LAMB & LCP units

[mcassell]

6 LAMB employed 'Fighting Fords' along with RRs during its sojourn on the Euphrates. The attached photo, captioned 'Ford with MG, Abu Kamal [sic] XMAS 1919', probably shows one.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

I found it was always a case of the force Commander not understanding how to use the Armoured unit.

In many cases there Infantry trained commanders who think AC can be used as tanks or have no idea of how to use us.

In a long forgotten war, we in APC's were sent to help the Infantry, who deployed us in there defences well enough, but got the crews to dismount and dig holes and fight on foot.

The result during a night attack my driver was killed beside me in the trench, in stead of us fighting from our veh where the MGs and armour was, we were stuck on the ground doing what the foot people do. Dispite heavy MG/AK and RPGs fire my APC didn't have a scratch, while us on the ground did

S.B

[david murdoch]

17 hours ago, mcassell said:

6 LAMB employed 'Fighting Fords' along with RRs during its sojourn on the Euphrates. The attached photo, captioned 'Ford with MG, Abu Kamal [sic] XMAS 1919', probably shows one.

You can see the L.A.M.B Brigade tactical badge on the back of it above the number. It appears to be a regular Ford truck with the top removed but still with the cab.

Edited 22 July , 2022 by david murdoch

[david murdoch]

15 hours ago, stevenbecker said:

Mate,

I found it was always a case of the force Commander not understanding how to use the Armoured unit.

In many cases there Infantry trained commanders who think AC can be used as tanks or have no idea of how to use us.

In a long forgotten war, we in APC's were sent to help the Infantry, who deployed us in there defences well enough, but got the crews to dismount and dig holes and fight on foot.

The result during a night attack my driver was killed beside me in the trench, in stead of us fighting from our veh where the MGs and armour was, we were stuck on the ground doing what the foot people do. Dispite heavy MG/AK and RPGs fire my APC didn't have a scratch, while us on the ground did

S.B

The L.A.M.B Brigade war diary shows a big turnover of officers 1919-1920 as the original experienced Motors officers were released. It also notes meetings with MGC(I) officer regarding transfers of men to the armoured car units to replace the original "1915 men". There was an ongoing demob process - basically fist in - first out, but this was cancelled when things hotted up with the locals. My grandfather said they basically had to stay there and train up their replacements, and did mention they had difficulties training Indian drivers. By then they had got into fighting the locals in an insurgency and Kurdistan was hostile. From what I know the disaster at Tal Afar  the cars got blocked in, in an urban area. The locals used herds of goats to block them and tangled up when they tried to drive through them. They were also wise to the armoured cars having wooden floorboards, so once halted they fire bombed under them forcing the crews to bail out.

By their operations manual the cars were to be operated minimum of two cars (one section) and with motorcycle scouts and by war diary entries often operated as small battle groups with trucks of infantry or lewis gun sections.

[mcassell]

Yes, I had noticed the LAMB badge on the Ford, The other picture in the original album (not MGC(M) related, but Indian Cavalry) showing Fighting Ford is attached.  Very nice LAMB badge - is it metal? I have only seen 2 cloth pugaree badges with the LAMB image; one in the IWM - yellow embroidery on black diamond; the other white embroidery on khaki square in private collection.

Had not heard the role of sheep in the ambush at Tal Afar - do you have a reference? According to the report of Lt. Col. GBM Sarel OC ARACOL that re-occupied Tal Afar, one AC and the Fords got caught in a ravine close to the building with the trapped officers and were attacked and destroyed. He states one AC got away and was found burnt out a quarter mile outside of town.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

