Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEADQUARTERS,

WINDMILL HILL CAMP.  ANDOVER.

2nd SEPTEMBER, 1915.

718 – DUTIES –

            With reference to Brigade Order No. 706 of 30th August, 1915, the Battalion on duty will be relieved at “Retreat” and not as therein stated.

719 – STRENGTH –

            S.E. No. 1445, Sergt A. Baker, A.V.C., reported for duty on 31st August, 1915, and is accordingly taken on the strength of the Brigade from that date

720 – CLOTHING and NECESSARIES – EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN FRANCE –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Divisional Circular 34 Div/961/Q dated 31st August, 1915, and Southern Command Order 982 of 1915 circulated herewith.

721 – WEEK-END PASSES –

            With reference to Divisional Order No. 160 of September 1st, 1915, the number of men proceeding on week-end pass will be forwarded to Brigade Head Quarters by 12 noon on Fridays.  Destinations should be stated.

722 – EXTRACTS FROM DIVISIONAL ORDERS–

Delay in rendering returns –

31st August, 1915.

            Attention of all Units is again drawn to Divisional Orders Nos. 51 & 52 dated 2.8.15.  There is far too much delay in rendering Periodical and other Returns.  It should be impressed on all concerned that Returns or Correspondence due in this office on a given date should reach here without fail.

It frequently happens that some information is asked for from Units to be rendered to this office on a certain day and unless all Units render it on the day mentioned, great inconvenience is caused owing to the inability of a consolidated return being rendered by this office for the whole of the Division.  Moreover, in many cases the unpunctual rendering of a return not only inconveniences the Division but also the command and sometimes the War Office.

The Headquarters 34th Division is at Cholderton House, CHOLDERTON, and all correspondence intended for Headquarters should be so addressed.

Divisional Order No.157.

            The following extract from Southern Command Orders, dated 24th April is published for information and compliance.

“No. 829. SALISBURY PLAIN.

The following orders are to be read on three successive parades to all units camped or quartered on Salisbury Plain, including units at Fovant and in the Wylye Valley and Chiseldon.

  • No soldier is allowed to proceed more than five miles from his camp without a pass properly signed and bearing the unit’s Office Stamp.  Permanent passes are not to be issued.
  • Railway Stations are out of Bounds to troops except those travelling on duty or in possession of a pass to travel.
  • Public Houses are not to be entered (except by men billeted therein) before 12 noon on week-days and 6 p.m. on Sundays.  Public Houses in Wiltshire (except those in Salisbury) close at 8 p.m.; those in Salisbury and Hampshire at 9 p.m.
  • Intoxicating liquors are not to be brought away in bottles from Public Houses or other licensed premises.
  • Civilians are not permitted to enter Camps or Barracks for purpose of trading unless in possession of a Headquarters pass issued under the authority of the Major General i/c Administration, Southern Command.
  • Trespassing by individual Officers and men on private land enclosures, poaching, or disturbing game is forbidden.  The Boundary of War Department land is marked by pink triangular boards with “out of bounds” painted on them.  Officers and men must make themselves acquainted with the boundaries of War Department land near their camps.
  • Purchase from Hawkers of the gipsy class are not permitted at any time.
  • Orders given by Military Police must be obeyed and assistance given if called for”.

Divisional Order No. 158.   31/8/15.

Out of Bounds –

            In consequence of an outbreak of infectious disease which has occurred recently, the hamlet of QUARLEY (about 2 miles from Cholderton) is placed “out of bounds”.

Divisional Order No. 182   

723 – WAR OFFICE LETTER –

            The following War Office letter is published for information:-

War Office, London, S.W.

23rd August, 1915.

75/3/2621 (A. 3)

Sir,

            I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you that notwithstanding the assurances received from all Commands in reply to War Office secret letter A. 3. dated 21st October, 1914, that all Marks III, and V revolver ammunition had been withdrawn from units and returned to the Army Ordnance Department, instances of Officers being found in possession of these marks of ammunition or of similar type, obtained from the trade or friends, have recently been reported.

I am therefore to request that an order may be issued to all Troops under your Command, that disciplinary action will be taken in the case of any individual found to be in possession of any such ammunition in future.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant

B.B. OUBITT

*  *  *

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEAD QUARTERS,

WINDMILL-HILL CAMP.ANDOVER.

