Category: Salonika Reunion Association

Remembrance in Wartime

The following account of the 1944 Annual Muster of the Salonika Reunion Association is taken from The Mosquito, issue 68, December 1944.

Lord Milne talking to his ‘old comrades’ on the occasion of the 20th Annual Muster in London, on Sunday, October 1st, told them this story: One of your members went to the wrong place this morning and asked a sentry where the Salonika Reunion Association was meeting. The sentry replied “I don’t know; I don’t think there is any meeting. There are none left alive.” This caused a lot of laughter.

“Well we are very much alive!” commented “Uncle George,” ” and this is the best parade we have had since the commencement of the war.” He said he thought it a wonderful turn-out after five years of war, and it was typical of the high state of morale of the nation. It was a great pleasure for him to see them again, and if they did not think him rude, he congratulated them on their personal appearance.

… Stating that he hoped this would be our last meeting in war-time, at least during the European war, he looked forward to a real Victory Reunion next year. “Au revoir! Good luck to you! …”

… With the S.R.A. standard and escort in the lead, we marched – a long line of threes, twisting amongst the held-up traffic – until we arrived at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. When we had halted and turned towards the national war memorial we were standing six deep. In the centre, facing the south side of the Cenotaph, stood Lord Milne with our head officials, and they were flanked on their right by a single line of women – our nursing sisters, V.A.D.s, etc..

Then, receiving from our hon. secretary and hon. treasurer, the large wreath of gilded laurels, inscribed “To the Honoured Memory of Our Fallen Comrades. From the Members of the Salonika Reunion Association,” Lord Milne, bareheaded, advanced with Colonel W.R.D. Robertson (president of the S.R.A.) and placed our tribute on the base of the Cenotaph. Colonel Robertson, who was in army uniform, saluted, they turned and resumed their positions. The parade, closely scrutinised by onlookers on the pavement, then did a smart left-turn and marched away. We had paid tribute to those whom we left on the rugged hillsides and the open plains of Macedonia, in city cemetery or in lonely unidentified graves – heroes all! For twenty years we have kept faith with them in this simple ceremony at the Cenotaph. “they shall grow not old . . . . we will remember them” – always!

A photograph from the Doiran battlefield, showing the view from Castle Hill across to La Tortue. Taken in March 1916 by Robin Braysher.

“… the rugged hillsides …

A photograph looking across the Struma valley from the Bulgarian lines. Taken in March 1916 by Robin Braysher.

… and the open plains of Macedonia.”

Photographs taken by the author in March 2016: a view from Castle Hill to La Tortue on the Doiran front (top) and across the Struma valley from the Bulgarian lines (bottom).

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.

Continue reading “The Navy was There!”

“The League of Death” and the BSF

On this, the 110th anniversary of the Britain’s entry into the Great War, it seems appropriate to look at a connection between the British Salonika Force and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. This is to be found in issue 45 of The Mosquito – ‘The Official Journal of the Salonika Re-Union Association’ – published in March 1939, not very long before Britain’s entry into the next world war!

Continue reading ““The League of Death” and the BSF”

Soles of boots were tied on with rags

Although women who had served in Salonika – in whatever capacity – were eligible to join the SRA from the very start, they didn’t gain their own specific section in The Mosquito until September 1931 (issue 15), with Eileen Moore’s ‘Woman’s Page’. Later, this was expanded to ‘Women’s Pages’ and continued for the rest of The Mosquito’s long existence. So it was only right and proper that the final issue in May 1969 – a longer, glossier souvenir album, entitled Salonika Memories 1915-1919 – included it’s own ‘Women’s Pages’. By now this was edited by Miss N. M. Simcox. In her final editorial, she had this to say:

Continue reading “Soles of boots were tied on with rags”

The SRA at Mavroplayia

Salonika Reunion Association Centenary 1924-2024

A highlight of the SCS Battlefield Tour of 2023 was a visit to the village of Mavroplayia. The village, named Karamudli back in the BSF’s day, was adopted by veterans of the Salonika Reunion Association between 1951 and 1968 under the Greek Red Cross Village Adoption Scheme. This is commemorated by a plaque now housed in the village heritage centre.

SRA Commemorative Plaque at Mavroplayia

The plaque reads:

             1915  Mavroplayia  1968
 British soldiers defended this village in the 1914-1918 war. The British survivors later became known as the Salonika Reunion Association and hearing, in 1950, that the village had met with adversity they sent relief from Great Britain to its fondly remembered peoples.
 Mavroplayia became a place of pilgrimage for many British ex-soldiers and nurses who had known it in their youth. Friendship with its fine peoples became closer and the help continued until 1968 when the Salonika Reunion Association had to close down.
 Its members to the end were proud that, in their time, the ancient friendship between Greek and Briton stood staunch for over 50 years.

