Gardenerbill Posted 31 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 31 March , 2014 The next move At the end of October and the beginning of November the company is still at So Vrac and is having difficulty getting spares. Lieutenant Creedy is struck off Strength. The next move proves problematic: 14th November 1918 ‘All available lorries viz 1 workshop 1 store 5 lorries together with 5 of 346 Coy were loaded. Owing to rain it was considered impossible to cross the Struma plain so an attempt was decided upon to go by Strumica. Convoy which was much delayed owing to 346 Coy lorries being in the mud. Left finally at 13.00 & got to Kilo 21 on the Petric Strumica road at About 18.30 It was decided to park up for the night as the road was So bad as to be unsafe after dark. Lorries parked & guard mounted at 19.00. 15th November 1918 ‘An alarm of fire was raised at 06.30 this proved to be L1021 belonging to 346 Coy & was caused by Pte Lane striking a match & dropping on floor of Lorry. Prompt action prevented fire spreading to other lorries but serious Damage was caused in destruction of two motorcycles & a lot of kit. Pte Lane was put under arrest for breach of Coy orders. At 07.30 it was decided inadvisable to proceed further on the Strumica Route owing to snow & dangerous state of road so arrangements were made to proceed via Rupel to Vetrina & there endeavour to arrange to put Lorries on rail for Janes Vetrina was reached at 16.30 and a temporary camp was made R.T.O. Vetrina arranged to entrain 12 vehicles next day out of the 14 requiring trucks. Wire to C.H.Q. reporting action taken.’ I assume R.T.O. is Railway Transport Officer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 3 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2014 16th November 1918 The move continues: Entraining commenced at 10.00 & 9 lorries & light car were entrained at 12.00 total of 10 vehicles. R.T.O. arranged to entrain & despatch 3 more that day leaving 1 vehicle to entrain next day 2/Lt Allen was left in charge to complete movement. 10 trucks left at 16.30 O.C. in charge & reached Poroj at 20.00 Here load was found too heavy for locomotive so 5 trucks were detached to come on by next train an hour later. Next train came & was unable to take on the five trucks at nearly 24.00 another train came on with three trucks carrying 801 convoy lorries so I proceeded with this train to Janes passing the first 4 side tracked at Doiran. This entrainment took place at the Vetrina railhead which is at the southern end of the Rupel pass on the Salonika Seres Railway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 5 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 5 April , 2014 Over the next 2 days the move to Janes is complete 17/11/18 Arrived at Janes with three lorries at 07.30 and detrained without delay. Chose camp & arranged to erect tents & then returned with one lorry to Ry Stn to interview R.T.O. Four more trucks bearing lorries came in at about 09.00 & were immediately detrained. Rations were drawn & camp arrangements set going. I then reported to A.Q.M.G. 16th Corps who approved of camp chosen & arranged to wire R.T.Os Doiran & Vetrina for remaining vehicles. C.H.Q. were unable to account for the defection of the 6 lorries of 778 Coy promised for the move. The five vehicles detained at Poraj arrived at Janes at about 10.00 and were Detrained & in camp before midnight. 18/11/18 The remaining vehicle L3644 i/c of 2/Lt Allen which had been entrained at Vetrina on 17/11/18 arrived in camp at 09.30 thus completing the movement. Message was recd from C.H.Q. to return the 5 lorries of 346 M.T. Coy to Guvesne 4 were returned but the damaged lorry was detained pending a court of inquiry into cause of fire. Application made to C.H.Q. for a Court of Enquiry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 6 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 6 April , 2014 November 1918 At the end of November the company has 1 lorry on Company duty, 4 on detail, 1 on repairs and 1 on standby, they have 1 car on company duty and 1 on detachment. Then Influenza breaks out in the camp: Pte Bryant detained at 84th F.A. Pte Scott & Wakeford detained at 84th F.A. Ptes Bentley & Kent detained at 84th F.A. on 22/11/18 Pte Brassington detained at 84th F.A. Ptes Scott & Wakeford discharged from 84th F.A. Pte Hay detained at 84th F.A. Pte Bryant discharged from 84th F.A. Pte Scott admitted to 84th F.A. Pte Croft detained at 84 F.A. Pte Kent discharged from 84th F.A. Pte Brassington died at 84th F.A. Cpls Black Ptes Barton, Thwaite, Stuart, Thompson & Reeves detained at 84th F.A. Ptes Wakeford & Duff detained at 84th F.A. Pte Bentley 7 days hosp S.O.S. This month has been marked by a serious outbreak of Influenza which has not yet abated. The medical authorities have been asked to inspect camp & suggest measures to curtail the epidemic but so far no steps have been taken beyond isolating sick men in a special tent. In total 9 men are hospitalised, 1 man died, Private W Brassington is buried at Sarigol Military Cemetery Kriston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 