Robin Braysher

Another Salonika connection … ?

I don’t think I have ever written here on Gallipoli, except in passing about those troops who went on to Salonika. I mean no disrespect to those of all nations who fought and died in the Gallipoli campaign but, with no family connections to the campaign, as with so many other areas of the First World War, I have had no more than a passing interest. I will admit, too, to a little irritation that with the landings in Gallipoli coming so hard on the heels of the start of the Second Battle of Ypres, this latter battle is so often overlooked (see Tuesday’s post). However, I have now had to revise my opinion.

One hundred and ten years ago …

Recently, I had the good fortune to find a reasonably priced copy of Bruce Bairnsfather’s memoir, Bullets & Billets (Grant Richards Ltd, December 1916). This covers his time as a junior officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the Western Front from November 1914. To my knowledge neither he, nor his famous creation ‘Old Bill’, had any connections with the BSF. So why do I mention him here?

World Wetlands Day

Maybe it’s my Fenland heritage, but I have long found wetlands fascinating environments. With the Broads in the east, the Fens in the west and lots of swampy bits in between, Norfolk is an ideal place to live, although on this World Wetlands Day my thoughts go to the Struma Valley. The Struma front, where XVI Corps operated, is the aspect of the Macedonian campaign that interests me most – primarily because it’s where my grandfather, Fred, served – but I don’t often think of it in terms of being a wetland environment.

Happy Year of the Snake!

As today sees the start of the Lunar New Year, I take this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy Year of the Snake. A brief online search suggests that snakes symbolise good luck and rebirth, the pursuit of love and happiness, and wealth and wisdom; so reasons for optimism in 2025! If you were born in a Year of the Snake, heading east is said to be auspicious, so perhaps you should sign-up for a Salonika battlefield tour with the SCS. It’s almost certainly a good idea, even if you were born under another animal!

A Night at the Palace Cinema

Amongst the souvenirs of the campaign collected by Private Herbert Price of the ASC Supply Department is a rather fragile flyer for Salonika’s Palace Cinema for the week beginning Monday 30 October 1916. Two films were on offer, the first a French silent film from the previous year, Strass & Compagnie, described as ‘a grand patriotic and poignant drama … in four long parts’, which doesn’t seem a great choice for men seeking escapism from war. In which case, maybe Herbert’s preference was for the 1912 American short, A Millionaire for A Day. Described by one US paper as ‘a screaming comedy’, this 1912 American silent short – based on a true story – is about a mechanic who goes to New York City and squanders his inheritance in a single day, returning home broke but wiser (Wikipedia). On the coming Friday, the film Pont du Diable (Devil’s Bridge) was promised, although this sounds uncomfortably like a location in the Struma valley!

It was Christmas Day in the Cookhouse …

As you eat your Christmas meal – whether it’s traditional, exotic, vegetarian or vegan – spare a thought for the Mongey Wallahs, the cooks who had to feed large numbers of men everyday of the year during the Macedonian campaign: with no gas or electric hobs and ovens, often unreliable provisions and extremes of temperature to work in, not to mention the activities of the enemy. These unsung heroes of the BSF get little attention so, at this time of year when food plays such an important in the festivities, it’s good to remember them and their vital role.

Christmas Greetings from Noah!

Looking back, I see that my last update on ‘our’ mule, Noah, was exactly a year ago. This is very remiss of me, although if you are a member you will have been able to read more about him in the latest issue of The New Mosquito. Suffice it to say, he is in fine fettle and enjoying life in the winter paddock with his donkey and mule chums at the Redwings Horse Sanctuary near Great Yarmouth. At the Society’s annual meeting in October it was agreed that he should follow Muffin in becoming an Honorary Member of the Society, to recognise the vital part played by mules and other animals in the Macedonian campaign. A splendid certificate has been produced and will be presented in the coming year. As you can see from the photo which follows, Noah is a handsome chap who, like Muffin, is on the small size but with a big personality!

They shall grow not old …

…. as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

Take Your Partners …

With BBC Radio Three celebrating a ‘Day of Dance’, I thought I would see if I could find a suitable photo in the IWM’s online collection. As I suspected, there are a number showing Serbian troops and British medical staff dancing a kolo – a Serbian circle dance – but, as I have used some of those before, I was keen to find something different. Well, I think this is certainly different …

The Navy was There!

For understandable reasons we tend to focus on the British Salonika Army but, on this Trafalgar Day, we should remember the important part the Royal Navy played in the campaign. In the very last issue of the Salonika Reunion Association’s publication – The Mosquito (May 1969) – there is a fine tribute from the Pongos of the BSF to the Senior Service. Here are some extracts.