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'''End of Noel Clark's Account'''==Also see==*[[Mesopotamia Campaign]]*[[Norperforce]]
→Additional notes
<br>Zaccho – Zakho.</ref> Convoys carried various loads – mats (trench mats etc.), bamboos, lime, black earth, bricks, petrol, kerosene, foodstuffs including vegetables, water and ice, ordnance stores, tentage, mails, personnel and baggage.
Officers assisting Major MARRIS and Captain LYNN included 2/Lts. George Robinson COCKMAN, Ernest Raymond ALLEN, Edwin BRUCE and Ernest Edward Gibson FLEMING. There were various subsequent transfers in and out of the unit, and temporary attachments of personnel from time to time, and the Diary needs to be read in detail to follow these. The Diary is also unusual in that it mentions a number of the non-commissioned officers and men by both name and regimental number; one being Mechanist Staff Sergeant Louis Vernon COLATO (050206), who later became a commissioned officer.
After the Armistice of Mudros on 30th October 1918 (curiously given no mention whatsoever in the Diary) 1023 Company remained in Mesopotamia as part of the Army of Occupation. The Diary for the period 1st December 1918 to 24th May 1919 inclusive is missing, but from elsewhere we know that on 16th January 1919 the unit was still at Hillah.<ref>''With the M.T. in Mesopotamia'', Brevet Lt.-Col. F. W. Leland, Forster, Groom and Co. Ltd, London, 1920.</ref> During that time command of the unit had passed to (then) Captain COCKMAN, and on 25th May 1919 temporary command was taken by Major C. N. DRAPER from 1016 Company. The unit was now at Kirkuk, where it remained until 24th July 1919. On 29th May an escorted convoy from the unit under the command of Lt. Patrick Joseph BAILLIE and on its way to Chemchamal was ambushed by Sheikh Mahmud’s mounted Kurds as part of the Kurdish insurrection of May-June 1919. The War Diary records that the convoy as a whole suffered a number of casualties including 15 Indian Other Ranks killed; one Burmese driver from 1023 Company was still unaccounted for six days later.
The unit remained at Makina until 16th July and then began to move via Baghdad to Hillah and had set up camp at the latter place, adjacent to 1023 Company, by 26th July, and then began convoy operations despite being depleted in numbers due to sickness. The main cargo seems to have been grain, inwards to Hillah. 2/Lts. Edmond Leslie BAYLEY and Horace William TEETON were attached to the unit from the Army Service Corps, and 2/Lt. Donald James ROSS arrived from Rangoon. One driver died from cholera.
In late September 1024 Company was ordered to move to Khanagin, and the move commenced on 30th September 1918. Unfortunately the War Diary for October has not survived, but in early November the unit was ordered to Kerind, which was reached in the middle of the month. The weather and poor roads hampered operations. On 30th November, Lt. P.J. O’SHEA took command of the unit on the admission of Major CUNINGHAM to hospital suffering from dysentery; CUNINGHAM died on 6th December 1918. Major CUNINGHAM”S CUNINGHAM's replacement, Captain Ernest Edward Gibson FLEMING from 1023 Company, arrived on 24th December, but on Christmas Day the unit was rocked by another tragedy, the death of Mechanist Staff Sergeant V.N. BOGLE, who suffocated after falling out of bed.
The main work of 1024 Company in January and early February 1919 was to convey supplies to Huranabad with occasional convoys to Kasrabad and Aliabad. Several convoys went to Takigarreh to collect supplies for Kerend and forward destinations. Towards the middle of February 1024 Company began convoys to Huranabad carrying supplies, mails and personnel for the Persian Lines of Communication and for the North Persia Force. On 17th February orders were received to move down the line back to Baghdad, and after preparations were complete the move commenced on 26th February and the company arrived in Baghdad on 4th March passing through Quasi-Sharin, Khanakin and Baqubah en route. The unit remained in Baghdad from 4th March to 18th March 1919, cleaning and overhauling the vehicles, checking stores, receiving a summer kit issue, and general camp duties. All British ranks both from and attached to 1024 Company left on 14th March for demobilization. [Note: I think that the Diary should read “British other ranks.”]
