Yeomanry In Salonika

[Gardenerbill]

It's all been a bit quiet on the Salonika sub forum recently so I thought I would start a new topic. I am researching the activity of Grandfathers unit the 801st MT Company ASC and I am now looking at the units they supported as Corps Troop supply, in this case Yeomanry. I have just finished reading 'The history and War Records of the Surrey Yeomanry' so the information I have so far is based on that book.

A brief History of Yeomanry.

The first Yeomanry units were formed in the 18^th century and organised by county in the 1790s, they grew rapidly during the French wars and by 1803 when Napoleon threatened to invade there were 44,000 yeomanry. The local gentry made up the officers and the troops were recruited from the local farmers or “Yeoman”. The Yeomanry were organised in Regiments of 5 or more troops, or Corps of 3 or 4 troops, a troop consisted of 80 to 100 mounted men. Yeomanry were trained as light cavalry and armed with a sabre and a pistol.

During the 19^th Century With the defeat of Napoleon the threat from the French diminished and many Yeomanry units were disbanded. Around the end of the 19^th century at the time of the Boer war, Yeomanry units started to reform as “Imperial Yeomanry”, organised in Regiments of 4 Squadrons. By 1907 Yeomanry were an integral part of the new ‘Territorial Force’.

First question approximately how many troops were there in a squadron, and how many men in a troop?

[Guest]

GWF Member Grumpy is the man to ask about establishments. The War Establishments became rather meaningless through the campaign as the units were severely impacted by malaria (as you are doubtless aware), so the effective strength of the Yeomanry units was often well below establishment. I think it is fair to say that nearly everyone who served in Macedonia suffered from malaria.

The Yeomanry converted from a 4-squadron Regimental structure to a 3-squadron Regimental structure immediately after the outbreak of the War. They also changed from the Yeomanry and Mounted Infantry Training Manual to the Cavalry Training Manual in Sep 1914.

The Derbyshire Yeomanry War History 1914-1919 by Strutt would be useful reading (available in reprint). After Egypt and Gallipoli the 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry went to Macedonaia (Salonika) and spent the rest of the War there as GHQ troops in the 7th Mounted Bde along with the 1/1st Sherwood Rangers and 1/1st South Notts Hussars. The 8th Mtd Bde were also there with 1/1st City of London Yeomanry, 1/1st County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex Hussars) and 1/3rd County of London Yeomanry troops. All these units have reasonably well written histories that cover the ground well. The 1/1st DY stayed on a GHQ Troops after the Mounted Brigades were broken up. The 1/1st Lothian and Borders Horse also operated as Corps Troops.

I have a diary written by Trooper Cooling of the Derbyshire Yeomanry in 1917 when in Macedonia which has been transcribed if you are interested.

[Gardenerbill]

Martin the Derbyshire Yeomanry are mentioned in the 801st MT Company war diary so thanks for the book tip, I have ordered a copy from Abebooks for the very reasonable price of £10.49p (inc p&p). The Surrey Yeomanry maintained 3 active Squadrons (A,B, and C) and I believe there were 2 or more troops in a squadron, I am just trying to get a general feel for the size of these units, i.e. squadron roughly equivalent to an infantry company and troop roughly equivalent to an infantry platoon.

[Gardenerbill]

Whilst typing up the notes I made on the Surrey Yeomanry, I have found a reference to the redistribution of A squadrons 4 troops in December 1916.

[Guest]

Mark

In a previous life I dived deeply into Salonika and have lots of material relating to the Yeomanry, particularly the Derbyshire Yeomanry (man in avatar was an SSM with the DY). I am in the slow process of splicing Strutt's History* the War Diary and Cooling's diary along with photos from the Derby Museum's collection to create the definitive source material for this unit. It should be online (and searchable) within a month or two along with their nominal rolls based on MICs , medal rolls and remaining records (around 1,700 individuals). Most of their time was in Salonika so there is plenty of material. I have also plotted the towns and villages etc on the map of Macedonia in the OH and hope to have hyper-links to Google Earth too and the ability to show the routes they patrolled. As you doubtless know the place names are challenging due to the multiple languages and the propensity to spell phonetically, but I think I have sorted most of them.

