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  • November 4th, 2020
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Medicina, April 16th 1945

By Steven Broomfield (Museum Volunteer)

In our archives we have a fine collection of medals – for gallantry, for serving on long-forgotten campaigns, or for dedicated service to regiment and to country – but there are some which really stand out from the rest. This is the story of the Military Medal won by Number 7920470, Trooper George McGregor of the 14th/20th King’s Hussars on April 16th, 1945.

The 14th/20th King’s Hussars came late to the Second World War; they had spent most of it in India, or on internal security duties in Iraq and Iran. It wasn’t until early in 1945 that the regiment arrived in Italy, in preparation for the final offensive. Attached to the 43rd Gurkha Lorried Infantry brigade, one squadron of the regiment was equipped with armoured personnel carriers (APCs) while the other two squadrons had Sherman tanks.

On April 16th, the Brigade was exploiting a crossing of the Sillaro River and was tasked with capturing the important communications centre of Medicina, a town about ten miles to the east of Bologna. The APCs were carrying the 2/6th Gurkha Rifles and they, together with C Squadron in their Shermans attacked Medicina in the late afternoon.

Darkness was falling and resistance was strong: there were several deadly 88mm anti-tank guns and self-propelled guns, and the houses were alive with snipers and machine guns. C Squadron, commanded by Major ‘Bodge’ Browne, MC, led the way. After destroying two 88s, Browne’s tank was hit by a bazooka. He and his radio operator, Sergeant Evans, were wounded, and his gunner, Trooper Burt, was killed. The tank stopped, defenceless.

At this point the driver Trooper Stanley Armstrong from Carlisle, and the rear link radio operator (keeping communications with higher command) Trooper George McGregor from Wishaw both leapt out. With their pistols they drove off the bazooka crew (under heavy fire themselves), rescued Browne and Evans, and then reported to the squadron second-in-command, still under heavy fire and in danger from exploding ammunition in a self-propelled gun destroyed by their tank.

As a result of their bravery, McGregor and Armstrong were both immediately awarded the Military Medal.

In 1990, on his death, McGregor’s medals were put up for auction and the regiment was lucky enough to be able to purchase them and other items belonging to their owner … and uncovered an interesting story.

As he was in Italy, McGregor’s MM was not pinned on his chest by the King, but arrived in the post with a covering letter. We are told that he was very anti-Royalist and actually sent his MM back. It was then returned, pointing out that he had insulted his King, his Country and his Regiment!

This time he kept the medal, together with his service and campaign medals (War Medal, defence medal, 1939-45 Star and Italy Star) but he never wore them. All are still in the packaging they arrived in, completely pristine. He also kept various badges and insignia, and a lovely ‘sweetheart badge’ in mother of pearl, and all the paperwork connected to his MM – even an official note informing him of a £20 honorarium paid to winners of a Military Medal.

George McGregor was a reluctant hero. He never spoke of his bravery or of his medals. When asked, he said he had done nothing to merit them and the Military Medal had been given to him ‘by mistake’.

Sadly we have no photograph of George McGregor, but we are proud, 75 years on from that dark, desperate evening, to be able to pay tribute to a very unassuming hero. Hussar!

  • November 30th, 2015
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Useful Links.

 

 

A site all about the soldiers, units, regiments and battles of the British Army of the First World War, and how to research and understand them.

  • January 7th, 2015
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January 2015 – The Siege of Bhurtpore 1825

 

 

Bhurtpore Map

Map of Bhurtpore

In February, 1819, the 11th Light Dragoons sailed for the east and the regiment’s first time as part of the garrison of India. In the early 19th century this was far from an easy posting: in 1820, for example, 25 men died in a three-month trip by boat along the Ganges; in 1821 169 men were lost to sickness; and in 1821, one officer and 28 men died of disease.

However, replacements were received regularly from England, and

Inscription on the Bhurtpore Sword blade.

Inscription on the Bhurtpore Sword blade.

when war broke out in 1825, the Eleventh were ready. Bhurtpore (now Bharatpur) was, at the time, a massive fortress, about 30 miles west of Agra and was considered impregnable. In 1805 a British army led by Lord Lake had besieged the fort and attempted four times to storm it – each time with huge loss of life. The bones of many of his men still lay in the sun.