===No. 5 Burma MT Company===
No. 5 Burma M.T. Company disembarked at Basra on 2nd April 1919. It became (No. 1015 (Burma) M.T. Company R.A.S.C.)
This Company was formed by 5th October 1918 when Lt. Harry LINSKILL took command of ''‘Depot No. 5 Burma Ford Van Company.’'' <ref>''London Gazette'', 31761, 30th January 1920, p. 1269.</ref>After leaving Rangoon, No. 5 Burma Mechanical Transport Company undertook training at the No.1 M.T. Training School at Rawalpindi, India. The Company disembarked at Basra on 2nd April 1919 with six British officers, ten British other ranks, 199 Burmese other ranks, and 11 followers. Its Commanding Officer was Major William Temple LIDDELL, and two of his mentioned assistants were 2/Lts. William Henry JAMES and John William EDWARDS. Shortly after arrival at Basra LIDDELL received orders to proceed to Baghdad by river and thence north to Sharqat to take over the equipment, duties and number of 1015 M.T. company A.S.C. (1015 M.T. Company A.S.C. was originally formed at Bulford, England, on 21st October 1917, one of ten Ford Van Supply Columns for mixed British and Indian establishments being formed at Bulford at that time. 1015 had arrived at Basra on 22nd January 1918.)
The period of service was to be one year or less at the discretion of the Government. The formation of these two units was also reported by Major ENRIQUEZ in one of his books.<ref>''A Burmese Wonderland'', Major C.M. Enriquez, Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta and Simla, 1922, p. 188.</ref> However, the official Government of India publication detailing India’s contribution to the First World War lists only five Burma M.T. Companies.<ref>''India’s Contribution to the Great War'', Superintendent Government Printing, Calcutta, 1923, p. 285.</ref>
Further references in the ''London Gazette'' suggest that after formation these two Companies were almost immediately redesignated as No. 15 and 16 Mechanical Transport (Burma) Ford Van Company respectively, and became part of the Mechanical Transport section of the Indian Army Supply and Transport Corps. Lt. Jones Arthur NICHOLS (aka James Arthur NICHOLLS) was appointed O.C. No 15 Coy from 15th August 1919 with Lt. Robert Smith McWHINNIE as his Workshops Officer from 12th July 1919 to 17th December 1919, and Captain A. H. Arthur Halkett HILL was appointed O.C. No. 16 Coy from 18th July 1919 with 2/Lt. Bernard Chevalion CHASE as his Workshops Officer from 6th August 1919.<ref> ''London Gazette'', 31870, 20th April 1920, p. 4582.</ref>
It is not known whether these units continued to use Burmese personnel, or if they did so for how long. Acting Captain J. R. R. Joseph Robert Rice CLARKE was appointed Workshops Officer of No. 16 Company on 1st April 1920 (when the unit was in Peshawar), and then as Acting Major was O.C. of the unit from 26th October 1920 to 3rd February 1921.<ref>''London Gazette'', 32348, 7th June 1921, p. 4551 and 32413, 5th August 1921, p. 6176.</ref> Acting Captain Harry DUPREE was Workshops Officer of No. 15 Company from 1st April 1920 to 19th November 1920.<ref>''London Gazette'', 32257, 15th March 1921, p. 2097.</ref>
There was further redesignation of various Indian Army Mechanical Transport Companies on 6th May 1921, including the redesignation of No. 692 M.T. Coy R.A.S.C. as No. 16 (Indian) M.T. Coy.<ref>''Army Service Corps 1902-1918'', Michael Young, Leo Cooper/Pen and Sword Books, Barnsley, Sth. Yorkshire, 2000, p. 308.</ref>
