Robin's interest in the campaign comes from his grandfather, Fred, who served as a cyclist with the BSF from 1915 to 1917, mainly in the Struma valley where he caught malaria and dysentery. Robin joined the SCS in 2003 and served on the committee for 18 years as journal and then web editor. Opinions expressed in these posts are his and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society.
Happy Burn’s Night to all our Scottish readers – wherever you are in the world – and all those Sassenachs who, like me, enjoy nothing more than tucking into a haggis with ‘neeps and tatties’, washed down with a ‘wee dram’!
This seems an ideal occasion to celebrate one of the Scottish units of the British Salonika Force – 10th (Service) Battalion, Royal Highlanders (Black Watch). Formed in Perth in 1914 the Battalion joined 26th Division (77th Brigade) and soon found itself far from the Highlands: on Salisbury Plain, in Bristol and Sutton Veny in Wiltshire. In September 1915 it sailed for France but, after just two months, it was off to Salonika where it remained until returning to the Western Front in June 1918.
As I suspected, the song that Andy gave us on 7 January – Salonika – has been going round and round in my head. It’s also been leading me down various rabbit holes on the internet. The lyrics are available on a range of websites, alongside some very earnest discussions about the meaning of the song, including some rather fanciful descriptions of the role of Salonika in the First World War: a supply base for the Gallipoli campaign. Really?
I imagine BBC Radio Three’s long-running programme ‘Composer of the Week’ has looked at English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams and his career, many times. I remember listening to a previous episode some time ago and being irritated as his First World War army service was glossed over and no mention made of his time with the BSF. I am pleased to say, though, that last week’s series – A Vaughan Williams Christmas – mentions Christmas 1916 which he spent beneath Mount Olympus with his 60th Division Field Ambulance unit. You can listen to the programme for a while longer online here:
Although Vaughan Williams apparently noted down Greek tunes, none is played in the programme, but you do get performances of his lovely seasonal music and symphonies, plus a full performance of his much-loved The Lark Ascending.
I can only think of one way to finish this post and that is with this Greek Christmas tune, which has featured in previous Christmas posts and featured in Aladdin in Macedonia – the first of the 85th Field Ambulance pantomimes:
… to all our members, friends and visitors. We thank you for your support over the year and look forward to you joining us for more online Salonika stories, faces and news.
Well, he is the Salonika Campaign Society’s new mule – an ‘Adoption Star’ at Redwings Horse (and mule and donkey) Sanctuary in Norfolk. In September we said farewell to Muffin, the mule we had adopted in 2015 in recognition of the part played by mules and other animals in the Macedonian campaign. We were sorry to lose SCS Honorary Member Muffin but, at 36, he had had a long and happy life at Redwings; something that looked most unlikely when sent for slaughter with his mother as a foal.
Much as happens with royal succession, the transition from Muffin to Noah has been seamless and we look forward to him enjoying many years as an Honorary member of the Society. We will introduce him properly in the new year but, in the meantime, it is a pleasure to share with you the Christmas card he has sent to all his friends at the SCS.
Having marked the national days of England, Wales and Ireland over the past year, I could hardly ignore Scotland. Having done one of those family history DNA tests, I was very disappointed to find no trace of Scottish ancestry – 16% Welsh was something of a surprise – so my only claim to Scottish heritage is my great-grandfather from East London who served for 12 years with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in India and South Africa at the end of the 19th century. Was it the allure of the tartan trews? Anyway, I wish all our Scottish members, friends and visitors a very happy Saint Andrews day.
It is with great grief that I wish to tell you your son has died of wounds received in the recent attack. Our company was ordered to take up a position on the left flank of a brigade which was taking a village a mile to our front. We know the Bulgars were entrenched there. It was successfully carried out and the trenches taken and held. Your son was hit in the charge gallantly leading his men. I saw him at once and had him taken back. He was hit in the side but was not in great pain. We had great hopes of his recovery but last Saturday he had a relapse and died on Sunday morning. We buried him in a small cemetery where other are laid who in like manner have given their lives for their Country
… What do we want with eggs and ham, when we’ve got plum and apple jam? Form fours! Right turn! How shall we spend the money we earn? Oh! Oh! Oh! it’s a lovely war.
