THE GREAT WAR 1914 to 1918

FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO PALASTINE

PHILLIP HARRIS

7/9/1878 - 1/4/1964

INTRODUCTION

My grandfather was born in Shropshire in 1878 and first worked on the railway. When his father died in 1913 he took over running the family milk delivery business in Shrewsbury. In 1916 he married Ethel and very shortly afterwards left her to run the business whilst he went off to serve in the first world war. Having survived the war he lived with Ethel until his death in 1964.

He was well into his seventies (if not eighties) when he wrote these recollections of the first world war. His writing was sound though scrawling. I typed out his words as near as he had written them including the spelling!

Peter Morgan

Dear Peter

After doing training in Shrewsbury I joined up in the Royal Engeneers and was sent to Longmore camp, it was from there that I saw a large Zepeline brought down in flames, not a very pleasent sight. A few nights after this we had sudden orders for overseas but we did not know where. Of course we thought France. We were dished out with Iron Rations and off we went a whole Company of us, and we landed at Southampton straight on to the boat. It was a Dirty Wet and Pitch dark night, when we settled on the boat, I got in touch with an officer who used to be on the Boats plying between Birkenhead and Liverpool and as I had been to Birkenhead staying there, we got into conversation and he said when we push off we're going to France, and that there had been 2 sunk in the Channel and if any bommers are about we have to turn back. I thought that's a bad start, but War is War.

I stayed on Deck all night And eventually we landed at Le-Havre. After a roll call at the Docks we were marched up a long steep road to a camp and wasn't I glad to sit down. The next thing we wondered were we going up the line and we where kept wondering until one day the same sudden orders came, Entrain for Marselles. Before our train left, (Hard Seats) they threw us a Hard Biscuit, (in them days it was to the Dogs they where thrown). Generally they gave us small ones; the kind we use to buy for Monty; but what they gave us in the train where about 2 inches square (Iron Rations).

Eventually we got to Marselles, the Troop Ship was waiting loaded with troops; as before we did not know where we were going but thought Egypt, but one day we pulled into Malta, the island that was badly boomed. After putting off a large number of troops we pushed off again and one day came to a fine sight of the Seas , The Archipolagons Islands, a fine sight which we passed through, a wonderful piece of steering, one thing it was daylight and we where not long before we arrived at Solenika. After putting another large number of troops off we where out to sea again and in time we arrived at Alexandria, my first sight of Egypt.

Later we crossed the Suez Canal to Kantara, that was my first sight of the Sieni Desert, which we later crossed. At Kantara , (this was called the White City) , nothing but tents, we where dished out with water bottles and Mosquitoes nets, and we found that we wanted them, they have a deeper sting than those here. So what with our kit and rifle it was plenty to trudge through the sand with.

From Kantara we where marched to a place called Sebeka and here we had a rest just Patroling and after a fortnight we went on to Rafa where we where still on Patrol. There were a lot of spys about at that time. Our longest stay was at Gaza.

General Murry was recalled from Gaza and General Allenby took command and where Murry failed Allenby succeeded and won the Battle of Gaza. There was a single line from Kantara to Gaza which went on to Hifa, so to win the war General Allenby had another rail , making it a

double road so to get troops up quicker. To do this he had to have a few hundred Jipos and Arabs up to cut the road through sand dunes some 20 feet high and this is how they did it:

About 50 each would have a wicker basket and this was carried on their heads, the shovels which where small and where beveled at the sides held just enough sand to fill the basket, which they put on their heads. They where in a que unbroken and carried the sand about 50 yards. They wore the long black frocks to their heals and chanting Hi Hilla. Each side of the que where their wipper ups, with a leather strap touching them up if they lagged behind and sometimes I've seen them get it a bit sharp, to sharp I thought. Well that was a continual march for them until dinner and you should see them feed : it would take me a long time to explain, whatever they had was eaten with their hands and they huddled together at night. They where very lousie, they never kill them, pick them off and drop them in the sand. When they move their camping ground is pegged out and marked out of bounds to British Troops.