In 1825, the Rajah of Bhurtpore had died and a rebellion broke out, attracting many Indians resistant to the increasing power and influence of the British. The Rajah’s nephew, Doorjan Saul, seized the throne, excluding the rightful heir, the Rajah’s son, Bulwant Singh, who favoured the British.

Bhurtpore sword 1

The Bhurtpore Sword as seen in the Museum.

Negotiations failed, and the British sent a force to subdue the area, under the command of Lord Combermere. The army comprised 30,000 men. Most were Indian sepoys, but the 11th Light Dragoons and 16th Lancers were present in a Cavalry Division under the command of a former 11th Light Dragoon, Colonel Sleigh.

The fort was 8 miles in circumference, and was enclosed by 35 semi-circular bastions, made of clay mixed with horse dung, set in layers and allowed to dry rock-hard in the sun. This was considered impervious to artillery fire even before it had been strengthened with tree trunks buried upright. A dry moat, 150 feet wide and 59 feet deep, circled the fort (and could be flooded by cutting an embankment from a nearby lake).

Finally, a new bastion, The Futteh Boorg (said to be built on the bones of the men who had fallen in 1805) supplemented a 144 foot-high citadel. The whole was surrounded by jungle.

In December, Combermere’s force began skirmishing to keep the garrison isolated. It was thought the fortress contained only 2,500 men, but with artillery and other weapons, and was made up of the cream of the region’s soldiers.

Initially the attack was traditional: on 23rd December the first parallel was completed. This was a line of trenches, parallel to the defences, allowing the attackers to get close to the fortress. Then a mine was dug to place explosives under the defences, but was exploded before it reached its target.

A second mine was counter-mined by the enemy, and on 8th January 1826 20,000 lbs of gunpowder was blown up by a shot from the defenders. However, two mines were completed successfully on the 16th and on the 17th a massive mine was completed at the north-east angle of the defences – the attack was planned for the 18th.

At 8.00 a.m. the charge was ignited and was completely successful in destroying the defences. Too successful, in fact – falling stones and earth killed and wounded many of the attackers. Despite this, the attack was wholly successful, and by midday the ramparts had been taken, with the gates of the citadel captured in the afternoon.

The cavalry, including the 11th Light Dragoons, were not involved in the assault, but were used to prevent the defenders escaping, being positioned mostly to the west of the fortress. Doorjan Saul himself was captured by the Indian 8th Light Cavalry: he had with him his wife and two sons, and £3,200 in gold.

Also captured was a British deserter, Bombardier Herbert. Herbert had joined the rebels in December and helped direct their artillery – very well, in fact, as he had almost killed Lord Combermere. He was unceremoniously hanged.

61 British and 42 Indian soldiers were killed, with 283 Europeans and 183 Indians wounded. The 11th lost two men and four horses killed and one officer, 12 men and 22 horses wounded. It is estimated that 4,000 died from the garrison, mostly in the explosion of the great mine.

As was common in those times, booty was taken in vast quantities and allocated on the basis of rank. The Commander in Chief received 595,398 rupees, with each Sergeant receiving 80 rupees, and Privates receiving 40. 50,000 rupees had been deducted from the amount given to officers in order to be given to widows and children of men killed.

In HorsePower Museum is one of the regiment’s most prized possessions – the Bhurtpore sword. This was given in the late 19th century by Major Esmè Harrison, DSO, having been taken in the fighting at Bhurtpore. For many years it was the model for dress swords worn in the regiment and is, together with the Balaclava Trumpet (used in the Charge of the Light Brigade, and also in the museum) one of the most cherished items inherited from the 11th Hussars.