1st SEPTEMBER, 1915.

712 – MEDICAL OFFICERS –

            The following is the detail of Medical Orderly Officers for week ending September 4th, 1915:-

Tuesday –AUG 31st.            Lt. F.J. HENRY        No 6 Camp.

Wednesday – SEPT 1st.     Lt. R.B. MACFIE.     Headquarters 102nd Brigade.

Thursday – SEPT 2nd.         Lt. J. MUIRHEAD     No. 7 Camp.

Friday – SEPT 3rd.               Lt. F.J. HENRY        No. 6 Camp.

Saturday – SEPT 4th.          Lt. R.B. MACFIE      Headquarters 102nd Brigade.

713 – DRESS –

            Any men leaving the precincts of their own Camp must be properly dressed – i.e., they must wear waist belts and clean service dress.

714 – TRANSPORT –

            Draught horses in G.S. Wagons are not to move out of a walk.  The practice of men riding on wagons other than the driver and the man under instruction, is strictly forbidden.  The brake-men of G.S. Wagons should not be considered as under instruction – they must walk in rear of the wagons.

715 – BOUNDS –

            Under no circumstances whatsoever are troops to enter any fields etc., marked “Out of Bounds for Troops”.

Offenders in this respect will be severely dealt with.

716 – CRESOL – USE OF IN LATRINES –

            Cresol solution must be used in latrine buckets.

Officers Commanding Units should indent for a liberal supply.

717 – HORSE CARCASES –

            It is notified for information that horses carcases are to be buried in the field on the east side of River Bourne over Southly Bridge, at the North Limit of W.D. Property.  This is about half way between Tidworth Pennings and Windmill Hill Camps and accessible from both.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

AFTERMATH OF THE HOSTILITIES OF THE

SECOND WORLD WAR

There can be no finer way to honour the men and women who lost their lives in two world wars, than the inscription on the Kohima Epitaph, written by John Maxwell Edmonds.

When you go home, tell them of us and say.

For your tomorrow. We gave our today.

——-

The ITV Television Company began to broadcast “The World at War” series in October 1973. The 26 episodes of the series was narrated by British actor Sir Laurence Olivier. The final episode, named “Remember” was broadcast in May 1974. The episode began with the narrator saying, “The Day the Soldiers Came”, and showed the massacre at Ourador-sur-Glaise and ended with American historian Dr. Stephen Ambrose taking up the story:

“The British had as many problems, if not more, recovering from victory as the Germans did recovering from defeat. What did Britain get out of the war? Not very much, she lost a great deal. Positively she got a moral claim on the world as the nation and her dominions and colonies who had stood against Hitler alone for a year and provided the moral leadership against the Nazis when everyone else was willing to cave in to the Nazis.

The single criticism I would make of Churchill during the war was that he overstrained the British economy for victory, that he did more than had to be done. Britain was the most mobilised nation in the war. The rail system was worn out, the industrial plant was worn out, the transport system was worn out. In addition, the Americans drove a very hard bargain. The Lend-Lease Act [1941], which Churchill called the “least sordid act in all human history”, may well have been that, but there was much about it all that wasn’t pretty. The Americans insisted that the British sell their overseas assets, this meant that at the end of the war the income that the British counted on and depended on for so long from her overseas investments was no longer there. They had been sold at American insistence. Beyond that, the Americans had also forced the British to break up the sterling bloc to open it up to American investment and the United States had all kinds of excess capital available for overseas investment when the war ended. The Americans then moved into the areas that had been British colonies, whether simple or economic colonies. So Britain was in a much weaker position at the end of the war than she had been at the beginning and was not in a position to recover. Added to that was the sentiment around the world that had been built up by Allied propaganda that this was a war for human freedom, liberty, freedom from hunger, freedom from fear, freedom from exploitation, so that you had a universal sentiment to end European colonisation, which was in the large part British colonisation.

At the end of the war there was great hope. No one dared to use the words Woodrow Wilson had used in World War One, that this was “the war to end all wars”, but that was the sentiment. There was great hope in the world that this would happen, that this was the last war, that the victors would now be able to cooperate in peace as they had in war, to see to it that the four policemen – as Roosevelt liked to refer to Britain, France, the USSR and the United States – would be able to see to it there would be no more aggression in the world. That the war had meant something, that it had been fought for something rather than simply against Nazism, something positive, a better world was going to emerge. I suspect even Stalin thought it.

