1st Scottish Horse - Evacuation from Suvla December 1915

[Falloden]

Dismounted troops of the Ist Scottish Horse, under the direction of Major the Hon Rupert E S Barrington, were evacuated in secrecy from Suvla in December 1915 on HMT "East Point" which was under the command of my grandfather Captain H.J.Young DSC. I have a detailed letter from my grandfather to his sisters-in-law describing the incident.

I am keen to locate a military account, either in the War Diaries of 1st Scottish Horse or in the Journal of Major Barrington, relating to the evacuation on "East Point" which at that stage of the campaign was in a badly damaged state.

If anyone can provide such information I would be most grateful.

[alantwo]

The 1/1 Scottish Horse War Diary is available to download from the NA but it only lists casualties and is without other comment on the day. The HQ Scottish Horse Brigade War Diary is in the same download but this merely states:

SUVLA GALLIPOLI 19th Dec Brigade left SUVLA. GALLIPOLI en route to IMBROS

IMBROS 20th Dec Arrived IMBROS

IMBROS 23rd Dec Brigade left IMBROS en route to MUDROS

MUDROS 24th Dec Brigade arrived MUDROS

The arrival of the ship is not stated in the Embarkation Officer (Mudros) War Diary but it left on 29th December:

Wednesday 29th [Dec] EAST POINT sailed today for Alexandria with details R.F.A. as escort to stores.

There is no other mention of the ship in this War Diary which began on 6th June 1915 and ended 11th February 1916. I have however found this War Diary to be incomplete on several previous occasions.

Regards

Alan

[Falloden]

Many thanks for the information on 1/1 Scottish Horse Alan.

The following is a brief extract from a lengthy letter my Grandfather, Captain H J Young, DSC, wrote from Alexandria on 15.02.1916:

""We left hurriedly at the end, when this wreck of a ship (East Point) was filled with every conceivable old thing from dead men's clothes and empty cartridge cases to heavy field guns and motor ambulances, we sailed away with 400 troops on board, brought down at night straight from the firing line. By the way, all we had left in the way of life-saving appliances was one good boat and just 55 lifebelts: the ship was in a sinking condition and the sea infested with submarines. All kinds of people were about that trip: Viscount Barrington's son and heir (of the Scottish Horse) was in charge of the troops, and Baron de Roebeck's slept under the cabin table. We had no accommodation for so many officers - twenty of them slept in a canvas wigwam on the Lower Bridge for a week. Lord Howard de Walden was there, but did not notice who brought him away . Probably people in England did not hear what appointment he graced at Suvla - Inspector of Latrines"

My grandfather commanded SS East Point from 1909 to her sinking by torpedo in 1917. He complained that the the Government only paid £109 per day plus coal for taking up ss East Point and crew as a Naval Transport during the Dardanelles campaign. The four page letter to his sister-in-law continues with trenchant criticism of the waste and muddle and with criticism of the Government.

[alantwo]

Interesting account would you have time to post any more of the letter?

Regards

Alan

[Falloden]

The paragraph transcribed relates specifically to the evacuation of Suvla about which I am trying to source more information from military records or journals. The rest of the letter deals with the damage and misuse of his ship, the sheer waste of the Gallipoli campaign and concerns about matters at home, particularly the Zeppelin raids on Britain. I will try and find time to transcribe this and other letters in full.

In view of a six month queue for dry docking and repair at Alexandria, Captain Young temporarily patched ss East Point and sailed her through the Mediterranean and across the North Atlantic to Philadelphia for repair in then neutral USA. I have a contemporary local newspaper cutting describing the ship's exploits in melodramatic detail which he also sent with a covering letter to his sisters in law.

[Falloden]

I am still looking for any information on the evacuation of Ist Scottish Horse  from Suvla in December 1916.  Interest has been revived in the history of my grandfather's ship "East Point" as her wreck in the English Channel is apparently a popular diving site.

