Look ups etc - Mesopotamia

[agedpink]

Hi Mike would it be possible for you to look up anything on Private S/19943 Albert Edward Jennison 4^th Battalion South Wales Borderers Died of wounds on Thursday 6^th April 1916 aged 24. He is buried in the Amara War Cemetery Amara Iraq.

Regards Richard

PS He came from Belper

[P. J. Clarke]

Congrats on your huge library, and a special 'thank you' for offering to help with queries, but then you have joined the special people who freqent this forum. While researching my book "Mayo Comrades of the Great War" I was amazed to find that thirty-two Mayo men lost their lives in Mesopotamia. Most of these were Connaught Rangers. May they all rest in peace so far away from home, and may they always be remembered.

[Dave Phillips]

Hi Mike

Anything on Captain Betram Russell Townley - Indian Army Reserve of Officers, Supply & Transport Corps - attached to South Persia Rifles?

Died 7 November 1918 of influenza, buried in Tehran War Cemetery. He was based in Shriz.

Thanks

Dave

[Guest benning]

You look the expert, Mike. Any chance of you checking out my grandfather ?

Ernest Alfred Brinkman. Royal West Kents. Reg. No. G/13103

I believe he was a POW in Mesopotamia. Very little to go on.

thanks Derek

[rugbyremembers]

Mike,

Anything on these two, both on Basra? Or the actions of their units in Meso?

Capt Percival Corban Lucas, Royal Sussex Rgt, att Worcs Rgt d.15/12/16

Lt WHW Haslam, Queen's own Royal W Kent Rgt d.07/02/1916

Both Rosslyn Park rugby players

best wishes

[Deerhunter]

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

Tom, my grandfather, 1205 Pte James Towers served with 1 Seaforths from 1909 until the end of the War. The Battalion landed in France on 12 Oct 1914 seeing action initially at La Bassee; they sailed for Mesopotamia on 28 Nov 1915.

My uncle has recently published a semi-biographical novel, "Little Apples will Grow Again", which contains detailed accounts of the Seaforths' war service, including references to individual officers and soldiers of the Unit at that time.

This isn't a plug, but the book is based on one family's experiences and provides an insight into the social conditions in Collyhurst and the surrounding parts of North Manchester in the years leading up, and including Great War. It records my grandfather's war service, that of his friends, their deaths in action, and that of his brother, Cpl Richard Towers MM (6th Batallion, King's Own (Royal Lancashire) Regt) in the action at Diyala on 8 Mar 1917. It's available from Amazon and also via Blackstones (I think). The author is Ramon Towers.

PM me for more info on the 1/Seaforths if you want.

[Guest Peter Phillips]

Hi All,

As a new joiner to the forum I've been stumbling around trying to trace what happened to my Grand Fathers regiment, 1/5th Hampshire (Howitzer), Territorial Army unit from the Isle of Wight.

I have a few scraps of a notebook that very basically detail being mobilised and being sent via India to being captured at Kut. It even seems to detail the march into Turkey but alas the handwriting is a bit difficult to read at times. Any help to decipher would be much appreciated.

I know he finally ended up at a POW camp at Kedos but can not trace where in Turkey this camp was located. It would seem that he was very lucky to have been selected to act as an Officers Servant and this probably saved his life. Hi unit came from Newport and another unit from Yarmouth seems to have been totally wiped out in the same campaign. I also have no idea how he returned to the UK after the war. Any help would be much appreciated.

My personal e-mail is phillips.ft@googlemail.com if you can help.

[ian.rogers573@ntlworld.com]

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

[ian.rogers573@ntlworld.com]

Hi Mike

Having just come from Rye in Kent after visitig the church I obseved a plaque on the wall. This was to a 2nd Lt Morton Hollinshead Crauford Stuart who died in Mesopotamia 8/3/1916. He is comemerated on the Basra Memorial.

Further investigation shows his nationality as Indian, Army Reserve of Officers and served with The 2nd Queen Victoria,s Own Rajput Light Infantry. He was born in London in 1884 and obviously English.

Can you shed any light on him and the campaigns he fought in.

