Norfolk Regiment in Mesopotamia

[jack kelf]

Hello,

 

My name is Jack and I am trying to research my father Sydney Herbert Kelf who served under Major General Townsend in Mesopotamia. 

My father was awarded the DCM and wounded saving Major General Townsend (so I believe). At some point, Major General Townsend surrounded the garrison. 

 

From what I understand, my father was fortunate enough to be evacuated, but I don´t know where. This is one of the things I like to know. 

I have visited the museum, but I couldn´t find out what unit my father served in. 

I worked for the MOD in Tidworth. I was fortunate to be invited to the library in Aldershot. There I was shown a book detailing the actual campaign. The book was written by the officers of the day. Unfortunately, I don´t have the name of the book. If anyone can help with the book's name, I would be grateful. 

Thank you

 

Jack

[kenf48]

Welcome to the GWF

To start you off:-

Pte.7939 Sydney Herbert Kelf served with the 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment.

The Medal Roll shows he first entered a theatre of war on the 25th August 1915. He was therefore fortunate to have escaped capture at Kut on the 29 April 1916, if indeed he did.

The war diary for the 2nd Battalion can be downloaded for free from TNA if you register but due to the circumstances is in many parts as shown on this page

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_col=200&_cr1=WO+95&_hb=tna&_q=2+Norfolk

There is no citation against his DCM in the list on Ancestry I haven't looked in the London Gazette.

There are many books on the Mesopotamian Campaign and in particular the debacle of the Siege of Kut both online and hard copy.

e.g. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kut-1916-Forgotten-British-Disaster/dp/0750966068

and also the volumes linked on the page.  The Official History is also online.

His service records not survived but I suspect he was in the Reserves when war was declared, or enlisted in the Special Reserve.  The 2nd Battalion were in India when war was declared in August 1914 and moved to Mesopotamia in November 1914 https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/norfolk-regiment/ so he joined them later

His regimental number, if in the regular series shows enlistment in April 1909 for seven years with the Colours and five on reserve.  Therefore unless something had happened he would still have been serving with the Colours in 1914.  That seems unlikely as the 1st Battalion went to France in August 1914. So more work needed.

He was demobilised to the Class Z Reserve on the 18th February 1919.

 

[PRC]

The 1911 Census of England & Wales has a 19 year old Private Sydney Kelf, born Norwich, recorded in Barracks at the Marlborough Lines, Aldershot, with the 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. If it's the same man then certainly in the colours part of his enlistment. Unfortunately without a surviving service records no real intimation at this stage as to whether he was at the Belfast with the 1st Battalion when war was declared in August 1914, or out in India with the 2nd Battalion at Belgaium,. or at the Regimental Depot at Britannia Barracks. With all those locations and considering he was a regular still in the colours rather than the reserves you would normally expect to find him landing in France with the 1st Battalion on the 14th August 1914 or Mesopotamia on the 15th November 1914 with the 2nd Battalion.

As far as trends revealed by surviving service records for men with near regimental service numbers go:-

7931 Richard Matthew Batterbee attested on the 2nd October 1909, enlisting for 12 years, split 7 in the colours and 5 in the reserves. He was posted to the 1st Battalion on the 9th October 1909. He purchased his discharge on the 13th November 1909.

7934 Samuel Ford has surviving burnt service records on FindMyPast and Ancestry \ Fold 3. I don't subscribe so can't check them out. He died on the 15th July 1915 serving with the 2nd Battalion. He landed in Mesopotamia on the 15th November 1914.

7937 George Slaughter has surviving burnt service records on FindMyPast and Ancestry \ Fold 3. I don't subscribe so can't check them out. He died on the 12th June 1916 seving with "E" Company, 2nd Battalion in Mesopotamia. He has no known grave - will need to check if he died a PoW.

7940 William Henry Gilbert has surviving burnt service records on FindMyPast, indexed as born Islington c1881 - couldn't readily spot them on Ancestry as either Service Records or Pension records. I don't subscribe so can't check them out. He was renumbered 73096 at some stage. Surviving the war he was discharged on the 12th May 1919, so before his 12 years were up.

7959 John Edward Brook attested on the 26th November 1909, enlisting for 12 years, split 7 in the colours and 5 in the reserves. He was posted to the 1st Battalion on the 16th December 1909 and then transferred to the 2nd Battalion on the 27th September 1911. He landed in the Mesopotamia Theatre of War on the 15th November 1914.

Have to take a break now for cook house duties - will take a look later but in the meantime will "dob" in @charlie962 in case he has come across Sydney.

Cheers,
Peter

[kenf48]

2 hours ago, PRC said:

Have to take a break now for cook house duties

I've done cookhouse duties, a locally sourced ribeye for our guests and far too many dry martinis so will have to look in the morning - happy days.