While we where at Gaza and although I had only one stripe up, I was picked to take a batch of Tommies (17 in all) to Cairo for a rest and although it was only for two days it was quite an honour and interesting. We put up at the Shephards Hotel; taken over then by the army. I made arrangements for us to go to the Perimids next morning and I could only muster 3, they wanted to go and so did I so we went without them. After going through Cairo we started to clime (all sand) and before long came to the Perimids and went on past those to the Spyink. You would wonder how the lot was made, but no doubt slave labour made them. If they will use the strap in our day, they would use it more so to make them and no doubt many perished in the making. We arrived back at the Hotel and when we got to the top of the steps (about 6 ) the Hotel Porter ( a Tommy only in civie dress ) said to me "Corprol see who's coming up the steps" I said "No, but I passed him in Cairo" he said "Its Lawrance of Arabia" I had a good look at him and clicked my heals as he passed on into the Hotel. Then I rounded up the rest of the lads and the following morning I took them back to Gaza

The following morning an officer brought me a letter from France, it was from your Uncle Harry Sergent Postons. He said I expect its like finding a needle in a haystack, but I would be pleased if you could find the Vetinary Co. as my mate Bill Davis is a Sergent in them and I'd like a line from him, and gave his address in France. As soon as I read the letter I met a Tommy out of the Cheshire Reg, they had only marched up the Desert a few days before but I chanced it. Vet Co. yes they are not far from us, if you go over two sandunes you will find them in a hollow surrounded by sand dunes. I went straight to the Officer and showed him the letter and he said yes go after breakfast. So off I went up the sandunes till I got to the top of one looked down and sat down with amazment, for it was like a circus full of horses and mules, a large number of these. I had not sat many minutes when a Tommy came by and I asked him if he belonged to the Vet Co. and he said yes. So I said could you put me in touch with Sgt. Davis. He said yes thats him down there, I will tell him you want him. Up came the Sgt. and I handed him Harry's letter, so you can tell we had a long chat. He went to school with Harry and I expect with your gran, however that put them in touch with one another.

The next suprise was one night I was called into a tent where there was a phone and I was told; your Brother in Law Jack Postons was coming up the Desert on a troop train. I got them to pull it up and in the first truck (single plank; that is one plank in depth) I called anyone in here name of Jack Postons, Yes they found him fast asleep, Well that was a good suprise and got him a cup of tea and after allowing us a few minutes chat off the went, where to I never knew for the Desert is vast . That was three suprises in a short time, Cairo, a letter from one brother and meet the other. As you know Peter the Desert is vast, but one thing I forgot to say. When we where at the Pirimids it was a wonderful sight, being such a height up we looked down upon vast miles of Desert, running through was the Nile and the Sahara Desert on the right of the Nile. It was all very interesting and no wonder thoes who the money visit these places. Well if I was interested at all it was seeing Laurence of Arabia and to make it better still our officer called me one morning and said, keep those natives clear Laurence of Arabia is coming up, and within a short time we could see two camels coming. Yes, it was Laurence of Arabia whom I sulited and which he acknologed. I have seen thousands of camels, but these two (Laurence had another comrade with him) where riding upon two of the finest camels I have ever seen before or since, they were like racehorses. Well Laurence passed on and I do not think much was seen of him after; that was in 1917. Him and his comrade where dressed in tipical Arabian dress, they where crossing the Desert towards Jerusalem.

I think one of the most interesting sights was watching some ants. You know what ants are, Peter, well would be about 3 times as big as our ants here. When mules bring various food up the Desert And they camp for a night, they generally after feeding the mules shed some of the corn and in this case they left some maize behind (little white balls like sage). Well these ants carried one in their mouth and they carried them to their den. This was a heap of sand into which they stored them and there another hole through which they came out to fetch more, making an up and down track; but the prettiest sight was to stand at a distance and see that row of white maize moving along and the others keeping their track to fetch more. I went to look later and there was nothing but two tracks the up and the down line. You see you never know where you are going to lye down.

Just after the capture of Gaza I took a batch of Tommys to Port Said for a rest, but it was so dirty a place I took them back that day and being unable, we lay outside a camp for the night and we knew it , for it was a bad mosquito place. We had our nets and blankets but one bit through my blanket with shorts on. So you see its best to get information , as much as you can, before you lye down anywhere on the Desert. We did not see many vermin, but I shot a Kangaroo Rat, legs short in front, long behind and very pretty yellow and white. I cured his skin and was bringing him home but he was taken from my kit bag at Kantara coming back. Our next move was to Hifa its on Hera? Bay (the Queen Elizabeth was there waiting to take General Allan home (that shipped was scrapped and this is a new one now).

It was now that my yarn , although true comes to the most historic of all, this was to tred over the Promised Land and in that land there where many little crosses over sand dune after sand dune.

All was quiet and we trudged on until we came to the Sea of Galliea.

Here perched on high up over looking the Sea of Galliea was a railway station. The troops had driven the turks out and we took over. It was only a single line but here we where , right by this little sea we learned so much about at Sunday School and running into it was the Jordon and standing where you could see the winding Road up to Jerusalem.