Kind regards

Ian Rogers

[Jim_Grundy]

Mike

Not so much a look-up request but if there is anything you know regarding Lieutenant, later Captain Harry Spencer MC, Coix de Guerre and the 5th Queen's I'd be very interested.

I've transcribed some of his accounts of his time in Mesopotamia on my facebook notes pages that you might find of interest:

1916:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_...d=359658045762;

1917:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_...d=333568000762; and

1922:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_...id=357782490762

Regards,

Jim

[lukerwhite]

Hi Mike,

I was wondering if you could shed any light on my great grandfather. His details are below ;

Im writing to you regarding my great grandfather Edward Catherall (b.7 Jul 1898).

He was working as a tram cleaner when he joined the 7th Field Troop Royal Engineers. He joined when he was 16 years old on the 21 Sep 1914. He lied about his age at enlistment to get away from his home life.

I believe he would have trained at the Royal School of Military in Chatham but from his records it shows that he was trained at Aldershot in Hampshire. On the 7 dec 1914 he was charged with irregular conduct on parade at Aldershot!

According to his records he served as a driver in France and also Amara in Masopotania. It also states Egypt on his Medal card. On his discharge for transfer in Amara he was 5"5 tall, blue/grey eyes, brown hair and tattos present on both arms. Three located on his right arm and one on his lower left arm.

The only thing he ever mentioned to Jean (his daughter) about his time during the war was that he had had his tattoos inked out there as a way of protection against malaria. Does anyone know if this is true? According to his records Malaria was the reason for his discharge on Feb 1920. He was seen as 30% unfit.

His army no. in 1914 was Army No. 29096 and in 14 Mar 1919 it was Army No. 344705.

I would love to know anything you could tell me about what he may have done in Amara & France. Any skirmishes he may have been involved in. Any records you may hold or could point me towards for him or the 7th field troop RE. From his medal card i know he received the 1915 star (Roll: RE/3A Page: 266), the Victory (Roll: RE/B148 Page: 33456), British (Roll: RE/B148 Page: 33456) war medals. Would he have received a medal relating to his time in Amara (modern day iraq). I have attatched some pictures...this may help you identify something. I already have his WW1 service records.

I have spoken to his daughter (my nan) and she said he spoke fluently in urdu. Which is spoken in india? Unless he also served there i imagine she is confused with curdish or arabic spoken in Iraq and Egypt. Would have thought this made him invaluable being able to do this?

Any infromation would be welcome.

Many thanks,

Luke White

[ander11]

Hi Mike can you help me with these

Officers from 2nd Bn Black watch Major or acting major .c Hamilton - Johnstone wounded and missing 21st-22nd Jan 1916 & Captain J.n.Inglis Killedin action 22nd april 1916 and any Information on my greatgranfather die from wounds in the field PTE j Stewart he did have a middle name Simpson(John Simpson Stewart) and I think he was born in Perthshire but I am stilll looking for his birth around 1883 ?.

I have started collecting names from 2nd bn the black watch Officers and men who died in mesopotamia

best reguards IanAnder

[Tom A McCluskey]

Hi Ian,

Douglas Charles Hamilton-Johnston, 2nd Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

24 Feb 1909: Second Lieutenant.

04 Feb 1912: Lieutenant.

On Mobilization: Transport Officer of No 1 Company (formerly B & C Companies), 2nd Battalion The Black Watch.

10 Dec 1914: 'Slightly wounded by a shell', at Centre Section, Festubert.

25 Feb 1915: Captain.

03 Mar 1915: Wounded – During preparation work in the lead up to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, near Port Arthur.

06 Oct 1915: A/Adjt:

07 Jan 1916: Temporary Major: – Took command of the 2nd Black Watch when Colonel Wauchope was severely wounded at the Battle of Sheikh Sa’ad.

21 Jan 1916: ‘Killed in Action’ at the Attack on Hanna, Mesopotamia. In Wauchope, Major Hamilton-Johnston is reported as: Wounded & Missing, (presumed killed).

“And right well did he respond to the call of duty. Both as Adjutant, under Colonel Wauchope, and as Commanding Officer, he had complete faith in the Battalion as had the Battalion in him. He was first wounded and then killed in this assault, but he died with the knowledge that he had kept its fighting spirit unbroken to the end.” [Wauchope page 219]

The 2nd Black Watch went into the Attack on Hanna with a bayonet-strength of 250. At the same attack, the 6th Jats had a rifle-strength of 120.

