Other photos – possibly of the RNAS in East Africa

These photos were also in GTG’s photo album without any captions and may also have been taken by David Gill whilst he was serving with the RNAS in East Africa in 1916-1917.

 I think it may be David Gill pictured of the left. Maybe he is examining the effects of his Kite Balloon spotting. Maybe in Bagamoyo?

  Perhaps this is a photo of one of the Royal Navy’s monitors that was in action in East Africa in 1916 – HMS Severn or HMS Mersey?

 I believe this may be a photo of the waterfront of Zanzibar Town. Compare this photo of Zanzibar Town in 1902. Notice the twin spires towards the far right of the panorama.

 Surely East Africa, but could be any village on the coast or an offshore island.

 I assume the chap in the centre is a Naval Officer. Can anyone identify him, or perhaps just his rank? I assume the two either side are local dignitaries. Maybe from Zanzibar?

[25/06/12 Good news. I have recived a positive identification. This photo “shows the Sultan of Zanzibar, on the right, with Cdr W.E. Whittingham, probably during the Sultan’s visit aboard Manica.”  Many thanks to Colin Huston of Cross & Cockade International, The First World War Aviation Historical Society: www.crossandcockade.com]

This extract is taken from THE NAVY EVERYWHERE by Conrad Gato:

“At Chukwani, in the island of Zanzibar, Squadron No. 8 of the Royal Naval Air Service established its headquarters for the purpose of making reconnaissances over enemy territory in East Africa, taking photographs, dropping bombs, and otherwise aiding the military operations. The seaplane carriers, H.M.S. Himalaya and Manica were lying off the island, and the Flag Commander, the Hon. R. O. B. Bridgeman, D.S.O., had general charge of the operations.”

 Perhaps this is a drawing of the HMS Manica – see here for an earlier posting of David Gill’s photos of the HMS Manica and the Kite Balloon in action.

Any help with identifying the places, ships or persons in the photos would be gratefully received.

The fate of the other officers of the 1st Hampshire 1914 & 1915

The archive of the Royal Hampshire Museum has provided quite of a bit of information and photos on the other officers who served with ARG in the 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment in 1914 and the first half of 1915 and whose names have become familiar to me from the Battalion War Diaries. The following list is in no specific order and by no means covers all the officers, only a few. I may add to it in time.

Lieut. Colonel F.R.Hicks – Died of wounds 12.6.15

Major GH Parker – Killed in Action 19.12.14

Lieut. Colonel the Hon. L.C. Palk DSO – Killed in Action 1.7.16 (First Day of the Somme) He walked calmly in front of his men carrying only his stick.

Major GF Perkins – survived the war, later Lt. Col. GF Perkins DSO

Captain G.A.C. Sandeman – Killed in Action 26.4.15

Captain Le Marchant – Died of wounds 29.10.16

“CAPTAIN E. H. C. LE MARCHANT Hampshire Regiment / The Head Master’s. / Son of Colonel E. H. Le Marchant, the Hampshire Regiment, and of Mrs. Le Marchant.  / Cricket XI, 1913. Football XI, 1912.  / On leaving Harrow Captain Le Marchant was intending to go to Sandhurst, but ultimately took a Commission direct in his father’s old Regiment.  He was wounded at Ypres in October, 1915, and, after a brief spell of leave, again returned to the Front and was gazetted Captain in July, 1916. He died on October 29th, 1916, of wounds received in action six days before. Many messages were received by his mother both from British Tommies and French soldiers, some of these writing with the warmth of personal regard, and others expressing sorrow for the loss of one whom they knew and admired as a soldierly personality.” from http://www.harrowphotos.com/19074-LE-MARCHANT-Edward-Herbert-Charles

“CAPT. EDWARD HERBERT CHARLES LE MARCHANT (Hampshire Regiment), who died of wounds on October 29, aged 22, was in the Harrow Eleven in 1913, being a useful batsman and change bowler. Against Eton he scored 0 and 14 and took one wicket for 34 runs.” from Wisden – Deaths in the War, 1916

Captain F. Fidler – Killed in Action 24.5.15

 

Captain JDM Beckett DSO –  wounded at Second Ypres. Later Lt. Col, and OC 10th Hants in Salonica, Greece – killed in an accident during bombing training in February 1918. Buried in Mikra Military Cemetery in Kalamaria, a suburb of Thessaloniki (formerly Salonika).