[Falloden]

https://www.plymouthdivers.org.uk/east-point/

[michaeldr]

Looking at the WD for the 1/1 Scottish Horse, the entry for 20 DEC 1915 reads: quote - Evacuation of Suvla Bay was completed by 3.00am 20/12/15 

Ray Westlake's book British Regiments at Gallipoli informs that they went from Suvla to Imbros

Returning to the WD for the 1/1 Scottish Horse, the entry for 24 DEC 1915 reads: quote - Embarked SS Barry proceeded to Mudros and there transhipped (sic) to HMT 'Scotian'

 

 

[michaeldr]

On 20/03/2014 at 16:36, Falloden said:

Dismounted troops of the Ist Scottish Horse, under the direction of Major the Hon Rupert E S Barrington

 I have not been able to trace this officer in the WD - he is not listed there as being among the 1/1 Scottish Horse officers

 

[Falloden]

Thanks for looking.  

Apparently Major Barrington compiled a Journal based on the regular letters he sent to his wife from Gallipoli but I have had no response from IWM

who apparently hold the document.

[michaeldr]

On 09/05/2014 at 17:07, Falloden said:

Roebeck's

Falloden,

Is this a type error or is a word missing? Who or what was under the table?

Regards, Michael

[Falloden]

4 hours ago, michaeldr said:

Falloden,

Is this a type error or is a word missing? Who or what was under the table?

Regards, Michael

.... Baron de Roebeck's (son) slept under the cabin table ....

[michaeldr]

13 hours ago, Falloden said:

Baron de Roebeck's (son) slept under the cabin table ....

It seems likely that this would be John Henry Edward Fock (1895–1965) but I've been unable to find any further info

On 09/05/2014 at 15:07, Falloden said:

Lord Howard de Walden was there, but did not notice who brought him away .

Although "did not notice who brought him away" sounds like he was evacuated by another vessel, nevertheless there's something on him here https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chirk-castle/news/october---thoughts-of-home-from-a-father-at-war. While he was on Gallipoli, his wife ran a hospital for officers in Egypt; Convalescent Hospital No.11, Old Agency, Mustapher, Alexandria

 

[Falloden]

Thanks for the updates on my grandfather's illustrious evacuees.  As his ship's accommodation had been previously almost totally destroyed by fire after Turkish shelling, the evacuated officers had to make do living "under canvas" on the deck.

[michaeldr]

Alas, I'm no further forward in identifying the true position of Barrington in this tale, however I may be able to clarify slightly the Scottish Horse's movements and who the troops were that evacuated on 11^th/12th December 1915.

This from the IWM's statement re their microfilm collection of 'Private Papers of Major The Hon R E S Barrington DSO'

quote - “.. the first volume (67pp) covering his service as a Squadron Leader with the 1st Scottish Horse at Gallipoli, August - December 1915, where he landed at Suvla Bay on 3 September and describes the disease prevalent on the Peninsula and his work on SS EAST POINT and SS BEACHY supervising their loading for the final evacuation...”

 

However, there are more details in the NA's catalogue description ( https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/00306193-2248-4970-9b15-6c7950868d4f )

“Vol. 1. In August 1915 Barrington, a Squadron Leader in the 1st Regiment Scottish Horse, embarked for Gallipoli, landing under fire at Suvla Bay on 3 September. He describes the disease and flies which plagued the forces there, although he was involved in little action. On 11 December he was ordered as O.C. Troops on SS East Point to supervise the loading of the boat for evacuation. On 18 December he moved to the SS Beachy doing the same work and himself left on that ship from Suvla Bay.” (emphasis added)

 

Looking at the WD of the 1st Scottish Horse, Barrington does not appear in the list of officers (see post above)

The next problem is that the date he gives for landing is wrong, though this is not an unheard of error in private diaries and correspondence

The 1^st Scottish Horse landed at Suvla in three parties on 2^nd September 1915:

first party at 01:30, second party at 02:00 and third party at 03:00

On 11^th & 12^th December 1915 the 1^st SH's WD gives no indication whatsoever of any evacuation of any of its troops.

 

On 11^th December 1915 however, there was a movement of 2^nd Scottish Horse: “2/Lt W S Reid & 20 OR lightly sick left for Mudros”

and in what appears to be the entry for the next day, 12^th December 1915, there was the commencement of the evacuation:

“Amended establishment was ordered reducing Regiment to 1 Squadron of 135 with 7 officers. The remainder comprising chiefly HQ 2^nd Regt. evacuated at 1800 under Capt. E M Murray and embarked for MUDROS at midnight, proceeding thence direct to ALEXANDRIA on board HMT 'ASCANIA' and arriving there on 19^th......”