I enclose something from our 1 ALCP who was sent to help in 1919

"The Light Car Patrol 59
The battle with the Kurdish bandits
The 12th January, 1919, was our last scrap. We claimed that we fired the last shot in connection with the
Great War. This is how it happened.
The town of Ain Tab where we were stationed was an inland town in the mountains. Although well
inside the Turkish line at the signing of the Armistice, the town now had both a British and Turkish
commandant residing there. Any person who had a grievance or a complaint to make went to both, and if he
was up to the usual standard of Eastern artfulness, he would try and work one against the other.
Well, to get on with the story, a party of Armenians looking very sorrowful and woebegone on the day
in question, arrived at the house of the Turkish commandant and explained to him, with tears in their eyes, that
they had been waylaid and stripped of their clothes and robbed of all their possessions by brigands on the main
road between Killis and Ain Tab.
The Turkish official said that he was very sorry to hear the sad news, but explained that the matter had
nothing to do with him and they had better run across and tell the British commandant. Perhaps he might be
able to get their clothes and possessions back again for them.
They took his advice and went across to Major Mills, the British official, who questioned them and
managed to get the story out of them and the position of their caravan when robbed. He then sent across for
the officer in charge of the Light Car Patrol, who immediately got a couple of his cars ready with instructions
to chase the brigands.
We were told these gentlemen were about four miles down the main road, so we took one of the
Armenians (who could speak some English) as a guide to the position, and although expecting the usual wild
goose chase, we set off at full speed in the direction of the trouble, everyone being very sarcastic on the subject
of bandits in general, but sure enough, when we had gone about four miles down the road we saw a long camel
caravan halted in the middle of the road, and a squad of armed horsemen holding them up with rifles in the
true highwayman fashion.
Joy beat in the hearts of the motor patrol. At last, they were going to get even with somebody for all
the miserable expeditions at midnight in the cold and wet that they had endured for the last few weeks.
No questions were asked by either side. The bandits knew they had been caught red-handed and could
expect no quarter. They all started firing wildly with their rifles and revolvers from horseback as they galloped
down the road, which had stone walls along each side at this particular spot. The horses apparently were not
much in the steeple-chasing line, so their riders rode straight on, hoping to get gaps in the walls.
The two cars tore on (one on either side of the caravan) holding their fire until up to the horses then
they let go at the riders who fired from the hips as they ran along side by side. However, owing to the speed
and the bumping of the cars, and the elusiveness of the target, the shooting on both sides was very bad.
The writer, who at one time rather fancied himself as a bit of a revolver shot, still remembers his
disgust at emptying every shot in his Webley at point-blank range at a Kurdish horseman, without the slightest
affect.
We then concentrated on the horses which were much more difficult to miss, with the result that the
animals were soon all on the ground except one, which galloped away without the rider, who was wounded.
The riders, however, jumped over the wall and began shooting from behind cover at us, so we divided (each
car’s crew going to opposite ends of the wall) and we opened up on them from both flanks with rifles and a
Lewis gun.
This soon fetched them up and they tried to bolt away through some ploughed ground. However, our
shooting was better now and we picked them off as they ran up the hill. We accounted for the whole band,
who were all either killed or wounded. We found that some of them had three or four bullets through them
before they dropped.
While this little running fight was taking place, the men on the caravan who had been held up were
yelling with glee and excitement, and when they saw their late aggressors lying on the ground they rushed up
to our chaps and began patting them on the back, while the Armenian who came with us was apparently a hero
for all time among his compatriots.
By the time the shooting was over and we had collected the spoils to return to the people who had lost
it, and had picked up one of the brigands who was only half dead to take back to the town, it was getting dark.
So we thought it was time to get back to make our report. We turned for home again and the caravan followed
along after us.
Before we reached Ain Tab however, we were met by a large crowd of the townspeople coming down
the road to meet us. They had heard all the shooting down the road, and this noise had been increased by the
echoes in the mountains as each shot was repeated backwards and forwards from hill to hill until it must have
sounded like a general engagement to the people in the town.
We felt quite elated on reaching the town, to be told that the tribe we had exterminated had been
preying on travellers for years and they had been a thorn in the side of the Turks right through the war, even
interfering with their army transport.
Hitherto, all attempts to trace or run them down had been ineffective, with the result that they had got
bold enough to attack quite large convoys. We handed over the wounded man to the Turkish authorities and
we heard afterwards that they had their own methods of dealing with him. They put their ‘third degree’ across
him and got information as to the village he came from and where they kept their loot, etc. Anyhow, we believe
the man died a day or so afterwards.
After this little episode the Australians were looked upon as quite a lot of little tin gods by the Turks
and local inhabitants. The Turkish commandant wished to have the members of the Patrol decorated with a
Turkish medal of some description, but of course it was not allowed for British troops to accept decorations
from an enemy country. However, he insisted on the writer accepting as a souvenir a decoration of his own,
which he had received from his own government.
After tea that evening, the sentry in front of No. 1 Light Car Patrol’s quarters was surprised to see a
large deputation arrive, headed by the interpreter – or the ‘Interrupter’ as he was known by the troops. He
explained to the sentry that the deputation consisted of the principal Armenians of the town and the head man
or patriarch, who had come down to express their thanks to the men who had delivered their countryman from
the brigands.
He also explained that it was the custom there to express their gratitude by their head man kissing the
‘victim’ on the forehead. At this there was much amusement among the rest of the troops, who were lining up
to see what the excitement was all about.
The commandant was appealed to, but he only grinned and said that the ordeal must be gone through,
otherwise the town would be offended for evermore. One man suggested that he would go through with it if
they sent their daughters up instead, but apparently that was not allowed. Finally, the five victims were lined
up by their mates, while the patriarch solemnly carried out his duty to the accompaniment of yells of laughter
from the onlookers.
After it was over it was discovered that one of the men had bribed a substitute to take his place by
offering him his week’s issue of rum. The Ain Tab scrap was the last shooting the Patrol did, although shortly
afterwards a detachment was sent up into the mountains to augment No. 7 Patrol (the Scotties) who were at
Marash, as it was rumoured that the inhabitants in that district were talking of rising up and driving the small
British garrisons back into the sea. However, the threat was never put into execution.
About this time also, we sent another detachment to the Euphrates to join up with a party from Mespot,
who had come across from Baghdad, thus joining up the British forces in Palestine and Mesopotamia.
On the 1st March we received orders to return to Aleppo and we were relieved by No. 3 Patrol. We
did not take long to do the 100 miles back, although it had been snowing a couple of days previously.
Two days afterwards, great was the joy throughout the unit when orders were received to hand in all
guns and cars as the unit was to proceed to Egypt, ready for return to Australia. We handed in all our war-worn
and battered, but still serviceable, outfits and received clean receipts.
The German car which we captured at Afule was handed over to the commandant at Aleppo. We had
managed to keep this car on the road ever since we grabbed it, and had done many thousands of miles with it.
Although spares were unobtainable, we had always managed to devise substitutes, and we had a sneaking idea
that we might smuggle the outfit down to Egypt somehow and finally get it to Australia, but it was not to be.
However, there was only one subject in everybody’s mind and that was home. On the evening of the
5th March, we embarked on the train at Aleppo for Damascus, where we arrived at 11 pm the following night.
It was quite interesting viewing the country that we had travelled and fought over previously from the train.
We changed trains at Damascus and next morning left by the narrow gauge train for Haifa via Dersa end
Semek. We stayed the next night at Haifa, and after another day and night in the broad gauge military railway
we arrived at the Canal at Kantara. We crossed over the pontoon bridge (this time on foot) and that evening
were in Cairo."