            

Captain LFU Unwin – Killed in Action 27.4.15

Captain C.F.H. Twining – Killed in Action 3.5.15

Captain H.J. Cromie – Killed in Action 23.10.16

Captain A.T. Bonham Carter –  Killed in Action 2.7.1916 (2nd day of the Somme) – mentioned in ARG’s fishng diary for 1914/1915

Captain A.P. Knocker – Killed in Action 7.2.15

 

2nd Lieutenant Newnham – survived the war, later Lieut. Col. HCC Newnham DSO, MC

0099

WO 373/1

.

NEWNHAM, HORACE CLAUDE CHARLES

TEMPORARY LIEUTENANT COLONEL

9677

5 HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT

NORTH AFRICA (ALGERIA, TUNISIA)

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER

22 APRIL 1943

11 FEB-8 JULY 1943

“Awards and Citations

Distinguished Service Cross The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Colonel Horace Claude Charles Newnham, Royal British Army, for extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy while serving with the Army of the United States. Near Sidi Nsir, Tunisia, on 26 February 1943, Colonel Newnham so conducted the defense of his position against overwhelming odds that the delay caused the action to be ultimately influenced in our favor. His heroic and fearless behavior, and disregard for his own safety were an inspiration to his troops, and reflect the highest traditions of the military service. General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 69 (1943) Action Date: February 26, 1943 Service: Foreign Rank: Lieutenant Colonel Regiment: U.S. Army (Attached) Division: Hampshire Regiment” from http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=17103

Captain K.A. Johnston  – survived the war, later Major K.A. Johnston DSO

Lieutenant and fellow member of A Company in February/March 1915 (but absent from the photo of Keeper’s Cottage). Hospitalised on 19 March 1915. Rejoined the Battalion on 27/28 April. Seconded for service in Colonial Office 1920: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32240/supplements/1648/page.pdf . Retired 1928: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33429/pages/6562/page.pdf

Identifying the men in ARG’s photos of the trenches

I have not had much luck identifying the men in ARG’s photos of the trenches which I believe were taken in Ploegsteert Wood and Le Gheer in February/March 1915. ARG was in A Company at this time between his return from sickness in February 1915 his wounding at Second Ypres in June 1915. But the naming of persons in photos, and the lists of who was in each respective company, in the Regimental archive and Journal focuses on the officers. However I believe I may have made one possible match:

 

The photo on the right, from page 297 of the Regimental Journal for Sept 1915, identifies the man as Sergeant Budden. The Regimental History records that Sergeant W.M. Budden was later awarded the DCM in the New Year Honours list of 1916 (along with Sergeant Ley, who had led the counter attack of A Company on the night of 25th/26th April in Second Ypres, Colour Sergeant Shearing, and Privates Eldridge and Harden).

I have not been able to find any more information on Sergeant Budden. But I have found the following information on Sergeant Ley on this website dedicated to the Roll of Honour on the war memorial in Windlesham, Surrey – http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Surrey/Windlesham.html:

LEY

Ernest George

Company Quartermaster Sergeant – 8017 Quartermaster Sergeant Ley, DCM, of the 1st Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment was on leave in Windlesham where his parents lived when war was declared.  He received a telegram calling him back to Colchester, which place he left the next day to put up his Regiment’s colours at Winchester, and bring back reserves mobilised for war from Harrow.  Sergeant Ley took part in the retreat from Mons an fought in both battles in Ypres gaining the Distinguished Conduct Medal.  He was fatally wounded at the first battle of the Somme 1st July 1916 before Beaumont Hamel.  He had seen eight years continuous service prior to the war.  Lt. Col. Garcia commanding his Regiment wrote after his death:  “He was my platoon sergeant in the winter of 1914/15 and I soon learned to appreciate his extraordinary worth.  My attention was first drawn to him when a reconnaissance had to be carried out and the scouts selected for the job felt nervous about going and both asked for Sergeant Ley to be allowed to go with them.  I then discovered that the men had a child-like confidence in him and trusted him and would do anything for him.  I became very attached to him and felt his death very much.  I shall always treasure his memory as a very brave soldier and loyal non-commissioned officer who never thought of himself.  He was one of the most gallant NCOs the 1st Battalion ever had….. there was nothing he could not do with his men.  The Regiment lost a splendid soldier when he fell in the battle of the Somme on the 1st July 1916”.  Ernest Ley was born in Longworth, Berkshire in 1886 and was the son of Samuel and Emma Ley of Windlesham (1901 census).  He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

His name is also recorded on the war memorial at Upton in Cheshire: http://www.carlscam.com/warmem/upton.htm and I also found this information on an auction website where his DCM was sold in 2007:

A British War Medal named to 8017 C.SJT. E.G. LEY. HAMPS. R.  Ley won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, which was gazetted in the London Gazette of 11 March 1916 with the following citation: 8017 Serjeant E. G. Ley, 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. For conspicuous coolness and resource.When his company commander and platoon commander were killed he collected the men nearest to him and opened fire on the enemy who were enfilading his trench from some houses near, tby keeping down their fire during the construction of a barricade. He saved a difficult situation by his promptness. Ernest George Ley was later killed in action on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme (1 July 1916) .  He has no known grave, and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. 
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/british-war-medal-hampshire-dcm-winner-kia-1-jul

Unfortunately I do not have access to the citation for the DCM for Sergeant Budden, but if any reader who stumbles across this posting does, I would be very grateful for a copy.

ARG recommended for distinguised service at Second Ypres

I found the following extract from the Regimental Journal which records that ARG was recommended for distinguished service for ‘bold reconnaissance’ during the 2nd Battle of Ypres between 25th April to 4th May.

Click the image to enlarge:

Further information on this difficult period for the 1st Battalion can be found in previous posts: Second Battle of Ypres – April, May 1915 and Battalion War Diary – April & May 1915. The Regimental History records “good patrolling by Lt. Gill had helped to clear up the situation and gain touch with the troops who were now filling up the gap” in the confusion of the night of 27th April.

It was during this period that many of ARG’s colleagues in A Company were to become casualties.  Captain Sandeman and Captain Chapman (attached from the E. Surrey) were killed and 2nd Lieutenant Le Marchant wounded on the night of 25/26th April in the confusion of trying to find touch with the Royal Fusiliers and fill the gap whilst the battalion was desperately trying to dig in and gain some cover before dawn. The incident is recorded in the account of Major Hicks and the following from the Regimental History pp58-59:

“While the digging was going on a large party was detected approaching on our right.Calling out that they were Royal fusiliers, they deceived and knocked out a too credulous patrol, but Captain Beckett was not to be caught  and C Company quickly and effectively disposed of the intruders. A Company on the left fared worse: it had occupied some houses on the flank, but Germans, approaching in the mist, rushed them, dove the survivors of their garrison in on top of the men digging way at the trench and tried to roll up our line from the flank. A confused struggle followed. Captain Sandeman, a Special reserve officer of ten years’ service, was killed in rallying the men and preparing for a counter-attack and with him fell Captain Chapman (attached from the E. Surrey), but Lt. Le Marchant headed a party of bombers, among them Lance Corporals Field and Hare and Pte. Winter, and checked the rush, holding on at a traverse, and Sergeant Ley led a counter-attack which drove the enemy back and restored the situation. A barricade was thrown up and the flank secured.”

The Regimental Journal in May 1915 published a number of letters from the front for April 1915.