One of the DY troops charged a Bulgarian position that turned out to be entrenched MGs and got severely punished for their efforts. An MC and a handful of MMs for the men who rallied and rode back into the killing zone to rescue the fallen. One of those timely reminders that MGs and horses are not particularly evenly matched.

BEF and 1914-15 is dominating my mind-space at present but If you need anything relating to the Yeomanry do let me know as I have nearly every published history of the Yeomanry and most of those (I think all except Lothian and Border Horse) that served in Salonika.

MG

* now out of copyright as Strutt died in Africa in the 1930s - more than 70 years ago.

[Gardenerbill]

Martin

I am writing the story of my Grandfather's life and military service in book form for my family; I have completed part one his life before the war, part two his time in the infantry and I am now on part three his time with the Army Service Corps. I have covered the Army Service Corps history and I have transcribed the 801st MT Company war diary. I am now writing the story of the 801st and including sections about the units that they supplied, the 16th Corps Cavalry included, so any additional information you can supply will be gratefully received.

[Gardenerbill]

The Yeomanry squadrons supported by the 801^st MT Company (‘A’ and ‘B’ of the Surrey Yeomanry and ‘D’ of the Derbyshire Yeomanry) had originally been attached to the 27^th and 28^th Divisions, both of which served in France and Flanders in 1915 before moving to Salonika in 1916.

Yeomanry, being light Cavalry were not suited to the trench warfare that had developed on the western front; this is how the History of the Surrey Yeomanry describes the duties of the divisional mounted troops in France:

“The duties of divisional cavalry are many and varied. They have to guard and patrol the telephone wires leading from divisional headquarters to the front line trenches. They control the traffic and act as guides to infantry detachments. They have to search farms for stragglers, and report upon and capture spies. They fetch remounts from railheads, and conduct drafts from the station to their units. They act as dispatch carriers and are used as orderlies. They can be used in the trenches if need be, and, in fact, are employed in any capacity either for performing any duty or for collecting any information which may be valuable or necessary to the General Administrative Staff.”

[Gardenerbill]

Next Question; when the Yeomanry reformed the sabre and pistol were replaced by the rifle, did they use the same rifle as the infantry?

[Gardenerbill]

Quick bit of research, I have discovered that from 1903, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery were all issued with the same rifle, by 1914 the SMLE MKiv I beleive.

[Guest]

Yeomanry had swords for training in some of the inter-war years and some completely ignored the rules. South Notts Hussars exercised with Lances three years on the trot (excuse the pun) despite the rules. Photographic evidence too. Yeomanry were issued swords shortly after the declaration but the old pattern, not the 1909 which were issued later. MGs were Maxims not Vickers for the first year or so.

[Gardenerbill]

The Surrey Yeomanry were issued with the Hotchkiss gun, according to wiki the Hotchkiss Mark 1 was manufactured by Enfield based on the M1909, a light machine gun issued to Cavalry and used in tanks.

The 28^th Division were ordered to move from France to Salonika in October 1915, their mounted troops, the Surrey Yeomanry “B” squadron reaching Salonika in November 1915.

The 27^th Division were ordered to move to Salonika in November 1915 but it took longer for all their units to get there, their mounted troops, the Surrey Yeomanry “A” squadron didn’t reach Salonika until February 1916.

Next question: When did the Derbyshire Yeomanry “D” squadron reach Salonika?

