GALLIPOLI PENINSULA - APRIL 1915 - HOW COME GREAT UNCLE WAS THERE

[Auimfo]

I'd say after 1908, when he resigned his commission, he was on reserve and emigrated to NZ/Australia and upon the outbreak of war returned to England to take up his position.

I found his name on a peerage website and curiously the compiler for this particualr page of the site was from New Zealand.

Tim L.

[Pete L]

Hi Moriaty

In the September 1918 Army List his entry reads, in the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery section, under Lt – Colonels:

Preston, Hon, RMP, DSO, late Lt RA, HAC (empld RA) and the seniority date of 16 Jan 1918. There is also a symbol meaning Territorial Force.

Which I interpret to mean he was originally commissioned in the RA as a Lieutenant, resigned, later joined the HAC (a TF outfit), and during WW1 was employed by (ie attached to) the RA. So he was in Gallipoli with the RA.

Looking at Stebie’s list of LG entries, we almost have the full picture already:

1902 - Commissioned in the RA

1907 – Promoted Lt

1908 – Resigned from the RA

? – joined HAC

1910 – Promoted Captain

Also, I suspect that Great Uncle Dick merely told his sister that he was going to Gallipoli, but asked her not to tell anyone, until she read about it in the papers. Which she did after reading about it in the Times.

Pete

[Stebie9173]

One gap filled (and another question raised):

LG 6-5-1910

War Office,

6th May, 1910.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.

Bombardier The Honourable Richard Martin Peter Preston (late Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery) to be Second Lieutenant. Dated

7th May, 1910.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Seems like he rejoined as an N.C.O. after being an Officer. A little bit of an odd one, that.

Steve.

[Jerrymurland]

Also, I suspect that Great Uncle Dick merely told his sister that he was going to Gallipoli, but asked her not to tell anyone, until she read about it in the papers. Which she did after reading about it in the Times.

Perhaps, but many did not know they were destined for Gallipoli, certainly the boat full that went over on the Olympic in September 1915 thought they were going to Egypt and most of the Auzzies were diverted from Egypt where they had been sent for training without knowing much about their final destination. Agreed security was awful and stories of officers buying maps of Gallipoli in bazaars in Egypt are probably true but I don't think Uncle Dick would have blabbed to his sister ...............but who knows? Uncle Dick can you read this?

Jerry

[Moriaty]

Thanks to everyone for their input, the ears of Granny and Uncle Dick must be burning!

I am not aware that he was living in Australia or New Zealand (at least no one mentioned this to me as a small child), but he and his family did live in Tasmania for a few years when he was a child - I wonder if that is the connection!!

Moriaty