Hope its of some interest in this area

S.B

[david murdoch]

16 hours ago, stevenbecker said:

Mate,

I enclose something from our 1 ALCP who was sent to help in 1919

"The Light Car Patrol 59
The battle with the Kurdish bandits
The 12th January, 1919, was our last scrap. We claimed that we fired the last shot in connection with the
Great War. This is how it happened.
The town of Ain Tab where we were stationed was an inland town in the mountains. Although well
inside the Turkish line at the signing of the Armistice, the town now had both a British and Turkish
commandant residing there. Any person who had a grievance or a complaint to make went to both, and if he
was up to the usual standard of Eastern artfulness, he would try and work one against the other.
Well, to get on with the story, a party of Armenians looking very sorrowful and woebegone on the day
in question, arrived at the house of the Turkish commandant and explained to him, with tears in their eyes, that
they had been waylaid and stripped of their clothes and robbed of all their possessions by brigands on the main
road between Killis and Ain Tab.
The Turkish official said that he was very sorry to hear the sad news, but explained that the matter had
nothing to do with him and they had better run across and tell the British commandant. Perhaps he might be
able to get their clothes and possessions back again for them.
They took his advice and went across to Major Mills, the British official, who questioned them and
managed to get the story out of them and the position of their caravan when robbed. He then sent across for
the officer in charge of the Light Car Patrol, who immediately got a couple of his cars ready with instructions
to chase the brigands.
We were told these gentlemen were about four miles down the main road, so we took one of the
Armenians (who could speak some English) as a guide to the position, and although expecting the usual wild
goose chase, we set off at full speed in the direction of the trouble, everyone being very sarcastic on the subject
of bandits in general, but sure enough, when we had gone about four miles down the road we saw a long camel
caravan halted in the middle of the road, and a squad of armed horsemen holding them up with rifles in the
true highwayman fashion.
Joy beat in the hearts of the motor patrol. At last, they were going to get even with somebody for all
the miserable expeditions at midnight in the cold and wet that they had endured for the last few weeks.
No questions were asked by either side. The bandits knew they had been caught red-handed and could
expect no quarter. They all started firing wildly with their rifles and revolvers from horseback as they galloped
down the road, which had stone walls along each side at this particular spot. The horses apparently were not
much in the steeple-chasing line, so their riders rode straight on, hoping to get gaps in the walls.
The two cars tore on (one on either side of the caravan) holding their fire until up to the horses then
they let go at the riders who fired from the hips as they ran along side by side. However, owing to the speed
and the bumping of the cars, and the elusiveness of the target, the shooting on both sides was very bad.
The writer, who at one time rather fancied himself as a bit of a revolver shot, still remembers his
disgust at emptying every shot in his Webley at point-blank range at a Kurdish horseman, without the slightest
affect.
We then concentrated on the horses which were much more difficult to miss, with the result that the
animals were soon all on the ground except one, which galloped away without the rider, who was wounded.
The riders, however, jumped over the wall and began shooting from behind cover at us, so we divided (each
car’s crew going to opposite ends of the wall) and we opened up on them from both flanks with rifles and a
Lewis gun.
This soon fetched them up and they tried to bolt away through some ploughed ground. However, our
shooting was better now and we picked them off as they ran up the hill. We accounted for the whole band,
who were all either killed or wounded. We found that some of them had three or four bullets through them
before they dropped.
While this little running fight was taking place, the men on the caravan who had been held up were
yelling with glee and excitement, and when they saw their late aggressors lying on the ground they rushed up
to our chaps and began patting them on the back, while the Armenian who came with us was apparently a hero
for all time among his compatriots.
By the time the shooting was over and we had collected the spoils to return to the people who had lost
it, and had picked up one of the brigands who was only half dead to take back to the town, it was getting dark.
So we thought it was time to get back to make our report. We turned for home again and the caravan followed
along after us.
