IFPO No 58 in 1916

[Chris Grimshaw]

Team

Something a little different from my 'To Sort' box.

Postcard to Whitehaven cancelled IFPO  during July 1916 with Censor 2/3140

Sent by a Private A Hornsby 20375  1st H.L.I. Indian Exp Force.

Part of message reads " we are still somewhere on the sea,  We have been staying at a port in the East for 5 days" 

No clues shown as to location or which ship he was on or indeed which direction he was going.  Proud give no location for this IFPO at this time.

Chris

[Graham Mark]

Per  James "British Regiments 1914-18"
At the outbreak 1st HLI was at Ambala in Sirhind Bde, 3rd (Lahore) Div.  The Division was ordered to France and travelled via Suez.  At Suez the Sirhind Bde was dropped to bolster the Canal Defences because the regulars that had been in the Garrison of Egypt had been recalled and only the East Lancs Terriers and 2 regts of Yeomany had replaced them.
Sirhind Bde was released in Nov and landed at Marseilles on 1 Dec to rejoin its Div on 9 Dec.

Per MacMunn & Falls "Military Operations, Egypt & Palestine vol.1"
the first transports of 3rd (Lahore) Div began to arrive at Suez on 8 Sept, and Gen Maxwell was asked by the War Office how soon it could be sent on to France.  He replied that he would retain the Sirhind Bde and an Artillery Bde, and the remainder of the Div sailed on 19th from Alex.  The Sirhind Bde was relieved by other Indian Troops arriving and sailed for France on 23 Nov.
Regards, Graham

[Chris Grimshaw]

Hello Graham

Thanks for this, very useful,  However you don't mention a date but I'm guessing 1914 when the first moves took place.  If the cancel is correct this card is July 1916 and also very late for use of Censor Type 2,

I know Type 2 was still in use end of April 1916 in West Africa.

[Peter Harvey]

HI Chris,

20375 Andrew Hornsby of the H.L.I was KIA in December 1916 in Mesopotamia and is laid at rest in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at BASRA.

1st Battalion HLI
August 1914 : in Ambala, India. Part of the Sirhind Brigade in the 3rd (Lahore) Division.
Moved to France via Egypt, landing at Marseilles 1 December 1914 (some weeks after the other Brigades of the Division).
December 1915 : moved to Mesopotamia.
January 1917 : left the Division and moved to the Tigris Defences.
September 1917 : attached to 51st Brigade in 17th Indian Division in Mesopotamia, where it then remained.

Peter

[Chris Grimshaw]

Thanks Peter.

Never thought to check CWGC

Chris