Look ups etc - Mesopotamia

[mikemeso]

My specilisation is the Mesopotamian Campaign, Ron wrote the book (and very good it is to) but I may have the library. Look ups are offered from the following:

Wilson – Loyalties – Mesopotamia 1914-17

A Clash of Loyalties – Mesopotamia 1917-20

Lloyd George – War Memories

Chandler – Long Road to Baghdad Vols 1+2

Townshend – My Campaign

Bailey – Mission to Tashkent

Burke – With Horse and Morse (ANZAC Forces in the Middle East)

The Kia Ora Coo-ee – ANZAC Magazine in the Middle East

Wipers Times

Ed Erickson – Ordered to Die

Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War 1

Sandhu – The 18th Cavalry (History of 7 th Hariana and 6th KEO)

Staff College – Critical Study & Map Case

Anglesey – History of the British Cavalry – vol 6 (Mesopotamia)

Occleshaw – Armour Against Fate (British Mil Intelligence in ww1)

Winstone – OC Desert (Leachman)

Hopkirk – On Secret Service East of Constantinople

Tennant – In the Clouds Above Baghdad

Moukbil Bey –La Campagne De L’Irak 1914-18

Thompson – Beyond Baghdad

Barber – Besieged in Kut

Leland – MT in Mesopotamia

Byrne – Mesopotamia – The Last Phase

Cato – The Navy in Mesopotamia 1914-17

Young – The Independent Arab

Braddon – The Siege

Sherson – Townshend of Citral and Kut

Winstone – Gertrude Bell

Bell – Selected Letters

Rawlinson – History of 2/6th Rajputana Rifles

Kearsey – The Campaign in Mesopotamia

Begg – Surgery on Trestles

‘Black Tab’ – On the Road to Kut

Bird – A Chapter of Misfortunes

Hall – The Inland Water Transport in Mesopotamia

Evans – The Campaign in Mesopotamia

Barker – Townshend of Kut

Von Sanders – Five Years in Turkey

Roosevelt – War in the Garden of Eden

With a Highland Regiment in Mesopotamia

Official History of the War – Mesopotamia Vols 1 -4

Operations in Persia

War in the Air Vols 5 & 6

Barker – The Neglected War

Letters of TE Lawrence

History of No 30 Squadron

Angier – A Hussars War (13th Hussars)

Dixon – On the Psychology of Military Incompetence

Yeats-Brown – Bengal Lancer

Golden Horn

Jones – The Road to Endor

Atkinson – The Devonshire Regiment 1914-18

History of 1st & 2nd Battalions The Leicestershire Regiment

Handbook of the Turkish Army 1916

The Sky Their Battlefield

Casualties of the German Air Service 1914-20

Sandes – In Kut and Captivity

Volume II of the Handbook of Mesopotamia

Field Notes – Mesopotamia

Cox – The Red Cross Launch Wessex on the River Tigris – Diary of Sydney Cox

Clark – To Bagdad with the British

Marshal – Memories of Four Fronts

Buchanan – The Tragedy of Mesopotamia

Davis – Ends and Means

Ron Wilcox’s – Battles on the Tigris

Slim – Unofficial History

History of the Corps of Royal Engineers – Vol VII

Millar – Death of an Army

Neville – History of the 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry in the Great War – Vol 1

A History of the Punjabis 1857 – 23

Keogh – The River in the Desert

4th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment

Account of Operations of the 18th (Indian) Division

Hamilton – History of the 20th (Field) Coy Bombay Sappers & Miners in the Great War

6th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles

Report of the Mesopotamian Commission

Watson – Sieges, A Comparative Study

Mousley – Secrets of a Kuttite

Long – Other Ranks of Kut

Durand – The Thirteenth Hussars in the Great War

I also have various downloads (a lot of books from online archives around the world - some open some not), extracts, articles and notes from over 20 years interest in the Campaign. Thanks to the forum am just discovering the joys of War Diaries.

Mike Etherington

[Neil Clark]

Wow! What a collection. I haven't even heard of many of those publications. How long has it taken you to amass such a collection? It must be worth a fortune as I suspect most of them are now out of print and extremely old.

