1914
|
|
Aug 29th
|
Rejoined 2/25th Cyclist
Battalion The London Regt TF
|
30th
|
Lt Col Gilbertson Smiths
recruiting campaign
|
31st
|
My official date of
enlistment
2/25th raised in 6½ hours
All England Record
|
Nov 5th
|
The 2/25th (Cyclist) Bn
London Regt were inspected by
Gen Sir Francis Lloyd 2nd London Divn on Mitcham
Common, afterwards cycled down to East Grinstead, Sussex; stopped
there one hour for dinner stacked cycles in the Market Place then
on over Forest Row &
Wych Cross to Lewes where we were billeted for one night
|
Nov 6th
|
B Company cycled to Worthing
& took over Coast Duty. Coy headquarters Old Skating
Rink
|
Dec 5th
|
B Coy moved to
Littlehampton & took over that sector of coast. Coy
headquarters “Belle Croft”
|
1915
|
|
Jan 9th
|
B Coy moved to
Lewes (Headquarters Btn) Grammar Sc
I was training recruits &
lived at Grammar School Southover & St Annes Crescent
|
Jan 30th
|
B Coy moved back
to Worthing (111 Marine Parade)
|
Mar 30th
|
B Coy moved to
Lewes for one night
|
Mar 31st
|
B Coy moved from
Lewes to Bexhill-on-Sea took over coast. Coy HQ Glynde
Hall Hotel
|
Apr 12
|
B Coy moved to
Eastbourne. Private Billets
|
Apr 19
|
B Coy & C Coy
cycled to Lewes & the other Coys concentrated there
also & we entrained for an unknown destination which turned out to
be Sheringham Norfolk. We went via Thames Tunnel & Liverpool
Street
Arrived Sheringham (GER)
about 6pm. B Coy went to private billets. I was
billeted at Mrs Brettingham’s 4 Scarborough Terrace, Beeston Road
|
Apr 28th
|
B Coy moved to Bn
HQ Holt
|
July 17th
|
B Coy moved from
Holt to Wells next the Sea
|
Aug 28th
|
B Coy moved from
Wells to Holt
|
Oct 24
|
B Coy moved from
Holt to Weybourne Huts
|
Nov 15th
|
B Coy moved from
Weybourne to Wells
|
Dec 1st
|
B Coy moved from
Wells to Holt Letheringseth Left our cycles here
|
Dec 3rd
|
After a battalion parade (the
first time without cycles) at 6AM on Holt parade ground the draft
of 300 NCOs and men who volunteered marched to station &
entrained. Went via M&GN NWR GWRly to Chiseldon Wilts, detrained &
joined the 1/25th Bn London Regt.
|
Dec 25th
|
I was Sgt of Guard Chiseldon
|
Dec 27th
|
Went on final leave home
|
1916
|
|
Jan 1st
|
Returned to Chiseldon from
final leave
|
18th
|
First heard we were going to
India
|
22nd
|
Went to Savernake Forest
|
Feb 1st
|
All ready to move!
|
3rd
|
Reveille 3.45AM Left
Chiseldon Camp Stn 5.45AM arrived Devonport Docks 1PM via GWRly
through Wilts Somerset & Devon.
Embarked on HMT Ceramic
(White Star) 18,500 tons
|
Feb 4th
|
Left Devonport 4.10PM in
pouring rain passed Eddystone LH & the last thing I saw of England
was that & the flash of the light on the Lizard, just below the
horizon
|
8th
|
Passed Gibraltar 4AM (Ships
time)
|
9th
|
Inoculated against Cholera
|
11th
|
Passed Malta
|
14th
|
Arrived Port Said 7AM (Ships
time)
Started wearing helmets
|
15th
|
Left Port Said & went through
Suez Canal (90 miles)
|
16th
|
Passed Suez & Sinai
Peninsular
|
21st
|
2nd Inoculation against
Cholera
|
22nd
|
Wore drill for the first time
|
24th
|
First glimpse of India 4.15pm
Anchored in Bombay harbour for night
|
25th
|
Came into Dock 8AM &
disembarked.