Before we reached Ain Tab however, we were met by a large crowd of the townspeople coming down
the road to meet us. They had heard all the shooting down the road, and this noise had been increased by the
echoes in the mountains as each shot was repeated backwards and forwards from hill to hill until it must have
sounded like a general engagement to the people in the town.
We felt quite elated on reaching the town, to be told that the tribe we had exterminated had been
preying on travellers for years and they had been a thorn in the side of the Turks right through the war, even
interfering with their army transport.
Hitherto, all attempts to trace or run them down had been ineffective, with the result that they had got
bold enough to attack quite large convoys. We handed over the wounded man to the Turkish authorities and
we heard afterwards that they had their own methods of dealing with him. They put their ‘third degree’ across
him and got information as to the village he came from and where they kept their loot, etc. Anyhow, we believe
the man died a day or so afterwards.
After this little episode the Australians were looked upon as quite a lot of little tin gods by the Turks
and local inhabitants. The Turkish commandant wished to have the members of the Patrol decorated with a
Turkish medal of some description, but of course it was not allowed for British troops to accept decorations
from an enemy country. However, he insisted on the writer accepting as a souvenir a decoration of his own,
which he had received from his own government.
After tea that evening, the sentry in front of No. 1 Light Car Patrol’s quarters was surprised to see a
large deputation arrive, headed by the interpreter – or the ‘Interrupter’ as he was known by the troops. He
explained to the sentry that the deputation consisted of the principal Armenians of the town and the head man
or patriarch, who had come down to express their thanks to the men who had delivered their countryman from
the brigands.
He also explained that it was the custom there to express their gratitude by their head man kissing the
‘victim’ on the forehead. At this there was much amusement among the rest of the troops, who were lining up
to see what the excitement was all about.
The commandant was appealed to, but he only grinned and said that the ordeal must be gone through,
otherwise the town would be offended for evermore. One man suggested that he would go through with it if
they sent their daughters up instead, but apparently that was not allowed. Finally, the five victims were lined
up by their mates, while the patriarch solemnly carried out his duty to the accompaniment of yells of laughter
from the onlookers.
After it was over it was discovered that one of the men had bribed a substitute to take his place by
offering him his week’s issue of rum. The Ain Tab scrap was the last shooting the Patrol did, although shortly
afterwards a detachment was sent up into the mountains to augment No. 7 Patrol (the Scotties) who were at
Marash, as it was rumoured that the inhabitants in that district were talking of rising up and driving the small
British garrisons back into the sea. However, the threat was never put into execution.
About this time also, we sent another detachment to the Euphrates to join up with a party from Mespot,
who had come across from Baghdad, thus joining up the British forces in Palestine and Mesopotamia.
On the 1st March we received orders to return to Aleppo and we were relieved by No. 3 Patrol. We
did not take long to do the 100 miles back, although it had been snowing a couple of days previously.
Two days afterwards, great was the joy throughout the unit when orders were received to hand in all
guns and cars as the unit was to proceed to Egypt, ready for return to Australia. We handed in all our war-worn
and battered, but still serviceable, outfits and received clean receipts.
The German car which we captured at Afule was handed over to the commandant at Aleppo. We had
managed to keep this car on the road ever since we grabbed it, and had done many thousands of miles with it.
Although spares were unobtainable, we had always managed to devise substitutes, and we had a sneaking idea
that we might smuggle the outfit down to Egypt somehow and finally get it to Australia, but it was not to be.
However, there was only one subject in everybody’s mind and that was home. On the evening of the
5th March, we embarked on the train at Aleppo for Damascus, where we arrived at 11 pm the following night.
It was quite interesting viewing the country that we had travelled and fought over previously from the train.
We changed trains at Damascus and next morning left by the narrow gauge train for Haifa via Dersa end
Semek. We stayed the next night at Haifa, and after another day and night in the broad gauge military railway
we arrived at the Canal at Kantara. We crossed over the pontoon bridge (this time on foot) and that evening
were in Cairo."