There is a casualty list for April 1915 published in the Regimental Journal which includes details of the NCOs and men, but it does not state to which companies they were attached. It is interesting to see that whilst the 1st Bn were having a rough time of it at Ypres, the 2nd Bn were at Gallipoli.

Further information about the photo at Keeper’s Cottage, Ploegsteert Wood 1915

From information found in the Regimental Journal of the Hampshire Regiment on my recent visit to the Museum of the Royal Hampshire, I believe that the photo of Keeper’s Cottage in ARG’s collection was  principally a photo of A Company, 1st Hampshire, probably taken in February or March 1915.

The following extract of page 112, in the April edition of the Journal lists the arrangement of the officers at battalion headquarters and the respective companies on March 16. It shows that ARG was in A Company at that time. The ranks are incorrect and out of date for March 1915 but all the officers of A Company are in the photo except for Lieutenant Johnson. Capt. Sandeman was company commander. The additional figures in the photo are the person in the centre I believe is the farmer, and Major. L.C. Palk, who is recorded as Senior Major in this extract and was to take command of the battalion shortly afterwards.

Other photos in the Journal of Keeper’s Cottage show the officers of different companies also pictured at the hut, so I wonder if Keeper’s Cottage was the dug out for the officers of the company that was being held in support, close behind the front line trenches, during the battalion’s long period in Ploegsteert Wood in the winter of 1914-15.

I believe there is also further information on the origins of Keeper’s Cottage in the Regimental Journal. From the location of “Keeper’s Hut” marked on the trench map of 1917, I believe that this is the same as the farm indicated by the letter “f” shown on the sketch map on page 27, and described as a chosen point d’appui  in the penultimate paragraph of page 28, of the Journal for January 1915. This is a published extract from a Diary of an Officer of the Regiment for the time of the battalion’s arrival in Ploegsteert Wood in November 1914. Unfortunately, it is unattributed, which was standard practice for all letters and personal accounts from the front published in the Journal. (Unfortunately my photo of one of the pages is blurred but I will ask the Museum if they have a clear copy and post it later).

The Officers of the 1st Bn Hampshire Regiment – August 1914 and August 1915

At the R.Hants archive I also found this photo of the 1st Battalion taken the day before they left for the front in August 1914.

It is interesting to compare with this next photo of the officers of the 1st Hampshire taken on the front line, on the first anniversary in August 1915. I believe that only the Hon. L.C. Palk remained, now Lt.-Col, Commanding Officer, and DSO.

With the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve) in August 1914

Before I continue with ARG’s career in the 1/2 KAR in East Africa, I think I should just go back to his time with the 1st Hampshire in Flanders and share the rest of the information and photos I discovered on my recent visit to the archive of the Royal Hampshire Museum. This will follow in a series of posts.

Firstly, I found this photo of the officers of the 3rd Battalion taken on 10 September 1914 shortly before ARG left for the front line with the 4th Reinforcements.

Many of the names are familiar to me now. They are the officers who arrived at the 1st Battalion with ARG or joined shortly afterwards. There is also some interesting descriptions of the 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve) at this time in the Regimental Journal:

This also helps me with the identities and date of the following photo found in ARG’s miscellaneous collection. The names (except ‘self’, of course) and date had always been a mystery to me.

I knew from the handwritten note on the back that the photo was taken on a Field Day on the Isle of Wight, so was presumably the Hampshire Regiment. But when was unknown. It could have been a number of different occasions. The photo is very small and it’s hard to judge ARG’s age. The names of the others written in ARG’s hand on the front of the photo are unclear. However, I now believe they are Captain Unwin and Captain Beckett and the photo must be taken in August or very early September 1914 when the 3rd Battalion was training at Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight, as described in the above extracts from the Regimental Journal.

Flt. Cmdr David Gill

As I have reached ARG’s arrival in East Africa in July 1916, this seems to be a good moment to turn my attention to ARG’s first cousin David Gill, pictured far right in the above row of photos and as a boy in my last post and below.