Slept on board. Route March.
|
26th
|
Left Ship & entrained on
GIPRly. Went via Western Ghauts, Poona, Raichus Jn, Guntakal,
Arkonam, TMSM to Bangalore
|
27th
|
Arrived Bangalore Cantt
Stn 11.10PM march to Baird Barracks
|
March 18
|
Came out of Quarantine
|
Apr 4th
|
Proclamation of new Viceroy
of India (Lord Chelmsford)
“25th” were on Maidan & I was
in front rank.
|
May 26
|
Went to Dodballapur with BTS
|
June 8th
|
Went to Kolar Gold Fields
|
19th
|
1/25th Bn
moved from Bangalore (Baird Barracks) to Hebbal Camp
|
July 20th
|
I get 101 pts in
Classification (1st class shot)
Iearned afterwards
that my dear Aunt Caroline departed this life at 5.10PM
English time on this day
|
25th
|
Aunt Caroline buried at
Willesden Cemetary 3.30PM English time
|
31st
|
Went to Yesvanthur Field
Firing Camp &
|
Aug 1st
|
Returned to Hebbal
|
Aug 14th
|
A Coy 1/25th march
to & camped at Kengeri 16 mls from Hebbal
|
15
|
Struck camp & marched another
16 mls to Closepet & camped there.
|
22nd
|
Left Closepet & camped 14
miles from Bangalore
|
23rd
|
Arrived Hebbal
|
29th
|
Roumania declares war on
Germany
|
Sept 7th
|
New draft from 2/25th
arrives
|
15th
|
Went to Seringapatam. Saw Old
Fort etc Also went to Mysore City
|
17
|
Left Mysore City arrived
Bangalore.
|
Oct 2nd
|
First issue of “The Londoner”
|
7th
|
Old “B” Coys
dinner at M&P’s Restaurant. Bangalore
|
Nov 19
|
Went to Shwanganga 30 mls NW
of Bangalore.
|
25th
|
GOC Secunderabad Divn
inspected the (old cyclists) Brigade on the Maidan & complemented
us on our smart appearance.
|
30th
|
Packing up for NW Frontier
|
Dec 1st
|
Left Bangalore Cant Stn 11AM
& via MSM Arkonam & GIP Madras-Bombay Line to Manmad & thence via
GIP Rly to Agra & Delhi thence by NW Rly to Burham via Lahore
(Anritza) & Rawal Pindi
|
Dec 7th
|
Arrived Burham 9AM. Awful
Place!...!
|
16th
|
G.O.C. I Divn
Inspected us Genl Munro later C in C
|
21
|
Got Christmas leave. Left
Burham 10AM & went to Delhi via GIPRly
|
22
|
Reached Delhi 7.45AM. Stayed
at Albion Hotel
Reg WInter & Lue Vaughan went
with me
|
23rd
|
Cycled from Delhi to Kutab
Minas etc
|
24th
|
Went to Mosque of Delhi
|
25th
|
Christmas Day. Went to old St
James’s Ch.
|
26th
|
Left Delhi 8.10AM
Arrd Agra 11AM
Stayed at Empress Hotel Went
to see the Taj Mahal. The finest tomb in existence
|
27th
|
Saw Fort & Palace etc
Left 6PM passed Delhi 9.30PM
|
28th
|
Arrived Amritza 8AM Saw
Golden Temple left 12.15 noon arrived Lahore 2PM
Went to Pictures. Left
10.30PM
|
29th
|
Arrived Burhan 11AM. Good
Holiday
|
1917
|
|
Jan 1st
|
Feu-de-Soir Salute fired by
the 16th Divn
|
Feb 23rd
|
Night march & attack over
hills at dawn
|
Mar 3rd
|
Marched to Dhamrah Inter-Bole
Mausoleum
Camped near 195th
milestone Hasan Abdul.
