Salonika

[Guest shawsofdevon]

Tricia,

A PM or email to lainy would make contact and you could ask for a copy of what lainy has - click on the members name to find their profile. You may find you need a (small) number of posts before you can use PMs and the like, however.

Are you aware of the Salonika Campaign Society> They can be found at http://www.salonika.talktalk.net/ and the website is due for a major overhaul in the next month or two.

Martin

Thanks Kate & Martin for your replies. I looked at the Salonika Campaign Society site, also I found a site http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_d...aries_home.html which has the war diaries on. This looks hopeful as a further source of information for me. I only just found out that my grandfather was in Salonika. I knew he was in France, but I just obtained a couple of photos of him dated 'July 1918 Salonika', hence now my interest in this area.

Thanks again for your input.

Regards,

Tricia

[history22]

Thanks for the offer. I have just found the societies website and was thinking of joining - you have convinced me!

I am researching my grandfather who was a 2/Lieutentant in the RFA and was in Salonika Campaign. His name is Louis Francis Eggleton (Regimental No. 47350). I have some documents relating to his demobilisation in 1920, photos and have his Medical Card from TNA. My problem is I don't have a clear understanding of which unit he belonged to as his Protection Certificate states his Theatre of War and Command as France, 715th Brigade and Last Served 33rd Brigade (which is part of 8th Division). I can't find anything on 715th Brigade.

Family recollections have him at battle of Somme (I am guessing the 2nd battle), being gassed, getting malaria in Salonika and his complaining of the long retreat over the mountains to Greece.

Anybodies help will be greatly appreciated.

Hi

I have been researching my Ggrandfather and have discovered he was in Salonika in 1917 with (I am only typing what is on the sheet) R.A.M.C. his regimental number was 110351, within his records I have come across a Sgt ? Eggleton. My GGrandfather James Hammond was reprimanded on the 13th February/March (conflicting info) 1919 for refusing to unload equipment from an ambulance, he was subsequently charged on the 25th to 14 days ? can't make out what his punishment was. Is this your grandfather?

[apwright]

14 days C.B. = Confined to Barracks

Adrian

[anders96]

Paul

I forgot to mention that my grandfather's name was William Henry Edwards (Will). Perhaps Ben mentioned him in his diaries. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Joyce

[anders96]

Paul

Two entries from W.H. Edwards diaries....

Aug 6, 1917...Got to 32nd Field Ambulance in morning at 11:30. Finished up in horse ambulance wagons and slept there for the night.

Aug 7, 1917...8:30 am started 14 kilometre march. Got to "B" Section at 11:30 am. At 32nd Field Ambulance HQ, we had a fairly good time. The food is certainly not as good as the 27th, but the life is freer. We picked some fine pears in 32nd.

Aug 8, 1917...We are settled now, Noote and myself. The first job we had was making a litter or travois track. Today, we are on iron rations.

The spelling of Noot is different, but the activities and dates are too accurate to be a coincidence. Please respond

Thanks

Joyce

[anders96]

Paul

Another few entries...W.H. Edwards diaries regarding Ben

July 27, 1916...Cool. Ben Noote and myself applied for tranfer to F.A. Have four Indiands under my charge. Wrote letters home.

Aug 09, 1917...It's today we are on iron rations. I wrote home. Ben Noote gone on rations. The name of the hill we are on is "Fountain Hill". We are here now, deprived of everything. Reading and all.

Aug 10, 1917...Noote was lucky enough to buy a tin of margarine and a tine of condensed milk. The heat is intense. Our working hours are from Reveille 5, parade 5.30, breakfast 6.0, work from 7.0 till 10.30, finish, then teat at 12.0, fall in at 3.30 and work till 6.0 thru dinner. Quinine parade Wednesdays and Sundays.

Aug 14, 1917...Very hot. Another man Maclachan, from 27th C.C.S. got to 32nd. Ben Noote went in dock sick, temperature 103.6

Aug 23, 1917...Very warm. Ben J Noote giving me my first shorthand lesson. I mean to learn it. Thinking it will help me to get at the goal of my aspirations, namely a workman's delegate and so on. Tonight I went to "A" Section with letters and met Alex Kerger. Rumour strong that we are going to Palestine via Port Said.

You can see how sure I am that they knew each other. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Joyce

[akduerden]

Hi

I have been researching my Ggrandfather and have discovered he was in Salonika in 1917 with (I am only typing what is on the sheet) R.A.M.C. his regimental number was 110351, within his records I have come across a Sgt ? Eggleton. My GGrandfather James Hammond was reprimanded on the 13th February/March (conflicting info) 1919 for refusing to unload equipment from an ambulance, he was subsequently charged on the 25th to 14 days ? can't make out what his punishment was. Is this your grandfather?

Hi Watcher,

I have only just seen your post as I have been away. According to his records my Grandfather had returned to England in May 1917. He had been promoted to Battery Quarter Master Seargeant but was demoted before leaving England for France in 1915. Not sure what rank he held in Salonika but he was promoted to 2nd Lt late 1917. I can't make out the initials after the name - are they L.F?

Andrew

[Paul Treclyn]

Paul

Another few entries...W.H. Edwards diaries regarding Ben

July 27, 1916...Cool. Ben Noote and myself applied for tranfer to F.A. Have four Indiands under my charge. Wrote letters home.

Aug 09, 1917...It's today we are on iron rations. I wrote home. Ben Noote gone on rations. The name of the hill we are on is "Fountain Hill". We are here now, deprived of everything. Reading and all.

Aug 10, 1917...Noote was lucky enough to buy a tin of margarine and a tine of condensed milk. The heat is intense. Our working hours are from Reveille 5, parade 5.30, breakfast 6.0, work from 7.0 till 10.30, finish, then teat at 12.0, fall in at 3.30 and work till 6.0 thru dinner. Quinine parade Wednesdays and Sundays.

Aug 14, 1917...Very hot. Another man Maclachan, from 27th C.C.S. got to 32nd. Ben Noote went in dock sick, temperature 103.6

Aug 23, 1917...Very warm. Ben J Noote giving me my first shorthand lesson. I mean to learn it. Thinking it will help me to get at the goal of my aspirations, namely a workman's delegate and so on. Tonight I went to "A" Section with letters and met Alex Kerger. Rumour strong that we are going to Palestine via Port Said.

You can see how sure I am that they knew each other. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Joyce

I have to apologise for missing these posts last month Joyce. The potentially exciting thing I have to tell you is that amongst the hundreds of letters I have in Ben's papers are 17 or 18 written by his pal Will Edwards... he may be your grandfather. The first dates to December 1914 and was written from 12, St Anne's Terrace, Tonna, Neath, South Wales. He describes himself as Ben's "old pal". Clearly he had been a classmate of Ben's prior to Ben joining up in September 1914. There is nothing then until September 1916, when Will Edwards of the RAMC gives his regimental number as 49280 and writes from Malta.

I would like to think that this is your grandfather and that we can carry on this correspondence accordingly!

I am currently working on Ben's family background with the help of a living relative of his, and I know that the family will be delighted to know that a descendant of one of his old pals is out there with more information. A remarkable thing indeed.

Best wishes

Paul

PS - Should also add that I also have a similar number of letters penned by Alex Kerger to Ben. He was transferred to Alexandria and several times asks after Will by name in the letters.