Gunner George White

[judecowie@mac.com]

Hi All

I am still researching the names on Tickhill War Memorial - the last name is Gunner, George White (14495) of 118th Battery, 130th Brigade RFA - He is buried in Mikra Cemetery in Greece.

Is any further information out there on this soldier or 118 Battery, its whererabouts in February 1919.

Thanks

John

[KevinBattle]

These are the 22 casualties suffered during 1918 and 1919.

Interesting doing the maths for George Gray............!!!

001 BETTERIDGE E 151010 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

002 BROOKS S 29509 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

003 BUGLER W 64988 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 28/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

004 CLARRY GA 66000 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 20/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

005 COURT SB 58917 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 27/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

006 CROFTS JW 4893 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 21/10/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

007 GAY AV 77897 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 28/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

008 GRAY G 245320 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 20/08/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

009 HAYZER JW 38494 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 18/11/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

010 JONES EE 61055 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

011 KELLY W 13254 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 22/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

012 KENDALL RH 71727 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 15/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

013 KIDWELL G 63800 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 07/01/1919 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

014 NEWBY WE 911076 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 24/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

015 PERRY G 121682 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 29/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

016 SIMPSON WE 56250 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 16/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

017 SMITH AS 67952 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 22/06/1917 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

018 THORNTON T 74047 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 17/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

019 WARD A 44584 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 31/10/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

020 WHITE G 14495 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 19/02/1919 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

021 WILSON JW 76404 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 01/05/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

022 WORT W 851446 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 29/09/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

It looks as though they were hard hit by the 'Flu........

[kenf48]

The 130th Brigade was engaged in the Salonika Campaign (Thessalonika - Greece)

http://www.1914-1918.net/salonika.htm

I can't help with the disposition of the battery but the Brigade was, I believe, involved in the 1st Battle of Dourain.

The ratio of casualties due to sickness as opposed to enemy action throughout this campaign was 20:1; apart from illnesses such as dysentery the biggest killer was malaria and the wounded suffered inevitable complications associated with a harsh, extreme climate, so it may have been 'flu but more likely malaria that killed him.

Once posted into theatre there were few opportunities for leave so if he accompanied the battery he probably remained there until his death. According to CWGC the Cemetery is in Kalamaria which was the base for the British Salonika Force, including eighteen hospitals.

An accessible account of the campaign is 'Under The Devil's Eye' by forum pal Alan Wakefield and Simon Moody ISBN 0-7509-3537-5

Gunner White was entitled to BWM and Victory Medal but no other information on his mic. Sadly, the medals were returned unclaimed ("'ret'd' KR 1743")

Ken

Ken

[judecowie@mac.com]

These are the 22 casualties suffered during 1918 and 1919.

Interesting doing the maths for George Gray............!!!

001 BETTERIDGE E 151010 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

002 BROOKS S 29509 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

003 BUGLER W 64988 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 28/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

004 CLARRY GA 66000 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 20/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

005 COURT SB 58917 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 27/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

006 CROFTS JW 4893 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 21/10/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

007 GAY AV 77897 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 28/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

008 GRAY G 245320 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 20/08/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

009 HAYZER JW 38494 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 18/11/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

010 JONES EE 61055 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 23/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

011 KELLY W 13254 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 22/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

012 KENDALL RH 71727 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 15/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

013 KIDWELL G 63800 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 07/01/1919 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

014 NEWBY WE 911076 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 24/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

015 PERRY G 121682 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 29/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

016 SIMPSON WE 56250 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 16/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

017 SMITH AS 67952 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 22/06/1917 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

018 THORNTON T 74047 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 17/12/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

019 WARD A 44584 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 31/10/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

020 WHITE G 14495 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 19/02/1919 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

021 WILSON JW 76404 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 01/05/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

022 WORT W 851446 118TH BTY 130TH BDE 29/09/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

It looks as though they were hard hit by the 'Flu........

Thanks Kevin

Such a tragic loss of life - I had no idea of the scale that disease played in this little known theatre of war - the information is much appreciated.

Regards

John

[judecowie@mac.com]

The 130th Brigade was engaged in the Salonika Campaign (Thessalonika - Greece)

http://www.1914-1918.net/salonika.htm

I can't help with the disposition of the battery but the Brigade was, I believe, involved in the 1st Battle of Dourain.

The ratio of casualties due to sickness as opposed to enemy action throughout this campaign was 20:1; apart from illnesses such as dysentery the biggest killer was malaria and the wounded suffered inevitable complications associated with a harsh, extreme climate, so it may have been 'flu but more likely malaria that killed him.

Once posted into theatre there were few opportunities for leave so if he accompanied the battery he probably remained there until his death. According to CWGC the Cemetery is in Kalamaria which was the base for the British Salonika Force, including eighteen hospitals.

An accessible account of the campaign is 'Under The Devil's Eye' by forum pal Alan Wakefield and Simon Moody ISBN 0-7509-3537-5

Gunner White was entitled to BWM and Victory Medal but no other information on his mic. Sadly, the medals were returned unclaimed ("'ret'd' KR 1743")

Ken

Thanks Ken

Thanks for the information, the campaign in Greece is unfamiliar territory for me, at the moment, - George is the last name on Tickhill's War Memorial but one of the most tragic.

Much appreciated

John

[apwright]

Hi John,

I don't know where 130th Brigade would have been in Feb 1919 - either well up country in Bulgaria, or maybe even on their way home, as the war had finished on 30 September here.

28th Division, to which 130th Brigade were attached, was sent to the Dardanelles in November 1918, but according to the Official History, didn't take any artillery with it.

As Gnr White died at one of the hospitals near the city, it's far more likely, as Ken and Kevin have said, that he died of malaria, flu, dysentry, etc. Unfortunately, the cemetery register doesn't indicate a cause of death in his case.

Shout if you need a photo of the grave. Mikra is only a mile up the road from me.

Adrian

[kenf48]

Apologies for butting in, my interest in the campaign is in two brothers Farmilo who enlisted in the 8th Bn South Wales Borderers on 3 Sept 1914 (17764 & 17765). While the Bn was in Hastings Albert transferred to the Cyclist Corps and found himself as Pte 6098 10th Cyclist Coy and was posted to the MSF on 7.11.15. he only lasted until 15.7.16. when he was invalided home eventually being discharged as no longer fit for active service. Ironically his brother Harry and his Bn went from Hastings to France and then he too went to Salonika (he too was invalided out).

I wonder what motivated the transfer? Under the Devil's Eye has a super picture of cyclists on patrol, do you happen to know where the 10th were on those dates?

Ken

[judecowie@mac.com]

Hi John,

I don't know where 130th Brigade would have been in Feb 1919 - either well up country in Bulgaria, or maybe even on their way home, as the war had finished on 30 September here.

28th Division, to which 130th Brigade were attached, was sent to the Dardanelles in November 1918, but according to the Official History, didn't take any artillery with it.

As Gnr White died at one of the hospitals near the city, it's far more likely, as Ken and Kevin have said, that he died of malaria, flu, dysentry, etc. Unfortunately, the cemetery register doesn't indicate a cause of death in his case.

Shout if you need a photo of the grave. Mikra is only a mile up the road from me.

Adrian

Hi Adrian

Please forgive me for not replying earlier - I have been making enquiries in the village and environs to find relatives but with no success (as yet)

Thanks again for your information - albeit late

Regards

John