America wanted to have a very strong Japan, as a counter to the Soviets in the Far East, and also as a counter to what they feared was going to happen in China. Already the handwriting was on the wall in China as to who was going to win the civil war there. The Americans wanted Japan rebuilt as quickly as possible and a highly industrialised Japan to emerge from the war within the American orbit. So they systematically excluded all the Allies. The Australians and British had wanted reparations from Japan: they had suffered pretty badly at the hands of the Japanese and had a good claim for getting something back. The Americans absolutely refused and Japan had no reparations to pay at all. The Russians in the Far East, aside from gains of such places as Port Arthur, Manchuria and North Korea, got a Communist China. It’s not clear that Stalin wanted a Communist China: he gave very little support to Mao to win the Chinese civil war. Both parties would soon enough have reason to wonder how good a deal they made, with the growth of Japan since the war and her economic position today, and obviously the Soviet Union has had enormous difficulties with China.

Was a Russian/American conflict inevitable? It mattered little if it was a Tsarist Russia or a Communist Russia. Of course, all of these great world conflicts, of which the twentieth century had seen the worst, are always followed by a falling out between the victors once they have lost everything that holds them together – the common enemy. Russian ambitions and American ambitions were bound to clash. Added to this was the ideological dispute between capitalism and Communism that heightened but did not create the tension. I think this one of the few times in history when one can use the word “inevitable”. I don’t think there was a ghost of a chance of the Russians and Americans creating the kind of world they talked about during the war – an Atlantic Charter kind of world, or a United Nations kind of world, in which the victors continue to cooperate as they did during the war.

I think one can be very positive about the Second World War. The most important single result is that the Nazis were crushed, the militarists in Japan were crushed, the Fascists in Italy were crushed, and surely justice has never been better served”.

To Summarise, Dr. Ambrose stated:

“Until America entered the war in December 1941, Britain and the Colonies were sole defenders against Nazi Germany. Because America had never been attacked, they were producing more food than they could eat, more steel than they could use and more clothes than they could wear. Britain was beholden to the U.S. for supplies, and entered into an agreement that the U.S. would provide Britain with all the supplies they required. The U.S. emerged from the war as overall winners, both financially and militarily. Germany would be rebuilt, but British soldiers came home to austerity. Britain did not fare very well in the end”.

“Not much for the Freedom of the World”.

——————————————————

 

Diary of 2/4th Battalion The Border Regiment

1915

4th August 1915.  Intercession Service at St. Mary’s Church, Poona.

13th August 1915.  Two N.C.O.’s and 13 privates left Poona as a draft to the 1st Battalion The Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry on service with Expeditionary Force  “D.”   This small draft was part of General Townsend’s force which advanced on Baghdad, took part in the Battle of Ctesiphon, the subsequent retreat, and finally was besieged in Kut.

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEAD QUARTERS,

WINDMILL HILL CAMP.

ANDOVER.

31st AUGUST, 1915.

707 – DISTRICT COURT-MARTIAL –

            The District Court-Martial directed to assemble in Brigade Order No. 653 of 15th August, 1915, of which Major J.F. Mackay V.C., 21st (S) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish) was President, is hereby dissolved.

708– DISTRICT COURT-MARTIAL –

            The detail of Officers as mentioned below will assemble at the Y.M.C.A. Marquee, Windmill Hill Camp, Andover, on the 2nd September, 1915, at 10 a.m., for the purpose of trying by a District Court-Martial the accused persons named in the margin (and such other person or persons as may be brought before them)

PRESIDENT.

Major C. Sillery, 20th (S) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st TYNESIDE SCOTTISH)

MEMBERS.

A Captain, 20th (S.) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st TYNESIDE SCOTTISH)

A Captain, 21st (S.) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd TYNESIDE SCOTTISH)

The accused will be warned, and all witnesses duly required to attend.

The proceedings will be forwarded to the G.O.C., 102nd (Tyneside Scottish) Brigade, Windmill-Hill Camp, Andover.

The Officers Commanding 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd (S) Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tyneside Scottish) will each detail three Officers to attend for instructional purposes.