  • December 1st, 2014
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December 2014 – A Wartime Christmas in 1944

In December 1944 the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s own) found themselves in Holland, on the border with Germany. The 11th were an armoured car regiment, equipped mostly with the excellent Daimler armoured car, and part of the spearhead of the British 2nd Army preparing for the final push into Germany. Previous wartime winters for the 11th had been spent in Egypt (1939), Libya (1940, 41 and 42), before returning to the UK in time for Christmas 1943. Since landing in France in June 1944, the regiment had come up against stiff German opposition, and the pause before crossing into Germany was a welcome opportunity to recharge batteries and refresh tired bodies. In November, as the weather turned bitterly cold, the regiment had received an issue of the extremely welcome new tank suit, later known (affectionately) as the “Pixie Suit”. This was a blanket-lined windproof and

11th Hussars Daimler armoured car, Holland, Winter, 1944

11th Hussars Daimler armoured car, Holland, Winter, 1944

waterproof one-piece suit which, using an ingenious selection of zips, could be made into a sleeping bag. It was very popular and survived in use until the 1970’s and beyond. Shortly before Christmas 1944, most of the 11th Hussars were north of Maastricht, in the Netherlands, patrolling an area between the River Maas and the Juliana Canal, where German forces were trying to infiltrate the Allied lines. It was tiring, thankless work in poor conditions. However, just before the festive season, Scottish troops of the 52nd (Lowland) Division had crossed into Germany, and A Squadron of the 11th was sent to support them, so on Christmas Day A and C Squadrons were out of the line, and could enjoy Christmas. The regimental history describes the day: ‘The Christmas day of 1944 found little lacking in the fare available: pork, tinned turkey, mince-pies, Christmas pudding, cake, fruit, cigarettes and a couple of bottles of beer were provided for each man, while many a local fowl, hare, or even goose was somehow added to the menu.’ B and D squadrons had a harder time, but there was some distraction: ‘On Christmas Eve, a night which was bright and clear but intensely cold, there was a good deal of coming and going of horsed transport in the German lines; and soon after there drifted across the canal from Oud-Roosteren the sound of drunken shouts and singing. At first it was nothing more than the nostalgic strains of Heilige Nacht, Stille Nacht and the 11th Hussar patrols saw no need to interfere.’ However, as the evening went on: ‘Some orator began exhorting the men to fight to the death for the Fuhrer, and all the rest of it.’ So, as it was past midnight and B Squadron considered tolerance had gone far enough, the 11th called on their supporting artillery who quickly put a stop to matters! The worst time was experienced by D Squadron in the ruined village of Gebroek. The

German Propaganda leaflet dropped by the Germans onto the 11th Hussars on Christmas eve.

German Propaganda leaflet dropped  onto the 11th Hussars positions on Christmas eve 1944.

Germans were only 500 yards away, so the village had been fortified and was occupied by a Troop under the command of sergeant W A Luke, MM, with 3 armoured cars, 2 scout cars, 2 anti-tanks guns (of the Norfolk yeomanry) and a tank belonging to an observation officer of the Royal Horse Artillery. The night was clear and bright, with 12 degrees of frost. During the evening, sounds of a party could be heard from the enemy, and at one point a few drunken Germans appeared on horseback and offered to entertain the Hussars with a song. One of them is said to have been dressed as Santa Claus! They received ‘a rude answer.’ However, in the early hours (around 5.45) a sudden attack came from the Germans. Heavy shell fire and the severity of the attack, coupled with the artillery officer’s telephone lines being cut (thus preventing him calling for help) led Sergeant Luke to order a retirement to the west side of the village. It was then found that none of the cars would start as their engines were frozen. The tank started, but its tracks were frozen into the ice, and none of the machine guns would fire because of the cold. As a result the fighting became hand to hand until the British could withdraw and call down supporting artillery. B and D squadrons were withdrawn into reserve two days later and enjoyed a belated – and very welcome – Christmas Dinner!

  • December 1st, 2014
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December 2014 – A Wartime Christmas in 1944

In December 1944 the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s own) found themselves in Holland, on the border with Germany. The 11th were an armoured car regiment, equipped mostly with the excellent Daimler armoured car, and part of the spearhead of the British 2nd Army preparing for the final push into Germany. Previous wartime winters for the 11th had been spent in Egypt (1939), Libya (1940, 41 and 42), before returning to the UK in time for Christmas 1943. Since landing in France in June 1944, the regiment had come up against stiff German opposition, and the pause before crossing into Germany was a welcome opportunity to recharge batteries and refresh tired bodies. In November, as the weather turned bitterly cold, the regiment had received an issue of the extremely welcome new tank suit, later known (affectionately) as the “Pixie Suit”. This was a blanket-lined windproof and

