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Remembered Today:

London Regiment War Diaries


River97

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Hi All,

This may be a long shot.

Would anyone have some of the war diaries from July to October 1917 for the London Regiment Battalions Assigned to the 60th Division.

The Battalions were: 2/13th to 2/24th.

Living in Queensland, Australia, makes it hard to get to Kew that often.

The reason I ask is I am writing a manuscript on the war diary of Gunner John Cole who served in the 60th London Division during the war. I have a number of Battalion histories (2/15th, 2/19th, 2/20th, 2/23rd) and the Division History. I have the Battalion history on the way for the 2nd/13th and the 2nd/14th - from Naval and Military Press. There seems to be a fair chunk of blank info for that four month period leading up to the Battle of Beersheba.

Thanks in advance

Cheers Andy.

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Andy, I have 2/19th for that period. Happy to send electronically. Would be interested to know mor about your project. I'm researching 60 Div too, with a current focus on Salonika.

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Charles,

I should have mentioned that I have the 2/19th as it is in the back of the Battalion history.

Now, below are a couple of pages from the manuscript. The type in italic is from the war diary, the normal script is what I have added.

March 16 1917:

Very high water had to wade through river to get our breakfast.

The order for the column to move came so suddenly it also surprised the cooks. With a mix of anger and disbelief the men watched as they tipped the steaming food into the mud. The route was also along a road, which made for easier walking, however, the weather had turned even worse for the last nights march.

March 17 saw a third raid on Brest and the Hodza Redoubt by the same three Battalions as before. Once again it was met with success with the 2nd/24th Battalion, split into nine parties, attacking the town from all directions. They managed to capture the Bulgarian officer in charge as well as 38 others.

966093 Sergeant John Pleace, 29, was born in Tiverton, Devon, the son of George and Mary. He enlisted in Lewisham, Kent, and was sent to ‘D’ Battery, 303rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. John was killed in action on March 17, 1917, and buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece.

March 18 1917:

About 2,000 Bulgar shells dropped into our trenches and only one officer wounded.

The Bulgar’s launched a general bombardment of the line, which started the previous day. It became apparent afterwards that they had put on a show for Prince Boris of Bulgaria, who arrived on March 17.

The 179th Brigade, having arrived from Katerini the previous day, took over the line from the 67th Brigade on the night of March 18. The cost of the 100-mile march was high. 53 members of the Civil Service Rifles alone had been admitted to hospital with various injuries.

William Tibbs wrote an entry into his diary: ‘This march was easily my toughest Army experience. At Karasouli, I actually fell asleep standing up leaning on my rifle for support. Others did the same; we were so exhausted and dare not sit or lie down, because of the mud and slime.’

Those who took part in the trek never forgot. They were changed men, as if they had been through the worst fighting on the Western Front. The distance was well within their capabilities, but what made it so testing was the combination of terrain and foul weather.

March 19 1917:

Parker and I turned out and ‘stood by’ at 4:15am expecting S.O.S.

General Bulfin took command of the new sector on March 19 from the 22nd Division with the headquarters established to Karasouli.

The sector now controlled by the Division ran from the Horseshoe and Kidney Hills in a southerly line through Mihalova and Gavalanci to Avret-Hissar. Their front now consisted of four defensive lines.

The forces opposing each other were between three and four miles apart. The landscape had very few visible scars from the war. Due to the distance there was no threat from rifle or trench mortar fire, so instead of crawling in trenches to the front, the troops could walk upright and above ground behind the lines.

March 20 1917:

Bosche planes dropped bombs around HQ at Causica.

The German’s sent 20 Gotha aeroplanes and other bombers to the Salonika Front at the end of February. They had carried out air raids on an almost daily occurrence since their arrival.

March 22 1917:

Went to HQ with Major’s kit (Major; acting Colonel).

The 181st Infantry Brigade remained in the line east of Lake Doiran until relieved by the 83rd Brigade on March 26. The following day it concentrated near Snevce where it was shelled, suffering some casualties.

124879 Driver Harry Samuel Cranstoun was born in Forest Hill and joined in Lewisham. He was posted into ‘D’ Battery, 303rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Harry must have been evacuated from the Salonika Campaign and died on March 26, 1917. He is buried in the Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta.

March 30 1917:

Bosche planes attacked and destroyed observation balloon close by us. Observers unhurt, came down by parachute.

A section of line in the Doiran – Vardar Sector was allocated to the 181st Infantry Brigade, which it began to occupy on March 30. This was to the left of the other two brigades, the 60th Division was together for the first time in months.

On April 1 Bulgarian Artillery opened up on the front occupied by the 179th Brigade. Shells fell for an hour from 2:40am on Bowl’s Barrow, Hill 275 and Piton 6. A group of enemy, 60 to 100 strong, under the cover of a box barrage suddenly appeared in front of the trenches. Some reached the Parapet, however, got no further. A patrol of the Queen’s Westminster’s came in contact with them and after a short fight they were repulsed. Two soldiers of the 2nd/16th Battalion, Arthur Miller and Edgar Channon were killed in action with another nine suffering wounds.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see there are a number of names and details of the fallen, I have quite a few throughout, all from the Artillery branch. CWGC and SDGW have provided the details for these. I have found these fallen in England, France, Salonika, Malta, Egypt, Palestine and Italy.

The idea is to enhance on every entry John Cole wrote in his diary. I have about 130 to go.

At the end of each chapter I have included the basic details of the Divisions fallen from a particular cemetery in the theatre they were in at the time. From France I have Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mont-St. Eloi, France, Salonika is - Salonika (Lembet Road) War Cemetery, Greece, Egypt and Palestine I have four - the different phases - Beersheba War Cemetery, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery and Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial for the Indian soldiers who joined the Division in 1918.

So, there's a snippet, let me know what you think.

Cheers Andy.

Charles, if you need some info on the Division, as I said, I have four Battalion histories, another two on the way and the Division history, so if you need some info just send me a PM or a thread.

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Andy, thanks for that post, very informative. It reads very well. Would you mind if I included some excerpts in a paper I am writing on the 60 Division in Salonika? I have/am giving it as a talk to several branches of the WFA.

I should add that I know some of the places you refer to, and will be going there again in September this year along with a group of others from the Salonica Campaign Society.

I have histories of 60 Div, 2/19th, and photocopies of the relevant Salonika chapters from 2/13th, 2/16th, 2/23rd, City of London Yeomanry (Roughriders).

Other published 60 Div accounts which I have found useful wrt the Divs time in Salonika and which I would recommend getting hold of are:

  1. 'Signal Corporal' by Ernest May, 2/18th
  2. 'Long Un, A Damn Bad Soldier' by Bernard Livermore, 2/20th
  3. 'The Romance of The Last Crusade - With Allenby to Jerusalem' by Major Vivian Gilbert, 180 Bde MG Coy
  4. 'Amateur Gunners, The adventures of an amateur soldier in France, Salonica and Palestine in the RFA' by Capt A Douglas Thorburn RFA of 2/22nd County of London Howitzer Battery RFA

I have lots of electronic copies of war diaries for the div's time in Salonika. I havent quite finished, but have most apart from 179 Bde and parts of 180 Bde. Let me know if you need anything.

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Charles,

Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send you the whole chapter on Salonika.

Cheers Andy.

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Andy, will do. I will send you my paper on Salonika in return, it has some transcripts from material held by the IWM you may not have seen.

Cheers

Charles

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