For more information about the various Regiments and the events at Gallipoli read 'British Regiments at Gallipoli' by Ray Westlake, published by Leo Cooper, London ISBN 0 85052 511 X
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JULY |
1915 |
St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Part of 162nd Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division. |
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26th |
Entrained for Devonport |
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Embarked Braemar Castle and sailed 5.30 p.m. Officers — Lieutenant-Colonel E. W. Brighten (Commanding); Captains J.E. Hill, W.K. Meakin, R.M. Smythe, B.C. Cumberland, R. Forrest, C.T. Baker, E.V. Andreini, E.T. Maier; Lieutenants C.R. James, C.R. Lydekker, W.S. Chirnside, F.S. Shoosmith, R.O. Clarke, F.W. Ballance, F.B. Hobbs, F.W.H. Nicholas, C.R. Day; Second-Lieutenants J.T. Yarde, F. Rising, P.R. Chaundler, R.D.J. Brighten, L.J. Hunter, E.L. Rawlings, H.E. Woodhouse, H.S. Toogood; Captain H. Younghusband (Adjutant), Lieutenant G.O. Lydekker (Quartermaster), Lieutenant F.C. Kempson (Medical Officer). |
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AUGUST |
1915 |
3rd |
Called Malta |
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6th |
Arrived Alexandria, Egypt 2.30 p.m. |
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7th |
Sailed for Lemnos 5 p.m. |
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10th |
Arrived Mudros 9 a.m. and there received orders to proceed to Imbros. |
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11th |
Arrived 3.00 p.m. Ordered to Suvla |
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Arrived 5.30 a.m. War Diary records German aeroplane dropped bombs on shipping but hit nothing. Disembarked and moved inland to bivouacs. |
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14th |
First casualties — Lieutenant Chaundler and Private Barton wounded. |
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15th |
Moved forward for attack — "B” Company on right, "A” Company left, "C” and "D” in reserve. First objective taken with little loss. Advance on second objective, Kidney Hill, met with heavy shrapnel and rifle fire. In his history of the battalion, Captain F.A.M. Webster notes that during the advance, direction was lost, but good work by Major J.E. Hill and Captain H. Younghusband pushed the attack on. War Diary records . . . "attack arrived through with tremendous dash — hill taken and entrenched. Casualties — 14 officers & 300 men.” Officers killed or died of wounds — Captain C.T. Baker, Captain B.C. Cumberland, Captain W.K. Meakin, Lieutenant F. Rising, Lieutenant C.R. Lydekker, Lieutenant R. Brighten (brother of commanding officer). One company is recorded as finishing up led by a private having lost all of its officers and N.C.Os. Trenches improved under constant shelling and sniping. |
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20th |
Relieved by 1/11th London 8 p.m. and to reserve (about 100 yards behind front line) at Lone Tree Gully. |
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21st |
Lieutenant F.S. Shoosmith killed by sniper. |
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23rd |
To rest camp at Lala Baba camp |
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26th |
Took over bivouacs from 1/4th Northamptonshire during night |
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28th |
Moved to Anzac |
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29th |
Took over fire trenches from 6th King’s Own near enemy’s position at Sandbag Ridge |
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SEPTEMBER |
1915 |
4th |
Relieved by 1/11th London and to reserve positions at Finsbury Vale. |
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5th |
War Diary notes Vale "unsafe” and new sap made called "New Bedford Road.” |
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11th |
To front line trenches |
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12th |
Continual sniping from Sandbag Ridge recorded. |
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13th |
Captain R.M. Smythe wounded |
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14th |
Captain R.M. Smythe died of wounds |
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17th |
Relieved by 1/11th London and to Finsbury Vale |
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21st |
Draft of 9 officers arrived. Strength now 16 officers, 461 other ranks. |
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22nd |
To front line. |
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29th |
Relieved by 1/11th London and to Finsbury Vale |
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OCTOBER |
1915 |
7th |
To front line. Draft of 5 officers arrived. |
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13th |
Relieved by 1/11th London and to reserve bivouacs at Hay Valley. "C” Company remaining in local support. Squadron of 1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry attached for 3-day period of instruction. |
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16th |
"C” Company returned |
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19th |
To front line. Draft of 3 officers arrived. "D” Squadron, 1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry attached for 3 days. |
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22nd |
Strength recorded as 236. |
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24th |
War Diary notes that "Second-Lieutenant Woodhouse went out to cliff named after him and obtained some very useful information.” |
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25th |
Patrol occupied enemy post on Bulgar Bluff. Captain Webster records that this position was occupied in turn by patrols from both sides and was regularly the scene of the most bloody hand-to-hand fighting. |
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26th |
Relieved by "C” and "D” Squadrons, 1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry and to Hay Valley. |
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31st |
To front line. Strength — 21 officers, 235 other ranks. |
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NOVEMBER |
1915 |
4th |
War Diary records a bomb catapult being erected on left of line. Captain Webster notes that the machine made such noise during arming that the Turks had ample warning of its intended use. |
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5th |
Relieved and to Finsbury Vale. |
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10th |
To front line. War Diary records that Turkish deserter from Sandbag Ridge was interrogated and provided useful information. |
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15th |
Relieved and to Finsbury Vale. |
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20th |
To front line. |
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25th |
To Finsbury Vale. |
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DECEMBER |
1915 |
2nd |
Moved to Taylor’s Hollow. |
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3rd |
Sailed El Kahirah for Mudros |
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4th |
Arrived Mudros 8.30 a.m. |