I too have an interest in Mespot because many Ashford casualties served and died with the 5th Buffs throughout present day Iraq (mainly at Basra, Amarah and Kut). If you have an interest in men who fell in Mespot, we have documented quite a few on the kentfallen website.

Welcome to the Great War forum. Your expertise (and library) will be put to good use here I'm sure. To my knowledge there are'nt many real Mespot specialists on here. But there are plenty of people trying to find out more about this "forgotten" Great War campaign. I'm sure that most people in the U.K still don't realise our involvement in Iraq prior to the present day conflicts. Men are now falling in the same places that British soldiers fell in 1916/17.

[teejay65]

Hello Mike, would you have anything on the RHA in Mespot. I believe my father. Samuel Moore, served there, possibly in the pre war period also. Thanks, Tom

[Chris_Baker]

Great collection, Mike! Only just about describable as Mespot campaign - but do you have any mentions of Lewin's Column or 1055 Company ASC? (went up to Persia)?

[mikemeso]

Tom,

Sorry, cannot find anything on your man in my electronic resources or a quick persual of the hard copy. To give you an idea re RHA in Mes though:

S Battery RHA (6 x 13pdr) was despatched from India to Mes in Feb 1915. Involved in their first action on 3 March at Nukhaila. As the force withdrew the battery was attacked by Arab cavalry whilst in the act of limbering up. Arabs got in amongst the battery and hand to hand fighting ensued rifles, pistols and swords being used to protect the guns. 5 Officers and 20 other ranks were lost but all the guns were saved.

Due to the lack of artillery in theatre S battery was involved in almost all the actions in Mesopotamia up until the siege of Kut being transferred between 6th and 12th Divisions as required.

Following Ctesiphon and the withdrawal to Kut the battery left Kut with the 6th Cavalry Bridge on 6 Dec 1915. They left 2 guns behind due to lack of horses one presumes and are shown as being in the line with the relieving forces on 3 Jan still with the 6th Cavalry Brigade but only 4 guns strong. The Battery took part in the attempts to relieve Kut.

V Battery (6 x 13pdr) arrived in theatre from France with the 7th Cavalry Brigade on 15 Jul 1916 and following the resumption of operations by Gen Maude the two batteries where in constant action from then on.

W Battery arrived with 11th Cavalry Brigade from India late Dec 1917. By this time the RHA batteries in Mes had been reequipped with 18pdrs to increase the weight of fire and were quite often operating with doubled teams due to heavy going in the field.

To show how involved the batteries were this is a quote form Mesopotamia - The Last Phase (Byrne) re action at Khalis in Apr 1918: 'But " S " Battery, on the extreme right, covered itself with glory, obtaining what an enthusiastic subaltern described as

"the target of a lifetime. " One section was detached and the remainder (three guns) came into action in four successive positions, exacting a heavy toll of the enemy. In the third position it remained in action, with a squadron as escort on the right flank, long after the cavalry had retired. It then got away under gun and rifle fire, losing its captain and five men in so doing ; but it managed to rejoin the division which was then two miles in rear, near the previous night's bivouac. The Battery fired over 500 rounds that day.'

Recommended reading:

Farndale – History of the Royal Artillery; The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base, 1914-18 – this follows the movements and actions of the batteries in great detail. Sorry have not got the ISBN number I only have a photocopy of the relevant chapters.

Ron Wilcox - Battles on the Tigris: The Mesopotamian Campaign of the First World War – Superb concise overview of the campaign. ISBN 1 84415 430 0

Hope this helps.

Mike

[Smith64]

Wow, what a collection!

Is there any hope to find some information about Second Lieutenant Roger Smith, of 4th South Wales Borderers? He died in Mesopotamia on 25/1/1917...But I have no idea on what of those books you could find anything!

Thanks

Elena

[mikemeso]

Chris,

Chapter XLI of Vol 4 Official History covers operations in Kurdistan April-May 1918 – 20 odd pages which includes actions by column commanded by Gen Lewin. This unit had a changing consistency - I can attempt to scan and PM these if you wish.

Ops in Oct included a small flanking column commanded by Gen Lewin:

War Diary of 5th Wilts shows this column as consisting of:

Headquarters 40th Infantry Brigade

Brigade Signal Section

12th Cavalry (less 1 Squadron)

A/66 Btty R.F.A. (less 1 Section) (18pdr)

1 Section 61st Btty R.F.A. (4.5 How)

Portion B.A.C.

