Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot

[David Seymour]

Reading an account of a funeral for a soldier in Salisbury in 1916 I note that the firing party was found from the Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot. Can anyone shed any light on this unit?

Many thanks for any help.

Regards,

David

[Ken S.]

The Library and Archives of Canada has records for a Surplus Baggage Depot for the 1st and 2nd Divisions.

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/results/all?FormName=Fed+Results&PageNum=1&SortSpec=score+desc&Language=eng&QueryParser=lac_&Sources=&Archives=&SearchIn_1=&Operator_1=AND&SearchIn_2=&SearchInText_2=&Operator_2=AND&SearchIn_3=&SearchInText_3=&MaterialDateOperator=after&MaterialDate=&ResultCount=5&SourceQuery=&Sources_1=amicus&Sources_2=mikan&Sources_3=genapp&Sources_4=web&soundex=&cainInd=0&SearchInText_1=%22Surplus+Baggage+Depot%22

[David Seymour]

Ken,

Many thanks for the reference. Is there a link to a digital record?

Regards,

David

[Moonraker]

Salisbury's an interesting place for the Canadians to have had such a depot. The bulk of the First Contingent left Salisbury Plain in February 1915, with residual units departing the following month. Thereafter there was very little Canadian presence in Wiltshire for the remainder for the war. Salisbury wasn't convenient when it came to railway connections with the rest of the country, and there must have been pressure on accommodation there from the 130,000 or so soldiers (British and ANZAC) based on the Plain.

I'll take a liberty and post a query about the Depot on the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study group forum. I'll post any information here.

Moonraker

[David Seymour]

Moonraker,

Many thanks. I look forward to the reply from the CEF forum.

Regards,

David

[Moonraker]

My query on the CEF Study Group Forum has piqued the interest of another of its members, who couldn't find the Depot mentioned in Colonel A F Duguid's The Official History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War. The digital records mentioned above are for later than 1916, but those of the First Division's Depot (not available on line) may shed a clue or two.

Just before departing to France in February 1915, First Division officers' kit was strictly limited to 35 pounds and was checked on a scale. Some inexperienced officers bedecked themselves with automatic pistols, binoculars, water-bottles, periscopes, wire-cutters, torches, haversacks, amputating knives, can-openers, corkscrews, oyster knives, range-finders, cameras, compasses, flasks, marling spikes and other trinkets. Progressively they had to discard items until they satisfied the officer in charge of the scales. These had to be stored somewhere, presumably locally, perhaps Tidworth Barracks, where there was briefly a Canadian Training Depot in early 1915.

Though through the rest of the war Canadian troops were based a long way from Salisbury Plain there wasn't much point in moving the First Division's baggage, certainly not at first, and perhaps a small number of Canadians were tasked with looking after it, maybe having the sad task of disposing of the personal belongings of dead men.

One might wonder why the Depot found a firing party for the soldier mentioned by David - did he have a connection with the dominion? Details of the funeral and the deceased would be of interest.

Moonraker

[David Seymour]

Moonraker,

Many thanks for posting on the CEF forum. I have been there and seen the discussion.

The individual concerned was Pte. Arthur Edward Chambers, a stalwart of St. Martin's Church in Salisbury before leaving for Canada in 1911. Wounded in France in September 1916, whilst serving with the Central Ontario Regt., he died, from pneumonia following an operation, in Chatham hospital in October 1916. Major Watts is mentioned in connection with the Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot. Arthur is buried in the London Road Cemetery, Salisbury.

Regards,

David

[David Seymour]

The Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot was also involved in the following three funerals:

Captain James Hannay Stewart McClure, 16th Battalion Manitoba regt., died on 17/6/16 and is buried in London Road Cemetery, Salisbury. He had taken up duty with the Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot after having been invalided to England from France. He died of pneumonia at Salisbury Infirmary.

Private John Thresher, 2nd Devons, died of wounds on 13/7/16 in Salisbury Infirmary. He is buried in Devizes Road Cemetery, Salisbury. The bearers were provided by Major Watts of the Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot.

Corporal Arthur Cudmore, 4th Labour Battalion Royal Engineers, died of wounds at Salisbury Infirmary on 4/1/17. He is buried in Devizes Road Cemetery, Salisbury. The Canadian Surplus Baggage Depot provided six bearers.

Regards,

David

[Moonraker]

David: thanks for these extra details. I've tried to PM you, but got this message "The member David Seymour cannot receive any new messages". Dunno if this is due to one of the glitches of the Forum revamp of if your PM box is full. Perhaps you could try PMing me with your email address, please. If this doesn't work, I'll give it a week or two then try PMing you again.

Moonraker

[David Seymour]

PM box only 70% full, so have PM'd you my email.

Regards,

David

[centurion]

Salisbury wasn't convenient when it came to railway connections with the rest of the country,

Which could be why it wasn't all sent somewhere else - easier to leave it where it was.

I've some photos of some of the buildings used by the 1st Canadian contingent in 1915 for administration - I'll scan and post this evening - it may well have been one of them

[centurion]

1st scan - the Comforts depot and the cavalry hospital

[centurion]

2nd Scan Canadian huts at Larkhill

[David Seymour]

Hi Centurion,

Interesting photos. Any ideas on locations for the first scan?

With best wishes,

David

[centurion]

Hi Centurion,

Interesting photos. Any ideas on locations for the first scan?

With best wishes,

David

First one is the Vicarage Amesbury the second isn't as I said the cavalry hospital but is the Cavalry school at the General Hospital Netheravon

[centurion]

3rd Scan - Burford Manor used as a hospital and for administration - they had some flooding

[David Seymour]

Centurion,

Many thanks for the photos and info.

Regards,

David

[Moonraker]

...the second isn't as I said the cavalry hospital but is the Cavalry school at the General Hospital Netheravon

The riding school-building at Netheravon Cavalry School was considered for hospital use by the Canadians but was so vast that it would have needed innumerable stoves to warm it. Authority to take over all of the Cavalry School was given on December 16, enabling 342 beds to be provided. (When the Canadians handed back the accommodation at Netheravon in mid-March, a Royal Army Medical Corps colonel refused to accept it until the guardroom had been holy-stoned to snowy whiteness.)

Two large houses nearby – Figheldean Manor and Ablington House – were taken over as convalescent homes for Canadians recovering from sickness. Figheldean Manor still stands, Ablington House was demolished a few years ago.

Moonraker