Hope its of some interest in this area

S.B

There are photos from Ain Tab - also mentioned 7th L.C.P as the Scotties - they were ex Scottish Horse Yeomanry taken over by MGC, but they retained their distinct Scottish headgear.

[david murdoch]

On 22/07/2022 at 13:00, mcassell said:

Yes, I had noticed the LAMB badge on the Ford, The other picture in the original album (not MGC(M) related, but Indian Cavalry) showing Fighting Ford is attached.  Very nice LAMB badge - is it metal? I have only seen 2 cloth pugaree badges with the LAMB image; one in the IWM - yellow embroidery on black diamond; the other white embroidery on khaki square in private collection.

Had not heard the role of sheep in the ambush at Tal Afar - do you have a reference? According to the report of Lt. Col. GBM Sarel OC ARACOL that re-occupied Tal Afar, one AC and the Fords got caught in a ravine close to the building with the trapped officers and were attacked and destroyed. He states one AC got away and was found burnt out a quarter mile outside of town.

 

The L.A.M.B badge is my grandfather's pugaree badge. It's tinplate and hand painted. Note in the photo with the tropical helment to pugaree looks quite dark as well. It's quite yellowed but may have been white originally. Regarding the L.A.M.B badge used on vehicles there are different versions showing up - some a plain black diamond and others with a border - these may have been coloured as tactical recognition.

Regarding the use of goats/sheep to block the cars it may have been from David Fletcher's book War Cars - as it highlighted a weak spot in the original 1914 pattern cars.

Edited 23 July , 2022 by david murdoch

[mcassell]

Painted tinplate - interesting! Presumably cut out from petrol can! Very similar in design to one in IWM. That is/was yellow wool (appropriately!) on black felt, definitely home/local made.

[mcassell]

On 22/07/2022 at 08:00, david murdoch said:

The L.A.M.B Brigade war diary shows a big turnover of officers 1919-1920 as the original experienced Motors officers were released. It also notes meetings with MGC(I) officer regarding transfers of men to the armoured car units to replace the original "1915 men". There was an ongoing demob process - basically fist in - first out, but this was cancelled when things hotted up with the locals. My grandfather said they basically had to stay there and train up their replacements, and did mention they had difficulties training Indian drivers. By then they had got into fighting the locals in an insurgency and Kurdistan was hostile. From what I know the disaster at Tal Afar  the cars got blocked in, in an urban area. The locals used herds of goats to block them and tangled up when they tried to drive through them. They were also wise to the armoured cars having wooden floorboards, so once halted they fire bombed under them forcing the crews to bail out.

By their operations manual the cars were to be operated minimum of two cars (one section) and with motorcycle scouts and by war diary entries often operated as small battle groups with trucks of infantry or lewis gun sections.