Hope this is of use.

Aye

Tom McC

[ander11]

thanks Tom that has help me as I hope to make up a database for every man who served with th 2nd Batt Black Watch In Iraq. A fitting gesture to my GrandMother father who died there.

Best reguards

Ian Ander

[exdower]

Would you have any information on William Guy Harington, Lt or maybe by this time promoted with the 5th Gurkhas.Date of his death is given as 28 Sep 1917. Interestingly he was the grandson of the Harington who won the Victoria Cross at Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny. Thank you for any reply

[Manitoba]

Wow, what a collection Mike!! You look like the guy who may possibly be able to help me. Trying to find out more about my gt. uncle Arthur Robert Scafe - Gunner RFA 215th Bde Ammunition Col., who was killed/died of wounds 22 July 1917. He is buried in Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery which as I understand had soldiers brought in from other burial grounds in Baghdad and Northern Iraq.

Is it possible to discover which Division or Unit the 215th RFA were attached to, and where he might have been killed or fatally wounded around that time? Could it have been the relief of Kut?

Knowledge of which Divisional or Unit War Diary to search in would be very useful.

Fingers crossed - Manitoba

[ander11]

Hello Mike I have finished reading A Highland Regiment in Mesopotamia.My research into 2nd Bn Black watch , I have found Three names I can't find any information on the SDGW & CWGC.

The first man is 1381 Pte G. Hendrie Died from Wounds 30/01/1916 in the field, Sindfiyeh Cemetery,T.C.87,SQ 1-H (page 136)

And 15066 Pte D.Stewart, Killed in Action on 14/03/1917 (page 135)

S/9278 L/CPL Thomas Edward Francis 15/03/1917

Can these be a mistake, or something else which is missing???

The following men I have them on SDGW but not on CWGC

S/15866 Pte William Mckay , Killed in Action ,14/03/1917 (page 135)

SRA/10442 Pte James Mckenzie ,Coy 4 , Missing 21/01/1916 (page 147)

S/16323 Pte Charles Thompson Died from wounds 20/05/1917 (page 140)

S/7621 Pte Alexander Vanbieck Coy 2 21/01/1916 (page 148)

S/11307 Pte John Hutchison ,Coy 1 14/03/1917 (page 151)

I am trying to find where they are buried ??? or which memorial they are on

any help would be really appreciated

Best reguards Ian

[rugbyremembers]

Mike,

I am researching Major Robert Wilfred Jesson 5/Wilts - went to Mesopotamia in July 1916. Killed in action Feb. 22, 1917, in Mesopotamia, outside Kut.

(opposite the Licorice factory)

He had already been wounded in Gallipoli, retumed and was then evacuated again with frostbite. His hospital records and Medical Boards suggest that he was suffering from more than frostbite ie neurasthenia/shellshock, so questionable if he should have gone back out to Mespot of all places.

Interested to see if he turns up in your library at all.

best wishes

Stephen(rugbyremembers)

[djcrtoye]

Hi Ive just came across this thread. Would it be possible to look up the 1st Bn Seaforth Highlanders from mid 1916 to the end of the war. The reason is my ggrandfather served with them. I want to know what actions he took part in.

Thanks,

Dominic

[keithmroberts]

Mike

One of the men I have been researching, in his case with limited success is Capt. Edward B Fawcett of the 92nd Punjabis who died on 21 April 1916 and was commemorated on the Basra memorial. I have been trying to find some form of war diary in the NA catalogue with no success. I would appreciate any advice that you can give me that would point me at source material. Failing that, which books might give me the best narrative.

Anything that you can suggest would be most helpful

Keith

EDIT

I found the war diary at Kew, which was most helpful, so I thuink my query can now be cleared. Thank you anyway.

Keith

[yelob]

Hi Mike,

if you could find anything on Joseph Kearns 1BN Connaught Rangers wounded it seems sometime between

April and June 1916.He is an Acting Sergeant but originally 8526

Many Thanks,Liam

[alan figg]

Hi Mike does your extensive library and other resources yield any information on the Aden Field Force? My Grandfather Pte Harry Figg 34288 1/6th East Surreys possibly served in that region ,any info would be appreciated as nothing is known by the family regarding his army service.Many thanks.

