conscription in 1916, of which Murdoch wrote '...it is characteristic of them that they should genuinely dislike forcing others to come to the hell of war.' Other topics include the election of Lloyd-George, the critical attack on Lord Kitchener in the 'Mesopotamian report' and Murdoch's opposition to Birdwood continuing as commander of the AIF after his new appointment as commander of the Fifth Army. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 5/1 21 letters written by Sir Keith Murdoch to Birdwood, as well as notes on the Australian conscription referendum and copy of a telelgram sent by Murdoch to the Sun newspaper concerning General Monash's appointment as Corps Commander. 3
 SERIES 6: Correspondence with Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, 1915-1919 A long series of letters exchanged between Birdwood and Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, the Governor-General of Australia. Topics include reinforcements, military appointments, the Gallipoli withdrawal and the Australian referendums on conscription in 1916 and 1917.Also filed here are letters exchanged between Birdwood and Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson regarding recognition for a number of members of the Australian Red Cross Society. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 6/1 - 6/2 Diaries, 1915-1920 3 6/3 Copies of letters written by Birdwood to Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson and several telegrams, 1915-1916 3 6/4 Copies of 16 letters written by Birdwood to Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, including telegrams and copies of letters from General Glasgow and General Holmes, 1917 3 6/5 - 6/6 Copies of letters written by Birdwood to Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, 1918-1919; copies of letters written by Lord Birdwood to Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson, 1918-1919 3
 SERIES 7: Correspondence with George F Pearce, 1915-1918 A series of letters exchanged between Birdwood and the Australian Minister for Defence, George F Pearce. Topics cover the campaign to take Bapaume in France, the appointment of Australian officers, the Australian election of 1917, desertion cases among Australian forces and operations for Bullecourt and Passchendaele. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 7/1-2 Letters exchanged between George Pearce and Lord Birdwood, 1915-1919 3
 SERIES 8: Personal correspondence, 1912-1918 Letters to Birdwood from his family and an extensive series of letters written by Birdwood to his wife covering the years 1915 - 1918. Also filed here are a large number of postcards sent by Birdwood to various family members before the First World War. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 8/1 - 8/2 Letters, 1915-1918 4 8/3 Postcards, 1903-1908 4
 SERIES 9: Miscellaneous correspondence, 1912 - 1950 A long series of letters between Birdwood and various correspondents discussing his visit to Australia in 1920. Also filed here are letters written to 1 Battalion AIF Association covering the years 1939 - 1950.Correspondents include William Hughes, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, Sir Maurice Hankey, Sir George Arthur, C E W Bean, General Sir Brudenell White, General Chauvel and Admiral Thursby. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 9/1 46 letters written to Birdwood on the occasion of his visit to Australia, telegrams and poems, including letters from William Hughes, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, General Sir Dighton Probyn, Brig Gen Talbot Hobbs, G F Pearce, Prime Minister of New Zealand, Walter Long, Admiral Thursby, Sir George Arthur and Sir Maurice Hankey, 1920 4 9/2 43 letters written to Birdwood, including letters from RSSILA, SA, Lord Stonehaven, General Chauvel, General Smuts, Duke of Connaught, 1921-1950 4 9/3 Cable telegrams and messages sent to Birdwood, 1915-1950 4 9/4 Letters written by Birdwood to C E W Bean, General Sir Brudenell White [nd] 4 9/5 Letters written to 1 Battalion AIF Association, 1938-1950 4 9/6 Correspondence, 1914-1930 4
 SERIES 10: Addresses and speeches, c 1920 Copies of various speeches given by Birdwood, with his handwritten annotations. The majority of the addresses were given during his visit to Australia in 1920. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 10/1 - 10/2 Speeches and addresses given by Birdwood, c 1920 4