In the margin.  No. 21/57 PTE. BENJAMIN BARRASS. 21st (S.) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish); No. 21/1204, PTE. WILLIAM HARRISON.  21st (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish); No. 22/362, PTE. SPENCER SUTTON.  22nd (S.) Battn, Northumberland Fusiliers (3rd Tyneside Scottish); No. 22/462, PTE. THOMAS YARROW 22nd (S.) Battn, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd Tyneside Scottish); No. 22/1542, PTE. JAMES LAWRENCE KELLY, 22nd (S.) Battn, Northumberland Fusiliers (3rd Tyneside Scottish).

709 – REVEILLE –

            Until further orders – Reveille will be sounded at 5-30 a.m.

710 – MUSKETRY –

            With reference to Brigade Order No. 522 of 18th July, 1915, similar instructions as therein mentioned will take place daily on Battalion Parade Grounds.  Each Platoon will parade for instruction under the Musketry Staff Serjeant attached, and such Serjeants as are in possession of Musketry Certificates – the whole will be under the supervision of Captain Bulman.

711 – SOUTHERN COMMAND CIRCULAR – ATTENTION CALLED TO –

            The attention of Commanding Officers is called to Circular C.R.S.C. No. 66134 (R) issued in August, 1915, and circulated herewith.

Officers Commanding Units will take it in turns weekly to detail the Officer to accompany the combined horses of the Battalions when exercising – commencing with 20th (S) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish) for week ending September 4th, 1915.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

NOTICE.

The Postal Address of this Camp is as follows:-

            WINDMILL HILL CAMP,

                        ANDOVER.

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEAD QUARTERS,

WINDMILL-HILL CAMP.

30th AUGUST, 1915.

706 – DUTIES –

            The Battalion on duty for week ending 12 midnight September 4/5th, 1915:-

20th (S) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (1st TYNESIDE SCOTTISH).

next for duty:-

21st (S.) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (2nd TYNESIDE SCOTTISH)

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

B

Fukuoka Camp No. 9

27th August 1945

REPORT ON BEATING OF OFFICERS BY CAMP COMMANDANT.

            On June 22nd 1945, when working on the farm, I was attacked by a guard named Yama, who thrashed my bare back with a bamboo and raised many bloody weals.  On return to the Camp, Capt. Radcliffe, the Senior British Officer in the Camp, who had interceded at the beating and who had received several blows himself, decided to report the matter to the Camp Commandant direct.  Capt. Radcliffe, Mr. Furness, whose head had been split open by the same guard, and I, went to the Nipponese Office, accompanied by the Dutch Interpreter.  Capt. Radcliffe then started to make his report to the Nipponese Sergeant; there was much interruption from other Nipponese NCO’s., and others who were in the office, which attracted the attention of the Camp Commandant.  Capt. Radcliffe endeavoured to explain the position to him, but although he must have seen my lacerated back which had been bared for exhibition, his only action was to strike Capt. Radcliffe, Mr. Furness, and myself violently in our faces, and to say that we would be punished if we did not work hard.  Capt. Radcliffe received about 6 heavy blows in the face and Mr. Furness and I about 4.  He then dismissed us.  His attack was quite unjustified, and he did not listen to the complaint either before striking us or afterwards.

E.S. Thomas Lieut. R.E.

Witness………….Harold Radcliffe Capt. R.A.

(Senior British Officer)

D.

REPORT ON ILL-TREATMENT OF NO 1614712 L/BDR. CHILTON, F. DURING CAPTIVITY AS P.O.W. IN JAPAN.

————————————————————————————————

            On a certain day in the first quarter of 1944 at No. 1 sub-camp, Kasii, Fukuoka P.O.W. Camp, the undersigned officers were witness to a brutal assault on the above-mentioned L/Bdr. Chilton by the Camp Commandant, Sakamoto, Lt.  L/Bdr. Chilton was marched into the camp before the Commandant, who thereupon attacked him, and incidentally other members of the working party, with a bamboo pole and fists, beating him over the head and body until he was felled to the ground.  The Commandant then kicked him in the body, and finally kicked him behind his left ear, until he lost consciousness.  The Commandant then ordered two Nipponese guards to pick him up and carry him into the hut and throw him on the bed.

W.M. Craig Capt. R.A.

A.M. Simpson Lieut. R.A.

27th August, 1945.

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEADQUARTERS, ALNWICK,

27th AUGUST, 1915.