7 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 7 April , 2014 December 1918 The diary entries settle into a routine only broken by 2 more sad entries for casualties of the flu epidemic: Pte Barton W died in 28th Gen Hosp Private Barton is buried at Mikra British Cemetery Kalamaria Sgt Douglas died in 25th C.C.S. Sergeant W Douglas was 38 when he died and is buried at Sarigol Military Cemetery Kriston. Son of the late William and Barbara Douglas; husband of Margaret Douglas, of 2, Horsleys Buildings, Morpeth, Northumberland. Native of Cupar, Fife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 8 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 8 April , 2014 January 1919 Most of the entries in January are like this, just the numbers vary: Lorries Coy duty 1 Base Repairs 2 Repairs 1 Detail 1 Standby 3 Cars Coy duty 1 On Dett 1 Then at the end of the month a change of CO. On 30/1/19 orders arrived from D.S.T. to hand over 801 M.T. Coy to Lt C.R.M. Parr A.S.C. and for Major Holland to report to B.M.T.D. to await passage to U.K. Authy D.S.T. P89/65 dd. 29/1/19. Lt Parr arrived on 30th & hand over commenced which was completed on 1/2/19 & necessary certificates signed. H.N. Holland Major R.A.S.C. 801 M.T. Coy R.A.S.C. Field 1/2/19 Lt C.R.M. Parr R.A.S.C. took over command of 801 M.T. Coy R.A.S.C from Major Holland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 April , 2014 February to March 1919 Despite 6 Ors reporting for duty from the Base M.T. Depot demobilisation begins with 9 ORs proceeding to concentration camp to await passage to UK for demobilisation. Into March and 5 more ORs proceed to concentration camp for demobilisation, but oddly there are still men arriving 2nd Lieut Allen R.A.S.C. reports for duty from 43rd General Hospital, Lt G.P. Hunt R.A.S.C. and 1 more OR report for duty from Base MT Depot. Does anyone know if there was any preference given to family men, long service or age in determining who went home first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 9 April , 2014 Share Posted 9 April , 2014 I don't know, but were all men only enlisted for duration of war or were some regulars and still had time to serve? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 April , 2014 I assumed that as this company was formed in 1916 it would comprise volunteers signed up for the duration, however some of the men could have come from other units, such as the class Bs. Would a class B regular be kept on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 9 April , 2014 Share Posted 9 April , 2014 I really don't know. Just posing the question, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 10 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 April , 2014 The final entries April 1919 At the beginning of April the 801st still has 5 lorries and 2 workshop lorries in operation. Lt Hunt is now in charge but there is no record of a hand over of command. 2 lorries & 2 men isolated on account of outbreak of small pox at P of H camp Guvenci 8 N.C.Os and 10 men reported for duty from Base M.T. Depot. 5 Maltese personnel reported for duty from Base M.T. Depot. 26/4/19 Lorries on Coy duties 7 moved to Base, SALONIKA for disbandment Authy D.S.T. P56/2 a/y 24/4/19 28/4/19 5 N.C.Os & 19 men posted to B.M.T. Depot. The last 30/4/19 1 lorry Coy duties handed over workshop lorry Ro 3649 to disbandment camp checked tools & equipment & everything correct G.P. Hunt Lt R.A.S.C. O.C. 801 M.T. Coy R.A.S.C. Thank you to everyone who has helped with my questions and with deciphering some of the words on blurred images, your suggestions have been very helpful. One final question what would a P of H camp be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 10 April , 2014 Share Posted 10 April , 2014 Could it be POW? Time for a posting of the line involved?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 11 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2014 Spot on Johnboy, I read it as an H but if you look at the word workshop a few lines lower it's a W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 11 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 11 April , 2014 Now I look at it again I am not sure I got the place name right after the word camp looks like Guyenci? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 11 April , 2014 Share Posted 11 April , 2014 The writing is very feint and worse when magnified. Could the first letter be a P? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apwright Posted 12 April , 2014 Share Posted 12 April , 2014 I think it's probably "Gugunci" (variant spelling of Čugunci), now Megali Sterna.The CWGC's historical info for Karasouli Cem refers to graves brought initially to Causica from "Gugunci" with a G. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 12 April , 2014 Author Share Posted 12 April , 2014 Thanks Adrian, the capital letter G appears near the top of the page and its the same as the first letter here so I am quite happy with Gugunci. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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