 SERIES 11: Dardanelles campaign, 1915-1930 This series comprises correspondence, original orders, operation reports, commission reports and newspaper cuttings relating to the Dardanelles campaign.The correspondents include Colonel Wigram, Lord Kitchener, General Brulard, General Hamilton, Sir Maurice Hankey, General Maxwell and General Godley. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 11/1 Telegrams and letters reporting the landing at Gallipoli; documents on Church Parade and Kitchener's visit to Gallipoli 4 11/2 Copies of letters written by Birdwood to Colonel Wigram, 1915-1919 4 11/3 Operation reports and other documents on the Dardanelles Commission and letter from the Viceroy of India, 1916-1930 5 11/4 Folder headed 'Memorandum' outlining prospective operations at Dardanelles on receipt of original orders, February 1915; folder of letters containing copies and originals of letters exchanged between Birdwood and his generals, 1915-1917 5 11/5 Copies of letters exchanged between Birdwood and General Brulard, the French commander at Gallipoli, 1916; copies of letters written by Birdwood to Colonel Fitzgerald; copies of letters exchanged between Birdwood and General Hamilton, 1915-1917 5 11/6 Copies and originals of letters exchanged between Birdwood and Sir Maurice Hankey, 1915-1916; reports by Birdwood to Kitchener, 1915-1916 5 11/7 Correspondence between Kitchener, Birdwood and General Maxwell, 1914-1915 5 11/8 Reports and order of battle, 1915-1916 5 11/9 Copies of letters from Birdwood to E Grimwood Mears, 1915-1917; commission reports and newspaper cuttings relating to Dardanelles and Mesopotamia and various statements on the Dardanelles campaign, 1917 5 11/10 Correspondence between Birdwood and Generals, Davies, Godley and Byng, 1915 5 11/11 Operations, reports, summaries of war establishments, MEF order of battle and a list of the composition of ANZAC and Signal organisation for combined operations 5 11/12 Correspondence with the War Office and other authorities, 1914-1915 5 11/13 'Operations in' and reports, 1915 6 11/14 'Operations out' and reports, 1915 6 11/15 - 11/16 Printed material on discipline, orders, evacuation orders and letters written by Birdwood to Byng, Cox and Braithwaite concerning operations, 1915 6 11/17 Evacuation files, 1915-1916 6 11/18 Message reports, order and other miscellaneous papers on the campaign and the war, 1915-1927 6 11/19 Typed copy of a letter from Birdwood to Mr Park on the last man to leave Gallipoli, 1933 6
 SERIES 12: Bapaume-Bullecourt campaigns, 1917 This series comprises correspondence, operation reports, draft orders, instructions and other printed material relating to the Bapaume-Bullecourt campaigns on the Western Front in 1917. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 12/1-12/2 Operation reports, draft orders, copies of messages and offensive instructions for the campaign, 1917 6
 SERIES 13: Conscription, 1917 This series comprises correspondence relating to the 1917 referendum on conscription, including letters exchanged between Birdwood, F W Young and Sir Keith Murdoch. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 13/1 Correspondence relating to the referendum, 1917 6 13/2 Written and printed material on the referendum, 1917 6
 SERIES 14: Personal papers, 1916-1920 Personal items compiled by the Birdwood family including drawings and stories. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 14/1 Primrose League Diploma issued to Lady Birdwood; envelope containing locks of her hair and drawings of the Honorable Judith Birdwood; certificates issued to Birdwood, 1916-1918. 7 14/2 Poetry and short stories compiled by Birdwood. 7 14/3 Certificate presented to Birdwood by the 'Diggers of Burnie, Tasmania', 1920 7 14/4 Nine watercolour paintings made by Sapper Moore Jones at Gallipoli, 1915 Folio/oversize 14/5 Testimonial to Lord Birdwood from the women of South Australia Folio/oversize 14/6 Certificates from the Mayor of Hobart and the Council of New Norfolk, Tasmania, 1920 Folio/oversize 14/7 Leather scroll cover Folio/oversize
 SERIES 15: Photographs 1914-1930 Black and white photographs of the Birdwood family and official war photographs, 1914-1930. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 15/1-15/5 Photographs, 1914-1930 7
 SERIES 16: Ephemera, 1915-1930 A collection of stamps, menus, programs, Christmas cards, maps and other items collected by the Birdwood family. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 16/1 Collection of stamps 7 16/2-16/5 Collection of souvenirs including menus, programs, Christmas cards relating to Gallipoli and Lord Birdwood's visit to Australia, 1915-1920; also includes map of the North-West Frontier showing the Commander in Chief's tours, 1925-1930 7 16/6 Address book 7
 SERIES 17: Newspaper cuttings, 1915-1916 News cuttings relating to various events in the First World War. Series/Wallet Title, date and description Box 17/1 -17/ 6 Newspaper cuttings, 1915-1916 8