AVC Men to the 13/Durham Light Infantry

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

At sometime in 1916 a block of AVC men who had served in Egypt were transferred to the 13th Bn Durham Light Infantry, does anyone know why?

Ian

[Greenwoodman]

Ian, 13 DLI were in 68 Bde, 23 Div, which division took a fair pasting in the early Somme battles.

My grandad was in 7 South Staffs and went to Gallipoli, but I'm pretty certain he was medevac'd out to Egypt. I believe he came back to England for convalesence and he was fed back into the system as a Somme reinforcement on 21 Jul 1916 when a draft of 130 from 7th South Staffs joined the 11th Notts & Derbys, who were just about to go back into the line. I've certainly traced one 7th SS man from Gallipoli to Alexandria Hospital to UK to 11 N&D on the WF in that timeframe. So groups of troops from the Middle East were reappearing on the Western Front in those groups.

Also, when 7 S Staffs came out of Suvla and went to Egypt, they were heavily over complement, which would indicate that drafts would have been sent home, too. Manpower had no doubt built up in Egypt as a reserve for Gallipoli. When no longer needed, the manpower was no doubt sent home, and then sent where it was needed. If AVC troops were used, then the requirement for animals in Egypt must have been reducing, or replacements from the Indian, Australian or New Zealand armies were being used.

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Richard - Thanks that is an interesting way of looking at it, which I hadn't thought of.

Ian