The regimental number suggests a regular enlistment, he may have beheld back to train 'Kitchener Battalions' but it is a mystery why he did not go overseas with the 1st, or was serving with the 2nd.

[charlie962]

A quick look (I've just got home from being volunteer barman at a club) and I have Kelf 7939 as PoW taken at Kut.

He was mentioned in despatches and I presume this was the first stage of his eventual award of a DCM. Lack of citation is not uncommon in this case.

I shall look further....

 

...indeed he is on the Roll of pows prepared by the Norfolk Regiment with the annotation that he made it home.

 ... He is on a pow list for Afion Kara Hissar, R50167, as held by the ICRC.

Edited 27 January by charlie962

[charlie962]

R50167 courtesy ICRC

[charlie962]

As for his DCM, I believe it was for work prior to the Siege. There may be mention of him in the War Diary? His MiD was in Nixon's Despatch and that was dated Jan 1916 and covered the period prior to Kut.

[PRC]

8 hours ago, jack kelf said:

My father was awarded the DCM and wounded saving Major General Townsend (so I believe). At some point, Major General Townsend surrounded the garrison. 

The garrison at Kut was surrendered on the 29th April 1916. The Distinguished Conduct Medal Award appears in the Supplement to the London Gazette dated December 12th, 1917, so would seem at first almost certainly nothing to do with General Townshend. Unfortunately it's one of those occasions when the citation does not appear with the award notification. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30424/supplement/13004/data.pdf

Other Norfolk Regiment recipients in the same list were:-
8335 Private J.H. Battleday (Norwich)
8201 Private R.W. Benifer (Downham Market) - Wounded according to an Official Casualty list printed in the edition of the Norfolk Chronicle dated 7th January 1916, so may have missed the siege.
5113 Serjeant G.H. Brazell (Norwich) - George Henry Brazell died of wounds on the 28th November 1915.
8076 Private A. Burton (South Woodford) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
7697 Private A.E. Catchpole (Rockland St. Mary, Norfolk)
8310 Private C. Collison (Necton, Norfolk) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
7868 Private J.E. Crane (Holt, Norfolk) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
6031 Serjeant W.F. Dermott (College Street, London, E.C.) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
7359 Private O.J. Mourphy (Wisbech)
7379 Private D.W. Pitches (Keswick, Norfolk) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
5807 Acting Company Quarter Master Serjeant B.S. Richards (Kingston) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
201220 Serjeant A.E. Roberts Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry attached Norfolks (St. Austall, Cornwall).
5676 Serjeant (Acting Company Quarter Master Serjeant) J. Savage (New Catton, Norwich) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut
7913 Private G.W. Stewart (Laindon Common, Billericay) - taken prisoner at the fall of Kut

With the exception of Crane, Dermott, Roberts and Stewart the rest, along with Kelf were "mentioned in despatches", (i.e they were in a long list of names attached separately to a despatch which otherwise probably didn't mention them at all!) - in the list that appeared in the Supplement edition of the London Gazette dated 13th July 1916. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29665/supplement/6960

Those Norfolk Regiment men mentioned in that despatch were also listed in the edition of the Eastern Daily Press dated Friday, July 14th, 1916, but without additional details.

The relevant despatch was that of General John Nixon dated 16th January 1916, and the list relates to "officers and men brought to notice by Major-General C.V.F. Townshend, C.B., D.S.O., in connection with operations under his command". (Note this despatch date predates the surrender of Kut). The Despatch is stated to cover events in Mesopotamia covering October to December 1915. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29576/supplement/1

The principle actions covered are the advance from Kut, the Battle of Ctesiphon and the subsequent retreat to Kut.

There is a blog post on the events of the last half of 1915 affecting the 2nd Battalion and which quotes from originals sources. Its a very good and detailed read. Interestingly it has this to say that may well relate to the arrival of Sydney in Mesopotamia.

On 28th August a draft of 190 men arrived; being men of the Battn. previously invalided, reservists…

As the Unidentified Officer observes on 29th August:

    Got a large draft out a few days ago of 190 men, mostly Terriers [Territorials] from India, just arrived in time to save the battalion disappearing altogether.
https://norfolkinworldwar1.wordpress.com/2015/11/09/the-2nd-battalion-of-the-norfolk-regiment-in-mesopotamia-2/

Three days from arrival at the coast, (MiC shows 25th August 1915) to catching up with the unit in the field seems a likely timescale. And although the Norfolks had been out of India over 9 months, as it was the base area for this Theartre of War, (and at that point the Mesopitamian campaign was being run by the India Office using troops paid for by the Indian Government), the Norfolks continued to maintain a depot at Belgaum. This is where any new drafts from the UK would be sent, and where any recovered wounded and sick that had been evacuated to India  would report and be assessed for fitness for further frontline service.

