Dardanelles
2 Mounted Division Troops
1/1 Kent Fld Coy RE
1915 Oct - 1915 Dec
To - 54(EA) Divn as 495 Fd Coy RE
See original

495 (hand written)
Volume No. 1
MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
WAR DIARY.
Unit 1/1st Kent Fld Co R.E.  54th Div (crossed out)  2nd Mtd Div (in different pen)
From 7.10.15  to 29.10.15
See original

War Diary 1/1st Kent Fld. Co. R.E.
October 1915
Central Registry D.A.G. 3rd Echelon - REceived 16 Sep 1916
Place, Date, Summary of Events and Information

SUVLA LALA BABA
7th     1/1 Kent Fld Co R.E. arrived at SUVLA BAY having left LIVERPOOL on S.S.Olympic Sep 25th. Dug in just in front of LALA BABA, which were own Headqrts (?)
10th    3 Sections are to go forward behind Reserve Line Trenchens N. area just forward of right to dig themselves in.
13th    Enemy Aeroplane shot down on SALTLAKE. Salvaged under cover of  darkness.
14th    ?? Quarters started on, behind Reserve areas.
15th    1 Sapper Wounded (WOOLLEY) our first casualty. Company engaged on ?? Quarters well, Barbed wire entanglements, Knife Posts, widening and deepening  C.T.’s whcih are in a very exposed condition, not deep enough for shelter against Shrapnel, not wide enough for passing. Revetting short line trenches, draining Trenches and making new dugouts.
17th    Assault by Turks on Barricade in AZMAO DERE repulsed. 14 Turks killed, 2 of our own men.
18th    1 Sapper wounded (BENNET). R.E. Park formed at LALA BABA. We are the only RE. Company with the 2ND MOUNTED DIVISION. (Major-Gen. PEYTON)
19th    Started on construction of new road between LALA BABA and CHOCOLATE HILL. Sapper TEBAY wounded. Sick in Hospital 23, sick in Camp 33.
20th    LT. COOKSEY went to Hospital on beach. Cpl UPTON  wounded. Started on New Reserve fire Trench to be used as a C.T. between AZMAC DERE and South Lane C.T.
24th    Very heavy rain for 12 hrs. Turks shelled our front lines heavily. We have about 700 I. working Party nightly. Cannot do much work in day time owing to clear observation of our trenches by the enemy.
26th    Sick in Hospital now 47 men.
27th    Lt COOKSEY rejoined Company from Hospital.
29th    1/2nd Kent FLD Co. R.E. arrived and are attached to the 2nd MOUNTED DIVISION.  C.S.M RANSOM went to Hospital Ship.
G S Steed Capt R.E.
O.C. 1/1/ Kent Fld. Co. R.E.
See original

Volume No. 2
MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
WAR DIARY.
Unit 1/1st Kent Fld Co R.E.  54th Div (crossed out)  2nd Mtd Div (in different pen)
From 1.11.15  to 30.11.15
See original

War Diary 1/1 Kent Fld. Co. R.E.
Noivember 1916 (the year appears to be an error)

Place, Date, Summary of Events and Information
LALA BABA SUVLA.
1st     Major TYLER D.C. Company serious wounded by shrapnel. Works as usual. Climate very trying 60 men in Hospital.
3rd     Sapper COOPER killed, our first fatal casualty.
5th     CAPT. STEED went to hospital. Making our gun encampments for Battery in AZMAC DERE.
8th     LL. KENNEDY to Hospital. Jamjore MOZLEY appointed CRE 2nd Mounted DIV. arrived.
9th     Drew money from Field Cashier to pay Company. Front line trenches badly damaged by fire, parapet had to be rebuilt in places. 
12th    LL. ROSEVEARE appointed Adjutant to C.R.E: Capt. CONINGHAM R.E. arrived and took over command of Company.
14th    Lt. ROWE R.E. joined Company.Gale from South all day, lightning all night.
16th    LORD KITCHENER passed R.E. Park at LALA BABA 3.30pm
17th    Lt RICHARDSON to Hospital. Weather much colder. SALT LAKE now full of water. Turks shelled heavily all day.
24th    2 Yeomanry Officers attached to Company for duty.
25th    Orders received to pack up Tool Camp ready to be sent away.
26th    Very severe showers, great damage done to trenges , several fell in, also dugouts. Most papers etc. washed away by flood. All our men in Reserve Trenches had to come back to LALA BABA as their dugouts were flooded out.
27th    Lt . COOKSEY went to Hospital. Heavy Northerly gale and rain all afternoon and evening.
28th    Gale and rain still continuing. Impossible to carry out any work at present.
29th    Extremely cold North wind. SALT LAKE frozen over.
30th    Fin and bright weather, storm subsided. Men to be sent up to front line trenches.
G S Steed Capt R.E.
O.C. 1/1/ Kent Fld. Co. R.E.
See original

Volume No. 3
MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.
WAR DIARY.
Unit 1/1st Kent Fld Co R.E.  54th Div (crossed out)  2nd Mtd Div (in different pen)
From 1.12.15  to 31.11.15
See original

War Diary 1/1 Kent Field Coy. R.E.
December 1915
(this page is written in a different hand to the previous pages)

Place, Date, Summary of Events and Information
Suvla
LALA BABA
1st     Sapper Oliver BOND killed by Shrapnel near Scottish House lines. Sapper J HARRIS to go with Coy. gear to MUDROS.
5th     Heavy bombardment of our lines, also D.H.2.
10th    Last mail out today.
11th    Enemy Aeroplane dropped two bombs one North and one South of R.E. Park. Orders received for all R.E.s to evacuation tomorrow night except 2 Officers and 22 men of this Company. Mail arrived today.
12th    Four days rations drawn from A.S.C. At 23.00 (11.pm embarked on motor driven light at “C” beach boarded S.S. ERMINE this was very risky work owing to heavy swell.
MUDROS
13th    S.S. Ermine left SUVLA BAY 6.15 and arrived MUDROS 11.45. Infantry left in tenders (?), R.E.s remained on board and in afternoon were transferred to H.M.T. Ascania (Cunard Line) O.C. Troops Lieut-Col G.H. SWINDELLS, 4th Cheshires, Adj. Capt LINTON, 4th Welsh.
14th    Sailed for ALEXANDRIA 16.25
ALEXANDRIA
18th    Arrived ALEXANDRIA very early in the morning, circuled around until Harbour was opened at 07.00.  Left ship at 14.00 and marched through town at head of 2nd Mounted Diviion details to tram centre. Arrived SIDI BISHR 18.00. Officers and men all slept in open.
20th    Orders received to proceed to SALHIA by 04.00 train. Not in time to do so owing to men being delayed by trams. Telegraphed R.T.O. and Capt THORNTON, DA.Q.M.G.  Ordered to take men back to STADIUM CAMP and instructed to proceed by 11.00 train from SIDI GABER Station next day for SALHIA to 
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See original

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