5th Infantry Brigade War Diary

[theodore]

Can any member help with information from the 5th Infantry Brigade War Diary regarding:

a) Battalions aboard the troopship SS Herschell 13/14 August 1914.

Officers commanding each Bn. (or half Bn.)

c) Details of arrival at Port (time etc.)

Regards

Peter

[Colin W Taylor]

Peter

I don't have the diary but I've a few battalion war diaries - 2nd HLI were in 5th Bde but were on a different troop ship; 2nd Ox and Bucks were also on this other troopship (SS Lake Michigan) .

Paydirt! - 2nd Connaught Rangers HQ, A B and D Companies were on the SS Hershel. C Coy on SS Seahound. Arrived in Boulogne 5.30 pm on the 14th. CO Lt Col A W Abercrombie.

I sadly do not have 2nd Worcesters war diary but their regimental history has one half battalion on the Michigan and another half on the Hershel. The vessels didn't leave until nightfall on 13th August. CO Lt Col C B Westmacott, 2ic (presumably commanding the other 1/2 of the battalion) Major E B Hankey. Id doesn't say which party arrived first as the Michigan docked three hours before the Hershel.

I hope that helps

Kind regards

Colin

[archangel9]

From the war diary -

(a) The men were very cheerful during the voyage though they were packed like sardines on all decks. ½ Bn. Worcester’s & the whole of the Conn. Rangers arrived at Boulogne at 5 p.m. on board the SS ‘Herschel’.

( b )

Train No. 506 No. 2 Staty. Hos. Officer Comdg. Major W.L. Steele.

Train No. 511 H.Q. & Sig. Sec. Officer Comdg. G.O.C.

Train No. 516 Batt. ½ - Officer Comdg. Lt. Col. Wolfe Murray.

Train No. 520 Batt. ½ - Officer Comdg. Lt. Col. Wolfe Murray.

[Lieutenant Colonel A A Wolfe Murray, 2nd Bn. Highland Light Infantry.]

Train No. 525 Batt. ½ - Officer Comdg. Lt. Col. Westmacott.

[Lieutenant Colonel C. B. Westmacott, 2nd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment.]

Train No. 530 No. 4 Field Butchy & Baky.Officer Comdg. Lt. Haslop A.S.C.

[Lieutenant and Quarter Master John Haslop, Army Service Corps.]

Train No. 549 Batt. ½ - Officer Comdg. Lt. Col. Davies.

Train No. 555 Batt. ½ - Officer Comdg. Lt. Col. Davies.

[Lieutenant Colonel H.R. Davies, 2nd Bn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.]

Train No. 559 No. 2 Sany Sqd. (marching over from Berth 43) – Officer Comdg. Major Ainsworth, RAMC.

[Major Ralph Bognell Ainsworth, Royal Army Medical Corps.]

By Road A & S Highlanders. 10 officers 340 other ranks, 10 horses. Officer Comdg. Major Marshall.

[Major Kenneth Francis Marshall, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders]

( c )

S.S. ‘Lake Michigan’

13th August.

4. About 10 p.m. a shot was heard apparently fired by a warship outside (E) the PORTSMOUTH defences.

5. Orders received not to arrive at BOULOGNE before 2 p.m.

14th August.

1. Sighted 10 battleships & 1 cruiser lying off Boulogne. Arrived off that port at 2 p.m. & ship berthed by 3 p.m.

2. Order of disembarkation (a) Personnel ( b ) Horses ( c ) Vehicles. Bn.’s marched off to No. 1 rest camp (Marlborough) in following order:- Oxford’s, ½ Bn. Worcester’s, H.L.I..

3. The unloading of wagons was very slow indeed & was not complete before 1 a.m. 15th. This was owing partly to lack of stevedores & partly to their indifferent quality. The men were very cheerful during the voyage though they were packed like sardines on all decks. ½ Bn. Worcester’s & the whole of the Conn. Rangers arrived at Boulogne at 5 p.m. on board the SS ‘Herschel’.

As Colin has posted Lt Col A W Abercrombie was officer commanding 2nd Connaught Rangers.

John

[lostinspace]

I think the S.S.Herschel also transported the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (8th Bde., 3rd Div.); two histories mention it - the Connaught (page 401) and the Royal Irish (page 8). The commanding officer of the Royal Irish was Lt. Col. St. John Augustus Cox and the battalion disembarked at 6 pm (on the 14th).

Dave

[archangel9]

Dave,

Yes. From the 2nd Royal Irish War Diary -

Apologies but I don't remember who sent me this war diary transcript.

John

[theodore]

Hi Colin, John and Dave,

Thank you gentlemen for the information which is very much appreciated.

Regards

Peter

[archangel9]

Peter,

I have the war diary up to December 1914 and I'm in the process of transcribing it, so anymore requests give me a shout. Happy to oblige.

John

[johnboy]

The vessel was launched 23/4/14. So nearly new .

[theodore]

John

Thanks for your offer.

I'm researching the 1914 Star men of the 2nd Bn. Worcestershire Regiment (and the Battalions actions etc August - December 1914) so any details regarding this period are most welcome. I have the 2nd Bn. war diary for this time and also the Regimental history by Stacke.

I noted that on 5th Infantry Brigade diary it states that the whole of the 2nd Connaught Rangers were aboard the SS Herschell, but on Colin's posting he says that 'C' Coy were on the SS Seahound (?). the diary seems to give more details (trains etc) for Battalions that embarked on the SS Lake Michigan and not so much for the Herchell (only the 1/2 Bn. Worcesters, train 525).

Regards

Peter

[archangel9]

Colin is correct. From the Connaught Rangers war diary -

"On Herschel HQ, A, B & D Coys & all Regmt. Transport. On Seahound C Coy & all horses"

John

[theodore]

John

Thanks for confirming details for Connaught Rangers.

Peter

[Yannick]

Hi, I am looking for any information about the 5th infantry brigade in particular on 7 sept. 1914. How many were they ? They lived Pezarches at 8.45 and marched to Mauperthuis (long halt) Saints, Beautheil, La Touche and Chailly. My gggfather was living in Beautheil but had left his family on 3 sept. to buy horses for the french army and lead them to Fontainebleau. Any information is welcome. Many thanks for your answers.

Regards, Yannick