owen4256 Posted 6 July , 2020 Share Posted 6 July , 2020 I know that on formation in Salonika in 1916 XVI Corps Cavalry included both A and B Squadrons of the Surrey Yeomanry. Did it also include a squadron of the Derbyshire Yeomanry and if so which one? Any information of the CO and Squadron commanders of XVI Corps Cavalry would also be much appreciated.. Regards Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 6 July , 2020 Share Posted 6 July , 2020 Hi Clive, There is a topic in Salonika and The Balkans sub forum on Yeomanry here: If you don't find what you are looking for I have the histories of both the Surrey and Derbyshire Yeomanry and would be happy to look things up for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 7 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2020 Hi Mark Thanks for the prompt reply. I did have a good look through the thread before posting and found it very helpful. You refer early on to the XVI Corps cavalry including both Surrey and Derbyshire Yemonary but there are no further details. Logic says that with two Surrey squadrons, the Derbys would have provided a complete squadron. But I cannot find any reference to which of the Derby squadrons it was. On the Western Front, the Corps Mounted Troops usually had a separate OC above the OC of the Corps Cavalry Regiment and the OC Corps Cyclist Battalion. What I have to date on XVI Corps Mounted Troops on formation in December 1916 is: OC Corps Mounted Troops ??? OC XVI Corps Cavalry Regiment ??? OC A Squadron Surrey Yeomanry ??? OC B Squadron Surrey Yeomanry Major G O Borwick OC ? Squadron Derbyshire Yeomanry ??? OC XVI Corps Cyclist Battlaion Major H F L Hilton-Green OC A Company Captain B D S Tuke OC B Company Captain H F Otway OC C Company Captain C Dalton If you are able to fill in the blanks from the Surrey and Derbyshire Yeomanry Histories that would be great. Best regards Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 7 July , 2020 Share Posted 7 July , 2020 'The Derbyshire Yeomanry War History , 1914 -1919' by Lieut Colonel G.A. Strutt has the following on P104: 16/2/16 Regiment move to Langaza and bivouac. 21/2/16 "B" Squadron under Major Shuttleworth moved to Languvak, "D" Squadron under Captian N. D'Arcy Clark moved to Stavros and "A" Squadron under Captian Rawlinson remained at Langaza with Headquarters On the following day the men of the Derbyshire Squadron of the composite regiment that had landed in Salonika on October 10th (1915 under Captain Birchenough) rejoined their respective Squadrons. All above places are in the Struma valley. Lieut-Colonel Strutt commanded the Regiment until he was wounded in action 23rd May 1916 (p132) , Major Shuttleworth took temporary command p133 and 25th June Lieut-Colonel Neilson took command p136. I will have a look at the Surrey Yeomanry later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 7 July , 2020 Share Posted 7 July , 2020 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4557946 a composite War Diary which incldes 1/1 Derbyshire Yeomanry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 7 July , 2020 Share Posted 7 July , 2020 'The History and War records of the Surrey (Q.M.R.) Yeomanry 1797-1928 E.D. Harrison-Ainsworth, has the following: A and B Squadrons P107 26th January 1916 "A" and "B" Squadrons move from France to Salonika arriving 11th February, Major C.A. Calvert in command of "A", Major G.O. Borwick in command of "B". P181 Major C.A. Calvert leaves the Surrey Yeomanry to take command of the South Notts Hussars Yeomanry, Captain Somervell takes command of "A" 7th April but returns to England 26th June due to poor health and his age. P184 Captain Barclay takes command of "A" Squadron 26th June 1916 P197 Lieut-Colonel T.B. Olive (3rd Hussars and Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry) given command of newly formed 16th Corps Cavalry. P221 31st March 1917 Major G.O. Borwick takes up duties as 2nd in command of the Regiment. P223 1st May 1917 Captain Mirrielees takes command of "B" Squadron. 4th May 1917 Major Thomas Hubert Barclay died from exhaustion after saving many lives in the sinking of H.M.T. "Transylvania" (CWGC), oddly I can't find any reference to this in the book, I will have another look tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 7 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2020 Mark Thanks for taking the time to do such a comprensive look up on the Surrey history. I have seen a few newspaper articles on Major Barclay . Great to have the name of the Corps Cavalry OC. On an unrelated issue, intrigued by the photo of XVI Cyclists on your website. To date I have never seen another photo showing a Lewis Gun mounted on a bicycle although all Corps Cyclist Battalions were issued with them in 1917. Love to know where you found it. Best regards Clive Sotonmate Thank you for the War Diary ref.One to sav e for when Kew is back to a more normal state. All the best Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 8 July , 2020 Share Posted 8 July , 2020 Clive, The photograph featured in an article in Salonika Campaign Society journal 'The New Mosquito' Issue 28 entitled 'Cyclists in Salonika, 1915-17' and was sourced from the National Army Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 8 July , 2020 Share Posted 8 July , 2020 Clive, According to the following from the the Derbyshire Yeomanry History P147, early October 1917, all 3 Derbyshire Yeomanry Squadrons joined 16th Corps Cavalry in early September 1916: 'At this date the strength of the Regiment, all told, was: "A" Squadron sixty-five; "B" Squadron seventy-one, "C" Squadron was still at Guvesne refitting. The 4th and 5th found them standing by in Corps Reserve, i.e. 16th Corps, to which Corps the regiment had been attached a month previously, and with which it served till the conclusion of the war.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 8 July , 2020 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2020 Mark Thanks again for such a detailed response. I wasn't expecting all three Derby squadrons to have joined. I will have to get a copy of the article from the SCS All the best Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 July , 2020 Share Posted 9 July , 2020 (edited) It's a pleasure Clive, I have a soft spot for these plucky unsung heroes of the Yeomanry who had to endure the hardships of patrolling in the Struma valley and received little or no recognition. If you need any more information just let me know. Edited 9 July , 2020 by Gardenerbill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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