Through Palestine with the Twentieth Machine Gun SquadronUnknown
History
Through Palestine with the Twentieth Machine Gun Squadron
Unknown
Great Britain. Army. Machine Gun Squadron, 20th -- History; World War, 1914-1918 -- Regimental histories -- Great Britain
The absence of the "S.R.Y." left the 7th Mounted Brigade with only the
B.H.Q. 20th M.G. Squadron, Essex Battery, Cav. F.A. and M.V.S. But it soon
became known that Indian Cavalry Regiments had arrived from France, and
were to take the place of the regiments that had been dismounted for the
M.G.C., and also to increase the number of cavalry in the country. An
advance-party at length arrived in the Brigade, consisting of an officer
from each regiment that was to join it, and these proved to be the "20th
Deccan Horse" and "34th Poona Horse". Soon afterwards the regiments
themselves arrived by train, with their horses. How these regiments would
settle down in this country after their experience in France was at first a
subject of interest to the Squadron. But the surroundings resembled, in
some respects, their native India, and they were soon "at home". They only
needed to forget the cramped warfare of the trenches in France and to
practise real cavalry tactics again, to become a true part of the "E.E.F.".
It was also evident, from the brightness of their steelwork, that they
would be second to none in any _ceremonial_ parade.
Training continued, and the Squadron was getting very efficient, both in
the technical and tactical handling of guns. Barrage-drill (the latest
introduction from Grantham), was practised, and an exhibition barrage,
fired out to sea, proved very instructive. On April 18th, there was an
"Action" competition for sub-sections under their respective Sergeants.
They came into action at the gallop on targets at 400 yards range. "B"
Sub-section was judged "best" with "A" Sub-section second.
Summer was rapidly approaching, and on May 15th "Reveille" had been altered
to 04.45 to allow of the heat of the day being spent, as far as possible,
in rest. An inter-unit sports competition, held with the Essex Battery, was
exciting, and included a race on donkeys between the respective officers
commanding! The total results gained were rather in favour of the Essex
Battery.
During April a subscription list was opened for a Memorial to the fallen in
the campaign, to be built in Jerusalem to which the Squadron subscribed
LE14.
Sergt. Larwood, D.C.M., returned on April 11th, having quite recovered from
the wound he received at Tahta. He was posted to "A" Sub-section. On the
21st Lieut. Cazalet was admitted to hospital.
During April Belah was considerably brightened, two large stationary
hospitals being erected, to manage which _a staff of nurses arrived_! They
certainly must have found Belah a quaint place after the civilised
conditions to which they had been accustomed at Cairo and Alexandria, and
in the course of their journey, as well as subsequently, they must have
suffered many discomforts. Introductions, however, were hastily effected,
and very soon, on afternoons, ladies could be seen out, riding with members
of the British forces of the opposite sex.
[Illustration]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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