2/127 Baluchi L.I. in Palestine 1918

[ShirlD]

I have unearthed an old family album with interesting photos of my father-in-law, who is with 2/127 Baluchi LI as part of 'the retreat' about September 27, 1918. I wondered if there was any detailed information anywhere about this?

Cheers

Shirley

[River97]

Shirley,

Here is some info......

They joined the 179th Infantry Brigade, 60th London Division on June 26, 1918, after the reorg of British units after the German offensive along the Western Front. Seven of the Battalions were shipped to France, two were disbanded and the other three remained. Their places were taken with the influx of Indian units.

I wrote memorial history of the Division from the war diary of my Great Great Grand Pa (see Signature) and these are the entries that pertain to the Battalion.

Cheers Andy.

May 24 1918:

Went on anti-aircraft for three days. Did 2 guard duties.

Events on the Eastern Front were having direct implications on the 60th Division. With the collapse of Russia the German High Command had been able to transfer some 300,000 men to the Western Front. When the offensive began in March against the 5th Army it became a necessity to transfer all available troops to Europe.

Two Divisions, the 52nd and 74th were withdrawn and sent to France and the remaining Divisions, including the 60th, were depleted of their Infantry units.

Seven Battalions from the London Division, 2nd/14th, 2nd/15th, 2nd/16th, 2nd/17th, 2nd/20th, 2nd/23rd and 2nd/24th were given orders for France. The 2nd/18th and 2nd/21st were disbanded to make up the numbers for the departing units. This left only the 2nd/13th, 2nd/19th and 2nd/22nd Battalions, one for each Brigade. Infantry Battalions began moving out of the Divisional Area on May 27.

June 11 – 14 1918:

On anti-aircraft again.

On June 12, 1918, the First Surrey Rifles, the 2nd/21st Battalion, London Regiment, ceased to exist. Just 12 days before she had had a strength of 34 officers and 655 other ranks. Four officers and 173 men were allocated to the 2nd/13th Battalion, six officers and 229 soldiers were off to the 2nd/19th Battalion and six officers and 245 other ranks went to the 2nd/22nd Battalion. The remainder were to become replacements for other units.

June 26 1918:

Pulled out and tracked to Jufna, about 9 miles, arrived there about 6:00am on the 27th.

The 2nd/127th Baluchi’s arrived on this day and joined the 179th Infantry Brigade. Three days earlier the 2nd/19th Punjabi’s had also been absorbed into the Brigade.

At the same time the 130th Baluchi’s were joining the 181st Infantry Brigade. This being the second of the Londoners Infantry Brigades to be bought back up to strength.

July 19 1918:

Turned out with pair of lead mules on ration wagon to Kilo 1 at 9:00am.

The son on Nur Din, Sepoy Bagh Ali, service number 5755, was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 127th Queen Mary’s Own Baluch Light Infantry. He died on July 19, 1918, and was buried in Limber Hill Military Cemetery. After the war this cemetery could not be maintained and Nur is now commemorated on the Ramleh 1914-18 Memorial.

On May 30, 1919, the London Gazette published a list in the sixth supplement of officers and soldiers who had been awarded medals whilst part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Below are those from the Division and the awards they received.

Military Cross

Lieutenant Harold Hargreaves, 2nd/127th Baluchi’s

[ShirlD]

That's brilliant Andy, thanks. We have discovered another area of operation. Oliver was at Gallipoli, then Mesopotamia, wounded at Hai River and Shrumran Bend, and ended up in Palestine.

Cheers

Shirley

[Guest Bill Woerlee]

Shirley

Just to add to River97's comments.

In September 1918, the 179th Brigade was made up as follows:

G.O.C. - Br. General E. T. Humphreys, D.S.O.

The Brigade consisted of the following battalions:

2/13th London Regiment.

2/19th Punjabis.

3/151st Punjabi Rifles.

2/127th Baluchi L.I.

The last diary entry I have relating to the 179th Brigade in the 60th Division war diary is for 25 September 1918, 9.15am:

Divisional Headquarters closed at Kalkilieh. Divisional Headquarters and 179 Brigade Group including 302 Brigade Royal Field Artillery and 179 Machine gun Company moved during the morning from Kalkilieh to Mulebbis and area east of it. 179 Infantry Brigade stopped for a 4 hours halt at Ras el Ain to allow the men to bathe and finally reached bivouac at 1730. Headquarters at P.1.a.0.0.

Since the Division remained at this location until 6 October 1918, we can be reasonably confident that your photograph was taken in the immediate eastern vicinity of Mulebbis on 27 September 1918. The map below illustrates the march route from Kalkilieh to Mulebbis.

The above map was produced in 1918 and illustrates that Mulebbis was specifically a Jewish settlement - nicely marked with a Star of David. Since this area is nicely built over as a suburb of Tel Aviv - Petah Tikva - you will have little opportunity to find the location today of that photograph and compare the sites as it is now converted into a soulless urban landscape of breeze block and concrete. Pity that.

Cheers

Bill

[ShirlD]

Thanks for that Bill, it adds interesting detail to the family research

Cheers

Shirley

[River97]

Shirley,

If you are interested the History of the 60th Division (2/2nd London Division), Colonel P.H. Dalbiac, is published by Naval and Military Press and available through their web site. There may be others there that may be of some value also.

Cheers Andy.