Gallipoli Field Note Book

[mhifle]

Hi,

Here are some copies of various letters and notes I found in a field note book belonging to Lt Col H.F.N. Jourdain Commanding the 5th Battalion The Connaught Rangers in Gallipoli 1915.

It was within WO 79/41.

Regards Mark

Headquarters

29th Brigade

I desire to forward and recommend the under mentioned Warrant Officer for a Commission into the 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers. No 3010 Regt Sergeant Major John Hudson. This Warrant Officer has refused to leave the Battalion and take a Commission in another corps. He has with great loyalty remained and worked with me, and I know his name has been noted and would have been forwarded in time by Brig Gen R F Cooper C.V.O. if he had not been wounded. This Warrant Officer has rendered me exceptional and distinguished service, and has behaved with great gallantry in action since the arrival of the Battalion in the theatre. He has over 21 years Army Service and I should prefer him to remain with the Battalion on promotion. I hope that the G O C will be able to forward this.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

21/8/15 Cmdg 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

Headquarters

29th Brigade

With reference to No 3496 of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and War Office letters which were attached. I beg to return names of Officers serving with the Battalion under my command who are desirous of and recommended for a commission in the Regular Forces. I may state that I have only one officer present at Headquarters and I am not in a position to find out if other officers who are wounded are desirous of having their names submitted to consideration. I will however try to ascertain their wishes before next return.

Lieutenant Richard Ross Martin 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers recommended for a commission as Lieutenant in Permanent Regular Forces. He wishes for a Commission in The Connaught Rangers. Service with 5th Battalion one year. Present age 20 1/12 years. Strongly recommended, and deserving. An excellent machine gun officer.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

5th Sept 1915 O C 5th The Connaught Rangers

5th Batt

The Connaught Rangers

5 Sept

Dear Sir,

Your letter of the 23rd Aug has only just reached me this day and I hurry to reply to it.

Pte B Bell is at present at Mudros Base he went with 2nd Lieut Harvey, Capt Maling’s brother in law, and he could be got at Mudrus if you are at present there. Capt Maling’s valise & kit was sent to the m? and should be obtained from there. This is of course at Mudros, please get kit from there. I hope Capt Maling is better and that he will soon be over the critical stage. Will you give him my best wishes for his recovery and I hope he will be soon all right. Lieut Harvey is at Mudros and should go and see him. I hope you will get this letter quicker than I got yours.

Yours sincerely

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

O C 5th The Connaught Rangers

Urgent

Headquarters

29th Brigade

I have received instructions that Company Sergeant Major Dunworth is at present at the 10th Divisional Base Mudros. He has reported as fit for duty since the 16th August but has still been retained at Mudros. This Warrant Officer’s services are most urgently required here and I would request that he be sent here as soon as possible. If possible orders by telegraph might be sent as it most important that this W.O. should be sent hare at once.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

7 Sept 1915 O C 5th The Connaught Rangers

Headquarters

29th Brigade 9th Sept 1915

I should be much obliged if you could forward the following case. There are officers from when the Battalion left England. Eleven Subalterns belonging to this Battalion who were attached to the 3rd Battalion and who were to be sent out as soon as vacancies occurred. Since the 27 August I have been without a Captain and now have only one Subaltern besides ?. I would be much obliged if 2nd Lieut Holmes could be sent out as soon as possible and some more 2nd Lieutenants, and if possible some senior officers (Captains) as at present I have no one except Lieut Martin, who has one years service only. I do not know if any of these officers are on their way to join me, but it becomes increasingly necessary for some officers to be sent out as early as possible, as I have few NCOs and no officers of standing. The names of the officers left behind are:

Lieut V J Tibbs

2nd Lieut A C Holmes

2nd Lieut M Fogarty

2nd Lieut D P J Kelly

2nd Lieut G Mortimer

2nd Lieut M Fogarty

2nd Lieut H L H Richards

2nd Lieut G Robinson

2nd Lieut P J McGlade

2nd Lieut M Fogarty

2nd Lieut D J Cowan

2nd Lieut J A Sheridan

2nd Lieut S Gibbons

Besides these there are three newly appointed latterly whom I have not included in the list above. There is a pressing need of a Major or Captain.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

9 Sept 1915 O C 5th The Connaught Rangers

Command Paymaster

On the 10th Sept I was ordered to assume command of the 29th Brigade and held this appointment until the 22nd Sept when I returned to the Battalion and again took over command of the 5th Battalion The Connaught Rangers. I am now in correspondence with G.O.C. 10th Division about this, as by regulation I should get 15/- per diem for the above period and give over command pay. I will let you know what is the decision. Meanwhile I have signed the A.F. P1934A, and will let you have certificate as soon as I can.