 

Turning to the 3^rd Scottish Horse WD – their entry for 11^th December 1915 gives no indication any embarkation.

On 12^th December 1915 however there is a note that

“4 officers, Major Gough, Lt Haws (spelling?), 2Lt Mitchell, 2Lt Millar & 7 OR ranks (sic) left Regiment” and this almost certainly refers to part of the evacuation.

 

The only time that the evacuation is mentioned in the 1^st SH WD is in the entries for 19/20^th December 1915 - “Evacuation of Suvla Bay was completed by 3 am 20/12/15”

 

I hope that this is of some help

regards

Michael

Edited 26 February , 2022 by michaeldr

[Falloden]

Many thanks Michael.  I had assumed that having supervised embarkation of the troops loaded onto my grandfather's ship, East Point,  that Major Barrington had remained aboard to be evacuated.  From your research it is obvious that he finally left on ss Beachy instead.

I don't think that my grandfather was very impressed with the blue-blooded army officers he had as passengers on this trip.

Thanks agin for your help.

Nick

[michaeldr]

Good Luck in trying to get access to that microfilm at the IWM ; It must provide some clarification here

[Falloden]

On 10/05/2014 at 11:32, alantwo said:

Interesting account would you have time to post any more of the letter?

Regards

Alan

A bit late but a more extended extract from my grandfather's letter written 15 February 1916 from Alexandria in a reply to his sister-in-law, Jessie Howard:

" Probably Alice (his wife) has told you all our interesting and sometimes exciting adventures at the Front, so will not repeat them, my experiences and incidents that have occurred this voyage would sell a half guinea book, could I only write.  You no doubt know the poor old ship is at present little more than a battered, waterlogged wreck as a result of being “in action” with a Turkish battery for nearly two hours during one pleasant afternoon at Suvla Bay.  We were in that inferno – a continuous nightmare – for exactly six weeks and shelled on average five days out of seven.  This rather got on one’s nerves eventually.  I said we were six weeks there, but that is not strictly correct, we were five days and nights outside, wandering up and down without any anchors thanks to the Turks and they tried hard to get us with shells and a submarine even there.  Then again, I made a couple of trips across to Kephalos Bay (Imbros Island), once for shelter and once for cabbages!  Just imagine, Jessie, sending H.M.T. – on such an errand.  Really of all the absurd things I have had to do, ridiculous orders to carry out, and occasions on which I have had to beg for food this voyage that sentimental journey appeared to me the very limit, and to add insult to injury you know that I have always disliked cabbage.  Well, after that, nothing seemed to matter much – not even having to eat Christmas pudding issued to us (like charity) by the “Daily News” Fund, a paper I loathe.  During the “Evacuation” I was sent in close under precipitous cliffs, so that the Turks would not observe us, to save some of the British guns, but they did from quite an unexpected quarter – we left hurriedly.At the end, when this wreck of a ship was filled with every conceivable old thing from dead men’s clothes and empty cartridge cases to heavy field guns and motor ambulances, we sailed away with 400 troops on board, brought down at night straight from the firing line.  By the way, all we had left in the way of life-saving appliances was one good boat and just 55 lifebelts, the ship was in a sinking condition and the sea infested with submarines.  All kinds of people were aboard that trip.  Viscount Barrington’s son and heir (of the Scottish Horse) was in charge of our troops and Baron de Roebeck’s slept under the cabin table.  We had no accommodation for so many officers – twenty of them slept in a canvas wigwam on the Lower Bridge for a week.  Lord Howard de Walden was there, but did not notice who brought him away.  Probably people in England did not hear what appointment he graced at Suvla – Inspector of Latrines.  We are still waiting, week after week, for our turn to go into the only dry dock and have done absolutely nothing yet in the way of repairs.  What’s it matter though, time and expense are of course immaterial to this Government, besides, they only pay £109 per day for this ship and supply the coal!  Really, was it not for the tragedy, the awful pity of it all and the knowledge we  have got to bear the cost, it would be highly amusing to see how England goes to war.  The senseless waste is simply appalling and I could give you a hundred costly examples seen with my own eyes, not one of which you would hardly credit. " 

Captain Young got fed up with waiting for the dry dock at Alexandria so patched the holes in East Point's hull temporarily with concrete, sailed her the length of the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic to Philadelphia and had her repaired in the neutral USA.