David Gill was the only son of ARG’s uncle Albert Augustus Gill (AAG or “Uncle Bertie”), who was chief engineer at the Chelsea Water Company. His brother, ARG’s father, George Henry Gill (GHG) was company secretary.

David Gill was three years older than ARG and considering their fathers worked together, they must have seen a lot of each other as boys. I have obtained a copy of David’s file or service record from the National Archives. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on 21 May 1915. Just before ARG was wounded at Ypres. David’s previous occupation is recorded as Electrical and Mechanical Engineer and it says he had been in the Officer Training Corps between 1904 to 1906, so presumably at school although the name of his school or any subsequent college is not given.

David was pictured in Flight magazine June 1915 in No.3 Kite Balloon Section.

His service file records his promotion from Flight Sub-Lieutenant to Acting Flight Lieutenant on 29 December 1915 and his location seems to be Roehampton. On the same day his file records that he was promoted to Command of No.1 Kite Balloon Section.

No.1 Kite Balloon Section was an interesting unit of the RNAS providing observation for naval gun bombardments from a hot air balloon tethered on a fixed line to a ship. There were a number of these sections but No.1 Kite Balloon Section was aboard HMS Manica which had been operating in 1915 at Gallipoli in the Dardanelles, with great success. Useful background on HMS Manica and the No. 1 Kite Balloon Section, particularly the operations at Gallipoli can be found here,  here and here. There is also a series of paintings and drawings done by the official artist Herbert Hillier aboard the HMS Manica during the Dardanelles campaign in the IWM on-line archive

I also found the following photographs in the album of ARG’s older brother Theo (George Theodore Gill – GTG), which suggest that David served at Gallipoli. However, there is no indication from his service file that he was transferred to No.1KBS before 29 December 1915, by which time the historical references record that HMS Manica was back in Britain to be refitted, ready for service in British East Africa (‘The Manica continued to lend ‘highly valuable service’ until mid-September, when she returned home for a refit by Cammell, Laird & Company‘) . Certainly the photographs look more like Africa to me than my image of Gallipoli. It may be that GTG was mistaken as I believe the photo album was compiled many years later possibly in the 1940s.

Click on the images to enlarge:

 

HMS Manica left Birkenhead on 10 March 1916 bound for East Africa and in addition to the Kite Balloon, they carried a seaplane which may be the subject of one of the un-marked photos in GTG’s album above. David’s service file records that he was ‘mentioned in dispatches by C. in C., Cape for high state of efficiency of his K.B. section & for good work in connection with capture of Bagamoyo by naval force on 15th August 1916’. A detailed account of the operations can be read here. Could the above photos from GTG’s album actually be of the RNAS in East Africa. Perhaps the photo on the top left of page 23 could be Tanga, Pangani or Bagamoyo? And could the sunken ship or ships pictured on page 23 be the Königsberg? [I think so. Look at this photo of the sunken Königsberg in the IWM collection]. The HMS Manica / No.1 KBS were not involved in the sinking of the Königsberg which occurred in July 1915 before they arrived in East Africa, but they were in the area in January 1917 as this account recalls. It’s not clear to me whether these are two photos of the same ship at different stages of its sinking or photos of two different ships. Further research might possibly reveal some likely candidates in the East Africa campaign that my help identify the location of the photos.

“While the flagship was lying off Bagamoyo, Admiral Charlton conceived the idea that he would like to make an ascent in the kite-balloon. It was fortunate that the sea was fairly calm, for I have heard of an occasion when an admiral went up in a kite-balloon, and, on descending again to his quarterdeck, was obliged to beat a precipitate retreat into his cabin. It is a curious fact that the motion of a ship, when communicated to the kite-balloon she is towing, becomes accentuated to such a degree that only an extra hardy mariner can hope to escape the effects of it. Admiral Charlton, however, was quite pleased with his experience, and later on he made a signal to the Manica.

“I am very much pleased with the efficiency of the Kite-Balloon Section, and the smart handling of the balloon. I wish to assure them that they are doing good and useful work.”

