|
August 1914 : in Southampton.
Part of Hampshire Brigade, Wessex Division. 9 October
1914 : sailed for India, landing Karachi 11 November
1914. The Wessex Division was a Territorial Force
Division already in existence at the outbreak of the
war. The Division was quick to form its "Foreign Service"
units and on September the 26th it was selected for
service in India.
The Hampshire's would
embark on October 9th and replace regular units in
Divisions already in existence in India. The Division
remained there sending many drafts to fighting units
in the Middle East. Divisional and Brigade staff did
not accompany them but remained behind to take over
the "Second Line" Division of the Home Service units.
128th (Hampshire) Brigade. A month after leaving England
they arrived in Bombay and the four Battalions separated
to their different locations 1/5th Bn Hampshire Regt.
04 Aug. 1914 - Dec. 1914. To the 8th (Indian) Division
to Allahabad. In 1918 the 1/5th were in Burma and
returned to India in October.
They were sent to Ambala
and relieved the 9th Bn. Remained there until spring
1919. When riots broke out in the Punjab they found
themselves on internal security in and around Ambala
200 men being sent to Simla, and train escorts for
Europeans being sent up into the hills. Just as Things
had settled down threatened trouble with Afghanistan
led to hostilities and the 5th was sent to Kohat and
joined the 46th Mobile Brigade. Kohat was in a bad
state, unsanitary conditions, hot weather, poor supply
of bad water.
They moved out
to Mohammed Zai Fort to man some partly constructed
lines which was a relief for them, the lines were
attacked twice by Afghans or local tribesmen who were
easily beaten off, the second time largely by artillery
without any loss to the 5th who remained until the
end of June. In Kohat Cholera broke out and spread
to the 5th who lost 6 men others succumbed to the
heat wave. The end of June saw them move to Ambala
and the end of hostilities the 5th went to the hills
HQ. B, and C companies going to Solon, A, and D going
to Dagshai. In September the 5th moved to Bombay to
embark and left on the 15th October and arrived in
Southampton on November 8th.
|