701 – R.A.M.C. ATTACHED –

            The 4 Privates of the R.A.M.C. at present attached for pay and discipline to the 20th (S.) Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers (1st Tyneside Scottish) will be attached to the 29th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (Tyneside Scottish) from this date.

702 – EXTRACTS FROM NORTHERN COMMAND ORDERS–

Weekly Return of Infectious Diseases –

26th August, 1915.

            Command Order No. 680 is re-published for information and action by those concerned.  It is most important that these cases be notified and the return submitted so as to reach Headquarters by first post on Saturday.

“WEEKLY RETURN OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES” –

Officers in charge Military Hospitals, Administrators of Territorial Force General Hospitals, Officers in Charge of Field Ambulances, Medical Officers in Charge of Units, and Medical Officers in Charge of Detached Troops will render a weekly return to Headquarters Northern Command, of the infectious diseases that have occurred amongst troops during the week.

THIS RETURN MUST BE POSTED SO AS TO REACH YORK BY THE FIRST POST ON SATURDAY.

Where Civil Medical Practitioners are employed, the responsibility of rendering the Return will rest with the Commanding Officer.

The following diseases only will be noted: – Small-pox, Measles, Scarlet Fever, Typhus Fever, Plague, Diphtheria, Cerebro-Spinal Fever, Mediterranean Fever, Cholera, Yellow Fever, Erysipelas, Puerperal Pyaemia, Puerperal Septicaemia, and Tubercle affecting the Lungs, Larynx or Intestines, Pneumonia.

IN CONNECTION WITH ENTERIC FEVER THE DATE OF ADMISSION WILL BE GIVEN, AND IT WILL BE STATED IF THE CASE WAS INOCULATED, AND IF SO, WHETHER ONE OR TWO INJECTIONS WERE GIVEN.

            In reporting cases, the following pro forma must be used:-

Disease.Locality.No., Rank & Name.Initials.Unit.
       

Army Form A. 35 will be rendered for cases as they occur.

This order is published in place of Command Order No. 216 of 1915, and will be reproduced in all Divisional, Garrison, Brigade, and Station Orders.          

(M.)  Northern Command Order No.1649.

Results of 12th Machine Gun Course and 16th Rifle Course. –

26th August, 1915.

The undermentioned Officer qualified at the 12th MACHINE GUN COURSE, held at the School of Musketry, Strensall, from 22nd July to 7th August, 1915.

2nd Lieut. J.H. Gibson.  21st Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers.

The undermentioned Non-commissioned Officer qualified at the 16th RIFLE COURSE, held at the School of Musketry, Strensall, from 22nd July to 7th August, 1915.

Sergt. R. Maitland.  23rd Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers.

C.R.N.C. No. 80096 (G.M.)

Northern Command Order No.1635.

703 – COMMAND ORDERS – ATTENTION CALLED TO –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Northern Command Orders 1634, 1640, 1642, 1643 and 1644 of 26th August, 1915.

704 – EXTRACTS FROM DIVISIONAL ORDERS –

Bugle Calls –

26th August, 1915.

            In future no bugle calls will be sounded by units with the following exceptions.

(a). Those mentioned in Infantry Training, 1914, section 95, para 2.

(b). The Battalion on duty in each Brigade will daily sound Reveille and Last Post.

Divisional Order No. 152.

705 – DIVISIONAL ORDER – ATTENTION CALLED TO –

            The attention of Officers Commanding Units is called to Divisional Order No. 153 of 26th August, 1915.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

Letter from Peter C. Benham to his mother.

Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R!

Sunday 26 Aug 45

My dearest Maz,

This has been in nearly every way a most depressing week, but the gloom has been dispelled considerably by no fewer than 3 most interesting and welcome letters from you, for all of which many thanks.  I am so very pleased that you are really better and to hear that my words of advice have not fallen on deaf ears!  I was most interested to hear of John’s return, (Elli must have made an entry in his winnings book!)  Please give him my love when you see him next – I look forward to seeing him very much.  I also had a very nice card from Elli who seems to have kicked off very much on the right foot of his holiday, the change I know will do him a power of good.  How amazing it was that our letters should have crossed on the ‘Way to the Stars’ film – a real co-incidence as Mrs Carter would say.  So Eileen is now a civilian and her first few days of her new life were spent having a cold – however I’m glad she is better and she spoke most warmly of her very attentive ‘nurse’!  I have seldom known a more depressing week – the sun has hardly shone and the rain hardly ceased – today, what mercy, has for a change been sunny and quite warm, and Nigel and I had our usual Sunday afternoon single.  Good exercise and great fun.  The film this week was well worth seeing, the film of Daphne Du Marrier’s ‘Frenchman’s Creek’.  I enjoyed it though generally most people were rather disappointed – it was in Technicolor starring John Fontaine and Basil Rathbone.  We played our first game of hockey on Thursday afternoon against the General Hospital team – it was a League match and we won 9.2.  I must admit that I didn’t over-exert myself, scoring two goals.  Otherwise the week has been conspicuous for its amount of work and I shall be extremely thankful when my G3 returns, I hope tonight.