4th South Wales Borderers

5th Wiltshire Regiment

Headquarters and 2 Sections 40th Machine gun Coy

1 Section 71st Field Coy R.E.

13th L.A.M.B.

'B' Flight 30th Squadron R.A.F.

Portion 72nd Squadron R.A.F.

No.8 Pack Wireless Station.

1/2 of 40th Brigade S.A.A. Section

Detachment 39th Field Ambulance

This column was to advance on the line Tauq – Kirkut – Altun Kopri and prevent enemy forces in that area from moving down the Little Zab.

If you need more info on this column please advise and I will provide more detail.

Official history is unfortunately very light when it comes to mentioning ASC units.

OOB for 19 Oct 1918 shows 1055 ASC Coy as being Army Troops based in Baghdad as part of No.2 Mechanical Transport Column

I have notes from : Army Service Corps 1902-1918 by Mike Young. ISBN: 0850527309 but have not typed them up and can’t find them at the moment.

Just noticed that our friends at Naval & Military Press have published : ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPS A HISTORY OF TRANSPORT AND SUPPLY IN THE BRITISH ARMY Vol 2 of which covers WW1 ISBN 1843427613

Trip to the library might be in order.

There is no mention in OH of Ops in Persia or any of the books I have on the Dunsterforce Ops.

Not much help there.

Mike

[mikemeso]

Neil,

Thanks - I have been interested in the campaign for years. The only great grandfather I knew was ex 13th Hussars who served in Mes not with the regiment but in the Machine Gun Corp and Military Police.

What you say about history repeating is true my day job actually involves dealing with the guys and girls in Iraq and Afghan. Places and events resonate throughout history. There really is nothing new under the sun. History is definitely NOT bunk.

Mike

[mikemeso]

Elena,

25 Jan 1917 was attack on the Hai salient opposite Kut. 4th South Wales Borderers formed part of 40th Brigade, 13th Division along with 8th Cheshires, 8th Royal Welch Fusiliers and 5th Wiltshires.

40th Brigade launched their attack along the east bank of River Hai at 0940 on 25 Jan. Leading battalions were Royal Welch and Wiltshires with the other battalions in support. By 10am the Brigade had achieved its objectives and were pushing eastwards along the Turks front line trenches. By the evening they had gained ground to the east and had a foothold in the 2nd line trenches. Two Turkish counter attacks had been repulsed with ease after being broken up by artillery.

I can find no mention of your man but he may have been temporarily attached to one of the attacking battalions. 5th Wilts were only allowed(!) to take 11 officers into action the remainder being held in reserve… 2 were killed and 3 wounded. Leading from the front was expected and often costly.

Not much help, but a bit of background.

Mike

[mikemeso]

Chris,

Bit more on 1055 ASC Company. (Ford vans)

Arrived in theatre 7 Jun 1918. Company sign : Snake (unfortunately I cannot find a picture).

By 16 Jan 1919 was based in Kermanshah.

Officers: T/Major P Weir, A/Major GLR Smith, Capt EMGE de Wilton, A/Capt T Kirwan, Lt R Maiden, 2/Lts: FS Rainbow, FS Adcock, HC Mitchell, CH Gibbs, JN Gillies, HB Rodgers, LO Daltry, AT Boundford.

OPS: Hillah and Persian LoC.

In Aug and Sep 1918 British forces were involved in disaster relief involving Russian refugees fleeing the Turks via Persia.

From: With the MT in Mesopotamia by Lt Col LELAND, London 1920.

'The outstanding feature of this work performed by 102 vans of No 1055 Company, under the command of 2Lt Kirwan. Proceeding from Khanikin to Kasvin, Enzeli, and Zinjan, it left Khanikin on Sep 14 and reached Surkhadiza, just above Pai Tak Pass, a distance of 53 miles in 14 hours. This was entirely due to the fact that this company had recently arrived, and none of the drivers had experienced hilly country or rough roads. The negotiating of Pai Tak pass always proved a considerable difficulty to the Indian drivers, one of whom drove his car over the Pass at Pai Tak, smashing it to pieces. The Indian, luckily, escaped unhurt. (NOTE. It had originally been thought that driving of Ford vans was beyond the "Asiatic" temperment. ASC companies in Mes, due to the shortage of British drivers had converted to a manning rate of 60% British, 40% locally trained Indian). The Burmese companies were formed at the same time for the same reason).