It's pure speculation but such a depot would have needed clerical staff, and if that was his peacetime role he may have been left behind as part of the team to ensure continuity. Unfortunately with the losses being suffered by the Norfolks he may have been caught up in a Depot clearout.

And while checking the British Newspaper Archive for the DCM citation I noticed he also has an entry in the Weekly Casualty List issued by the War Office  & Admiralty on the 7th January 1919. He appears on page 34 in the right hand column under the heading "The following soldiers, who were prisoners of war in Turkey, have been released." https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/194173217

An unofficial list of Norfolks believed to have been taken prisoner at the surrender of Kut and which appeared in the edition of the Eastern Evening News dated Thursday June 22nd, 1916, included Sydney. Next of kin was shown as living at Norwich.

Cheers,
Peter

 

[jack kelf]

Thank you all. This is so much information and hard work. I am looking forward to reading it all. Thank you so much. 

 

Jack Kelf

[Bob Davies]

One more for you @jack kelf,

the official histories, four volumes which you may find helpful.

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.227118/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.210667/page/n5/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.210668/page/n3/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.210669/page/n5/mode/2up

They are from a reputable site, plus there is a search option on the left hand side of the screen.

If you scroll to the bottom of the screen you will find similar related books.

Happy searching and good luck.

Regards, Bob.

[charlie962]

The Norfolks Museum have Militia Attestation Ledgers that they've put on line via the Army Museums Ogilby Trust (AMOT) site.

Sidney Herbert Kelf attested to the Norfolk Militia 18/12/1908

He was discharged the Militia on enlisting to the Regular Norfolk Regiment 20/5/09.

I believe the museum also hold the Regular attestation ledgers but don't have the budget to digitise them. Do contact the Museum, they are sure to have more.

Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum

Shirehall

Market Avenue

Norwich NR1 3JQ

01603 493 650

 regimental.museum @ norfolk. gov.uk

 www.rnrm.org.uk

Contact: Kate Thaxton

 

Here's a copy of an ammended roll of Kut PoWs from the same source.

 

I'm surprised your father didn't make you aware that he'd been a pow but then the conditions they endured often lead men to shut that episode away completely. It did also lead some of the few survivors to have troubled lives postwar.

Charlie

ps Quite a few men survived because on the initial journey into captivity they were taken by the officers as servants and avoided the worst aspects of the 400 mile death march into captivity. I wonder if your father had been lucky enough to slot into this category? -Particularly if he'd already come to the notice of his superiors.

Do please keep us posted on any new info you find.

 

[Bob Davies]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

but then the conditions they endured

There are some grim tales in these two books Charlie.

Page 129 onwards;

https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.279003/page/n203/mode/2up

Quoted in the above book.

Page 190 onwards;

https://archive.org/details/TheLivesOfABengalLancerFYeatsBrown/page/n193/mode/2up

Regards, Bob.

 

[charlie962]

31 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

There are some grim tales in these two books

The officers had a better chance of survival than the men. Some officers did die but 75% of the men died.

There are very few original accounts by Other Ranks but there are several discussed on old threads on this forum. 

Charlie

Edited 27 January by charlie962

[jack kelf]

Hello Old sweats

 

Thank you for all of your hard work and the amazing information. 

I was always under the impression my father had been injured and medi-vacated back to the UK. He never mentioned to me that he had been a prisoner of war. 

From what he told me, I understood he had been shot in the knee and required surgery.  

My father said he had rescued or saved Major General Townsend´s life. He said he received the DCM and citation because of this. 

Is there any way of finding out if he was indeed wounded and where he would have been sent for treatment? It would also be interesting to know why he was repatriated. 

 

Thank you

Jack

 

[PRC]

2 hours ago, jack kelf said:

I was always under the impression my father had been injured and medi-vacated back to the UK. He never mentioned to me that he had been a prisoner of war. 

From what he told me, I understood he had been shot in the knee and required surgery.  

My father said he had rescued or saved Major General Townsend´s life. He said he received the DCM and citation because of this. 

Is there any way of finding out if he was indeed wounded and where he would have been sent for treatment? It would also be interesting to know why he was repatriated. 

Where I think we are so far is that he was probably serving in India with the 2^nd Battalion at the outbreak if the Great War.

For some unknown reason he does not deploy overseas with the Battalion when it moves to Mesopotamia in November 1914. Unless he was long term sick he was probably retained at the Regimental Depot at Belgaum.

He is sent as part of a replacement draft, when the Battalion is on the verge of becoming non-effective. He arrived in Mesopotamia on the 25^th August 1915 and most likely caught up with the Battalion in the field on the 28^th.

He would have been with the Battalion on the subsequent advance on Baghdad in November 1915. This would culminate in the Battle of Ctesiphon, ultimately a British victory but it left General Townshends’ force too weak to hope to take and hold Baghdad, and with news of the garrison of the city deploying to meet the advancing force, the decision was taken to pull back to the city of Kut-el-Amara to restock and over-winter.

