We have recently had under consideration the question of
arrangements for the equipment and employment of the Sixth
Australian Division. As you are aware, it is expected that the
Division would be fully trained by the end of September next and
equipment up to full war scale could be provided by then. We
should hope that when fully trained and equipped, it would be
possible for Division to be made available for employment on
active service forthwith in any theatre of war which the strategic
situation at the time might require.

This, however, might involve separation of the Sixth Division from
the remainder of the Australian contingent. We fully appreciate
and indeed share the desire of the Commonwealth Government to
secure the formation of an Australian Army Corps, but it would
clearly be impracticable for the Corps to be employed as a whole
in active operations until the Seventh Australian Division and
Corps troops have been assembled and have reached the same stage
of training as the Sixth Australian Division. On the other hand,
to postpone employment of the Sixth Division until the remainder
of the Corps were ready might be open to objection from the point
of view of equipment supply, since it would otherwise be possible
to use the equipment destined for the Sixth Australian Division to
complete some other Division which by then would be trained and
ready to take the field.

It is not possible at this stage to indicate where the Sixth
Australian Division could most appropriately be used, but in the
meantime we should be glad of the general views of the
Commonwealth Government on the issue raised. If the Commonwealth
Government decide that the Sixth Australian Division when fully
trained and equipped may be used forthwith on active service, the
question of where the base and reinforcements should be located
would also arise. [1]