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

[seaJane]

Fair enough Peter, thanks for trying

[beestonboxer]

11 hours ago, pete-c said:

BB,

 

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

Many thanks for the link Peter, I can add one other interesting item RFC related a map of Kut and the surrounding areas the map has written on the reverse " This was worked out by the Royal Flying Corps who have done very good work" the map has No 15a 6th DHQ 17/9/15 written on it. I will add some closer up images of each section to try and pick out the detail.

[pete-c]

The date would indicate that this map was produced in preparation for the advance on Kut.  On the 14th and 15th of September aerial reconnaissance of the Turkish lines was carried out.  Mention is indeed made in the CCI Mesopotamia book of a 'hand drawn map' of Turkish positions brought back by 'Reilly' - likely to be Captain/Major Hugh Lambert Reilly, of 30 Squadron R.F.C.

 

Some close up scans will hopefully confirm the above. 

 

 

[beestonboxer]

16 hours ago, pete-c said:

The date would indicate that this map was produced in preparation for the advance on Kut.  On the 14th and 15th of September aerial reconnaissance of the Turkish lines was carried out.  Mention is indeed made in the CCI Mesopotamia book of a 'hand drawn map' of Turkish positions brought back by 'Reilly' - likely to be Captain/Major Hugh Lambert Reilly, of 30 Squadron R.F.C.

 

Some close up scans will hopefully confirm the above. 

 

 

I believe it may well be the map you have mentioned of Turkish Positions I hope the images are clear enough for confirmation.

[beestonboxer]

[beestonboxer]

[pete-c]

Could this be the very map drawn by Captain H L Reilly?  It certainly seems to fit the bill.  It would also be interesting to know the provenance of this collection - and of course to see some more images if you have them.

 

BB, just a thought, but It may also be worthwhile putting these map scans on to the 'War in the Air section' and perhaps tag them 'H. L. Reilly, 30 Squadron, R.F.C.'

Edited 25 August , 2017 by pete-c

[beestonboxer]

Thought I would throw this one in and ask the Question what is the contraption the soldier is standing next to ? it looks somewhat sinister to me but probably all very innocent and obvious once explained.

[charlie962]

I suspect it is as sinister as it looks. The man with the cane officiating.

 

But I'm presuming it wasn't   'ours'   but   'theirs'

Edited 26 August , 2017 by charlie962

[beestonboxer]

Hosptal Ship 1 used to transport the sick and wounded from Kut.

[seaJane]

So is that the Medjidieh?

[beestonboxer]

12 hours ago, seaJane said:

So is that the Medjidieh?

I cant confirm if it is the Mejidieh or not I believe it is possibly two different paddle steamers , the only reference in the album is a photograph titled " S.S Mejidieh and barges" and a newspaper clipping that clearly shows her name. Not very clear images either to make a comparison.

Tim

[charlie962]

These extracts of two reports relate to  Medjidieh , seajane you will no doubt have already read them;

 

from  THE INLAND WATER TRANSPORT IN MESOPOTAMIA

5. In November, 1914, when General Barrett took 
possession of Basrah, the River Transport available consisted 
of three steamers, viz. : the Medjidieh, which was the most 
serviceable ; the Julnar, which required new engines, and 
the Salimi, which was used as a ferry-boat between Basrah 
and Kurna. Besides these, there were four lighters of 60 
tons, two of 110 tons, and ten of 200 tons, making sixteen 
in all, and some country sailing boats or mahailas, with a 
capacity of from 25 to 35 tons. 

6. On November 23rd, 1914, after Basrah was occupied,
at a conference held at Army Headquarters, Commander
A. Hamilton, R.I.M., recommended to the General Staff
that they should at once ask for twelve river steamers of
the Medjidieh class. Commander Hamilton had previously
been on the Tigris for two years, and had surveyed the river
from Basrah to Baghdad. He was, therefore, competent to
speak with exceptional knowledge both of the river and of
the class of steamer most suitable to its navigation. He
urged the necessity of giving orders early, and, owing to the
necessary delay in building the vessels, which he estimated
at twelve months, he suggested that they should be got
from India ready-built. Nothing, however, was done until
January 2nd, 1915 ......

.....Six paddle-steamers of the Medjidieh class.
Three stern-wheelers of lighter draught.
Eight tugs of the Sumana class.
Forty-three barges to specifications given.

The purport of these requirements was telegraphed to
London on August 4th, 1915.

8. Eventually, orders for the six paddle-steamers, three
stern- wheel steamers, and eight tugs were placed on
November 3rd, 1915, orders for the barges being placed a
few days later. The first of these tugs reached Abadan in
April, 1916, the first paddlers and stern-wheelers in June,
1916, and the forty-three barges arrived at different dates
between April, 1916, and end of the year. All except the
six paddle-steamers were shipped either in sections or in the
form of plates, and had to be erected after arrival in Meso-
potamia, so that a considerable period elapsed after their
arrival before they were available for use. Some were not
ready in January, 1917.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Official accounts of the suffering endured by soldiers in World War I are hard to come by, due to wartime censorship.  The Mesopotamian campaign of 1915 and 1916 provides one of the few exceptions.  As its eventual failure would prove to be arguably the largest British military defeat of the war, it was investigated thoroughly by a quickly-formed Mesopotamian Commission back in London.  Their report, issued in 1917, contains the following account (with preface);

    We are reluctant to describe the details of the condition in which many of the wounded arrived at Basra, on account of their sickening horror; but we deem it necessary to quote one witness on this subject, because it brings home the appalling nature of the sufferings which were thus glossed over by the authorities.  Major Cartor, I.M.S., who was in medical charge of the hospital ship Varela at Basra, waiting for the wounded from Ctesiphon, thus describes the arrival of one of the river convoys:–