Then began a fighting retreat, with the Turkish forces hot on their heels. As one of the strongest unit of the remaining British forces the Norfolks saw the lion share of the fighting – the despatch from General Nixon in January 1916 draws attention to this and there seems to have been a general sentiment that without the effective actions of the rearguard driving back the advancing Turkish forces, (and some of the local Arab freelancing at the prospect of plunder), then the whole force would have been caught on the road and wiped out. To that extent it may be possible to say that the actions of the men mentioned in despatches and subsequently awarded D.C.M.’s  “saved” General Townshends’ life.

Sydney Kelf was then besieged in Kut. If he was wounded then seems likely he recovered before the garrison surrendered on the 29^th April 1916. The other ranks were rapidly separated from officers, and the fact he ended up at Afion-Harahissar to me suggests he was one of those who were sent on the 400 mile death march deep into Turkey and was forced to work on the Berlin-Baghdad railway in areas where malaria and enteric fever were endemic.

He remained in captivity until the end of the war, being released after the armistice with Turkey. Like many he probably needed medical treatment locally – many ended up in Egypt where the process of trying to put right botched and ineffective treatment began. With the armistice also signed with Germany then consideration would have been given as to whether Sydney was fit enough to complete the remaining period of his 12 years enlistment that he had signed up to in 1909. He is likely to have served long enough that he could be released to the Army Reserve even if he was fit enough.

A possible match on the 1921 Census of England & Wales, (taken on the 4^th June 1921), is a Sydney Herbert Kelf, born Norwich c1892, who was recorded in a household at St Pancras, London, so very shortly after his 12 years were up. FindMyPast have transcribed the household as including a “Clg Emmie Louisa” Kelf, born London, c1899. (The census return details are available via subscription or can be purchased as a one off).

May be a coincidence but the marriage of a Sydney H. Kelf to a Lily E.L. Middleton was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to July quarter, (Q2), of 1919. If that is the right marriage then grooms’ occupation should tell you if he was still serving.

I’m not spotting any obvious Ministry of Pensions records for him on Ancestry \ Fold 3.

Cheers,
Peter

[kenf48]

2 hours ago, PRC said:

A possible match on the 1921 Census of England & Wales, (taken on the 4^th June 1921), is a Sydney Herbert Kelf, born Norwich c1892,

Just for your curiosity Peter, and if it helps, he was a fireman in the London Fire Brigade in 1921

[PRC]

5 hours ago, kenf48 said:

Just for your curiosity Peter, and if it helps, he was a fireman in the London Fire Brigade in 1921

I am normally an insatiable curiousity child but have to admit that has left me a little bit sated

It hopefully means he had made a full(ish) recovery from his ordeal. Having been brought up in an area with a fair smattering of ex Norfolk Regiment men taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore I'm more than aware of the terrible toll on mental health such incarceration could bring about - and can fully understand if Sydney chose not to speak of his experiences.

Peter

[charlie962]

11 hours ago, jack kelf said:

shot in the knee

I cannot see his name or number coming up in the Times Daily Casualty Lists 1915/16 although it is not infallible.

When he was held as a prisoner at Afion Kara Hissar (AKH) he was carrying out his share of duties, I think. I've seen a note in some other documents (I'll try to dig out my source) showing him on a duty roster Dec 1916/Jan 1917 at AKH.

As Peter has outlined above, the majority of Norfolks men made that long 'death' march into captivity and were put to work on the building railways in the Amanus mountains. They were in no physical state to do this and after a while they were all cleared out to AKH. From there early 1917 many were dispersed to other camps. It is difficult in Kelf's case to say where but I suspect there may be a later Turkish Red Crescent document on the ICRC site.

His return to England, presumably late 1918 or early 1919 should appear in the Daily Casualty Lists digitised by the National Library of Scotland? (Edit- see next post)

46 minutes ago, PRC said:

of ex Norfolk Regiment men taken prisoner at the fall of Singapore I'm more than aware of the terrible toll on mental health such incarceration could bring about -

The author of one of the more detailed books on the suffering of those from the Kut Garrison, 'The Siege', is Russell Braddon. He himself went through  Japanese captivity after the fall of Singapore in WW2 and  is why he needed to write that book.

Charlie

Edited 28 January by charlie962

[charlie962]

On 27/01/2024 at 01:33, PRC said:

And while checking the British Newspaper Archive for the DCM citation I noticed he also has an entry in the Weekly Casualty List issued by the War Office  & Admiralty on the 7th January 1919. He appears on page 34 in the right hand column under the heading "The following soldiers, who were prisoners of war in Turkey, have been released."

Missed that! That answers part of my previous post.

Charlie