Sergeant Fred Garrett, 3rd Australian Light Horse War Diary

[MelPack]

I was wondering if anyone could provide a working link to Garrett's diary - all previous links via Grants militaria are broken.

I am particularly interested in the entry for 23 August 1915 when he was party to the shooting down of members of the Egyptian Labour Corps.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Never heard of it, if you do get it I would also like to check it out?

I take it these shootings were not on Anzac?

Because he was not there during Aug 1915 having been evac to Mudros.

So where these men shot there?

What I have on him;

GARRETT    Frederick George Hamilton     709    Pte    03 LHR    2R tos C Sqn 3-15 to Sig RHQ 3-15 evac to (15 BSH) hosp Mudros (dysentry) 7-15 rtn 10-15 (G) att WFF T/att School of instruction at Zeitoun (Sig course) 4-16 T/att 1 LH Sig Troop 5-16 to Sig/Cpl A Sqn 6-16 to hosp (debility) 6-16 rtn 7-16 WIA 9-1-17 L/Leg shot in fighting at Rafa rtn to Sig/Sgt RHQ (from Read) 2-17 to hosp (debility) 5-17 rtn 8-17 recom DCM - for his work at Rafa awarded DCM - for his work during operations Oct 1917 to March 1918 att School of instruction at Zeitoun (advanced telephone course) 5-18 rtn 8-18 shown Sig/Sgt RHQ 12-18 related Frank Garrett
 

Cheers

S.B

[busterfield]

Kyle John Anderson's Logistical Laborers in World War I and the 1919 Egyptian Revolution. a PDF file found on this search.

https://www.google.com/search?q=logistical+laborers+in+world+war+i+and+the+1919+egyptian&client=firefox-b-d&ei=agaDY4_XFZmlgQbapKP4BQ&ved=0ahUKEwiPtJHF4M37AhWZUsAKHVrSCF8Q4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=logistical+laborers+in+world+war+i+and+the+1919+egyptian&gs_lcp=Cgxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAQAzIHCAAQHhCiBDoKCAAQRxDWBBCwAzoOCAAQjwEQ6gIQjAMQ5QI6DgguEI8BEOoCEIwDEOUCOhEILhCPARDUAhDqAhCMAxDlAkoECEEYAEoECEYYAFDtCFiUwgFgkd4BaAJwAXgAgAG3AYgBtwGSAQMwLjGYAQCgAQGgAQKwAQrIAQPAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

on page 182/3 there is a small excerpt from his diary. As the grantsmilitia link doesn't work, perhaps the author, Anderson may have a copy ?

[b3rn]

Hi MelPack, you can see the archived pages in the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20061102085816/http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/garrett/html/aug1915.htm

The recent book by Kyle John Anderson is very good. 
https://kylejanderson.com/

[MelPack]

I managed to find the extract below from the thesis link provided by Buster. B3rn I tried the Wayback link but without aany success - perhaps you could copy and paste the full quote dealing with the incident. I am still unclear as to whether the location was Gallipoli or Mudros.

Fred Garrett’s war diaries also include the story of an incident among ELC laborers in
Gallipoli. On 23 August 1915, Garrett writes:
At daybreak this morning we were all called back to quell a disturbance among
the Egyptians. They were refusing to work on account of one of their members
sentenced to a flogging, (not true as I found out later). They were very threatening
and commenced to come at us with sticks and stones ... First a volley of 2 rounds
were fired overhead, then 2 rounds at their feet.
Then the Officers gave the order to let them have it. Five were killed and 9 or 10
wounded. This settled them... It was an awful sight, and the effect of the sight of
blood on the Egyptians was instantaneous. Even our officers turned their heads.

[busterfield]

1 hour ago, MelPack said:

I managed to find the extract below from the thesis link provided by Buster. B3rn I tried the Wayback link but without aany success - perhaps you could copy and paste the full quote dealing with the incident. I am still unclear as to whether the location was Gallipoli or Mudros.