|
4th
|
Sunday (day of rest) shifted
tents & made road
|
5th
|
Khaki Force Manoeuvres near
Sargon suddenly stopped. Packed up ready to go
|
6
|
Marched back to Burham
|
7
|
Struck tents - & put them up
again ?!!!-???!!!!!---
|
12th
|
Kitcheners Test 15 mile route
march & attack over rough ground 21 mls in all full equipment with
groundsheets.
|
22nd
|
A party of us left Burhan
1.30PM and arrived Peshwarar 5.30PM
Put up at Kings Liverpools
Barracks
|
23
|
Drive in gharries to Jamrud
Fort & Khyber Pass as far as frontier of Afghanistan at Ali
Musjud. Returned & drove round Pashwarar (Goo etc)
|
24th
|
Left 11.35AM arrived Burhan
5.30PM
|
Mar 30th
|
1/25th Bn
Left Burhan Camp (cheers)
No2 Platoon A Coy
left by 2nd train at 4.13PM. Tea at Pindi. New NWR
Military car
|
31st
|
Passed Lahore 9.50AM Arrived
Jullundur 4.30PM. Band of the 1st/4th
Dorsets T.F. played us in to Wellington Barracks
|
Apr 1st
|
1/4th Dorset Regt
left 5PM. 11960.
|
15th
|
Packing up!
|
16th
|
“A” Coy left
Jullundur for hill station
Left Cantt Stn
7.30PM & via Amritza to Pathankot; arrived 2AM 17th
Detrained at
|
17th
|
6.30AM. Had first glimpse of
Himalayas.
Stopped at station & in the
rest camp all day. Started march at midnight
|
18th
|
Reached Dhar at 7AM after 18
miles march one halt of ½ an hour at Halfway House.
|
19th
|
Left Dhar 1.45AM & marched 11
miles to Duvera. Arrived 6 45AM. Slept in daytime. Left 5.30PM &
reached Naim Khud Rest Camp at 9.15PM 10½ miles. Heavy Rain.
|
20th
|
Heavy rain. Right up in
mountains - lovely scenery. Left 4PM & marched in pouring rain all
uphill to Banikhet arrd 7PM
Soaked through. Spent most of
night drying our clothes
|
May 22nd
|
Left Banikhet (Dalhousie) 4PM
& marched to Naini Khud 10mls
|
23
|
Left Naini Khud 5AM & arrd
Dunesa 10mls 9AM
Left Dunesa 4.30PM arrd Dhar
9PM tired out
|
24th
|
Left Dhar 5AM arrd Halfway
House 9AM
Left 10AM arrd Pathankote
2PM. Forced March. Mardst march to date. Myself & six others of No2
finished with the (A) Coy re-packed kit
Entrained & left Stn at 11PM
|
May 25th
|
Passed Amritza 2AM Lahore 7AM
& arrd Mari Indus 6.30PM. Ferried over & bivouacked on
side of K-B Rly
|
26th
|
Entrained on K-B Light Rly &
left Kalabagh 9.30PM. Arrived Tank 5PM
Marched to Tank Base Camp
|
27th
|
Whitsunday. Putting up tents,
wiring etc
Fearfully hot.
|
June 3rd
|
Four hours dust storm ugh!
|
7th
|
Marched to Khurghi via Gam
Post 11.30PM
|
8th
|
Arrd from Post 5AM
Ghurkhas cut up by Mahsuds reached Khurghi at noon
This is the worst march I
have ever done Everyone was “whacked”
|
9th
|
Left Khurghi 7.30AM. I was on
Camel transport Guard. Sgt James died 8.30PM.
Arrived Jandola about noon -
only seven miles
|
11th
|
We had to shift camp at
Jandola
|
12th
|
Moved out for the 1st
strafe with the Mahsuds.
|
13th
|
Reconnaisance in Force. I am
now left in charge of the platoon
|
16th
|
Went out to strafe some
villages
|
18th
|
Got bad Frontier Sores all
over my legs.
|
19th
|
Bn went on to
Burwand. I was left in charge of post at Haidas Kats of sick
|
20th
|
Left by camel for Jandola
|
21st
|
In Jandola Hospital
|
22
|
Left by camel for Khurghi
|
23
|
Left Khurghi for Gam & thence
by motor (some road) to Tank Genl Hospital
|
27
|
Tank was 127oF in
the shade when I left 7.30PM
|
28th
|
Changed train at Kalabagh
5AM.
