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