It was all very quiet just a few troops up and down once or twice a week. There was a train load of Oranges coming from Jaffa, the driver used to slack up and down they came and we used to fill sand bags, used when full of sand for protection from flying Boms. We where out one day patrolling and came across a small camp of Beodwins. They where very frightened, but by signs I soon put them at ease, they had one or two Camels and where taking water at a well and although I had seen many Hundreds of Camels I had never seen how they get enough for a journey. After they have drunk enough there is a kind of skin bag they throw out then drink and off it goes back inside.

There where a family of them, they had sheep with them and they made us to understand they went from well to well and found grazing for the sheep, but it was little we could see only on that track. These would be the wells referred to in the Bible.

Other than the historic nature of the Sea of Gallilea there was a flying boat on it, shining on it was the hot sun. I went one day to see how they got there water at the station and walking down the slope at the bottom was a small power station or rather power house and a small machine inside which a Turk looked after and I asked him how he came to have the job, and he said "me friendly", so I didn't bother him anymore. I went a few yards on and put my foot on the Sea. It was only for the Knowledge that I had touched the water of the Sea o Galliea. Before I came away this Turk gave me a watch chain, which I wear (for best). I don't know if its Cold or Gold , I fancy the former.

I used to go up the winding road to Jerusalem, but never got that far. I missed the Officer that sent me to Cairo and Port Said, it would really have made a grand finale.

Well the day came when I made inquiries as to when we where going to Old England, and it came one day walking up the Jerusalem road I met an officer and after a few words with him, he said be on the phone at 5 o'clock, I will phone you from Hiffa. At 5 pm the word came, pack your kit for Kantara and next day I had started back on the long trail to Old England.

I got to Kantara (that was our base), and it during that short time we where there that my kit bag was robbed of what little things I could get to bring home. Well next thing we where marched off to Port Said and there was a Cattle Boat converted into a Troop Ship. When we went on board all NCOs where taken down below and marched up the ship in a single line and each halted in front of what looked like a little cabin with a table up the centre and seats around. They looked like stalls where the cattle where tied up. Over the entrance was a number 12 which included myself. The Troops where marched up, mine was halted in front of me and I ordered them to go

in and take there places next to whoever they would like to sit. I told them we where going to Italy and that the voyage would be 2 to 3 days. I then found out they where all Irish and they where the rottenest lot I had met during the time I was in the Desert. They wouldn't fetch tea which was in a big can and laded out, or would they fetch food and if I fetched it for myself they would threaten me.

So in the evening of the second day I went to look for an officer and was lucky enough to pull up there our own officer. He listened to all I had to say, and then said "you go back and if they refuse you see me and I will have them put in chains for the rest of the voyage ". I saluted and thanked him. When I got back to the cabin, they where a changed lot and I never found out anymore than they must have watched me. That night there was a very bad storm , she pitched and rolled until we could not stand on our feet. They all began to feel sea sick, then it was my turn. I was not sick at all but I gave them all a bumping and when they came to themselves they cried for me to get them water which I did, and I fetched tea for they where thankful, but didn't I tell them off. Daylight was breaking and a young chap was drinking Enos fruit salts. I asked him for a drink and it put me feeling fit.

Later on we passed the island of Cyprus , where we have had all that trouble and eventually we arrived at the foot of Italy. It was a pity to have to come back over land, we had to chance being sunk going out and it would have been lovely back through theMediteranean, it would have been a pleasant trip. However the boats where taking such a lot of Troops home that some had to come back over land and waiting at Tranto, we had time to look back and think of all the easy and the hard times we had.

While we where at Tranto an officer came to me and said " Corpral we are going to England through Italy and the South of France and we shall travel in Railway vans. The journey will be 9 days and 9 nights, there will be a stopping each day for a short time , you will have about 10 or 12 men to look after and we shall be going straight to the siding shortly". Soon after that all the NCOs where marched down the siding and one stopped opposite a van and over the top of my van was 12, that was including myself. Next the Troops where marched down and my 12 got in and after all had got in I got in myself and found 3 lots playing cards.

I told them to go down on the siding and get nails to hang our kit up, I knew there where always plenty on the sidings and they where not long before they fixed everything up , and then I told them how long we we're going to be in the van and it was then that I had to tell them to lie down across the van 6 each side including myself; remember who is next to you and then everything will be alright, with your kit bag for a pillow, legs in between legs, but it wasn't like the Desert Where you could make a hole for your shoulder, but one thing there where no mosquitoes. They where a grand lot of lads, so much different than those I had leaving Egypt, but even them shook hands with me at Tranto.

