JulianB Posted 11 March , 2008 Share Posted 11 March , 2008 When I was in that neck of the woods, most camels represented wealth - transport was by pickup truck. No I don't know your colleague, but yes I found at least two still "sitting there" Sadly there are not sitting any more There is a good book by J. Nicholson 'The Hejaz Railway' 2005 with many photographs - I compared them to earlier ones in a review publ in Palestine Exploration Quarterly 2006 p154-6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 12 March , 2008 Share Posted 12 March , 2008 Phil, That maybe my fault mate as ALH wore leather leggings but these were found to rub on the camels neck causing wounds and so the puttees were worn. I believed British Cavalry wore the leather leggings if not sorry. Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 12 March , 2008 Share Posted 12 March , 2008 Phil, That maybe my fault mate as ALH wore leather leggings but these were found to rub on the camels neck causing wounds and so the puttees were worn. A problem not entirely solved by putees and arising out of riding the Camel in front of the hump using a western 'seat' ie with the legs astrde as one would a horse. The Arab traditional seat with the legs drawn up is much more difficult to master (and makes it almost impossible to fight from camel back) but does not rub the animals neck. If you look at the photo I posted earlier in the thread showing a number of germans on camels you will see both seats being used. The other alternative is to ride behind the hump but many saw this as 'unmilitary' and this position being close to the rear end of the animal could also prove somewhat smelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 12 March , 2008 Share Posted 12 March , 2008 Phil's post 18 led me to this site Camel photos Gosh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirkes Lamb Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 There are still lots of camels here in the UAE but well out of Dubai itself. There are several camel race tracks (fascinating places to visit) and closeby , there are often make shift shops that sell all the specialist bridles,saddles etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSMMo Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 There was a very brief attempt in Egypt in January 1916 to transport the mountain guns on camels. It didn't work well and the 4th Highland Mountain Brigade was sent to Salonika within a few months anyway. Mike Morrison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Mates, Centurion You are incorrect, the Imperial Camel Corps was instructed to ride a camel Arab fasion, that is with the legs crossed above the neck of the camel, a large leather apron came down in front to cover the camels neck from the saddle to protect the animal. No ICC soldier rode their camel with their legs like riding a horse. The saddle tree was centrealy placed over the one hump of the camel and this allowed the legs to be crossed in the front. In the riding position the boots of most soldiers were on the camels neck but often the soldier relaxed and his legs rested on the neck. Sorry I have many photos of this but I am unsure how to place then on this page. No there was no idea of fighting from any camel and they were used only to transport the soldier to the battlefield and doing patrol work there main function. The Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery was a horse/mule battery at the start of the war but was convertated to camels in 1916 and was the Camel Bdes artillery during the war. Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretswell Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 I think this photo shows the method described by Steve. It shows my Grandfather in WW1 - Egypt....Sinai...Palestine...? Regards Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domsim Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Steve is right about riding style and I think that this is what you can see the Germans in post no.19 doing. The Arab saddle had (and still has) a raised pommel at the front and that is what you wrap one leg around. You then lock off that leg by locking your other foot into the 'upper' of that foot. This way you don't fall off during the most unstable bit of the process when the camel rises. you then keep this stance during travel with wrapped leg resting on the camels neck and locking foot on top of that. Most of the photos of allied and turkish camel troops i have seen are riding this way. This was the style I rode in southern Jordan a few years ago. I'll see if i can dig out a clear picture. Cheers dominic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trophy1 Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Helloh. This picture seems to be included in every Australian book that even mentions camels during the Great War. This is a serious question, Why would the lone camel and rider be off in the distance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trophy1 Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 G'day This is not a serious question:- Why were the New Zealanders the only cameliers to use this saddle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Helloh. This picture seems to be included in every Australian book that even mentions camels during the Great War. This is a serious question, Why would the lone camel and rider be off in the distance? Its a German Spy camel, you have to be wary of them, get to close they spit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montbrehain Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 I know i have used this on the forum before , but thought you may be interested to see it again "MO" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montbrehain Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 When I was in that neck of the woods, most camels represented wealth - transport was by pickup truck. Not sure if this was quite what you meant "MO" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Steve is right about riding style and I think that this is what you can see the Germans in post no.19 doing. As I said BOTH seats are evident in this photo - the commander of the grroup has adopted the western seat as has the German soldier in the photo at the begining of this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domsim Posted 13 March , 2008 Share Posted 13 March , 2008 Helloh. This picture seems to be included in every Australian book that even mentions camels during the Great War. This is a serious question, Why would the lone camel and rider be off in the distance? Quicksand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 15 March , 2008 Share Posted 15 March , 2008 Mates, I think we can call that pick up a two camel powered. Just in case you have a break down you can hook up your spare camels in the back. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 16 March , 2008 Share Posted 16 March , 2008 Picture provided by Steve Becker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie Posted 16 March , 2008 Share Posted 16 March , 2008 Trophy, my guess is that the troop in the foreground may have just mounted, and the one still grounded may have had gear problems, or is possibly a soldier or officer who was late? Like I said, a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 16 March , 2008 Share Posted 16 March , 2008 the one still grounded may have had gear problems, Nothing worse than the clutch on your camel giving out on you. I think the later models were automatics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Dragoon Posted 16 March , 2008 Share Posted 16 March , 2008 View Hulloooo... Is that a Mr Smerden I see in these pictures? Havent sen him since he made the cover of Skirmish! Hussar Hussar and up your **** Andy. Tim B ( Farrierman XVLD ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Pretsy, Dave can you give your GF name so I can confirm him on my Nominal roll of Camel Corps soldiers. Also if possible can I use that photo in my book on the Camel Brigade. Cheers S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretswell Posted 17 March , 2008 Share Posted 17 March , 2008 Steve Grandads name is Norman Pretswell (T4/061920), his service is hard to unravel, I do not think he was directly in the Camel Corps. He was a driver in the ASC attached to the 29th divisional train at Gallipoli , but then became an officers servant in the Middle East , presumably still in the ASC. He travelled Sinai , Egypt ,and Palestine and at some stage transferred to the Scottish Rifles (35896) and was sent to France and Flanders in 1918. You are very welcome to use the photo if you wish. Regards Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenbecker Posted 20 March , 2008 Share Posted 20 March , 2008 Dave, Cheers Mate. Yes I have no record of him in the ICC which was the fighting arm of the Camel Corps. He may have served with the CTC (Camel Transport Corps) which was the ASC of the Camel Corps and served all over Egypt and Palestine. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted 3 October , 2009 Share Posted 3 October , 2009 CTC, did they have a badge? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpg.29d4195f801e5a5004f52840449366a7.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now