The John Rylands Library recently accepted on deposit a collection of diaries written by a Methodist army chaplain John Henry Gibbon (1880-1933), who served in Salonika with the 67th Brigade of the 22nd Division between November 1916 and June 1917. Continue reading “Faces of Salonika : John Henry Gibbon – Methodist army chaplain”
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Charlie Bailey: muleteer and black Welsh miner
My thanks go to Ben Franks for sharing with us this fascinating blog about Charlie Bailey, who served with 22nd Division in Salonika:
A picture of the Salonika campaign?
I was pleased to hear from Joel Garzoli an art dealer from San Francisco. We are truly global! Joel had a question about a picture in his collection, a First World War painting by American artist Gilbert Gaul, called ‘Directing Traffic’. Does the painting depict a scene from the Salonika campaign?
Remembering František Štěrba who died in Hotesovo, 17 March 1917
A departure from our usual BSF focus this time. The Austro-Hungarian Army has not come up before although they were active in Macedonia, albeit at the other end of the line from the BSF. I am pleased though, to be able to remember František Štěrba, who lies in Northern Macedonia, a long way from home. Continue reading “Remembering František Štěrba who died in Hotesovo, 17 March 1917”
Faces of Salonika : Daisy Dobbs MM, TFNS
My thanks go to Geoff Botting who has kindly provided these details and photos of his remarkable grandmother, Daisy Dobbs, who was a nurse in Salonika, where she won the Military Medal for her courage. The man she later married, George Botting, was also a holder of the Military Medal; surely a unique occurrence!
And another thing …
It is its marvellous collection of military vehicles that makes Muckleburgh well worth a visit – that and its location in glorious North Norfolk – but other delights are an historic military camp, the Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry Collection, previously mentioned, and an extensive display of scale models. Continue reading “And another thing …”
Hold yew hard, bor, tha’s Norfolk Day!
It’s that time of the year again when I try to find a tenuous link between the Salonika campaign and my adopted home, the fine county of Norfolk, even though, as I’ve only lived here 29 years, I’m still a ‘furriner’.
Remembering Herbert Beacock, RAMC
My thanks go to David Redhead who kindly provided a splendid photo of Salonika’s iconic White Tower, following an appeal for information in our email newsletter, The New Balkan News. The photo belonged to his grandfather and I am delighted to be able to remember him here.
Who was ‘Jackson Ravine’ at Doiran named after?
If you take a look at a map of the Doiran battlefield you will see that the British – and before them the French – put a lot of effort into naming the various features.
Continue reading “Who was ‘Jackson Ravine’ at Doiran named after?”
Remembering ‘Dad’, Flo, Nell and Jack Middlehurst
I generally buy postcards related to the Salonika campaign on the basis of the image depicted, whether it’s a landscape or pictures of soldiers. If there’s a message on the back, then that’s an added bonus – although those I have with spidery French writing are rather a challenge – and one with a nice clear message in English is a treat.
Continue reading “Remembering ‘Dad’, Flo, Nell and Jack Middlehurst”
Salonika Campaign Society, 1915-1918 