Left Mari Indus 10AM arrd
Pindi 8PM
Entered Pindi General
Hospital
|
June 28th
to July 13th
|
In Pindo Hosp. during which
time my Frontier Sores were cured, but I had Malaria & then was
convalescent
|
14th
|
Left by motor ambulance 7
30AM for Gharial War Hosp. arrd 11AM
|
30th
|
When almost fit got Ague &
this kept me in till
|
Aug 13th
|
When I went to Upper Topa
Convalescent Depot. I began to feel real well again in the fine
mountain air
|
22nd
|
Went to “Roseneath” Mussee &
had seven (?) m teeth extracted
|
Sept 1st
|
Returned to Bn who
had arrived. They were perfect wrecks.
|
Nov 14th
|
Battalion inspected on
Gharial Flats by HE C in C of India
|
30th
|
Bn left Gharial &
marched to Trett - dusty
|
Dec 1st
|
Marches from Trett to
Bharaco. Nearly flooded
|
2nd
|
Marched from Bharaco to Pindi
|
3
|
Entrained at Rawal Pindi
8.30PM
|
4th
|
Arrd Lahore
11.30AM & Jullundur 4.30PM
|
12
|
Sgt Paul McCrerie & I went to
Amritza for the day
|
25th
|
Christmas Day waited on the
“boys”
|
1918
|
|
Jan 1st
|
Feu-de-Soir on Parade Ground
Jullundur & Bn Sports 2.30-5PM
|
27th
|
A & B Coy went out
to F. Firing Camp
|
28th
|
My 29th Birthday.
“A” Coy won “knock-out” field firing competition
|
29
|
My Aunt Ellie Died
|
30
|
Returned to Barracks
|
Feb 7
|
1st Bn Cross
Country Run about 575 starters I finished 51st No 2
Platoon came 3rd
|
Feb 14th
|
Inoculated against plague
|
18th
|
Most of my platoon still sick
with inoculation
|
March 1st
|
Attack at dawn East Beyne
River
|
12
|
Kitcheners Test
|
18
|
Inspection by Bgdr
Genl Dyer Jullundur Bde
|
25
|
All Quinine [??] men & part
of A & B Coys start for Jutogh
|
26
|
A Coy move into No
13 & 14 Bungalows & become No 5 & 6 Pltns B Coy
|
Apr 2
|
C in C inspected Brigade in
Mall Jullundur
|
6
|
A to WSs Inspection
I started three weeks
furlough
Left Jullundur Camp Stn 5PM
Calcutta mail O & R via Amballa & Saharanpur
|
7
|
Arrived Lucknow 9.14AM Put up
at YMCA Dilkusha. Saw [?] Palace, La Martinere Col. & The
Residency
|
8
|
Rumi Darwaza, Gt Imambara,
Hussainabad Pal. & Clock Tower
Jama Musjid, Chowk etc
|
9
|
Days excursion to Cawmpore
saw The Well Massacre Ghat & Memorial Ch.
Engine broke down on way back
|
10
|
Left Lucknow 9.30M C.Mail
B&Rlly
Arrived Benares 3PM. Stopped
at Rev Hudsons Wesleyan Missionary. Went to see Monkey Temple &
Thieves Reform Colony
|
11
|
Drove to Riverside 7AM & went
in boat on the “Holy” Ganges
Saw Golden & Cow Temples
Left Benares Cantr Stn 2.58PM
C Mair changes into EIR at Moghal Serai Stn
|
12
|
Arrived Calcutta (Hourah)
10.15AM
Stopped at St Johns Ambualnce
Govt Place.
