22nd Division. An infantry division of the British Salonika Force.
Photographs of the impressive war memorial at Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire. Clitheroe was in the recruiting area of the East Lancashire Regiment which provided a battalion – 9th (Service) Battalion – for the British Salonika Force (22nd Division, 65th Brigade), which was formed in Preston in September, 1914.
My thanks go to Lucy London (again!) for bringing to my attention this fascinating set of medals which was offered for sale by Dix Noonan and Webb Ltd of Mayfair in July 2019.
Having a wife from the fine county of Lancashire, I could hardly ignore this special day – even though it took BBC Radio to tell me that such a day actually existed! Still, it’s a good opportunity to remind ourselves of the contribution of Lancashire’s many splendid regiments to the British Salonika Force.
In June 1932 the front cover of The Mosquito had a photo of the striking memorial on Pip Ridge – now gone – to the dead of the 66th Infantry Brigade. The Brigade suffered 857 casualties in their attack on Pip Ridge on 18 September 1918, during the Second Battle of Doiran.
Black soldiers in the BSF seem to be rather thin on the ground – in fact I only know of one: Charles Bailey of 9/King’s Own. I first gave Charlie a mention last year, but am happy to mention him again in case you missed the fascinating website in which he features: Charlie Bailey’s War – The story of WW1 soldier Charles Bailey a Welsh miner of West Indian origin plus some of the men he served with.
Members should have received this latest edition of The New Mosquito by now. Please contact the Society if you are expecting a copy, but haven’t received it.
Members should have received this latest edition of The New Mosquito by now. Please contact the Society if you are expecting a copy, but haven’t received it.
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”
My thanks go to Ben Franks for sharing with us this fascinating blog about Charlie Bailey, who served with 22nd Division in Salonika:
It’s fair to say that I didn’t buy this postcard for the picture!
Continue reading “Remembering Acting Colour Serjeant Albert Lloyd, Welsh Regiment”
Salonika Campaign Society, 1915-1918 