James Gordon Legge - World War I

World War I

On 1 May 1914, Legge was appointed Chief of the General Staff, with the rank of full colonel, but he did not sail for home until July 1914. By the time Legge reached Adelaide, war had broken out. With Bridges occupied in organising the First Australian Imperial Force, Legge took over the organisation of the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force for service in New Guinea. When Bridges departed for overseas, Legge took over responsibility for the training of AIF reinforcements.

When Bridges was fatally wounded by a Turkish sniper in Monash Valley in May 1915, Legge was the natural choice of the Australian government to succeed him as both commander of the 1st Division and of the AIF. The Australian field commanders, Colonels Chauvel, McCay and Monash, were disappointed at being passed over by an officer who was their junior, with no recent combat experience and protested to Generals Birdwood and Hamilton. Prime Minister Fisher stood firm on Legge's appointment, attributing Legge's unpopularity to his rise over the heads of other officers through ability, and duly promoted Legge to Major General on 22 June 1915.

Legge reached Mudros on 24 June 1915, and began working on winning the respect of his new subordinates. He arranged for the colonels to be promoted to brigadier general in line with their British counterparts, with seniority back dated to their assumption of brigade command. Legge also fought suggestions by the British to place Australian officers junior to British officers of the same rank. At Birdwood's suggestion, Legge inspected the Australian Base in Egypt and cabled recommendations back to the government in Melbourne. This upset Birdwood, who felt that such communications should go through him.

Legge clashed with Birdwood over the plan for the August Offensive at Anzac Cove. Like his predecessor, Legge felt that the proposed assault on Lone Pine would be costly and most likely futile unless the high ground above it was first seized. Birdwood held that only an attack on a key position like Lone Pine would cause the Turks to divert troops from opposing the main effort. Events would prove both men correct.

Birdwood seized on an opportunity to remove Legge from the scene when Brigadier General McCay, about to take command of the 2nd Division, which had begun forming in Egypt, broke his leg and was evacuated on 11 July 1915. Birdwood sent Legge to Egypt to take over the 2nd Division instead. On appointment to this post, Legge's command of the AIF lapsed.

Legge had no illusions about how difficult getting the 2nd Division ready for action as soon as possible would be, for he knew that many crucial elements of the division were either non-existent or still in Australia. Finding experienced officers for his headquarters staff was no less difficult. Legge's work was still incomplete when Hamilton called the division forward in August for piecemeal commitment at Gallipoli. Legge travelled back to Gallipoli with the 6th Brigade. On 2 September 1915, some 60 km south of Lemnos, the transport HMT Southland was torpedoed by a German submarine. Legge won the admiration of many for the quiet and good humoured way he handled the situation, remaining on board with the last 400 men, who were eventually transferred to the hospital ship Neuralia. About 32 Australians died in the incident.

The 2nd Division relieved the 1st in the line, enabling the veterans to be rested on Lemnos. From mid-October, Legge occasionally acted as corps commander whenever Major General Godley was absent. He became the first Australian to have temporary command of a corps. Legge embarked on a number of schemes to improve the defences at Anzac Cove, which some thought impractical and others thought showed signs of sheer genius. On 23 November 1915, Legge was evacuated to Egypt sick.

In January 1916 Legge resumed command of the 2nd Division in Egypt. On 13 March 1916, the 2nd Division began to entrain for Alexandria on its long journey to the Western Front. On the night of 7 April 1916, the 2nd Division entered the line for the first time, in an area known as "nursery" sector near Armentieres. A quiet section of the line, this sector was used by both sides to acclimatise new units to conditions on the Western Front. The division soon became caught up in raids, and casualties were high because of Birdwood's insistence on manning the front line more densely than recommended.

Moving into the line at Pozieres on 27 July 1916, the commander of the British Reserve Army, General Sir Hubert Gough, ordered Legge to take the Pozieres Heights at once. The attack, delivered on 28–29 July, was a complete failure due to poor preparation, and cost the division some 3,500 casualties. Legge took the majority of the blame for the failure.

In the next few days, Legge strove to get another attack ready, all the while under tremendous pressure from the enemy, who shelled the 2nd Division's positions nonstop, compelling postponement first to the 2nd and then to the 4th of August. Gough and Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig were both displeased with the postponements, which they blamed on Legge. When the attack was finally delivered, it was a complete success, and the Pozieres Heights were under Australian control. Its twelve day tour at Pozieres cost the 2nd Division 6,848 men, almost a third of its strength.

On 28 January 1917, Legge fell ill again with the flu and Birdwood took the opportunity to relieve him of his command. When he recovered, he returned to Australia where he was appointed Inspector General on 30 April 1917. On 1 August 1917, he became Chief of the General Staff again, reverting to his permanent rank of colonel, but retaining the rank of major general as an honorary rank. As Chief of the General Staff, Legge's role was dealing with politicians in Australia, and providing reinforcements for the AIF overseas.