11th Hussars Daimler armoured car, Holland, Winter, 1944

11th Hussars Daimler armoured car, Holland, Winter, 1944

waterproof one-piece suit which, using an ingenious selection of zips, could be made into a sleeping bag. It was very popular and survived in use until the 1970’s and beyond. Shortly before Christmas 1944, most of the 11th Hussars were north of Maastricht, in the Netherlands, patrolling an area between the River Maas and the Juliana Canal, where German forces were trying to infiltrate the Allied lines. It was tiring, thankless work in poor conditions. However, just before the festive season, Scottish troops of the 52nd (Lowland) Division had crossed into Germany, and A Squadron of the 11th was sent to support them, so on Christmas Day A and C Squadrons were out of the line, and could enjoy Christmas. The regimental history describes the day: ‘The Christmas day of 1944 found little lacking in the fare available: pork, tinned turkey, mince-pies, Christmas pudding, cake, fruit, cigarettes and a couple of bottles of beer were provided for each man, while many a local fowl, hare, or even goose was somehow added to the menu.’ B and D squadrons had a harder time, but there was some distraction: ‘On Christmas Eve, a night which was bright and clear but intensely cold, there was a good deal of coming and going of horsed transport in the German lines; and soon after there drifted across the canal from Oud-Roosteren the sound of drunken shouts and singing. At first it was nothing more than the nostalgic strains of Heilige Nacht, Stille Nacht and the 11th Hussar patrols saw no need to interfere.’ However, as the evening went on: ‘Some orator began exhorting the men to fight to the death for the Fuhrer, and all the rest of it.’ So, as it was past midnight and B Squadron considered tolerance had gone far enough, the 11th called on their supporting artillery who quickly put a stop to matters! The worst time was experienced by D Squadron in the ruined village of Gebroek. The

German Propaganda leaflet dropped by the Germans onto the 11th Hussars on Christmas eve.

German Propaganda leaflet dropped  onto the 11th Hussars positions on Christmas eve 1944.

Germans were only 500 yards away, so the village had been fortified and was occupied by a Troop under the command of sergeant W A Luke, MM, with 3 armoured cars, 2 scout cars, 2 anti-tanks guns (of the Norfolk yeomanry) and a tank belonging to an observation officer of the Royal Horse Artillery. The night was clear and bright, with 12 degrees of frost. During the evening, sounds of a party could be heard from the enemy, and at one point a few drunken Germans appeared on horseback and offered to entertain the Hussars with a song. One of them is said to have been dressed as Santa Claus! They received ‘a rude answer.’ However, in the early hours (around 5.45) a sudden attack came from the Germans. Heavy shell fire and the severity of the attack, coupled with the artillery officer’s telephone lines being cut (thus preventing him calling for help) led Sergeant Luke to order a retirement to the west side of the village. It was then found that none of the cars would start as their engines were frozen. The tank started, but its tracks were frozen into the ice, and none of the machine guns would fire because of the cold. As a result the fighting became hand to hand until the British could withdraw and call down supporting artillery. B and D squadrons were withdrawn into reserve two days later and enjoyed a belated – and very welcome – Christmas Dinner!

  • October 31st, 2014
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November 2014 – The Road to Corunna 1808

The Road to Corunna – November 1808

 

In September, 1808, the 10th Hussars, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Leigh, marched from their base at Brighton for the docks at Portsmouth, where they embarked on board ship, bound for Spain. They were delayed in Stokes Bay until finally sailing on 31st October, arriving at Corunna in northern Spain on 10th November.

The regiment was part of the Hussar Brigade (with the 7th and 15th Hussars) under the command of Brigadier General Slade, late of the 10th Hussars. This brigade, along with other troops, was part of a force 10,000 strong intent on joining 23,000 British troops in Portugal, with the aim of assisting Spanish resistance to Napoleon’s plans to place his brother, Joseph, on the throne of Spain. The British armies were under the command of General Sir John Moore.

CorunnaUnfortunately the campaign was doomed from the start; the French easily defeated the Spanish armies and occupied Madrid, and also captured the city of Burgos, Moore’s destination. The British were heavily outnumbered and the weather was poor, so it was decided the only option was to retire on Corunna and evacuation – Dunkirk 130 years early!