During this bond of 16 years, the SRA sent tools, sewing machines, clothing, toys and much else to the village, which had suffered greatly during the Second World War and Greek Civil War. British veterans also funded repairs to the roofs of the church and school and the supply of piped water to the village.

Soon after the tour’s arrival, a deputation from the village, including the local priest, arrived and the SCS tour party was shown the interior of the church and the old school building, the latter now the containing photographs and objects, including the SRA plaque. The group was then shown a fountain, built in 1916 by French troops, which served as the village water source prior to the arrival of the SRA’s sponsored piped water system. The afternoon concluded with drinks and much conversation and singing with the tour group contributing to the funds for running the heritage centre.

Through its visit the SCS tour had reestablished a small link between Britain and Greece, one forged by the generous spirit of British Salonika Force veterans whose aim, well fulfilled, was to do something tangible to help the Greek people following a second global conflict and bitter civil war. The SCS will maintain this link going forward and aims to return during the 2024 battlefield tour with a commemorative gift for the village in the form of a Salonika Reunion Association standard for display in the heritage centre.

Field of Remembrance – Westminster Abbey

On the morning of Thursday 8 November, SCS Chair, Alan Wakefield, represented the Society at the Opening of the 95th Field of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey. SCS members Jonathan Saunders and Darren Rolfe were also in attendance. The Field is organised by the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Factory and the SCS is very lucky to have its plot in a prime location opposite the west door of St Margaret’s Church, which stands alongside the Abbey. This year the Field was opened by Her Majesty Queen Camilla who is Patron of the Poppy Factory.

SCS Chair, Alan Wakefield, Her Majesty Queen Camilla about those who served with the BSF during the Salonika Campaign.
The British Salonika Army plot, a tradition started by BSF veterans of the Salonika Reunion Association and continued today by the SCS.
Crosses of Remembrance in the Salonika plot commemorating those who still lie beneath Balkan soil.

A Date With Destiny …

Whilst looking through ‘The Mosquito’ – an excellent resource and good value, too! – I came across a recipe for a date and walnut cake from June 1939 (No. 46, page 49). I’m no baker, but I do like pottering in the kitchen. Admittedly it’s mainly to listen to history podcasts, but I can turn out a reasonable tea loaf, so thought this would be within my capabilities. The opportunity came when we were given a bag of fresh walnuts so, with just some stoned dates to buy, I was off!

I know the recipe says ‘Walnut and Date Cake’ but I think ‘Date and Walnut’ trips off the tongue more readily!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb stoned dates;
  • 2 ozs walnuts – I put in 3 ozs as I had them and 2 ozs didn’t look much next to a pound of dates!
  • 2 teacups of boiling water (bare measure) – I have no idea what this means but two measures of one of our posh teacups did the trick!
  • 1½ teacups of sugar – I don’t have a very sweet tooth and given that a pound of dates is rather sweet I put in a little under a teacup of Demerara, which was fine;
  • 4 teacups of plain flour – I ended up shaking in a bit more because the mixture looked rather gloopy!
  • 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda;
  • 2 beaten eggs;
  • ½ teaspoon of salt.

Method

  • Chop dates and walnuts – I went quite small; this was the most tedious part of the operation but, with a good podcast to listen to, the job was soon done;
  • place the dates and walnuts in a bowl and add salt, bicarbonate of soda, then boiling water;
  • allow to stand for two minutes;
  • add sugar, flour and the beaten eggs – stirring thoroughly;
  • ‘Will make two cakes or loaves’ – not very precise guidance from the recipe so I got out a selection of baking tins and guessed how far the mixture would go – greasing them with butter and lining with greaseproof paper before pouring in the mixture; these are the sizes I ended up with …

Pip, Squeak and Wilfred!

  • ‘Bake in moderate oven for 1 to 1½ hours’ – our fan oven did them in about 45 minutes at 180℃; I checked they were done by poking with a skewer to see if there was any uncooked mixture lurking (thanks for the tip, Mrs B!).

I have to say they were a great success and there is very little left after a week. I shall definitely be making this again.

So, thanks to the Salonika Reunion Association and, especially, Aileen H. Moore (late of QAIMNS (R)) for a super little recipe shared in the ‘Women’s Pages’ of ‘The Mosquito’ over 70 years ago!