JULY

1915

St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Part of 162nd Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division.

26th

Entrained for Devonport

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).

AUGUST

1915

3rd

Called Malta

6th

Arrived Alexandria, Egypt 2.30 p.m.

7th

Sailed for Lemnos 5 p.m.

10th

Arrived Mudros 9 a.m. and there received orders to proceed to Imbros.

11th

Arrived 3.00 p.m. Ordered to Suvla

Arrived 5.30 a.m. War Diary records German aeroplane dropped bombs on shipping but hit nothing. Disembarked and moved inland to bivouacs.

14th

First casualties — Lieutenant Chaundler and Private Barton wounded.

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.

20th

Relieved by 1/11th London 8 p.m. and to reserve (about 100 yards behind front line) at Lone Tree Gully.

21st

Lieutenant F.S. Shoosmith killed by sniper.

23rd

To rest camp at Lala Baba camp

26th

Took over bivouacs from 1/4th

Northamptonshire during night

28th

Moved to Anzac

29th

Took over fire trenches from 6th King’s Own near enemy’s position at Sandbag Ridge

SEPTEMBER

1915

4th

Relieved by 1/11th London and to reserve positions at Finsbury Vale.

5th

War Diary notes Vale "unsafe” and new sap made called "New Bedford Road.”

11th

To front line trenches

12th

Continual sniping from Sandbag Ridge recorded.

13th

Captain R.M. Smythe wounded

14th

Captain R.M. Smythe died of wounds

17th

Relieved by 1/11th London and to Finsbury Vale

21st

Draft of 9 officers arrived. Strength now 16 officers, 461 other ranks.

22nd

To front line.

29th

Relieved by 1/11th London and to Finsbury Vale

OCTOBER

1915

7th

To front line. Draft of 5 officers arrived.

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.

16th

"C” Company returned

19th

To front line. Draft of 3 officers arrived. "D” Squadron, 1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry attached for 3 days.

22nd

Strength recorded as 236.

24th

War Diary notes that "Second-Lieutenant Woodhouse went out to cliff named after him and obtained some very useful information.”

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.

26th

Relieved by "C” and "D” Squadrons, 1/1st Suffolk Yeomanry and to Hay Valley.

31st

To front line. Strength — 21 officers, 235 other ranks.

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.

5th

Relieved and to Finsbury Vale.

10th

To front line. War Diary records that Turkish deserter from Sandbag Ridge was interrogated and provided useful information.

15th

Relieved and to Finsbury Vale.

20th

To front line.

25th

To Finsbury Vale.

DECEMBER

1915

2nd

Moved to Taylor’s Hollow.

3rd

Sailed El Kahirah for Mudros

4th

Arrived Mudros 8.30 a.m.