Well now we where on our way through Italy and her vine yards. One thing our train was next to a Passenger train so far as travelling for it was a vacuum piped train with buffers closed (or

close together) , no buffering up. The doors where sliding doors and a bar across so that protected anyone falling out. Some played cards practically all the way, but not me, I was only to pleased to look at the country and its vines. They seem to run a long way on terraces and there where miles of them as there where in the South of France, vines nothing but vines. The first day we stopped and where given food and rum, there was 5 teetotallers in my lot and they wanted me to have theirs but I let it go round each day. After about 4 days out we where stopped at a place I think called Orange where we had a wash and generally a good shake down, loll and lie about. After a few hours we where on our way again and low and behold if we didn't run into Le Havre station and taken to the camp there where we had a few days rest before being marched to the Docks at Le Harve and taken to Southampton and landed in Old England after nearly 3 years away and my first thing was to write to your gran.

She spent many hours waiting for me on Shrewsbury station on which I arrived only to tell her I had to go on to Preese Heath to be demobed which took about a fortnight and then I was so please to be home once more; for which I was very thankful.

So Peter I will leave it to you to fathom out the various places on the map, but the one thing you will not see on the map, natives going up fig trees in bare feet.

189930 2 CPL P. HARRIS R.E.

ADDED SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Battle of Gaza,

In World War I, series of unsuccessful British attacks on Turkish-held town of Gaza March–April 1917 during the Allied invasion of Palestine. General Charles Dobell was relieved of his command as a result of the failure.

In the first attack 26 March 1917 Dobell advanced along the coast from Rafa and mounted a three-pronged assault: an infantry division attacked from the south while Anzac forces and cavalry attacked from the east and north. The attack was at first partially successful, and Anzac troops entered the town. However, the Turks put up a strong defence, the British force had no water for its horses, Turkish reinforcements were coming up in rear of the enveloping British forces, and General Dobell had to withdraw. He mounted a second assault 17 April, but in the interval Gaza had been heavily reinforced and fortified, and in spite of support from tanks the British were beaten off with losses of about 7,000 troops. the battle was broken off when night fell.

Murray, Archibald James (1860–1945)British general. At the start of World War I, he went to France as Chief of Staff but returned to Britain Oct 1915 to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He was appointed to command the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and went to Egypt where he organized the country's defences. He led the British advance into Palestine but failed to capture Gaza. KCB 1911.He returned to Britain 1917 to take over the prestigious Aldershot command which he retained until 1919.

Allenby, (Edmund) Henry Hynman (1861–1936)1st Viscount Allenby

British field marshal, born in Felixstowe, England, and educated at Haileybury College and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Between 1884 and 1902 he was stationed with the Inniskilling Dragoons in Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and Zululand (in present-day South Africa) and served in the Boer War. He had held various cavalry commands before becoming inspector of cavalry in 1910. During World War I he headed the British cavalry in France. He was given command of the Fifth Army Corps in 1915. Subsequently, as head of the Third Army, he figured prominently in the Second Battle of Ypres and in the capture of Vimy Ridge. As a result, he was promoted to the rank of general and made a knight commander of the Bath.

Assigned in 1917 as commander in chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, he took over the chief command from Sir Archibald Murray He led an offensive against the Turkish armies in the Middle East, capturing Jerusalem on December 9, 1917, winning decisively at Megiddo in September 1918, and taking Damascus on October 1, 1918. His defeat of the Turkish forces at Megiddo in Palestine Sept 1918 was followed almost at once by the capitulation of Turkey. He was promoted to the rank of field marshal and made a viscount.

From 1919 to 1925 he was British high commissioner in Egypt. He became lord rector of the University of Edinburgh in April 1936.

Lawrence, T(homas) E(dward) (1888–1935) known as Lawrence of Arabia

British soldier, scholar, and translator. Appointed to the military intelligence department in Cairo, Egypt, during World War I, he took part in negotiations for an Arab revolt against the Ottoman Turks, and in 1916 attached himself to the emir Faisal. He became a guerrilla leader of genius, combining raids on Turkish communications with the organization of a joint Arab revolt, described in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom 1926.Lawrence was born in Wales, studied at Oxford, and during 1910–14 took part in archaeological expeditions to Syria and Mesopotamia. On the outbreak of war he was recalled to England and was employed producing maps of the Arab regions. When the sheriff of Mecca revolted against the Turks 1916 Lawrence was given the rank of colonel and went with the British Mission to King Hussein. There he reorganized the Arab army, which he practically commanded, and conducted guerrilla operations on the flank of the British Army 1916–18. In 1918 he led his successful Arabs into Damascus. At the end of the war he was awarded the DSO for his services, and became adviser to the Foreign Office on Arab affairs. Disappointed by the Paris Peace Conference's failure to establish Arab independence, he joined the Royal Air Force 1922 as an aircraftman under the name Ross, transferring to the tank corps under the name T E Shaw 1923 when his identity became known. In 1935 he was killed in a motorcycle accident.