Charles I am very sorry to say is leaving us tomorrow – it is rather a blow as we have shared a room now for nearly a year – he is going to teach Regimental instructors how to teach (very involved) at a place called Goettingen, where I’m told there is a famous old University.  He may not be in the Army much longer as he expects to get out under Class B.  Several people have refused to take the Class B opportunity as they say they lose a spot of cash by it – it only makes me feel a bit more peeved than ever – I would take any opportunity to get out under any pretext at the very first possible opportunity!

The great bombshell of this rather depressing week of course was Isaac’s announcement about demobilisation of the Forces and the release of munition workers – it has caused widespread disappointment amongst everyone – the usual sarcastic remarks one hears are ‘the Govt (if there was an election tomorrow you can take it from me everyone would vote against the Socialists!) are going to give all the best jobs to the munitions works and damn the ex-serviceman’ though damn was not the word used by all.  All being well I should be out in March if I’m lucky – after nearly seven years full time years in the army – nearly seven years (6 and 8 months), Maz, it seems fantastic doesn’t it, it has shaken me to the core – articled in 1936 qualified, if I ever do, in 1946!  Yes, I shall qualify all right, don’t worry about that, though sometimes one can’t help feeling a wee bit bitter, can one?  Your holiday is now fast approaching and I know how much you are looking forward to it – may the weather be really kind to you.  I must close now, so many magazines have come this week for which many thanks – (I thought David Papillon’s letter was extremely wet!).  Much love, Maz dear, I do hope you are now feeling yourself again.

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 27 AU 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.  

On front of envelope Written Aug 26th 1945 rec Aug 30th 1945.          (3)

Tyneside Scottish Brigade Orders.

BRIGADE ORDERS.

BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL TREVOR TERNAN, C.M.G., D.S.O.,

COMMANDING 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.

HEAD QUARTERS, ALNWICK,

26th AUGUST, 1915.

699 – HUTMENTS – HANDING OVER OF –

            The Officer Commanding 29th (Reserve) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, Alnwick, will take over the hutments of “A” – “B” and “C” Camps Alnwick, beginning to-day.

700– EXTRACTS FROM NORTHERN COMMAND ORDERS–

Government Transport – To be fully utilized before Hiring is resorted to –

25th August, 1915.

            The attention of all concerned is directed to paragraph 1469, King’s Regulations.  All Transport, Mechanical and Horse, on charge of Units should be at the disposal of the O.C., A.S.C. Formation or Area concerned, for use on general transport services, and Units should render to this Officer a weekly return of all transport on their charge, to enable him to carry out all transport services in the most economical manner possible.

Applications for Transport Services required by Units should be made to the O.C., A.S.C., who will arrange for the Service.  On no account should transport be hired by Units direct without previous reference as above.

This order is to be repeated in all Divisional, Brigade, and Station Orders.

(S.T.)    Northern Command Order No.1625.

Supplies – Local Purchase by Units –

25th August, 1915.

            It has been brought to notice that in many Units have been in the habit of making local purchases of Supplies without reference to the A.S.C. Officer concerned.  This practice is contrary to regulations, and should cease forthwith.  No local purchases should be made by Units except on instructions from the Supply Officer of the Formation or Area concerned, and the bills should be passed to that Officer for settlement, supported by receipted Army Book 55 for the quantities of the articles purchased.

This order is to be repeated in all Divisional, Brigade, and Station Orders.

(S.T.)    Northern Command Order No.1626.

T.L.B. SOUTRY, Captain,

Brigade-Major, 102nd (TYNESIDE SCOTTISH) BRIGADE.