<blockquote>A convoy of 37 vans was despatched from Kirkuk to Chemchamal at 6.30 a.m. About noon news was received that 8 vans had left Chemchamal early in the morning but had to put back as it was found that the road had been blocked by a 4-foot wall. The leading van came to grief and when the following vans got up it was found to have been stripped and the driver gone. The driver’s clothes were strewn about the ground near the van. This news caused a certain amount of anxiety to be felt as to what had become of the morning’s outward convoy under 2/Lt BAILLIE of 1023 Burma Coy. Major DRAPER, Lt. PANCHAUD and I went out to see if there were any signs of the returning convoy. About 8 miles out we met the artificers’ van returning with a number of drivers on board, who had had to abandon their vans. The drivers stated that at a very narrow part of the road they ran into the back of a cart convoy which completely blocked the road. The drivers and most of the animals had been killed [ambushed by the Kurds]. Major DRAPER and Lt. PANCHAUD went on while I returned with the Burman drivers to make their report to the 55th Brigade Headquarters. Major DRAPER eventually joined up with the 32nd Lancers who had picked up a certain number of wounded from the A.T. Convoy [“Animal Transport Convoy” – the cart convoy referred to above] and also some drivers from the M.T. Convoy who had had to abandon their vans. Upon return to H.Q. it was learned that a wireless from Chemchamal had been received to the effect that 17 vans of the Ford convoy had got through. No news has as yet been received as to the fates of the personnel or of the other vans of the convoy. </blockquote>
These two incidents serve to illustrate the difficulty of finding some of the relevant records. Both took place ''‘…north of a line drawn east and west through Kirkuk, between 23rd May 1919 and 31st July 1919, both dates inclusive…’'' and hence those involved should have qualified for the India General Service Medal and Kurdistan Clasp. Of the men named in the first incident report, there are records of the award to both Ernest Raymond ALLEN and John Patrick O’SHEA, but no record has been found found for 2/Lt. Charles Dixie KIERNANDER. Similarly for the second incident no records have been found for Patrick Joseph BAILLIE. Lt. PANCHAUD was Stanley John Oblein PANCHAUD of the Royal Army Service Corps, attached to 1024 Company at the time. His medal card shows that he arrived in Mesopotamia in January 1918 and the award of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, but there is no mention of the award of the General Service Medal (1918) and Kurdistan Clasp.
Lt. Claud Felix PYETT provides another example of difficulties with the records. According to the War Diary for No. 784 (Burma) M.T. Company R.A.S.C. PYETT joined that Company on 29th December 1919 at Kirkuk, and this is confirmed by the General Service Medal (1918) roll on www.ancestry.co.uk. ''Prima facie'' this qualified PYETT for the award of the Iraq Clasp, i.e. he was ''‘north of a line drawn east and west through Ramadi between 10th December 1919 and 13th June 1920, both dates inclusive’'', but there is no mention of the award taking place either on the medal roll or medal index card. Indeed, PYETT’s medals are extant and there is no Iraq Clasp.