Fred Garrett’s war diaries also include the story of an incident among ELC laborers in
Gallipoli. On 23 August 1915, Garrett writes:
At daybreak this morning we were all called back to quell a disturbance among
the Egyptians. They were refusing to work on account of one of their members
sentenced to a flogging, (not true as I found out later). They were very threatening
and commenced to come at us with sticks and stones ... First a volley of 2 rounds
were fired overhead, then 2 rounds at their feet.
Then the Officers gave the order to let them have it. Five were killed and 9 or 10
wounded. This settled them... It was an awful sight, and the effect of the sight of
blood on the Egyptians was instantaneous. Even our officers turned their heads.

In the preceding paragraphs an incident similar was mentioned at Mudros. Whether Mudros is considered as part of the Gallipoli area I'm not sure.

 

[b3rn]

From the diary entry of 23 August 1915:

At daybreak this morning we were all called back to quell a disturbance among the Egyptians. They were refusing to work on account of one of their members sentenced to a flogging, (not true as I found out later). They were very threatening and commenced to come at us with sticks and stones.

Five men were picked and placed in front. Several received cracks from the stick.

First a volley of 2 rounds were fired overhead, then 2 rounds at their feet.

Then the Officers gave the order to let them have it. Five were killed and 9 or 10 wounded. This settled them. Most scuttled up among the reeds wailing and praying and pulling their hair. I never heard such a frightful row in all my life. Some of the Ghurkhas who witnessed it went into estaties, "Good boy Johsinie".

In my opinion the order to fire into them should have been given while the Gypos were using their sticks not after they have seemed to have cooled down. Of course all the palavering was going on in their own language and with principally their own officer. So it is hard to form an opinion. It was an awful sight, and the effect of the sight of blood on the Egyptians was instantaneous. Even our officers turned their heads.

---

By the way, location is the island of Imbros (today called Gökçeada).

This is clear from the diary, it is not Mudros or Gallipoli Peninsula.

Edited 27 November , 2022 by b3rn

[MelPack]

Many thanks for retrieving the full extract and the clarification that the locality was Imbros.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Your right his records don't say where the hosp he was sent to was, at Mudros or Imbros?

I have many Assies sent to hosp (15 BSH) at Mudros not Imbros during this time as well as Aussies from the 2 ASH sent to help there?

Do your records show where the 15 BSH was on these islands?

I did find a note to say he was discharged to duty 10 Aug 1915, while on these islands, So its possible was sent to another island for that duty, like Imbros?

He still didn't return to Anzac, ie, his unit until 21 Oct 1915

Cheers

S.B

[b3rn]

Hi S.B., have a read of the diary:
https://web.archive.org/web/20061102085816/http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/garrett/html/aug1915.htm

10 August 1915
At 10.00 am this morning we all lined the front of our tents and were inspected by the Doc,
"Whats wrong with you?"
"How long have you been here?"
"Put out your tongue."
And the result was that was that all of us were nearly booked to leave for Imbros, - presumably to guard prisoners...

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Thanks, the diary makes interesting reading. 

But does throw up some curly ones.

5 May 1915 shows a man named Brandt joining the Sig Troop, funny as Brandt was in the 5th Reinf, and as it shows the 4th Reinf joining around that time (6 May 1915)

On checking the men of the 5th Reinf, that didn't emb from Australia until June 1915.

I did find at lest three men who must have emb earlier then shown in the records, they all arrived Egypt in April 1915, so they must have emb with the 3rd Reinf

That's why checking diaries can be very interesting, you never know what will turn up.

It also explains how and why he was on Imbros

Cheers

the three men are;

HENDER    Arthur Stuart    947    Cpl    03 LHR    5R possibly emb 3R shown Tos 16-4-15 embark rolls show left Australia in June 1915? revert Tos Pte A Sqn 9-15 (G) att WFF to L/Cpl 3-16 revert 7-16 to hosp (VD) 11-16 rtn to L/Cpl 1-17 shown L/Cpl A Sqn 1-18 WIA 27-3-18 sprained ankle in horse fall in action accident supporting the 179 Bde around Es Salt rtn 5-18 to T/Cpl (from slater) 4-18 revert 7-18 to hosp (cellulitis R/hand) 8-18 rtn 10-18 to hosp (malaria) 11-18 rtn revert Pte 12-18 later WWII 8Bn VDC (S75321) AKA Arthur Sturt or Stewart or Stanley Hender

