Sgt Bernard Martin MM Royal Irish Fusiliers

[mgbarrett1]

Hi all,

I am doing some research on a Sgt Bernard Martin MM i am looking for the location where he won his MM he mentions that he was at a place called KALANDRA church and also Kalandra wood. In the middle of May 1917 he received his medal ribbon from General Milne, on a parade in a field near wessex Bridge along with six other men.He served at the time with the 5th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers in Solonika any info where these locations are would be greatly appreciated

regards Martin

[apwright]

Hi Martin

Your "Kalandra" must be what most histories refer to as Kalendra. The transliteration of Turkish/Greek/Bulgarian placenames from the Ottoman/Greek/Cyrillic alphabets into Roman letters on maps of the period is very fluid, depending on the language of whoever was doing the transliterating - the British, French, Italians, Germans and Austrians all used different systems!

Kalendra is now (and was before the Turks arrived) called Kala Dendra, meaning "Good Trees". It's on Google Earth at 41.1, 23.425. The church (no idea if it's the original one!) is on the southwest edge of the present village.

There are some aerial shots at http://www.airphotos.gr/kaladendra.htm (church on far side in the first two photos).

The name Kala Dendra was contracted to Kalendra sometime in the 1600s under Ottoman rule, but the original name was restored in 1926.

The Wood mentioned (and from which the village got its name) doesn't exist any more, but there was a natural forest of elms south of the village, according to the history here http://www.serrelib.gr/arthra.php?id=19 (in Greek).

Wessex Bridge was an army-built bridge over the Struma between Sakavcha and Karadzakoi Bala (now Livadochori and Monoklissia) at approx. GE 41.0292, 23.3888.

On the evening of 15 May 1917, 31st Brigade (inc. 5/RIF) formed the right flank of an attack by 10th (Irish) Division on the Bulgarian lines from Kalendra up to Prosenik (Skotoussa), Kyupri (Gefyroudi) and Bairakli (Valtero). This was in support of an attack by 85th Bde (28th Div) on two outposts known as Ferdie and Essex Trenches NW of Bairakli Juma (Iraklia).

The Official History has a detailed account of the exploits of 85th Brigade, but nothing about 31st Brigade, alas. They were apparently successful though!

The War Diary of 5th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers should have more details It is at TNA under WO95/4838:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=7&CATID=-2249654&j=1#summary

Unfortunately not available online.

Hope this helps

Adrian

[mgbarrett1]

Adrian,

Thanks a million the info is a great help now that i know where to look. i knew the villages had changed their names but it was beyond me what they were called today again many thanks. I recently got his personal memoirs from his son who is 84 and they are very detailed he gives a good account of the actions at the church and mentions taken over the platoon from sgt Atkins who he said was suffering from shell shock.

While he was in charge, over the course of the action he mentions that out of a force of 50 they lost 21 he mentions that they buried them inside the walls of the church. I was wondering if there is a cemetery at that location?. he also mentions a camp beside 65th kilo stone, any idea what camp it was?

martin

Hi Martin

Your "Kalandra" must be what most histories refer to as Kalendra. The transliteration of Turkish/Greek/Bulgarian placenames from the Ottoman/Greek/Cyrillic alphabets into Roman letters on maps of the period is very fluid, depending on the language of whoever was doing the transliterating - the British, French, Italians, Germans and Austrians all used different systems!

Kalendra is now (and was before the Turks arrived) called Kala Dendra, meaning "Good Trees". It's on Google Earth at 41.1, 23.425. The church (no idea if it's the original one!) is on the southwest edge of the present village.

There are some aerial shots at http://www.airphotos.gr/kaladendra.htm (church on far side in the first two photos).

The name Kala Dendra was contracted to Kalendra sometime in the 1600s under Ottoman rule, but the original name was restored in 1926.

The Wood mentioned (and from which the village got its name) doesn't exist any more, but there was a natural forest of elms south of the village, according to the history here http://www.serrelib.gr/arthra.php?id=19 (in Greek).

Wessex Bridge was an army-built bridge over the Struma between Sakavcha and Karadzakoi Bala (now Livadochori and Monoklissia) at approx. GE 41.0292, 23.3888.

On the evening of 15 May 1917, 31st Brigade (inc. 5/RIF) formed the right flank of an attack by 10th (Irish) Division on the Bulgarian lines from Kalendra up to Prosenik (Skotoussa), Kyupri (Gefyroudi) and Bairakli (Valtero). This was in support of an attack by 85th Bde (28th Div) on two outposts known as Ferdie and Essex Trenches NW of Bairakli Juma (Iraklia).

The Official History has a detailed account of the exploits of 85th Brigade, but nothing about 31st Brigade, alas. They were apparently successful though!