[Guest]

22nd Feb 1916 the whole regiment (A,B and D Sqns) was together in Salonica. Page 104:

"On the following day [22nd Feb 1916] the men of the Derbyshire Squadron of the composite regiment which had landed in Salonica on October 10th rejoined their respective squadrons so that the Regiment was once more after many months united and up to establishment"

D Sqn was initially based (HQ) in Stavros

On MGs: DY received Vickers to replace their Maxims in June 1916. The Maxims had survived for thirteen years with the Regiment.The Hotchkiss guns arrived in New Year 1917.

[Gardenerbill]

Within days of arriving in Macedonia, the Yeomanry were out on patrol, the Surrey Yeomanry squadrons in the Langaza plain, along the Seres road and as far as the Struma valley. They were used to gather intelligence about the disposition of Greek forces in the area and to establish where the Bulgarian advance had reached.

In the summer of 1916 patrols would typically start at 4 a.m. and halt around 11 a.m. find what shade they could and rest through the heat of the day, the patrol would resume in the evening once the temperature had started to fall.

[Gardenerbill]

By August 1916 the new BSF front line had been established along the left bank of the Struma valley and the Yeomanry were patrolling daily in the valley on the right bank of the river and into the mountains beyond.

With the Bulgarian advance getting ever closer, they crossed the Greek border around the 19^th of August, Surrey Yeomanry “A” squadron were ordered to cover a unit of Royal Engineers while they blew up bridges on the railway line at Angista station.

Patrols were now observing the Bulgarians almost daily. Then at the end of August “A” squadron Surrey Yeomanry moved to Kucos and began patrolling along the shore of Lake Tahinos.

[Guest]

First question approximately how many troops were there in a squadron, and how many men in a troop?

War Establishment of a Yeomanry Regiment in Aug 1915 with the MEF:

HQ............................4 Officers and 23 ORs (CO, 2IC,Adjt, QM, plus RSM, RQMS, Farrier Sgt,etc....)

HQ attached..............6 Officers and 13 ORs (Incl 4 interpreters, MO and VO, Armourer, drivers ASC etc)

MG Section ..............1 Officer and 24 ORs

A Sqn........................6 Officers and 134 ORs

B Sqn........................6 Officers and 134 ORs

C Sqn........................6 Officers and 134 ORs

Base Details..............1 Officer and 43 ORs (incl first Reinforcement of 40 ORs)

Total..........................24 Officers (plus 6 attached) plus 505 ORs (Includes 1st Reinforcement of 40 ORs)

Each Squadron consisted of:

1 Major

1 Captain

4 Subalterns

1 SSM

1 SQMS

8 Sgts

1 Farrier Sgt

5 Shoeing Smiths

1 Saddler

2 Trumpeters

8 Corporals

90 Privates

4 Drivers

1 Driver for spare draught horse

12 Batmen. Note all batmen are fully equipped trained soldiers and are available for duty in the ranks

Each of the 4 Troops within a Squadron would consist of:

1 Subaltern

2 Sgts

2 Corporals

30 Privates

2 Batmen

I suspect the reason why the Yeomanry Officers had 2 Batmen each is that one acted as a groom. Note a Yeomanry CO had 2 Orderlies in addition to his 2 Batmen.

MG

[Gardenerbill]

Martin

Thanks, that's brilliant where did you get the information from?

P.S. Derbyshire Yeomanry book has arrived.

[Guest]

Martin

Thanks, that's brilliant where did you get the information from?

P.S. Derbyshire Yeomanry book has arrived.

Scottish Horse War Diaries for 1915. Embedded in the middle there is an official publication of their War Establishment. I have given you an abridged version. It covers 12 pages in minute detail and also includes a Brigade HQ establishment and a signal troop. MG

I was trawling the DY War Diary at 3:30 this morning after my dogs went bonkers barking at a fox staring at them up through the conservatory window at 3:15. Could have done with some fox-hunting Yeomen. The DY diary mentions the Surrey Yeomanry a number of times as their paths cross.

I hope you enjoy the DY history. When I first read it I thought it quite poor, but now having read more unit histories it stands up reasonably well. Full of anecdotes.