The Hussar Brigade fought well in the withdrawal, despite its commander: Slade was an ineffective commander. He was slow in decision-making and his choice of routes often added miles to a journey. In the action at Mayorga, when his brigade was ordered to charge French cavalry, he spent so long fiddling with his stirrups that Colonel Leigh took over the command, with the 10th taking over 40 prisoners.

At the Battle of Benevente (29th December) the 10th Hussars charged 600 French cavalry of the Imperial Guard, completely routing them – the French lost 70 prisoners and 130 killed. Amongst the prisoners was General Lefevre-Desnouettes, captured by Private Levi Grisdall. The General was commander in chief of the French cavalry, and his loss probably caused enough confusion amongst the French leadership to delay their offensive and allow the British time to get to Corunna. Grisdall was promoted to Sergeant for his actions.

After the Battle of Benevente, Moore wrote: “Our cavalry are very superior to any the French have and the right spirit has been infused into them by their … leaders …” This spirit was essential – the French commander, Marshal Soult, now had 70,000 men, including 10,000 cavalry. The British were exhausted; at the beginning of January an officer, Captain Darby, and seventeen other ranks died of exhaustion.

The weather was appalling, with snow and ice interspersed with rain, and the road impassable. Only the cavalry rearguards and their comrades in the Rifles were able to keep the French at bay.10th 1800

On the 11th January the army reached Corunna; the expected ships had not arrived so Moore set up a strong defensive position until the 14th when transport arrived. Between the 14th and 16th the dismounted cavalry (i.e. those without horses), the sick and the best horses were embarked, although only 30 horses per regiment were permitted.

On the same day the French attacked and the British infantry, 14,500 strong, stood to arms. The battle lasted all day and Moore was killed, but the French were fought off and on the 18th the rest of the army embarked. The winds were kind and the ships managed to get away quickly.

The death of Sir John Moore achieved almost mythical status, and his command of his army in ill-fated circumstances, is still remembered with admiration. His death and burial at Corunna were commemorated in a poem by Charles Wolfe (in 1817)

Slowly and sadly we laid him down, 
From the field of his fame fresh and gory;
We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone,
But we left him alone with his glory.

Tragically, every horse had to be destroyed: they could not be embarked and many were already suffering from the strenuous retreat across terrible mountainous roads, and they could not be left for the enemy to take. The 10th Hussars had left England with over 600 horses; they returned with 30.

Sailing from Corunna on the 18th January, the transports arrived in England in the first week of February. The 10th Hussars returned to Spain in 1813 to accompany Wellington’s victorious armies into France and final victory at Waterloo.

  • September 30th, 2014
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October 2014 – The 11th Hussars in the Charge of the Light Brigade

 

 

25th October 2014 sees the 160th anniversary of one of the most famous military blunders in history – the Charge of the Light Brigade. This action was part of the Battle of Balaklava, in the ill-fated Crimean War between Great Britain, France, Turkey and their allies against Russia. For the British and French, the most serious fighting took place in the Crimean Peninsula (recently in the international spotlight again), when they besieged the important sea port of Sevastopol.

Balaklava is a small port some distance from Sevastopol, where the British had established their main supply base: in the early hours of the 25th October, the Russians launched a major attack to try and capture the town.

The initial attack was successful, with a line of strongpoints (“redoubts”) along a crest of high ground being captured. However, a cavalry attack on a regiment of British infantry (the 93rd Highlanders) defending the port of Balaklava was repulsed by the “thin red line tipped with steel”, and a subsequent attack on five British cavalry regiments of Dragoons and Dragoon Guards (The Heavy Brigade) ended with the Russian cavalry being chased from the field.

This left five regiments of Hussars, Light Dragoons and Lancers (The Light Brigade) which had not been involved. The British commander, Lord Raglan, sent a series of confusing orders to his subordinates (Lord Lucan commanding all the British cavalry and Lord Cardigan commanding the Light Brigade). These orders, combined with impatience, stupidity and personal animosity between Lucan and Cardigan (who were brothers in law!) led the Light Brigade mistakenly to charge Russian guns at the end of a valley nearly one and a half miles distant.

It was madness: the Russians occupied the heights on both sides of the valley, with artillery and riflemen; at the end of the valley was the main Russian artillery position, protected by more infantry and cavalry. The Light Brigade was, in the words of the poet Tennyson, 600 strong. In actual fact, the strength was closer to 670.