BRANDT    August    1047    Pte    03 LHR    5R possibly emb 3R shown Tos 16-4-15 shown Sig Troop 5-15 embark rolls show left Australia in June 1915? tos A Sqn 8-15 (G) att WFF WIA 1-6-16 back bomb reported 5 killed and 21 wounded when bombed in air attack at Hod el Debabis near Romani RTA wounded invalided reemb 27R to isol camp 6-17 to 1 LHTR 7-17 Tos A Sqn 7-17 att 6 MVS 12-17 shown A Sqn 1-18 to hosp (tonsilitis) 4-18 rtn A Sqn 5-18 to hosp (malaria) 10-18 rtn 2-19 

TAYLOR    Harold    962    Pte    03 LHR    5R possibly emb 3R to Sig 4-15 to hosp (VD) 5-15 RTA VD relist 11R/04 LHR (1528) tos B Sqn 1-16 to hosp (phymosis) 2-16 rtn to D Sqn 3-16 to 2 Anzac LHR 8-16 to hosp (sick) 6-17 to AIF depots (1 com) UK 8-17 to 13 LH Dytls Tidworth UK 10-17 to AATD UK 11-17 to Gnr 29Bty/8 FAB 4-18 WIA 24-4-18 L/arm shrapnel near Heilly F&B RTA wounded disch 4-11-18 (BCo/76 IR (Hindmarsh) CMF 3 years) 

S.B

Edited 27 November , 2022 by stevenbecker

[MelPack]

Garrett's diary entry for 24 August 1915 is interesting:

Eight Egyptians buried yesterday. Two this morning so that their casualties must have been pretty heavy. Never heard such a wailing in all my life before.

After the war, all the graves on Imbros were concentrated in the Lancashire Landing Cemetery on the penisula:

The 97 graves in Row K and graves 31 to 83 in Row L were brought in after the Armistice from the following Aegean islands cemeteries:- KEPHALOS BRITISH CEMETERY, on the island of Imbros (Imbroz), was 640 metres inland from Kephalos Pier. There were buried in it 84 British, Australian and New Zealand sailors and soldiers, three Greeks, and one German prisoner. KUSU BAY CEMETERY, on the island of Imbros (Imbroz), contained the graves of 45 officers and men (14 of them unidentified) of the monitors Raglan and M28, which were sunk by the German battle cruiser Goeben and cruiser Breslau as they attempted to break out into the Mediterranean from the Black Sea on 20 January 1918 (both the Breslau and the Goeben later struck mines, off Cape Kephalos, which resulted in the Breslau sinking and the Goeben being grounded of Chanak). PANAGHIA CHURCHYARD, on the island of Imbros (Imbroz), contained the graves of one officer and five men from the monitors and four airmen of the 62nd Wing, Royal Air Force.

https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2000103/lancashire-landing-cemetery/

No mention of the ten Egyptian graves.

[b3rn]

There’s a small cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on Lemnos that contains the graves of 56 Ottoman soldiers and 170 men of the Egyptian Labour Corps.

It's possible they were reinterred there.

[MelPack]

Possible but unlikely. No graves are marked in the Mudros West Moslem Cemetery and the site is a solitary obelisk surrounded by a low wall.

There are only little more than 260+ marked graves for the whole of the Egyptian Labour Corps (174 of which are post armistice deaths) in every theatre of war in spite of the Corps' estimated casualties being in excess of over ten thousand.

On that basis alone it is difficult to envisage that the authorities would have been overly concerned about exhumations and re-burial from one island to the next.

[b3rn]

I agree with you MelPack. 

The cemetery on West Mudros is essentially a mass grave. Attached are some pictures I took.

It's possible that Ottoman POW deaths, and Egyptian labourers, were reinterred when the IWGC did their work post-war, but it's also possible their graves on Imbros have been lost. I have walked the ground there quite often, most recently in September. However I don't know if their graves were near the European cemetery or not. (There is nothing marked on the maps I have.)