Loos cemetary at Dud Corner

Loos town today.100 years after the battle of Loos

Ypres in 1915

Ypres in 2015

Silver cigarette case given to my father G.G.Horrocks to comemorate the pantomime Aladdin in Macedonia 1916-1917

Band of the 23rd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment playing for the pantomimes in Salonika put on by the 85th London Field Ambulance.

My father (right) and friend from 85th Field Ambulance in Macedonia

Short poem written just after WW1 by George G Horrocks

       The silent toast of "Absent friends"

Is drunk. The scene of feasting dies,

And backward fleet-winged memory flies:

The days of comradeship war sends

Are lived again. Dead faces rise

And smile on our reunion. Ends

                  The silent toast.

  (What kind and tender things we think

Of those who left us! May there be

Such gentle thoughts of us when we

Are absent friends, and others drink

            The silent toast.)

GGH

Front page of the book of the Pantomime published after the war.The production had been put on in Salonika during the war by the 85th London Field Ambulance.

85th (3rd London) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps served with 28th Division.

The 28th Division was formed at Hursley, Pitt Hill and Magdalen hill Camp near Winchester during December 1914 and January 1915, as regular units arrived back in England from garrisons of the Empire.

They sailed to France from Southampton, landing at Le Havre between the 16th and 19th of January, they concentrated in the area between Bailleul and Hazebrouck, being joined by additional Territorial units. In 1915 they were in action in The Second Battle of Ypres and The Battle of Loos.

On the 19th of October 1915 orders were received to prepare to sail and five days later the first units left Marseilles for Alexandria in Egypt all units (with the exception XXXI and CXLVI Brigades RFA) arrived the by 23rd of November and they went on to Salonika on the 4th of January 1916.

Later in the year they were in action during the occupation of Mazirko and the capture of Barakli Jum'a. In 1917 they were involved in the capture of Ferdie and Essex Trenches (near Barakli Jum'a) and then the capture of Barakli and Kumli. In mid 1918 a number of units returned to France The remainder of the Division were later in action at the Battle of Doiran and the pursuit to the Strumica valley.

When Hostilities with Bulgaria ceased at the end of September the 28th Division was in the area of Trnovo. They moved in early November to Gallipoli and occupied the Dardanelles Forts.The 85th London Field Ambulance returned to England via Wimereux in Northern France in June 1918.

Magazine of the 85th London Field Ambulance RAMC 1960 May

card on right:Below.

"We are having a topping time & glorious weather
with the exception of yesterday afternoon when we

got wet through at Wimereux.

I shall be coming back by the last boat on Sunday, so

shall not arrive until Monday about 10.I hope you are getting all the letters you want sent Regards to all G"

Card at left above"I hope you will keep these as they will be interesting when I return"love G

Postcards sent from France early part of the war

Far left Ypres Town Hall on fire.

Below left taken before the fire.

Bottom right Amiens Cathedral.Lowest picture Marseille Harbour from where they sailed.

From Ypres they were sent to Marseille to sail for Egypt and Greece.

These postcards were sent from France and Belgium with several from Ypres
They left for Egypt then to Greece in 1915.They arrived in Salonika in early 1916.

Some postcards sent from Salonica
The street scene below was titled "after the fire"

More postcards

These postcards were sent home from Salonika.The last one is the card telling of his return to UK at the end of the war.It was addressed to his girl-friend Constance Lepine in Clapham Park.Several of the houses in Kings Avenue are standing today almost unchanged.
(SEE on LEFT)
The rest are postcards of Salonika usually after some bombing.

George G Horrocks as Private Bertie Bayswater

When in Salonika to while away the boredom Pantomimes were put on in an old barn.Music was written words arranged regimental bands played and thousands of troops were entertained.After the war the productions were put on at a London Theatre and several productions were re-enacted.

85th Field Ambulance Magazine

WW1-Postcards sent from France and Greece

Alladdin was one of the pantomimes.Here are the cast wearing makeshift costumes.