Eight years ago, at the start of the centenary of the Macedonian campaign, the Society ‘adopted’ Muffin, a mule at the Redwings Horse Sanctuary at Caldecott in Norfolk. This was to acknowledge the huge contribution made by animals – especially mules – in the campaign. Through his column in ‘The New Mosquito’ we have learned more about mules in general and Muffin in particular. It has been clear from recent updates, though, (the last is in the forthcoming NM48) that Muffin has been feeling his age and experiencing declining health. So it was sad, but not altogether surprising, to receive this from Redwings:
Staff at Redwings Horse Sanctuary are heartbroken to announce the death of Muffin the mule, its much-loved and longest serving Adoption Star.
The beloved boy was 36 years old and had been at Redwings since he was rescued from slaughter in 1987 along with his mum, a pony called Doris, when he was just a tiny foal.
Tragically, Doris passed away shortly after their arrival at the Sanctuary when it was discovered she had a stomach ulcer. Baby Muffin had become friends with another youngster – April – and, with the support of the Redwings staff who cared for him, went on to become one of the charity’s most famous Adoption Stars for 30 years.
The Redwings Adoption Scheme allows people to support the charity through sponsoring one of their residents, who in turn receive updates on their lives as well as the chance to visit them. The funds raised go towards the care of their friend and that of the other horses, ponies, donkeys and mules at Redwings.
Lynn Cutress, Redwings Chief Executive, said: “We know so many people will be upset to hear this news. It’s left a huge hole in the hearts of all the staff here at Redwings and we know our supporters will feel that too.
“When people discover you work here, they always tell you that they remember Muffin and ask if he’s still with us. They tell you that their grandparents or parents sponsored him for them as gifts, and they grew up with his pictures on their childhood bedroom walls.
“Some families sponsored him for generations, and our priority was to write to them all personally before announcing this publicly as we wanted them to be the first to know.
“Visitors to Redwings Caldecott, where he lived, were delighted by Muffin’s friendly nature and mischievous ways for over three decades, as of course were the staff who cared for him day in and day out. We all loved him dearly.”
In his later years Muffin was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease (PPID) which made him prone to a painful hoof condition called laminitis. As a result of his specialist needs, which increased with his age, Redwings retired him from the Adoption Scheme in 2017 so he could enjoy a quieter life with his friends.
As such an elderly boy, it was becoming increasingly challenging to care for him without him needing to have extended periods of time away from his herd. The recent addition of front shoes helped him feel more comfortable, and happily he had recently been living on a more-gentle woodchip paddock at his Caldecott home with a friend. Unfortunately, he had become very reluctant to take his medication and despite his carers trying various foods and methods of feeding and providing him with enrichment activities to improve his emotional health whilst in vet care, these measures were not working as well as was hoped. Sadly, on 11th September, it was decided that the kindest thing to do was to put Muffin to sleep to prevent his health and comfort deteriorating.
Laura Starkey, Redwings Caldecott Equine Centre Manager, said: “Our staff and the vet team cared for Muffin with such love and dedication.
“Muffin was one in a million, such a patient, calm boy. He loved his feed, and would often stand waiting by his bowl, 30 minutes before time, with a face that said: ‘What’s been keeping you?’. He took life at his own pace and you certainly couldn’t rush him. He has been here since the beginning of Redwings Caldecott and we will miss him terribly.”
Muffin receiving his SCS membership certificate and badge from Robin Braysher on his birthday in April 2016 – ginger biscuits may also have changed hands! (Photo by Robin Braysher).
Young Muffin and mum, Doris, in 1987 (thanks to Redwings for the photo).
The birthday boy, April 2023 (thanks to Redwings for the photo).
Muffin at sunset, summer 2023 (thanks to Redwings for the photo).
John asked a question on the previous post about 10th (Irish) Division’s Army Service Corps Divisional Train in which a relative may have served as a driver of mule transport, so I thought I would share this photograph from my collection. From the summer of 1916, it shows an ASC column stretched out over a Macedonian plain. These draught mule are pulling supply limbers which were more flexible than lumbering, general service wagons, but weren’t as useful in the hills and mountains of Macedonia as nimble pack mules.
Salonika Campaign Society, 1915-1918 