The 11th Prince Albert’s Own Hussars were in the second line of the Light Brigade (the 13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers were in front, with the 4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars behind them). The 11th was commanded

Douglas

Douglas

by Lieutenant Colonel John Douglas, who had first joined the army in 1829, transferring to the 11th Hussars in 1839. With him were 5 officers, a medical officer, Regimental Sergeant Major Bull and 135 men.

The Diary or Loy Smith

The Diary or Loy Smith

The best account of what happened to the 11th comes from the pen of Troop Sergeant Major Loy Smith, whose diary is in our museum’s possession. “As we moved off the Russians opened fire from all their batteries, the round shot passed through us, and the shells burst over and amongst us, causing great havoc. The first man of my Troop that was struck was Private Young, a cannon ball taking off his right arm, I being close in his right rear, fancied I felt the wind from it as it passed me, I afterwards found I was bespattered with his flesh.”

As the charge progressed, “Many riderless horses were now galloping along with us, forcing their way up into the ranks, and keeping their places as though their masters had been on their backs.” Smith lost some of the lace on his cuff to a bullet, but made the Russian gun line in one piece. The 11th then passed through the Russian lines for another 100 yards (no other regiment got so far), where they saw the waiting Russian cavalry. Smith says: “Colonel Douglas, seeing that there was no time to lose … called out ‘Give them another charge, men, Hurrah’ … Waving our swords over our heads, on we galloped …”

Smith estimates that there were about 80 of the 11th left by this stage. He and three men attacked a Russian gun, but were themselves attacked by Cossacks (Russian light cavalry). At this point a stand-off ensued, with the surviving British cavalrymen faced by a large Russian force. While the two sides stood face to face, more cavalry came behind the British. Douglas thought they were the 17th lancers, but one of his officer shouted out that they were Russians. “Colonel Douglas shouted, ‘Then fight for your lives’ Every man was now left to himself to take his own course …”

The few men left started to return to whence they came. Smith rode through a group of Russian lancers and then his horse was wounded. Her leg was broken, so Smith quickly jumped down and started to run, carrying his sword: he was about a mile from safety. He passed a square of Russian infantry “The ordeal was something frightful, for I expected every moment to be struck.” He was then chased by some Russian lancers, who left him and killed two of his comrades.

During his journey he had several close shaves and strange encounters. Strangest was with two wounded Russians who were from the 11th Russian Hussars. Smith cut a button from the coat of one of them “The next day I cut a button off my own jacket and sewed it on in its place, where it still remains.”

While with the wounded men, Smith managed to catch a riderless horse of the 4th light Dragoons and mounted it, safely reaching the British lines. As he returned, the 11th Hussars were ‘numbering off’ (i.e., counting the number of men present) “…I called out 63, as 62 was the last number I heard … I was the last man that returned up the valley.”

That night “ … the order was ‘No fires to be lit, no noise to be made;’ and this was indeed a sorry night, scarcely any had had more than a little biscuit and a dram of rum since the day before, it was spent by us standing in groups talking over the sad misadventures of the day.”

An officer of the 11th Hussars, Lieutenant Alexander Robert Dunne, was awarded the Victoria Cross – the only VC ever won by an 11th Hussar. One officer was killed and two wounded in the Charge, and 25 other ranks also

Alexander Dunne VC

Alexander Dunne VC

died. 24 men were wounded and 7 taken prisoner.

Colonel Douglas died in bed in May 1871, commanding the Cavalry Brigade at Aldershot. Private Richard Albert Young survived his wound and lived until at least 1890. Lieutenant Dunn, VC, died (by then a Colonel) in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) as a result of an accident while commanding an infantry regiment. Sergeant Major George Loy Smith was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal; he left the 11th (which he had joined in 1833) in 1859 and became a Yeoman of the Guard. He died in hospital in 1888 and the age of 71.

The last surviving man of the 11th Hussars to die was William Pennington (who became a Shakespearean actor), who died in May 1923, while the last survivor, Edwin Hughes of the 13th Light Dragoons, lived until May 1927 –  over 70 years after the Charge.

