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
" 20--Twenty horses and 26 mules to Corrals (paddocks formed by the
Division to take the surplus animals resulting from
demobilization).
" 27--One sub-section short-range practice.
" 29--Eleven horses and 32 mules to Corrals.
" 31--Squadron strength: four officers, 124 O.R.'s, 185 animals.
Apr. 1--G.O.C. Brigade inspects horses.
" 3--One sub-section short-range practice.
" 15--"Stand-to" 05.30-08.00, one sub-section mounted, six guns on
limbers.
" 16--Ditto (as precaution against further massacre of the Armenians).
" 22--Practice scheme with Brigade.
" 23--Issue of summer clothing.
" 30--Divisional Horse Show.
May 1-2--Ditto. Squadron won Special Prize with pack mule "Pansy," and had
one limber and G.S. wagon in final; Pte. Carruthers also
qualified for jumping finals.
" 31--Squadron strength: four officers, 75 O.R.'s, 189 horses and
mules.
June 18--Inspection of horses and transport by Divisional Commander.
" 30--Peace celebrations. The Squadron, reduced to the strength of one
sub-section, took part in "march past". Strength: three officers,
48 O.R.'s, 30 horses, 23 mules.
[Illustration]
The following, by a member of the Squadron, is typical of the life in the
ARMIES OF OCCUPATION. He says:--
"Although these (the Armies of Occupation) officially have only
existed since February 1st 1919, they have in reality, on certain
fronts, been in operation since November 1918. The 5th Cavalry
Division, pressing hard on the heels of the flying Turk, entered
Aleppo on the evening of 26th October last. Trek-tired and weary,
the Fighting Division under Major-Gen. H.J.M. MacAndrew, C.B.,
D.S.O., wound its lengthy column over the Kuwaik-Su Bridge and
entered the ancient Turkish stronghold. Some of the units were at
once stationed close to the town, taking over the barracks and vast
stores and depots vacated by the enemy, whilst some of us, not so
lucky, were pushed forward to Muslimie, the important junction of
the Mesopotamian and Palestine Railways; and there formed a line of
outpost defence, just 300 miles due north of the line held six
weeks previously.
"LOW VITALITY OF TROOPS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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