On Sep 15 the convoy reached Kermanshah between the hours of 1730 and 0100 on the 16th. The next two days were spent on the road between Kermanshah and Hamadan.

The chief cause of trouble on this particular road was the Asadabad Pass, where the up-going convoy had to pass several returning convoys, both mule and MT. On this pass too, another Indian driver drove his car over the side, completely smashing the vehicle, and had to be taken to hospital, injured. The convoy left Hamadan at 9am 18 Sep and the tail arrived in Kasvin 2100 on 19th.

Maintenance petrol and lubricating oil had to be carried from Kermanshah. On 20 Sep cars were off-loadedand sufficient petrol was drawn to take the convoy to Enzeli - a distance of 160 miles - where they arrived on the evening 22nd. They loaded up with 5000 gallons of petrol, which was badly wanted and which came from Baku and began the return journey to Kasvin morning of 23rd. Tail of convoy however, did not arrive at Kasvin until 1100 on 26th. Most of the vehicles were in a bad way for transmission band linings, owing to very steep gradiants and the continual use of the brakes on the forward journey and the use of the first speed on the return (NOTE Ford Model T's from what I remember from a Top Gear programme only had two forward gears. The second of which Clarkson found suicidally fast on the flat).

On 27 Sep the convoy had orders to proceed from Kasvin to Zinjan, 120 miles with all available vans loaded with troops. The road was fairly good, and little difficulty was experienced, convoy returning to Kasvin on evening 30 Sep.

Oct 1 was spent doing repairs at Kasvin and preparing for the return trip to Hamadan. Loaded up with numerous sick officers and men and left Kasvin at 0930 Oct 2 arriving at Hamadan morning of Oct 4.

It left the latter place morning 5 Oct, arrived Kermanshah mid day 7th and reach Khanikin on 9th. Total distance covered was approx. 1600 miles, and the following spares were used:

800 new tubes (250 of which were repaired by vulcanisers and a further 250 repaired with Patchquik outfits - total of 1300 punctures in all). 278 covers, 35 front springs, 100 feet of transmission band lining, 14 radius rods, 15 connecting rods, 25 rear wheels, 16 front wheels and 10 rear springs. 90 % of the vehicles required new transmission band linings.

3 cars had been completely wrecked, 20 British ORs and 19 Indian ORs were admitted to hospital at various stages of the journey.

This was considered to be a good performance.'

Mike

[Chris_Baker]

Fantastic, Mike. Thank you. If you would like it I have a copy of 1055 Coy war diary. I am researching an officer who was attached to it for a while - an Archibald James Bone.

[MartH]

Excellent Collection, really good, presumably many have not been reprinted.

What are you missing? You never know a forum member might be able to help.

Mart

[Smith64]

<....>

Not much help, but a bit of background.

Thank you very much Mike, I didn't know absolutely anything about what happened and this at least gives me an idea.

Elena

[lionboxer]

Mike what an amazing collection and a very generous offer for look ups. Do you have anything about the Battle at Barjisayah Wood in April 1915 in particular the part played by 2 Norfolks. My man was award the DCM there . Also do you know anything of Special Ammunition Column RGA? I've asked on the GWF but I'm afraid even the Pal's don't seem to know of it.

Lionboxer

[armourersergeant]

Mike,

I have bios of Maude and Marshall, If you come across anything substantial about these two or even Nixon and Lake I would be grateful. Scans of any pics would be even better.

regards

Arm

[mikemeso]

Lionboxer,

I will post on Barjisayah Wood later in the week - time is a bit scarce at the moment to give you a comprehensive reply.

Re Special Ammunition Column RGA - not a unit title I am familiar with and cannot find it from a quick scan of all the OOBs I have for formations in Mes. If you can give me a bit more I may be able to help. Farndale is very very brief on the Ammunition columns concentrating on the actions of batteries and brigades.

What's the name of your man - I can try for something specific.