HorsePower Museum has many items relating to the Charge of the Light Brigade, including a hoof from Ronald, the horse which Lord Cardigan rode at the battle.

  • August 29th, 2014
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September 2014 – The 10th Royal Hussars and mechanisation

The 10th Royal Hussars and mechanisation

 

In the late summer of 1936 the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s own) arrived at Tidworth on their return from India. (Incidentally, this was the first time in the regiment’s history that the 10th had returned home from India without stopping-off for battle – in the Crimea, Egypt or South Africa!). Within weeks, mechanisation began, with lorries and  obsolete tanks replacing horses and spurs.As part of their first experience with armoured vehicles, two events marked 1937. First was the Tidworth Tattoo, in which the regiment provided some novelty acts, including lorries disguised as zoo animals (the elephants looking particularly grand), and a light tank disguised as two thoroughbred ponies.

img370 The regiment had been told that their role in the Tattoo was “to entertain” – the Royal Tank Corps were to “interest” the audience. As a result it was decided to create a circus  effect, using light tanks (of doubtful reliability) and lorries as the motive power. Austin 7 cars were turned into ponies, controlled on long reins by Cossacks and armoured cars  borrowed from the 12th Lancers into elephants (which eventually gave rides to children and adults!). The regimental band was mounted in 30 cwt lorries, with the bandmaster  in front in a small lorry.

Much consternation was caused when the rehearsal took two and a half hours – the actual show was scheduled for 8 minutes. However, by running some turns concurrently  timing was kept and the show voted a huge success. Perhaps more importantly, a trip round the West Country was made – to Plymouth, Torquay, Exeter and thence to  Bournemouth and then back, via Bath, Barnstaple, Weymouth  and Falmouth to Plymouth.

To begin, three Light Tanks Mark IV were sent by rail to Plymouth on 30th May, where they were met at Plumer Barracks by an Austin 7 and a 30 cwt lorry, carrying an  officer, two sergeants and 7 men. A Royal Signals lorry accompanied the crews. A Light Aid Detachment (LAD) of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (these were days before the Royal Electrical and mechanical Engineers were formed) had a more difficult journey – their lorries broke down!

On 1st June, in wind and rain a trip was made to Tavistock. The speed of 6 mph caused the light tanks to overheat, but the return at 15 mph solved the problem. On 2nd June the tour proper started … with the brakes failing on

A Vickers light tank "disguised" as a horse!

A Vickers light tank “disguised” as a horse!

one tank and leaving it in the ditch. Once it re-started the brakes were fixed … and the engine seized. Two tanks made it to Exeter under their own power; the third arrived on a trailer.

At Torquay the Mayor and Corporation inspected the detachment “… after which we had our first experience of small boys attacking the tanks after the manner of flies round a jam pot.” At Exmouth the following day “… again, after an inspection by the Mayor, we had again to submit to the ravages of small boys.”

After several days spares were running low (the description of the trip in the regimental journal is a litany of crashes, scrapes and breakdowns), and it was discovered spares for the Mark IV Light Tank were no longer being made. The result was several late nights for the crews and LAD, or even all-night sessions, stripping and rebuilding brake pads and gearboxes.

In spite of this there were several other occasions of tanks being brought in on trailers, but the tour continued.

On 9th June, the crews played a cricket match against Bath Police “… which was not marked by victory” and a dance was held in the evening. Other dances took place at various stops, the one at Barnstaple being “… a great success”. The dances seem generally to have been followed by a day’s rest!

The end of the tour was a 75-mile run from Falmouth to Plymouth on 21st June  “… not a lucky one. We had a number of breakdowns, and the last tank did not reach barracks until 9 p.m.”

On the 22nd the tanks were loaded back on the train and the crews returned to Tidworth by lorry. The experience these former mounted soldiers gained from this tour were to stand them in good stead two years later on the outbreak of war. Sadly, in 1939 the tanks with which they were equipped were not much better than the Mark IV Light Tank, but the professionalism and good humour of the regiment, displayed in both activities described here, kept spirits and fighting efficiency to the fore.

In HorsePower museum you can see models of the tanks the 10th Hussars used and also learn much more about the road to war in 1939 and the activities of the regiment (and the 11th Hussars) in the succeeding years.

