Major A.G Boldero 3rd SLI /2nd Dorsets Mesopotamia , photos-documents

[beestonboxer]

I am going to add some images of photographs and documents relating to the service of Major Alexander Guy Boldero 3rd Somerset Light Infantry who was attached to the 2nd Dorsets during the campaign in Mesopotamia.

 

some notes written by a family member.

 

Guy served from 1908 to 1911 in colonial military employment in the Fiji Islands, at the outbreak of the first world war he was recalled to the army and was attached to the Dorset regiment and was sent to Mesopotamia after heavy fighting they had to retreat to Kut. Guy was wounded and narrowly escaped being taken as a prisoner of war. Luckily he managed to be put aboard a river steamer retreating down the Euphrates. After his recovery he served as a member of the Embarkation Staff at Basra. In 1919 he served in Russia on the Expeditionary Force under General Ironside at Archangel.

Returning home he was in charge of homes for disabled soldiers at Exeter, Bristol and Shotley Bridge.

 

This collection has some amazing images within it and rather than sitting here for purely my pleasure I thought I would share some of them, I will add one or two at a time over the next few weeks.

 

First image is of Officers aboard P and O Steam Ship Arabia 1915.

Standing left to right.

 

2nd Lt Miller 2nd Dorsets.

Capt Price 3rd Dorsets.

Lt Hall 3rd Dorsets.

Lt Cox 2nd Dorsets

?

Lt Webber 2nd DCLI

Capt Meldon 4th DLI

Capt Rubie 4th Lan Fus

Capt Boldero 3rd SLI

2nd Lt Ritchie 3rd Norfolk

2nd Lt Cooke 3rd Norfolk

 

Sitting

Capt leeky RF

2nd Lt Cole 3rd Devons

Major Rumbold 4th E Surrey

Capt Mortimore 3rd Devons

Major Fraser 2nd Dorsets

Major Lodge 2nd Norfolks and O.C Ship.

[beestonboxer]

[beestonboxer]

[beestonboxer]

Capt Boldero with Lieut Richard Ayres Ritchie of the 3rd Norfolks attached to 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment aboard SS Arabia 1915, Lieut Ritchie was Killed 22/11/1915.

[beestonboxer]

Written on reverse of card " These are those of the 2nd Dorsets who came from Weymouth and Portland ( With hands in front leaning on a stick is O.C B Coy Clemson the man I am No2 to) The man next to him leaning on a stick is Capt Brown the Quartermaster.

[beestonboxer]

2nd Batt Dorset Regt on parade in the Persian Gulf 1915

[beestonboxer]

Pte Woodgate and 3 of the telephone operators at Magil telephone exchange, woodgate standing.

 

The gent sitting with the black dog looks to be sitting next to a pith helmet with a Oxford cloth badge, diamond shaped with a bugle and the word oxford.

[beestonboxer]

The expedition for Ahwaz embarking guns at Basra.

[elliot#1]

Fantastic pictures, thanks for sharing!

[stiletto_33853]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing.

 

Andy

[beestonboxer]

Thanks for the comments gents difficult to judge the interest when you are unable to see how many views a post has had and if there hasn't been any replies. I will add a few more. The next couple are interesting the first one titled " Turkish Officers at Basra Nov 1914 prior to British Occupation" the second one " March Past of Turkish troops at Basra Nov 1914"

[beestonboxer]

[seaJane]

There are other photographs originating from Major Boldero in the IWM collection; I had a long, frustrating and unsuccessful conversation with them about digitising a picture of HMS COMET, chiefly remarkable for being the ship which  Lt-Cdr E.C. Cookson was commanding in the action of September 1915 after which he was posthumously awarded the VC.

 

I don't suppose you have anything that might be COMET? Or indeed, come to that, SUMANA and her commander Lt Lionel Tudway? Because if so I would be delighted to see them ... 

 

sJ

[beestonboxer]

1 hour ago, seaJane said:

There are other photographs originating from Major Boldero in the IWM collection; I had a long, frustrating and unsuccessful conversation with them about digitising a picture of HMS COMET, chiefly remarkable for being the ship which  Lt-Cdr E.C. Cookson was commanding in the action of September 1915 after which he was posthumously awarded the VC.

 

I don't suppose you have anything that might be COMET? Or indeed, come to that, SUMANA and her commander Lt Lionel Tudway? Because if so I would be delighted to see them ... 

