Thank you so much for this informative lecture. It has given me an insight into my maternal grandfathers war. He was in the Royal Artillery and first went to France. In 1916 he was re trained and sent to Salonica. He was brilliant with horses as he, as a youth, was a ploughman. Whilst out there he passed his shoeing smith examination. As the lecture states, horse and mule transportation was vital. Thanks again.
Well presented and very informative. My wife's grandfather was a Sergeant with the RAMC in Salonika but unfortunately we don't know exact dates or what he did (he was a pharmacist in civvy street)
Thankyou Alan, not only interesting but very informative especially for me. My grandad whilst serving in the 6th Battalion Buffs was very badly wounded at Loos on the 13th October 1915. In the 1960's I well remember sitting on his lap as a child and feeling all the shrapnel under the skin in both forearms which he later had to have removed. If he had other injuries he did not tell me, in fact he would not talk about WWI at all. All I have is a few paper records and a couple of photos. One shows him very clearly as a corporal with a group of soldiers all wearing different cap badges in front of a wooden shed. On the back it states 'Combat Reception, Camp Guard, Salonica' and then 'A few of the boys taken on April 1st 1919' . I would dearly love to know how he ended up in Salonica and what he did. Grandad did tell my dad that a Victor McLaglen of the John Wayne films was based with the Middx Regt nearby and that he was considered a bully but no one would argue with him because one he was an officer and secondly he could lift a Vickers machine gun filled with water on its tripod above his head which no one else could do and that he would often go into the prisoner compound and pick boxing fights with the biggest Turks he could find. I think my dad meant Bulgarians but I am not sure. I was in my twenties when my dear grandad passed away and I wanted to ask him so much about the war but my dad always said best to leave it alone son.
My Grandfather joined up, trained and was sent to Gallipoli but his ship was on route when diverted to Salonica. He was wounded and deafened and repatriated to England with Malaria. He served with the REME part of his job was laying telephone lines between trenches etc and was on horseback at least some of the time!
Thank you so much for this informative lecture. It has given me an insight into my maternal grandfathers war. He was in the Royal Artillery and first went to France. In 1916 he was re trained and sent to Salonica. He was brilliant with horses as he, as a youth, was a ploughman. Whilst out there he passed his shoeing smith examination. As the lecture states, horse and mule transportation was vital. Thanks again.
Thanks for this. I wonder if a history of Serbia in WW1 would be a good book....
As Bulgarian myself, I find that very educational.
I will also buy your book.
My grandfather fought at 2nd Doiran with the 11th Welch. He had previously been at Passchendaele. Very interesting talk. Thank you.
Very informative. My Grandfather served in Salonika and all he would say was that he came back with a medal and malaria.
My grandmother was one of the RAMC women doctor volunteers at Salonika.
Great piece, thank you
Well presented and very informative. My wife's grandfather was a Sergeant with the RAMC in Salonika but unfortunately we don't know exact dates or what he did (he was a pharmacist in civvy street)
Thankyou Alan, not only interesting but very informative especially for me.
My grandad whilst serving in the 6th Battalion Buffs was very badly wounded at Loos on the 13th October 1915. In the 1960's I well remember sitting on his lap as a child and feeling all the shrapnel under the skin in both forearms which he later had to have removed. If he had other injuries he did not tell me, in fact he would not talk about WWI at all.
All I have is a few paper records and a couple of photos. One shows him very clearly as a corporal with a group of soldiers all wearing different cap badges in front of a wooden shed. On the back it states 'Combat Reception, Camp Guard, Salonica' and then 'A few of the boys taken on April 1st 1919' . I would dearly love to know how he ended up in Salonica and what he did.
Grandad did tell my dad that a Victor McLaglen of the John Wayne films was based with the Middx Regt nearby and that he was considered a bully but no one would argue with him because one he was an officer and secondly he could lift a Vickers machine gun filled with water on its tripod above his head which no one else could do and that he would often go into the prisoner compound and pick boxing fights with the biggest Turks he could find. I think my dad meant Bulgarians but I am not sure.
I was in my twenties when my dear grandad passed away and I wanted to ask him so much about the war but my dad always said best to leave it alone son.
Very interesting, a relative of mine died fighting for the Royal Berkshires in Oct 1917.
My great uncle was in the South Wales borders. Came home with maleria . He was born in Stoke on Trent.
My Grandfather joined up, trained and was sent to Gallipoli but his ship was on route when diverted to Salonica. He was wounded and deafened and repatriated to England with Malaria. He served with the REME part of his job was laying telephone lines between trenches etc and was on horseback at least some of the time!
Sorry mate, but the REME was formed in 1942. He couldn't have served during the Great War with this cap badge.
Interesting, informative and well-presented talk.
Very good presentation of facts and opinion about the war in Macedonia!
Thank you so much!
A fine presentation