There is/was a series of 1919 memos in India Office Library pertaining to asking MGC officers to volunteer for 6 months service with armoured cars. One memo says 'only 30 applied, some unsuitable'! I have traced 15 former MGC (Infantry) officers that transferred to MGC(M) in February 1919. Most seemed to have taken their contracts litetally and gone by 1920. One interesting character among the lot is Lieutenant Charles Goring who not only continued with Royal Tank Corps in Iraq after takeover from MGC(M) but transferred to RAF as Flying Officer when they took over ACs. Gentleman I met thru MGCOCA in 1970s who knew Goring said he was delivery boy before enlisting in Hussars (MIC says 20th), got MC and DSO in Iraq, but couldnt pay his mess bills and shot himself! Not sure how accurate this is (DSO, MC confirmed) and think conflation with Lieutenant G Crosse who did take his own life. Additional info welcome.

[david murdoch]

9 hours ago, mcassell said:

There is/was a series of 1919 memos in India Office Library pertaining to asking MGC officers to volunteer for 6 months service with armoured cars. One memo says 'only 30 applied, some unsuitable'! I have traced 15 former MGC (Infantry) officers that transferred to MGC(M) in February 1919. Most seemed to have taken their contracts litetally and gone by 1920. One interesting character among the lot is Lieutenant Charles Goring who not only continued with Royal Tank Corps in Iraq after takeover from MGC(M) but transferred to RAF as Flying Officer when they took over ACs. Gentleman I met thru MGCOCA in 1970s who knew Goring said he was delivery boy before enlisting in Hussars (MIC says 20th), got MC and DSO in Iraq, but couldnt pay his mess bills and shot himself! Not sure how accurate this is (DSO, MC confirmed) and think conflation with Lieutenant G Crosse who did take his own life. Additional info welcome.

Charles Hubert Goring

BIRTH APRIL 1888 • Paddington, London

DEATH 10th July 1947 • Middlesex, England

He was the officer who went out and recovered Leachman's body after he was killed. Goring later served with No.1 ACC Tank Corps and then 4th ACC Royal Air Force. Census return for 1921 - all the men on the return will likely be ACC from Iraq, photo from 1944. There is a passenger record showing him returning to UK from Iraq in 1925 which would be the end of his three years with RAF.

Edited 25 July , 2022 by david murdoch

[mcassell]

Thanks for additional info - and photo! Never really followed up Goring's career after conversations with man who knew him. Odd, the other AC commander who retrieved Leachman's body was Lieutenant G W Crosse of 6 LAMB. I have his medals and know he took his own life in South Africa in 1947. With info you have given, certain gentleman  I spoke to conflated Goring's death with Crosse's.

MGC Motors officers were certainly a bunch of characters. From Bowes-Lyon, the Queen's strange uncle, the mysterious Captain Tod, the bankrupt Captain Scriven who took 5 LAB to East Africa and was cashiered for embezzlement, the unlucky Major Dashwood to the dashing Colonel 'Slasher' Somerset.  Must be a books worth of entertainment here!

[david murdoch]

1 hour ago, mcassell said:

Thanks for additional info - and photo! Never really followed up Goring's career after conversations with man who knew him. Odd, the other AC commander who retrieved Leachman's body was Lieutenant G W Crosse of 6 LAMB. I have his medals and know he took his own life in South Africa in 1947. With info you have given, certain gentleman  I spoke to conflated Goring's death with Crosse's.

MGC Motors officers were certainly a bunch of characters. From Bowes-Lyon, the Queen's strange uncle, the mysterious Captain Tod, the bankrupt Captain Scriven who took 5 LAB to East Africa and was cashiered for embezzlement, the unlucky Major Dashwood to the dashing Colonel 'Slasher' Somerset.  Must be a books worth of entertainment here!

They certainly are an interesting bunch. The CO of the L.A.M.B brigade Sir Thomas Raikes Lovett "Tompers" Thompson Bt. MC  was 7th Hussars. Original CO of the brigade - taken prisoner in the last days of the war and repatriated 2nd November 1918. He left Mesopotamia to re join his regiment on 7th April 1919.

BIRTH 12 MAY 1881 • Kensington, London

DEATH 17 SEP 1964 • Hampshire, England

[mcassell]

Should have added Captain Kermit Roosevelt MC, son of US President Teddy Roosevelt. Album of photos with 14 LAMB with grandaughter. Diaries of Slasher Somerset while with 14 LAMB were in 'old ' Gloucestershire Regiment Museum in late 1970s, hopefully in new museum.

[david murdoch]

2 minutes ago, mcassell said:

Should have added Captain Kermit Roosevelt MC, son of US President Teddy Roosevelt. Album of photos with 14 LAMB with grandaughter. Diaries of Slasher Somerset while with 14 LAMB were in 'old ' Gloucestershire Regiment Museum in late 1970s, hopefully in new museum.

