Author: Andy Hutt

Andy's interest in the campaign comes from his grandfather, Arthur, who served in Salonika as a sapper with the Royal Engineers from 1916-1918. Opinions expressed in these posts are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society.

‘… hoping Johnny Bulgar would very shortly cry quits!’

B Squadron, 1/1st Derbyshire Yeomanry was pursuing the retreating Bulgarians beyond Strumitza when it took possession of three cars containing Bulgarian officials, accompanied by the USA Consul General (the USA was not at war with Bulgaria), sent to negotiate an armistice. The cars were stopped, the officials blindfolded and their driver sent back with two of the cars. Trooper Maurice Hawley continues the story (quoted in Under the Devil’s Eye):

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‘The Brigade was on its own…’

Before continuing the story of the Brigade-Jouinot-Gambetta, I should mention that Serbian and British cavalry were also doing their bit, although the latter was in short supply (but that could be said about much of the BSF). Serbian cavalry entered Gradsko – a vital communications hub – on the 25th and the Derbyshire Yeomanry were following the retreating Bulgarians along the road to Strumica.

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Remembering 5769 Private Joseph Devine, ACC

In April 2017 a post about the Army Cyclist Corps in Macedonia prompted a response from Kevin MacDermot who was researching his great uncle, 5769 Private Joseph Devine of 16th Corps Cyclist Battalion, Army Cyclists Corps (formerly 10623, Royal Irish Fusiliers).

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Remembrance events at Sandham Memorial Chapel (NT)

Here are some remembrance events coming up at Sandham Memorial Chapel (NT) over the coming weeks, one of the few places in the UK with special connections to to the Salonika Campaign, 1915-1918. Find out more at their website.

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The cavalry, whose hour is come …

I first read Alan Palmer’s The Gardeners of Salonika about 30 years ago, to try to understand what my late grandfather had been doing in Salonika. I have to confess that what really stood out for me in the book, was not the descriptions of the tedious patrolling carried out by the BSF’s XVI Corps in the Struma Valley (which included Fred on his bike), but the dramatic advance of the French colonial cavalry to capture Skopje.

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