 

sJ

I can only add the same photo that is held at the IWM of HMS Comet I can arrange at some point to get a better copy of it sent to you as you can see the image has IWM in pencil underneath it, I was wondering if anyone would link the images at the IWM with this collection there are one or two marked IWM, the lady the photos came from was the daughter in Law of Major Boldero I promised her I would post as many as possible on this forum she will be delighted to think they are being viewed and that people are showing an interest. I did see the photo of Comet on the IWM site and it states that it is probably the only image of her in existence. I will go through the many newspaper clippings I have in the album and see if there is any mention of the VC action. I don't believe there to be a photo of Sumana but will go through it to check.

 

Tim

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear beestonboxer, 

Well done for posting these fascinating images of a much-neglected campaign. Super!

I have no doubt that many GWF wallahs will view them with high interest, even if they do not actually reply, as it were...

They are reminiscent of a photo I have of an IARO acting Capt and RTO who had been attached to 1/32 Sikh Pioneers in Mesopotamia.

He, R. S. Moberly (right), was recovering at a Basrah hospital, and posed 1918 with a Nurse (holding a white pith helmet) and a major...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

[seaJane]

41 minutes ago, beestonboxer said:

, I was wondering if anyone would link the images at the IWM with this collection

Oh yes There is (or at least was - maybe I should double-check) not even a low-res version of this on the IWM site. I'm delighted to see it. 

 

There is a sketch of her on the auction site where Dermot Loughlin's medals were sold - he was Comet's surgeon. I'll look it out for you later.

[JMB1943]

Wonderful photos and information!

I am currently re-reading "The Siege" by Russell Braddon (the story of the debacle of the siege of Kut al Amarah)

so the mentions of the Dorsets, Norfolks and Ox & Bucks LI etc are of great interest.

Please keep on with the postings.

Regards,

JMB

[beestonboxer]

Christmas Dinner 1915 Quite a feast I wonder what the ORs were lunching on, expect those who remained in Kut were not dining in such style well maybe some of the officers were. The roast was goose which was traditional at the time although probably this one was probably enjoying a swim on the Euphrates before being requisitioned by the army. It is a lovely little sketch note the little man in the water.

[beestonboxer]

Bridge of Boats Amarah.

[charlie962]

Thanks for sharing these photos.  You have 320 'views' at the moment so there is interest.

[seaJane]

There certainly is (I'm suppressing jealousy )

[seaJane]

18 hours ago, beestonboxer said:

Bridge of Boats Amarah.

 

Wondering whether that might be SUMANA at the far side of the bridge of boats (or indeed on the menu). I know she was a small converted gunboat with only one funnel.

 

The image of COMET that I mentioned is here: 

 

 

 

 

 

[beestonboxer]

6 hours ago, seaJane said:

 

Wondering whether that might be SUMANA at the far side of the bridge of boats (or indeed on the menu). I know she was a small converted gunboat with only one funnel.

 

The image of COMET that I mentioned is here: 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks for the link regarding Comet very interesting. I haven't com across anything Sumana related yet but there are several naval related photos in the album. The next photo is of HMS Espiegle. And I thought I had better add the only RFC related image in the album titled " An aeroplane landing at Amara" 

[pete-c]

BB,

8 hours ago, beestonboxer said:

Many thanks for the link regarding Comet very interesting. I haven't com across anything Sumana related yet but there are several naval related photos in the album. The next photo is of HMS Espiegle. And I thought I had better add the only RFC related image in the album titled " An aeroplane landing at Amara" 

 

BB,

 

 I echo the comments of the previous members regarding your posting of these wonderful images - especially the last one of the Farman 'Longhorn'.  This is a shameless plug but you may be interested to know that our society recently published 'Wings over Mesopotamia - Air War in Iraq 1914-1918' (see link below).  Even if the last photo is the only aviation related image in the collection, I for one would be fascinated to see more!

 

Peter.

 

https://www.crossandcockade.com/Blog.asp?Display=224

[pete-c]

On ‎16‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 17:40, seaJane said:

There are other photographs originating from Major Boldero in the IWM collection; I had a long, frustrating and unsuccessful conversation with them about digitising a picture of HMS COMET, chiefly remarkable for being the ship which  Lt-Cdr E.C. Cookson was commanding in the action of September 1915 after which he was posthumously awarded the VC.

 

I don't suppose you have anything that might be COMET? Or indeed, come to that, SUMANA and her commander Lt Lionel Tudway? Because if so I would be delighted to see them ... 

 

sJ

 

sJ,

 

I've just checked through the CCI publication mentioned above and although there are several images of other river craft, 'Comet', unfortunately, doesn't seem to feature. 

 

Peter.