Please send any allowances to Messrs Cox & Co and advise me how above matter stands.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

28 Sept 1915 O C 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

M.E.F.

Headquarters

29th Brigade

I beg to forward the names of two Corporals of the Battalion under my Command with summary of evidence for trial by Field General Court Martial.

They were both drunk last night and were absent from camp all night.

Their names are:-

No 6225 Corpl S Seavor

No 11122 Corpl C Hennigan

5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

2 Oct 1915 O C 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

6th OCT 1915

To Embarkation Officer

H.M.S. Aragon

Company Quarter Master Sergeant T B Scully 5th The Connaught Rangers has orders to proceed to take up the position of Orderly Room Sergeant at Base 3rd Echelon Alexandria vice Q.M.S. Heaney who has been invalided. Please provide passage for this man as quickly as possible.

Lt Col H.F.N. Jourdain

O.C. 5th Bn

The Connaught Rangers

M.E.F.

Headquarters

29th Brigade

I was informed that certain officers belonging to the Battalion under my command had arrived at Mudros several days ago. I would be obliged if these officers could be sent to join this Battalion. As I have not yet been reinforced by one single officer of the 5th Battalion. I should like these officers sent on early, as I have very much under officered and find it almost impossible to provide officers for the duties that are essential.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

11/10/15 O C 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

5/Conn. Rangers

3rd Echelon

31 Rue de Ramleh

Alexandria

19.10.15

Dear Sir,

As I received no reply from Command Paymasters Office re your Command Pay, I called there this afternoon. Your Command Pay is credited from the following dates:-

1st July to 31st Aug inclusive

1st Sept to 9th Sept do.

23d Sept to 30th Sept do.

I trust the foregoing particulars is what you require & that they are quite clear,

I am Dear Sir

Your Obedt, Servt.

T B Scully

Lt Col Jourdain

5/Conn Rangers

29th Brigade, 10th Division

Headquarters

29th Brigade

22 Nov

I beg to inform you that I have received a communication from the Sergeant who I left in charge of our Base kits at Salonika, and he informs me that he has had to hand over charge off all the Base kits of the Division, and that he expects to join the details. As this Sergeant was badly wounded and was especially left by me under your orders to look after the Base kits of the Brigade Staff and of the Battalion under my command. I am sending forward this letter at once it is inconceivable how the kits of officers left behind are handed over to an NCO of another corps, and in consequence kits of officers at the front are made away with and purloined. This has already happened once, as the majority of the officers kits have been made away with. I would request that this NCO of my Battalion be again placed in charge of all our kits of officers and Soldiers who are serving at the front and not to a stranger from another Regt. In this way all ones kit is open to abuses of all kinds. I made this clear to the officer who I left behind.

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

22 NOV O C 5th Bn The Connaught Rangers

Kit left behind by Lieut Colonel Jourdain-

1 large Wicker Basket (Labelled Sergeants Mess) – containing 1 Wooden Box

1 Holdall with case inside and one holdall with mattress inside-

1 Small Wooden Box

1 Parcel of sheets etc

H F N Jourdain Lt Col

14/11/15 O C 5th Bn CRS

Salonika

Part of a page.

on road & shot twice. I am sorry I got hit so soon but I think I must have been enfiladed with a machine gun. Kelly & I are very anxious to know if our lot held their line in the counter attack. I will be back as soon as possible. Wishing you all the best of luck.

I remain yours sincerely

FW Gerald Johnson

Please ask Ross Martin to give my kit to 2 Lt S Dillon

[awakefield]

Interesting to see this reference to Jourdain's field note book at TNA and that is covers Salonika as well as Gallipoli. Material on 10th (Irish) Division in Macedonia during late 1915 is quite rare. You might be interested to know that Jourdain's personal diary is held by the National Army Museum (APFS 5603-11-3). NAM and IWM also hold photographs taken by Jourdain.

[mhifle]

Hi,

Thanks for the information on the National Army Museum (APFS 5603-11-3).

Regards Mark