I got this photo of Roosevelt at the IWM library many years ago - though it is now online. He notes in his book a couple of the armoured car names from 14th L.A.M.B and states the car he usually travelled in ended it's days hit by a shell - so probably the same one as the photo you posted and in which Thompson was travelling when he was captured.

"During the run back to Ana we picked up the more important of our prisoners and took them with us. Twenty-two were all we could manage. I was running one of the big cars. It was always a surprise to see how easy they were to handle in spite of the weight of the armor-plate. We each took great pride in the car in which we generally rode. All had names. In the Fourteenth one section had "Silver Dart" and "Silver Ghost" and another "Gray Terror" and "Gray Knight." The car in which I rode a great deal of the time met its fate only a few days before the armistice, long after I had gone to France. Two direct hits from an Austrian "eighty-eight" ended its career".

[david murdoch]

Lieutenant Crosse I think is actually this chap.  There are some different spellings to his surname. He had two brothers killed in the war, and another with RFA who has a GSM to Iraq. From the Brigade war diary Crosse joined 14th L.A.M.B leaving Baghdad for Mosul on 14th April 1919.

Major George Hallowell Crosse
1896–1949
BIRTH ABT 1896 • Canterbury, Kent

DEATH 27 NOV 1949 • Scottburgh, South Coast, Natal, South Africa

 

Edited 25 July , 2022 by david murdoch

[david murdoch]

Another interesting and decorated  L.A.M.B officer is Major Graham Carr DSO,MC, MiD. He was CO of 13th L.A.M.B and prior to that CO of 14th MMG in France and in mid 1916 was adjutant at the MMG training centre ( after being severely  wounded) He was awarded the MC in France then MiD twice in Mesopotamia and awarded the DSO primarily  for the capture of  Hadithah. He then served in Russia in 1919. He served in WW2 with R.A.O.C and died in Italy of pneumonia as a Lieutenant Colonel.

He was involved in the push up the Euphrates in March 1918 and note on his MIC he named his house "Anah". When Major Thompson was captured in October 1918, Somerset took over the battle group as he was there with 14th, and Carr took over as acting CO of L..A.M.B Brigade.

His medals sold in 2007 and there is a good write up on his set,

Date of Auction: 27th June 2007

Sold for £3,600

Estimate: £2,000 - £2,500

A fine Great War Mesopotamia armoured car operations D.S.O., Western Front M.C. group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel G. Carr, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, late Machine Gun Corps (Motor), who died on active service on the Italian front in 1944

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘Given to Captain Graham Carr by H.M. King George V, 29th July 1916’; 1914-15 Star (Capt., M.G.C.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Major); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, the first five mounted as worn, good very fine and better (10) £2000-2500

Footnote

D.S.O. London Gazette 11 January 1919:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a motor battery in the pursuit. His was the first party to enter an enemy town where, in spite of the resistance offered, he captured a number of prisoners. Later, he carried out a daring raid into the enemy’s country, and took several prisoners 73 miles from his starting point.’

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916.

Mention in despatches London Gazette 27 August 1918 and 5 June 1919 (both for Mesopotamia).

Graham Carr, who was born in May 1889, was educated at Whitgift School, and was employed in the family jute manufacturing business at Bermondsey prior to being commissioned on the outbreak of hostilities in 1914. He subsequently served in France & Flanders from July 1915 to April 1916, in which period he commanded 14th Motor Machine Gun Battery, M.G.C., and was severely wounded at Ypres. He was awarded the M.C., which decoration he received from the King on 29 July 1916.

Next appointed to the command of 13th Light Armoured Motor Battery, M.G.C., in Mesopotamia, he commanded that unit’s armoured cars from August 1917 to October 1918, winning the D.S.O. for his deeds at the capture of Hadithah on 27 March of the latter year, and for his unit’s subsequent ‘daring raid into the enemy’s country’ at El Gaim 48 hours later. Details of these operations are to be found in the 13th Light Armoured Motor Battery’s war diary:

‘27 March 1918 ... six cars at once moved along the roads towards Hadithah with orders from the G.O.C. XI Cavalry Brigade to pursue the enemy (if any) on the desert road to Anah, bearing N.W. from Wadi Zaghdan. The cars reached the road junction without opposition. Two cars then proceeded on a reconnaissance along the desert road and the remaining four proceeded along the road towards Habithah, capturing a number of transport wagons with escorts. On entering the town four cars came into action against the enemy who opened fire from hills on the west of the road. Sergeant A. Black was wounded in the thigh. Several enemy were killed and wounded and about 100 prisoners and about 30 wagons captured and handed over to the infantry following up in Ford cars ... ’

‘29 March 1918 ... six cars (with two cars from 14th Light Armoured Motor Battery) left Anah at 6 a.m. with orders to proceed to El Gaim (60 miles) to capture Germans said to have escaped and attempt to recover gold treasure supposed to have been carried away in wagons. Reached Nuhije at 9 a.m. and found peaceful Armenian caravan and proceeded towards El Gaim. Parties of 10 and 30 Turkish cavalry engaged and disarmed on the road and three cavalry destroyed at El Gaim. Cars went on for 10 miles and captured three Germans and returned to Anah bringing in three Germans and 21 Turkish prisoners. Reached camp at 1 a.m. (30.3.1918). Days mileage 145 - road fair. Large number of maps and documents also taken from the kit of a German officer captured the previous day ... ’

Having then added a brace of “mentions” to his Mesopotamian accolades, and witnessed further action in Russia in 1919, Carr returned home and went into business with his brother in Purley. On the renewal of hostilities, however, he was quickly recalled, being appointed a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in September 1939. He subsequently gained rapid advancement to Lieutenant-Colonel and ‘followed the fortunes of the Eighth Army most of the way from Alamein to Tunis and thence to Italy, where he met his death on 3 August 1944’ (his Times obituary refers). Carr, who left a widow resident at Walton-on-Thames, is interred in the Caserta War Cemetery.

G CARR.pdf

Edited 26 July , 2022 by david murdoch

[mcassell]

Had completely forgotten about Graham Carr - was under-bidder on medals. Same with groups to Captain Reuben Goldberg, Major I T Clement, Captain Basil Corballis, Major A P Strange. So glad youve brought these forgotten early armoured warfare pioneers back to life. GWF at its best!

[david murdoch]

9 hours ago, mcassell said:

Had completely forgotten about Graham Carr - was under-bidder on medals. Same with groups to Captain Reuben Goldberg, Major I T Clement, Captain Basil Corballis, Major A P Strange. So glad youve brought these forgotten early armoured warfare pioneers back to life. GWF at its best!

Yes it's a very interesting subject - especially when you look at it in context with everything else that was going on in WW1. Given the equipment was really the cutting edge in the day, but also how they were employed and the tactics they developed as they went along. Using motorcycle outriders with the armoured cars, Fords with Vickers or Lewis gun teams and support trucks of infantry formed into mobile battle groups. Also combined arms with the RFC - where they rescued downed pilots more than once and in turn the RFC also resupplied fuel for the cars when they were in enemy territory. My grandfather actually flew (back seat) in Mesopotamia  - I don't know any detail  but he was in RE8s (probably 63 Squadron). He was probably up spotting for the armoured cars. In this photo he's actually wearing an RFC "Maternity" jacket. My mother remembered he said he was dropping "bombs" from a wicker basket between his feet. He kept this newspaper clipping also - which I've since identified as 63 Squadron.

[mcassell]

There is a veritable Who's Who to be made here. Will post Slasher Somerset pic, plus 3 LACB capture of Siwa Oasis, 1 LACB in Cairo, 7 LAMB in Baghdad, albums once bit more mobile.

[mcassell]

Few pictures of RRs in Cairo, Xmas 1918. Believe of 1 LAC Battery. Quality not great because of sun glare.

[mcassell]

Nice picture of Austin and section of Dunsterforce Armoured Car Unit in South Russia. From album by Captain Titterington (second picture).

[david murdoch]

12 minutes ago, mcassell said:

Nice picture of Austin and section of Dunsterforce Armoured Car Unit in South Russia. From album by Captain Titterington (second picture).

 

That's an interesting one. We've talked previously about the naval transfers being ranked as Sergeant's en masse and there are quite a few in this one picture. A few overseas chevrons showing as well.

[pjwmacro]

4 hours ago, mcassell said:

Nice picture of Austin and section of Dunsterforce Armoured Car

Thanks for sharing.

[mcassell]

Attached is picture of Captain Nigel Somerset given to me back in 1970s by his former secretary. The close up clearly shows his Glosters collar badges. Clearly this was taken in UK with his MMG Battery.