MG

[Gardenerbill]

During the late summer months of 1916 patrols were observing the Bulgarians almost daily. Then at the end of August “A” squadron Surrey Yeomanry moved to Kucos and began patrolling along the shore of Lake Tahinos. The summer heat (over 100 degrees in the shade) had taken its toll, dysentery and Malaria had reduced “B” squadron to 77 other ranks and the men were near exhaustion. In early September "B" Squadron moved to a new camp at Hadzi Bajramli, for rest and reinforcement.

[Gardenerbill]

The main action of the autumn offensive in 1916 would take place at the western end of the front and involve the French, Serbians and Russians. The British carried out a number of diversionary actions, such as Machukovo and Barakli-Dzuma. At Barakli-Dzuma in the Struma valley the Surrey Yeomanry provided protection for the infantry with troops 1 and 4 protecting the left and 2 and 3 the right. In all there were three attacks on the village before it was taken; in the first attack the Surrey Yeomanry successfully protected the flanks with Lieutenant Horne awarded the ‘Croix de Guerre’ for his efforts, in the second attack the SY fought a rearguard action to protect the infantry withdrawal this time Sergeant Gingell was awarded the ‘Bronze Medal of the Crown of Italy’. In the final action Private Barnard was awarded the Military Medal and later the ‘Bronze Medal of the Crown of Italy’. The Squadron suffered 2 casualties and lost one horse.

Were other Yeomanry units used in this flank protection role? I know that there were a series of these actions to clear the Bulgarians from the villages in the Struma valley.

[Gardenerbill]

Started reading the History of the Derbyshire Yeomanry. They had 4 Squadrons in the regiment in 1914, but the war establishment was 3, so confusingly, they distributed the men of "C" into the other 3 and ended up with "A", "B" and "D". There is a paragraph detailing the Regimental staff and it states that a Squadron was nominally 147 men and officers.

[Guest]

Started reading the History of the Derbyshire Yeomanry. They had 4 Squadrons in the regiment in 1914, but the war establishment was 3, so confusingly, they distributed the men of "C" into the other 3 and ended up with "A", "B" and "D". There is a paragraph detailing the Regimental staff and it states that a Squadron was nominally 147 men and officers.

The choice of which Sqn to redistribute was not always logical in a sequential sense. D Sqn was later redesignated as C Sqn in Macedonia....

I would strongly recommend following the DY and SY on the map of Macedonia in the OH. they covered considerable ground. I have an incomplete Google Earth overlay which I hope to finish this year..... MG

[Gardenerbill]

Sorry Martin not sure what you mean by OH. I have the SCS trench maps and I am quite familiar with the Seres road and the southern end of the Struma valley from Orljak down to Nigrita from studying the 801st MT Co war diary and finding the places they operated in.

In the Derbyshire Yeomanry book I have reached Gallipoli where they were deployed as infantry.

[Rockdoc]

OH is usually the abbreviation for Official History. The Salonika OH comes in two volumes and I got mine from N&M.

Keith

[Gardenerbill]

Thanks Keith. Back to the Yeomanry.

When not playing cat and mouse with the Bulgarians out in the Struma valley the Surrey Yeomanry frequently acted as policemen. Duties included: escorting prisoners from the Barakli-Dzuma action to K71 on the Seres road, dealing with mutinies among Greek Muleteers and amongst Turkish Prisoners working on the Guvesne to Stavros Decauville line. Then there was the murder of two civilian policemen by Greek deserters at Gajdohor.

[Gardenerbill]

Leisure Activity

Along with the usual leisure activities; pantomime, concert parties, football matches, the Yeomanry engaged in horse related activities. There were horse shows, horse races, and point to point. In the history of the Surrey yeomanry there is a reference to hunting with hounds. It even suggests that one of the packs of hounds was brought from home. It doesn’t say what they were hunting but there were wolves in the area, I wonder how a pack used to hunting foxes would get on with wolves!