[Lachlan]

Hi Ian,

Douglas Charles Hamilton-Johnston, 2nd Battalion The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

24 Feb 1909: Second Lieutenant.

04 Feb 1912: Lieutenant.

On Mobilization: Transport Officer of No 1 Company (formerly B & C Companies), 2nd Battalion The Black Watch.

10 Dec 1914: 'Slightly wounded by a shell', at Centre Section, Festubert.

25 Feb 1915: Captain.

03 Mar 1915: Wounded During preparation work in the lead up to the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, near Port Arthur.

06 Oct 1915: A/Adjt:

07 Jan 1916: Temporary Major: Took command of the 2nd Black Watch when Colonel Wauchope was severely wounded at the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad.

21 Jan 1916: 'Killed in Action' at the Attack on Hanna, Mesopotamia. In Wauchope, Major Hamilton-Johnston is reported as: Wounded & Missing, (presumed killed).

"And right well did he respond to the call of duty. Both as Adjutant, under Colonel Wauchope, and as Commanding Officer, he had complete faith in the Battalion as had the Battalion in him. He was first wounded and then killed in this assault, but he died with the knowledge that he had kept its fighting spirit unbroken to the end." [Wauchope page 219]

The 2nd Black Watch went into the Attack on Hanna with a bayonet-strength of 250. At the same attack, the 6th Jats had a rifle-strength of 120.

Hope this is of use.

Aye

Tom McC

Sorry for being way behind the times on this thread. Perhaps I can fill in part of the period between March 1915 - January 1916. My Gt Uncle S/9365 David Elder Robertson volunteered on 2/6/15 at Musselburgh, joining 8th Battalion Black Watch. On 26th September 1915, his 8th BW training company having just completed a 3 week brigade exercise at Bordon, David wrote home to his parents:-

"Dear Father & MotherJust a few lines to you. Well you would be disappointed at my non-arrival again. Well we were told plainly by the SM in front of the officers that we get our pass on Friday sure after the manouvres. Well after the manouvres were all past Captain Hamilton Johnston paraded us all in front of him and told us that the adjutant had given him orders that no man was to get a pass until he was under orders for the front, and that we were to thank the last training company for keeping us back because they didn't come back to time.......

....Well I was glad when it was over for I was a tired one without sleep. If I had not had a stripe I would have got a sleep all right but I had to look after a section. Well I told them I was handing in my stripe and I was paraded in front of the Captain, and I was fairly put through the mill and asked my reason for it I made the excuse I had no notion of it and he told me I was foolish. He said I was picked out as qualified for the job and that if I changed my mind I would not be long in getting another but I stuck to my decision so he said he would see about it. I am still wearing the stripe till I am told to hand it in but I have heard no more about it...."

The same Captain Hamilton-Johnston I believe !

[MichaelBully]

Greetings Mike - would welcome information concerning this chap

Dudley Reed Carr- appears on Hove Roll of Honour thus ;

Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. 6th Indian Division. Mesopotamia. Killed in action in Mesopotamia 23 February 1917. Aged 32. Son of George Reed & Lucy Carn (sic) . Husband of Rosetta Carn(sic) of 19, Wilbury Road, Hove. Commemorated on The Basra Memorial. Iraq.

http://www.roll-of-h...x/Hove-C-G.html

He is a memorial plaque at All Saints Church Hove, which states that he was Killed In Action

"At Dhara Ridge Mesopotamia "

on 24th February 1917, aged 32 years.

Many thanks indeed,

Regards, Michael Bully

EDIT - correcting a typo 31st July 2012

[JerryC]

A relative of mine was killed in while serving in Mesopotamia so any help in terms of the campaign, look ups etc would be most welcome.

Corporal Henry George Briggs

Norfolk Regiment 1st/5th Bn

Buried Baghdad (North Gate)

Died: 04/01/1918

Where would he have served prior to his arrival in Mesopotamia?

Any information regarding the Norfolk Regiment in Mesopotania would be ideal

Is it likely his body would have been moved to the cemetery in Baghdad?

Thanks

JerryC