Thursday May 23rd, 1918
No stand to. Work night 6 -11. Mail up but no letters from my wife. About 6 or 7 letters. Very hot again.
Summer Work
The heat in Macedonia was such that daytime work in the summer was rarely contemplated. From Frank’s recent diary entries, that seems to be increasingly the case with the 13th Bn. He seems to work early morning or night time. The rest of the day is probably spent seeking shelter of some kind.
H Collinson Owen recalls a summer day in July, driving in the Langaza Valley, ‘We pass odd soldiers on the road, and little strings of transport. All our men are wearing sun helmets, open shirts, and ‘shorts’. They are really half naked, and their arms, knees, chests and faces are baked a dark brown.’¹
After enduring a dusty, baking afternoon’s drive, he continues ‘We realize that our host at Stavros was right and that there is no sense in being abroad in such weather – even in a motor car – unless imperative necessity demands it. It is a wise rule which enjoins on the whole army to rise at five, get as much work as is possible done before eleven, and rest during the baking hours between twelve and five in the afternoon.’
It is unclear why ‘stand to’ was deemed unnecessary today. Perhaps it was something to do with the ‘minor operation’ mentioned in the Battalion’s diary today.
Minor Operations
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to pinpoint in any accounts the minor operation of the 8th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry . There were only two infantry-related incidents in the French official reports this last week of May:
May 23rd, ‘During the night the enemy attempted two surprise attacks on our positions. One of them towards Kirklina, was repulsed before reaching our lines; the other, between the lakes, succeeded in gaining a footing in one of our small posts, but was immediately driven out.’²
May 29th, ‘To the south of Lake Doiran a British detachment entered a Bulgarian work, the garrison of which was annihilated.’³
The skirmishes continue.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 23rd May 1918 – Sporan
Our artillery was moderately active. Enemy artillery fired a few rounds on his usual points. Between 06:45 and 08:15 hrs two of our planes flew over enemy lines. Later one hostile plane flew over our lines. Between 15:40 and 16:50 hrs two enemy planes passed over our lines. Patrols posted up proclamations on Kimberley Spur and on Goldies I. Enemy was heard shouting behind White Scar Hill and 2 men were seen on skyline at Flat Iron. At 21:45 hrs about 20 bombs and 200 ? shots were heard from direction of Krastali where the 8th KSLI were carrying out a minor operation from No 3 Sector.
The undermentioned Officers are struck off the effective strength of the Battalion with effect from the dates stated: 2Lt J Partington 22-10-17 on attachment to 66th TMB. 2Lt JW Webb 5-1-18 on attachment to RAF. Lt HB Neal 27-2-18 on leaving for base to await embarkation to UK for MGC Grantham. Lt W Foskett 22-5-18 on leaving for Base to await embarkation to India. Extract from London Gazette No 30647 dated 24-4-18 Manchester Regt. The undermentioned, 2Lt to be Lt 26-3-18. 2Lt GA Robertson. London Gazette No 30650 Temp 2Lt to be Temp Lt 26-3-18 T/2Lt HM William, T/2Lt W Trevivian.
References & Further Reading
¹ ‘Salonica & After, The Sideshow that Ended the War’ by H Collinson Owen (Editor of the Balkan News & Official Correspondent in the Near East (Hodder & Stoughton, 1919). Pages 111 & 113
² reported in The Guardian, on May 25th, page 5
³ reported in The Guardian, on May 31st, page 5
* Q32503, copyright Imperial War Museums