From now till I left Calcutta
I visited Fort William Goo, Kidderpore, Jain Temple, Black Hole
Botanical Gdns (by steamer) St Pauls Cathedral & Royal Mint
Bought a Watermans Fountain
Pen Ps 12 at Newan & Cos Dalhousie Square
Went down river to Rajgunge &
to Barrackpore
|
Apr 25th
|
Left Calcutta 2.6 (Stand.
time)
|
27
|
Arrived Jullundur 9.40AM
|
May 1st
|
Started one months Sergeants
Mess Caterer
|
29th
|
Finished Qualification
Practice 59 & 12” & 8”
|
June 1st
|
Finished my month as Sgts
Mess Caterer
|
5th
& 6th
|
Started & finished my
classification got “Marksman”
|
7th
|
Left Jullundur for Jutogh 8PM
Jullundur dept
|
8th
|
Amballa dept 5.30AM Kalka
9.15 Jutogh arr 3PM
|
17
|
Went to Simla for first time
|
July 2nd
|
Went from Jutogh 1.14PM train
to Dagshai for Dental Treatment arrd Kumashatti Stn
4.15PM
|
6
|
Went over to Sabathu to see
some of No2 Platoon
|
13
|
Left Dagshai 11.30AM arrived
Jutogh 3.30PM
|
14
|
Went to Simla for last time &
heard “The Storm” at Christ Church
|
17
|
Left Jutogh Stn 6.8PM &
travelling via Kalka
|
18
|
& Amballa arrived Jullundur
10AM
|
26
|
Left 1/25th London Regt at
Jullundur bound for Basrah as Draughtsman. L Sgr Hewitt Cpl Web &
Pte Barnes also travelled with me
Left Jullundur Cantt
Stn 22.56 Bombay Mail
|
27
|
Passed Delhi 9AM & thence GIP
route
|
28
|
Arrived Victoria Terminus
4.30PM & drove to Coloba Attached Section Camp
|
29
|
Paraded 6.30AM & went in
Cossyto Alexandra Dock & embarked on HMAT “Vasna”
Left 11.30AM Bombay time
|
30th
|
At Sea (very much so)
|
Aug 4th
|
Arrived at Basra & anchored
for night of 3rd BGH
|
Aug 5th
|
Disembarked at No 9 Berth
Margil & went straight to PC&C Dept Margil. Proceeded to Strand
Road in evening
|
6th
|
Started work at PC&C
|
11th
|
PC&C moved over to TANOOMA
|
17
|
Got first commencement of
Sandfly Fever
|
Sept 29
|
Went on board “Industry” &
steamed upstream to Gurmat Ali
|
Oct 1
|
Took velocity of tide with
bottles 5.30AM to 6PM
|
2
|
Returned to Tanooma. Heard of
Bulgaria’s unconditional surrender
|
3
|
Went on “Industry” again
|
4th
|
Took tidal observations 5AM
to 6PM
|
5th
|
Returned to Tanooma
|
Nov 1st
|
Turkey signs armistice about
this date
|
5th
|
Austro-Hungary also gives in
|
11th
|
Germany gives up & we have
won the war
Great scenes of rejoicing.
News was made public at 6.30PM in Basra
|
12th
|
Had day off & went to Margil
|
17th
|
Went to Thanksgiving Service
|
Dec 4th
|
Genl Salmond & 2 other
officers & 2 mechanics arrived by Handley Page Biplane from
Baghdad
Come from England via Taranto
Cairo &
|
5th
|
Damascus. Proceeded on next
morning to Bundar Abbas & thence to India. Aerial Post
|
25th
|
Christmas Day Parade Service
Ashas Garrison Church at 10.15AM HC 11AM. Dinner given to BOR’s by
officers at 6PM
|
1919
|
|
Mar 30
|
Laft Basra for Karachi
|
May
|
Left Karachi for England
|
June 1st
|
arrd Devonport
|
2
|
arrd home 46
Ranelagh Rd Harlesden N.W.10
Father and Winnie were up
12 midnight
|
|
Completed July 1932
|