    “I was standing on the bridge in the evening when the Medjidieh arrived.  She had two steel barges, without any protection from the rain, as far as I remember.  As this ship, with two barges, came up to us I saw that she was absolutely packed, and the barges too, with men….When she was about 300 or 400 yards off it looked as if she was festooned with ropes.  The stench when she was close was quite definite, and I found that what I mistook for ropes were dried stalactites of human feces.  The patients were so huddled and crowded together on the ship that they could not perform the offices of Nature clear of the edge of the ship, and the whole of the ship side was covered with stalactites of human feces….A certain number of men were standing and kneeling on the immediate perimeter of the ship.  Then we found a mass of men huddled up anyhow–some with blankets and some without.  They were lying in a pool of dysentery about 30 feet square.  They were covered with dysentery and dejecta generally from head to foot.  With regard to the first man I examined, I put my hand into his trousers, and I thought that he had a hemorrhage.  His trousers were full almost to his waist with something warm and slimy.  I took my hand out, and thought it was blood clot.  It was dysentery.  The man had a fractured thigh, and his thigh was perforated in five or six places.  He had apparently been writhing about the deck of the ship.  Many cases were almost as bad.  There were a certain number of cases of terribly bad bed sores.  In my report I describe mercilessly to the Government of India how I found men with their limbs splinted with wood strips from “Johnny Walker” whisky boxes…”

Edited 28 August , 2017 by charlie962

[charlie962]

The Medjidieh clearly has paddles on either side (so a 'paddle steamer'). Post 35 has a paddle at the stern but nothing obvious on the sides (so a 'stern-wheel steamer').

Edited 28 August , 2017 by charlie962

[charlie962]

just for good measure, a further extract of Major Carter's report to commission:

 

   

[beestonboxer]

Many thanks for the posts very interesting especially Major Carters report, I saw a documentary recently about conditions on such steamers in which was being described what faced the medics on board having to try and deal with the vast amount of injured and sick men many of whom had dysentery it was horrendous. 600 men is unbelievable this next card shows a rather crowded steamer to try to give some idea having said that these men are obviously not sick or wounded. The card is marked River Transport Mesopotamia. Written on the back " This is the paddle steamer called Malamir , She carried Gen Nixon and his staff up to Ctesiphon and brought them back to Basra"

Edited 28 August , 2017 by beestonboxer

[charlie962]

The medical arrangements were so scandalously and inexcusably  insufficient I cannot help but take the opportunity to post Major Carter's comments even if they (may ?) have appeared already on this forum.

Thanks for continuing to post what is, I think, a very important annotated photographic record.

[beestonboxer]

12 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

The medical arrangements were so scandalously and inexcusably  insufficient I cannot help but take the opportunity to post Major Carter's comments even if they (may ?) have appeared already on this forum.

Thanks for continuing to post what is, I think, a very important annotated photographic record.

Thank you. The suffering of man no matter on what front is the same the circumstances which cause the suffering is the only difference.

Tim

[beestonboxer]

Captain Rubie and the Sheik of Chabaish aboard SS Mosul, near Nasrieh.

 

Captain Claude Blake Rubie 4th Lancashire Fusiliers formerly Cpl 1683 of the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps ( first class amateur cricketer of some note)

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Tim,

Super photo of Capt C. B. Rubie with the Arab notable aboard Mosul.

It is rather reminiscent (note the red tabs) of my research effort, Capt R. S. Moberly, IARO (erstwhile Great Indian Peninsular Railway superintendent), who was shown with a major and a Matron/Nurse, at a Basra hospital, 1918. 

Moberly, (later Lt-Col., OBE, VD and Cmdt G. I. P. Rly Bn.), was attached 1st Bn., 32nd Sikh Pioneers (QM), but had been appointed Railway Transport Officer, hence the tabs.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[beestonboxer]

15 hours ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said:

Dear Tim,

Super photo of Capt C. B. Rubie with the Arab notable aboard Mosul.

It is rather reminiscent (note the red tabs) of my research effort, Capt R. S. Moberly, IARO (erstwhile Great Indian Peninsular Railway superintendent), who was shown with a major and a Matron/Nurse, at a Basra hospital, 1918. 

Moberly, (later Lt-Col., OBE, VD and Cmdt G. I. P. Rly Bn.), was attached 1st Bn., 32nd Sikh Pioneers (QM), but had been appointed Railway Transport Officer, hence the tabs.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Many thanks for sharing this wonderful photograph much appreciated.

Tim

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Tim,

My pleasure; that is the genial part of this Forum.

You may like to see the self-same IARO Lieut Ronald Stuart Moberly, departing India for Mesopotamia - farewelled by his wife Dorothy.

They subsequently had a daughter, who sadly died in Jhansi, aged two, in 1926.

kindest regards,

Kim.

[beestonboxer]

Superb photo and one of those groups of medals that are pleasing to the eye wonderful, would have to say a slight feeling of jealousy came across me seeing that lovely group but only in a nice kind of way.

 

Tim

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Tim,

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad you liked my contribution.

Indeed, I went to considerable trouble to 1) secure the group, via a straight exchange with a U.S. collector, and 2) to contact the Moberly family (who were more than kind).

Ronald Stuart Moberly himself was obviously a very nice man and one could go on and on about his sense of duty. 

I agree with you about the group being a harmonious one and pleasing to the eye - which is not always the case!

Perhaps you and other GWF members would be interested to see his Vols progress (front row, far right: 1929), which ended with his command of the battalion.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[beestonboxer]

There are several dozen newspaper clippings of most of the actions leading up to and including the surrender of Kut there are also several casualty newspaper reports if anyone wants a casualty look up I will be happy to go through the clippings ( Officers ) 6th Poona. To be going on with a couple of newspaper reports of Naval decorations awarded.