qualified staff officer at the
time attached to the Headquarters Staff of the Commonwealth Forces.
During these six months Major Wilson had an exceedingly difficult task.
It is needless to say that all he was able to do was to carry on ordinary
routine work. There was practically no organization of the department of
the Chief of the Staff. As, on my taking on the duties, Major Wilson's
period of service as a loan officer expired and he was due to return
home, I found myself all alone in my glory. A word of acknowledgment is
due to Major Wilson for the able way in which he battled against the long
odds he had to face.

My first request to the Minister was for the recall of Captain White, a
local officer, who, having been sent home to the Staff College, had taken
high honours, was attached after completing his staff course to one of
the Directorates of the Army Council, and was earning for himself an
excellent reputation, which he has proved by his success in the war. He
is now Major-General Sir Brudnel White and Chief of the Staff himself of
the Australian Forces.

My second request was for the loan of another _p.s.c._ officer from home.
The Minister approved, and within a short time Captain White and Captain
Glasford joined me. Later on the Minister approved of two more _p.s.c._
officers from home on the understanding that each year two local officers
would be selected and sent to Camberley; by doing so we would in time
avoid the necessity of further borrowing.

A great task was before us. My colleagues on the Military Board were each
faced with somewhat similar difficulties, but by working together and
mutually assisting each other we managed to make good progress.

Perhaps our most serious problem was to consolidate the organization of
our universal service system. Each battalion area--and there were several
hundreds, required an officer and at least one sergeant-major as duly
qualified administrators and instructors; each brigade area wanted a
reliable staff. Our finances would not allow us to import them; we had to
train them locally. The establishment of local schools of instruction
achieved this object in due course with satisfactory results.

The next and all-important task was the preparation of sound general and
local schemes of defence for the whole of the Commonwealth--a
far-reaching problem. It not only required endless care and attention in
its conception and construction, but needed to be so thoroughly