The tribute was much appreciated, for it is often the misfortune of those who labour with a new device to receive more criticism than encouragement. That it was also well deserved I hope that this record may afford ample evidence.

The best tribute, however, to the efficiency of the kite-balloon, and to the accuracy of its control over gunfire, has been paid by the enemy himself, both in East Africa and at Gallipoli. If the Manica came within range of the German guns with her kite-balloon down, they invariably opened fire, but, if the kite-balloon was up, the Germans in East Africa, like the Turks at Gallipoli, preserved a dignified silence. Experience had taught them wisdom.”
‘The  Navy Everywhere’ by Conrad Gato, 1919 – Chapter XII, H.M.S. “MANICA” in East Africa

Probably as a result of his experience of the seaplane on HMS Manica, David put in an application to train as a seaplane pilot in May 1917 but he was turned down “on account of Fleet requirements of KB pilots’ which must have been rather a disappointment. His service file then records his ‘Returning to England 3.5.17′. David and ARG would have been in East Africa together between July 1916 and May 1917 but there is no record of any correspondence or meeting, which seems highly unlikely.

On return to England, David was attached to “Air Dept. N. 6 Section(A), Roehampton’ on 16 July 1917. I cannot find any information on this unit and what it did, but assume that if he was not released from KB duty on account of the requirements of the service for KB pilots, he may have been involved in training KB recruits.

On 9 November 1917 he was promoted to Acting Flight Commander and on 31 December 1917 was promoted to full Flight Commander. His promotion appearing in Flight Magazine in the King’s New Year Honours List in January 1918.

On 2 March 1918 it recorded that ‘Flt. Surgeon, Roehampton reports sick from 9/2/18 to 27/2/18 Malaria’ which seems to be the standard price that was paid for service in East Africa. Finally, on 16 May 1918 it seems David was granted his longstanding desire to train as a pilot and was posted to ‘Aircraft Establishment, S. Farnborough’.

I assume that David continued to train as a pilot for the duration of the war, which must have been good times for him. Unfortunately I understand that David succumbed to Influenza in the great epidemic of winter 1918/19. But I cannot find any record to confirm the date and cause of his death.

His medals were kept by ARG and I have them in the family collection. The spray of oak leaves on the Victory Medal for being Mentioned in Dispatches. It seems they were mounted onto blue card and then removed at some point. But when and why is unknown.

Machine Gun Corps (Motors) – ‘MGC(M)’

I have made some very interesting research on this rather peculiar unit of the British Army which was ultimately absorbed into the Tank Corps in 1922. I understand that the proper name was in fact firstly the Motor Machine Gun Service – or MMGS – which was changed in October 1915 to the Machine Gun Corps (Motors) – or MGC(M) – although the references I have seen in contemporary sources and memoirs referred to it as the “Motor Machine Gun Corps”.

It seems it was composed of different types of units: motor cycle batteries (focused on motorcycles with a Vickers 303 machine gun fixed to a sidecar); light armoured car batteries (focused on armoured cars with a machine gun mounted in the turret); and light car patrols (presumably with a machine gun mounted on the car). Each motor cycle battery contained 18 motorcycle/sidecar combinations, 8 motorcycles without sidecars, a couple of cars, and a motorcycle/sidecar combination for the officer commanding. Whereas an armoured car battery consisted of four armoured cars and a number of ‘soft’ lorries in support to carry the ammunition and supplies and,in one battery at least, also some motorcycles. I understand a Heavy Section of the Corps was formed in 1916, which became the Tank Corps and ultimately absorbed the rest of the MGC(M) in 1922.

Useful background of the Corps can be found here on The Long, Long Trail (focused on the motor cycle batteries).

