Suffolks and the first Canal Defences

[ddycher]

All

 

Have been looking at the troops that Byng sent to Ismailia from Cairo at the end of August 1914.  These were the troops that were relieved by the 9th Sirhind Bde. The Devonshire Regt histories state the initial force at Ismailia was made up of the 2nd Devons with half Bn's of the 2nd Gordons, 2nd Suffolks and the 3rd Dragoons. J.O. Travers of the 2nd Devons commanded. I believe that although both histories state 2nd Suffolks this is a typo and should be 1st Suffolks. However I thought that the 1st Suffolks were at Khartoum at this point with only a small detachment at Alexandria and cant find any ref's outside of the Devon histrories to place them at Ismailia.

 

Any body have any information on this ?

 

Regards

Dave

Edited 5 August , 2017 by ddycher

[ddycher]

Still none the wiser...

 

42nd Div. History states that there was a Coy of the 1st Suffolks split between Alexandria and Cyprus. The rest at Khartoum. These were relieved on September 25th on the arrival of the 7th Manchesters of the Manchester Bde. So potentially the detachment at Ismailia had only been half a Coy not half a Bn and it returned to Alexandria on relief by 1/1st Gurkhas. But this just guess work.

 

Regards

Dave

[Stuart24]

Hi Dave, It was the 1 Suffolks in Egypt/Sudan in 1914 not the 2 Suffolks. Although based in Khartoum, they sent either half a company or two sections of troops on rotation to Abbassia to train as camel troops (regimental history says half a company, regimental museum says two sections). A chap I've been researching was one of these men. It could be that these troops were moved forward to Ismaillia on the outbreak of hostilities, ready to mount patrols into the Sinai. Cheers Stuart

[ddycher]

Many thanks Stuart.

 

Also found a ref to men from the 2nd Gordons being attached to the Camel Corps. Now trying to determine if the typo should actually say a half Coy of each of  Suffolk and Gordon Camel Troops. Have a seperate ref stating that the Egyptian Camel Corps were at Ismailia at the time so trying to again determine if that was a further typo for the same men.

 

Thanks for your help.

Dave

[ddycher]

See Ras el Tin post

[Guest]

History of the Suffolks records in Jan 1914 that "Half of "B" Company was then formed into the British Camel Corps Company, under the command of Captain Thomas, the other officers being 2nd Lt Forbes and C F B Smith"

 

The number of Officers would suggest/reinforce the idea that it was a half Company: OC plus two Platoon Commanders. 

[ddycher]

Thanks Martin

 

Fits with what I have.

 

Regards

Dave

[ddycher]

Martin

 

Another ref for the size of the detachments for the British Camel Corps.  

 

The 1st Yorkshire detechment from Alexandria to join the Camel Corps School in Cairo in February 1910 was a Capt, Broughton, Lieut Phillips and 47 NCO and men.

 

Interestingly when they moved to Sudan later in the year it was F Coy under a Capt Edwards who formed the Camel Corps. I think but cant prove that the original detachment remained at Cairo.

 

Regards

Dave

Edited 24 September , 2017 by ddycher

[Guest]

I have trawled the Sirhind Brigade diaries to see if they mention the Camel units when they took over the Canal Zone. Sadly none do. It might help save you a few hours fruitless searching. 

 

As an aside, Geoffrey Inchbald (incidentally born in Hong Kong on the Peak) wrote "With the Imperial Camel Corps in the Great War". He mentions being trained at Abassia in 1915. 

Edited 24 September , 2017 by Guest

[ddycher]

Thanks Martin I appreciate you taking the time. Earliest ref I have for the British Camel Corps School is 1908. The equivalent in Sudan later not long before the war.

 

Will keep this thread running in the background. 

 

Thanks again. 

Dave