The Generals of 1917
The AIF Generals
At the beginning of 1917 the general officers commanding the divisions and brigades of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) were a fairly experienced group, although quite a few were newly promoted or had been recently posted to command a different unit.
Of the five divisional commanders, only Walker (1st Division) had been in command of a division for more than one year. Monash had been in charge of 3rd Division for six months but had not yet led them in action, while the other three had only just taken command of their divisions. Nevertheless these men had gained a wealth of experience coming up over the last two years as battalion, then brigade commanders. Just two of the five (Holmes and Monash) were Australian born, the others being British, although Hobbs had migrated to Australia as a young man in 1887.
Of the fifteen brigade commanders, only three had been brigadiers for over 12 months, six had been for 6-12 months, while the remaining six had less than 3 months experience in the job. Again, even these newer brigade commanders possessed a wealth of experience as battalion commanders. Of these fifteen, twelve were Australian born and of the remaining three Britons, Evan Wisdom had migrated to Australia as a young man.
In early 1917 this group of men represented a mixture of experienced leaders and the newest wave of talent in the AIF to be promoted to the general rank. During the course of 1917 they would be tested harder than ever before. One would be killed in action during the year and the remainder would learn much about leadership and modern warfare, and much about themselves, their men and about loss.
Higher British Command during 1917
ANZAC formations during 1917
- I ANZAC Corps - Lieutenant General Sir William Birdwood
- II ANZAC Corps - Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Godley
- 1st Australian Division - Major General Harold Walker
- 1st Brigade - Brigadier General W. R. Lesslie
- 2nd Brigade - Brigadier General James Heane
- 3rd Brigade - Brigadier General Henry Gordon Bennett
- 2nd Australian Division - Major General Nevill Smyth, VC
- 5th Brigade - Brigadier General Robert Smith
- 6th Brigade - Brigadier General John Gellibrand Mar 1916 - Aug 1917, then Brigadier General John Paton
- 7th Brigade - Brigadier General Evan Alexander Wisdom
- 2nd Australian Division - Major General Nevill Smyth, VC
- 5th Brigade - Brigadier General Robert Smith
- 6th Brigade - Brigadier General John Gellibrand Mar 1916 - Aug 1917, then Brigadier General John Paton
- 7th Brigade - Brigadier General Evan Alexander Wisdom
- 3rd Australian Division - Major General John Monash
- 9th Brigade - Colonel/Brigadier General Alexander Jobson until August 1917 then Brigadier General Charles Rosenthal
- 10th Brigade - Colonel/Brigadier General Walter McNicoll
- 11th Brigade - Brigadier General James Cannan
- 4th Australian Division - Major General William Holmes until killed at Messines on 2 July 1917, then Major General Ewen Sinclair-MacLagan
- 4th Brigade - Brigadier General Charles Brand
- 12th Brigade - Brigadier General James Robertson
- 13th Brigade - Brigadier General Thomas Glasgow
- 5th Australian Division - Major General Joseph John Talbot Hobbs
- 8th Brigade - Brigadier General Edwin Tivey
- 14th Brigade - Brigadier General C. J. Hobkirk
- 15th Brigade - Brigadier General Harold ‘Pompey’ Elliott
- New Zealand Division - Major General Andrew Russell
- 1st Brigade - Brigadier C. H. J. Brown until killed at Messines in July, then Brigadier C. N. Melvill
- 2nd Brigade - Brigadier William Braithwaite
- 3rd (Rifle) Brigade - Brigadier Fulton, then from July Brigadier Earl Johnston
- 4th Brigade - Brigadier Herbert Hart
- British divisions On two occasions during 1917 British divisions were temporarily assigned to II ANZAC Corps to provide it with additional strength for specific operations.
- 25th Division was attached to II ANZAC Corps for the attack on Messines.
- 49th (West Riding) Division was attached to II ANZAC Corps for the attack on Poelcapelle (Battle of Passchendaele) on 9 October.
- 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division was attached to II ANZAC Corps for the attack on Poelcapelle (Battle of Passchendaele) on 9 October.
- See a breakdown of Australian battalions in each brigade