I understand that the units of the MGC(M) that were sent to East Africa were the 4th and 5th Light Armoured Battery and the 7th Light Armoured Car Battery with the acronym ‘LAB’ – But I have also heard them refered to as Light Armoured Motor Batteries with the acronym ‘LAMB’. Each battery operated four Rolls Royce armoured cars. A lot of information on these Light Armoured Batteries can be found in this IWM audio interview with Miles Thomas,  Lord Thomas of Rememham DFC who recalls his time as a driver with the 4th LAMB in East Africa in 1916. Extracts from IWM Interview with Miles Thomas, 1977

There was a third armoured car unit operating with the Army in East Africa – the rather eccentric No. 1 (Willoughby’s) Armoured Motor Battery. No. 1 battery operated four Leyland armoured cars, paid for and converted by Sir John Willoughby. The battery also contained ‘soft’ lorries and food trucks and twenty four gunners on Triumph motorcycles (source: ‘Machine Gunner 1914-18’ by Charles Crutchley pp 216-222). More information can be found in the below extracts from the book ‘WARCARS – British Armoured Cars in the First World War’ by David Fletcher. My thanks to Harry Fecitt MBE TD for this and the above photo. Harry has been extremely helpful with further information and photos on all parts of the East Africa campaign.

There was a fourth army battery, the 7th Light Armoured Car Battery, which arrived in East Africa on 15 October 1916 and saw action with the Gold Coast Regiment in 1917 .

Finally, in addition to the army’s batteries, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) also operated a number of light armoured car batteries in East Africa.  ARG’s first cousin David Gill, who is pictured in the title banner above on the far right, was serving with the RNAS in East Africa in 1915 but he was with the Kite Balloon Section on HMS Manica. Further posts will deal with his time with this unit and their participation in the East Africa campaign.

By all accounts the armoured cars did not fare well in the soggy conditions of East Africa. Particularly in the wet season, becoming bogged down and static, and (the Army batteries at least) were soon withdrawn to North Africa where the going was much more suitable. If ARG had joined the MGC(M) in 1916, before transferring to the KAR, then this may account for his dissatisfaction with the lack of action in his time in the Corps and his request to transfer , which appears to have taken place shortly afterwards in October/November 1916.

It’s not known whether ARG did join the MGC(M) and which battery of the he may have been attached to, or how and why he was seconded from the Hampshire Regiment.  I get the impression from the IWM interview with Lord Thomas that the Motor Machine Gun Corps, as he called it, was seen as a glamorous unit seeking innovative methods of warfare after things got bogged down in the trenches on the Western Front. They imagined the armoured cars would be gallantly charging around the bushveld in naval formation and the unit appealed to soldiers with a background or interest in motor cars and engineering. Whilst I never heard of any particular interest of ARG in engineering, he must have been mechanically self-sufficient in his time with the SDF, and his father (GHG) and uncle (AAG) were very interested in cars. I understand they bought the first Vauxhall cars to come into production. GHG was company secretary and AAG was chief engineer for the Chelsea Water Company and AAG’s son, David Gill (mentioned above) had previously studied engineering before joining the RNAS. I have a collection of pictures of the family with various motor cars and vehicles and here are a selection.

ARG & Standard 1913 – 11 September 1923

Victoria 4 cylinder car. made by Victoria Motor Works, Godalming 1908. Driver and Passenger unknown

Victoria 1908 – GHG & ARG

Vauxhall 5 HP, AA Gill’s car – “Uncle Bertie but I don’t recognise his passenger as his wife Aunt Josephine”

Ormonde motorbike and forecarriage – GHG & ARG

Ormonde motorbike and forecarriage – AAG & son, David

Ormonde motorbike and forecarriage – GHG & ARG

Hupmobile 1913 – passengers unknown

Ford Model T – No 2 – GHG & EG

Clyde car 2 cylinder, White & Poppe engine – EG and friend unknown

Ford 1908 Model T – GHG & EG

ARG’s handwritten service record

Also just received from Tasmania – written by ARG.

Although these two separate documents only cover the dates up to 1932 and 1935 respectively, they provide a lot of detail on ARG’s movements in the EA and SDF and so very usefully complement his MOD service record and the one engraved on his cigarette case.