Mike

[mikemeso]

Chris,

Most grateful of offer of 1055 War Diary can you PM?

You say Bone was attached. Do you know what regiment he actually belonged to - maybe I can find something from that angle.

Do you need any more on Lewin's Oct column Ops?

Mike

[lionboxer]

Thank you Mike. I have Wheeler Sgt Hurring's service record and that's where I picked up his unit. He was with the Meerut DAC 6/1/15 then Spec Amm Col 27/3/16 and then Indian 1st DAC 1/12/16.

Lionboxer

[asdarley]

An impressive list!

I would be interested in anything about the 104th Wellesley Rifles and in particular what they were doing on 13:4:1915 when the chap I am interested in...Captain Frederick James Chadwick was killed.

The Captain was a career soldier and had joined the Indian Army on the 9th Nov 1903 transferring to the 104th as a 2nd Lt on the 15th Nov 1903

Were the 104th involved in the Battle of Shaiba? It took place on that date I believe.

[cliffcole]

Hi Mike,

Your library is fantastic.

Thanks for the generous offer for look ups.

Could you post some information regarding The Queens (West Surreys) in the Mespot campaign.

My wife's grandad, Pte.Bertie Brooker, took part in the campaign but family details are very vague.

Many thanks,

Cliff

[mikemeso]

Arm,

Not much of Nixon or Cox beyond some basic biographic details however, this may of interest:

From: A Brief Outline of the Mesopotamian Campaign – Maj Evans, London, 1926.

‘A cavalry soldier, a polo-player and a pig-sticker, General Nixon had a well earned reputation for dash, and he himself – as well as many others in India – was under the impression that he had been selected for command largely on account of this particular characteristic. Energetic, inclined to the Napoleonic in his decisions, he was s successful Army Commander in India and had got a name at manoeuvres and at tactical exercises for “ginger”. He was a natural leader rather than a highly trained commander; consequently he was, perhaps, somewhat prone to regard war as an affair in which the “practical man” who was not afraid of accepting responsibility could achieve his end by ordinary “common sense” untrained methods, and, confronted at every turn by administrative parsimony in military affairs, to look at it purely from the fighting point of view, leaving administration to arrange itself as economically as it could.

Now towards the close of his service, he found himself afforded an opportunity which had come the way of few soldiers of his generation, the supreme command of what appeared likely to become an important and brilliant compaign,’

Mike

Scanner is unfortunately on the blink at the moment. So no pictures.

[armourersergeant]

Mike thats great thanks, its nice to get junior officers opinions etc. I assume this Major Evands served in the campaign?

many thanks

Arm

[liverpool annie]

Hi Mike !

I don't know if you can help me as I don't have much information but here goes ........ I'm looking for an Army Chaplain ... The Rev Hubert Furlong and this is all I have .... I'd appreciate anything you can find !

Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood

St James's Palace SW

3rd March 1919

The King has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following appointment to the Most Excellent Order Of the British Empire for valuable services rendered in connection with military operations in Mesopotamia.

The appointment to date from the 1st January 1919

The Rev Hubert Furlong T/Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class Royal Army Chaplains Department

Father Hubert Furlong OFM renewed his contract on 4th July 1917 in Mesopotamia ...... HQ Noper Force

Thanking you in advance !

Annie

[curranl]

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for your offer of lookups for the Mesopotamian campaign. Could you check your material for any mention of a R.C. Chaplain called Fr. Philip Moore. I'm afraid I don't know what unit he was attached to!

Regards,

Liam.

[tommarmot]

Hi Mike,

Many thanks for your offer of lookups for the Mesopotamian campaign. Could you check your material for any mention of a R.C. Chaplain called Fr. Philip Moore. I'm afraid I don't know what unit he was attached to!

Regards,

Liam.

Thanks for this Mike,

I'm interested in the 1st Seaforth Highlanders. My grandfather, Henry Woods S/16077 was a Lewis gunner with them. I've seen

With a Highland Battalion in Mesopotamia

written by a 2nd Black Watch officer, it's great, but have yet to see the Seaforth side of things. Do you have access to their war diaries?

Thanks again,

Tom

tommarmot@netscape.net

Edited 4 April , 2008 by tommarmot