*Lt. Patrick Joseph BAILLIE<ref name=LG12021920>''Ibid''., p. 1803.</ref>
*Lt. (A./Maj.) C. N. DRAPER<ref name=LG12021920/>
*2/Lt. (A./Maj.) Ernest Edward Gibson FLEMING<ref name=LG12021920/>
*B/065277 Havildar So Min, 784 (Burma) M.T. Company<ref> ''Ibid''., p. 1804.</ref>
*Lt. (A./Capt.) Edwin BRUCE<ref name=LG09091921>''London Gazette'', 32452, 9th September 1921, p. 7198.</ref>
*Lt. Patrick John O’SHEA<ref name=LG09091921/>
*Lt. (T./Maj) William Temple LIDDELL<ref>Ibid., p. 7201</ref>*2/Lt. George Robinson COCKMAN<ref>''London Gazette'', 30867, 3rd August 1918, p. 9996. <br>COCKMAN was in charge of a detachment from 1023 Coy. in March/April 1918 at Hit (on the Euphrates, north-west of Ramadi). On 28th March 1918 he was in charge of a convoy that was under fire from the Turks. His mention may relate to that episode.</ref>
====Indian Distinguished Service Medal====
*050441 Driver Kui Maung, 1024 (Burma) M.T. Company<ref>India, Governor-General’s Orders No.3, 1920. Listed in ''The Indian Distinguished Service Medal'', Rana Chhina, InvictaIndia, 2001. </ref> (aka Abraham Kin Maung from GSM medal roll)
*050188 Havildar Isaac Mg Chit, E, 1023 (Burma) M.T. Company <ref name=IMSM>These awards have not been verified. They are mentioned in the War Diary of 1023 Company with the reference ''‘Order of the Day, Mes. Ex. Force, No. 127, dated 20.12.18''). </ref>(not found in GSM medal roll)
*050182 Havildar Mg Tun Ya, 1023 (Burma) M.T. Company<ref name=IMSM/> (Havildar-Major Tun Ya in GSM medal roll)
====Other Awards for Services Rendered in Mesopotamia====
*Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent of the British Empire (O.B.E.): Lt. (T./Maj) William Temple LIDDELL<ref> ''London Gazette'', 32452, 9th September 1921, p. 7194.</ref>
===References===
===Acknowledgement===
My thanks go to K. J. Lindsay for his assistance in the concluding stages of my research.
===End of Noel Clark's Account===
Copyright for the above Account belongs to Noel Clark
===Additional notes===
*Regarding the issue of medals, a post on the ''Great War Forum'' advises that for the General Service Medal, bars 'Kurdistan', 'Iraq', 'N.W. Persia' and the India General Service Medal particularly bar 'Waziristan 1919-21', the medal rolls reflect only those men who had previously applied for a medal, and if there had been no application by a soldier, his name does not appear on the medal roll.<ref> mcassell [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/280998-19th-motor-machine-gun-battery-in-india-1918-and-1919/?do=findComment&comment=3087942 19th Motor Machine Gun Battery in India 1918 and 1919] ''Great War Forum'' 22 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.</ref>
*Regarding Footnote 17 above: [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/inu.32000009934342?urlappend=%3Bseq=182%3Bownerid=13510798895751538-196 Pages 136-137] ''Loyalties Mesopotamia 1917-1920'' by Sir Arnold T Wilson first published 1931. HathiTrust Digital Library.
*Regarding Footnote 18 above: [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31777/supplement/1802 London Gazette, 31777, 12th February 1920, p. 1802]
==Historical books online==
*[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31287/supplement/4739 Despatch by Lieut-General Sir W R Marshall] on the operations of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force from 1st October 1918 to 31st December 1918, dated 1st February 1919. Mesopotamia and NW Persia (page 4743) ''The London Gazette'' 8 April 1919 Supplement: 31287 Page: 4739
:[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31813/supplement/2877 Despatch from Major General Sir George F MacMunn], officiating Commander-In Chief, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, describing events since 1st January 1919, including North Persia, and Southern and Cental Kurdistan, for various operations between March and September 1919. ''The London Gazette'' 5 March 1920 Supplement: 31813 Page: 2877. The actual pages are dated 8 March 1920.
:[https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32379/page/5321 Four Despatches from the Commander-In Chief, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force]: Despatch No 1, dated 17th January 1920 from MacMunn, covering the period November 1919 to 17th January 1920. Despatches from Lieutenant-General Haldane, covering the periods: 18th January 1920 to 30th June 1920 in Mesopotamia and NW Persia.[Despatch No 2 dated 23rd August 1920. Page 5323]; 1st July 1820 to 19th October 1920 [Despatch No 3 dated 8th November 1920, page 5329]; Despatch No 4, dated 8th February 1921 (page 5347) ''The London Gazette'' 1 July 1921 Issue: 32379 Page:5321.
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:British Army]] [[Category:Regiments]]