  • July 30th, 2014
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August 2014 – August 1914 The 11th Mobilise

August 1914. The 11th Hussars mobilise.

 On 29th July, 1914, the British Government, concerned at the rapidly-deteriorating international situation following the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne in late June, issued orders for the army to enter a “precautionary period” – the lead-up to full mobilisation.

 

Warburg Barrracks

Warburg Barracks

The 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own) were at Aldershot, at Warburg Barracks. They had arrived there in 1912 and were part of the spearhead of the proposed British Expeditionary Force – along with The Queen’s Bays and the 5th Dragoon Guards they formed the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Cavalry Division – and were earmarked for France on the outbreak of war. Warburg Barracks had been built between 1856 and 59, and were demolished in 1963: The Prince’s Hall and Warburg Car Park now occupy the site.

War was declared on Tuesday 4th August: reservists were recalled (these were men who had completed a specified length of time with the army but were eligible for recall if required). All reservists were instructed to return to their regiment’s depot, which in the case of the 11th Hussars was in Dublin, so Captain F G A Arkwright was sent to collect the required number. He returned with 120 men. These were immediately put through Riding School, sword drill and training on the new machine guns (the regiment had two) in order to bring them to full efficiency for the forthcoming campaign.

Horses, too, were required. Prior to the war, the government had set up a census of all horses in the kingdom and powers were in place to permit requisition of all that were required. Within twelve days over 120,000 horses were collected. Additionally, horses were sent voluntarily. The brother of the regiment’s Commanding Officer gave eight hunters (all of which survived the war), and other Hunts gave a number of horses.

By 11th August, the regiment was fully-equipped with men, horses and material, and that evening the Brigade was inspected by His Majesty King George V.

There was much discussion amongst officers and men about what lay ahead: many of the younger officers greeted the entry of Great Britain into the war with (according to the regimental history) “customary enthusiasm”. Older officers were less sanguine; General Briggs, commanding the 1st Cavalry Brigade, told his commanding officers that they could expect to lose 50% of their regiments within weeks of arriving in France.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ansell, commanding the 5th Dragoon Guards, came down to the Officers’ Mess late one evening, in his pyjamas to tell the younger officers of the brigade that “… war was very likely to prove very different from what they seemed to imagine.” (Ironically, Colonel Ansell was to die himself on 1st September).

At 9.39 a.m. on the 15th August, the regiment left Farnborough Station on four trains bound for Southampton, where they began to arrive at 11.30 a.m. They soon embarked on three ships – the Cestrian (a cattle boat from

Onboard the "Castrian"

Onboard the “Castrian”

Liverpool, which needed to be cleaned before the regiment could embark), the Basil and the Munificence. Sailing at 5.00 a.m. on the 16th, arrival at Le Havre was at 4 p.m. the same day. 26 officers, 523 men and 608 horseslanded in France – as fine a regiment of cavalry as ever saw service.

The 11th were at war. The month of August brought action at the Battles of Mons and Le Cateau. The first fatality, Private William Roberts of A Squadron became the first of 177 men of the regiment to fall in the war when he was killed on the Mons Canal on 24th August, during the British Army’s first battle of the war. (The first of 23 officers to die, Captain John Ainsworth, was not to fall until October 1914).

Officers of the 11th 1914.

Officers of the 11th 1914.

The attached photographs show the officers of the regiment before leaving for France. The Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel T T Pitman (centre, with stick), ended the war commanding the 2nd Cavalry Division. Those officers who fell in the war are circled, while those with rectangular marks were wounded. Many were decorated – in the war, officers of the regiment won 12 awards of the Distinguished Service Order with three Bars (a second award), 16 Military Crosses (with one Bar and one officer winning two Bars, or three awards of the Cross). The other ranks won 12 Distinguished Conduct medals and 23 Military Medals. Numerous foreign awards were also gained.

The photograph of Warburg Barracks at the time of its demolition is courtesy of Hampshire Museums Service, while the photograph taken of Le Havre from the deck of the Cestrian is from a collection of photographs taken by Colonel Pitman.

You can see special displays on the service of the 11th Hussars and the 10th Royal Hussars in the Great War in HorsePower museum together with much more about the history of the two regiments and their successors, the Royal Hussars and the King’s Royal Hussars.

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