Split topic: Gallipoli etc.

[Paralus]

G'day Marcus.

Don't let Aussie teachers beat up on you. The disaster that was the campaign waged against the Turks on the Chersonesos (Gallipoli) occasioned severe losses amongst British forces - and not only those of the colonies - as well as Australian/New Zealand. Many an English bone lies unburied on that peninsular.

Good to see you know of the march. A march, of course, to commemorate those who gave their lives not only in that war, but all wars Australia has fought in.

I did indeed enjoy the day. My two children (Joshua nine and Caitlin seven) marched (so much for Pothosian annonymity!) for their dead great grandfather and grandfather respectively. Though they were shy and reticent to start, they eventually warmed to the occasion. Lots of emotion.

A not often seen strip of decorations my Grandfather's: MM, DCM and MID amongst them.

[marcus]

Well, the 'beating up' by the Aussies was all done in a good-humoured way, of course, so taken in the same spirit.

A not often seen strip of decorations my Grandfather's: MM, DCM and MID amongst them.

And very impressive the decorations are, too! I know MM and DCM, but what is MID?

Cheers

[Thomas]

My great grandfather was a captain in the Royal Navy. He visited the Gallipoli peninsular early in the war and reported back that it was undefended and highly strategic. Could he please capture it?

He was told not to be so imaginitive and basically to bugger off and sail the seas, which is what the Royal Naviy is supposed to do.

I often wonder if the later events and deaths on both sides were, in some way, his fault.

I then wonder how many lives would have been saved if he had disobeyed orders.

[Paralus]

"Mentioned in Dispatches". The Military Medal because he both alredy had a DCM and he abused the British officer who instructed him to leave the troops in the trench as they were under German fire and likely dead. The records read that he committed a "crime" (I believe he punched or pushed him out of the way in an "insubordinate fashion" whilst disobeying him on the way to resucuing the "dead" soldiers; therefore not "distinguished conduct")

By the way Thomas, Winston was the man to which it all came down. It was his "baby" all the way and saw him resign (if I remeber correctly) from the government of the day. At least from the Admiralty or as "Sea Lord".

Nicator, if you're reading, sorry for the three PMs. the bloody things refused to leave the outbox all of yesterday and I unfortunately ended up replying three times! Least I corrected my hasty spelling/grammar in the third...

[marcus]

"Mentioned in Dispatches".

Doh! Of course it is - I should have known that.

My grandfather ended up in Alexandria during the Great War, as an engineer with the Royal Naval Flying Corps. I think he would have been too young to have ended up at Gallipoli, anyway, but he had a very narrow escape from being shoved in the French trenches (basically, the luck of his surname). But, as we recently discovered, it looks as if he didn't actually arrive in Alex until mid- to late 1918 (the earliest verifiable date in his scrapbook is a New Year's Day card from 1/1/19) ... so he missed out on having to do any fighting.

ATB

[amyntoros]

While we're . . . ahem . . . somewhat off-topic here and no one seems to mind, I'll tell my tale of family and the Great War.

No Alexandria connection, I'm afraid. My maternal grandfather was blinded and lost a lung in the European trenches - mustard gas, of course. Paternal grandfather was described by many as being on the borderline between genius and insanity - and that's the kindest thing any family member ever said about him! But he did receive a medal during the war and his photograph and military-record are on the walls of the Doncaster Museum. As I heard it, he was a sergeant in charge of gun placement, moving forward from the trenches with two comrades and a horse-pulled cannon when the enemy struck, firing mustard gas at the lines. Somehow he made it back to safety only to discover that the other two men hadn't returned. He went back twice through the gas to rescue each man individually. Then he went back a third time . . . . for the horse!!

Btw, he named my father Roger Alexander : Alexander for ATG, of course - and Roger, not for the Germanic name but the American aviation radio-response. So technically, my father is named Okay Alexander! Need I remark that he never used his first name?

Aside to Paralus: Nice photograph of you and yours. If you were ever to participate in the online Alexander role-playing game you might try Parmenion, or perhaps Craterus. You definitely have the look of an old-guard Macedonian!

[Paralus]

Marvellous piece of family history Amyntoros!

Did he receive any recogition for the bravery? It was a similar action my grandfather was awarded the MM for. And the chlorine gas got him as well. It was the reason for his eventual death.

Aside to Paralus: Nice photograph of you and yours. If you were ever to participate in the online Alexander role-playing game you might try Parmenion, or perhaps Craterus. You definitely have the look of an old-guard Macedonian!

Why you cheeky bugger! Parmenion indeed! I do, though, have to admit to a trimming of the beard for the day. Had that not ocurred, Parmenion may well have been a good description, albeit some years prior to leading the left wing at Issus?

Not a bad role that of Parmenion all the same. I think I could understand the world from his pesective...