The War Diary of 5th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers should have more details It is at TNA under WO95/4838:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=7&CATID=-2249654&j=1#summary

Unfortunately not available online.

Hope this helps

Adrian

[apwright]

Kilo 65 would be about 40.9848 23.3069 on Google Earth, where the road from Lahana starts to descend into the Struma Valley.

The burials from Kalendra churchyard were relocated to Struma Military Cemetery (41.0180 23.3335, near Kilo 71) in the 1920s,

see http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=35000&mode=1

Adrian

[mgbarrett1]

Thanks Adrian,

He mentions that over the course of the month of March 1917 they lost 21 out of a force of 50 and that they buried them inside the walls of the church the reason i am asking is that his son has just told me on the phone that he has found his platoon roll book and field service handbook which contains a lot of names. i know tha some of the bodies were unrecognisable and that this might even to this day help identify some of them

you don't know who many bodies were removed, for reburial in struma Cemetery?

regards martin

[apwright]

Martin,

I can only find 4 men of 5th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers in named graves at Struma (there are lots more from 2nd and 6th Bns), and 3 of those 4 are from September 1916. These are 16497 Pte William DUGGAN and 16193 Pte Michael McNAMARA, both killed in action 15/9/16, and 2/Lt Frank GREEN, KiA two days later.

The fourth is 7102 Sjt John FOY, who died (probably of disease, as SDGW states "Died") on 23/2/17.

The original cemetery register doesn't say how many bodies were brought in from Kalendra (thanks to Terry Denham for checking for me!), but there are 41 Unknown burials in the cemetery. Of these 41, nine bear dates in Oct and Nov 1916, and another 4 are unknown Royal Dublin Fusiliers, so these can be discounted.

That leaves 28 completely unknown, and I expect your 21 men are among them. The bodies were likely no longer identifiable when exhumed and reinterred.

I'll be visiting the local CWGC HQ next week and will try to remember to ask if they have any more information.

Adrian

[mgbarrett1]

Thanks Adrain ( Thanks to Terry as well)

The only name i can see that he mentions is Lt Frank Green he Says

That on the day that he was killed he was NCO of the watch. The scout officer Mr green at about 10.00am crossed the river with about 15 men to try and locate the enemy's position. They didn't go far untill they were met by a hail of bullets.Only the officer and 2 men returned. The officer was wounded and died that same afternoon.In 1968 while on holidays one of my sons was in yorkshire he went to york. On the roll of honour among the names was Second Lieutanent green 5th Bn Royal irish Fusiliers died of wounds in Struma valley Sept 20th 1916.

Regards Martin

[mgbarrett1]

Thanks a lot Adrian if you could ask it would be great.If we could find out where the Men from Kalendra church were buried in the Cemetry then we might be able to at least say that it is quiet possible that xxxxx is buried here. I May be jumping the gun a bit here but when i read through the Platoon register on monday and over the next few days i will try and identify some of the men that were with him at the Church in the month of March.

Regards Martin

Martin,

I can only find 4 men of 5th Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers in named graves at Struma (there are lots more from 2nd and 6th Bns), and 3 of those 4 are from September 1916. These are 16497 Pte William DUGGAN and 16193 Pte Michael McNAMARA, both killed in action 15/9/16, and 2/Lt Frank GREEN, KiA two days later.

The fourth is 7102 Sjt John FOY, who died (probably of disease, as SDGW states "Died") on 23/2/17.

The original cemetery register doesn't say how many bodies were brought in from Kalendra (thanks to Terry Denham for checking for me!), but there are 41 Unknown burials in the cemetery. Of these 41, nine bear dates in Oct and Nov 1916, and another 4 are unknown Royal Dublin Fusiliers, so these can be discounted.

That leaves 28 completely unknown, and I expect your 21 men are among them. The bodies were likely no longer identifiable when exhumed and reinterred.

I'll be visiting the local CWGC HQ next week and will try to remember to ask if they have any more information.

Adrian

[AndyR]

Adrian

A slight diversion from the main topic (sorry Martin) - I was interested in your statement:

"Wessex Bridge was an army-built bridge over the Struma between Sakavcha and Karadzakoi Bala (now Livadochori and Monoklissia) at approx. GE 41.0292, 23.3888"

As I understand it there were two bridges here: Wessex/Gun Bridge and Jungle Island Bridge. I hadn't really thought about it until I put your location into google maps and the location is the East end of an island covered in trees - do you know if this is the location of "Jungle Island" bridge, or alternatively I see there is another island a little further downstream where the river bends (of course these features may be completely unrelated and the river may have changed considerably in 95 yearsish).

Presumably these would be pontoon bridges?

Thanks

AndyR